the filigree ball-第1部分

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The　Filigree　Ball

by　Anna　Katherine　Green




CONTENTS

BOOK　I

CHAPTER

I　　　　　　〃THE　MOORE　HOUSE？〃
II　　　　　I　ENTER
III　　　　I　REMAIN
IV　　　　　SIGNED；　VERONICA
V　　　　　　MASTER　AND　DOG
VI　　　　　GOSSIP
VII　　　　SLY　WORK
VIII　　　SLYER　WORK
IX　　　　　JINNY
X　　　　　　FRANCIS　JEFFREY

BOOK　II

XI　　　　　DETAILS
XII　　　　THRUST　AND　PARRY
X1II　　　CHIEFLY　THRUST
XIV　　　　〃LET　US　HAVE　TALLMAN！〃
XV　　　　　WHITE　BOW　AND　PINK
XVI　　　　AN　EGOTIST　OF　THE　FIRST　WATER
XVII　　　A　FRESH　START
XVIII　　IN　THE　GRASS

BOOK　III

XIX　　　　IN　TAMPA
XX　　　　　〃THE　COLONEL'S　OWN〃
XXI　　　　THE　HEART　OF　THE　PUZZLE
XXII　　　A　THREAD　IN　HAND
XXIII　　WORDS　IN　THE　NIGHT
XXIV　　　TANTALIZING　TACTICS
XXV　　　　〃WHO　WILL　TELL　THE　MAN！〃
XXVI　　　RUDGE
XXVII　　〃YOU　HAVE　COME！〃






BOOK　I

THE　FORBIDDEN　ROOM




THE　FILIGREE　BALL


I

〃THE　MOORE　HOUSE？　　ARE　YOU　SPEAKING　OF　THE　MOORE　HOUSE？〃


For　a　detective　whose　talents；　had　not　been　recognized　at
headquarters；　I　possessed　an　ambition　which；　fortunately　for　my
standing　with　the　lieutenant　of　the　precinct；　had　not　yet　been
expressed　in　words。　　Though　I　had　small　reason　for　expecting　great
things　of　myself；　I　had　always　cherished　the　hope　that　if　a　big
case　came　my　way　I　should　be　found　able　to　do　something　with　it
something　more；　that　is；　than　I　had　seen　accomplished　by　the
police　of　the　District　of　Columbia　since　I　had　had　the　honor　of
being　one　of　their　number。　　Therefore；　when　I　found　myself　plunged；
almost　without　my　own　volition；　into　the　Jeffrey　Moore　affair；　I
believed　that　the　opportunity　had　come　whereby　I　might　distinguish
myself。

It　had　complications；　this　Jeffrey…Moore　affair；　greater　ones　than
the　public　ever　knew；　keen　as　the　interest　in　it　ran　both　in　and
out　of　Washington。　　This　is　why　I　propose　to　tell　the　story　of　this
great　tragedy　from　my　own　standpoint；　even　if　in　so　doing　I　risk
the　charge　of　attempting　to　exploit　my　own　connection　with　this
celebrated　case。　　In　its　course　I　encountered　as　many　disappointments
as　triumphs；　and　brought　out　of　the　affair　a　heart　as　sore　as　it　was
satisfied；　for　I　am　a　lover　of　women　and　…

But　I　am　keeping　you　from　the　story　itself。

I　was　at　the　station…house　the　night　Uncle　David　came　in。　　He　was
always　called　Uncle　David；　even　by　the　urchins　who　followed　him　in
the　street；　so　I　am　showing　him　no　disrespect；　gentleman　though　he
is；　by　giving　him　a　title　which　as　completely　characterized　him　in
those　days；　as　did　his　moody　ways；　his　quaint　attire　and　the
persistence　with　which　he　kept　at　his　side　his　great　mastiff；　Rudge。
I　had　long　since　heard　of　the　old　gentleman　as　one　of　the　most
interesting　residents　of　the　precinct。　　I　had　even　seen　him　more
than　once　on　the　avenue；　but　I　had　never　before　been　brought　face
to　face　with　him；　and　consequently　had　much　too　superficial　a
knowledge　of　his　countenance　to　determine　offhand　whether　the
uneasy　light　in　his　small　gray　eyes　was　natural　to　them；　or　simply
the　result　of　present　excitement。　　But　when　he　began　to　talk　I
detected　an　unmistakable　tremor　in　his　tones；　and　decided　that　he
was　in　a　state　of　suppressed　agitation；　though　he　appeared　to　have
nothing　more　alarming　to　impart　than　the　fact　that　he　had　seen　a
light　burning　in　some　house　presumably　empty。

