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begin to answer them。 When your husband was here to…day he took
occasion to remind me that I was as weak as water in the hands of
a pretty woman。 He is quite right。 I _am_ as weak as water; I can
refuse nothing to a pretty woman。 Dear and admirable lady; don't
abuse your influence! don't make an old soldier false to his word
of honor!〃
I tried to say something here in defense of my motives。 The Major
clasped his hands entreatingly; and looked at me with a pleading
simplicity wonderful to see。
〃Why press it?〃 he asked。 〃I offer no resistance。 I am a
lambwhy sacrifice me? I acknowledge your power; I throw myself
on your mercy。 All the misfortunes of my youth and my manhood
have come to me through women。 I am not a bit better in my ageI
am just as fond of the women and just as ready to be misled by
them as ever; with one foot in the grave。 Shocking; isn't it? But
how true! Look at this mark!〃 He lifted a curl of his beautiful
brown wig; and showed me a terrible scar at the side of his head。
〃That wound (supposed to be mortal at the time) was made by a
pistol bullet;〃 he proceeded。 〃Not received in the service of my
countryoh dear; no! Received in the service of a much…injured
lady; at the hands of her scoundrel of a husband; in a duel
abroad。 Well; she was worth it。〃 He kissed his hand
affectionately to the memory of the dead or absent lady; and
pointed to a water…color drawing of a pretty country…house
hanging on the opposite wall。 〃That fine estate;〃 he proceeded;
〃once belonged to me。 It was sold years and years since。 And who
had the money? The womenGod bless them all!the women。 I don't
regret it。 If I had another estate; I have no doubt it would go
the same way。 Your adorable sex has made its pretty playthings of
my life; my time; and my moneyand welcome! The one thing I have
kept to myself is my honor。 And now _that_ is in danger。 Yes; if
you put your clever little questions; with those lovely eyes and
with that gentle voice; I know what will happen。 You will deprive
me of the last and best of all my possessions。 Have I deserved to
be treated in that way; and by you; my charming friend?by you;
of all people in the world? Oh; fie! fie!〃
He paused and looked at me as beforethe picture of artless
entreaty; with his head a little on one side。 I made another
attempt to speak of the matter in dispute between us; from my own
point of view。 Major Fitz…David instantly threw himself prostrate
on my mercy more innocently than ever。
〃Ask of me anything else in the wide world;〃 he said; 〃but don't
ask me to be false to my friend。 Spare me _that_and there is
nothing I will not do to satisfy you。 I mean what I say; mind!〃
he went on; bending closer to me; and speaking more seriously
than he had spoken yet 〃I think you are very hardly used。 It is
monstrous to expect that a woman; placed in your situation; will
consent to be left for the rest of her life in the dark。 No! no!
if I saw you; at this moment; on the point of finding out for
yourself what Eustace persists in hiding from you; I should
remember that my promise; like all other promises; has its limits
and reserves。 I should consider myself bound in honor not to help
youbut I would not lift a finger to prevent you from
discovering the truth for yourself。〃
At last he was speaking in good earnest: he laid a strong
emphasis on his closing words。 I laid a stronger emphasis on them
still by suddenly leaving my chair。 The impulse to spring to my
feet was irresistible。 Major Fitz…David had started a new idea in
my mind。
〃Now we understand each other!〃 I said。 〃I will accept your own
terms; Major。 I will ask nothing of you but what you have just
offered to me of your own accord。〃
〃What have I offered?〃 he inquired; looking a little alarmed。
〃Nothing that you need repent of;〃 I answered; 〃nothing which is
not easy for you to grant。 May I ask a bold question? Suppose
this house was mine instead of yours?〃
〃Consider it yours;〃 cried the gallant old gentleman。 〃From the
garret to the kitchen; consider it yours!〃
〃A thousand thanks; Major; I will consider it mine for the
moment。 You knoweverybody knowsthat one of a woman's many
weaknesses is curiosity。 Suppose my curiosity led me to examine
everything in my new house?〃
〃Yes?〃
〃Suppose I went from room to room; and searched everything; and
peeped in everywhere? Do you think there would be any chance〃
The quick…witted Major anticipated the nature of my question。 He
followed my example; he too started to his feet; with a new idea
in his mind。
