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the war in Spain with a red cross on his arm； when he ought to be
here on his knees； asking his wife to forgive him。 I say that is
the conduct of a weak man。 Some people might call it by a harder
name。〃
This news startled and distressed me。 I might be resigned to his
leaving me for a time； but all my instincts as a woman revolted
at his placing himself in a position of danger during his
separation from his wife。 He had now deliberately added to my
anxieties。 I thought it cruel of himbut I would not confess
what I thought to his mother。 I affected to be as cool as she
was； and I disputed her conclusions with all the firmness that I
could summon to help me。 The terrible old woman only went on
abusing him more vehemently than ever。
〃What I complain of in my son；〃 proceeded Mrs。 Macallan； 〃is that
he has entirely failed to understand you。 If he had married a
fool； his conduct would be intelligible enough。 He would have
done wisely to conceal from a fool that he had been married
already； and that he had suffered the horrid public exposure of a
Trial for the murder of his wife。 Then； again； he would have been
quite right； when this same fool had discovered the truth； to
take himself out of her way before she could suspect him of
poisoning he rfor the sake of the peace and quiet of both
parties。 But you are not a fool。 I can see that； after only a
short experience of you。 Why can't he see it too？ Why didn't he
trust you with his secret from the first； instead of stealing his
way into your affections under an assumed name？ Why did he plan
（as he confessed to me） to take you away to the Mediterranean；
and to keep you abroad； for fear of some officious friends at
home betraying him to you as the prisoner of the famous Trial？
What is the plain answer to all these questions？ What is the one
possible explanation of this otherwise unaccountable conduct？
There is only one answer； and one explanation。 My poor； wretched
sonhe takes after his father； he isn't the least like me！is
weak： weak in his way of judging； weak in his way of acting； and；
like all weak people； headstrong and unreasonable to the last
degree。 There is the truth！ Don't get red and angry。 I am as fond
of him as you are。 I can see his merits too。 And one of them is
that he has married a woman of spirit and resolutionso faithful
and so fond of him that she won't even let his own mother tell
her of his faults。 Good child！ I like you for hating me！〃
〃Dear madam； don't say that I hate you！〃 I exclaimed （feeling
very much as if I did hate her； though； for all that）。 〃I only
presume to think that you are confusing a delicate…minded man
with a weak…minded man。 Our dear unhappy Eustace〃
〃Is a delicate…minded man；〃 said the impenetrable Mrs。 Macallan；
finishing my sentence for me。 〃We will leave it there； my dear；
and get on to another subject。 I wonder whether we shall disagree
about that too？〃
〃What is the subject； madam？〃
〃I won't tell you if you call me madam。 Call me mother。 Say；
'What is the subject； mother？'〃
〃What is the subject； mother？〃
〃Your notion of turning yourself into a Court of Appeal for a new
Trial of Eustace； and forcing the world to pronounce a just
verdict on him。 Do you really mean to try it？〃
〃I do！〃
Mrs。 Macallan considered for a moment grimly with herself。
〃You know how heartily I admire your courage； and your devotion
to my unfortunate son；〃 she said。 〃You know by this time that _I_
don't cant。 But I cannot see you attempt to perform
impossibilities； I cannot let you uselessly risk your reputation
and your happiness without warning you before it is too late。 My
child； the thing you have got it in your head to do is not to be
done by you or by anybody。 Give it up。〃
〃I am deeply obliged to you； Mrs。 Macallan〃
〃'Mother！'〃
〃I am deeply obliged to you； mother； for the interest that you
take in me； but I cannot give it up。 Right or wrong； risk or no
risk； I must and I will try it！〃
Mrs。 Macallan looked at me very attentively； and sighed to
herself。
〃Oh； youth； youth！〃 she said to herself； sadly。 〃What a grand
thing it is to be young！〃 She controlled the rising regret； and
turned on me suddenly； almost fiercely； with these words： 〃What；
in God's name； do you mean to do？〃
At the instant when she put the question； the idea crossed my
mind that Mrs。 Macallan could introduce me； if she pleased； to
Miserrimus Dexter。 She must know him； and know him well； as a
guest at Gleninch and an old friend of her son。
〃I mean to consult Miserrimus Dexter；〃 I answered； boldly。
Mrs。 Macallan started back from me with a loud exclamation of
surprise。
〃Are you out of your senses？〃 she asked。
I told her； as I had told Major Fitz…David； that I had reason to
think Mr。 Dexter's advice might be of real assistance to me at
starting。
〃And I；〃 rejoined Mrs。 Macallan； 〃have reason to think that your
whole project is a mad one； and that in asking Dexter's advice on
it you appropriately consult a madman。 You needn't start； child！
There is no harm in the creature。 I don't mean that he will
attack you； or be rude to you。 I only say that the last person
whom a young woman； placed in your painful and delicate position；
ought to associate herself with is Miserrimus Dexter。〃
Strange！ Here was the Major's warning repeated by Mrs。 Macallan；
almost in the Major's own words。 Well！ It shared the fate of most
warnings。 It only made me more and more eager to have my own way。
〃You surprise me very much；〃 I said。 〃Mr。 Dexter's evidence；
given at the Trial； seems as clear and reasonable as evidence can
be。〃
〃Of course it is！〃 answered Mrs。 Macallan。 〃The shorthand writers
and reporters put his evidence into presentable language before
they printed it。 If you had heard what he really said； as I did；
you would have been either very much disgusted with him or very
much amused by him； according to your way of looking at things。
He began； fairly enough； with a modest explanation of his absurd
Christian name； which at once checked the merriment of the
audience。 But as he went on the mad side of him showed itself。 He
mixed up sense and nonsense in the strangest confusion； he was
called to order over and over again； he was even threatened with
fine and imprisonment for contempt of Court。 In short； he was
just like himselfa mixture of the strangest and the most
opposite qualities； at one time perfectly clear and reasonable；
as you said just now； at another breaking out into rhapsodies of
the most outrageous kind； like a man in a state of delirium。 A
more entirely unfit person to advise anybody； I tell you again；
never lived。 You don't expect Me to introduce you to him； I
hope？〃
〃I did think of such a thing；〃 I answered。 〃But after what you
have said； dear Mrs。 Macallan； I give up the idea； of course。 It
is not a great sacrificeit only obliges me to wait a week for
Major Fitz…David's dinner…party。 He has promised to ask
Miserrimus Dexter to meet me。〃
〃There is the Major all over！〃 cried the old lady。 〃If you pin
your faith on that man； I pity you。 He is as slippery as an eel。
I suppose you asked him to introduce you to Dexter？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Exactly！ De