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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； Valeria！〃
His brightening eyes told me that he really meant what he said。
We sealed our compact with a kiss。 Pardon me for mentioning these
triflesI am still writing （if you will kindly remember it） of
our new honeymoon。
By that day's post I answered Benjamin's letter； telling him
what I had done； and entreating him； if he and Mr。 Playmore
approved of my conduct； to keep me informed of any future
discoveries which they might make at Gleninch。
After an interval…an endless interval； as it seemed to meof
ten days more； I received a second letter from my old friend；
with another postscript added by Mr。 Playmore。
〃We are advancing steadily and successfully with the putting
together of the letter；〃 Benjamin wrote。 〃The one new discovery
which we have made is of serious importance to your husband。 We
have reconstructed certain sentences declaring； in the plainest
words； that the arsenic which Eustace procured was purchased at
the request of his wife； and was in her possession at Gleninch。
This； remember； is in the handwriting of the wife； and is signed
by the wifeas we have also found out。 Unfortunately； I am
obliged to add that the objection to taking your husband into our
confidence； mentioned when I last wrote； still remains in
forcein greater force； I may say； than ever。 The more we make
out of the letter； the more inclined we are （if we only studied
our own feelings） to throw it back into the dust…heap； in mercy
to the memory of the unhappy writer。 I shall keep this open for a
day or two。 If there is more news to tell you by that time you
will hear of it from Mr。 Playmore。〃
Mr。 Playmore's postscript followed； dated three days later。
〃The concluding part of the late Mrs。 Macallan's letter to her
husband；〃 the lawyer wrote； 〃has proved accidentally to be the
first part which we have succeeded in piecing together。 With the
exception of a few gaps still left； here and there； the writing
of the closing paragraphs has been perfectly reconstructed。 I
have neither the time nor the inclination to write to you on this
sad subject in any detail。 In a fortnight more； at the longest；
we shall； I hope； send you a copy of the letter； complete from
the first line to the last。 Meanwhile； it is my duty to tell you
that there is one bright side to this otherwise deplorable and
shocking document。 Legally speaking； as well as morally speaking；
it absolutely vindicates your husband's innocence。 And it may be
lawfully used for this purposeif he can reconcile it to his
conscience； and to the mercy due to the memory of the dead； to
permit the public exposure of the letter in Court。 Understand me；
he cannot be tried again on what we call the criminal chargefor
certain technical reasons with which I need not trouble you。 But；
if the facts which were involved at the criminal trial can also
be shown to be involved in a civil action （and in this case they
can）； the entire matter may be made the subject of a new legal
inquiry； and the verdict of a second jury； completely vindicating
your husband； may thus be obtained。 Keep this information to
yourself for the present。 Preserve the position which you have so
sensibly adopted toward Eustace until you have read the restored
letter。 When you have done this； my own idea is that you will
shrink； in pity to _him；_ from letting him see it。 How he is to
be kept in ignorance of what we have discovered is another
question； the discussion of which must be deferred until we can
consult together。 Until that time comes； I can only repeat my
advicewait till the next news reaches you from Gleninch。〃
I waited。 What I suffered； what Eustace thought of me； does not
matter。 Nothing matters now but the facts。
In less than a fortnight more the task of restoring the letter
was completed。 Excepting certain instances； in which the morsels
of the torn paper had been irretrievably lostand in which it
had been necessary to complete the sense in harmony with the
writer's intentionthe whole letter had been put together； and