the law and the lady-第65章

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almost　hopeless。　Their　skilled　colleague　soon　satisfied　them　that
they　were　wrong。

He　drew　their　attention　to　the　thickness　of　the　papernote…paper
of　the　strongest　and　best　qualityon　which　the　writing　was
traced。　It　was　of　more　than　twice　the　substance　of　the　last　paper
on　which　he　had　operated；　when　he　was　engaged　in　the　forgery
ease；　and　it　was；　on　that　account；　comparatively　easy　for　him
（aided　by　the　mechanical　appliances　which　he　had　brought　from
London）　to　split　the　morsels　of　the　torn　paper；　within　a　given
space　of　time　which　might　permit　them　to　begin　the　reconstruction
of　the　letter　that　night。

With　these　explanations；　he　quietly　devoted　himself　to　his　work。
While　Benjamin　and　the　lawyer　were　still　poring　over　the
scattered　morsels　of　the　letter　which　had　been　first　discovered；
and　trying　to　piece　them　together　again；　the　chemist　had　divided
the　greater　part　of　the　fragments　specially　confided　to　him　into
two　halves　each；　and　had　correctly　put　together　some　five　or　six
sentences　of　the　letter　on　the　smooth　sheet　of　cardboard　prepared
for　that　purpose。

They　looked　eagerly　at　the　reconstructed　writing　so　far。

It　was　correctly　done：　the　sense　was　perfect。　The　first　result
gained　by　examination　was　remarkable　enough　to　reward　them　for
all　their　exertions。　The　language　used　plainly　identified　the
person　to　whom　the　late　Mrs。　Eustace　had　addressed　her　letter。

That　person　wasmy　husband。

And　the　letter　thus　addressedif　the　plainest　circumstantial
evidence　could　be　trustedwas　identical　with　the　letter　which
Miserrimus　Dexter　had　suppressed　until　the　Trial　was　over；　and
had　then　destroyed　by　tearing　it　up。

These　were　the　discoveries　that　had　been　made　at　the　time　when
Benjamin　wrote　to　me。　He　had　been　on　the　point　of　posting　his
letter；　when　Mr。　Playmore　had　suggested　that　he　should　keep　it　by
him　for　a　few　days　longer；　on　the　chance　of　having　more　still　to
tell　me。

〃We　are　indebted　to　her　for　these　results；〃　the　lawyer　had　said。
〃But　for　her　resolution；　and　her　influence　over　Miserrimus
Dexter；　we　should　never　have　discovered　what　the　dust…heap　was
hiding　from　uswe　should　never　have　seen　so　much　as　a　glimmering
of　the　truth。　She　has　the　first　claim　to　the　fullest　information。
Let　her　have　it。〃

The　letter　had　been　accordingly　kept　back　for　three　days。　That
interval　being　at　an　end；　it　was　hurriedly　resumed　and　concluded
in　terms　which　indescribably　alarmed　me。

〃The　chemist　is　advancing　rapidly　with　his　part　of　the　work〃
（Benjamin　wrote）；　〃and　I　have　succeeded　in　putting　together　a
separate　portion　of　the　torn　writing　which　makes　sense。
Comparison　of　what　he　has　accomplished　with　what　I　have
accomplished　has　led　to　startling　conclusions。　Unless　Mr。
Playmore　and　I　are　entirely　wrong　（and　God　grant　we　may　be　so！）；
there　is　a　serious　necessity　for　your　keeping　the　reconstruction
of　the　letter　strictly　secret　from　everybody　about　you。　The
disclosures　suggested　by　what　has　come　to　light　are　so
heartrending　and　so　dreadful　that　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　write
about　them　until　I　am　absolutely　obliged　to　do　so。　Please　forgive
me　for　disturbing　you　with　this　news。　We　are　bound；　sooner　or
later；　to　consult　with　you　in　the　matter；　and　we　think　it　right
to　prepare　your　mind　for　what　may　be　to　come。〃

To　this　there　was　added　a　postscript　in　Mr。　Playmore's
handwriting：

〃Pray　observe　strictly　the　caution　which　Mr。　Benjamin　impresses
on　you。　And　bear　this　in　mind；　as　a　warning　from　_me：_　If　we
succeed　in　reconstructing　the　entire　letter；　the　last　person
living　who　ought　（in　my　opinion）　to　be　allowed　to　see　it　isyour
husband。〃



CHAPTER　XLVI。

THE　CRISIS　DEFERRED。

　〃TAKE　care；　Valeria！〃　said　Mrs。　Macallan。　〃I　ask　you　no
questions；　I　only　caution　you　for　your　own　sake。　Eustace　has
noticed　what　I　have　noticedEustace　has　seen　a　change　in　you。
Take　care！〃

