the woman in the alcove-第24部分

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thers。　We　have　been　bothered　greatly　with　the　business。　You　know　little　of　the　difficulties　the　police　labor　under。〃

〃I　know　too　much；〃　I　sighed。

He　smiled　and　patted　me　on　the　hand。

〃Go　back　to　your　patient；〃　he　said。　〃Forget　every　other　duty　but　that　of　your　calling　until　you　get　some　definite　word　from　me。　I　shall　not　keep　you　in　suspense　one　minute　longer　than　is　absolutely　necessary。〃

He　had　risen。　I　rose　too。　But　I　was　not　satisfied。　I　could　not　leave　the　room　with　my　ideas　（I　might　say　with　my　convictions）　in　such　a　turmoil。

〃Inspector；〃　said　I；　〃you　will　think　me　very　obstinate；　but　all　you　have　told　me　about　Sears；　all　I　have　heard　about　him；　in　fact；〃this　I　emphasized；〃does　not　convince　me　of　the　entire　folly　of　my　own　suspicions。　Indeed；　I　am　afraid　that；　if　anything；　they　are　strengthened。　This　steward；　who　is　a　doubtful　character；　I　acknowledge；　may　have　had　his　reasons　for　wishing　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　death；　may　even　have　had　a　hand　in　the　matter；　but　what　evidence　have　you　to　show　that　he；　himself；　entered　the　alcove；　struck　the　blow　or　stole　the　diamond？　I　have　listened　eagerly　for　some　such　evidence；　but　I　have　listened　in　vain。〃

〃I　know；〃　he　murmured；　〃I　know。　But　it　will　come；　at　least　I　think　so。〃

This　should　have　reassured　me；　no　doubt；　and　sent　me　away　quiet　and　happy。　But　somethingthe　tenacity　of　a　deep　conviction；　possiblykept　me　lingering　before　the　inspector　and　finally　gave　me　the　courage　to　say：

〃I　know　I　ought　not　to　speak　another　word；　that　I　am　putting　myself　at　a　disadvantage　in　doing　so；　but　I　can　not　help　it；　Inspector；　I　can　not　help　it　when　I　see　you　laying　such　stress　upon　the　few　indirect　clues　connecting　the　suspicious　Sears　with　this　crime；　and　ignoring　the　direct　clues　we　have　against　one　whom　we　need　not　name。〃

Had　I　gone　too　far？　Had　my　presumption　transgressed　all　bounds　and　would　he　show　a　very　natural　anger？　No；　he　smiled　instead；　an　enigmatical　smile；　no　doubt；　which　I　found　it　difficult　to　understand；　but　yet　a　smile。

〃You　mean；〃　he　suggested；　〃that　Sears'　possible　connection　with　the　crime　can　not　eliminate　Mr。　Grey's　very　positive　one；　nor　can　the　fact　that　Wellgood's　hand　came　in　contact　with　Mr。　Grey's；　at　or　near　the　time　of　the　exchange　of　the　false　stone　with　the　real；　make　it　any　less　evident　who　was　the　guilty　author　of　this　exchange？〃

The　inspector's　hand　was　on　the　door…knob；　but　he　dropped　it　at　this；　and　surveying　me　very　quietly　said：

〃I　thought　that　a　few　days　spent　at　the　bedside　of　Miss　Grey　in　the　society　of　so　renowned　and　cultured　a　gentleman　as　her　father　would　disabuse　you　of　these　damaging　suspicions。〃

〃I　don't　wonder　that　you　thought　so；〃　I　burst　out。　〃You　would　think　so　all　the　more；　if　you　knew　how　kind　he　can　be　and　what　solicitude　he　shows　for　all　about　him。　But　I　can　not　get　over　the　facts。　They　all　point；　it　seems　to　me；　straight　in　one　direction。〃

〃All？　You　heard　what　was　said　in　this　roomI　saw　it　in　your　eyehow　the　man；　who　surprised　the　steward　in　his　own　room　last　night；　heard　him　talking　of　love　and　death　in　connection　with　Mrs。　Fairbrother。　'To　kiss　what　I　hate！　It　is　almost　as　bad　as　to　kill　what　I　love'he　said　something　like　that。〃

〃Yes；　I　heard　that。　But　did　he　mean　that　he　had　been　her　actual　slayer？　Could　you　convict　him　on　those　words？〃

