the law and the lady-第47章

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the　inquiry。　What　does　he　do　upon　that？

〃He　exhibits　all　the　symptoms　of　a　panic　of　terror；　he　sees
himself　in　some　incomprehensible　danger；　he　is　frantic　at　one
moment　and　servile　at　the　next；　he　must　and　will　know　what　this
disturbing　person　really　means。　And　when　he　is　informed　on　that
point；　he　first　turns　pale　and　doubts　the　evidence　of　his　own
senses；　and　next；　with　nothing　said　to　justify　it；　gratuitously
accuses　his　visitor　of　suspecting　somebody。　Query　here：　When　a
small　sum　of　money　is　missing　in　a　household；　and　the　servants　in
general　are　called　together　to　be　informed　of　the　circumstance；
what　do　we　think　of　the　one　servant　in　particular　who　speaks
first；　and　who　says；　'Do　you　suspect　_me？_'〃

He　laid　down　the　pen　again。　〃Is　that　right？〃　he　asked。

I　began　to　see　the　end　to　which　the　notes　were　drifting。　Instead
of　answering　his　question；　I　entreated　him　to　enter　into　the
explanations　that　were　still　wanting　to　convince　my　own　mind。　He
held　up　a　warning　forefinger；　and　stopped　me。

〃Not　yet；〃　he　said。　〃Once　again；　am　I　rightso　far？〃

〃Quite　right。〃

〃Very　well。　Now　tell　me　what　happened　next。　Don't　mind　repeating
yourself。　Give　me　all　the　details；　one　after　another；　to　the
end。〃

I　mentioned　all　the　details　exactly　as　I　remembered　them。　Mr。
Playmore　returned　to　his　writing　for　the　third　and　last　time。
Thus　the　notes　ended：

〃He　is　indirectly　assured　that　he　at　least　is　not　the　person
suspected。　He　sinks　back　in　his　chair；　he　draws　a　long　breath；　he
asks　to　be　left　a　while　by　himself；　under　the　pretense　that　the
subject　excites　him。　When　the　visitor　returns；　Dexter　has　been
drinking　in　the　interval。　The　visitor　resumes　the　subjectnot
Dexter。　The　visitor　is　convinced　that　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　died
by　the　hand　of　a　poisoner；　and　openly　says　so。　Dexter　sinks　back
in　his　chair　like　a　man　fainting。　What　is　the　horror　that　has　got
possession　of　him？　It　is　easy　to　understand　if　we　call　it　guilty
horror；　it　is　beyond　all　understanding　if　we　call　it　anything
else。　And　how　does　it　leave　him？　He　flies　from　one　extreme；　to
another；　he　is　indescribably　delighted　when　he　discovers　that　the
visitor's　suspicions　are　all　fixed　on　an　absent　person。　And　then；
and　then　only；　he　takes　refuge　in　the　declaration　that　he　has
been　of　one　mind　with　his　visitor；　in　the　matter　of　suspicion；
from　the　first。　These　are　facts。　To　what　plain　conclusion　do　they
point？〃

He　shut　up　his　notes；　and；　steadily　watching　my　face；　waited　for
me　to　speak　first。

〃I　understand　you；　Mr。　Playmore；〃　I　beg　impetuously。　〃You　believe
that　Mr。　Dexter〃

His　warning　forefinger　stopped　me　there。

Tell　me；　〃he　interposed；　〃what　Dexter　said　to　you　when　he　was　so
good　as　to　confirm　your　opinion　of　poor　Mrs。　Beauly。〃

〃He　said；　'There　isn't　a　doubt　about　it。　Mrs。　Beauly　poisoned
her。'〃

〃I　can't　do　better　than　follow　so　good　an　examplewith　one
trifling　difference。　I　say　too；　There　isn't　a　doubt　about　it。
Dexter　poisoned　her。

〃Are　you　joking；　Mr。　Playmore？〃

〃I　never　was　more　in　earnest　in　my　life。　Your　rash　visit　to
Dexter；　and　your　extraordinary　imprudence　in　taking　him　into　your
confidence　have　led　to　astonishing　results。　The　light　which　the
whole　machinery　of　the　Law　was　unable　to　throw　on　the　poisoning
case　at　Gleninch　has　been　accidentally　let　in　on　it　by　a　Lady　who
refuses　to　listen　to　reason　and　who　insists　on　having　her　own
way。　Quite　incredible；　and　nevertheless　quite　true。〃

〃Impossible！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃What　is　impossible？〃　he　asked；　coolly

〃That　Dexter　poisoned　my　husband's　first　wife。〃

〃And　why　is　that　impossible；　if　you　please？〃　I　began　to　be　almost
enraged　with　Mr。　Playmore。

