第28章

"Anoteforme？"shesaid，staringattheunknown，andsomehowartificial—looking，handwritingofthesuperscription。

Thensheopeneditandread："Askyourhusbandabouthisladycopying—clerk。AFriendandWell—wisher，"

whosignedthenote，gavenoothername。

Mrs。Laphamsathelplesswithitinherhand。

Herbrainreeled；shetriedtofightthemadnessoff；

butbeforeLaphamcamebackthesecondmorning，ithadbecome，withlesseningintervalsofsanityandrelease，ademoniacalpossession。Shepassedthenightwithoutsleep，withoutrest，inthefrenzyofthecruellestofthepassions，whichcoverswithshametheunhappysoulitpossesses，andmurderouslylustsforthemiseryofitsobject。

IfshehadknownwheretofindherhusbandinNewYork，shewouldhavefollowedhim；shewaitedhisreturninanecstasyofimpatience。Inthemorninghecameback，lookingspentandhaggard。Shesawhimdriveuptothedoor，andsherantolethiminherself"Whoisthatgirlyou’vegotinyouroffice，SilasLapham？"

shedemanded，whenherhusbandentered。

"Girlinmyoffice？"

"Yes！Whoisshe？Whatisshedoingthere？""Why，whathaveyouheardabouther？"

"NeveryoumindwhatI’veheard。Whoisshe？ISITMRS。

M。THATYOUGAVETHATMONEYTO？Iwanttoknowwhosheis！Iwanttoknowwhatarespectableman，withgrown—upgirlsofhisown，isdoingwithsuchalookingthingasthatinhisoffice？Iwanttoknowhowlongshe’sbeenthere？Iwanttoknowwhatshe’sthereatallfor？"

Hehadmechanicallypushedherbeforehimintothelong，darkenedparlour，andheshuthimselfintherewithhernow，tokeepthehouseholdfromhearingherliftedvoice。

Forawhilehestoodbewildered，andcouldnothaveansweredifhewould，andthenhewouldnot。Hemerelyasked，"HaveIeveraccusedyouofanythingwrong，Persis？"

"Younoneedto！"sheansweredfuriously，placingherselfagainstthecloseddoor。

"Didyoueverknowmetodoanythingoutoftheway？"

"Thatisn’twhatIaskedyou。"

"Well，Iguessyoumayfindoutaboutthatgirlyourself。

Getawayfromthedoor。"

"Iwon’tgetawayfromthedoor。"

Shefeltherselfsetlightlyaside，andherhusbandopenedthedoorandwentout。"IWILLfindoutabouther，"

shescreamedafterhim。"I’llfindout，andI’lldisgraceyou。I’llteachyouhowtotreatme————"

Theairblackenedroundher：shereeledtothesofaandthenshefoundherselfwakingfromafaint。

Shedidnotknowhowlongshehadlainthere，shedidnotcare。Inamomenthermadnesscamewhirlingbackuponher。Sherusheduptohisroom；itwasempty；

thecloset—doorsstoodajarandthedrawerswereopen；

hemusthavepackedabaghastilyandfled。Shewentoutandwanderedcrazilyupanddowntillshefoundahack。

Shegavethedriverherhusband’sbusinessaddress，andtoldhimtodrivethereasfastashecould；

andthreetimessheloweredthewindowtoputherheadoutandaskhimifhecouldnothurry。Athousandthingsthrongedintohermindtosupportherinherevilwill。

Sherememberedhowgladandproudthatmanhadbeentomarryher，andhoweverybodysaidshewasmarryingbeneathherwhenshetookhim。Sherememberedhowgoodshehadalwaysbeentohim，howperfectlydevoted，slavingearlyandlatetoadvancehim，andlookingoutforhisinterestsinallthings，andsparingherselfinnothing。

Ifithadnotbeenforher，hemighthavebeendrivingstageyet；andsincetheirtroubleshadbegun，thetroubleswhichhisownfollyandimprudencehadbroughtonthem，herconducthadbeenthatofatrueandfaithfulwife。

WasHEthesortofmantobeallowedtoplayherfalsewithimpunity？Shesetherteethanddrewherbreathsharplythroughthemwhenshethoughthowwillinglyshehadlethimbefoolher，anddeludeheraboutthatmemorandumofpaymentstoMrs。M。，becauseshelovedhimsomuch，andpitiedhimforhiscaresandanxieties。Sherecalledhisconfusion，hisguiltylooks。