It　was　all　so　trivial　that　I　gave　him　but　scant　attention　till　he
let　a　name　fall　which　caused　me　to　prick　up　my　ears　and　even　to
put　in　a　word。　　〃The　Moore　house；〃　he　had　said。

〃The　Moore　house？〃　I　repeated　in　amazement。　　〃Are　you　speaking　of
the　Moore　house？〃

A　thousand　recollections　came　with　the　name。

〃What　other？〃　he　grumbled；　directing　toward　me　a　look　as　keen　as　it
was　impatient。　　〃Do　you　think　that　I　would　bother　myself　long　about
a　house　I　had　no　interest　in；　or　drag　Rudge　from　his　warm　rug　to
save　some　ungrateful　neighbor　from　a　possible　burglary？　　No；　it　is
my　house　which　some　rogue　has　chosen　to　enter。　　That　is；〃　he　suavely
corrected；　as　he　saw　surprise　in　every　eye；　〃the　house　which　the　law
will　give　me；　if　anything　ever　happens　to　that　chit　of　a　girl　whom
my　brother　left　behind　him。〃

Growling　some　words　at　the　dog；　who　showed　a　decided　inclination　to
lie　down　where　he　was；　the　old　man　made　for　the　door　and　in　another
moment　would　have　been　in　the　street；　if　I　had　not　stepped　after　him。

〃You　are　a　Moore　and　live　in　or　near　that　old　house？〃　I　asked。

The　surprise　with　which　he　met　this　question　daunted　me　a　little。

〃How　long　have　you　been　in　Washington；　I　should　like　to　ask？〃　was
his　acrid　retort。

〃0h；　some　five　months。〃

His　good　nature；　or　what　passed　for　such　in　this　irascible　old　man；
returned　in　an　instant；　and　he　curtly　but　not　unkindly　remarked：

〃You　haven't　learned　much　in　that　time。〃　　Then；　with　a　nod　more
ceremonious　than　many　another　man's　bow；　he　added；　with　sudden
dignity：　〃I　am　of　the　elder　branch　an　live　in　the　cottage　fronting
the　old　place。　　I　am　the　only　resident　on　the　block。　　When　you　have
lived　here　longer　you　will　know　why　that　especial　neighborhood　is
not　a　favorite　one　with　those　who　can　not　boast　of　the　Moore　blood。
For　the　present；　let　us　attribute　the　bad　name　that　it　holds　to
　…　malaria。〃　　And　with　a　significant　hitch　of　his　lean　shoulders
which　set　in　undulating　motion　every　fold　of　the　old…fashioned
cloak　he　wore；　he　started　again　for　the　door。

But　my　curiosity　was　by　this　time　roused　to　fever　heat。　　I　knew
more　about　this　house　than　he　gave　me　credit　for。　　No　one　who　had
read　the　papers　of　late；　much　less　a　man　connected　with　the　police；
could　help　being　well　informed　in　all　the　details　of　its　remarkable
history。　　What　I　had　failed　to　know　was　his　close　relationship　to
the　family　whose　name　for　the　last　two　weeks　had　been　in　every　mouth。

〃Wait！〃　I　called　out。　　〃You　say　that　you　live　opposite　the　Moore
house。　　You　can　then　tell　me　…〃

But　he　had　no　mind　to　stop　for　any　gossip。

〃It　was　all　in　the　papers；〃　he　called　back。　　〃Read　them。　　But　first
be　sure　to　find　out　who　has　struck　a　light　in　the　house　that　we　all
know　has　not　even　a　caretaker　in　it。〃

It　was　good　advice。　　My　duty　and　my　curiosity　both　led　me　to　follow
it。

Perhaps　you　have　heard　of　the　distinguishing　feature　of　this　house；
if　so；　you　do　not　need　my　explanations。　　But　if；　for　any　reason；
you　are　ignorant　of　the　facts　which　within　a　very　short　time　have
set　a　final　seal　of　horror　upon　this　old；　historic　dwelling；　then
you　will　be　glad　to　read　what　has　made　and　will　continue　to　make　the
Moore　house　in　Washington　one　to　be　pointed　at　in　daylight　and
shunned　after　dark；　not　only　by　superstitious　colored　folk；　but　by
all　who　are　susceptible　to　the　most　ordinary　emotions　of　fear　and
dread。

