the law and the lady-第71部分

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view。　In　Benjamin；　the　lawyer　had　found　what　he　had　not　met　with
in　mea　sympathetic　mind；　alive　to　the　value　of　〃an　abstract　of
the　expenses；〃　and　conscious　of　that　most　remunerative　of　human
virtues；　the　virtue　of　economy。

At　so　much　a　week；　they　had　engaged　men　to　dig　into　the　mound　and
to　sift　the　ashes。　At　so　much　a　week；　they　had　hired　a　tent　to
shelter　the　open　dust…heap　from　wind　and　weather。　At　so　much　a
week；　they　had　engaged　the　services　of　a　young　man　（pers　onally
known　to　Benjamin）；　who　was　employed　in　a　laboratory　under　a
professor　of　chemistry；　and　who　had　distinguished　himself　by　his
skillful　manipulation　of　paper　in　a　recent　case　of　forgery　on　a
well…known　London　firm。　Armed　with　these　preparations；　they　had
begun　the　work；　Benjamin　and　the　young　chemist　living　at
Gleninch；　and　taking　it　in　turns　to　superintend　the　proceedings。

Three　days　of　labor　with　the　spade　and　the　sieve　produced　no
results　of　the　slightest　importance。　However；　the　matter　was　in
the　hands　of　two　quietly　determined　men。　They　declined　to　be
discouraged。　They　went　on。

On　the　fourth　day　the　first　morsels　of　paper　were　found。

Upon　examination；　they　proved　to　be　the　fragments　of　a
tradesman's　prospectus。　Nothing　dismayed；　Benjamin　and　the　young
chemist　still　persevered。　At　the　end　of　the　day's　work　more
pieces　of　paper　were　turned　up。　These　proved　to　be　covered　with
written　characters。　Mr。　Playmore　（arriving　at　Gleninch；　as　usual；
every　evening　on　the　conclusion　of　his　labors　in　the　law）　was
consulted　as　to　the　handwriting。　After　careful　examination；　he
declared　that　the　mutilated　portions　of　sentences　submitted　to
him　had　been　written；　beyond　all　doubt；　by　Eustace　Macallan's
first　wife！

This　discovery　aroused　the　enthusiasm　of　the　searchers　to　fever
height。

Spades　and　sieves　were　from　that　moment　forbidden　utensils。
However　unpleasant　the　task　might　be；　hands　alone　were　used　in
the　further　examination　of　the　mound。　The　first　and　foremost
necessity　was　to　place　the　morsels　of　paper　（in　flat　cardboard
boxes　prepared　for　the　purpose）　in　their　order　as　they　were
found。　Night　came；　the　laborers　were　dismissed；　Benjamin　and　his
two　colleagues　worked　on　by　lamplight。　The　morsels　of　paper　were
now　turned　up　by　dozens；　instead　of　by　ones　and　twos。　For　a　while
the　search　prospered　in　this　way；　and　then　the　morsels　appeared
no　more。　Had　they　all　been　recovered？　or　would　renewed
hand…digging　yield　more　yet？　The　next　light　layers　of　rubbish
were　carefully　removedand　the　grand　discovery　of　the　day
followed。　There　（upside　down）　was　the　gum…bottle　which　the
lodge…keeper's　daughter　had　spoken　of。　And；　more　precious　still；
there；　under　it；　were　more　fragments　of　written　paper；　all　stuck
together　in　a　little　lump；　by　the　last　drippings　from　the
gum…bottle　dropping　upon　them　as　they　lay　on　the　dust…heap！

The　scene　now　shifted　to　the　interior　of　the　house。　When　the
searchers　next　assembled　they　met　at　the　great　table　in　the
library　at　Gleninch。

Benjamin's　experience　with　the　〃Puzzles〃　which　he　had　put
together　in　the　days　of　his　boyhood　proved　to　be　of　some　use　to
his　companions。　The　fragments　accidentally　stuck　together　would；
in　all　probability；　be　found　to　fit　each　other；　and　would
certainly　（in　any　case）　be　the　easiest　fragments　to　reconstruct
as　a　center　to　start　from。

The　delicate　business　of　separating　these　pieces　of　paper；　and　of
preserving　them　in　the　order　in　which　they　had　adhered　to　each
other；　was　assigned　to　the　practiced　fingers　of　the　chemist。　But
the　difficulties　of　his　task　did　not　end　here。　The　writing　was
（as　usual　in　letters）　traced　on　both　sides　of　the　paper；　and　it
could　only　be　preserved　for　the　purpose　of　reconstruction　by
splitting　each　morsel　into　twoso　as　artificially　to　make　a
blank　side；　on　which　could　be　spread　the　fine　cement　used　for
reuniting　the　fragments　in　their　original　form。

To　Mr。　Playmore　and　Benjamin　the　prospect　of　successfully　putting
the　letter　together；　under　these　disadvantages；　seemed　to　be
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