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at stake。 Try to adopt my point of view for the moment ； and let
us inquire what chance we have of making any further advance
toward a discovery of the truth。 It is one thing to be morally
convinced （as I am） that Miserrimus Dexter is the man who ought
to have been tried for the murder at Gleninch； and it is another
thing； at this distance of time； to lay our hands on the plain
evidence which can alone justify anything like a public assertion
of his guilt。 There； as I see it； is the insuperable difficulty
in the case。 Unless I am completely mistaken； the question is now
narrowed to this plain issue： The public assertion of your
husband's innocence depends entirely on the public assertion of
Dexter's guilt。 How are you to arrive at that result？ There is
not a particle of evidence against him。 You can only convict
Dexter on Dexter's own confession。 Are you listening to me？〃
I was listening； most unwillingly。 If he were right； things had
indeed come to that terrible pass。 But I could notwith all my
respect for his superior knowledge and experienceI could not
persuade myself that he _was_ right。 And I owned it； with the
humility which I really felt。
He smiled good…humoredly。
〃At any rate；〃 he said； 〃you will admit that Dexter has not
freely opened his mind to you thus far？ He is still keeping
something from your knowledge which you are interested in
discovering？〃
〃Yes。 I admit that。〃
〃Very good。 What applies to your view of the case applies to
mine。 I say； he is keeping from you the confession of his guilt。
You say； he is keeping from you information which may fasten the
guilt on some other person。 Let us start from that point。
Confession； or information； how are you to get at what he is now
withholding from you？ What influence can you bring to bear on him
when you see him again？〃
〃Surely I might persuade him？〃
〃Certainly。 And if persuasion failwhat then？ Do you think you
can entrap him into speaking out？ or terrify him into speaking
out？〃
〃If you will look at your notes； Mr。 Playmore； you will see that
I have already succeeded in terrifying himthough I am only a
woman and though I didn't mean to do it。〃
〃Very well answered。 You mark the trick。 What you have done once
you think you can do again。 Well； as you are determined to try
the experiment； it can do you no harm to know a little more of
Dexter's character and temperament than you know now。 Suppose we
apply for information to somebody who can help us？〃
I started； and looked round the room。 He made me do ithe spoke
as if the person who was to help us was close at our elbows。
〃Don't be alarmed；〃 he said。 〃The oracle is silent； and the
oracle is here。〃
He unlocked one of the drawers of his desk； produced a bundle of
letters； and picked out one。
〃When we were arranging your husband's defense；〃 he said； 〃we
felt some difficulty about including Miserrimus Dexter among our
witnesses。 We had not the slightest suspicion of him； I need
hardly tell you。 But we were all afraid of his eccentricity； and
some among us even feared that the excitement of appearing at the
Trial might drive him completely out of his mind。 In this
emergency we applied to a doctor to help us。 Under some pretext；
which I forget now； we introduced him to Dexter。 And in due
course of time we received his report。 Here it is。〃
He opened the letter； and marking a certain passage in it with a
pencil； handed it to me。
〃Read the lines which I have marked；〃 he said； 〃they will be
quite sufficient for our purpose。〃
I read these words：
〃Summing up the results of my observation； I may give it as my
opinion that there is undoubtedly latent insanity in this case；
but that no active symptoms of madness have presented themselves
as yet。 You may； I think； produce him at the Trial； without fear
of consequences。 He may say and do all sorts of odd things； but
he has his mind under the control of his will； and you may trust
his self…esteem to exhibit him in the character of a
substantially intelligent witness。
〃As to the future； I am； of course； not able to speak positively。
I can only state my views。
〃That he will end in madness （if he live）； I entertain little or
no doubt。 The question of _when_ the madness will show itself
depends entirely on the state of his health。 His nervous system
is highly sensitive； and there are signs that his way of life has
already damaged it。 If he conquer the bad habits to which I have
alluded in an earlier part of my report； and if he pass many
hours of every day quietly in the open air； he may last as a sane
man for years to come。 If he persist in his present way of
lifeor； in other words； if further mischief occur to that
sensitive nervous systemhis lapse into insanity must infallibly
take place when the mischief has reached its culminating point。
Without warning to himself or to others； the whole mental
structure will give way； and； at a moment's notice； while he is
acting as quietly or speaking as intelligently as at his best
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。