the law and the lady-第16部分

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thoroughly　searched　everything　that　had　presented　itself　to　my
notice。　Agreeable　or　not　agreeable；　it　was　plainly　of　serious
importance　to　my　own　interests　to　go　on　as　I　had　begun；　and
thoroughly　to　search　the　book。

I　turned　over　the　pages　until　I　came　to　the　first　blank　leaf。
Seeing　that　they　were　all　blank　leaves　from　this　place　to　the
end；　I　lifted　the　volume　by　the　back；　and；　as　a　last　measure　of
precaution；　shook　it　so　as　to　dislodge　any　loose　papers　or　cards
which　might　have　escaped　my　notice　between　the　leaves。

This　time　my　patience　was　rewarded　by　a　discovery　which
indescribably　irritated　and　distressed　me。

A　small　photograph；　mounted　on　a　card；　fell　out　of　the　book。　A
first　glance　showed　me　that　it　represented　the　portraits　of　two
persons。

One　of　the　persons　I　recognized　as　my　husband。

The　other　person　was　a　woman。

Her　face　was　entirely　unknown　to　me。　She　was　not　young。　The
picture　represented　her　seated　on　a　chair；　with　my　husband
standing　behind；　and　bending　over　her；　holding　one　of　her　hands
in　his。　The　woman's　face　was　hard…featured　and　ugly；　with　the
marking　lines　of　strong　passions　and　resolute　self…will　plainly
written　on　it。　Still；　ugly　as　she　was；　I　felt　a　pang　of　jealousy
as　I　noticed　the　familiarly　affectionate　action　by　which　the
artist　（with　the　permission　of　his　sitters；　of　course）　had
connected　the　two　figures　in　a　group。　Eustace　had　briefly　told
me；　in　the　days　of　our　courtship；　that　he　had　more　than　once
fancied　himself　to　be　in　love　before　he　met　with　me。　Could　this
very　unattractive　woman　have　been　one　of　the　early　objects　of　his
admiration？　Had　she　been　near　enough　and　dear　enough　to　him　to　be
photographed　with　her　hand　in　his？　I　looked　and　looked　at　the
portraits　until　I　could　endure　them　no　longer。　Women　are　strange
creaturesmysteries　even　to　themselves。　I　threw　the　photograph
from　me　into　a　corner　of　the　cupboard。　I　was　savagely　angry　with
my　husband；　I　hatedyes；　hated　with　all　my　heart　and　soul！the
woman　who　had　got　his　hand　in　hersthe　unknown　woman　with　the
self…willed；　hard…featured　face。

All　this　time　the　lower　shelf　of　the　cupboard　was　still　waiting
to　be　looked　over。

I　knelt　down　to　examine　it；　eager　to　clear　my　mind；　if　I　could；
of　the　degrading　jealousy　that　had　got　possession　of　me。

Unfortunately；　the　lower　shelf　contained　nothing　but　relics　of
the　Major's　military　life；　comprising　his　sword　and　pistols；　his
epaulets；　his　sash；　and　other　minor　accouterments。　None　of　these
objects　excited　the　slightest　interest　in　me。　My　eyes　wandered
back　to　the　upper　shelf；　and；　like　the　fool　I　was　（there　is　no
milder　word　that　can　fitly　describe　me　at　that　moment）；　I　took
the　photograph　out　again；　and　enraged　myself　uselessly　by　another
look　at　it。　This　time　I　observed；　what　I　had　not　noticed　before；
that　there　were　some　lines　of　writing　（in　a　woman's　hand）　at　the
back　of　the　portraits。　The　lines　ran　thus：

'To　Major　Fitz…David；　with　two　vases。　From　his　friends；　S。　and　E。
M。〃

Was　one　of　those　two　vases　the　vase　that　had　been　broken？　And　was
the　change　that　I　had　noticed　in　Major　Fitz…David's　face　produced
by　some　past　association　in　connection　with　it；　which　in　some　way
affected　me？　It　might　or　might　not　be　so。　I　was　little　disposed
to　indulge　in　speculation　on　this　topic　while　the　far　more
serious　question　of　the　initials　confronted　me　on　the　back　of　the
photograph。

