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Valeria。 …
Benjamin laid down his notes； and took off his spectacles。
〃We have not thought it necessary to go further than this；〃 he
said。 〃Is there any point you can think of that is still left
unexplained？〃
I reflected。 There was no point of any importance left
unexplained that I could remember。 But there was one little
matter （suggested by the recent allusions to Mrs。 Beauly） which I
wished （if possible） to have thoroughly cleared up。
〃Have you and Mr。 Playmore ever spoken together on the subject of
my husband's former attachment to Mrs。 Beauly？〃 I asked。 〃Has Mr。
Playmore ever told you why Eustace did not marry her； after the
Trial？〃
〃I put that question to Mr。 Playmore myself；〃 said Benjamin。 〃He
answered it easily enough。 Being your husband's confidential
friend and adviser； he was consulted when Mr。 Eustace wrote to
Mrs。 Beauly； after the Trial； and he repeated the substance of
the letter； at my request。 Would you like to hear what I remember
of it； in my turn？〃
I owned that I should like to hear it。 What Benjamin thereupon
told me； exactly coincided with what Miserrimus Dexter had told
meas related in the thirtieth chapter of my narrative。 Mrs。
Beauly had been a witness of the public degradation of my
husband。 That was enough in itself to prevent him from marrying
her： He broke off with _her_ for the same reason which had led
him to separate himself from _me。_ Existence with a woman who
knew that he had been tried for his life as a murderer was an
existence which he had not resolution enough to face。 The two
accounts agreed in every particular。 At last my jealous curiosity
was pacified； and Benjamin was free to dismiss the past from
further consideration； and to approach the more critical and more
interesting topic of the future。
His first inquiries related to Eustace。 He asked if my husband
had any suspicion of the proceedings which had taken place at
Gleninch。
I told him what had happened； and how I had contrived to put off
the inevitable disclosure for a time。
My old friend's face cleared up as he listened to me。
〃This will be good news for Mr。 Playmore；〃 he said。 〃Our
excellent friend； the lawyer； is sorely afraid that our dis
coveries may compromise your position with your husband。 On the
one hand； he is naturally anxious to spare Mr。 Eustace the
distress which he must certainly feel； if he read his first
wife's confession。 On the other hand； it is impossible； in
justice （as Mr。 Playmore puts it） to the unborn children of your
marriage； to suppress a document which vindicates the memory of
their father from the aspersion that the Scotch Verdict might
otherwise cast on it。〃
I listened attentively。 Benjamin had touched on a trouble which
was still secretly preying on my mind。
〃How does Mr。 Playmore propose to meet the difficulty？〃 I asked。
〃He can only meet it in one way；〃 Benjamin replied。 〃He proposes
to seal up the original manuscript of the letter； and to add to
it a plain statement of the circumstances under which it was
discovered； supported by your signed attestation and mine； as
witnesses to the fact。 This done； he must leave it to you to take
your husband into your confidence； at your own time。 It will then
be for Mr。 Eustace to decide whether he will open the
inclosureor whether he will leave it； with the seal unbroken；
as an heirloom to his children； to be made public or not； at
their discretion； when they are of an age to think for
themselves。 Do you consent to this； my dear？ Or would you prefer
that Mr。 Playmore should see your husband； and act for you in the
matter？〃
I decided； without hesitation； to take the responsibility on
myself。 Where the question of guiding Eustace's decision was
concerned； I considered my influence to be decidedly superior to
the influence of Mr。 Playmore。 My choice met with Benjamin's full
approval。 He arranged to write to Edinburgh； and relieve the
lawyer's anxieties by that day's post。
The one last thing now left to be settled related to our plans
for returning to England。 The doctors were the authorities on
this subject。 I promised to consult them about it at their next
visit to Eustace。
〃Have you anything more to say to me？〃 Benjamin inquired； as he
opened his writing…case。
I thought of Miserrimus Dexter and Ariel； and I inquired if he
had heard any news of them lately。 My old friend sighed； and
warned me that I had touched on a painful subject。
〃The best thing that can happen to that unhappy man is likely to
happen；〃 he said。 〃The one change in him is a change that