So　my　mother…in…law　spoke　to　me　later　in　the　day；　when　we
happened　to　be　alone。　I　had　done　my　best　to　conceal　all　traces　of
the　effect　produced　on　me　by　the　strange　and　terrible　news　from
Gleninch。　But　who　could　read　what　I　had　read；　who　could　feel　what
I　now　felt；　and　still　maintain　an　undisturbed　serenity　of　look
and　manner？　If　I　had　been　the　vilest　hypocrite　living；　I　doubt
even　then　if　my　face　could　have　kept　my　secret　while　my　mind　was
full　of　Benjamin's　letter。

Having　spoken　her　word　of　caution；　Mrs。　Macallan　made　no　further
advance　to　me。　I　dare　say　she　was　right。　Still；　it　seemed　hard　to
be　left；　without　a　word　of　advice　or　of　sympathy；　to　decide　for
myself　what　it　was　my　duty　to　my　husband　to　do　next。

To　show　him　Benjamin's　narrative；　in　his　state　of　health；　and　in
the　face　of　the　warning　addressed　to　me；　was　simply　out　of　the
question。　At　the　same　time；　it　was　equally　impossible；　after　I
had　already　betrayed　myself；　to　keep　him　entirely　in　the　dark。　I
thought　over　it　anxiously　in　the　night。　When　the　morning　came；　I
decided　to　appeal　to　my　husband's　confidence　in　me。

I　went　straight　to　the　point　in　these　terms：

〃Eustace；　your　mother　said　yesterday　that　you　noticed　a　change　in
me　when　I　came　back　from　my　drive。　Is　she　right？〃

〃Quite　right；　Valeria；〃　he　answeredspeaking　in　lower　tones　than
usual；　and　not　looking　at　me。

〃We　have　no　concealments　from　each　other　now；〃　I　answered。　〃I
ought　to　tell　you；　and　do　tell　you；　that　I　found　a　letter　from
England　waiting　at　the　banker's　which　has　caused　me　some
agitation　and　alarm。　Will　you　leave　it　to　me　to　choose　my　own
time　for　speaking　more　plainly？　And　will　you　believe；　love；　that
I　am　really　doing　my　duty　toward　you；　as　a　good　wife；　in　making
this　request？〃

I　paused。　He　made　no　answer：　I　could　see　that　he　was　secretly
struggling　with　himself。　Had　I　ventured　too　far？　Had　I
overestimated　the　strength　of　my　influence？　My　heart　beat　fast；
my　voice　falteredbut　I　summoned　courage　enough　to　take　his
hand；　and　to　make　a　last　appeal　to　him。　〃Eustace；〃　I　said；　〃don't
you　know　me　yet　well　enough　to　trust　me？〃

He　turned　toward　me　for　the　first　time。　I　saw　a　last　vanishing
trace　of　doubt　in　his　eyes　as　they　looked　into　mine。

〃You　promise；　sooner　or　later；　to　tell　me　the　whole　truth？〃　he
said

〃I　promise　with　all　my　heart！〃

〃I　trust　you；　Valeria！〃

His　brightening　eyes　told　me　that　he　really　meant　what　he　said。
We　sealed　our　compact　with　a　kiss。　Pardon　me　for　mentioning　these
triflesI　am　still　writing　（if　you　will　kindly　remember　it）　of
our　new　honeymoon。

　By　that　day's　post　I　answered　Benjamin's　letter；　telling　him
what　I　had　done；　and　entreating　him；　if　he　and　Mr。　Playmore
approved　of　my　conduct；　to　keep　me　informed　of　any　future
discoveries　which　they　might　make　at　Gleninch。

After　an　interval…an　endless　interval；　as　it　seemed　to　meof
ten　days　more；　I　received　a　second　letter　from　my　old　friend；
with　another　postscript　added　by　Mr。　Playmore。

〃We　are　advancing　steadily　and　successfully　with　the　putting
together　of　the　letter；〃　Benjamin　wrote。　〃The　one　new　discovery
which　we　have　made　is　of　serious　importance　to　your　husband。　We
have　reconstructed　certain　sentences　declaring；　in　the　plainest
words；　that　the　arsenic　which　Eustace　procured　was　purchased　at
the　request　of　his　wife；　and　was　in　her　possession　at　Gleninch。
This；　remember；　is　in　the　handwriting　of　the　wife；　and　is　signed
by　the　wifeas　we　have　also　found　out。　Unfortunately；　I　am
obliged　to　add　that　the　objection　to　taking　your　husband　into　our
confidence；　mentioned　when　I　last　wrote；　still　remains　in
forcein　greater　force；　I　may　say；　than　ever。　The　more　we　make
out　of　the　letter；　the　more　inclined　we　are　（if　we　only　studied
our　own　feelings）　to　throw　it　back　into　the　dust…heap；　in　mercy
to　the　memory　of　the　unhappy　writer。　I　shall　keep　this　open　for　a
day　or　two。　If　there　is　more　news　to　tell　you　by　that　time　you
will　hear　of　it　from　Mr。　Playmore。〃

