the woman in the alcove-第18部分

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ld　servant　who　came　over　with　him　from　England。　But　what　adds　weight　to　all　this　and　makes　us　regard　the　whole　affair　with　suspicion；　is　the　additional　fact　that　this　man　received　his　dismissal　the　following　morning　and　has　not　been　seen　since　by　any　one　we　could　reach。　This　looks　bad　to　begin　with；　like　the　suppression　of　evidence；　you　know。　Then　Mr。　Grey　has　not　been　the　same　man　since　that　night。　He　is　full　of　care　and　this　care　is　not　entirely　in　connection　with　his　daughter；　who　is　doing　very　well　and　bids　fair　to　be　up　in　a　few　days。　But　all　this　would　be　nothing　if　we　had　not　received　advices　from　England　which　prove　that　Mr。　Grey's　visit　here　has　an　element　of　mystery　in　it。　There　was　every　reason　for　his　remaining　in　his　own　country；　where　a　political　crisis　is　approaching；　yet　he　crossed　the　water；　bringing　his　sickly　daughter　with　him。　The　explanation　as　volunteered　by　one　who　knew　him　well　was　this：　That　only　his　desire　to　see　or　acquire　some　precious　object　for　his　collection　could　have　taken　him　across　the　ocean　at　this　time；　nothing　else　rivaling　his　interest　in　governmental　affairs。　Still　this　would　be　nothing　if　a　stiletto　similar　to　the　one　employed　in　this　crime　had　not　once　formed　part　of　a　collection　of　curios　belonging　to　a　cousin　of　his　whom　he　often　visited。　This　stiletto　has　been　missing　for　some　time；　stolen；　as　the　owner　declared；　by　some　unknown　person。　All　this　looks　bad　enough；　but　when　I　tell　you　that　a　week　before　the　fatal　ball　at　Mr。　Ramsdell's；　Mr。　Grey　made　a　tour　of　the　jewelers　on　Broadway　and；　with　the　pretext　of　buying　a　diamond　for　his　daughter；　entered　into　a　talk　about　famous　stones；　ending　always　with　some　question　about　the　Fairbrother　gem；　you　will　see　that　his　interest　in　that　stone　is　established　and　that　it　only　remains　for　us　to　discover　if　that　interest　is　a　guilty　one。　I　can　not　believe　this　possible；　but　you　have　our　leave　to　make　your　experiment　and　see。　Only　do　not　count　too　much　on　his　superstition。　If　he　is　the　deep…dyed　criminal　you　imagine；　the　cry　which　startled　us　all　at　a　certain　critical　instant　was　raised　by　himself　and　for　the　purpose　you　suggested。　None　of　the　sensitiveness　often　shown　by　a　man　who　has　been　surprised　into　crime　will　be　his。　Relying　on　his　reputation　and　the　prestige　of　his　great　name；　he　will；　if　he　thinks　himself　under　fire；　face　every　shock　unmoved。〃

〃I　see；　I　understand。　He　must　believe　himself　all　alone；　then；　the　natural　man　may　appear。　I　thank　you；　Inspector。　That　idea　is　of　inestimable　value　to　me；　and　I　shall　act　on　it。　I　do　not　say　immediately；　not　on　the　first　day；　and　possibly　not　on　the　second；　but　as　soon　as　opportunity　offers　for　my　doing　what　I　have　planned　with　any　chance　of　success。　And　now；　advise　me　how　to　circumvent　my　uncle　and　aunt；　who　must　never　know　to　what　an　undertaking　I　have　committed　myself。〃

Inspector　Dalzell　spared　me　another　fifteen　minutes；　and　this　last　detail　was　arranged。　Then　he　rose　to　go。　As　he　turned　from　me　he　said：

〃To…morrow？〃

And　I　answered　with　a　full　heart；　but　a　voice　clear　as　my　purpose：

〃To…morrow。〃



XII

ALMOST

〃This　is　your　patient。　Your　new　nurse；　my　dear。　What　did　you　say　your　name　is？　Miss　Ayers？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Grey；　Alice　Ayers。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　sweet　name！〃

This　expressive　greeting；　from　the　patient　herself；　was　the　first　heart…sting　I　received；a　sting　which　brought　a　flush　into　my　cheek　which　I　would　fain　have　kept　down。