〃Would there be any chance;〃 I went on; 〃of my finding my own way
to my husband's secret in this house? One word of reply; Major
Fitz…David! Only one wordYes or No?〃
〃Don't excite yourself!〃 cried the Major。
〃Yes or No?〃 I repeated; more vehemently than ever。
〃Yes;〃 said the Major; after a moment's consideration。
It was the reply I had asked for; but it was not explicit enough;
now I had got it; to satisfy me。 I felt the necessity of leading
him (if possible) into details。
〃Does 'Yes' mean that there is some sort of clew to the mystery?〃
I asked。 〃Something; for instance; which my eyes might see and my
hands mig ht touch if I could only find it?〃
He considered again。 I saw that I had succeeded in interesting
him in some way unknown to myself; and I waited patiently until
he was prepared to answer me。
〃The thing you mention;〃 he said; 〃the clew (as you call it);
might be seen and might be touchedsupposing you could find it。〃
〃In this house?〃 I asked。
The Major advanced a step nearer to me; and answered
〃In this room。〃
My head began to swim; my heart throbbed violently。 I tried to
speak; it was in vain; the effort almost choked me。 In the
silence I could hear the music…lesson still going on in the room
above。 The future prima donna had done practicing her scales; and
was trying her voice now in selections from Italian operas。 At
the moment when I first heard her she was singing the beautiful
air from the _Somnambula;_ 〃Come per me sereno。〃 I never hear
that delicious melody; to this day; without being instantly
transported in imagination to the fatal back…room in Vivian
Place。
The Majorstrongly affected himself by this timewas the first
to break the silence。
〃Sit down again;〃 he said; 〃and pray take the easy…chair。 You are
very much agitated; you want rest。〃
He was right。 I could stand no longer; I dropped into the chair。
Major Fitz…David rang the bell; and spoke a few words to the
servant at the door。
〃I have been here a long time;〃 I said; faintly。 〃Tell me if I am
in the way。〃
〃In the way?〃 he repeated; with his irresistible smile。 〃You
forget that you are in your own house!〃
The servant returned to us; bringing with him a tiny bottle of
champagne and a plateful of delicate little sugared biscuits。
〃I have had this wine bottled expressly for the ladies;〃 said the
Major。 〃The biscuits came to me direct from Paris。 As a favor to
_me;_ you must take some refreshment。 And then〃 He stopped and
looked at me very attentively。 〃And then;〃 he resumed; 〃shall I
go to my young prima donna upstairs and leave you here alone?〃
It was impossible to hint more delicately at the one request
which I now had it in my mind to make to him。 I took his hand and
pressed it gratefully。
〃The tranquillity of my whole life to come is at stake;〃 I said。
〃When I am left here by myself; does your generous sympathy
permit me to examine everything in the room?〃
He signed to me to drink the champagne and eat a biscuit before
he gave his answer。
〃This is serious;〃 he said。 〃I wish you to be in perfect
possession of yourself 。 Restore your strengthand then I will
speak to you。〃
I did as he bade me。 In a minute from the time when I drank it
the delicious sparkling wine had begun to revive me。
〃Is it your express wish;〃 he resumed; 〃that I should leave you
here by yourself to search the room?〃
〃It is my express wish;〃 I answered。
〃I take a heavy responsibility on myself in granting your
request。 But I grant it for all that; because I sincerely
believeas you believethat the tranquillity of your life to
come depends on your discovering the truth。〃 Saying those words;
he took two keys from his pocket。 〃You will naturally feel a
suspicion;〃 he went on; 〃of any locked doors that you may find
here。 The only locked places in the room are the doors of the
cupboards under the long book…case; and the door of the Italian
cabinet in that corner。 The small key opens the book…case
cupboards; the long key opens the cabinet door。〃
With that explanation; he laid the keys before me on the table。
〃Thus far;〃 he said; 〃I have rigidly respected the promise which
I made to your husband。 I shall continue to be faithful to my
promise; whatever may be the result of your examination of the
room。 I am bound in honor not to assist you by word or deed。 I am
not even at liberty to offer you the slightest hint。 Is that
understood?〃
〃Certainly!〃
〃Very good。 I have now a last word of warning to give youand
then I have done。 If you do by any chance succeed in laying your
hand on the clew; remember this_the discovery which follows
will be a terribl