the law and the lady-第3章

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was　to　venture　on　very　delicate　ground。　Eustace　relieved　me　from
further　embarrassment　by　asking　a　question　to　which　I　could
easily　reply。

〃Has　your　uncle　received　any　answer　from　Major　Fitz…David？〃　he
inquired。

〃Yes。

〃Were　you　allowed　to　read　it？〃　His　voice　sank　as　he　said　those
words；　his　face　betrayed　a　sudden　anxiety　which　it　pained　me　to
see。

〃I　have　got　the　answer　with　me　to　show　you；〃　I　said。

He　almost　snatched　the　letter　out　of　my　hand；　he　turned　his　back
on　me　to　read　it　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　The　letter　was　short
enough　to　be　soon　read。　I　could　have　repeated　it　at　the　time。　I
can　repeat　it　now。

　〃DEAR　VICARMr。　Eustace　Woodville　is　quite　correct　in　stating
to　you　that　he　is　a　gentleman　by　birth　and　position；　and　that　he
inherits　（under　his　deceased　father's　will）　an　independent
fortune　of　two　thousand　a　year。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Always　yours；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃LAWRENCE　FITZ…DAVID。〃

　〃Can　anybody　wish　for　a　plainer　answer　than　that？〃　Eustace
asked；　handing　the　letter　back　to　me。

〃If　_I_　had　written　for　information　about　you；〃　I　answered；　〃it
would　have　been　plain　enough　for　me。〃

〃Is　it　not　plain　enough　for　your　uncle？〃

〃No。〃

〃What　does　he　say？〃

〃Why　need　you　care　to　know；　my　darling？〃

〃I　want　to　know；　Valeria。　There　must　be　no　secret　between　us　in
this　matter。　Did　your　uncle　say　anything　when　he　showed　you　the
major's　letter？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃My　uncle　told　me　that　his　letter　of　inquiry　filled　three　pages；
and　he　bade　me　observe　that　the　major's　answer　contained　one
sentence　only。　He　said；　'I　volunteered　to　go　to　Major　Fitz…David
and　talk　the　matter　over。　You　see　he　takes　no　notice　of　my
proposal。　I　asked　him　for　the　address　of　Mr。　Woodville's　mother。
He　passes　over　my　request；　as　he　has　passed　over　my　proposalhe
studiously　confines　himself　to　the　shortest　possible　statement　of
bare　facts。　Use　your　common…sense；　Valeria。　Isn't　this　rudeness
rather　remarkable　on　the　part　of　a　man　who　is　a　gentleman　by
birth　and　breeding；　and　who　is　also　a　friend　of　mine？'〃

Eustace　stopped　me　there。

〃Did　you　answer　your　uncle's　question？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　I　replied。　〃I　only　said　that　I　did　not　understand　the
major's　conduct。〃

〃And　what　did　your　uncle　say　next？　If　you　love　me；　Valeria；　tell
me　the　truth。〃

〃He　used　very　stron　　g　language；　Eustace。　He　is　an　old　man；　you
must　not　be　offended　with　him。〃

〃I　am　not　offended。　What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　said；　'Mark　my　words！　There　is　something　under　the　surface　in
connection　with　Mr。　Woodville；　or　with　his　family；　to　which　Major
Fitz…David　is　not　at　liberty　to　allude。　Properly　interpreted；
Valeria；　that　letter　is　a　warning。　Show　it　to　Mr。　Woodville；　and
tell　him　（if　you　like）　what　I　have　just　told　you'〃

Eustace　stopped　me　again。

〃You　are　sure　your　uncle　said　those　words？〃　he　asked；　scanning　my
face　attentively　in　the　moonlight。

〃Quite　sure。　But　I　don't　say　what　my　uncle　says。　Pray　don't　think
that！〃

He　suddenly　pressed　me　to　his　bosom；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　mine。
His　look　frightened　me。

〃Good…by；　Valeria！〃　he　said。　〃Try　and　think　kindly　of　me；　my
darling；　when　you　are　married　to　some　happier　man。〃

He　attempted　to　leave　me。　I　clung　to　him　in　an　agony　of　terror
that　shook　me　from　head　to　foot。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　as　soon　as　I　could　speak。　〃I　am
yours　and　yours　only。　What　have　I　said；　what　have　I　done；　to
deserve　those　dreadful　words？〃

