the law and the lady-第7部分

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cheerfully。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃I　begin　to　think　I　_am_　madmad　to　have
devoted　myself　to　an　ungrateful　woman；　to　a　person　who　doesn't
appreciate　a　sisterly　and　Christian　sacrifice　of　self。　Well；　I
won't　do　it　again。　Heaven　forgive　meI　won't　do　it　again！〃

〃Do　what　again？〃　I　asked。

〃Follow　your　mother…in…law；〃　cried　the　landlady；　suddenly
dropping　the　character　of　a　martyr；　and　assuming　the　character　of
a　vixen　in　its　place。　〃I　blush　when　I　think　of　it。　I　followed
that　most　respectable　person　every　step　of　the　way　to　her　own
door。〃

Thus　far　my　pride　had　held　me　up。　It　sustained　me　no　longer。　I
dropped　back　again　into　my　chair；　in　undisguised　dread　of　what
was　coming　next。

〃I　gave　you　a　look　when　I　left　you　on　the　beach；〃　pursued　the
landlady；　growing　louder　and　louder　and　redder　and　redder　as　she
went　on。　〃A　grateful　woman　would　have　understood　that　look。　Never
mind！　I　won't　do　it　again　I　overtook　your　mother…in…law　at　the
gap　in　the　cliff。　I　followed　heroh；　how　I　feel　the　disgrace　of
it　_now！_I　followed　her　to　the　station　at　Broadstairs。　She　went
back　by　train　to　Ramsgate。　_I_　went　back　by　train　to　Ramsgate。
She　walked　to　her　lodgings。　_I_　walked　to　her　lodgings。　Behind
her。　Like　a　dog。　Oh；　the　disgrace　of　it！　Providentially；　as　I
then　thoughtI　don't　know　what　to　think　of　it　nowthe　landlord
of　the　house　happened　to　be　a　friend　of　mine；　and　happened　to　be
at　home。　We　have　no　secrets　from　each　other　where　lodgers　are
concerned。　I　am　in　a　position　to　tell　you；　madam；　what　your
mother…in…law's　name　really　is。　She　knows　nothing　about　any　such
person　as　Mrs。　Woodville；　for　an　excellent　reason。　Her　name　is
_not_　Woodville。　Her　name　（and　consequently　her　son's　name）　is
MacallanMrs。　Macallan；　widow　of　the　late　General　Macallan。　Yes！
your　husband　is　_not_　your　husband。　You　are　neither　maid；　wife；
nor　widow。　You　are　worse　than　nothing；　madam；　and　you　leave　my
house！〃

I　stopped　her　as　she　opened　the　door　to　go　out。　She　had　roused
_my_　temper　by　this　time。　The　doubt　that　she　had　cast　on　my
marriage　was　more　than　mortal　resignation　could　endure。

〃Give　me　Mrs。　Macallan's　address；〃　I　said。

The　landlady's　anger　receded　into　the　background；　and　the
landlady's　astonishment　appeared　in　its　place。

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me　you　are　going　to　the　old　lady
herself？〃　she　said。

〃Nobody　but　the　old　lady　can　tell　me　what　I　want　to　know；〃　I
answered。　〃Your　discovery　（as　you　call　it）　may　be　enough　for
_you_；　it　is　not　enough　for　_me_。　How　do　we　know　that　Mrs。
Macallan　may　not　have　been　twice　married？　and　that　her　first
husband's　name　may　not　have　been　Woodville？〃

The　landlady's　astonishment　subsided　in　its　turn；　and　the
landlady's　curiosity　succeeded　as　the　ruling　influence　of　the
moment。　Substantially；　as　I　have　already　said　of　her；　she　was　a
good…natured　woman。　Her　fits　of　temper　（as　is　usual　with
good…natured　people）　were　of　the　hot　and　the　short…lived　sort；
easily　roused　and　easily　appeased。

〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　said。　〃Look　here！　if　I　give　you
the　address；　will　you　promise　to　tell　me　all　about　it　when　you
come　back？〃

I　gave　the　required　promise；　and　received　the　address　in　return。

〃No　malice；〃　said　the　landlady；　suddenly　resuming　all　her　old
familiarity　with　me。

