the woman in the alcove-第4部分

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eave　him　behind　when　you　start　for　home。　All　who　have　been　seen　entering　that　alcove　this　evening　will　necessarily　be　detained　here　till　the　coroner　arrives。

My　uncle　and　I　strolled　toward　the　drawing…room　and　as　we　did　so　we　passed　the　library。　It　held　but　one　occupant；　the　Englishman。　He　was　seated　before　a　table；　and　his　appearance　was　such　as　precluded　any　attempt　at　intrusion；　even　if　one　had　been　so　disposed。　There　was　a　fixity　in　his　gaze　and　a　frown　on　his　powerful　forehead　which　bespoke　a　mind　greatly　agitated。　It　was　not　for　me　to　read　that　mind；　much　as　it　interested　me；　and　I　passed　on；　chatting；　as　if　I　had　not　the　least　desire　to　stop。

I　can　not　say　how　much　time　elapsed　before　my　uncle　touched　me　on　the　arm　with　the　remark：

〃The　police　are　here　in　full　force。　I　saw　a　detective　in　plain　clothes　look　in　here　a　minute　ago。　He　seemed　to　have　his　eye　on　you。　There　he　is　again！　What　can　he　want？　No；　don't　turn；　he's　gone　away　now。〃

Frightened　as　I　had　never　been　in　all　my　life；　I　managed　to　keep　my　head　up　and　maintain　an　indifferent　aspect。　What；　as　my　uncle　said；　could　a　detective　want　of　me？　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　crime；　not　in　the　remotest　way　could　I　be　said　to　be　connected　with　it；　why；　then；　had　I　caught　the　attention　of　the　police？　Looking　about；　I　sought　Mr。　Durand。　He　had　left　me　on　my　uncle's　coming　up；　but　had　remained；　as　I　supposed；　within　sight。　But　at　this　moment　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Was　I　afraid　on　his　account？　Impossible；　yet

Happily　just　then　the　word　was　passed　about　that　the　police　had　given　orders　that；　with　the　exception　of　such　as　had　been　requested　to　remain　to　answer　questions；　the　guests　generally　should　feel　themselves　at　liberty　to　depart。

The　time　had　now　come　to　take　a　stand　and　I　informed　my　uncle；　to　his　evident　chagrin；　that　I　should　not　leave　as　long　as　any　excuse　could　be　found　for　staying。

He　said　nothing　at　the　time；　but　as　the　noise　of　departing　carriages　gradually　lessened　and　the　great　hall　and　drawing…rooms　began　to　wear　a　look　of　desertion　he　at　last　ventured　on　this　gentle　protest：

〃You　have　more　pluck；　Rita；　than　I　supposed。　Do　you　think　it　wise　to　stay　on　here？　Will　not　people　imagine　that　you　have　been　requested　to　do　so？　Look　at　those　waiters　hanging　about　in　the　different　doorways。　Run　up　and　put　on　your　wraps。　Mr。　Durand　will　come　to　the　house　fast　enough　as　soon　as　he　is　released。　I　give　you　leave　to　sit　up　for　him　if　you　will；　only　let　us　leave　this　place　before　that　impertinent　little　man　dares　to　come　around　again；〃　he　artfully　added。

But　I　stood　firm；　though　somewhat　moved　by　his　final　suggestion；　and；　being　a　small　tyrant　in　my　way；　at　least　with　him；　I　carried　my　point。

Suddenly　my　anxiety　became　poignant。　A　party　of　men；　among　whom　I　saw　Mr。　Durand；　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　led　by　a　very　small　but　self…important　personage　whom　my　uncle　immediately　pointed　out　as　the　detective　who　had　twice　come　to　the　door　near　which　I　stood。　As　this　man　looked　up　and　saw　me　still　there；　a　look　of　relief　crossed　his　face；　and；　after　a　word　or　two　with　another　stranger　of　seeming　authority；　he　detached　himself　from　the　group　he　had　ushered　upon　the　scene；　and；　approaching　me　respectfully　enough；　said　with　a　deprecatory　glance　at　my　uncle　whose　frown　he　doubtless　understood：

〃Miss　Van　Arsdale；　I　believe？〃

I　nodded；　too　choked　to　speak。

〃I　am　sorry；　Madam；　if　you　were　expecting　to　go。　Inspector　Dalzell　has　arrived　and　would　like　to　speak　to　you。　Will　you　step　into　one　of　these　rooms？　Not　the　library；　but　any　other。　He　will　come　to　you　as　quickly　as　he　can。〃