〃Since　a　change　of　nurses　was　necessary；　I　am　glad　they　sent　me　one　like　you；〃　the　feeble；　but　musical　voice　went　on；　and　I　saw　a　wasted　but　eager　hand　stretched　out。

In　a　whirl　of　strong　feeling　I　advanced　to　take　it。　I　had　not　counted　on　such　a　reception。　I　had　not　expected　any　bond　of　congeniality　to　spring　up　between　this　high…feeling　English　girl　and　myself　to　make　my　purpose　hateful　to　me。　Yet；　as　I　stood　there　looking　down　at　her　bright　if　wasted　face；　I　felt　that　it　would　be　very　easy　to　love　so　gentle　and　cordial　a　being；　and　dreaded　raising　my　eyes　to　the　gentleman　at　my　side　lest　I　should　see　something　in　him　to　hamper　me；　and　make　this　attempt；　which　I　had　undertaken　in　such　loyalty　of　spirit；　a　misery　to　myself　and　ineffectual　to　the　man　I　had　hoped　to　save　by　it。　When　I　did　look　up　and　catch　the　first　beams　of　Mr。　Grey's　keen　blue　eyes　fixed　inquiringly　on　me；　I　neither　knew　what　to　think　nor　how　to　act。　He　was　tall　and　firmly　knit；　and　had　an　intellectual　aspect　altogether。　I　was　conscious　of　regarding　him　with　a　decided　feeling　of　awe；　and　found　myself　forgetting　why　I　had　come　there；　and　what　my　suspicions　were；suspicions　which　had　carried　hope　with　them；　hope　for　myself　and　hope　for　my　lover；　who　would　never　escape　the　opprobrium；　even　if　he　did　the　punishment；　of　this　great　crime；　were　this；　the　only　other　person　who　could　possibly　be　associated　with　it；　found　to　be　the　fine；　clear…souled　man　he　appeared　to　be　in　this　my　first　interview　with　him。

Perceiving　very　soon　that　his　apprehensions　in　my　regard　were　limited　to　a　fear　lest　I　should　not　feel　at　ease　in　my　new　home　under　the　restraint　of　a　presence　more　accustomed　to　intimidate　than　attract　strangers；　I　threw　aside　all　doubts　of　myself　and　met　the　advances　of　both　father　and　daughter　with　that　quiet　confidence　which　my　position　there　demanded。

The　result　both　gratified　and　grieved　me。　As　a　nurse　entering　on　her　first　case　I　was　happy；　as　a　woman　with　an　ulterior　object　in　view　verging　on　the　audacious　and　unspeakable；　I　was　wretched　and　regretful　and　just　a　little　shaken　in　the　conviction　which　had　hitherto　upheld　me。

I　was　therefore　but　poorly　prepared　to　meet　the　ordeal　which　awaited　me；　when；　a　little　later　in　the　day；　Mr。　Grey　called　me　into　the　adjoining　room；　and；　after　saying　that　it　would　afford　him　great　relief　to　go　out　for　an　hour　or　so；　asked　if　I　were　afraid　to　be　left　alone　with　my　patient。

〃O　no；　sir〃　I　began；　but　stopped　in　secret　dismay。　I　was　afraid；　but　not　on　account　of　her　condition；　rather　on　account　of　my　own。　What　if　I　should　be　led　into　betraying　my　feelings　on　finding　myself　under　no　other　eye　than　her　own！　What　if　the　temptation　to　probe　her　poor　sick　mind　should　prove　stronger　than　my　duty　toward　her　as　a　nurse！

My　tones　were　hesitating　but　Mr。　Grey　paid　little　heed；　his　mind　was　too　fixed　on　what　he　wished　to　say　himself。

〃Before　I　go；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　a　request　to　makeI　may　as　well　say　a　caution　to　give　you。　Do　not；　I　pray；　either　now　or　at　any　future　time；　carry　or　allow　any　one　else　to　carry　newspapers　into　Miss　Grey's　room。　They　are　just　now　too　alarming。　There　has　been；　as　you　know；　a　dreadful　murder　in　this　city。　If　she　caught　one　glimpse　of　the　headlines；　or　saw　so　much　as　the　name　of　Fairbrotherwhichwhich　is　a　name　she　knows；　the　result　might　be　very　hurtful　to　her。　She　is　not　only　extremely　sensitive　from　illness　but　from　temperament。　Will　you　be　careful？〃

