XXVII

'Oh, Dick, dear, what did I do yesterday? Do tell me about yesterday. Was I

very violent? And those wounds on your face, I didn't do that; don't tell

me that I did. Dick, Dick, are you going to leave me?'

'I have to attend to my business, Kate.'

'Ah, your business! Your business! Mrs. Forest is your business; you've no

other business but her now. And that is what is driving me to drink.'

'Oh, Kate, don't begin it again. I've a rehearsal----'

'Yes, the rehearsal of her opera and Montgomery's music. I did think he was

my friend; yet he is putting up her opera to music, and all the while he

was setting it you were telling me lies about _Chilpéric_, saying that

I was to play the Fredegonde, and all the principal parts in the great

Hervé festival, that the American--but there was no American. It was cruel

of you, Dick, to shut me up here with nobody to speak to; nothing to do but

to wait for you hour after hour, and when you come home to hear nothing

from you but lies, nothing but lies! _Chilpéric, Le Petit Faust, L'Oeil

Créve, Trône d'Écosse, Marguerite de Navarre, La Belle Poule_. And all

the music I've learnt hoping that I would be allowed to sing it; and yet

you expect that a woman who is deceived like that can abstain from drink.

Why, you drive me to it, Dick. An angel from heaven wouldn't abstain from

drink. Away you go in the morning to Mrs. Forest--to her opera.'

'But, Kate, there's nothing between me and Mrs. Forest. She is a very

clever woman, and I am doing her opera for her. How are we to live if you

come between me and my business?'

'Womanizing is your business,' Kate answered suddenly.

'Well, don't let us argue it,' Dick answered. He tied his shoe-strings and

sought for his hat.

'So you're going,' she said; 'and when shall I see you again?'

'I shall try to get home for dinner.'

'What time?'

'Not before eight.'

'I shall not see you before twelve,' she replied, and she experienced a sad

sinking of the heart when she heard the door close behind him, a sad

sinking that she would have to endure till she heard his latchkey, and that

would not be for many hours, perhaps not till midnight. She did not know

how she would be able to endure all these hours; to sleep some of them away

would be the best thing she could do, and with that intention she drew down

the blind and threw herself on the bed, and lay between sleeping and waking

till the afternoon. Then, feeling a little better, she rang and asked for a

cup of tea. It tasted very insipid, but she gulped it down as best she

could, making wry faces and feeling more miserable than ever she had felt

before; afraid to look back on yesterday, afraid to look forward on the

morrow, she bethought herself of the past, of the happy days when

Montgomery used to come and teach her to sing, and her triumphs in the part

of Clairette; she was quite as successful in Serpolette; people had liked

her in Serpolette, and to recall those days more distinctly she opened a

box in which she kept her souvenirs: a withered flower, a broken

cigarette-holder, two or three old buttons that had fallen from his

clothes, and a lock of hair, and it was under these that the prize of

prizes lay--a string of false pearls. She liked to run them through her

fingers and to see them upon her neck. She still kept the dresses she wore

in her two favourite parts, the stockings and the shoes, and having nothing

to do, no way of passing the time away, she bethought herself of dressing

herself in the apparel of her happy days, presenting, when the servant came

up with her dinner, a spectacle that almost caused Emma to drop the dish of

cold mutton.

'Lord, Mrs. Lennox, I thought I see a ghost; you in that white dress, oh,

what lovely clothes!'

'These were the clothes I used to wear when I was on the stage.'

'But law, mum, why aren't you on the stage now?'

Kate began to tell her story to the servant-girl, who listened till a bell

rang, and she said:

'That's Mr. So-and-So ringing for his wife; I must run and see to it. You

must excuse me, mum.'

The cold mutton and the damp potatoes did not tempt her appetite, and

catching sight of herself in the glass, bitter thoughts of the wrongs done

to her surged up in her mind. The tiny nostrils dilated and the upper lip

contracted, and for ten minutes she stood, her hands grasping nervously at

the back of her chair; the canine teeth showed, for the project of revenge

was mounting to her head. 'He'll not be back till midnight; all this while

he is with Leslie and Mrs. Forest, or some new girl perhaps. Yet when he

returns to me, when he is wearied out, he expects to find me sober and

pleased to see him. But he shall never see me sober or pleased to see him

again.' On these words she walked across the room to the fire-place, and

putting her hand up the chimney brought down a bottle of Old Tom, and sat

moodily sipping gin and water till she heard his key in the lock.

'He's back earlier than I expected,' she said.

Dick entered in his usual deliberate, elephantine way. Kate made no sign

till he was seated, then she asked what the news was.