〃No　malice；〃　I　answered；　with　all　possible　cordiality　on　my　side。

In　ten　minutes　more　I　was　at　my　mother…in…law's　lodgings。


CHAPTER　VI。

MY　OWN　DISCOVERY。

　FORTUNATELY　for　me；　the　landlord　did　not　open　the　door　when　I
rang。　A　stupid　maid…of…all…work；　who　never　thought　of　asking　me
for　my　name；　let　me　in。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　at　home；　and　had　no
visitors　with　her。　Giving　me　this　information；　the　maid　led　the
way　upstairs；　and　showed　me　into　the　drawing…room　without　a　word
of　announcement。

My　mother…in…law　was　sitting　alone；　near　a　work…table；　knitting。
The　moment　I　appeared　in　the　doorway　she　laid　aside　her　work；
and；　rising；　signed　to　me　with　a　commanding　gesture　of　her　hand
to　let　her　speak　first。

〃I　know　what　you　have　come　here　for；〃　she　said。　〃You　have　come
here　to　ask　questions。　Spare　yourself；　and　spare　me。　I　warn　you
beforehand　that　I　will　not　answer　any　questions　relating　to　my
son。〃

It　was　firmly；　but　not　harshly　said。　I　spoke　firmly　in　my　turn。

〃I　have　not　come　here；　madam；　to　ask　questions　about　your　son；〃　I
answered。　〃I　have　come；　if　you　will　excuse　me；　to　ask　you　a
question　about　yourself。〃

She　started；　and　looked　at　me　keenly　over　her　spectacles。　I　had
evidently　taken　her　by　surprise。

〃What　is　the　question？〃　she　inquired。

〃I　now　know　for　the　first　time；　madam；　that　your　name　is
Macallan；〃　I　said。　〃Your　son　has　married　me　under　the　name　of
Woodville。　The　only　honorable　explanation　of　this　circumstance；
so　far　as　I　know；　is　that　my　husband　is　your　son　by　a　first
marriage。　The　happiness　of　my　life　is　at　stake。　Will　you　kindly
consider　my　position？　Will　you　let　me　ask　you　if　you　have　been
twice　married；　and　if　the　name　of　your　first　husband　was
Woodville？〃

She　considered　a　little　before　she　replied。

〃The　question　is　a　perfectly　natural　one　in　your　position；〃　she
said。　〃But　I　think　I　had　better　not　answer　it。〃

〃May　　I　as　k　why？〃

〃Certainly。　If　I　answered　you；　I　should　only　lead　to　other
questions；　and　I　should　be　obliged　to　decline　replying　to　them。　I
am　sorry　to　disappoint　you。　I　repeat　what　I　said　on　the　beachI
have　no　other　feeling　than　a　feeling　of　sympathy　toward　_you。_　If
you　had　consulted　me　before　your　marriage；　I　should　willingly
have　admitted　you　to　my　fullest　confidence。　It　is　now　too　late。
You　are　married。　I　recommend　you　to　make　the　best　of　your
position；　and　to　rest　satisfied　with　things　as　they　are。〃

〃Pardon　me；　madam；〃　I　remonstrated。　〃As　things　are；　I　don't　know
that　I　_am_　married。　All　I　know；　unless　you　enlighten　me；　is　that
your　son　has　married　me　under　a　name　that　is　not　his　own。　How　can
I　be　sure　whether　I　am　or　am　not　his　lawful　wife？〃

〃I　believe　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　you　are　lawfully　my　son's
wife；〃　Mrs。　Macallan　answered。　〃At　any　rate　it　is　easy　to　take　a
legal　opinion　on　the　subject。　If　the　opinion　is　that　you　are
_not_　lawfully　married；　my　son　（whatever　his　faults　and　failings
may　be）　is　a　gentleman。　He　is　incapable　of　willfully　deceiving　a
woman　who　loves　and　trusts　him。　He　will　do　you　justice。　On　my
side；　I　will　do　you　justice；　too。　If　the　legal　opinion　is　adverse
to　your　rightful　claims；　I　will　promise　to　answer　any　questions
which　you　may　choose　to　put　to　me。　As　it　is；　I　believe　you　to　be
lawfully　my　son's　wife；　and　I　say　again；　make　the　best　of　your
position。　Be　satisfied　with　your　husband's　affectionate　devotion
to　you。　If　you　value　your　peace　of　mind　and　the　happiness　of　your
life　to　come；　abstain　from　attempting　to　know　more　than　you　know
now。〃

