the woman in the alcove-第33部分

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ons　he　was　an　honest　man。　He　prized　his　good　name　and　would　not　willingly　risk　it；　but　he　had　little　real　conscience；　and　once　his　passions　were　aroused　nothing　short　of　the　object　desired　would　content　him。　At　once　forceful　and　subtle；　he　had　at　his　command　infinite　resources　which　his　wandering　and　eventful　life　had　heightened　almost　to　the　point　of　genius。　He　saw　this　stone；　and　at　once　felt　an　inordinate　desire　to　possess　it。　He　had　coveted　other　men's　treasures　before；　but　not　as　he　coveted　this。　What　had　been　longing　in　other　cases　was　mania　in　this。　There　was　a　woman　in　America　whom　he　loved。　She　was　beautiful　and　she　was　splendor…loving。　To　see　her　with　this　glory　on　her　breast　would　be　worth　almost　any　risk　which　his　imagination　could　picture　at　the　moment。　Before　the　diamond　had　left　his　hand　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　have　it　for　his　own。　He　knew　that　it　could　not　be　bought；　so　he　set　about　obtaining　it　by　an　act　he　did　not　hesitate　to　acknowledge　to　himself　as　criminal。　But　he　did　not　act　without　precautions。　Having　a　keen　eye　and　a　proper　sense　or　size　and　color；　he　carried　away　from　his　first　view　of　it　a　true　image　of　the　stone；　and　when　he　was　next　admitted　to　Mr。　Grey's　cabinet　room　he　had　provided　the　means　for　deceiving　the　owner　whose　character　he　had　sounded。

He　might　have　failed　in　his　daring　attempt　if　he　had　not　been　favored　by　a　circumstance　no　one　could　have　foreseen。　A　daughter　of　the　house；　Cecilia　by　name；　lay　critically　ill　at　the　time；　and　Mr。　Grey's　attention　was　more　or　less　distracted。　Still　the　probabilities　are　that　he　would　have　noticed　something　amiss　with　the　stone　when　he　came　to　restore　it　to　its　place；　if；　just　as　he　took　it　in　his　hand；　there　had　not　risen　in　the　air　outside　a　weird　and　wailing　cry　which　at　once　seized　upon　the　imagination　of　the　dozen　gentlemen　present；　and　so　nearly　prostrated　their　host　that　he　thrust　the　box　he　held　unopened　into　the　safe　and　fell　upon　his　knees；　a　totally　unnerved　man；　crying：

〃The　banshee！　the　banshee！　My　daughter　will　die！〃

Another　hand　than　his　locked　the　safe　and　dropped　the　key　into　the　distracted　father's　pocket。

Thus　a　superhuman　daring　conjoined　with　a　special　intervention　of　fate　had　made　the　enterprise　a　successful　one；　and　Fairbrother；　believing　more　than　ever　in　his　star；　carried　this　invaluable　jewel　back　with　him　to　New　York。　The　stilettowell；　the　taking　of　that　was　a　folly；　for　which　he　had　never　ceased　to　blush。　He　had　not　stolen　it；　he　would　not　steal　so　inconsiderable　an　object。　He　had　merely　put　it　in　his　pocket　when　he　saw　it　forgotten；　passed　over；　given　to　him；　as　it　were。　That　the　risk；　contrary　to　that　involved　in　the　taking　of　the　diamond；　was　far　in　excess　of　the　gratification　obtained；　he　realized　almost　immediately；　but；　having　made　the　break；　and　acquired　the　curio；　he　spared　himself　all　further　thought　or　the　consequences；　and　presently　resumed　his　old　life　in　New　York；　none　the　worse；　to　all　appearances；　for　these　escapades　from　virtue　and　his　usual　course　of　fair　and　open　dealing。

But　he　was　soon　the　worse　from　jealousy　of　the　wife　which　his　new　possession　had　possibly　won　for　him。　She　had　answered　all　his　expectations　as　mistress　of　his　home　and　the　exponent　of　his　wealth；　and　for　a　year；　nay；　for　two；　he　had　been　perfectly　happy。　Indeed；　he　had　been　more　than　that；　he　had　been　triumphant；　especially　on　that　memorable　evening　when；　after　a　cautious　delay　of　months；　he　had　dared　to　pin　that　unapproachable　sparkler　to　her　breast　and　present　her　thus　bedecked　to　the　smart　sether　whom　his　talents；　and　especially　his　far…reaching　business　talents；　had　made　his　own。

