the law and the lady-第61章

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〃It　is　part　of　my　business　in　London　to　see　him；〃　said　Mr。
Playmore。　〃But　mind！　I　have　no　hope　of　his　recovery；　I　only　wish
to　satisfy　myself　that　his　brother　is　able　and　willing　to　take
care　of　him。　So　far　as　_we_　are　concerned；　Mrs。　Eustace；　that
unhappy　man　has　said　his　last　words。〃

He　opened　the　doorstoppedconsideredand　come　back　to　me。

〃With　regard　to　that　matter　of　sending　the　agent　to　America；〃　he
resumed〃I　propose　to　have　the　honor　of　submitting　to　you　a
brief　abstract〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Playmore！〃

〃A　brief　abstract　in　writing；　Mrs。　Eustace；　of　the　estimated
expenses　of　the　whole　proceeding。　You　will　be　good　enough
maturely　to　consider　the　same；　making　any　remarks　on　it；　tending
to　economy；　which　may　suggest　themselves　to　your　mind　at　the
time。　And　you　will　further　oblige　me；　if　you　approve　of　the
abstract；　by　yourself　filling　in　the　blank　space　on　your　check
with　the　needful　amount　in　words　and　figures。　No；　madam！　I　really
cannot　justify　it　to　my　conscience　to　carry　about　my　person　any
such　loose　and　reckless　document　as　a　blank　check。　There's　a
total　disregard　of　the　first　claims　of　prudence　and　economy
implied　in　this　small　slip　of　paper　which　is　nothing　less　than　a
flat　contradiction　of　the　principles　that　have　governed　my　whole
life。　I　can't　submit　to　flat　contradiction。　Good…morning；　Mrs。
Eustacegood…morning。〃

He　laid　my　check　on　the　table　with　a　low　bow；　and　left　me。　Among
the　curious　developments　of　human　stupidity　which　occasionally
present　themselves　to　view；　surely　the　least　excusable　is　the
stupidity　which；　to　this　day；　persists　in　wondering　why　the
Scotch　succeed　so　well　in　life！



CHAPTER　XLII。

MORE　SURPRISES。

　The　same　evening　I　received　my　〃abstract〃　by　the　hands　of　a
clerk。

It　was　an　intensely　characteristic　document。　My　expenses　were
remorselessly　calculated　downward　to　shillings　and　even　to　pence；
and　our　unfortunate　messenger's　instructions　in　respect　to　his
expenditure　were　reduced　to　a　nicety　which　must　have　made　his
life　in　America　nothing　less　than　a　burden　to　him。　In　mercy　to
the　man；　I　took　the　liberty；　when　I　wrote　back　to　Mr。　Playmore；
of　slightly　increasing　the　indicated　amount　of　the　figures　which
were　to　appear　on　the　check。　I　ought　to　have　better　known　the
correspondent　whom　I　had　to　deal　with。　Mr。　Playmore's　reply
（informing　me　that　our　emissary　had　started　on　his　voyage）
returned　a　receipt　in　due　form；　and　the　whole　of　the　surplus
money；　to　the　last　farthing！

A　few　hurried　lines　accompanied　the　〃abstract；〃　and　stated　the
result　of　the　lawyer's　visit　to　Miserrimus　Dexter。

There　was　no　change　for　the　betterthere　was　no　change　at　all。
Mr。　Dexter；　the　brother；　had　arrived　at　the　house　accompanied　by
a　medical　man　accustomed　to　the　charge　of　the　insane。　The　new
doctor　declined　to　give　any　definite　opinion　on　the　case　until　he
had　studied　it　carefully　with　plenty　of　time　at　his　disposal。　It
had　been　accordingly　arranged　that　he　should　remove　Miserrimus
Dexter　to　the　asylum　of　which　he　was　the　proprietor　as　soon　as
the　preparations　for　receiving　the　patient　could　be　completed。
The　one　difficulty　that　still　remained　to　be　met　related　to　the
disposal　of　the　faithful　creature　who　had　never　left　her　master；
night　or　day；　since　the　catastrophe　had　happened。　Ariel　had　no
friends　and　no　money。　The　proprietor　of　the　asylum　could　not　be
expected　to　receive　her　without　the　customary　payment；　and　Mr。
Dexter's　brother　〃regretted　to　say　that　he　was　not　rich　enough　to
find　the　money。〃　A　forcible　separation　from　the　one　human　being
whom　she　loved；　and　a　removal　in　the　character　of　a　pauper　to　a
public　asylumsuch　was　the　prospect　which　awaited　the
unfortunate　creature　unless　some　one　interfered　in　her　favor
before　the　end　of　the　week。