It was clearly out of the question to tell her that he had been round to

tea with one of the girls; to explain how he had wheedled Mrs. Forest into

all sorts of theatrical follies was likewise not to be thought of as a

subject of news, and as to making conversation out of the rest of the day's

duties, he really didn't see how he was to do it. Miss Howard had put out

the entire procession by not listening to his instructions; Miss Adair,

although she was playing the Brigand of the Ultramarine Mountains, had

threatened to throw up her part if she were not allowed to wear her diamond

ear-rings. The day had gone in deciding such questions, had passed in

drilling those infernal girls; and what interest could there be in going

through it all over again? Besides, he never knew how or where he might

betray himself, and Kate was so quick in picking up the slightest word and

twisting it into extraordinary meanings, that he really would prefer to

talk about something else.

'I can't understand how you can have been out all day without having heard

something. It is because you want to keep me shut up here and not let me

know anything of your going-on; but I shall go down to the theatre

to-morrow and have it out of you.'

'My dear, I assure you that I was at the rehearsal all day. The girls don't

know their music yet, and it puts me out in my stage arrangement. I give

you my word that is all I heard or saw to-day. I've nothing to conceal from

you.'

'You're a liar, and you know you are!'

Blows and shrieks followed.

'I shall pull that woman's nose off; I know I shall!'

'I give you my word, my dear, that I've been the whole day with Montgomery

and Harding cutting the piece.'

'Cutting the piece! And I should like to know why I'm not in that piece. I

suppose it was you who kept me out of it. Oh, you beast! Why did you ever

have anything to do with me? It's you who are ruining me. Were it not for

you, do you think I should be drinking? Not I--it was all your fault.'

Dick made no attempt to answer. He was very tired. Kate continued her march

up and down the room for some moments in silence, but he could see from the

twitching of her face and the swinging of her arms that the storm was bound

to burst soon. Presently she said:

'You go and get me something to drink; I've had nothing all this evening.'

'Oh, Kate dear! I beg of--'

'Oh, you won't, won't you? We'll see about that,' she answered as she

looked around the room for the heaviest object she could conveniently throw

at him.

Seeing how useless it would be to attempt to contradict her in her present

mood, Dick rose to his feet and said hurriedly:

'Now there's no use in getting into a passion, Kate. I'll go, I'll go.'

'You'd better, I can tell you.'

'What shall I get, then?'

'Get me half a pint of gin, and be quick about it--I'm dying of thirst.'

Even Dick, accustomed as he was now to these scenes, could not repress a

look in which there was at once mingled pity, astonishment and fear, so

absolutely demoniacal did this little woman seem as she raved under the

watery light of the lodging-house gas, her dark complexion gone to a dull

greenish pallor. By force of contrast she called to his mind the mild-eyed

workwoman he had known in the linen-draper's shop in Hanley, and he asked

himself if it were possible that she and this raging creature, more like a

tiger in her passion than a human being, were one and the same person? He

could not choose but wonder. But another scream came, bidding him make

haste, or it would be worse for him, and he bent his head and went to fetch

the gin.

In the meantime Kate's fury leaped, crackled, and burnt with the fierceness

of a house in the throes of conflagration, and in the smoke-cloud of hatred

which enveloped her, only fragments of ideas and sensations flashed like

falling sparks through her mind. Up and down the room she walked swinging

her arms, only hesitating for some new object whereon to wreak new fury.

Suddenly it struck her that Dick had been too long away--that he was

keeping her waiting on purpose; and grinding her teeth, she muttered:

'Oh, the beast! Would he--would he keep me waiting, and since nine this

morning I've been alone!'

In an instant her resolve was taken. It came to her sullenly, obtusely,

like the instinct of revenge to an animal. She did not stop to consider

what she was doing, but, seizing a large stick, the handle of a brush that

happened to have been broken, she stationed herself at the top of the

landing. A feverish tremor agitated her as she waited in the semi-darkness

of the stairs. But at last she heard the door open, and Dick came up slowly

with his usual heavy tread. She made neither sign nor stir, but allowed him

to get past her, and then, raising the brush-handle, she landed him one

across the back. The poor man uttered a long cry, and the crash of broken

glass was heard.

'What did you hit me like that for?' he cried, holding himself with both

hands.

'You beast, you! I'll teach you to keep me waiting! You would, would you!

Do you want another? Go into the sitting-room.'

Dick obeyed humbly and in silence. His only hope was that the landlady had

not been awakened, and he felt uneasily at his pockets, through which he

could feel the gin dripping down his legs.

'Well, have you brought the drink I sent you for? Where is it?'

'Well,' replied Dick, desirous of conciliating at any price, 'it was in my

pocket, but when you hit me with that stick you broke it.'

'I broke it?' cried Kate, her eyes glistening with fire.

'Yes, dear, you did; it wasn't my fault.'

