the law and the lady-第95章
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CHAPTER L。
THE LAST OF THE STORY。
In ten days more we returned to England； accompanied by Benjamin。
Mrs。 Macallan's house in London offered us ample accommodation。
We gladly availed ourselves of her proposal； when she invited us
to stay with her until our child was born； and our plans for the
future were arranged。
The sad news from the asylum （for which Benjamin had prepared my
mind at Paris） reached me soon after our return to England。
Miserrimus Dexter's release from the burden of life had come to
him by slow degrees。 A few hours before he breathed his last he
rallied for a while； and recognized Ariel at his bedside。 He
feebly pronounced her name； and looked at her； and asked for me。
They thought of sending for me； but it was too late。 Before the
messenger could be dispatched； he said； with a touch of his old
self…importance； 〃Silence； all of you！ my brains are weary； I am
going to sleep。〃 He closed his eyes in slumber； and never awoke
again。 So for this man too the end came mercifully； without grief
or pain！ So that strange and many…sided lifewith its guilt and
its misery； its fitful flashes of poetry and humor； its fantastic
gayety； cruelty； and vanityran its destined course； and faded
out like a dream！
Alas for Ariel！ She had lived for the Masterwhat more could she
do； now the Master was gone？ She could die for him。
They had mercifully allowed her to attend the funeral of
Miserrimus Dexterin the hope that the ceremony might avail to
convince her of his death。 The anticipation was not realized； she
still persisted in denying that 〃the Master〃 had left her。 They
were obliged to restrain the poor creature by force when the
coffin was lowered into the grave； and they could only remove her
from the cemetery by the same means when the burial…service was
over。 From that time her life alternated； for a few weeks；
between fits of raving delirium and intervals of lethargic
repose。 At the annual ball given in the asylum； when the strict
superintendence of the patients was in some degree relaxed； the
alarm was raised； a little before midnight； that Ariel was
missing。 The nurse in charge had left her asleep； and had yielded
to the temptation of going downstairs to look at the dancing。
When the woman returned to her post； Ariel was gone。 The presence
of strangers； and the confusion incidental to the festival；
offered her facilities for escaping which would not have
presented themselves at any other time。 That night the search for
her proved to be useless。 The next morning brought with it the
last touching and terrible tidings of her。 She had strayed back
to the burial…ground； and she had been found toward sunrise； dead
of cold and exposure； on Miserrimus Dexter's grave。 Faithful to
the last； Ariel had followed the Master！ Faithful to the last；
Ariel had died on the Master's grave！
Having written these sad words； I turn willingly to a less
painful theme。
Events had separated me from Major Fitz…David； after the date of
the dinner…party which had witnessed my memorable meeting with
Lady Clarinda。 From that time I heard little or nothing of the
Major； and I am ashamed to say I had almost entirely forgotten
himwhen I was reminded of the modern Don Juan by the amazing
appearance of wedding…cards； addressed to me at my
mother…in…law's house！ The Major had settled in life at last。
And； more wonderful still； the Major had chosen as the lawful
ruler of his household and himself〃the future Queen of Song；〃
the round…eyed； overdressed young lady with the strident soprano
voice！
We paid our visit of congratulation in due form； and we really
did feel for Major Fitz…David。
The ordeal of marriage had so changed my gay and gallant admirer
of former times that I hardly knew him again。 He had lost all his
pretensions to youth： he had become； hopelessly and
undisguisedly； an old man。 Standing behind the chair on which his
imperious young wife sat enthroned； he looked at her submissively
between every two words that he addressed to me； as if he waited
for her permission to open his lips and speak。 Whenever she
interrupted himand she did it； over and over again； without
ceremonyhe submitted with a senile docility and admiration； at
once absurd and shocking to see。
〃Isn't she beautiful？〃 he said to me （in his wife's hearing！）。
〃What a figure； and what a voice！ You remember her voice？ It's a
loss； my dear lady； an irretrievable loss； to the operatic stage！
Do you know； when I think what that grand creature might have
done； I sometimes ask myself if I really had any right to marry
her。 I feel； upon my honor I feel； as if I had committed a fraud
on the public！〃
As for the favored object of this quaint mixture of admiration
and regret； she was pleased to receive me graciously； as an old
friend。 While Eustace was talking to the Major； the bride drew me
aside out of their hearing； and explained her motives for
marrying； with a candor which was positively shameless。
〃You see we are a large family at home； quite unprovided for！〃
this odious young woman whispered in my ear。 〃It's all very well
about my being a 'Queen of Song' and the rest of it。 Lord bless
you； I have been often enough to the opera； and I have learned
enough of my music…master； to know what it takes to make a fine
singer。 I haven't the patience to work at it as those foreign
women do： a parcel of brazen…faced JezebelsI hat e them！ No！
no！ between you and me； it was a great deal easier to get the
money by marrying the old gentleman。 Here I am； provided forand
there's all my family provided for； tooand nothing to do but to
spend the money。 I am fond of my family； I'm a good daughter and
sister_I_ am！ See how I'm dressed； look at the furniture： I
haven't played my cards badly； have I？ It's a great advantage to
marry an old manyou can twist him round your little finger。
Happy？ Oh； yes！ I'm quite happy； and I hope you are； too。 Where
are you living now？ I shall call soon； and have a long gossip
with you。 I always had a sort of liking for you； and （now I'm as
good as you are） I want to be friends。〃
I made a short and civil reply to this； determining inwardly that
when she did visit me she should get no further than the
house…door。 I don't scruple to say that I was thoroughly
disgusted with her。 When a woman sells herself to a man； that
vile bargain is none the less infamous （to my mind） because it
happens to be made under the sanction of the Church and the Law。
As I sit at the desk thinking； the picture of the Major and his
wife vanishes from my memoryand the last scene in my story
comes slowly into view。
The place is my bedroom。 The persons （both； if you will be
pleased to excuse them； in bed） are myself and my son。 He is
already three weeks old； and he is now lying fast asleep by his
mother's side。 My good Uncle Starkweather is coming to London to
baptize him。 Mrs。 Macallan will be his godmother； and his
godfathers will be Benjamin and Mr。 Playmore。 I wonder whether my
christening will pass off more merrily than my wedding？
The doctor has just left the house； in some little perplexity
about me。 He has found me reclining as usual （latterly） in my
arm…chair； but on this particular day he has detected symptoms of
exhaustion； which he finds quite unaccountable under the
circumstances； and which warn him to exert his authority by
sending me back to my bed。
The truth is that I have not taken the doctor into my confidence。
There are two causes for those signs of exhaustion which have
surprised my medical attendantand the names of them
areAnxiety and Suspense。
On this day I have at last summoned courage enough to perform the
promise which I made to my husband in Paris。 He is informed； by
this time； how his wife's Confession was discovered。 He knows （on
Mr。 Playmore's authority） that the letter may be made the means；
if he so will it； of publicly vindicating his innocence in a
Court of Law。 And； last and most important of all； he is now
aware that the Confession itself has been kept a sealed secret
from him； out of compassionate regard for his own peace of mind；
as well as for the memory of the unhappy woman who was once his
wife。
These