Recalling　the　old　days　of　barter　and　sale　across　the　pine　counter　in　Colorado；　he　felt　that　his　star　rode　high；　and　for　a　time　was　satisfied　with　his　wife's　magnificence　and　the　prestige　she　gave　his　establishment。　But　pride　is　not　all；　even　to　a　man　of　his　daring　ambition。　Gradually　he　began　to　realize；　first；　that　she　was　indifferent　to　him；　next；　that　she　despised　him；　and；　lastly；　that　she　hated　him。　She　had　dozens　at　her　feet；　any　of　whom　was　more　agreeable　to　her　than　her　own　husband；　and；　though　he　could　not　put　his　finger　on　any　definite　fault；　he　soon　wearied　of　a　beauty　that　only　glowed　for　others；　and　made　up　his　mind　to　part　with　her　rather　than　let　his　heart　be　eaten　out　by　unappeasable　longing　for　what　his　own　good　sense　told　him　would　never　be　his。

Yet；　being　naturally　generous；　he　was　satisfied　with　a　separation；　and；　finding　it　impossible　to　think　of　her　as　other　than　extravagantly　fed；　waited　on　and　clothed；　he　allowed　her　a　good　share　of　his　fortune　with　the　one　proviso；　that　she　should　not　disgrace　him。　But　the　diamond　she　stole；　or　rather　carried　off　in　her　naturally　high…handed　manner　with　the　rest　of　her　jewels。　He　had　never　given　it　to　hen　She　knew　the　value　he　set　on　it；　but　not　how　he　came　by　it；　and　would　have　worn　it　quite　freely　if　he　had　not　very　soon　given　her　to　understand　that　the　pleasure　of　doing　so　ceased　when　she　left　his　house。　As　she　could　not　be　seen　with　it　without　occasioning　public　remark；　she　was　forced；　though　much　against　her　will；　to　heed　his　wishes；　and　enjoy　its　brilliancy　in　private。　But　once；　when　he　was　out　of　town；　she　dared　to　appear　with　this　fortune　on　her　breast；　and　again　while　on　a　visit　West；and　her　husband　heard　of　it。

Mr。　Fairbrother　had　had　the　jewel　set　to　suit　him；　not　in　Florence；　as　Sears　had　said；　but　by　a　skilful　workman　he　had　picked　up　in　great　poverty　in　a　remote　corner　of　Williamsburg。　Always　in　dread　of　some　complication；　he　had　provided　himself　with　a　second　facsimile　in　paste；　this　time　of　an　astonishing　brightness；　and　this　facsimile　he　had　had　set　precisely　like　the　true　stone。　Then　he　gave　the　workman　a　thousand　dollars　and　sent　him　back　to　Switzerland。　This　imitation　in　paste　he　showed　nobody；　but　he　kept　it　always　in　his　pocket；　why；　he　hardly　knew。　Meantime；　he　had　one　confidant；　not　of　his　crime；　but　of　his　sentiments　toward　his　wife；　and　the　determination　he　had　secretly　made　to　proceed　to　extremities　if　she　continued　to　disobey　him。

This　was　a　man　of　his　own　age　or　older；　who　had　known　him　in　his　early　days；　and　had　followed　all　his　fortunes。　He　had　been　the　master　of　Fairbrother　then；　but　he　was　his　servant　now；　and　as　devoted　to　his　interests　as　if　they　were　his　own；which；　in　a　way；　they　were。　For　eighteen　years　he　had　stood　at　the　latter's　right　hand；　satisfied　to　look　no　further；　but；　for　the　last　three；　his　glances　had　strayed　a　foot　or　two　beyond　his　master；　and　taken　in　his　master's　wife。

The　feelings　which　this　man　had　for　Mrs。　Fairbrother　were　peculiar。　She　was　a　mere　adjunct　to　her　great　lord；　but　she　was　a　very　gorgeous　one；　and；　while　he　could　not　imagine　himself　doing　anything　to　thwart　him　whose　bread　he　ate；　and　to　whose　rise　he　had　himself　contributed；　yet　if　he　could　remain　true　to　him　without　injuring　he；　he　would　account　himself　happy。　The　day　came　when　he　had　to　decide　between　them；　and；　against　all　chances；　against　his　own　preconceived　notion　of　what　he　would　do　under　these　circumstances；　he　chose　to　consider　her。

