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another mana man to whom she had engaged herself before she met
with Mr。 Macallan what does she say？ She says； 〃When I think of
your life sacrificed to that wretched woman； my heart bleeds for
you。〃 And； again； she says； 〃If it had been my unutterable
happiness to love and cherish the best； the dearest of men； what
a paradise of our own we might have lived in； what delicious
hours we might have known！〃
If this is not the language of a woman shamelessly and furiously
in love with a mannot her husbandwhat is？ She is so full of
him that even her idea of another world （see the letter） is the
idea of 〃embracing〃 Mr。 Macallan's 〃soul。〃 In this condition of
mind and morals； the lady one day finds herself and her embraces
free； through the death of her husband。 As soon as she can
decently visit she goes visiting； and in due course of time she
becomes the guest of the man whom she adores。 His wife is ill in
her bed。 The one other visitor at Gleninch is a cripple； who can
only move in his chair on wheels。 The lady has the house and the
one beloved object in it all to herself。 No obstacle stands
between her and 〃the unutterable happiness of loving and
cherishing the best； the dearest of men〃 but a poor； sick； ugly
wife； for whom Mr。 Macallan never has felt； and never can feel；
the smallest particle of love。
Is it perfectly absurd to believe that such a woman as this；
impelled by these motives； and surrounded by these circumstances；
would be capable of committing a crimeif the safe opportunity
offered itself？
What does her own evidence say？
She admits that she had a conversation with Mrs。 Eustace
Macallan； in which that lady questioned her on the subject of
cosmetic applications to the complexion。〃 Did nothing else take
place at that interview？ Did Mrs。 Beauly make no discoveries
（afterward turned to fatal account） of the dangerous experiment
which her hostess was then trying to improve her ugly complexion？
All we know is that Mrs。 Beauly said nothing about it。
What does the under…gardener say？
He heard a conversation between Mr。 Macallan and Mrs。 Beauly；
which shows that the possibility of Mrs。 Beauly becoming Mrs。
Eustace Macallan had certainly presented itself to that lady's
mind； and was certainly considered by her to be too dangerous a
topic of discourse to be pursued。 Innocent Mr。 Macallan would
have gone on talking。 Mrs。 Beauly is discreet and stops him。
And what does the nurse （Christina Ormsay） tell us？
On the day of Mrs。 Eustace Macallan's death； the nurse is
dismissed from attendance； and is sent downstairs。 She leaves the
sick woman； recovered from her first attack of illness； and able
to amuse herself with writing。 The nurse remains away for half an
hour； and then gets uneasy at not hearing the invalid's bell。 She
goes to the Morning…Room to consult Mr。 Macallan； and there she
hears that Mrs。 Beauly is missing。 Mr。 Macallan doesn't know
where she is； and asks Mr。 Dexter if he has seen her。 Mr。 Dexter
had not set eyes on her。 At what time does the disappearance of
Mrs。 Beauly take place？ At the very time when Christina Ormsay
had left Mrs。 Eustace Macallan alone in her room！
Meanwhile the bell rings at lastrings violently。 The nurse goes
back to the sick…room at five minutes to eleven； or thereabouts；
and finds that the bad symptoms of the morning have returned in a
gravely aggravated form。 A second dose of poisonlarger than the
dose administered in the early morninghas been given during the
absence of the nurse； and （observe） during the disappearance also
of Mrs。 Beauly。 The nurse looking out into the corridor for help；
encounters Mrs。 Beauly herself； innocently on her way from her
own roomjust up； we are to suppose； at eleven in the
morning！to inquire after the sick woman。
A little later Mrs。 Beauly accompanies Mr。 Macallan to visit the
invalid。 The dying woman casts a strange look at both of them；
and tells them to leave her。 Mr。 Macallan understands this as the
fretful outbreak of a person in pain； and waits in the room to
tell the nurse that the doctor is sent for。 What does Mrs。 Beauly
do？
She runs out panic…stricken the instant Mrs。 Eustace Macallan
looks at her。 Even Mrs。 Beauly； it seems； has a conscience！
Is there nothing to justify suspicion in such circumstances as
thesecircumstances sworn to on the oaths of the witnesses？
To me the conclusion is plain。 Mrs。 Beauly's hand gave that
second dose of poison。 Admit this； and the inference follows that
she also gave the first dose in the early morning。 How could she
do it？ Look again at the evidence。 The nurse admits that she was
asleep from past two in the morning to six。 She also speaks of a
locked door of communication with the sickroom； the key of which
had been removed； nobody knew by whom。 Some person must have
stolen that key。 Why not Mrs。 Beauly？
One word more； and all that I had in my mind at that time will be
honestly revealed。
Miserrimus Dexter； under cross…examination； had indirectly
admitted that he had ideas of his own on the subject of Mrs。
Eustace Macallan's death。 At the same time he had spoken of Mrs。
Beauly in a tone which plainly betrayed that he was no friend to
that lady。 Did _he_ suspect her too？ My chief motive in deciding
to ask his advice before I applied to any one else was to find an
opportunity of putting that question to him。 If he really thought
of her as I did； my course was clear before me。 The next step to
take would be carefully to conceal my identityand then to
present myself； in the character of a harmless stranger； to Mrs。
Beauly。
There were difficulties； of course； in my way。 The first and
greatest difficulty was to obtain an introduction to Miserrimus
Dexter。
The composing influence of the fresh air in the garden had by
this time made me readier to lie down and rest than to occupy my
mind in reflecting on my difficulties。 Little by little I grew
too drowsy to thinkthen too lazy to go on walking。 My bed
looked wonderfully inviting as I passed
by the open window of my room。
In five minutes more I had accepted the invitation of the bed；
and had said farewell to my anxieties and my troubles。 In five
minutes more I was fast asleep。
A discreetly gentle knock at my door was the first sound that
aroused me。 I heard the voice of my good old Benjamin speaking
outside。
〃My dear！ I am afraid you will be starved if I let you sleep any
longer。 It is half…past one o'clock； and a friend of yours has
come to lunch with us。〃
A friend of mine？ What friends had I？ My husband was far away；
and my uncle Starkweather had given me up in despair。
〃Who is it？〃 I cried out from my bed； through the door。
〃Major Fitz…David；〃 Benjamin answered； by the same medium。
I sprang out of bed。 The very man I wanted was waiting to see me！
Major Fitz…David； as the phrase is； knew everybody。 Intimate with
my husband； he would certainly know my husband's old
friendMiserrimus Dexter。
Shall I confess that I took particular pains with my toilet； and
that I kept the luncheon waiting？ The woman doesn't live who
would have done otherwisewhen she had a particular favor to ask
of Major Fitz…David。
CHAPTER XXII