Under　these　sad　circumstances；　good　Mr。　Playmorepassing　over
the　claims　of　economy　in　favor　of　the　claims　of
humanitysuggested　that　we　should　privately　start　a
subscription；　and　offered　to　head　the　list　liberally　himself。

I　must　have　written　all　these　pages　to　very　little　purpose　if　it
is　necessary　for　me　to　add　that　I　instantly　sent　a　letter　to　Mr。
Dexter；　the　brother；　undertaking　to　be　answerable　for　whatever
money　was　to　be　required　while　the　subscriptions　were　being
collected；　and　only　stipulating　that　when　Miserrimus　Dexter　was
removed　to　the　asylum；　Ariel　should　accompany　him。　This　was
readily　conceded。　But　serious　objections　were　raised　when　I
further　requested　that　she　might　be　permitted　to　attend　on　her
master　in　the　asylum　as　she　had　attended　on　him　in　the　house。　The
rules　of　the　establishment　forbade　it；　and　the　universal　practice
in　such　cases　forbade　it；　and　so　on；　and　so　on。　However；　by　dint
of　perseverance　and　persuasion；　I　so　far　carried　my　point　as　to
gain　a　reasonable　concession。　During　certain　hours　in　the　day；
and　under　certain　wise　restrictions；　Ariel　was　to　be　allowed　the
privilege　of　waiting　on　the　Master　in　his　room；　as　well　as　of
accompanying　him　when　he　was　brought　out　in　his　chair　to　take　the
air　in　the　garden。　For　the　honor　of　humanity；　let　me　add　that　the
liability　which　I　had　undertaken　made　no　very　serious　demands　on
my　resources。　Placed　in　Benjamin's　charge；　our　subscription…list
prospered。　Friends；　and　even　strangers　sometimes；　opened　their
hearts　and　their　purses　when　they　heard　Ariel's　melancholy　story。

　The　day　which　followed　the　day　of　Mr。　Playmore's　visit　brought
me　news　from　Spain；　in　a　letter　from　my　mother…in…law。　To
describe　what　I　felt　when　I　broke　the　seal　and　read　the　first
lines　is　simply　impossible。　Let　Mrs。　Macallan　be　heard　on　this
occasion　in　my　place。

Thus　she　wrote：

　〃Prepare　yourself；　my　dearest　Valeria；　for　a　delightful
surprise。　Eustace　has　justified　my　confidence　in　him。　When　he
returns　to　England；　he　returnsif　you　will　let　himto　his　wife。

〃This　resolution；　let　me　hasten　to　assure　you；　has　not　been
brought　about　by　any　persuasions　of　mine。　It　is　the　natural
outgrowth　of　your　husband's　gratitude　and　your　husband's　love。
The　first　words　he　said　to　me；　when　he　was　able　to　speak；　were
these：　'If　I　live　to　return　to　England；　and　if　I　go　to　Valeria；
do　you　think　she　will　forgive　me？'　We　can　only　leave　it　to　you；
my　dear；　to　give　the　answer。　If　you　love　us；　answer　us　by　return
of　post。

〃Having　now　told　you　what　he　said　when　I　first　informed　him　that
you　had　been　his　nurseand　remember；　if　it　seem　very　little；
that　he　is　still　too　weak　to　speak　except　with　difficultyI
shall　purposely　keep　my　letter　back　for　a　few　days。　My　object　is
to　give　him　time　to　think；　and　to　frankly　tell　you　of　it　if　the
interval　produce　any　change　in　his　resolution。

〃Three　days　have　passed；　and　there　is　no　change。　He　has　but　one
feeling　nowhe　longs　for　the　day　which　is　to　unite　him　again　to
his　wife。

〃But　there　is　something　else　connected　with　Eustace　that　you
ought　to　know；　and　that　I　ought　to　tell　you。

