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！
good…natured； empty…headed woman； who persisted in talking；
whether I listened or not； and who had a habit of perpetually
addressing me as 〃Mrs。 Woodville；〃 which I thought a little
overfamiliar as an assertion of equality from a person in her
position to a person in mine。
We had been out； I should think； more than half an hour； when we
overtook a lady walking before us on the beach。
Just as we were about to pass the stranger she took her
handkerchief from her pocket； and accidentally drew out with it a
letter； which fell unnoticed by her； on the sand。 I was nearest
to the letter； and I picked it up and offered it to the lady。
The instant she turned to thank me； I stood rooted to the spot。
There was the original of the photographic portrait in the
dressing…case！ there was my husband's mother； standing face to
face with me！ I recognized the quaint little gray curls； the
gentle； genial expression； the mole at the corner of the mouth。
No mistake was possible。 His mother herself！
The old lady； naturally enough； mistook my confusion for shyness。
With perfect tact and kindness she entered into conversation with
me。 In another minute I was walking side by side with the woman
who had sternly repudiated me as a member of her family； feeling；
I own； terribly discomposed； and not knowing in the least whether
I ought or ought not to assume the responsibility； in my
husband's absence； of telling her who I was。
In another minute my familiar landlady； walking on the other side
of my mother…in…law； decided the question for me。 I happened to
say that I supposed we must by that time be near the end of our
walkthe little watering…place called Broadstairs。 〃Oh no； Mrs。
Woodville！ cried the irrepressible woman； calling me by my name；
as usual； 〃nothing like so near as you think！〃
I looked with a beating heart at the old lady。
To my unutterable amazement； not the faintest gleam of
recognition appeared in her face。 Old Mrs。 Woodville went on
talking to young Mrs。 Woodville just as composedly as if she had
never heard her own name before in her life！
My face and manner must have betrayed something of the agitation
that I was suffering。 Happening to look at me at the end of her
next sentence； the old lady started； and said； in her kindly way；
〃I am afraid you have overexerted yourself。 You are very
paleyou are looking quite exhausted。 Come and sit down here；
let me lend you my smelling…bottle。〃
I followed her； quite helplessly； to the base of the cliff。 Some
fallen fragments of chalk offered us a seat。 I vaguely heard the
voluble landlady's expressions of sympathy and regret； I
mechanically took the smelling…bottle which my husband's mother
offered to me； after hearing my name； as an act of kindness to a
stranger
If I had only had myself to think of； I believe I should have
provoked an explanation on the spot。 But I had Eustace to think
of。 I was entirely ignorant of the relations； hostile or
friendly； which existed between his mother and himself。 What
could I do？
In the meantime the old lady was still speaking to me with the
most considerate sympathy。 She too was fatigued。 she said。 She
had passed a weary night at the bedside of a near relative
staying at Ramsgate。 Only the day before she had received a
telegram announcing that one of her sisters was seriously ill。
She was herself thank God； still active and strong； and she had
thought it her duty to start at once for Ramsgate。 Toward the
morning the state of the patient had improved。 〃The doctor
assures me ma'am； that there is no immediate danger； and I
thought it might revive me； after my long night at the bedside；
if I took a little walk on the beach。〃
I heard the wordsI understood what they meantbut I was still
too bewildered and too intimidated by my extraordinary position
to be able to continue the conversation。 The landlady had a
sensible suggestion to makethe landlady was the next person who
spoke。
〃Here is a gentleman coming；〃 she said to me； pointing in the
direction of Ramsgate。 You can never walk back。 Shall we ask him
to send a chaise from Broadstairs to the gap in the cliff？〃
The gentleman advanced a little nearer。
The landlady and I recognized him at the same moment。 It was
Eustace coming to meet us； as we had arranged。 The irrepressible
landlady gave the freest expression to her feelings。 Oh； Mrs。
Woodville； ain't it lucky？ here is Mr。 Woodville himself 。〃
Once more I looked at my mother…in…law。 Once more the name failed
to produce the slightest effect on her。 Her sight was not so keen