I　tried　to　carry　it　off　bravely　and　as　if　I　saw　nothing　in　this　summons　which　was　unique　or　alarming。　But　I　succeeded　only　in　dividing　a　wavering　glance　between　him　and　the　group　of　men　of　which　he　had　just　formed　a　part。　In　the　latter　were　several　gentlemen　whom　I　had　noted　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　train　early　in　the　evening　and　a　few　strangers；　two　of　whom　were　officials。　Mr。　Durand　was　with　the　former；　and　his　expression　did　not　encourage　me。

〃The　affair　is　very　serious；〃　commented　the　detective　on　leaving　me。　〃That's　our　excuse　for　any　trouble　we　may　be　putting　you　to。〃　I　clutched　my　uncle's　arm。

〃Where　shall　we　go？〃　I　asked。　〃The　drawing…room　is　too　large。　In　this　hall　my　eyes　are　for　ever　traveling　in　the　direction　of　the　alcove。　Don't　you　know　some　little　room？　Oh；　what；　what　can　he　want　of　me？〃

〃Nothing　serious；　nothing　important；〃　blustered　my　good　uncle。　〃Some　triviality　such　as　you　can　answer　in　a　moment。　A　little　room？　Yes；　I　know　one；　there；　under　the　stairs。　Come；　I　will　find　the　door　for　you。　Why　did　we　ever　come　to　this　wretched　ball？〃

I　had　no　answer　for　this。　Why；　indeed！

My　uncle；　who　is　a　very　patient　man；　guided　me　to　the　place　he　had　picked　out；　without　adding　a　word　to　the　ejaculation　in　which　he　had　just　allowed　his　impatience　to　expend　itself。　But　once　seated　within；　and　out　of　the　range　of　peering　eyes　and　listening　ears；　he　allowed　a　sigh　to　escape　him　which　expressed　the　fullness　of　his　agitation。

〃My　dear；〃　he　began；　and　stopped。　〃I　feel〃　here　he　again　came　to　a　pause〃that　you　should　know〃

〃What？〃　I　managed　to　ask。

〃That　I　do　not　like　Mr。　Durand　andthat　others　do　not　like　him。〃

〃Is　it　because　of　something　you　knew　about　him　before　to…night？〃

He　made　no　answer。

〃Or　because　he　was　seen；　like　many　other　gentlemen；　talking　with　that　woman　some　time　beforea　long　time　beforeshe　was　attacked　for　her　diamond　and　murdered？〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　dear；　he　was　the　last　one　seen　talking　to　her。　Some　one　may　yet　be　found　who　went　in　after　he　came　out；　but　as　yet　he　is　considered　the　last。　Mr。　Ramsdell　himself　told　me　so。〃

〃It　makes　no　difference；〃　I　exclaimed；　in　all　the　heat　of　my　long…suppressed　agitation。　〃I　am　willing　to　stake　my　life　on　his　integrity　and　honor。　No　man　could　talk　to　me　as　he　did　early　this　evening　with　any　vile　intentions　at　heart。　He　was　interested；　no　doubt；　like　many　others；　in　one　who　had　the　name　of　being　a　captivating　woman；　but〃

I　paused　in　sudden　alarm。　A　look　had　crossed　my　uncle's　face　which　assured　me　that　we　were　no　longer　alone。　Who　could　have　entered　so　silently？　In　some　trepidation　I　turned　to　see。　A　gentleman　was　standing　in　the　doorway；　who　smiled　as　I　met　his　eye。

〃Is　this　Miss　Van　Arsdale？〃　he　asked。

Instantly　my　courage；　which　had　threatened　to　leave　me；　returned　and　I　smiled。

〃I　am；〃　said　I。　〃Are　you　the　inspector？〃

〃Inspector　Dalzell；〃　he　explained　with　a　bow；　which　included　my　uncle。

Then　he　closed　the　door。

〃I　hope　I　have　not　frightened　you；〃　he　went　on；　approaching　me　with　a　gentlemanly　air。　〃A　little　matter　has　come　up　concerning　which　I　mean　to　be　perfectly　frank　with　you。　It　may　prove　to　be　of　trivial　importance；　if　so；　you　will　pardon　my　disturbing　you。　Mr。　Durandyou　know　him？〃

