cheerfully。
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃I begin to think I _am_ madmad to have
devoted myself to an ungrateful woman； to a person who doesn't
appreciate a sisterly and Christian sacrifice of self。 Well； I
won't do it again。 Heaven forgive meI won't do it again！〃
〃Do what again？〃 I asked。
〃Follow your mother…in…law；〃 cried the landlady； suddenly
dropping the character of a martyr； and assuming the character of
a vixen in its place。 〃I blush when I think of it。 I followed
that most respectable person every step of the way to her own
door。〃
Thus far my pride had held me up。 It sustained me no longer。 I
dropped back again into my chair； in undisguised dread of what
was coming next。
〃I gave you a look when I left you on the beach；〃 pursued the
landlady； growing louder and louder and redder and redder as she
went on。 〃A grateful woman would have understood that look。 Never
mind！ I won't do it again I overtook your mother…in…law at the
gap in the cliff。 I followed heroh； how I feel the disgrace of
it _now！_I followed her to the station at Broadstairs。 She went
back by train to Ramsgate。 _I_ went back by train to Ramsgate。
She walked to her lodgings。 _I_ walked to her lodgings。 Behind
her。 Like a dog。 Oh； the disgrace of it！ Providentially； as I
then thoughtI don't know what to think of it nowthe landlord
of the house happened to be a friend of mine； and happened to be
at home。 We have no secrets from each other where lodgers are
concerned。 I am in a position to tell you； madam； what your
mother…in…law's name really is。 She knows nothing about any such
person as Mrs。 Woodville； for an excellent reason。 Her name is
_not_ Woodville。 Her name （and consequently her son's name） is
MacallanMrs。 Macallan； widow of the late General Macallan。 Yes！
your husband is _not_ your husband。 You are neither maid； wife；
nor widow。 You are worse than nothing； madam； and you leave my
house！〃
I stopped her as she opened the door to go out。 She had roused
_my_ temper by this time。 The doubt that she had cast on my
marriage was more than mortal resignation could endure。
〃Give me Mrs。 Macallan's address；〃 I said。
The landlady's anger receded into the background； and the
landlady's astonishment appeared in its place。
〃You don't mean to tell me you are going to the old lady
herself？〃 she said。
〃Nobody but the old lady can tell me what I want to know；〃 I
answered。 〃Your discovery （as you call it） may be enough for
_you_； it is not enough for _me_。 How do we know that Mrs。
Macallan may not have been twice married？ and that her first
husband's name may not have been Woodville？〃
The landlady's astonishment subsided in its turn； and the
landlady's curiosity succeeded as the ruling influence of the
moment。 Substantially； as I have already said of her； she was a
good…natured woman。 Her fits of temper （as is usual with
good…natured people） were of the hot and the short…lived sort；
easily roused and easily appeased。
〃I never thought of that；〃 she said。 〃Look here！ if I give you
the address； will you promise to tell me all about it when you
come back？〃
I gave the required promise； and received the address in return。
〃No malice；〃 said the landlady； suddenly resuming all her old
familiarity with me。
〃No malice；〃 I answered； with all possible cordiality on my side。
In ten minutes more I was at my mother…in…law's lodgings。
CHAPTER VI。
MY OWN DISCOVERY。
FORTUNATELY for me； the landlord did not open the door when I
rang。 A stupid maid…of…all…work； who never thought of asking me
for my name； let me in。 Mrs。 Macallan was at home； and had no
visitors with her。 Giving me this information； the maid led the
way upstairs； and showed me into the drawing…room without a word
of announcement。
My mother…in…law was sitting alone； near a work…table； knitting。
The moment I appeared in the doorway she laid aside her work；
and； rising； signed to me with a commanding gesture of her hand
to let her speak first。
〃I know what you have come here for；〃 she said。 〃You have come
here to ask questions。 Spare yourself； and spare me。 I warn you
beforehand that I will not answer any questions relating to my
son。〃
It was firmly； but not harshly said。 I spoke firmly in my turn。
〃I have not come here； madam； to ask questions about your son；〃 I
answered。 〃I have come； if you will excuse me； to ask you a
question about yourself。〃
She started； and looked at me keenly over her spectacles。 I had
evidently taken her by surprise。
〃What is the question？〃 she inquired。
〃I now know for the first time； madam； that your name is
Macallan；〃 I said。 〃Your son has married me under the name of
Woodville。 The only honorable explanation of this circumstance；
so far as I know； is that my husband is your son by a first
marriage。 The happiness of my life is at stake。 Will you kindly
consider my position？ Will you let me ask you if you have been
twice married； and if the name of your first husband was
Woodville？〃
She considered a little before she replied。
〃The question is a perfectly natural one in your position；〃 she