as ours； she had not recognized her son yet。 He had young eyes
like us； and he recognized his mother。 For a mome nt he stopped
like a man thunderstruck。 Then he came onhis ruddy face white
with suppressed emotion； his eyes fixed on his mother。
〃You here！〃 he said to her。
〃How do you do； Eustace？〃 she quietly rejoined。 〃Have _you_ heard
of your aunt's illness too？ Did you know she was staying at
Ramsgate？〃
He made no answer。 The landlady； drawing the inevitable inference
from the words that she had just heard； looked from me to my
mother…in…law in a state of amazement； which paralyzed even her
tongue。 I waited with my eyes on my husband； to see what he would
do。 If he had delayed acknowledging me another moment； the whole
future course of my life might have been alteredI should have
despised him。
He did _not_ delay。 He came to my side and took my hand。
〃Do you know who this is？〃 be said to his mother。
She answered； looking at me with a courteous bend of her head：
〃A lady I met on the beach； Eustace； who kindly restored to me a
letter that I dropped。 I think I heard the name〃 （she turned to
the landlady）： Mrs。 Woodville； was it not？〃
My husband's fingers unconsciously closed on my hand with a grasp
that hurt me。 He set his mother right； it is only just to say；
without one cowardly moment of hesitation。
〃Mother；〃 he said to her； very quietly； 〃this lady is my wife。〃
She had hitherto kept her seat。 She now rose slowly and faced her
son in silence。 The first expression of surprise passed from her
face。 It was succeeded by the most terrible look of mingled
indignation and contempt that I ever saw in a woman's eyes。
〃I pity your wife；〃 she said。
With those words and no more； lifting her hand she waved him back
from her； and went on her way again； as we had first found her；
alone。
CHAPTER IV。
ON THE WAY HOME。
LEFT by ourselves； there was a moment of silence among us。
Eustace spoke first。
〃Are you able to walk back？〃 he said to me。 〃Or shall we go on to
Broadstairs； and return to Ramsgate by the railway？〃
He put those questions as composedly； so far as his manner was
concerned； as if nothing remarkable had happened。 But his eyes
and his lips betrayed him。 They told me that he was suffering
keenly in secret。 The extraordinary scene that had just passed；
far from depriving me of the last remains of my courage； had
strung up my nerves and restored my self…possession。 I must have
been more or less than woman if my self…respect had not been
wounded； if my curiosity had not been wrought to the highest
pitch； by the extraordinary conduct of my husband's mother when
Eustace presented me to her。 What was the secret of her despising
him； and pitying me？ Where was the explanation of her
incomprehensible apathy when my name was twice pronounced in her
hearing？ Why had she left us； as if the bare idea of remaining in
our company was abhorrent to her？ The foremost interest of my
life was now the interest of penetrating these mysteries。 Walk？ I
was in such a fever of expectation that I felt as if I could have
walked to the world's end； if I could only keep my husband by my
side； and question him on the way。
〃I am quite recovered；〃 I said。 〃Let us go back； as we came； on
foot。〃
Eustace glanced at the landlady。 The landlady understood him。
〃I won't intrude my company on you； sir；〃 she said； sharply。 〃I
have some business to do at Broadstairs； and； now I am so near； I
may as well go on。 Good…morning； Mrs。 Woodville。〃
She laid a marked emphasis on my name； and she added one
significant look at parting； which （in the preoccupied state of
my mind at that moment） I entirely failed to comprehend。 There
was neither time nor opportunity to ask her what she meant。 With
a stiff little bow； addressed to Eustace； she left us as his
mother had left us taking the way to Broadstairs； and walking
rapidly。
At last we were alone。
I lost no time in beginning my inquiries； I wasted no words in
prefatory phrases。 In the plainest terms I put the question to
him：
〃What does your mother's conduct mean？〃
Instead of answering； he burst into a fit of laughterloud；
coarse； hard laughter； so utterly unlike any sound I had ever yet
heard issue from his lips； so strangely and shockingly foreign to
his character as _I_ understood it； that I stood still on the
sands and openly remonstrated with him。
〃Eustace！ you are not like yourself；〃 I said。 You almost frighten
me。〃
He took no notice。 He seemed to be pursuing some pleasant train
of thought just started in his mind。
〃So like my mother！〃 he exclaimed； with the air of a ma