the law and the lady-第85章

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the　old　scenes。　I　visited　once　more　the　bank　by　the　river…side；
where　Eustace　and　I　had　first　met。　I　walked　again　on　the　lawn　and
loitered　through　the　shrubberythose　favorite　haunts　in　which　we
had　so　often　talked　over　our　troubles；　and　so　often　forgotten
them　in　a　kiss。　How　sadly　and　strangely　had　our　lives　been　parted
since　that　time！　How　uncertain　still　was　the　fortune　which　the
future　had　in　store　for　us！

The　associations　amid　which　I　was　now　living　had　their　softening
effect　on　my　heart；　their　elevating　influence　over　my　mind。　I
reproached　myself；　bitterly　reproached　myself；　for　not　having
written　more　fully　and　frankly　to　Eustace。　Why　had　I　hesitated　to
sacrifice　to　him　my　hopes　and　my　interests　in　the　coming
investigation？　_He_　had　not　hesitated；　poor　fellow_his_　first
thought　was　the　thought　of　his　wife！

I　had　passed　a　fortnight　with　my　uncle　and　aunt　before　I　heard
again　from　Mr。　Playmore。　When　a　letter　from　him　arrived　at　last；
it　disappointed　me　indescribably。　A　telegram　from　our　messenger
informed　us　that　the　lodge…keeper's　daughter　and　her　husband　had
left　New　York；　and　that　he　was　still　in　search　of　a　trace　of
them。

There　was　nothing　to　be　done　but　to　wait　as　patiently　as　we
could；　on　the　chance　of　hearing　better　news。　I　remained　in　the
North；　by　Mr。　Playmore's　advice；　so　as　to　be　within　an　easy
journey　to　Edinburghin　case　it　might　be　necessary　for　me　to
consult　him　personally。　Three　more　weeks　of　weary　expectation
passed　before　a　second　letter　reached　me。　This　time　it　was
impossible　to　say　whether　the　news　were　good　or　bad。　It　might
have　been　eitherit　was　simply　bewildering。　Even　Mr。　Playmore
himself　was　taken　by　surprise。　These　were　the　last　wonderful
wordslimited　of　course　by　considerations　of　economywhich
reached　us　（by　telegram）　from　our　agent　in　America：

〃Open　the　dust…heap　at　Gleninch。〃



CHAPTER　XLIII。

AT　LAST！

　MY　letter　from　Mr。　Playmore；　inclosing　the　agent's　extraordinary
telegram；　was　not　inspired　by　the　sanguine　view　of　our　prospects
which　he　had　expressed　to　me　when　we　met　at　Benjamin's　house。

〃If　the　telegram　mean　anything；〃　he　wrote；　〃it　means　that　the
fragments　of　the　torn　letter　have　been　cast　into　the　housemaid's
bucket　（along　with　the　dust；　the　ashes；　and　the　rest　of　the
litter　in　the　room）；　and　have　been　emptied　on　the　dust…heap　at
Gleninch。　Since　this　was　done；　the　accumulated　refuse　collected
from　the　periodical　cleansings　of　the　house；　during　a　term　of
nearly　three　yearsincluding；　of　course；　the　ashes　from　the
fires　kept　burning；　for　the　greater　part　of　the　year；　in　the
library　and　the　picture…galleryhave　been　poured　upon　the　heap；
and　have　buried　the　precious　morsels　of　paper　deeper　and　deeper；
day　by　day。　Even　if　we　have　a　fair　chance　of　finding　these
fragments；　what　hope　can　we　feel；　at　this　distance　of　time；　of
recovering　them　with　the　writing　in　a　state　of　preservation？　I
shall　be　glad　to　hear；　by　return　of　post　if　possible；　how　the
matter　strikes　you。　If　you　could　make　it　convenient　to　consult
with　me　personally　in　Edinburgh；　we　should　save　time；　when　time
may　be　of　serious　importance　to　us。　While　you　are　at　Doctor
Starkweather's　you　are　within　easy　reach　of　this　place。　Please
think　of　it。〃

I　thought　of　it　seriously　enough。　The　foremost　question　which　I
had　to　consider　was　the　question　of　my　husband。

The　departure　of　the　mother　and　son　from　Spain　had　been　so　long
delayed；　by　the　surgeon's　orders；　that　the　travelers　had　only
advanced　on　their　homeward　journey　as　far　as　Bordeaux；　when　I　had
last　heard　from　Mrs。　Macallan　three　or　four　days　since。　Allowing
for　an　interval　of　repose　at　Bordeaux；　and　for　the　slow　rate　at
which　they　would　be　compelled　to　move　afterward；　I　might　still
expect　them　to　arrive　in　England　some　time　before　a　letter　from
the　agent　in　America　could　reach　Mr。　Playmore。　How；　in　this
position　of　affairs；　I　could　contrive　to　join　the　lawyer　in
Edinburgh；　after　meeting　my　husband　in　London；　it　was　not　easy　to
see。　The　wise　and　the　right　way；　as　I　thought；　was　to　tell　Mr。
Playmore　frankly　that　I　was　not　mistress　of　my
　Own　movements；　and　that　he　had　better　address　his　next　letter　to
me　at　Benjamin's　house。