It　was　standing　when　Washington　was　a　village。　　It　antedates　the
Capitol　and　the　White　House。　　Built　by　a　man　of　wealth；　it　bears　to
this　day　the　impress　of　the　large　ideas　and　quiet　elegance　of
colonial　times；　but　the　shadow　which　speedily　fell　across　it　made
it　a　marked　place　even　in　those　early　days。　　While　it　has　always
escaped　the　hackneyed　epithet　of　〃haunted；〃　families　that　have　moved
in　have　as　quickly　moved　out；　giving　as　their　excuse　that　no
happiness　was　to　be　found　there　and　that　sleep　was　impossible　under
its　roof。　　That　there　was　some　reason　for　this　lack　of　rest　within
walls　which　were　not　without　their　tragic　reminiscences；　all　must
acknowledge。　　Death　had　often　occurred　there；　and　while　this　fact
can　be　stated　in　regard　to　most　old　houses；　it　is　not　often　that
one　can　say；　as　in　this　case；　that　it　was　invariably　sudden　and
invariably　of　one　character。　　A　lifeless　man；　lying　outstretched　on
a　certain　hearthstone；　might　be　found　once　in　a　house　and　awaken　no
special　comment；　but　when　this　same　discovery　has　been　made　twice；
if　not　thrice；　during　the　history　of　a　single　dwelling；　one　might
surely　be　pardoned　a　distrust　of　its　seemingly　home…like
appointments；　and　discern　in　its　slowly　darkening　walls　the
presence　of　an　evil　which　if　left　to　itself　might　perish　in　the
natural　decay　of　the　e　place；　but　which；　if　met　and　challenged；
might　strike　again　and　make　another　blot　on　its　thrice…crimsoned
hearthstone。

But　these　are　old　fables　which　I　should　hardly；　presume　to　mention；
had　it　not　been　for　the　recent　occurrence　which　has　recalled　them
to　all　men's　minds　and　given　to　this　long　empty　and　slowly　crumbling
building　an　importance　which　has　spread　its　fame　from　one　end　of
the　country　to　the　other。　　I　refer　to　the　tragedy　attending　the
wedding　lately　celebrated　there。

Veronica　Moore；　rich；　pretty　and　wilful；　had　long　cherished　a
strange　liking　for　this　frowning　old　home　of　her　ancestors；　and；
at　the　most　critical　time　of　her　life；　conceived　the　idea　of　proving
to　herself　and　to　society　at　large　that　no　real　ban　lay　upon　it　save
in　the　imagination　of　the　superstitious。　　So；　being　about　to　marry
the　choice　of　her　young　heart；　she　caused　this　house　to　be　opened
for　the　wedding　ceremony；　with　what　result；　you　know。

Though　the　occasion　was　a　joyous　one　and　accompanied　by　all　that
could　give　cheer　to　such　a　function；　it　had　not　escaped　the
old…time　shadow。　　One　of　the　guests　straying　into　the　room　of
ancient　and　unhallowed　memory；　the　one　room　which　had　not　been
thrown　open　to　the　crowd；　had　been　found　within　five　minutes　of
the　ceremony　lying　on　its　dolorous　hearthstone；　dead；　and　though
the　bride　was　spared　a　knowledge　of　the　dreadful　fact　till　the
holy　words　were　said；　a　panic　had　seized　the　guests　and　emptied
the　houses　suddenly　and　completely　as　though　the　plague　had　been
discovered　there。

This　is　why　I　hastened　to　follow　Uncle　David　when　he　told　me　that
all　was　not　right　in　this　house　of　tragic　memories。




II

I　ENTER


Though　past　seventy；　Uncle　David　was　a　brisk　walker；　and　on　this
night　in　particular　he　sped　along　so　fast　that　he　was　half…way　down
H　Street　by　the　time　I　had　turned　the　corner　at　New　Hampshire　Avenue。

His　gaunt　but　not　ungraceful　figure；　merged　in　that　of　the　dog
trotting　closely　at　his　heels；　was　the　only　moving　object　in　the
dreary　vista　of　this　the　most　desolate　block　in　Washington。　　As　I
neared　the　building；　I　was　so　impressed　by　the　surrounding　stillness
that　I　was　ready　to　vow　that　the　shadows　were　denser　here　than
elsewhere　and　that　the