〃We　must　part；　my　angel；〃　he　answered；　sadly。　〃The　fault　is　none
of　yours；　the　misfortune　is　all　mine。　My　Valeria！　how　can　you
marry　a　man　who　is　an　object　of　suspicion　to　your　nearest　and
dearest　friends？　I　have　led　a　dreary　life。　I　have　never　found　in
any　other　woman　the　sympathy　with　me；　the　sweet　comfort　and
companionship；　that　I　find　in　you。　Oh；　it　is　hard　to　lose　you！　it
is　hard　to　go　back　again　to　my　unfriended　life！　I　must　make　the
sacrifice；　love；　for　your　sake。　I　know　no　more　why　that　letter　is
what　it　is　than　you　do。　Will　your　uncle　believe　me？　will　your
friends　believe　me？　One　last　kiss；　Valeria！　Forgive　me　for　having
loved　youpassionately；　devotedly　loved　you。　Forgive　meand　let
me　go！〃

I　held　him　desperately；　recklessly。　His　eyes；　put　me　beside
myself；　his　words　filled　me　with　a　frenzy　of　despair。

〃Go　where　you　may；〃　I　said；　〃I　go　with　you！
FriendsreputationI　care　nothing　who　I　lose；　or　what　I　lose！
Oh；　Eustace；　I　am　only　a　womandon't　madden　me！　I　can't　live
without　you。　I　must　and　will　be　your　wife！〃

Those　wild　words　were　all　I　could　say　before　the　misery　and
madness　in　me　forced　their　way　outward　in　a　burst　of　sobs　and
tears。

He　yielded。　He　soothed　me　with　his　charming　voice；　he　brought　me
back　to　myself　with　his　tender　caresses。　He　called　the　bright
heaven　above　us　to　witness　that　he　devoted　his　whole　life　to　me。
He　vowedoh；　in　such　solemn；　such　eloquent　words！that　his　one
thought；　night　and　day；　should　be　to　prove　himself　worthy　of　such
love　as　mine。　And　had　he　not　nobly　redeemed　the　pledge？　Had　not
the　betrothal　of　that　memorable　night　been　followed　by　the
betrothal　at　the　altar；　by　the　vows　before　God！　Ah；　what　a　life
was　before　me！　What　more　than　mortal　happiness　was　mine！

　Again　I　lifted　my　head　from　his　bosom　to　taste　the　dear　delight
of　seeing　him　by　my　sidemy　life；　my　love；　my　husband；　my　own！

Hardly　awakened　yet　from　the　absorbing　memories　of　the　past　to
the　sweet　realities　of　the　present；　I　let　my　cheek　touch　his
cheek；　I　whispered　to　him　softly；　〃Oh；　how　I　love　you！　how　I　love
you！〃

The　next　instant　I　started　back　from　him。　My　heart　stood　still。　I
put　my　hand　up　to　my　face。　What　did　I　feel　on　my　cheek？　（_I_　had
not　been　weepingI　was　too　happy。）　What　did　I　feel　on　my　cheek？
A　tear！

His　face　was　still　averted　from　me。　I　turned　it　toward　me；　with
my　own　hands；　by　main　force。

I　looked　at　himand　saw　my　husband；　on　our　wedding…day；　with　his
eyes　full　of　tears。


CHAPTER　III。

RAMSGATE　SANDS。

　EUSTACE　succeeded　in　quieting　my　alarm。　But　I　can　hardly　say
that　he　succeeded　in　satisfying　my　mind　as　well。

He　had　been　thinking；　he　told　me；　of　the　contrast　between　his
past　and　his　present　life。　Bitter　remembrance　of　the　years　that
had　gone　had　risen　in　his　memory；　and　had　filled　him　with
melancholy　misgivings　of　his　capacity　to　make　my　life　with　him　a
happy　one。　He　had　asked　himself　if　he　had　not　met　me　too　lateif
he　were　not　already　a　man　soured　and　broken　by　the
disappointments　and　disenchantments　of　the　past？　Doubts　such　as
these；　weighing　more　and　more　heavily　on　his　mind；　had　filled　his
eyes　with　the　tears　which　I　had　discoveredtears　which　he　now
entreated　me；　by　my　love　for　him；　to　dismiss　from　my　memory
forever。

I　forgave　him；　comforted　him；　revived　him；　but　there　were　moments
when　the　remembrance　of　what　I　had　seen　troubled　me　in　secret；
and　when　I　asked　myself　if　I　really　possessed　my　husband's　full
confidence　as　he　possessed　mine。

We　left　the　train　at　Ramsgate。

The　favorite　watering…place　was　empty；　the　season　was　just　over。
Our　arrangements　for　the　wedding　tour　included　a　cruise　to　the
Mediterranean　in　a　yacht　lent　to　Eustace　by　a　friend。　We　were
both　fond　of　the　sea；　and　we　were　equally　desirous；　considering
the　circumstances　under　which　we　had　married；　of　escaping　the
notice　of　friends　and　acquaintances。　With　this　object　in　view；
having　celebrated　our　marriage　privately　in　London；　we　had
decided　on　instructing　the　sailing…master　of　the　yacht　to　join　us
at　Ramsgate。　At　this　port　（when　the　season　for　visitors　was　at　an
end）　we　could　embark　far　more　privately　than　at　the　popular
yachting　stations　situated　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。