〃I　am　engaged　to　him；〃　I　declared　before　poor　uncle　could　raise　his　hand。

〃You　are　engaged　to　him。　Well；　that　makes　it　difficult；　and　yet；　in　some　respects；　easier　for　me　to　ask　a　certain　question。〃

It　must　have　made　it　more　difficult　than　easy；　for　he　did　not　proceed　to　put　this　question　immediately；　but　went　on：

〃You　know　that　Mr。　Durand　visited　Mrs。　Fairbrother　in　the　alcove　a　little　while　before　her　death？〃

〃I　have　been　told　so。〃

　〃He　was　seen　to　go　in；　but　I　have　not　yet　found　any　one　who　saw　him　come　out；　consequently　we　have　been　unable　to　fix　the　exact　minute　when　he　did　so。　What　is　the　matter；　Miss　Van　Arsdale？　You　want　to　say　something？〃

〃No；　no；〃　I　protested；　reconsidering　my　first　impulse。　Then；　as　I　met　his　look；　〃He　can　probably　tell　you　that　himself。　I　am　sure　he　would　not　hesitate。〃

〃We　shall　ask　him　later；〃　was　the　inspector's　response。　〃Meanwhile；　are　you　ready　to　assure　me　that　since　that　time　he　has　not　intrusted　you　with　a　little　article　to　keepNo；　no；　I　do　not　mean　the　diamond；〃　he　broke　in；　in　very　evident　dismay；　as　I　fell　back　from　him　in　irrepressible　indignation　and　alarm。　〃The　diamondwell；　we　shall　look　for　that　later；　it　is　another　article　we　are　in　search　of　now；　one　which　Mr。　Durand　might　very　well　have　taken　in　his　hand　without　realizing　just　what　he　was　doing。　As　it　is　important　for　us　to　find　this　article；　and　as　it　is　one　he　might　very　naturally　have　passed　over　to　you　when　he　found　himself　in　the　hall　with　it　in　his　hand；　I　have　ventured　to　ask　you　if　this　surmise　is　correct。〃

〃It　is　not；〃　I　retorted　fiercely；　glad　that　I　could　speak　from　my　very　heart。　〃He　has　given　me　nothing　to　keep　for　him。　He　would　not〃

Why　that　peculiar　look　in　the　inspector's　eye？　Why　did　he　reach　out　for　a　chair　and　seat　me　in　it　before　he　took　up　my　interrupted　sentence　and　finished　it？

〃would　not　give　you　anything　to　hold　which　had　belonged　to　another　woman？　Miss　Van　Arsdale；　you　do　not　know　men。　They　do　many　things　which　a　young；　trusting　girl　like　yourself　would　hardly　expect　from　them。〃

〃Not　Mr。　Durand；〃　I　maintained　stoutly。

〃Perhaps　not；　let　us　hope　not。〃　Then；　with　a　quick　change　of　manner；　he　bent　toward　me；　with　a　sidelong　look　at　uncle；　and；　pointing　to　my　gloves；　remarked：　〃You　wear　gloves。　Did　you　feel　the　need　of　two　pairs；　that　you　carry　another　in　that　pretty　bag　hanging　from　your　arm？〃

I　started；　looked　down；　and　then　slowly　drew　up　into　my　hand　the　bag　he　had　mentioned。　The　white　finger　of　a　glove　was　protruding　from　the　top。　Any　one　could　see　it；　many　probably　had。　What　did　it　mean？　I　had　brought　no　extra　pair　with　me。

〃This　is　not　mine；〃　I　began；　faltering　into　silence　as　I　perceived　my　uncle　turn　and　walk　a　step　or　two　away。

〃The　article　we　are　looking　for；〃　pursued　the　inspector；　〃is　a　pair　of　long；　white　gloves；　supposed　to　have　been　worn　by　Mrs。　Fairbrother　when　she　entered　the　alcove。　Do　you　mind　showing　me　those；　a　finger　of　which　I　see？〃

I　dropped　the　bag　into　his　hand。　The　room　and　everything　in　it　was　whirling　around　me。　But　when　I　noted　what　trouble　it　was　to　his　clumsy　fingers　to　open　it；　my　senses　returned　and；　reaching　for　the　bag；　I　pulled　it　open　and　snatched　out　the　gloves。　They　had　been　hastily　rolled　up　and　some　of　the　fingers　were　showing。

〃Let　me　have　them；〃　he　said。

With　quaking　heart　and　shaking　fingers　I　handed　over　the　gloves。

〃Mrs。　Fairbrother's　hand　was　not　a　small　one；〃　he　observe