the law and the lady-第69章

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I　owned　that　I　should　like　to　hear　it。　What　Benjamin　thereupon
told　me；　exactly　coincided　with　what　Miserrimus　Dexter　had　told
meas　related　in　the　thirtieth　chapter　of　my　narrative。　Mrs。
Beauly　had　been　a　witness　of　the　public　degradation　of　my
husband。　That　was　enough　in　itself　to　prevent　him　from　marrying
her：　He　broke　off　with　_her_　for　the　same　reason　which　had　led
him　to　separate　himself　from　_me。_　Existence　with　a　woman　who
knew　that　he　had　been　tried　for　his　life　as　a　murderer　was　an
existence　which　he　had　not　resolution　enough　to　face。　The　two
accounts　agreed　in　every　particular。　At　last　my　jealous　curiosity
was　pacified；　and　Benjamin　was　free　to　dismiss　the　past　from
further　consideration；　and　to　approach　the　more　critical　and　more
interesting　topic　of　the　future。

His　first　inquiries　related　to　Eustace。　He　asked　if　my　husband
had　any　suspicion　of　the　proceedings　which　had　taken　place　at
Gleninch。

I　told　him　what　had　happened；　and　how　I　had　contrived　to　put　off
the　inevitable　disclosure　for　a　time。

My　old　friend's　face　cleared　up　as　he　listened　to　me。

〃This　will　be　good　news　for　Mr。　Playmore；〃　he　said。　〃Our
excellent　friend；　the　lawyer；　is　sorely　afraid　that　our　dis
coveries　may　compromise　your　position　with　your　husband。　On　the
one　hand；　he　is　naturally　anxious　to　spare　Mr。　Eustace　the
distress　which　he　must　certainly　feel；　if　he　read　his　first
wife's　confession。　On　the　other　hand；　it　is　impossible；　in
justice　（as　Mr。　Playmore　puts　it）　to　the　unborn　children　of　your
marriage；　to　suppress　a　document　which　vindicates　the　memory　of
their　father　from　the　aspersion　that　the　Scotch　Verdict　might
otherwise　cast　on　it。〃

I　listened　attentively。　Benjamin　had　touched　on　a　trouble　which
was　still　secretly　preying　on　my　mind。

〃How　does　Mr。　Playmore　propose　to　meet　the　difficulty？〃　I　asked。

〃He　can　only　meet　it　in　one　way；〃　Benjamin　replied。　〃He　proposes
to　seal　up　the　original　manuscript　of　the　letter；　and　to　add　to
it　a　plain　statement　of　the　circumstances　under　which　it　was
discovered；　supported　by　your　signed　attestation　and　mine；　as
witnesses　to　the　fact。　This　done；　he　must　leave　it　to　you　to　take
your　husband　into　your　confidence；　at　your　own　time。　It　will　then
be　for　Mr。　Eustace　to　decide　whether　he　will　open　the
inclosureor　whether　he　will　leave　it；　with　the　seal　unbroken；
as　an　heirloom　to　his　children；　to　be　made　public　or　not；　at
their　discretion；　when　they　are　of　an　age　to　think　for
themselves。　Do　you　consent　to　this；　my　dear？　Or　would　you　prefer
that　Mr。　Playmore　should　see　your　husband；　and　act　for　you　in　the
matter？〃

I　decided；　without　hesitation；　to　take　the　responsibility　on
myself。　Where　the　question　of　guiding　Eustace's　decision　was
concerned；　I　considered　my　influence　to　be　decidedly　superior　to
the　influence　of　Mr。　Playmore。　My　choice　met　with　Benjamin's　full
approval。　He　arranged　to　write　to　Edinburgh；　and　relieve　the
lawyer's　anxieties　by　that　day's　post。

The　one　last　thing　now　left　to　be　settled　related　to　our　plans
for　returning　to　England。　The　doctors　were　the　authorities　on
this　subject。　I　promised　to　consult　them　about　it　at　their　next
visit　to　Eustace。

　〃Have　you　anything　more　to　say　to　me？〃　Benjamin　inquired；　as　he
opened　his　writing…case。

I　thought　of　Miserrimus　Dexter　and　Ariel；　and　I　inquired　if　he
had　heard　any　news　of　them　lately。　My　old　friend　sighed；　and
warned　me　that　I　had　touched　on　a　painful　subject。

〃The　best　thing　that　can　happen　to　that　unhappy　man　is　likely　to
happen；〃　he　said。　〃The　one　change　in　him　is　a　change　that
threatens　paralysis。　You　may　hear　of　his　death　before　you　get
back　to　England。〃

〃And　Ariel？〃　I　asked。

〃Quite　unaltered；〃　Benjamin　answered。　〃Perfectly　happy　so　long　as
she　is　with　'the　Master。'　From　all　I　can　hear　of　her；　poor　soul；
she　doesn't　reckon　Dexter　among　moral　beings。　She　laughs　at　the
idea　of　his　dying；　and　she　waits　patiently；　in　the　firm
persuasion　that　he　will　recognize　her　again。〃

Benjamin's　news　saddened　and　silenced　me。　I　left　him　to　his
letter。




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…ch