'Wasn't your fault! Oh, you horrid wretch! you put it there on purpose that

I should break it.'

'Oh, now really, Kate,' he cried, shocked by the unfairness of the

accusation, 'how could I know that you were going to hit me there?'

'I don't know and I don't care; what's that to me? But what I'm sure of is

that you always want to spite me, that you hate me, that you would wish to

see me dead, so that you might marry Mrs. Forest.'

'I can't think how you can say such things. I've often told you that Mrs.

Forest and I--'

'Oh! don't bother me. I'm not such a fool. I know she keeps you, and she

will have to pay me a drink to-night. Go and get another bottle of gin; and

mind you pay for it with the money she gave you to-day. Yes, she shall

stand me a drink to-night!'

'I give you my word I haven't another penny-piece upon me; it's just the

accident--'

But Dick did not get time to finish the sentence; he was interrupted by a

heavy blow across the face, and like a panther that has tasted blood, she

rushed at him again, screaming all the while: 'Oh, you've no money! You

liar! you liar! So you would make me believe that she does not give you

money, that you have no money of hers in your pocket. You would keep it all

for yourself; but you shan't, no, you shan't, for I will tear it from you

and throw it in your face! Oh, that filthy money! that filthy money!'

The patience with which he bore with her was truly angelic. He might easily

have felled her to the ground with one stroke, but he contented himself

with merely warding off the blows she aimed at him. From his great height

and strength, he was easily able to do this, and she struck at him with her

little womanish arms as she might against a door.

'Take down your hands,' she screamed, exasperated to a last degree. 'You

would strike me, would you? You beast! I know you would.'

Her rage had now reached its height. Showing her clenched teeth, she foamed

at the mouth, the bloodshot eyes protruded from their sockets, and her

voice grew more and more harsh and discordant. But, although the excited

brain gave strength to the muscles and energy to the will, unarmed she

could do nothing against Dick, and suddenly becoming conscious of this she

rushed to the fireplace and seized the poker. With one sweep of the arm she

cleared the mantel-board, and the mirror came in for a tremendous blow as

she advanced round the table brandishing her weapon; but, heedless of the

shattered glass, she followed in pursuit of Dick, who continued to defend

himself dexterously with a chair. And it is difficult to say how long this

combat might have lasted if Dick's attention had not been interrupted by

the view of the landlady's face at the door; and so touched was he by the

woman's dismay when she looked upon her broken furniture, that he forgot to

guard himself from the poker. Kate took advantage of the occasion and

whirled the weapon round her head. He saw it descending in time, and half

warded off the blow; but it came down with awful force on the forearm, and

glancing off, inflicted a severe scalp wound. The landlady screamed

'Murder!' and Dick, seeing that matters had come to a crisis, closed in

upon his wife, and undeterred by yells and struggles, pinioned her and

forced her into a chair.

'Oh, dear! Oh, dear! You're all bleeding, sir,' cried the landlady; 'she

has nearly killed you.'

'Never mind me. But what are we to do? I think she has gone mad this time.'

'That's what I think,' said the landlady, trying to make herself heard

above Kate's shrieks.

'Well, then, go and fetch a doctor, and let's hear what he has to say,'

replied Dick, as he changed his grip on Kate's arm, for in a desperate

struggle she had nearly succeeded in wrenching herself free. The landlady

retreated precipitately towards the door.

'Well, will you go?'

'Yes, yes, I'll run at once.'

'You'd better,' yelled the mad woman after her. 'I'll give it to you! Let

me go! Let me go, will you?'

But Dick never ceased his hold of her, and the blood, dripping upon her,

trickled in large drops into her ears, and down into her neck and bosom.

'You're spitting on me, you beast! You filthy beast! I'll pay you out for

this.' Then she perceived that it was blood; the intonation of her voice

changed, and in terror she screamed, 'Murder! murder! He's murdering me! Is

there no one here to save me?'

The minutes seemed like eternities. Dick felt himself growing faint, but

should he lose his power over her before the doctor arrived, the

consequences might be fatal to himself, so he struggled with her for very

life.

At last the door was opened, and a man walked into the room, tripping in so

doing over a piece of the broken mirror. It was the doctor, and accustomed

as he was to betray surprise at nothing, he could not repress a look of

horror on catching sight of the scene around him.

The apartment was almost dismantled; chairs lay backless about the floor

amid china shepherdesses and toreadors; pictures were thrown over the sofa,

and a huge pile of wax fruit--apples and purple grapes--was partially

reflected in a large piece of mirror that had fallen across the hearthrug.

'Come, help me to hold her,' said Dick, raising his blood-stained face.

With a quick movement the doctor took possession of Kate's arms. 'Give me a

sheet from the next room; I'll soon make her fast.'