〃Can　you　ask　the　question？〃　I　replied；　indignantly。　〃I　have　told
you　that　I　heard　him　speak　of　her　in　terms　of　respect　and
affection　of　which　any　woman　might　be　proud。　He　lives　in　the
memory　of　her。　I　owe　his　friendly　reception　of　me　to　some
resemblance　which　he　fancies　he　sees　between　my　figure　and　hers。
I　have　seen　tears　in　his　eyes；　I　have　heard　his　voice　falter　and
fail　him；　when　he　spoke　of　her。　He　may　be　the　falsest　of　men　in
all　besides；　but　he　is　true　to　_her_he　has　not　misled　me　in
that　one　thing。　There　are　signs　that　never　deceive　a　woman　when　a
man　is　talking　to　her　of　what　is　really　near　his　heart：　I　saw
those　signs。　It　is　as　true　that　I　poisoned　her　as　that　he　did。　I
am　ashamed　to　set　my　opinion　against　yours；　Mr。　Playmore；　but　I
really　cannot　help　it。　I　declare　I　am　almost　angry　with　you。〃

He　seemed　to　be　pleased；　instead　of　offended　by　the　bold　manner
in　which　I　expressed　myself。

〃My　dear　Mrs。　Eustace；　you　have　no　reason　to　be　angry　with　me。　In
one　respect；　I　entirely　share　your　viewwith　this　difference；
that　I　go　a　little　further　than　you　do。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

〃You　will　understand　me　directly。　You　describe　Dexter's　feeling
for　the　late　Mrs。　Eustace　as　a　happy　mixture　of　respect　and
affection。　I　can　tell　you　it　was　a　much　warmer　feeling　toward　her
than　that。　I　have　my　information　from　the　poor　lady　herselfwho
honored　me　with　her　confidence　and　friendship　for　the　best　part
of　her　life。　Before　she　married　Mr。　Macallanshe　kept　it　a
secret　from　him；　and　you　had　better　keep　it　a　secret
tooMiserrimus　Dexter　was　in　love　with　her。　Miserrimus　Dexter
asked　herdeformed　as　he　was；　seriously　asked　herto　be　his
wife。〃

〃And　in　the　face　of　that；〃　I　cried；　〃you　say　that　he　poisoned
her！〃

〃I　do。　I　see　no　other　conclusion　possible；　after　what　happened
during　your　visit　to　him。　You　all　but　frightened　him　into　a
fainting　fit。　What　was　he　afraid　of？〃

I　tried　hard　to　find　an　answer　to　that。　I　even　embarked　on　an
answer　without　quite　knowing　where　my　own　words　might　lead　me。

Mr。　Dexter　is　an　old　and　true　friend　of　my　husband；　I　began。
〃When　he　heard　me　say　I　was　not　satisfied　with　the　Verdict；　he
might　have　felt　alarmed〃

〃He　might　have　felt　alarmed　at　the　possible　consequences　to　your
husband　of　reopening　the　inquiry；〃　said　Mr。　Playmore；　ironically
finishing　the　sentence　for　me。　〃Rather　far…fetched；　Mrs。　Eustace；
and　not　very　consistent　with　your　faith　in　your　husband's
innocence。　Clear　your　mind　of　one　mistake；〃　he　continued；
seriously；　〃which　may　fatally　mislead　you　if　you　persist　in
pursuing　your　present　course。　Miserrimus　Dexter；　you　may　take　my
word　for　it；　ceased　to　be　your　husband's　friend　on　the　day　when
your　husband　married　his　first　wife。　Dexter　has　kept　up
appearances；　I　grant　you；　both　in　public　and　in　private。　His
evidence　in　his　friend's　favor　at　the　Trial　was　given　with　the
deep　feeling　which　everybody　expected　from　him。　Nevertheless；　I
firmly　believe；　looking　under　the　surface；　that　Mr。　Macallan　has
no　bitterer　enemy　living　than　Miserrimus　Dexter。〃

He　turned　me　cold。　I　felt　that　here；　at　least；　he　was　right。　My
husband　had　wooed　and　won　the　woman　who　had　refused　Dexter's
offer　of　marriage。　Was　Dexter　the　man　to　forgive　that？　My　own
experience　answered　me；　and　said；　No。　〃Bear　in　mind　what　I　have
told　you；〃　Mr。　Playmore　proceeded。　〃And　now　let　us　get　on　to　your
own　position　in　this　matter；　and　to　the　interests　that　you　have
at　stake。　Try　to　adopt　my　point　of　view　for　the　moment　；　and　let
us　inquire　what　chance　we　have　of　making　any　further　advance
toward　a　discovery　of　the　truth。　It　is　one　thing　to　be　morally
convinced　（as　I　am）　that　Miserrimus　Dexter　is　the　man　who　ought
to　have　been　tried　for　the　murder　at　Gleninch；　and　it　is　another
thing；　at　this　distance　of　time；　to　lay　our　hands　on　the　plain
evidence　which　can　alone　justify　anything　like　a　public　assertion
of　his　guilt。　There；　as　I　see　it；　is　the　insuperable　difficulty
in　the　case。　Unless　I　am　completely　mistaken；　the　question　is　now
narrowed　to　this　plain　issue：　The　public　assertion　of　your
husband's　innocence　depends　entirely　on　the　public　assertion　of
Dexter's　guilt。　How　are　you　to　arrive　at　that　result？　There　is
not　a　particle　of　evidence　against　him。　You　can　only　convict
Dexter　on　Dexter's　own　confession。　Are　you　listening　to　me？〃