threatens paralysis。 You may hear of his death before you get
back to England。〃
〃And Ariel？〃 I asked。
〃Quite unaltered；〃 Benjamin answered。 〃Perfectly happy so long as
she is with 'the Master。' From all I can hear of her； poor soul；
she doesn't reckon Dexter among moral beings。 She laughs at the
idea of his dying； and she waits patiently； in the firm
persuasion that he will recognize her again。〃
Benjamin's news saddened and silenced me。 I left him to his
letter。
CHAPTER L。
THE LAST OF THE STORY。
In ten days more we returned to England； accompanied by Benjamin。
Mrs。 Macallan's house in London offered us ample accommodation。
We gladly availed ourselves of her proposal； when she invited us
to stay with her until our child was born； and our plans for the
future were arranged。
The sad news from the asylum （for which Benjamin had prepared my
mind at Paris） reached me soon after our return to England。
Miserrimus Dexter's release from the burden of life had come to
him by slow degrees。 A few hours before he breathed his last he
rallied for a while； and recognized Ariel at his bedside。 He
feebly pronounced her name； and looked at her； and asked for me。
They thought of sending for me； but it was too late。 Before the
messenger could be dispatched； he said； with a touch of his old
self…importance； 〃Silence； all of you！ my brains are weary； I am
going to sleep。〃 He closed his eyes in slumber； and never awoke
again。 So for this man too the end came mercifully； without grief
or pain！ So that strange and many…sided lifewith its guilt and
its misery； its fitful flashes of poetry and humor； its fantastic
gayety； cruelty； and vanityran its destined course； and faded
out like a dream！
Alas for Ariel！ She had lived for the Masterwhat more could she
do； now the Master was gone？ She could die for him。
They had mercifully allowed her to attend the funeral of
Miserrimus Dexterin the hope that the ceremony might avail to
convince her of his death。 The anticipation was not realized； she
still persisted in denying that 〃the Master〃 had left her。 They
were obliged to restrain the poor creature by force when the
coffin was lowered into the grave； and they could only remove her
from the cemetery by the same means when the burial…service was
over。 From that time her life alternated； for a few weeks；
between fits of raving delirium and intervals of lethargic
repose。 At the annual ball given in the asylum； when the strict
superintendence of the patients was in some degree relaxed； the
alarm was raised； a little before midnight； that Ariel was
missing。 The nurse in charge had left her asleep； and had yielded
to the temptation of going downstairs to look at the dancing。
When the woman returned to her post； Ariel was gone。 The presence
of strangers； and the confusion incidental to the festival；
offered her facilities for escaping which would not have
presented themselves at any other time。 That night the search for
her proved to be useless。 The next morning brought with it the
last touching and terrible tidings of her。 She had strayed back
to the burial…ground； and she had been found toward sunrise； dead
of cold and exposure； on Miserrimus Dexter's grave。 Faithful to
the last； Ariel had followed the Master！ Faithful to the last；
Ariel had died on the Master's grave！
Having written these sad words； I turn willingly to a less
painful theme。
Events had separated me from Major Fitz…David； after the date of
the dinner…party which had witnessed my memorable meeting with
Lady Clarinda。 From that time I heard little or nothing of the
Major； and I am ashamed to say I had almost entirely forgotten
himwhen I was reminded of the modern Don Juan by the amazing
appearance of wedding…cards； addressed to me at my
mother…in…law's house！ The Major had settled in life at last。
And； more wonderful still； the Major had chosen as the lawful
ruler of his household and himself〃the future Queen of Song；〃
the round…eyed； overdressed young lady with the strident soprano
voice！
We paid our visit of congratulation in due form； and we really
did feel for Major Fitz…David。
The ordeal of marriage had so changed my gay and gallant admirer
of former times that I hardly knew him again。 He had lost all his
pretensions to youth： he had become； hopelessly and
undisguisedly； an old man。 Standing behind the chair on which his
imperious young wife sat enthroned； he looked at her submissively
between every two words that he addressed to me； as if he waited
for her permission to open his lips and speak。 Whenever she
interrupted himand she did it； over and over again； witho