The threat of being tied had its effect. Kate became quieter, and after

some trouble they succeeded in carrying her into the next room and laying

her on the bed. There she rolled convulsively, beating the pillows with her

arms. The landlady stationed herself at the door to give notice of any

further manifestation of fury, whilst Dick explained the circumstances of

the case to the doctor.

After a short consultation, he agreed to sign an order declaring that in

his opinion Mrs. Lennox was a dangerous lunatic.

'Will that be enough,' said Dick, 'to place her in an asylum?'

'No, you'll have to get the opinion of another doctor.'

The possibility of being able to rid himself of her was to him like the

sudden dawning of a new life, and Dick rushed off, bleeding, haggard,

wild-looking as he was, to seek for another doctor who would concur in the

judgment of the first, asking himself if it were possible to see Kate in

her present position, and say conscientiously that she was a person who

could be safely trusted with her liberty? And to his great joy this view

was taken by the second authority consulted, and having placed his wife

under lock and key, Dick lay down to rest a happier man than he had been

for many a day. The position in his mind was, of course, the means he

should adopt to place her in the asylum. Force was not to be thought of;

persuasion must be first tried. So far he was decided, but as to the

arguments he should advance to induce her to give up her liberty he knew

nothing, nor did he attempt to formulate any scheme, and when he entered

the bedroom next morning he relied more on the hope of finding her

repentant, and appealing to and working on her feelings of remorse than

anything else. 'The whole thing,' as he put it, 'depended upon the humour

he should find her in.'

And he found her with stains of blood still upon her face, amid the broken

furniture, and she asked calmly but with intense emotion:

'Dick, did he say I was mad?'

'Well, dear, I don't know that he said you were mad except when you were

the worse for drink, but he said--'

'That I might become mad,' she interposed, 'if I don't abstain from drink.

Did he say that?'

'Well, it was something like that, Kate. You know I only just escaped with

my life.'

'Only just escaped with your life, Dick! Oh, if I'd killed you, if I'd

killed you! If I'd seen you lying dead at my feet!' and unable to think

further she fell on her knees and reached out her arms to him. But he did

not take her to his bosom, and she sobbed till, touched to the heart, he

strove to console her with kind words, never forgetting, however, to

introduce a hint that she was not responsible for her actions.

'Then I'm really downright mad?' said Kate, raising her tear-stained face

from her arms. 'Did the doctor say so?'

This was by far too direct a question for Dick to answer; it were better to

equivocate.

'Well, my dear--mad? He didn't say that you were always mad, but he said

you were liable to fits, and that if you didn't take care those fits would

grow upon you, and you would become--'

Then he hesitated as he always did before a direct statement.

'But what did he say I must do to get well?'

'He advised that you should go to a home where you would not be able to get

hold of any liquor and would be looked after'

'You mean a madhouse. You wouldn't put me in a madhouse, Dick?'

'I wouldn't put you anywhere where you didn't like to go; but he said

nothing about a madhouse.'

'What did he say, then?'

'He spoke merely of one of those houses which are under medical

supervision, and where anyone can go and live for a time; a kind of

hospital, you know.'

The argument was continued for an hour or more. Kate wept and protested

against being locked up as a mad woman; while he, conscious of the strong

hold he had over her, reminded her in a thousand ways of the danger she ran

of awakening one morning to find herself a murderess. Yet it is difficult

to persuade anyone voluntarily to enter a lunatic asylum, no matter how

irrefutable the reasons advanced may be, and it was not until Dick on one

side skilfully threatened her with separation, and tempted her on the other

with the hope of being cured of her vice and living with him happily ever

afterwards, that she consented to enter Dr. ----'s private asylum, Craven

Street, Bloomsbury. But even then the battle was not won, for when he

suggested going off there at once, he very nearly brought another fit of

passion down on his head. It was only the extreme lassitude and debility

produced from the excesses of last night that saved him.

'Oh, Dick, dear! if you only knew how I love you! I would give my last drop

of blood to save you from harm.'

'I know you would, dear; it's the fault of that confounded drink,' he

answered, his heart tense with the hope of being rid of her. Then the

packing began. Kate sat disconsolate on the sofa, and watched Dick folding

up her dresses and petticoats. It seemed to her that everything had ended,

and wearily she collected the pearls which had been scattered in last

night's skirmishing. Some had been trodden on, others were lost, and only

about half the original number could be found, and shaken with nervousness

and lassitude, Kate cried and wrung her hands. Dick sat next her, kind,

huge, and indifferent, even as the world itself.

'But you'll come and see me? You promise me that you'll come--that you'll

come very often.'

'Yes, dear, I'll come two or three times a week; but I hope that you'll be

well soon--very soon.'