Writing　to　my　legal　adviser　in　this　sense；　I　had　a　word　of　my　own
to　add　on　the　subject　of　the　torn　letter。

In　the　last　years　of　my　father's　life　I　had　traveled　with　him　in
Italy；　and　I　had　seen　in　the　Museum　at　Naples　the　wonderful
relics　of　a　bygone　time　discovered　among　the　ruins　of　Pompeii。　By
way　of　encouraging　Mr。　Playmore；　I　now　reminded　him　that　the
eruption　which　had　overwhelmed　the　town　had　preserved；　for　more
than　sixteen　hundred　years；　such　perishable　things　as　the　straw
in　which　pottery　had　been　packed；　the　paintings　on　house　walls；
the　dresses　worn　by　the　inhabitants；　and　（most　noticeable　of　all；
in　our　case）　a　piece　of　ancient　paper；　still　attached　to　the
volcanic　ashes　which　had　fallen　over　it。　If　these　discoveries　had
been　made　after　a　lapse　of　sixteen　centuries；　under　a　layer　of
dust　and　ashes　on　a　large　scale；　surely　we　might　hope　to　meet
with　similar　cases　of　preservation；　after　a　lapse　of　three　or
four　years　only；　under　a　layer　of　dust　and　ashes　on　a　small
scale。　Taking　for　granted　（what　was　perhaps　doubtful　enough）　that
the　fragments　of　the　letter　could　be　recovered；　my　own　conviction
was　that　the　writing　on　them；　though　it　might　be　faded；　would
certainly　still　be　legible。　The　very　accumulations　which　Mr。
Playmore　deplored　would　be　the　means　of　preserving　them　from　the
rain　and　the　damp。　With　these　modest　hints　I　closed　my　letter；
and　thus　for　once；　thanks　to　my　Continental　experience；　I　was
able　to　instruct　my　lawyer！

Another　day　passed；　and　I　heard　nothing　of　the　travelers。

I　began　to　feel　anxious。　I　made　my　preparations　for　my　journey
southward　overnight；　and　I　resolved　to　start　for　London　the　next
dayunless　I　heard　of　some　change　in　Mrs。　Macallan's　traveling
arrangements　in　the　interval。

The　post　of　the　next　morning　decided　my　course　of　action。　It
brought　me　a　letter　from　my　mother…in…law；　which　added　one　more
to　the　memorable　dates　in　my　domestic　calendar。

Eustace　and　his　mother　had　advanced　as　far　as　Paris　on　their
homeward　journey；　when　a　cruel　disaster　had　befallen　them。　The
fatigues　of　traveling；　and　the　excitement　of　his　anticipated
meeting　with　me；　had　proved　together　to　be　too　much　for　my
husband。　He　had　held　out　as　far　as　Paris　with　the　greatest
difficulty；　and　he　was　now　confined　to　his　bed　again；　struck　down
by　a　relapse。　The　doctors；　this　time；　had　no　fear　for　his　life；
provided　that　his　patience　would　support　him　through　a　lengthened
period　of　the　most　absolute　repose。

〃It　now　rests　with　you；　Valeria；〃　Mrs。　Macallan　wrote；　〃to
fortify　and　comfort　Eustace　under　this　new　calamity。　Do　not
suppose　that　he　has　ever　blamed　or　thought　of　blaming　you　for
leaving　him　with　me　in　Spain；　as　soon　as　he　was　declared　to　be
out　of　danger。　'It　was　_I_　who　left　_her；_'　he　said　to　me；　when
we　first　talked　about　it；　'and　it　is　my　wife's　right　to　expect
that　I　should　go　back　to　her。'　Those　were　his　words；　my　dear；　and
he　has　done　all　he　can　to　abide　by　them。　Helpless　in　his　bed；　he
now　asks　you　to　take　the　will　for　the　deed；　and　to　join　him　in
Paris。　I　think　I　know　you　well　enough；　my　child；　to　be　sure　that
you　will　do　this；　and　I　need　only　add　one　word　of　caution；　before
I　close　my　letter。　Avoid　all　reference；　not　only　to　the　Trial
（you　will　do　that　of　your　own　accord）；　but　even　to　our　house　at
Gleninch。　You　will　understand　how　he　feels；　in　his　present　state
of　nervous　depression；　when　I　tell　you　that　I　should　never　have
ventured　on　asking　you　to　join　him　here；　if　your　letter　had　not
informed　me　that　your　visits　to　Dexter　were　at　an　end。　Would　you
believe　it？his　horror　of　anything　which　recalls　our　past
troubles　is　still　so　vivid　that　he　has　actually　asked　me　to　give
my　consent　to　selling　Gleninch！〃

So　Eustace's　mother　wrote　of　him。　But　she　had　not　trusted
entirely　to　her　own　powers　of　persuasion。　A　slip　of　paper　was
inclosed　in　her　letter；　containing　these　two　lines；　traced　in
penciloh；　so　feebly　and　so　wearily！by　my　poor　darling
himself：

〃I　am　too　weak　to　travel　any　further；　Valeri