The Law and the Lady

and the outer air (as I had noticed on my way to the h

ns. I took off my bonnet and mantle and gloves, and opened the window for a little while. Nothing was to be seen outside but a paved courtyard, with a skylight in the middle, closed at the further end by the wall of the Major's stab

my capacity for feeling any strong emotion, for the time at least. It was a relief to me t

grooves which I have already mentioned as communicating with the front room; the oth

her side of it? There was a card-table on either side. Above each card-table sto

d by card. No writing, no mark of any kind, was visible on any one of them. Assisted by a library ladder which stood against the book-case, I looked next into the two china bowls. Both were perfectly empty. Was there anything more to examine on that side of the room? In the two

ite wall, the wall whi

he ample heavy folds of the velvet left just room at the two corners of the wall for two little upright cabinets in buhl, containing rows of drawers, and supporting two fine bronze productions (reduced

(judging by the curious paper inscriptions fixed on some of them) were associated with a past period of the Major's life when he had speculated, not very successful

ed to view, and the examination acco

e space was filled with old account-books, ranging over a period of many years. After looking into each book, and opening and shaking it uselessly, in search of any loose papers which might be hidden between the leaves, I came to the fourth drawer, and found more relics of past pecuniary transactions in the shape of receipted bills, neatly tied together, and each inscribed at the back. Among the bills I found nearly a dozen loose papers, all equally unimportant. The fifth drawer was in sad confusion. I took out first a loose bundle of ornamental cards, each cont

d a disappointment. It literally contained

sed by my discovery of the emptiness of the last drawer, I had just lifted my foot to push it back i

en drawer I saw a change in his face. It was only for a moment; but in that moment he looked at

aid Major Fitz-David. "I have only

is it,

tters of mine in the cour

do discover any letters, I shall, of cour

s not at liberty to examine. I think I can set this matter right, however, with very little trouble to either of us. It is no violation of any promises or pledges on my part if I simply tell you tha

d to you, Major-I

eeling any

tever, th

eed? You are not beginning

ed. With your kind leave, I mean

. By this time he had got his feelings under perfect command. He, too, glanced at the fragments of the vase with an appearance of perfect indiffer

e said, with a smile, pointing to the s

. "The wisest thing I can do in my present situation

im as I spoke. He

upstairs annoy

the leas

n learning to sing she must also learn the language which is especially the language of music. I shall perfect her in the accent when I take her to Italy. It is the height of my

Major. No more champ

oment I saw his eyes wander slyly toward the book-case. It was only fo

at the book-case-looked at it

elabra, and statuettes, in pairs, placed in a row. Looking along the row, I noticed a vacant space on the top of the bookcase at the extremity of it which was nearest to the window. The opposite extremity, nearest to the door, was occupied by a handsome painted vase of a very peculiar pattern. Where was the corresponding vase, which ought to have been

down to the smallest morsel of the shattered chin

ce within one of the medallions was painted with exquisite delicacy a woman's head, representing a nymph or a goddess, or perhaps a portrait of some celebrated person-I was not learned enough to say which. The other medallion inclosed the head of a man, also treated in the classical style. Reclining shepherds and shepherdesses in Watteau costume,

othing. And yet, if my own observation of the Major were to be trusted, the way to t

tion, knowing no more than I knew

ly reveal itself through a written paper of some sort. It now occurred to me-after the movement which I had

Shakespeare in blue, Walter Scott in green, the "History of England" in brown, the "Annual Register" in yellow calf. There I paused, wearied and discourage

misfortune, or any suggestive hint of something resembling it, exist in the archives of the "Annual Register" or in the pages of Voltaire? Th

n the book-case. Did these circumstances justify me in connecting the vase and the book-case as twin landma

at the hig

ers; one or two had fallen, and lay flat on the shelves. Here and there I saw empty spaces from which books had been removed and not replaced. In short, there was no discouraging uniformity in these higher r

the libr

an in grooves-the imperfectly closed door through which I heard Major Fitz-David question his servant on the subject of my personal appearance when I first ent

ce left by the partially closed door. Had somebody been watching me through the chink? I stepped softly to the door, and pushed it back

nd he dexterously took advantage of that circumstance

n't frighten

ed me a lit

ing. Little bills, you know, and nasty tradespeople who want their money, and a husband-oh, dear me, a husband who is quite unworthy of her! A most interesting creature. You remind me of her a little; you both have the same carriage of the

ent his back was turned, and sat d

ho knew where the clew was to be found, had been watching me at the book-case! There was no dou

ach one of which might have been an object of suspicion to me under other circumstances. Even the water-color drawings failed to interest me in my present frame of mind. I observed languidly that they were most of them portraits of ladies-fair idols, no doubt,

e tables, and saw the keys lying on it whi

these. A vague distrust of the locked doors a vague doubt of what they might be hiding from me, stole into my mi

