To bear the honored name of Wife—
But oh, how often is that name
Her bitterest trial throughout life.
It was evening, and the cosy1 parlor2 was bathed in rosy3 light, the curtains were drawn4, and true to their old time customs Mrs. Sinclair and Stella were seated in easy chairs before a glowing fire.
Stella did not sit at Mrs. Sinclair's feet as she did a few months ago; oh, no, now she sat in the matronly dignity of her months of wifehood in the rocker by Mrs. Sinclair's side, while her husband, quite forgetful of his newly acquired position, was well content to lie at her feet on the heavy rug and look admiringly up at her lovely face, while[Pg 182] little Elsa romped5 and tumbled about the room and turned things generally topsy-turvy in the exuberance6 of her spirits.
Mrs. Morris, little Elsa's sweet faced mother, seldom sat with the family during these peaceful evenings, although both Stella and Mrs. Sinclair had frequently urged her to do so.
She had insisted on performing the lighter7 duties of the house, and Mrs. Sinclair, appreciating her sensitiveness on the subject, persuaded Stella to allow her this as the surest means of keeping her beneath their care and influence.
Not a question had been asked her regarding the past, as in Mrs. Sinclair's just opinions, the sin of inquisitiveness8 overbalances in nearly every instance the blessing9 of charity.
With tears in her eyes she had requested them to call her Mrs. Morris, admitting that it was not her name, but before she could say more, Stella had placed her arm about her and whispered encouragingly, "You need tell us nothing; trust in us as we shall in you, and try and feel happy in our home and I know there will be better days to come. I, too, have suffered, but you see how[Pg 183] radiantly happy I am now," and laughing from the very overflowing10 of her joyous11 heart, Stella kissed her tenderly and bade her speak no more on the subject.
Dr. Seward's arrival surprised them greatly, and now, as they sat around the blazing fire they listened eagerly for the news which he hastened to relate. He told them of his visit to G—— St. and his examination of the powder, describing his feelings as nearly as possible while under the control of that peculiar12 drug; and now that Stella had so thoroughly13 overcome her horror of the subject, she also described her experience and corroborated14 the physician's vivid description in every particular. Not until he told them of Lawrence Maynard's secret marriage, did they relate in turn, the details of Maurice Sinclair's death as revealed to them by the story of the old Commander.
The physician was completely overwhelmed for a moment at this seeming verification of his own suspicions. He had felt instinctively15 from the first that the man who so completely upset the Lady Van Tyne's composure on the evening of his first appearance, was not the son of Mrs. Archibald[Pg 184] Sinclair, yet now, in the presence of the unsuspecting woman, the bewildered Doctor was speechless and disturbed.
At last he felt it necessary to continue the recital16, and rallying his wits he congratulated them sincerely on their fortunate information and the proof that had so stubbornly denied all possibility of error.
With sorrow for the misguided girl, they glanced curiously17 over the certificate and Stella, rising a moment later to adjust the shade, laid the paper carefully upon the nearest table.
While they were still talking, the portieres dividing the double parlors18 were pulled gently aside and Mrs. Morris entered in search of the little one, as it was long after her usual hour for retiring.
Stella immediately introduced them, but for a moment Dr. Stewart nearly forgot his manners in the piercing scrutiny19 of his glance. Somewhere he had seen that face before, or one resembling it closely, but ransack20 his memory as he would, he could not recall the circumstances.
Turning quickly from the physician's searching gaze, Mrs. Morris said softly, "come Elsa, come[Pg 185] to mamma; it is high time little girls were safely in bed!"
But Elsa was hiding beside Mrs. Sinclair's chair, and that good lady, with a face as demure21 as possible, was aiding the little culprit in her mischief22 by holding a fold of her gown about the tiny figure.
Mrs. Morris saw the playful ruse23 and stepped across the room to pull the little one from her hiding place, but in doing so she had to pass the table and quite accidentally her glance fell upon the paper which Stella had just laid down.
For a moment she stood and stared as if she could hardly believe her senses, then with a sudden bound, she seized the paper, crying, "Oh, my certificate, my certificate! Where did you find it?"
It was several seconds before any one spoke24.
The little one crept from her hiding place and looked with wondering eyes upon her mother, while the woman, realizing that now all secrecy25 was over, turned pale and looked from one to the other with an expression of piteous pleading in her eyes.
It was Mrs. Sinclair who was first to recover from the painful surprise. Rising hastily, she placed her arm about the trembling woman, saying[Pg 186] in tones of sympathy and tenderness,—"My dear child, is it possible that you are Lawrence Maynard's wife?"
"No, no," almost screamed the woman, as she shrank from Mrs. Sinclair's gentle touch. "I was not his wife, but do pray believe me, I honestly thought I was!" and she fell upon the floor, cowering26 at Mrs. Sinclair's feet in the humiliation27 of her shame.
Not till her words of self immolation28 reached their ears, did any one present dream of the possibility of her ignorance regarding the validity of her marriage, but now Dr. Seward sprang to his feet and lifted her tenderly from the carpet to a sofa, while he explained as clearly as possible, the result of his investigations29.
"My poor girl," he said gently, "why are you so distressed30? Is it possible that you have been deceived in this matter? You are indeed the lawful31 wife of Lawrence Maynard. I have proven the validity of that marriage by the clergyman himself. There is no reason why you should not look us all in the face, and with your help we shall soon be able to probe this matter to the bottom."
For a few moments Elizabeth could hardly believe the welcome words. She looked eagerly from one to the other for confirmation32 of the blessed fact, then, as her eyes rested finally upon her baby's face, she fell upon her knees at Mrs. Sinclair's feet and sobbed33 for very happiness.
As quietly as possible, Stella rose, and taking little Elsa in her arms, carried her gently from the room and out of the sound of her mother's hysterical34 weeping.
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1
cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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6
exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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7
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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8
inquisitiveness
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| 好奇，求知欲 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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10
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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11
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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12
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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13
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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14
corroborated
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| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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15
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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16
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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18
parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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19
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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20
ransack
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| v.彻底搜索，洗劫 | |
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demure
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| adj.严肃的；端庄的 | |
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22
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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23
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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24
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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25
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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26
cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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27
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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immolation
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| n.牺牲品 | |
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29
investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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30
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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31
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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32
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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33
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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34
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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