〃Well；　we　shall　find　out。　Then；　as　to　Wellgood's　part　in　the　little　business；　you　choose　to　consider　that　it　took　place　at　the　time　the　stone　fell　from　Mr。　Grey's　hand。　What　proof　have　you　that　the　substitution　you　believe　in　was　not　made　by　him？　He　could　easily　have　done　it　while　crossing　the　room　to　Mr。　Grey's　side。〃

〃Inspector！〃　Then　hotly；　as　the　absurdity　of　the　suggestion　struck　me　with　full　force：　〃He　do　this！　A　waiter；　or　as　you　think；　Mr。　Fairbrother's　steward；　to　be　provided　with　so　hard…to…come…by　an　article　as　this　counterpart　of　a　great　stone？　Isn't　that　almost　as　incredible　a　supposition　as　any　I　have　myself　presumed　to　advance？〃

〃Possibly；　but　the　affair　is　full　of　incredibilities；　the　greatest　of　which；　to　my　mind；　is　the　persistence　with　which　you；　a　kind…hearted　enough　little　woman；　persevere　in　ascribing　the　deepest　guilt　to　one　you　profess　to　admire　and　certainly　would　be　glad　to　find　innocent　of　any　complicity　with　a　great　crime。〃

I　felt　that　I　must　justify　myself。

〃Mr。　Durand　has　had　no　such　consideration　shown　him；〃　said　I。

〃I　know；　my　child；　I　know；　but　the　cases　differ。　Wouldn't　it　be　well　for　you　to　see　this　and　be　satisfied　with　the　turn　which　things　have　taken；　without　continuing　to　insist　upon　involving　Mr。　Grey　in　your　suspicions？〃

A　smile　took　off　the　edge　of　this　rebuke；　yet　I　felt　it　keenly；　and　only　the　confidence　I　had　in　his　fairness　as　a　man　and　public　official　enabled　me　to　say：

〃But　I　am　talking　quite　confidentially。　And　you　have　been　so　good　to　me；　so　willing　to　listen　to　all　I　had　to　say；　that　I　can　not　help　but　speak　my　whole　mind。　It　is　my　only　safety　valve。　Remember　how　I　have　to　sit　in　the　presence　of　this　man　with　my　thoughts　all　choked　up。　It　is　killing　me。　But　I　think　I　should　go　back　content　if　you　will　listen　to　one　more　suggestion　I　have　to　make。　It　is　my　last。〃

〃Say　it　I　am　nothing　if　not　indulgent。〃

He　had　spoken　the　word。　Indulgent；　that　was　it。　He　let　me　speak；　probably　had　let　me　speak　from　the　first；　from　pure　kindness。　He　did　not　believe　one　little　bit　in　my　good　sense　or　logic。　But　I　was　not　to　be　deterred。　I　would　empty　my　mind　of　the　ugly　thing　that　lay　there。　I　would　leave　there　no　miserable　dregs　of　doubt　to　ferment　and　work　their　evil　way　with　me　in　the　dead　watches　of　the　night；　which　I　had　yet　to　face。　So　I　took　him　at　his　word。

〃I　only　want　to　ask　this。　In　case　Sears　is　innocent　of　the　crime；　who　wrote　the　warning　and　where　did　the　assassin　get　the　stiletto　with　the　Grey　arms　chased　into　its　handle？　And　the　diamond？　Still　the　diamond！　You　hint　that　he　stole　that；　too。　That　with　some　idea　of　its　proving　useful　to　him　on　this　gala　occasion；　he　had　provided　himself　with　an　imitation　stone；　setting　and　all；he　who　has　never　shown；　so　far　as　we　have　heard；　any　interest　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　diamond；　only　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother　herself。　If　Wellgood　is　Sears　and　Sears　the　medium　by　which　the　false　stone　was　exchanged　for　the　real；　then　he　made　this　exchange　in　Mr。　Grey's　interests　and　not　his　own。　But　I　don't　believe　he　had　anything　to　do　with　it。　I　think　everything　goes　to　show　that　the　exchange　was　made　by　Mr。　Grey　himself。〃

〃A　second　Daniel；〃　muttered　the　inspector　lightly。　〃Go　on；　little　lawyer！〃　But　for　all　this　attempt　at　banter　on　his　part；　I　imagined　that　I　saw　the　beginning　of　a　very　natural　anxiety　to　close　the　conversation。　I　therefore　hastened　with　what　I　had　yet　to　say；　cutting　my　words　short　and　almost　stammering　in　my　eagerness。