Three　days　passeddays　of　delicious　solitude；　of　exquisite
happiness；　never　to　be　forgotten；　never　to　be　lived　over　again；
to　the　end　of　our　lives！

Early　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　just　before　sunrise；　a
trifling　incident　happened；　which　was　noticeable；　nevertheless；
as　being　strange　to　me　in　my　experience　of　myself。

I　awoke；　suddenly　and　unaccountably；　from　a　deep　and　dreamless
sleep　with　an　all…pervading　sensation　of　nervous　uneasiness　which
I　had　never　felt　before。　In　the　old　days　at　the　Vicarage　my
capacity　as　a　sound　sleeper　had　been　the　subject　of　many　a　little
harmless　joke。　From　the　moment　when　my　head　was　on　the　pillow　I
had　never　known　what　it　was　to　awake　until　the　maid　knocked　at　my
door。　At　all　seasons　and　times　the　long　and　uninterrupted　repose
of　a　child　was　the　repose　that　I　enjoyed。

And　now　I　had　awakened；　without　any　assignable　cause；　hours
before　my　usual　time。　I　tried　to　compose　myself　to　sleep　again。
The　effort　was　useless。　Such　a　restlessness　possessed　me　that　I
was　not　even　able　to　lie　still　in　the　bed。　My　husband　was
sleeping　soundly　by　my　side。　In　the　fear　of　disturbing　him　I
rose；　and　put　on　my　dressing…gown　and　slippers。

I　went　to　the　window。　The　sun　was　just　rising　over　the　calm　gray
sea。　For　a　while　the　majestic　spectacle　before　me　exercised　a
tranquilizing　influence　on　the　irritable　condition　of　my　nerves。
But　ere　long　the　old　restlessness　returned　upon　me。　I　walked
slowly　to　and　fro　in　the　room；　until　I　was　weary　of　the　monotony
of　the　exercise。　I　took　up　a　book；　and　laid　it　aside　again。　My
attention　wandered；　the　author　was　powerless　to　recall　it。　I　got
on　my　feet　once　more；　and　looked　at　Eustace；　and　admired　him　and
loved　him　in　his　tranquil　sleep。　I　went　back　to　the　window；　and
wearied　of　the　beautiful　morning。　I　sat　down　before　the　glass　and
looked　at　myself。　How　haggard　and　worn　I　was　already；　through
awaking　before　my　usual　time！　I　rose　again；　not　knowing　what　to
do　next。　The　confinement　to　the　four　walls　of　the　room　began　to
be　intolerable　to　me。　I　opened　the　door　that　led　into　my
husband's　dressing…room；　and　entered　it；　to　try　if　the　change
would　relieve　me。

The　first　object　that　I　noticed　was　his　dressing…case；　open　on
the　toilet…table。

I　took　out　the　bottles　and　pots　and　brushes　and　combs；　the　knives
and　scissors　in　one　compartment；　the　writing　materials　in
another。　I　smelled　the　perfumes　and　pomatums；　I　busily　cleaned
and　dusted　the　bottles　with　my　handkerchief　as　I　took　them　out。
Little　by　little　I　completely　emptied　the　dressing…case。　It　was
lined　with　blue　velvet。　In　one　corner　I　noticed　a　tiny　slip　of
loose　blue　silk。　Taking　it　between　my　finger　and　thumb；　and
drawing　it　upward；　I　discovered　that　there　was　a　false　bottom　to
the　case；　forming　a　secret　compartment　for　letters　and　papers。　In
my　strange　conditioncapricious；　idle；　inquisitiveit　was　an
amusement　to　me　to　take　out　the　papers；　just　as　I　had　taken　out
everything　else　。

I　found　some　receipted　bills；　which　failed　to　interest　me；　some
letters；　which　it　is　needless　to　say　I　laid　aside　after　only
looking　at　the　addresses；　and；　under　all；　a　photograph；　face
downward；　with　writing　on　the　back　of　it。　I　looked　at　the
writing；　and　saw　these　words：

〃To　my　dear　son；　Eustace。〃

His　mother！　the　woman　who　had　so　obstinately　and　mercilessly
opposed　herself　to　our　marriage！

I　eagerly　turned　the　photograph；　expecting　to　see　a　woman　with　a
stern；　ill…tempered；　forbidding　countenance。　To　my　surprise；　the
face　showed　the　remains　of　great　beauty；　the　expression；　though
remarkably　firm；　was　yet　winn