the law and the lady-第38章

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bed　with　a　bad　rheumatic　cold；　just　at　the　time　appointed　for
Helena's　visit　to　Gleninch。　But　on　this　occasion　（I　gladly　own
it！）　she　has　behaved　charmingly。　She　has　written　to　Helena　to　say
that　her　illness　is　not　serious　enough　to　render　a　change
necessary　in　the　arrangements；　and　to　make　it　her　particular
request　that　my　cousin's　visit　shall　take　place　upon　the　day
originally　decided　on。

〃This　is　a　great　sacrifice　made　to　me　on　my　wife's　part。　Jealous
of　every　woman　under　forty　who　comes　near　me；　she　is；　of　course；
jealous　of　Helenaand　she　controls　herself；　and　trusts　me！

〃I　am　bound　to　show　my　gratitude　for　this　and　I　will　show　it。
From　this　day　forth　I　vow　to　live　more　affectionately　with　my
wife。　I　tenderly　embraced　her　this　very　morning；　and　I　hope；　poor
soul；　she　did　not　discover　the　effort　that　it　cost　me。〃

There　the　readings　from　the　Diary　came　to　an　end。

The　most　unpleasant　pages　in　the　whole　Report　of　the　Trial
wereto　methe　pages　which　contained　the　extracts　from　my
husband's　Diary。　There　were　expressions　here　and　there　which　not
only　pained　me；　but　which　almost　shook　Eustace's　position　in　my
estimation。　I　think　I　would　have　given　everything　I　possessed　to
have　had　the　power　of　annihilating　certain　lines　in　the　Diary。　As
for　his　passionate　expressions　of　love　for　Mrs。　Beauly；　every　one
of　them　went　through　me　like　a　sting。　He　had　whispered　words
quite　as　warm　into　my　ears　in　the　days　of　his　courtship。　I　had　no
reason　to　doubt　that　he　truly　and　dearly　loved　me。　But　the
question　was；　Had　he　just　as　truly　and　dearly　loved　Mrs。　Beauly
before　me？　Had　she　or　Iwon　the　first　love　of　his　heart？　He　had
declared　to　me　over　and　over　again　that　he　had　only　fancied
himself　to　be　in　love　before　the　day　when　we　met。　I　had　believed
him　then。　I　determined　to　believe　him　still。　I　did　believe　him。
But　I　hated　Mrs。　Beauly！

As　for　the　painful　impression　produced　in　Court　by　the　readings
from　the　letters　and　the　Diary；　it　seemed　to　be　impossible　to
increase　it。　Nevertheless　it　_was_　perceptibly　increased。　In
other　words；　it　was　rendered　more　unfavorable　still　toward　the
prisoner　by　the　evidence　of　the　next　and　last　witness　called　on
the　part　of　the　prosecution。

William　Enzie；　under…gardener　at　Gleninch；　was　sworn；　and　deposed
as　follows：

On　the　twentieth　of　October；　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　forenoon；　I
was　sent　to　work　in　the　shrubbery；　on　the　side　next　to　the　garden
called　the　Dutch　Garden。　There　was　a　summer…house　in　the　Dutch
Garden；　having　its　back　set　toward　the　shrubbery。　The　day　was
wonderfully　fine　andwarm　for　the　time　of　year。

〃Passing　to　my　work；　I　passed　the　back　of　the　summer…house。　I
heard　voices　insidea　man's　voice　and　a　lady's　voice。　The　lady's
voice　was　strange　to　me。　The　man's　voice　I　recognized　as　the
voice　of　my　master。　The　ground　in　the　shrubbery　was　soft；　and　my
curiosity　was　excited。　I　stepped　up　to　the　back　of　the
summer…house　without　being　heard；　and　I　listened　to　what　was
going　on　inside。

〃The　first　words　I　could　distinguish　were　spoken　in　my　master's
voice。　He　said；　'If　I　could　only　have　foreseen　that　you　might　one
day　be　free；　what　a　happy　man　I　might　have　been！'　The　lady's
voice　answered；　'Hush！　you　must　not　talk　so。'　My　master　said　upon
that；　'I　must　talk　of　what　is　in　my　mind；　it　is　always　in　my　mind
that　I　have　lost　you。'　He　stopped　a　bit　there；　and　then　he　said
on　a　sudden；　'Do　me　one　favor；　my　angel！　Promise　me　not　to　marry
again。'　The　lady's　voice　spoke　out　thereupon　sharply　enough；
'What　do　you　mean？'　My　master　said；　'I　wish　no　harm　to　the
unhappy　creature　who　is　a　burden　on　my　life；　but　suppose'
'Suppose　nothing；'　the　lady　said；　'come　back　to　the　house。'

