The Law and the Lady

The Law and the Lady

By Wilkie Collins.

Table of Contents

1. Titlepage
2. Imprint
3. Note
4. The Law and the Lady
   1. Part I: Paradise Lost
      1. I: The Bride’s Mistake
      2. II: The Bride’s Thoughts
      3. III: Ramsgate Sands
      4. IV: On the Way Home
      5. V: The Landlady’s Discovery
      6. VI: My Own Discovery
      7. VII: On the Way to the Major
      8. VIII: The Friend of the Women
      9. IX: The Defeat of the Major
      10. X: The Search
      11. XI: The Return to Life
      12. XII: The Scotch Verdict
      13. XIII: The Man’s Decision
      14. XIV: The Woman’s Answer
   2. Part II: Paradise Regained
      1. XV: The Story of the Trial. The Preliminaries
      2. XVI: First Question—Did the Woman Die Poisoned?
      3. XVII: Second Question—Who Poisoned Her?
      4. XVIII: Third Question—What Was His Motive?
      5. XIX: The Evidence for the Defense
      6. XX: The End of the Trial
      7. XXI: I See My Way
      8. XXII: The Major Makes Difficulties
      9. XXIII: My Mother-in-Law Surprises Me
      10. XXIV: Miserrimus Dexter—First View
      11. XXV: Miserrimus Dexter—Second View
      12. XXVI: More of My Obstinacy
      13. XXVII: Mr. Dexter at Home
      14. XXVIII: In the Dark
      15. XXIX: In the Light
      16. XXX: The Indictment of Mrs. Beauly
      17. XXXI: The Defense of Mrs. Beauly
      18. XXXII: A Specimen of My Wisdom
      19. XXXIII: A Specimen of My Folly
      20. XXXIV: Gleninch
      21. XXXV: Mr. Playmore’s Prophecy
      22. XXXVI: Ariel
      23. XXXVII: At the Bedside
      24. XXXVIII: On the Journey Back
      25. XXXIX: On the Way to Dexter
      26. XL: Nemesis at Last
      27. XLI: Mr. Playmore in a New Character
      28. XLII: More Surprises
      29. XLIII: At Last!
      30. XLIV: Our New Honeymoon
      31. XLV: The Dust-Heap Disturbed
      32. XLVI: The Crisis Deferred
      33. XLVII: The Wife’s Confession
      34. XLVIII: What Else Could I Do?
      35. XLIX: Past and Future
      36. L: The Last of the Story
5. Endnotes
6. Colophon
7. Uncopyright

Imprint

This ebook is the product of many hours of hard work by volunteers for Standard Ebooks, and builds on the hard work of other literature lovers made possible by the public domain.

This particular ebook is based on a transcription from Project Gutenberg and on digital scans from the HathiTrust Digital Library.

The source text and artwork in this ebook are believed to be in the United States public domain; that is, they are believed to be free of copyright restrictions in the United States. They may still be copyrighted in other countries, so users located outside of the United States must check their local laws before using this ebook. The creators of, and contributors to, this ebook dedicate their contributions to the worldwide public domain via the terms in the CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. For full license information, see the Uncopyright at the end of this ebook.

Standard Ebooks is a volunteer-driven project that produces ebook editions of public domain literature using modern typography, technology, and editorial standards, and distributes them free of cost. You can download this and other ebooks carefully produced for true book lovers at standardebooks.org.

Note

Addressed to the Reader

In offering this book to you, I have no Preface to write. I have only to request that you will bear in mind certain established truths, which occasionally escape your memory when you are reading a work of fiction. Be pleased, then, to remember (First): That the actions of human beings are not invariably governed by the laws of pure reason. (Secondly): That we are by no means always in the habit of bestowing our love on the objects which are the most deserving of it, in the opinions of our friends. (Thirdly and Lastly): That Characters which may not have appeared, and Events which may not have taken place, within the limits of our own individual experience, may nevertheless be perfectly natural Characters and perfectly probable Events, for all that. Having said these few words, I have said all that seems to be necessary at the present time, in presenting my new Story to your notice.

W. C.

London, February 1, 1875.

The Law and the Lady

Part I

Paradise Lost

I

The Bride’s Mistake

“For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands; even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”

Concluding the marriage service of the Church of England in those well-known words, my uncle Starkweather shut up his book, and looked at me across the altar rails with a hearty expression of interest on his broad, red face. At the same time my aunt, Mrs. Starkweather, standing by my side, tapped me smartly on the shoulder, and said,

“Valeria, you are married!”

Where were my thoughts? What had become of my attention? I was too bewildered to know. I started and looked at my new husband. He seemed to be almost as much bewildered as I was. The same thought had, as I believe, occurred to us both at the same moment. Was it really possible⁠—in spite of his mother’s opposition to our marriage⁠—that we were man and wife? My aunt Starkweather settled the question by a second tap on my shoulder.

“Take his arm!” she whispered, in the tone of a woman who had lost all patience with me.

I took his arm.

“Follow your uncle.”

Holding fast by my husband’s arm, I followed my uncle and the curate who had assisted him at the marriage.

The two clergymen led us into the vestry. The church was in one of the dreary quarters of London, situated between the City and the West End; the day was dull; the atmosphere was heavy and