Mr。　Playmore's　postscript　followed；　dated　three　days　later。

〃The　concluding　part　of　the　late　Mrs。　Macallan's　letter　to　her
husband；〃　the　lawyer　wrote；　〃has　proved　accidentally　to　be　the
first　part　which　we　have　succeeded　in　piecing　together。　With　the
exception　of　a　few　gaps　still　left；　here　and　there；　the　writing
of　the　closing　paragraphs　has　been　perfectly　reconstructed。　I
have　neither　the　time　nor　the　inclination　to　write　to　you　on　this
sad　subject　in　any　detail。　In　a　fortnight　more；　at　the　longest；
we　shall；　I　hope；　send　you　a　copy　of　the　letter；　complete　from
the　first　line　to　the　last。　Meanwhile；　it　is　my　duty　to　tell　you
that　there　is　one　bright　side　to　this　otherwise　deplorable　and
shocking　document。　Legally　speaking；　as　well　as　morally　speaking；
it　absolutely　vindicates　your　husband's　innocence。　And　it　may　be
lawfully　used　for　this　purposeif　he　can　reconcile　it　to　his
conscience；　and　to　the　mercy　due　to　the　memory　of　the　dead；　to
permit　the　public　exposure　of　the　letter　in　Court。　Understand　me；
he　cannot　be　tried　again　on　what　we　call　the　criminal　chargefor
certain　technical　reasons　with　which　I　need　not　trouble　you。　But；
if　the　facts　which　were　involved　at　the　criminal　trial　can　also
be　shown　to　be　involved　in　a　civil　action　（and　in　this　case　they
can）；　the　entire　matter　may　be　made　the　subject　of　a　new　legal
inquiry；　and　the　verdict　of　a　second　jury；　completely　vindicating
your　husband；　may　thus　be　obtained。　Keep　this　information　to
yourself　for　the　present。　Preserve　the　position　which　you　have　so
sensibly　adopted　toward　Eustace　until　you　have　read　the　restored
letter。　When　you　have　done　this；　my　own　idea　is　that　you　will
shrink；　in　pity　to　_him；_　from　letting　him　see　it。　How　he　is　to
be　kept　in　ignorance　of　what　we　have　discovered　is　another
question；　the　discussion　of　which　must　be　deferred　until　we　can
consult　together。　Until　that　time　comes；　I　can　only　repeat　my
advicewait　till　the　next　news　reaches　you　from　Gleninch。〃

I　waited。　What　I　suffered；　what　Eustace　thought　of　me；　does　not
matter。　Nothing　matters　now　but　the　facts。

In　less　than　a　fortnight　more　the　task　of　restoring　the　letter
was　completed。　Excepting　certain　instances；　in　which　the　morsels
of　the　torn　paper　had　been　irretrievably　lostand　in　which　it
had　been　necessary　to　complete　the　sense　in　harmony　with　the
writer's　intentionthe　whole　letter　had　been　put　together；　and
the　promised　copy　of　it　was　forwarded　to　me　in　Paris。

Before　you；　too；　read　that　dreadful　letter；　do　me　one　favor。　Let
me　briefly　remind　you　of　the　circumstances　under　which　Eustace
Macallan　married　his　first　wife。

Remember　that　the　poor　creature　fell　in　love　with　him　without
awakening　any　corresponding　affection　on　his　side。　Remember　that
he　separated　himself　from　her；　and　did　all　he　could　to　avoid　her；
when　he　found　this　out。　Remember　that　she　presented　herself　at
his　residence　in　London　without　a　word　of　warning；　that　he　did
his　best　to　save　her　reputation；　that　he　failed；　through　no　fault
of　his　own；　and　that　he　ended；　rashly　ended　in　a　moment　of
despair；　by　marrying　her；　to　silence　the　scandal　that　must
otherwise　have　blighted　her　life　as　a　woman　for　the　rest　of　her
days。　Bear　all　this　in　mind　（it　is　the　sworn　testimony　of
respectable　witnesses）；　and　pray　do　not　forgethowever　foolishly
and　blamably　he　may　have　written　about　her　in　the　secret　pages　of
his　Diarythat　he　was　prove