the law and the lady-第51部分

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the　slightest　possible　flavor　of　a　Scotch　accent。

〃I　have　the　honor　to　be　an　old　friend　of　Mr。　Macallan；〃　he　said；
cordially　shaking　hands　with　me；　〃and　I　am　honestly　happy　to
become　acquainted　with　Mr。　Macallan's　wife。　Where　will　you　sit？
Near　the　light？　You　are　young　enough　not　to　be　afraid　of　the
daylight　just　yet。　Is　this　your　first　visit　to　Edinburgh？　Pray
let　me　make　it　as　pleasant　to　you　as　I　can。　I　shall　be　delighted
to　present　Mrs。　Playmore　to　you。　We　are　staying　in　Edinburgh　for
a　little　while。　The　Italian　opera　is　here；　and　we　have　a　box　for
to…night。　Will　you　kindly　waive　all　ceremony　and　dine　with　us　and
go　to　the　music　afterward？〃

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　I　answered。　〃But　I　have　some　anxieties　just
now　which　will　make　me　a　very　poor　companion　for　Mrs。　Playmore　at
the　opera。　My　letter　to　you　mentions；　I　think；　that　I　have　to　ask
your　advice　on　matters　which　are　of　very　serious　importance　to
me。〃

〃Does　it？〃　he　rejoined。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　have　not　read
the　letter　through。　I　saw　your　name　in　it；　and　I　gathered　from
your　message　that　you　wished　to　see　me　here。　I　sent　my　note　to
your　hoteland　then　went　on　with　something　else。　Pray　pardon　me。
Is　this　a　professional　consultation？　For　your　own　sake；　I
sincerely　hope　not！〃

〃It　is　hardly　a　professional　consultation；　Mr。　Playmore。　I　find
myself　in　a　very　painful　position；　and　I　come　to　you　to　advise
me；　under　very　unusual　circumstances。　I　shall　surprise　you　very
much　when　you　hear　what　I　have　to　say；　and　I　am　afraid　I　shall
occupy　more　than　my　fair　share　of　your　time。〃

〃I　and　my　time　are　entirely　at　your　disposal；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me
what　I　can　do　for　youand　tell　it　in　your　own　way。〃

The　kindness　of　this　language　was　more　than　matched　by　the
kindness　of　his　manner。　I　spoke　to　him　freely　and　fullyI　told
him　my　strange　story　without　the　slightest　reserve。

He　showed　the　varying　impressions　that　I　produced　on　his　mind
without　the　slightest　concealment。　My　separation　from　Eustace
distressed　him。　My　resolution　to　dispute　the　Scotch　Verdict；　and
my　unjust　suspicions　of　Mrs。　Beauly；　first　amused；　then　surprised
him。　It　was　not；　however；　until　I　had　described　my　extraordinary
interview　with　Miserrimus　Dexter；　and　my　hardly　less　remarkable
conversation　with　Lady　Clarinda；　that　I　produced　my　greatest
effect　on　the　lawyer's　mind。　I　saw　him　change　color　for　the　first
time。　He　started；　and　muttered　to　himself；　as　if　he　had
completely　forgotten　me。　〃Good　God！〃　I　heard　him　say〃can　it　be
possible？　Does　the　truth　lie　_that_　way　after　all？〃

I　took　the　liberty　of　interrupting　him。　I　had　no　idea　of　allowing
him　to　keep　his　thoughts　to　himself。

〃I　seem　to　have　surprised　you？〃　I　said。

He　started　at　the　sound　of　my　voice。

〃I　beg　ten　thousand　pardons！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　have　not　only
surprised　meyou　have　opened　an　entirely　new　view　to　my　mind。　I
see　a　possibility；　a　really　startling　possibility；　in　connection
with　the　poisoning　at　Gleninch；　which　never　occurred　to　me　until
the　present　moment。　This　is　a　nice　state　of　things；〃　he　added；
falling　back　again　into　his　ordinary　humor。　〃Here　is　the　client
leading　the　lawyer。　My　dear　Mrs。　Eustace；　which　is　itdo　you
want　my　advice？　or　do　I　want　yours？〃