〃I　shall　be　careful。〃

It　was　such　an　effort　for　me　to　say　these　words；　to　say　anything　in　the　state　of　mind　into　which　I　had　been　thrown　by　his　unexpected　allusion　to　this　subject；　that　I　unfortunately　drew　his　attention　to　myself　and　it　was　with　what　I　felt　to　be　a　glance　of　doubt　that　he　added　with　decided　emphasis：

〃You　must　consider　this　whole　subject　as　a　forbidden　one　in　this　family。　Only　cheerful　topics　are　suitable　for　the　sick…room。　If　Miss　Grey　attempts　to　introduce　any　other；　stop　her。　Do　not　let　her　talk　about　anything　which　will　not　be　conducive　to　her　speedy　recovery。　These　are　the　only　instructions　I　have　to　give　you；　all　others　must　come　from　her　physician。〃

I　made　some　reply　with　as　little　show　of　emotion　as　possible。　It　seemed　to　satisfy　him；　for　his　face　cleared　as　he　kindly　observed：

〃You　have　a　very　trustworthy　look　for　one　so　young。　I　shall　rest　easy　while　you　are　with　her；　and　I　shall　expect　you　to　be　always　with　her　when　I　am　not。　Every　moment；　mind。　She　is　never　to　be　left　alone　with　gossiping　servants。　If　a　word　is　mentioned　in　her　hearing　about　this　crime　which　seems　to　be　in　everybody's　mouth；　I　shall　feel　forced；　greatly　as　I　should　regret　the　fad；　to　blame　you。〃

This　was　a　heart…stroke；　but　I　kept　up　bravely；　changing　color　perhaps；　but　not　to　such　a　marked　degree　as　to　arouse　any　deeper　suspicion　in　his　mind　than　that　I　had　been　wounded　in　my　amour　propre。

〃She　shall　be　well　guarded；〃　said　I。　〃You　may　trust　me　to　keep　from　her　all　avoidable　knowledge　of　this　crime。〃

He　bowed　and　I　was　about　to　leave　his　presence；　when　he　detained　me　by　remarking　with　the　air　of　one　who　felt　that　some　explanation　was　necessary：

〃I　was　at　the　ball　where　this　crime　took　place。　Naturally　it　has　made　a　deep　impression　on　me　and　would　on　her　if　she　heard　of　it。〃

〃Assuredly；〃　I　murmured；　wondering　if　he　would　say　more　and　how　I　should　have　the　courage　to　stand　there　and　listen　if　he　did。

〃It　is　the　first　time　I　have　ever　come　in　contact　with　crime；〃　he　went　on　with　what；　in　one　of　his　reserved　nature；　seemed　a　hardly　natural　insistence。　〃I　could　well　have　been　spared　the　experience。　A　tragedy　with　which　one　has　been　even　thus　remotely　connected　produces　a　lasting　effect　upon　the　mind。〃

〃Oh　yes；　oh　yes！〃　I　murmured；　edging　involuntarily　toward　the　door。　Did　I　not　know？　Had　I　not　been　there；　too；　I；　little　I；　whom　he　stood　gazing　down　upon　from　such　a　height；　little　realizing　the　fatality　which　united　us　and；　what　was　even　a　more　overwhelming　thought　to　me　at　the　moment；　the　fact　that　of　all　persons　in　the　world　the　shrinking　little　being；　into　whose　eyes　he　was　then　looking；　was；　perhaps；　his　greatest　enemy　and　the　one　person；　great　or　small；　from　whom　he　had　the　most　to　fear。

But　I　was　no　enemy　to　his　gentle　daughter　and　the　relief　I　felt　at　finding　myself　thus　cut　off　by　my　own　promise　from　even　the　remotest　communication　with　her　on　this　forbidden　subject　was　genuine　and　sincere。

But　the　father！　What　was　I　to　think　of　the　father？　Alas！　I　could　have　but　one　thought；　admirable　as　he　appeared　in　all　lights　save　the　one　in　which　his　too　evident　connection　with　this　crime　had　placed　him。　I　spent　the　hours　of　the　afternoon　in　alternately　watching　the　sleeping　face　of　my　patient；　too　sweetly　calm　in　its　repose；　or　so　it　seemed；　for　the　mind　beneath　to　harbor　such　doubts　as　were　shown　in　the　warning　I　had　ascribed　to　her；　and　vain