〃Greatly　as　time　and　suffering　have　altered　him　in　many　respects；
there　is　no　change；　Valeria；　in　the　aversionthe　horror　I　may
even　saywith　which　he　views　your　idea　of　inquiring　anew　into
the　circumstances　which　attended　the　lamentable　death　of　his
first　wife。　It　makes　no　difference　to　him　that　you　are　only
animated　by　a　desire　to　serve　his　interests。　'Has　she　given　up
that　idea？　Are　you　positively　sure　she　has　given　up　that　idea？'
Over　and　over　again　he　has　put　these　questions　to　me。　I　have
answeredwhat　else　could　I　do　in　the　miserably　feeble　state　in
which　he　still　lies？I　have　answered　in　such　a　manner　as　to
soothe　and　satisfy　him。　I　have　said；　'Relieve　your　mind　of　all
anxiety　on　that　subject：　Valeria　has　no　choice　but　to　give　up　the
idea；　the　obstacles　in　her　way　have　proved　to　be
insurmountablethe　obstacles　have　conquered　her。'　This；　if　you
remember；　was　what　I　really　believed　would　happen　when　you　and　I
spoke　of　that　painful　topic；　and　I　have　heard　nothing　from　you
since　which　has　tended　to　shake　my　opinion　in　the　smallest
degree。　If　I　am　right　（as　I　pray　God　I　may　be）　in　the　view　that　I
take；　you　h　ave　only　to　confirm　me　in　your　reply；　and　all　will　be
well。　In　the　other　eventthat　is　to　say；　if　you　are　still
determined　to　persevere　in　your　hopeless　projectthen　make　up
your　mind　to　face　the　result。　Set　Eustace's　prejudices　at
defiance　in　this　particular；　and　you　lose　your　hold　on　his
gratitude；　his　penitence；　and　his　loveyou　will；　in　my　belief；
never　see　him　again。

〃I　express　myself　strongly；　in　your　own　interests；　my　dear；　and
for　your　own　sake。　When　you　reply；　write　a　few　lines　to　Eustace；
inclosed　in　your　letter　to　me。

〃As　for　the　date　of　our　departure；　it　is　still　impossible　for　me
to　give　you　any　definite　information。　Eustace　recovers　very
slowly；　the　doctor　has　not　yet　allowed　him　to　leave　his　bed；　and
when　we　do　travel　we　must　journey　by　easy　stages。　It　will　be　at
least　six　weeks；　at　the　earliest；　before　we　can　hope　to　be　back
again　in　dear　Old　England。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Affectionately　yours；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃CATHERINE　MACALLAN。〃

　I　laid　down　the　letter；　and　did　my　best　（vainly　enough　for　some
time）　to　compose　my　spirits。　To　understand　the　position　in　which
I　now　found　myself；　it　is　only　necessary　to　remember　one
circumstance：　the　messenger　to　whom　we　had　committed　our
inquiries　was　at　that　moment　crossing　the　Atlantic　on　his　way　to
New　York。

What　was　to　be　done？

I　hesitated。　Shocking　as　it　may　seem　to　some　people；　I　hesitated。
There　was　really　no　need　to　hurry　my　decision。　I　had　the　whole
day　before　me。

I　went　out　and　took　a　wretched；　lonely　walk；　and　turned　the
matter　over　in　my　mind。　I　came　home　again；　and　turned　the　matter
over　once　more　by　the　fireside。　To　offend　and　repel　my　darling
when　he　was　returning　to　me；　penitently　returning　of　his　own　free
will；　was　what　no　woman　in　my　position；　and　feeling　as　I　did；
could　under　any　earthly　circumstances　have　brought　herself　to　do。
And　yet。　on　the　other　hand；　how　in　Heaven's　name　could　I　give　up
my　grand　enterprise　at　the　very　time　when　even　wise　and　prudent
Mr。　Playmore　saw　such　a　prospect　of　succeeding　in　it　that　he　had
actually　volunteered　to　help　me？　Placed　between　those　two　cruel
alternatives；　which　could　I　choose？　Think　of　your　own　frailties；
and　have　some　mercy　on　mine。　I　turned　my　back　on　both　the
alternatives。　Those　two　agreeable　fiends；　Prevarication　and
Deceit；　took　me；　as　it　were；　softly　by　the　hand：　〃Don't　commit
yourself　either　way；　my　dear；〃　they　said；　in　their　most
persuasive　manner。　〃Write　just　enough　to　compose　your
mother…in…law　and　to　satisfy　your　husband。　You　have　got　time
before　you。　Wait　and　see　if　Time　doesn't　stand　your　friend；　and
get　you　out　of　the　difficulty。〃

Infamous　advice！　And　yet　I　took　itI；　who　had　been　well　brought
up；　and　who　ought　to　have　known　better。　You　who　read　this
shameful　confession　would　have　known　better；　I　am　sure。　_You_　are
not　included；　in　the　Prayer…book　category；　among　the　〃miserable
sinners。〃

Well！　well！　let　me　have　virtue　enough　to　tell　the　truth。　In
writing　to　my　mother…in…law；　I　informed　her　that　it　had　been
found　necessary　to　remove　Miserrimus　Dexter　to　an　asylumand　I
left　her　to　draw　her　own　conclusions　from　that　fact；
unenlightened　by　so　much　as　one　word　of　additional　information。
In　th