〃May　I　hear　the　new　idea？〃　I　asked。

〃Not　just　yet；　if　you　will　excuse　me；〃　he　answered。　〃Make
allowances　for　my　professional　caution。　I　don't　want　to　be
professional　with　youmy　great　anxiety　is　to　avoid　it。　But　the
lawyer　gets　the　better　of　the　man；　and　refuses　to　be　suppressed。
I　really　hesitate　to　realize　what　is　passing　in　my　own　mind
without　some　further　inquiry。　Do　me　a　great　favor。　Let　us　go　over
a　part　of　the　ground　again；　and　let　me　ask　you　some　questions　as
we　proceed。　Do　you　feel　any　objection　to　obliging　me　in　this
matter？〃

〃Certainly　not；　Mr。　Playmore。　How　far　shall　we　go　back？〃

〃To　your　visit　to　Dexter　with　your　mother…in…law。　When　you　first
asked　him　if　he　had　any　ideas　of　his　own　on　the　subject　of　Mrs。
Eustace　Macallan's　death；　did　I　understand　you　to　say　that　he
looked　at　you　suspiciously？〃

〃Very　suspiciously。〃

〃And　his　face　cleared　up　again　when　you　told　him　that　your
question　was　only　suggested　by　what　you　had　read　in　the　Report　of
the　Trial？〃

〃Yes。〃

He　drew　a　slip　of　paper　out　of　the　drawer　in　his　desk；　dipped　his
pen　in　the　ink；　considered　a　little；　and　placed　a　chair　for　me
close　at　his　side。

〃The　lawyer　disappears；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　man　resumes　his　proper
place。　There　shall　be　no　professional　mysteries　between　you　and
me。　As　your　husband's　old　friend；　Mrs。　Eustace；　I　feel　no　common
interest　in　you。　I　see　a　serious　necessity　for　warning　you　before
it　is　too　late；　and　I　can　only　do　so　to　any　good　purpose　by
running　a　risk　on　which　few　men　in　my　place　would　venture。
Personally　and　professionally；　I　am　going　to　trust　youthough　I
_am_　a　Scotchman　and　a　lawyer。　Sit　here；　and　look　over　my
shoulder　while　I　make　my　notes。　You　will　see　what　is　passing　in
my　mind
　if　you　see　what　I　write。〃

I　sat　down　by　him；　and　looked　over　his　shoulder；　without　the
smallest　pretense　of　hesitation。

He　began　to　write　as　follows：

〃The　poisoning　at　Gleninch。　Queries：　In　what　position　does
Miserrimus　Dexter　stand　toward　the　poisoning？　And　what　does　he
（presumably）　know　about　that　matter？

〃He　has　ideas　which　are　secrets。　He　suspects　that　he　has　betrayed
them；　or　that　they　have　been　discovered　in　some　way　inconceivable
to　himself。　He　is　palpably　relieved　when　he　finds　that　this　is
not　the　case。〃

The　pen　stopped；　and　the　questions　went　on。

〃Let　us　advance　to　your　second　visit；〃　said　Mr。　Playmore；　〃when
you　saw　Dexter　alone。　Tell　me　again　what　he　did；　and　how　he
looked　when　you　informed　him　that　you　were　not　satisfied　with　the
Scotch　Verdict。〃

I　repeated　what　I　have　already　written　in　these　pages。　The　pen
went　back　to　the　paper　again；　and　added　these　lines：

〃He　hears　nothing　more　remarkable　than　that　a　person　visiting
him；　who　is　interested　in　the　case；　refuses　to　accept　the　verdict
at　the　Macallan　Trial　as　a　final　verdict；　and　proposes　to　reopen
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
t