〃Remember　the　perfection　of　that　imitation　stone；　a　copy　so　exact　that　it　extends　to　the　setting。　That　shows　plan　forgive　me　if　I　repeat　myselfpreparation；　a　knowledge　of　stones；　a　particular　knowledge　of　this　one。　Mr。　Fairbrother's　steward　may　have　had　the　knowledge；　but　he　would　have　been　a　fool　to　have　used　his　knowledge　to　secure　for　himself　a　valuable　he　could　never　have　found　a　purchaser　for　in　any　market。　But　a　fancierone　who　has　his　pleasure　in　the　mere　possession　of　a　unique　and　invaluable　gemah！　that　is　different！　He　might　risk　a　crimehistory　tells　us　of　several。〃

Here　I　paused　to　take　breath；　which　gave　the　inspector　chance　to　say：

〃In　other　words；　this　is　what　you　think。　The　Englishman；　desirous　of　covering　up　his　tracks；　conceived　the　idea　of　having　this　imitation　on　hand；　in　case　it　might　be　of　use　in　the　daring　and　disgraceful　undertaking　you　ascribe　to　him。　Recognizing　his　own　inability　to　do　this　himself；　he　delegated　the　task　to　one　who　in　some　way；　he　had　been　led　to　think；　cherished　a　secret　grudge　against　its　present　possessora　man　who　had　had　some　opportunity　for　seeing　the　stone　and　studying　the　setting。　The　copy　thus　procured；　Mr。　Grey　went　to　the　ball；　and；　relying　on　his　own　seemingly　unassailable　position；　attacked　Mrs。　Fairbrother　in　the　alcove　and　would　have　carried　off　the　diamond；　if　he　had　found　it　where　he　had　seen　it　earlier　blazing　on　her　breast。　But　it　was　not　there。　The　warning　received　by　hera　warning　you　ascribe　to　his　daughter；　a　fact　which　is　yet　to　be　provedhad　led　her　to　rid　herself　of　the　jewel　in　the　way　Mr。　Durand　describes；　and　he　found　himself　burdened　with　a　dastardly　crime　and　with　nothing　to　show　for　it。　Later；　however；　to　his　intense　surprise　and　possible　satisfaction；　he　saw　that　diamond　in　my　hands；　and；　recognizing　an　opportunity；　as　he　thought；　of　yet　securing　it；　he　asked　to　see　it；　held　it　for　an　instant；　and　then；　making　use　of　an　almost　incredible　expedient　for　distracting　attention；　dropped；　not　the　real　stone　but　the　false　one；　retaining　the　real　one　in　his　hand。　This；　in　plain　English；　as　I　take　it；　is　your　present　idea　of　the　situation。〃

Astonished　at　the　clearness　with　which　he　read　my　mind；　I　answered：　〃Yes；　Inspector；　that　is　what　was　in　my　mind。〃

〃Good！　then　it　is　just　as　well　that　it　is　out。　Your　mind　is　now　free　and　you　can　give　it　entirely　to　your　duties。〃　Then；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　door…knob；　he　added：　〃In　studying　so　intently　your　own　point　of　view；　you　seem　to　have　forgotten　that　the　last　thing　which　Mr。　Grey　would　be　likely　to　do；　under　those　circumstances；　would　be　to　call　attention　to　the　falsity　of　the　gem　upon　whose　similarity　to　the　real　stone　he　was　depending。　Not　even　his　confidence　in　his　own　position；　as　an　honored　and　highly…esteemed　guest；　would　lead　him　to　do　that。〃

〃Not　if　he　were　a　well…known　connoisseur；〃　I　faltered；　〃with　the　pride　of　one　who　has　handled　the　best　gems？　He　would　know　that　the　deception　would　be　soon　discovered　and　that　it　would　not　do　for　him　to　fail　to　recognize　it　for　what　it　was；　when　the　make…believe　was　in　his　hands。〃

〃Forced；　my　dear　child；　forced；　and　as　chimerical　as　all　the　rest。　It　can　not　stand　putting　into　words。　I　will　go　further；　you　are　a　good　girl　and　can　bear　to　hear　the　truth　from　me。　I　don't　believe　in　your　theory；　I　can't。　I　have　not　been　able　to　from　the　first；　nor　have　any　of　my　men；　but　if　your　ideas　are　true　and　Mr。　Grey　is　involved　in　this　matter；　you　will　find　that　there　has　been　more　of　a　hit