〃S。　and　E。　M。？〃　Those　last　two　letters　might　stand　for　the
initials　of　my　husband's　namehis　true　nameEustace　Macallan。
In　this　case　the　first　letter　（〃S。〃）　in　all　probability　indicated
_her_　name。　What　right　had　she　to　associate　herself　with　him　in
that　manner？　I　considered　a　littlemy　memory　exerted　itselfI
suddenly　called　to　mind　that　Eustace　had　sisters。　He　had　spoken
of　them　more　than　once　in　the　time　before　our　marriage。　Had　I
been　mad　enough　to　torture　myself　with　jealousy　of　my　husband's
sister？　It　might　well　be　so；　〃S。〃　might　stand　for　his　sister's
Christian　name。　I　felt　heartily　ashamed　of　myself　as　this　new
view　of　the　matter　dawned　on　me。　What　a　wrong　I　had　done　to　them
both　in　my　thoughts！　I　turned　the　photograph；　sadly　and
penitently；　to　examine　the　portraits　again　with　a　kinder　and
truer　appreciation　of　them。

I　naturally　looked　now　for　a　family　likeness　between　the　two
faces。　There　was　no　family　likeness；　on　the　contrary；　they　were
as　unlike　each　other　in　form　and　expression　as　faces　could　be。
_Was_　she　his　sister；　after　all？　I　looked　at　her　hands；　as
represented　in　the　portrait。　Her　right　hand　was　clasped　by
Eustace；　her　left　hand　lay　on　her　lap。　On　the　third　finger；
distinctly　visible；　there　was　a　wedding…ring。　Were　any　of　my
husband's　sisters　married？　I　had　myself　asked　him　the　question
when　he　mentioned　them　to　me；　and　I　perfectly　remembered　that　he
had　replie　d　in　the　negative。

Was　it　possible　that　my　first　jealous　instinct　had　led　me　to　the
right　conclusion　after　all？　If　it　had；　what　did　the　association
of　the　three　initial　letters　mean？　What　did　the　wedding…ring
mean？　Good　Heavens！　was　I　looking　at　the　portrait　of　a　rival　in
my　husband's　affectionsand　was　that　rival　his　Wife？

I　threw　the　photograph　from　me　with　a　cry　of　horror。　For　one
terrible　moment　I　felt　as　if　my　reason　was　giving　way。　I　don't
know　what　would　have　happened；　or　what　I　should　have　done　next；
if　my　love　for　Eustace　had　not　taken　the　uppermost　place　among
the　contending　emotions　that　tortured　me。　That　faithful　love
steadied　my　brain。　That　faithful　love　roused　the　reviving
influences　of　my　better　and　nobler　sense。　Was　the　man　whom　I　had
enshrined　in　my　heart　of　hearts　capable　of　such　base　wickedness
as　the　bare　idea　of　his　marriage　to　another　woman　implied？　No！
Mine　was　the　baseness；　mine　the　wickedness；　in　having　even　for　a
moment　thought　it　of　him！

I　picked　up　the　detestable　photograph　from　the　floor；　and　put　it
back　in　the　book。　I　hastily　closed　the　cupboard　door；　fetched　the
library　ladder；　and　set　it　against　the　book…case。　My　one　idea　now
was　the　idea　of　taking　refuge　in　employment　of　any　sort　from　my
own　thoughts。　I　felt　the　hateful　suspicion　that　had　degraded　me
coming　back　again　in　spite　of　my　efforts　to　repel　it。　The　books！
the　books！　my　only　hope　was　to　absorb　myself；　body　and　soul；　in
the　books。

I　had　one　foot　on　the　ladder；　when　I　heard　the　door　of　the　room
openthe　door　which　communicated　with　the　hall。

I　looked　around；　expecting　to　see　the　Major。　I　saw　instead　the
Major's　future　prima　donna　standing　just　inside　the　door；　with
her　round　eyes　steadily　fixed　on　me。

〃I　can　stand　a　good　deal；〃　the　girl　began；　coolly；　〃but　I　can't
stand　_this_　any　longer？〃

〃What　is　it　that　you　can't　stand　any　longer？〃　I　asked。

〃If　you　have　been　here　a　minute；　you　have　been　here　two　good
hours；〃　she　went　on。　〃All　by　yourself　in　the　Major's　study。　I　am
of　a　jealous　dispositionI　am。　And　I　want　to　know　what　it
means。〃　She　advanced　a　few　steps　nearer　to　me；　with　a　heightening
color　and　a　threatening　look。　〃Is　he　going　to　bring　_you_　out　on
the　stage？〃　she　asked；　sharply。

