Part 6 (1/2)
”Is he! Isn't he? Didn't he marry me the other night in front of you and that old woman?”
”Have you a certificate or any writing to show it?”
”A certificate! What do I want with a certificate? You said nothing about a certificate! Look here, old man, don't you try to play any fool-tricks with me, or you'll be sorry. Are you trying to make out that he's not my husband?”
”Not at all; I am trying to do nothing. I should like to ask you a question, to which, before you answer it, I would suggest that you should give a little careful consideration. Would you rather be Cuthbert Grahame's wife or not?”
”I am his wife, and you very well know it, so it's no use talking, and that's enough said. I ask you again, is my husband dead?”
”Your husband? That is the point which I am gradually approaching. Mr. Cuthbert Grahame is not dead.”
Her jaw dropped open.
”Not dead?”
”Not dead.”
”But you told me----”
”Precisely; I am aware that I told you. You will, however, remember that I made an express reservation in favour of a miracle. The miracle has happened.”
”How long will he live?”
”Madam, I am not omniscient. I have once, within your knowledge, failed as a prophet; I should not care to fail again.”
”Is he dying?”
”I may venture to say that, at the present moment, to the best of my knowledge and belief, he is not.”
”You are beating about the bush. You can at least say if he is likely to live long.”
”It is possible, madam, that he may outlive me--even you.”
”Then you have cheated me!--cheated me! You have got me into this mess by your lies.”
”Any injustice I may have done you was unintentional. You will also be so good as to observe that I have just now offered you something which was intended to be in the nature of a loophole out of the dilemma in which you are placed.”
”You mean when you asked me if I wanted to be his wife. Am I his wife, or am I not?”
”It might present a pretty point for the lawyers. If you had chosen to repudiate the connection, it might not have been easy to establish. Nannie and I can hold our tongues--that I beg you to believe. The occasion for a wife having pa.s.sed, he might have preferred to hold his too.”
”Would he rather be unmarried?”
”That is not a matter on which I should care to positively p.r.o.nounce.”
”Then why was he so eager?”
”I explained at the time. He had made a will in favour of a certain person, which he desired to render ineffective; marriage makes null and void any will which a man may have previously made; under the circ.u.mstances that seemed to be the easiest and the shortest way out of it. As matters have turned out the measure seems to have been a little drastic, since he can now, if he chooses, make a dozen new wills each day.”
”Is he so far recovered as that?”