第109章

Therain，whichhadsetinfromanearlyhourthatmorning，stillfell。Viewedfromthedrawing-roomwindows，thedesolationofPortlandPlaceinthedeadseasonworeitsaspectofdeepestgloom。Thedrearyoppositehouseswereallshutup；theblackmudwasinchesdeepintheroadway；thesoot，floatingintinyblackparticles，mixedwiththefallingrain，andheightenedthedirtyobscurityoftherisingmist。Foot-passengersandvehicles，succeedingeachotheratrareintervals，leftgreatgapsofsilenceabsolutelyuninterruptedbysound。Eventhegrindersoforgansweremute；andthewanderingdogsofthestreetweretoowettobark。LookingbackfromtheviewoutofLadyLundie’sstatewindowstotheviewinLadyLundie’sstateroom，themelancholythatreignedwithoutwasmorethanmatchedbythemelancholythatreignedwithin。Thehousehadbeenshutupfortheseason：ithadnotbeenconsiderednecessary，duringitsmistress’sbriefvisit，todisturbtheexistingstateofthings。

Coveringsofdimbrownhueshroudedthefurniture。Thechandeliershunginvisibleinenormousbags。Thesilentclockshibernatedunderextinguishersdroppedoverthemtwomonthssince。Thetables，drawnupincorners——loadedwithornamentsatothertimes——hadnothingbutpen，ink，andpaper(suggestiveofthecomingproceedings)placedonthemnow。Thesmellofthehousewasmusty；thevoiceofthehousewasstill。Onemelancholymaidhauntedthebedroomsupstairs，likeaghost。Onemelancholyman，appointedtoadmitthevisitors，satsolitaryinthelowerregions——thelastoftheflunkies，moulderinginanextinctservants’hall。Notawordpassed，inthedrawing-room，betweenLadyLundieandBlanche。Eachwaitedtheappearanceofthepersonsconcernedinthecominginquiry，absorbedinherownthoughts。Theirsituationatthemomentwasasolemnburlesqueofthesituationoftwoladieswhoaregivinganeveningparty，andwhoarewaitingtoreceivetheirguests。Didneitherofthemseethis？Or，seeingit，didtheyshrinkfromacknowledgingit？Insimilarpositions，whodoesnotshrink？Theoccasionsaremanyonwhichwehaveexcellentreasontolaughwhenthetearsareinoureyes；butonlychildrenareboldenoughtofollowtheimpulse。Sostrangely，inhumanexistence，doesthemockeryofwhatisseriousminglewiththeseriousrealityitself，thatnothingbutourownself-respectpreservesourgravityatsomeofthemostimportantemergenciesinourlives。Thetwoladieswaitedthecomingordealtogethergravely，asbecametheoccasion。Thesilentmaidflittednoiselessupstairs。Thesilentmanwaitedmotionlessinthelowerregions。Outside，thestreetwasadesert。Inside，thehousewasatomb。

Thechurchclockstruckthehour。Two。

Atthesamemomentthefirstofthepersonsconcernedintheinvestigationarrived。

LadyLundiewaitedcomposedlyfortheopeningofthedrawing-roomdoor。Blanchestarted，andtrembled。WasitArnold？WasitAnne？

Thedooropened——andBlanchedrewabreathofrelief。ThefirstarrivalwasonlyLadyLundie’ssolicitor——invitedtoattendtheproceedingsonherladyship’sbehalf。Hewasoneofthatlargeclassofpurelymechanicalandperfectlymediocrepersonsconnectedwiththepracticeofthelawwhowillprobably，inamoreadvancedstateofscience，besupersededbymachinery。Hemadehimselfusefulinalteringthearrangementofthetablesandchairs，soastokeepthecontendingpartieseffectuallyseparatedfromeachother。HealsoentreatedLadyLundietobearinmindthatheknewnothingofScotchlaw，andthathewasthereinthecapacityofafriendonly。Thisdone，hesatdown，andlookedoutwithsilentinterestattherain——asifitwasanoperationofNaturewhichhehadneverhadanopport