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃He　ain't　in　love　with　you；　is　he？〃

Under　other　circumstances　I　might　have　told　her　to　leave　the
room。　In　my　position　at　that　critical　moment　the　mere　presence　of
a　human　creature　was　a　positive　relief　to　me。　Even　this　girl；
with　her　coarse　questions　and　her　uncultivated　manners；　was　a
welcome　intruder　on　my　solitude：　she　offered　me　a　refuge　from
myself。

〃Your　question　is　not　very　civilly　put；〃　I　said。　〃However；　I
excuse　you。　You　are　probably　not　aware　that　I　am　a　married
woman。〃

〃What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃　she　retorted。　〃Married　or
single；　it's　all　one　to　the　Major。　That　brazen…faced　hussy　who
calls　herself　Lady　Clarinda　is　married；　and　she　sends　him
nosegays　three　times　a　week！　Not　that　I　care；　mind　you；　about　the
old　fool。　But　I've　lost　my　situation　at　the　railway；　and　I've　got
my　own　interests　to　look　after；　and　I　don't　know　what　may　happen
if　I　let　other　women　come　between　him　and　me。　That's　where　the
shoe　pinches；　don't　you　see？　I'm　not　easy　in　my　mind　when　I　see
him　leaving　you　mistress　here　to　do　just　what　you　like。　No
offense！　I　speak　outI　do。　I　want　to　know　what　you　are　about　all
by　yourself　in　this　room？　How　did　you　pick　up　with　the　Major？　I
never　heard　him　speak　of　you　before　to…day。〃

Under　all　the　surface　selfishness　and　coarseness　of　this　strange
girl　there　was　a　certain　frankness　and　freedom　which　pleaded　in
her　favorto　my　mind；　at　any　rate。　I　answered　frankly　and　freely
on　my　side。

〃Major　Fitz…David　is　an　old　friend　of　my　husband's；〃　I　said；　〃and
he　is　kind　to　me　for　my　husband's　sake。　He　has　given　me
permission　to　look　in　this　room〃

I　stopped；　at　a　loss　how　to　describe　my　employment　in　terms　which
should　tell　her　nothing；　and　which　should　at　the　same　time
successfully　set　her　distrust　of　me　at　rest。

〃To　look　about　in　this　roomfor　what？〃　she　asked。　Her　eye　fell
on　the　library　ladder；　beside　which　I　was　still　standing。　〃For　a
book？〃　she　resumed。

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　taking　the　hint。　〃For　a　book。〃

〃Haven't　you　found　it　yet？〃

〃No。〃

She　looked　hard　at　me；　undisguisedly　considering　with　herself
whether　I　were　or　were　not　speaking　the　truth。

〃You　seem　to　be　a　good　sort；〃　she　said；　making　up　her　mind　at
last。　〃There's　nothing　stuck…up　about　you。　I'll　help　you　if　I
can。　I　have　rummaged　among　the　books　here　over　and　over　again；
and　I　know　more　about　them　than　you　do。　What　book　do　you　want？〃

As　she　put　that　awkward　question　she　noticed　for　the　first　time
Lady　Clarinda's　nosegay　lying　on　the　side…table　where　the　Major
had　left　it。　Instantly　forgetting　me　and　my　book；　this　curious
girl　pounced　like　a　fury　on　the　flowers；　and　actually　trampled
them　under　her　feet！

〃There！〃　she　cried。　〃If　I　had　Lady　Clarinda　here　I'd　serve　her　in
the　same　way。〃

〃What　will　the　Major　say？〃　I　asked。

〃What　do　I　care？　Do　you　suppose　I'm　afraid　of　_him？_　Only　last
week　I　broke　one　of　his　fine　gimcracks　up　there；　and　all　through
Lady　Clarinda　and　her　flowers！〃

She　pointed　to　the　top　of　the　book…caseto　the　empty　space　on　it
close　by　the　window。　My　heart　gave　a　sudden　bound　as　my　eyes　took
the　direction　indicated　by　her　finger。　_She_　had　broken　the　vase！
Was　the　way　to