I　was　listening；　most　unwillingly。　If　he　were　right；　things　had
indeed　come　to　that　terrible　pass。　But　I　could　notwith　all　my
respect　for　his　superior　knowledge　and　experienceI　could　not
persuade　myself　that　he　_was_　right。　And　I　owned　it；　with　the
humility　which　I　really　felt。

He　smiled　good…humoredly。

〃At　any　rate；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　admit　that　Dexter　has　not
freely　opened　his　mind　to　you　thus　far？　He　is　still　keeping
something　from　your　knowledge　which　you　are　interested　in
discovering？〃

〃Yes。　I　admit　that。〃

〃Very　good。　What　applies　to　your　view　of　the　case　applies　to
mine。　I　say；　he　is　keeping　from　you　the　confession　of　his　guilt。
You　say；　he　is　keeping　from　you　information　which　may　fasten　the
guilt　on　some　other　person。　Let　us　start　from　that　point。
Confession；　or　information；　how　are　you　to　get　at　what　he　is　now
withholding　from　you？　What　influence　can　you　bring　to　bear　on　him
when　you　see　him　again？〃

〃Surely　I　might　persuade　him？〃

〃Certainly。　And　if　persuasion　failwhat　then？　Do　you　think　you
can　entrap　him　into　speaking　out？　or　terrify　him　into　speaking
out？〃

〃If　you　will　look　at　your　notes；　Mr。　Playmore；　you　will　see　that
I　have　already　succeeded　in　terrifying　himthough　I　am　only　a
woman　and　though　I　didn't　mean　to　do　it。〃

〃Very　well　answered。　You　mark　the　trick。　What　you　have　done　once
you　think　you　can　do　again。　Well；　as　you　are　determined　to　try
the　experiment；　it　can　do　you　no　harm　to　know　a　little　more　of
Dexter's　character　and　temperament　than　you　know　now。　Suppose　we
apply　for　information　to　somebody　who　can　help　us？〃

I　started；　and　looked　round　the　room。　He　made　me　do　ithe　spoke
as　if　the　person　who　was　to　help　us　was　close　at　our　elbows。

〃Don't　be　alarmed；〃　he　said。　〃The　oracle　is　silent；　and　the
oracle　is　here。〃

He　unlocked　one　of　the　drawers　of　his　desk；　produced　a　bundle　of
letters；　and　picked　out　one。

〃When　we　were　arranging　your　husband's　defense；〃　he　said；　〃we
felt　some　difficulty　about　including　Miserrimus　Dexter　among　our
witnesses。　We　had　not　the　slightest　suspicion　of　him；　I　need
hardly　tell　you。　But　we　were　all　afraid　of　his　eccentricity；　and
some　among　us　even　feared　that　the　excitement　of　appearing　at　the
Trial　might　drive　him　completely　out　of　his　mind。　In　this
emergency　we　applied　to　a　doctor　to　help　us。　Under　some　pretext；
which　I　forget　now；　we　introduced　him　to　Dexter。　And　in　due
course　of　time　we　received　his　report。　Here　it　is。〃

He　opened　the　letter；　and　marking　a　certain　passage　in　it　with　a
pencil；　handed　it　to　me。

〃Read　the　lines　which　I　have　marked；〃　he　said；　〃they　will　be
quite　sufficient　for　our　purpose。〃

I　read　these　words：

〃Summing　up　the　results　of　my　observation；　I　may　give　it　as　my
opinion　that　there　is　undoubtedly　latent　insanity　in　this　case；
but　that　no　active　symptoms　of　madness　have　presented　themselves
as　yet。　You　may；　I　think；　produce　him　at　the　Trial；　without　fear
of　consequences。　He　may　say　and　do　all　sorts　of　odd　things；　but
he　has　his　mind　under　the　control　of　his　will；　and　you　may　trust
his　self…esteem　to　exhibit　him　in　the　character　of　a
substantially　intelligent　witness。

〃As　to　the　future；　I　am；　of　course；　not　able　to　speak　positively。
I　can　only　state　my　views。

〃