ght. The next sound in the house-nothing more remarkable than the creaking of a man's boots descending the stairs-made me shudder all over. The man was no doubt the singing-master, going away after giving his lesson. I heard the hous

ed into two

ells. They were all huddled together anyhow, the Major evidently setting a far higher value on his cigars than on his shells. I searched this lowe

oard it struck me that the

st the glass; the autumn wind whistled mournfully in the corners of the courtyard. I mended the fire before I renewed my search. My nerve

ardboard trays. In one corner, half hidden under one of the trays, there peeped out the whit e leaves of a little manuscript. I pounce

began to feel weary of disinterring the Major's treasures. The longer I searched, the farther I seemed to remove myself from the one object that I had it at heart

that I had begun my examination of the lower regions of the boo

d, in solitary grandeur, one obj

ing was of blue velvet, with clasps of silver worked in beautiful arabesque patterns, and with a lock of the sa

stified, considering the serious interests that I had at stake, in taking any advantage of any book in the Major's house. The men differ from this view, and declare that I ought to

I opened the book withou

reminding the Major of the dates at which his various attachments had come to an untimely end. Thus the first page exhibited a lock of the lightest flaxen hair, with these lines beneath: "My adored Madeline. Eternal constancy. Alas, July 22, 1839!" The next page was adorned by a darker shade of hair, with a French inscription under it: "Clemence. Idole de mon ame. Toujours fidele. Helas, 2me Avril, 1840." A lock of red hair followed, with a lamentation in Latin under it, a note being attached to the date of dissolution of partnership in this case, stating that the

rom this place to the end, I lifted the volume by the back, and, as a last measure of precaution, shoo

ed by a discovery which indescri

ut of the book. A first glance showed me that

ons I recognize

person w

ionate action by which the artist (with the permission of his sitters, of course) had connected the two figures in a group. Eustace had briefly told me, in the days of our courtship, that he had more than once fancied himself to be in love before he met with me. Could this very unattractive woman have been one of the early objects of his admiration? Had she been near enough and dear enough to him to be ph

lf of the cupboard was stil

ar my mind, if I could, of the degrading

ed the slightest interest in me. My eyes wandered back to the upper shelf; and, like the fool I was (there is no milder word that can fitly describe me at that moment), I took the photograph out again, and

ith two vases. From his

by some past association in connection with it, which in some way affected me? It might or might not be so. I was little disposed to

ittle-my memory exerted itself-I suddenly called to mind that Eustace had sisters. He had spoken of them more than once in the time before our marriage. Had I been mad enough to torture myself with jealousy of my husband's sister? It might well be so; "S." might stand for his s

he his sister, after all? I looked at her hands, as represented in the portrait. Her right hand was clasped by Eustace; her left hand lay on her lap. On the third finger, distinctly visible, th

, what did the association of the three initial letters mean? What did the wedding-ring mean? Good Hea

t taken the uppermost place among the contending emotions that tortured me. That faithful love steadied my brain. That faithful love roused the reviving influences of my better and nobler sense. Was the man whom I had

it against the book-case. My one idea now was the idea of taking refuge in employment of any sort from my own thoughts. I felt the hateful suspicion that

heard the door of the room open-the d

tead the Major's future prima donna standing just insi

e girl began, coolly, "but I

ou can't stand any

study. I am of a jealous disposition-I am. And I want to know what it means." She advanced a few steps nearer to m

ainly

n love with

the mere presence of a human creature was a positive relief to me. Even this girl, with her coarse questio

said. "However, I excuse you. You are pro

e old fool. But I've lost my situation at the railway, and I've got my own interests to look after, and I don't know what may happen if I let other women come between him and me. That's where the shoe pinches, don't you see? I'm not easy in my mi

l there was a certain frankness and freedom which pleaded in her fav

" I said, "and he is kind to me for my husband's sa

rms which should tell her nothing, and which should at t

Her eye fell on the library ladder, beside which

taking the hint

you found

N

considering with herself whether I

g stuck-up about you. I'll help you if I can. I have rummaged among the books here

ng on the side-table where the Major had left it. Instantly forgetting me and my book, this

had Lady Clarinda here I'd

the Major s

nly last week I broke one of his fine gimcracks up t

bound as my eyes took the direction indicated by her finger. She had broken the vase! Was the way to discov

ld me it was the living image of her face. It was no more like her than I am. I was in such a rage that I up with the book I was reading at the time and shied it at the painted fac

her aright? Yes: s

eechless. The girl sauntered in her cool way to the fire-place

"in the space between the book-case and

ving a muscle, with

gs in one hand and with a plai

k?" she said. "O

he book

nt on. "I've read it twice over-I have.

to put the question to her. I struggled-quite vainly

ed the book out of my hand, and opened it before me

as a baby!" she said, contemptu

rst lines on

OF THE TRIAL OF

from me with a scream of terror. I looked down

GED POISONIN

ed me. There the black blan