〃She　led　the　way　into　the　garden；　and　turned　round；　beckoning　my
master　to　join　her。　In　that　position　I　saw　her　face　plainly；　and
I　knew　it　for　the　face　of　the　young　widow　lady　who　was　visiting
at　the　house。　She　was　pointed　out　to　me　by　the　head…gardener　when
she　first　arrived；　for　the　purpose　of　warning　me　that　I　was　not
to　interfere　if　I　found　her　picking　the　flowers。　The　gardens　at
Gleninch　were　shown　to　tourists　on　certain　days；　and　we　made　a
difference；　of　course；　in　the　matter　of　the　flowers　between
strangers　and　guests　staying　in　the　house。　I　am　quite　certain　of
the　identity　of　the　lady　who　was　talking　with　my　master。　Mrs。
Beauly　was　a　comely　personand　there　was　no　mistaking　her　for
any　other　than　herself。　She　and　my　master　withdrew　together　on
the　way　to　the　house。　I　heard　nothing　more　of　what　passed　between
them。〃

This　witness　was　severely　cross…examined　as　to　the　correctness　of
his　recollection　of　the　talk　in　the　summer…house；　and　as　to　his
capacity　for　identifying　both　the　speakers。　On　certain　minor
points　he　was　shaken。　But　he　firmly　asserted　his　accurate
remembrance　of　the　last　words　exchanged　between　his　master　and
Mrs。　Beauly；　and　he　personally　described　the　lady　in　terms　which
proved　that　he　had　corruptly　identified　her。

With　this　the　answer　to　the　third　question　raised　by　the
Trialthe　question　of　the　prisoner's　motive　for　poisoning　his
wifecame　to　an　end。

The　story　for　the　prosecution　was　now　a　story　told。　The
staunchest　friends　of　the　prisoner　in　Court　were　compelled　to
acknowledge　that　the　evidence　thus　far　pointed　clearly　and
conclusively　against　him。　He　seemed　to　feel　this　himself。　When　he
　withdrew　at　the　close　of　the　third　day　of　the　Trial　he　was　so
depressed　and　exhausted　that　he　was　obliged　to　lean　on　the　arm　of
the　governor　of　the　jail。


CHAPTER　XIX。

THE　EVIDENCE　FOR　THE　DEFENSE。

　THE　feeling　of　interest　excited　by　the　Trial　was　prodigiously
increased　on　the　fourth　day。　The　witnesses　for　the　defense　were
now　to　be　heard；　and　first　and　foremost　among　them　appeared　the
prisoner's　mother。　She　looked　at　her　son　as　she　lifted　her　veil
to　take　the　oath。　He　burst　into　tears。　At　that　moment　the
sympathy　felt　for　the　mother　was　generally　extended　to　the
unhappy　son。

Examined　by　the　Dean　of　Faculty；　Mrs。　Macallan　the　elder　gave　her
answers　with　remarkable　dignity　and　self…control。

Questioned　as　to　certain　private　conversations　which　had　passed
between　her　late　daughter…in…law　and　herself；　she　declared　that
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　was　morbidly　sensitive　on　the　subject　of
her　personal　appearance。　She　was　devotedly　attached　to　her
husband；　the　great　anxiety　of　her　life　was　to　make　herself　as
attractive　to　him　as　possible。　The　imperfections　in　her　personal
appearanceand　especially　in　her　complexionwere　subjects　to
her　of　the　bitterest　regret。　The　witness　had　heard　her　say；　over
and　over　again　（referring　to　her　complexion）；　that　there　was　no
risk　she　would　not　run；　and　no　pain　she　would　not　suffer；　to
improve　it。　〃Men〃　（she　had　said）　〃are　all　caught　by　outward
appearances：　my　husband　might　love　me　better　if　I　had　a　better
color。〃

Being　asked　next　if　the　passages　from　her　son's　Diary　were　to　be
depended　on　as　evidencethat　is　to　say；　if　they　fairly
represented　the　peculiarities　in　his　character；　and　his　true
sentiments　toward　his　wifeMrs。　Macallan　denied　it　in　the
plainest　and　strongest　terms。

〃The　extracts　from　my　son's　Diary　are　a　libel　on　his　character；〃
she　said。　〃And　not　the　less　a　libel　because　they　happen　to　be
written　by　himself。　Speaking　from　a　mother's　experience　of　him；　I
know　that　he　must　have　written　the　passages　produced　in　moments
of　uncontrollable　depression　and　despair。　No　just　person　judges
hastily　of　a　man　by　the　rash　words　which　may　escape　him　in　his
moody　and　miserable　moments。　Is　my　son　to　be　so　judged　because　he
happens　to　have　written　_his_　rash　words；　instead　of　speaking
them？　His　pen　has　been　his　most　deadly　enemy；　in　this　caseit
has　presented　him　at　his　very　worst。　He　was　not　happy　in　his
marriageI　admit　that。　But　I　say　at　the　same　time　that　he　was
invariably　considerate　toward　his　wife。　I　was　implicitly　trusted
by　both　of　them；　I　saw　them　in　their　most　private　moments。　I
declarein　the　face　of　what　she　appears　to　have　written　to　her
friends　and　correspondentsthat　my　son　never　gave　his　wife　any
just　cause　to　assert　that　he　treated　her　with　cruelty　or
neglect。〃

The　words；　firmly　and　clearly　spoken；　produced　a　strong
impression。　The　Lord　Advocateevid