She　sat　down　again　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　had　said　her　last
word。

Further　remonstrance　would　be　useless；　I　could　see　it　in　her
face；　I　could　hear　it　in　her　voice。　I　turned　round　to　open　the
drawing…room　door。

〃You　are　hard　on　me；　madam；〃　I　said　at　parting。　〃I　am　at　your
mercy；　and　I　must　submit。〃

She　suddenly　looked　up；　and　answered　me　with　a　flush　on　her　kind
and　handsome　old　face。

〃As　God　is　my　witness；　child；　I　pity　you　from　the　bottom　of　my
heart！〃

After　that　extraordinary　outburst　of　feeling；　she　took　up　her
work　with　one　hand；　and　signed　to　me　with　the　other　to　leave　her。

I　bowed　to　her　in　silence；　and　went　out。

I　had　entered　the　house　far　from　feeling　sure　of　the　course　I
ought　to　take　in　the　future。　I　left　the　house　positively
resolved；　come　what　might　of　it；　to　discover　the　secret　which　the
mother　and　son　were　hiding　from　me。　As　to　the　question　of　the
name；　I　saw　it　now　in　the　light　in　which　I　ought　to　have　seen　it
from　the　first。　If　Mrs。　Macallan　_had_　been　twice　married　（as　I
had　rashly　chosen　to　suppose）；　she　would　certainly　have　shown
some　signs　of　recognition　when　she　heard　me　addressed　by　her
first　husband's　name。　Where　all　else　was　mystery；　there　was　no
mystery　here。　Whatever　his　reasons　might　be；　Eustace　had
assuredly　married　me　under　an　assumed　name。

Approaching　the　door　of　our　lodgings；　I　saw　my　husband　walking
backward　and　forward　before　it；　evidently　waiting　for　my　return。
If　he　asked　me　the　question；　I　decided　to　tell　him　frankly　where
I　had　been；　and　what　had　passed　between　his　mother　and　myself。

He　hurried　to　meet　me　with　signs　of　disturbance　in　his　face　and
manner。

〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask　of　you；　Valeria；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　mind
returning　with　me　to　London　by　the　next　train？〃

I　looked　at　him。　In　the　popular　phrase；　I　could　hardly　believe　my
own　ears。

〃It's　a　matter　of　business；〃　he　went　on；　〃of　no　interest　to　any
one　but　myself；　and　it　requires　my　presence　in　London。　You　don't
wish　to　sail　just　yet；　as　I　understand？　I　can't　leave　you　here　by
yourself。　Have　you　any　objection　to　going　to　London　for　a　day　or
two？〃

I　made　no　objection。　I　too　was　eager　to　go　back。

In　London　I　could　obtain　the　legal　opinion　which　would　tell　me
whether　I　were　lawfully　married　to　Eustace　or　not。　In　London　I
should　be　within　reach　of　the　help　and　advice　of　my　father's
faithful　old　clerk。　I　could　confide　in　Benjamin　as　I　could
confide　in　no　one　else。　Dearly　as　I　loved　my　uncle　Starkweather；
I　shrank　from　communicating　with　him　in　my　present　need。　His　wife
had　told　me　that　I　made　a　bad　beginning　when　I　signed　the　wrong
name　in　the　marriage　register。　Shall　I　own　it？　My　pride　shrank
from　acknowledging；　before　the　honeymoon　was　over；　that　his　wife
was　right。

　In　two　hours　more　we　were　on　the　railway　again。　Ah；　what　a
contrast　that　second　journey　presented　to　the　first！　On　our　way
to　Ramsgate　everybody　could　see　that　we　were　a　newly　wedded
couple。　On　our　way　to　London　nobody　noticed　us；　nobody　would　have
doubted　that　we　had　been　married　for　years。

We　went　to　a　private　hotel　in　the　neighborhood　of　Portland　Place。

After　breakfast　the　next　morning　Eustace　announced　that　he　must
leave　me　to　attend　to　his　business。　I　had　previously　mentioned　to
him　that　I　had　some　purchases　to　make　in　London。　He　was　quite
willing　to　let　me　go　out　alone；　on　the　condition　that　I　should
take　a　carriage　provided　by　the　hotel。

My　heart　was　heavy　that　morning：　I　felt　t