said。 〃But I think I had better not answer it。〃
〃May I as k why？〃
〃Certainly。 If I answered you； I should only lead to other
questions； and I should be obliged to decline replying to them。 I
am sorry to disappoint you。 I repeat what I said on the beachI
have no other feeling than a feeling of sympathy toward _you。_ If
you had consulted me before your marriage； I should willingly
have admitted you to my fullest confidence。 It is now too late。
You are married。 I recommend you to make the best of your
position； and to rest satisfied with things as they are。〃
〃Pardon me； madam；〃 I remonstrated。 〃As things are； I don't know
that I _am_ married。 All I know； unless you enlighten me； is that
your son has married me under a name that is not his own。 How can
I be sure whether I am or am not his lawful wife？〃
〃I believe there can be no doubt that you are lawfully my son's
wife；〃 Mrs。 Macallan answered。 〃At any rate it is easy to take a
legal opinion on the subject。 If the opinion is that you are
_not_ lawfully married； my son （whatever his faults and failings
may be） is a gentleman。 He is incapable of willfully deceiving a
woman who loves and trusts him。 He will do you justice。 On my
side； I will do you justice； too。 If the legal opinion is adverse
to your rightful claims； I will promise to answer any questions
which you may choose to put to me。 As it is； I believe you to be
lawfully my son's wife； and I say again； make the best of your
position。 Be satisfied with your husband's affectionate devotion
to you。 If you value your peace of mind and the happiness of your
life to come； abstain from attempting to know more than you know
now。〃
She sat down again with the air of a woman who had said her last
word。
Further remonstrance would be useless； I could see it in her
face； I could hear it in her voice。 I turned round to open the
drawing…room door。
〃You are hard on me； madam；〃 I said at parting。 〃I am at your
mercy； and I must submit。〃
She suddenly looked up； and answered me with a flush on her kind
and handsome old face。
〃As God is my witness； child； I pity you from the bottom of my
heart！〃
After that extraordinary outburst of feeling； she took up her
work with one hand； and signed to me with the other to leave her。
I bowed to her in silence； and went out。
I had entered the house far from feeling sure of the course I
ought to take in the future。 I left the house positively
resolved； come what might of it； to discover the secret which the
mother and son were hiding from me。 As to the question of the
name； I saw it now in the light in which I ought to have seen it
from the first。 If Mrs。 Macallan _had_ been twice married （as I
had rashly chosen to suppose）； she would certainly have shown
some signs of recognition when she heard me addressed by her
first husband's name。 Where all else was mystery； there was no
mystery here。 Whatever his reasons might be； Eustace had
assuredly married me under an assumed name。
Approaching the door of our lodgings； I saw my husband walking
backward and forward before it； evidently waiting for my return。
If he asked me the question； I decided to tell him frankly where
I had been； and what had passed between his mother and myself。
He hurried to meet me with signs of disturbance in his face and
manner。
〃I have a favor to ask of you； Valeria；〃 he said。 〃Do you mind
returning with me to London by the next train？〃
I looked at him。 In the popular phrase； I could hardly believe my
own ears。
〃It's a matter of business；〃 he went on； 〃of no interest to any
one but myself； and it requires my presence in London。 You don't
wish to sail just yet； as I understand？ I can't leave you here by
yourself。 Have you any objection to going to London for a day or
two？〃
I made no objection。 I too was eager to go back。
In London I could obtain the legal opinion which would tell me
whether I were lawfully married to Eustace or not。 In London I
should be within reach of the help and advice of my father's
faithful old clerk。 I could confide in Benjamin as I could
confide in no one else。 Dearly as I loved my uncle Starkweather；
I shrank from communicating with him in my present need。 His wife
had told me that I made a bad beginning when I signed the wrong
name in the marriage register。 Shall I own it？ My pride shrank
from acknowledging； before the honeymoon was over； that his wife
was right。
In two hours more we were on the railway again。 Ah； what a
contrast that second journey presented to the first！ On our way
to Ramsgate everybody could see that we were a newly wedded
couple。 On our way to London nobody noticed us； nobody would have
doubted that we had been married for years。
We went to a private hotel in the neighborhood of Portland Place。
After breakfast the next morning Eustace announced that he must
leave me to attend to his business。 I had previously mentioned to
him that I had some purchases to make in London。 He was quite
willing to let me go out alone； on the condition that I should
take a carriage provided by the hotel。
My heart was heavy that morning： I felt t