Sheplungedoutofthecarriagesohastilywhenshereachedtheofficethatshedidnotthinkofpayingthedriver；

audhehadtocallafterherwhenshehadgothalf—wayupthestairs。ThenshewentstraighttoLapham’sroom，withoutrageinherheart。Therewasagainnoonetherebutthattype—writergirl；shejumpedtoherfeetinafright，asMrs。Laphamdashedthedoortobehindherandflungupherveil。

Thetwowomenconfrontedeachother。

"Why，thegoodland！"criedMrs。Lapham，"ain’tyouZerrillaMillon？"

"I——I’mmarried，"falteredthegirl"Myname’sDewey，now。"

"You’reJimMillon’sdaughter，anyway。Howlonghaveyoubeenhere？"

"Ihaven’tbeenhereregularly；I’vebeenhereoffandoneversincelastMay。"

"Where’syourmother？"

"She’shere——inBoston。"

Mrs。Laphamkepthereyesonthegirl，butshedropped，trembling，intoherhusband’schair，andasortofamazeandcuriositywereinhervoiceinsteadofthefuryshehadmeanttoputthere。

"TheColonel，"continuedZerrilla，"he’sbeenhelpingus，andhe’sgotmeatype—writer，sothatIcanhelpmyselfalittle。Mother’sdoingprettywellnow；andwhenHenisn’taroundwecangetalong。"

"Thatyourhusband？"

"Ineverwantedtomarryhim；buthepromisedtotrytogetsomethingtodoonshore；andmotherwasallforit，becausehehadalittlepropertythen，andIthoughtmaybeI’dbetter。Butit’sturnedoutjustasIsaidandifhedon’tstayawaylongenoughthistimetoletmegetthedivorce，——he’sagreedtoit，timeandagain，——I

don’tknowwhatwe’regoingtodo。"Zerrilla’svoicefell，andthetroublewhichshecouldkeepoutofherfaceusually，whenshewascomfortablywarmedandfedandprettilydressed，cloudeditinthepresenceofasympatheticlistener。

"Isawitwasyou，whenyoucameintheotherday，"

shewenton；"butyoudidn’tseemtoknowme。IsupposetheColonel’stoldyouthatthere’sagentlemangoingtomarryme——Mr。Wemmel’shisname——assoonasIgetthedivorce；butsometimesI’mcompletelydiscouraged；

itdon’tseemasifIevercouldgetit。"

Mrs。Laphamwouldnotletherknowthatshewasignorantofthefactattributedtoherknowledge。

SheremainedlisteningtoZerrilla，andpiecingoutthewholehistoryofherpresencetherefromthefactsofthepast，andthetraitsofherhusband’scharacter。

OneofthethingsshehadalwayshadtofighthimaboutwasthatideaofhisthathewasboundtotakecareofJimMillon’sworthlesswifeandherchildbecauseMillonhadgotthebulletthatwasmeantforhim。Itwasaperfectsuperstitionofhis；shecouldnotbeatitoutofhim；

butshehadmadehimpromisethelasttimehehaddoneanythingforthatwomanthatitshouldBEthelasttime。

Hehadthengotheralittlehouseinoneofthefishingports，whereshecouldtakethesailorstoboardandwashfor，andearnanhonestlivingifshewouldkeepstraight。

Thatwasfiveorsixyearsago，andMrs。LaphamhadheardnothingofMrs。Millonsince；shehadheardquiteenoughofherbefore；andhadknownheridleandbaddisheversinceshewastheworstlittlegirlatschoolinLumberville，andallthroughhershamefulgirlhood，andthemarrieddayswhichshehadmadesomiserabletothepoorfellowwhohadgivenherhisdecentnameandachancetobehaveherself。

Mrs。LaphamhadnomercyonMollMillon，andshehadquarrelledoftenenoughwithherhusbandforbefriendingher。

Asforthechild，ifthemotherwouldputZerrillaoutwithsomerespectablefamily，thatwouldbeONEthing；

butaslongasshekeptZerrillawithher，shewasagainstlettingherhusbanddoanythingforeitherofthem。

Hehaddonetentimesasmuchforthemnowashehadanyneedto，andshehadmadehimgiveherhissolemnwordthathewoulddonomore。Shesawnowthatshewaswrongtomakehimgiveit，andthathemusthavebrokenitagainandagainforthereasonthathehadgivenwhensheoncescoldedhimforthrowingawayhismoneyonthathussy——

"WhenIthinkofJimMillon，I’vegotto；that’sall。"

SherecallednowthatwhenevershehadbroughtupthesubjectofMrs。Millonandherdaughter，hehadseemedshyofit，andhaddroppeditwithsomeguessthattheyweregettingalongnow。ShewonderedthatshehadnotthoughtatonceofMrs。MillonwhenshesawthatmemorandumaboutMrs。M。；

butthewomanhadp