This　day　came　when；　in　the　midst　of　growing　complacency　and　an　intense　interest　in　some　new　scheme　which　demanded　all　his　powers；　Abner　Fairbrother　learned　from　the　papers　that　Mr。　Grey；　of　English　Parliamentary　fame；　had　arrived　in　New　York　on　an　indefinite　visit。　As　no　cause　was　assigned　for　the　visit　beyond　a　natural　desire　on　the　part　of　this　eminent　statesman　to　see　this　great　country；　Mr。　Fairbrother's　fears　reached　a　sudden　climax；　and　he　saw　himself　ruined　and　for　ever　disgraced　if　the　diamond　now　so　unhappily　out　of　his　hands　should　fall　under　the　eyes　of　its　owner；　whose　seeming　quiet　under　its　loss　had　not　for　a　moment　deceived　him。　Waiting　only　long　enough　to　make　sure　that　the　distinguished　foreigner　was　likely　to　accept　social　attentions；　and　so　in　all　probability　would　be　brought　in　contact　with　Mrs。　Fairbrother；　he　sent　her　by　his　devoted　servant　a　peremptory　message；　in　which　he　demanded　back　his　diamond；　and；　upon　her　refusing　to　heed　this；　followed　it　up　by　another；　in　which　he　expressly　stated　that　if　she　took　it　out　of　the　safe　deposit　in　which　he　had　been　told　she　was　wise　enough　to　keep　it；　or　wore　it　so　much　as　once　during　the　next　three　months；　she　would　pay　for　her　presumption　with　her　life。

This　was　no　idle　threat；　though　she　chose　to　regard　it　as　such；　laughing　in　the　old　servant's　face　and　declaring　that　she　would　run　the　risk　if　the　notion　seized　her。　But　the　notion　did　not　seem　to　seize　her　at　once；　and　her　husband　was　beginning　to　take　heart；　when　he　heard　of　the　great　ball　about　to　be　given　by　the　Ramsdells　and　realized　that　if　she　were　going　to　be　tempted　to　wear　the　diamond　at　all；　it　would　be　at　this　brilliant　function　given　in　honor　of　the　one　man　he　had　most　cause　to　fear　in　the　whole　world。

Sears；　seeing　the　emotion　he　was　under；　watched　him　closely。　They　had　both　been　on　the　point　of　starting　for　New　Mexico　to　visit　a　mine　in　which　Mr。　Fairbrother　was　interested；　and　he　waited　with　inconceivable　anxiety　to　see　if　his　master　would　change　his　plans。　It　was　while　he　was　in　this　condition　of　mind　that　he　was　seen　to　shake　his　fist　at　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　passing　figure；　a　menace　naturally　interpreted　as　directed　against　her；　but　which；　if　we　know　the　man；　was　rather　the　expression　of　his　anger　against　the　husband　who　could　rebuke　and　threaten　so　beautiful　a　creature。　Meanwhile；　Mr。　Fairbrother's　preparations　went　on　and；　three　weeks　before　the　ball；　they　started。　Mr。　Fairbrother　had　business　in　Chicago　and　business　in　Denver。　It　was　two　weeks　and　more　before　he　reached　La　Junta。　Sears　counted　the　days。　At　La　Junta　they　had　a　long　conversation；　or　rather　Mr。　Fairbrother　talked　and　Sears　listened。　The　sum　of　what　he　said　was　this：　He　had　made　up　his　mind　to　have　back　his　diamond。　He　was　going　to　New　York　to　get　it。　He　was　going　alone；　and　as　he　wished　no　one　to　know　that　he　had　gone　or　that　his　plans　had　been　in　any　way　interrupted；　the　other　was　to　continue　on　to　El　Moro；　and；　passing　himself　off　as　Fairbrother；　hire　a　room　at　the　hotel　and　shut　himself　up　in　it　for　ten　days　on　any　plea　his　ingenuity　might　suggest。　If　at　the　end　of　that　time　Fairbrother　should　rejoin　him；　well　and　good。　Th