按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
time； the man will drop （if I may use the expression） into
madness or idiocy。 In either case； when the catastrophe has
happened； it is only due to his friends to add that they can （as
I believe） entertain no hope of his cure。 The balance once lost；
will be lost for life。〃
There it ended。 Mr。 Playmore put the letter back in his drawer。
〃You have just read the opinion of one of our highest living
authorities；〃 he said。 〃Does Dexter strike you as a likely man to
give his nervous system a chance of recovery？ Do you see no
obstacles and no perils in your way？〃
My silence answered him。
〃Suppose you go back to Dexter；〃 he proceeded。 〃And suppose that
the doctor's opinion exaggerates the peril in his case。 What are
you to do？ The last time you saw him； you had the immense
advantage of taking him by surprise。 Those sensitive nerves of
his gave way； and he betrayed the fear that you aroused in him。
Can you take him by surprise again？ Not you！ He is prepared for
you now； and he will be on his guard。 If you encounter nothing
worse； you will have his cunning to deal with next。 Are you his
match at that？ But for Lady Clarinda he would have hopelessly
misled you on the subject of Mrs。 Beauly。〃
There was no answering this； either。 I was foolish enough to try
to answer it； for all that。
〃He told me the truth so far as he knew it；〃 I rejoined。 〃He
really saw what he said he saw in the corridor at Gleninch。〃
〃He told you the truth；〃 returned Mr。 Playmore； 〃because he was
cunning enough to see that the truth would help him in irritating
your suspicions。 You don't really believe that he shared your
suspicions？〃
〃Why not？〃 I said。 〃He was as ignorant of what Mrs。 Beauly was
really doing on that night as I wasuntil I met Lady Clarinda。
It remains to be seen whether he will not be as much astonished
as I was when I tell him what Lady Clarinda told me。〃
This smart reply produced an effect which I had not anticipated。
To my surprise； Mr。 Playmore abruptly dropped all further
discussion on his side。 He appeared to despair of convincing me；
and he owned it indirectly in his next words。
〃Will nothing that I can say to you；〃 he asked； 〃induce you to
think as I think in this matter？〃
〃I have not your ability or your experience； 〃I answered。 〃I am
sorry to say I can't think as you think。〃
〃And you are really determined to see Miserrimus Dexter again？〃
〃I have engaged myself to see him again。〃
He waited a little； and thought over it。
〃You have honored me by asking for my advice；〃 he said。 〃I
earnestly advise you； Mrs。 Eustace； to break your engagement。 I
go even further than thatI _entreat_ you not to see Dexter
again。〃
Just what my mother…in…law had said！ just what Benjamin and Major
Fitz…David had said！ They were all against me。 And still I held
out。
I wonder； when I look back at it； at my own obstinacy。 I am
almost ashamed to relate that I made Mr。 Playmore no reply。 He
waited； still looking at me。 I felt irritated by that fixed look。
I arose； and stood before him with my eyes on the floor。
He arose in his turn。 He understood that the conference was over。
〃Well； well；〃 he said； with a kind of sad good…humor； 〃I suppose
it is unreasonable of me to expect that a young woman like you
should share any opinion with an o ld lawyer like me。 Let me only
remind you that our conversation must remain strictly
confidential for the present； and then let us change the subject。
Is there anything that I can do for you？ Are you alone in
Edinburgh？〃
〃No。 I am traveling with an old friend of mine； who has known me
from childhood。〃
〃And do you stay here to…morrow？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Will you do me one favor？ Will you think over what has passed
between us； and will you come back to me in the morning？〃
〃Willingly； Mr。 Playmore； if it is only to thank you again for
your kindness。〃
On that understanding we parted。 He sighedthe cheerful man
sighed； as he opened the door for me。 Women are contradictory
creatures。 That sigh affected me more than all his arguments。 I
felt myself blush for my own head…strong resistance to him as I
took my leave and turned away into the street。
CHAPTER XXXIV。
GLENINCH。
〃AHA！〃 said Benjamin； complacently。 〃So the lawyer thinks； as I
do； that you will be highly imprudent if you go back to Mr。
Dexter？ A hard…headed； sensible man the lawyer； no doubt。 You
will listen to Mr。 Playmore； won't you； though you wouldn't
listen to me？〃
（I had of course respected Mr。 Playmore's confidence in me when
Benjamin and I met on my return to the hotel。 Not a word relating
to the lawyer's horrible suspicion of Miserrimus Dexter had
passed my lips。）
〃You must forgive me； my old friend；〃 I said； answering Benjamin。
〃I am afraid it has come to thistry as I may； I can listen to
nobody who advises me。 On our way here I honestly meant to be
guided by Mr。 Playmorewe should never have taken this long
journey if I had not honestly meant it。 I have tried； tried hard
to be a teachable； reasonable woman。 But there is something in me
that won't be taught。 I am afraid I shall go back to Dexter。〃
Even Benjamin lost all patience with me this time。
〃What is bred in the bone；〃 he said； quoting the old proverb；
〃will never come out of the flesh。 In years gone by； you were the
most obstinate child that ever made a mess in a nursery。 Oh； dear
me； we might as well have stayed in London。〃
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃now we have traveled to Edinburgh； we will see
something （interesting to _me_ at any rate） which we should never
have seen if we had not left London。 My husband's country…house
is within a few miles of us here。 To…morrowwe will go to
Gleninch。〃
〃Where the poor lady was poisoned？〃 asked Benjamin； with a look
of dismay。 〃You mean that place？〃
〃Yes。 I want to see the room in which she died； I want to go all
over the house。〃
Benjamin crossed his hands resignedly on his lap。 〃I try to
understand the new generation；〃 said the old man； sadly； 〃but I
can't manage it。 The new generation beats me。〃
I sat down to write to Mr。 Playmore about the visit to Gleninch。
The house in which the tragedy had occurred that had blighted my
husband's life was； to my mind； the most interesting house on the
habitable globe。 The prospect of visiting Gleninch had； indeed
（to tell the truth）； strongly influenced my resolution to consult
the Edinburgh lawyer。 I sent my note to Mr。 Playmore by a
messenger； and received the kindest reply in return。 If I would
wait until the afternoon； he would get the day's business done；
and would take us to Gleninch in his own carriage。
Benjamin's obstinacyin its own quiet way； and on certain
occasions onlywas quite a match for mine。 He had privately
determined； as one of the old generation； to have nothing to do
with Gleninch。 Not a word on the subject escaped him until Mr。
Playmore's carriage was at the hotel door。 At that appropriate
moment Benjamin remembered an old friend of his in Edinburgh。
〃Will you please to excuse me； Valeria？ My friend's name is
Saunders； and he will take it unkindly of me if I don't dine with
him to…day。〃
Apart from the associations that I connected with it；