the filigree ball-第16部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


about　this　visit。　　When　a　person　has　died　under　such　peculiar
circumstances　as　Mrs。　Jeffrey；　everything　bearing　upon　the　case　is
of　interest　to　the　coroner。〃

I　was　sorry　he　added　that　last　sentence；　sorry　that　he　felt　obliged
to　qualify　his　action　by　anything　savoring　of　apology；　for　the　time
spent　in　its　utterance　afforded　his　agitated　hearer　an　opportunity
not　only　of　collecting　himself　but　of　preparing　an　answer　for　which
he　would　not　have　been　ready　an　instant　before。

〃Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death　was　a　strange　one；〃　her　husband　admitted　with
tardy　self…control。　　〃I　find　myself　as　much　at　a　loss　to　understand
it　as　you　do；　and　am　therefore　quite　ready　to　answer　the　question
you　have　so　openly　broached。　　Not　that　my　answer　has　any　bearing　upon
the　point　you　wish　to　make；　but　because　it　is　your　due　and　my
pleasure。　　I　did　visit　the　Moore　house；　as　I　certainly　had　every
right　to　do。　　The　property　was　my　wife's；　and　it　was　for　my　interest
to　learn；　if　I　could；　the　secret　of　its　many　crimes。〃

〃Ah！〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　looked　quickly　up。　　〃You　think　that　an　odd　thing　for　me
to　do？〃

〃At　night。　　Yes。〃

〃Night　is　the　time　for　such　work。　　I　did　not　care　to　be　seen
pottering　around　there　in　daylight。〃

〃No？　　Yet　it　would　have　been　so　much　easier。　　You　would　not　have
had　to　buy　candles　or　carry　a　pistol　or　…〃

〃I　did　not　carry　a　pistol。　　The　only　pistol　carried　there　was　the
one　with　which　my　demented　wife　chose　to　take　her　life。　　I　do　not
understand　this　allusion。〃

〃It　grew　out　of　a　misunderstanding　of　the　situation；　Mr。　Jeffrey；
excuse　me　if　I　supposed　you　would　be　likely　to　provide　yourself
with　some　means　of　defense　in　venturing　alone　upon　the　scene　of
so　many　mysterious　deaths。〃

〃I　took　no　precaution。〃

〃And　needed　none；　I　suppose。〃

〃And　needed　none。〃

〃When　was　this　visit　paid；　Mr。　Jeffrey？　　Before　or　after　your　wife
pulled　the　trigger　which　ended　her　life？　　You　need　not　hesitate　to
answer。〃

〃I　do　not。〃　The　elegant　gentleman　before　us　had　acquired　a　certain
fierceness。　　〃Why　should　I？　　Certainly；　you　don't　think　that　I　was
there　at　the　same　time　she　was。　　It　was　not　on　the　same　night；　even。
So　much　the　walls　should　have　told　you　and　probably　did；　or　my
wife's　uncle；　Mr。　David　Moore。　　Was　he　not　your　informant？〃

〃No；　Mr。　Moore　has　failed　to　call　our　attention　to　this　fact。　　Did
you　meet　Mr。　Moore　during　the　course　of　your　visit　to　a　neighborhood
over　which　he　seems　to　hold　absolute　sway？〃

〃Not　to　my　knowledge。　　But　his　house　is　directly　opposite；　and　as
he　has　little　to　do　but　amuse　himself　with　what　he　can　see　from　his
front　window；　I　concluded　that　he　might　have　observed　me　going　in。〃

〃You　entered　by　the　front　door；　then？〃

〃How　else？〃

〃And　on　what　night？〃


Mr。　Jeffrey　made　an　effort。　　These　questions　were　visibly　harassing
him。

〃The　night　before　the　one　…　the　one　which　ended　all　my　earthly
happiness；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice。

Coroner　Z。　cast　a　glance　at　me。　　I　remembered　the　lack　of　dust　on
the　nest　of　little　tables　from　which　the　upper　one　had　been　drawn
forward　to　hold　the　candelabrum；　and　gently　shook　my　head。　　The
coroner's　eyebrows　went　up；　but　none　of　his　disbelief　crept　into
his　voice　as　he　made　this　additional　statement

〃The　night　on　which　you　failed　to　return　to　your　own　house。〃

Instantly　Mr。　Jeffrey　betrayed　by　a　nervous　action；　which　was　quite
involuntary；　that　his　outward　calm　was　slowly　giving　way　under　a
fire　of　questions　for　which　he　had　no　ready　reply。

〃It　was　odd；　your　not　going　home　that　night；〃　the　coroner　coldly
pursued。　　〃The　misunderstanding　you　had　with　your　wife　immediately
after　breakfast　must　have　been　a　very　serious　one；　more　serious
than　you　have　hitherto　acknowledged。〃

〃I　had　rather　not　discuss　the　subject；〃　protested　Mr。　Jeffrey。
Then　as　if　he　suddenly　recognized　the　official　character　of　his
interlocutor；　he　hastily　added：　〃Unless　you　positively　request　me
to　do　so；　in　which　case　I　must。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　I　must　insist　upon　it；〃　returned　the　other。　　〃You
will　find　that　it　will　be　insisted　upon　at　the　inquest；　and　if　you
do　not　wish　to　subject　yourself　to　much　unnecessary　unpleasantness；
you　had　better　make　clear　to　us　to…day　the　cause　of　that
special　quarrel　which　to　all　intents　and　purposes　led　to　your　wife's
death。〃

〃I　will　try　to　do　so；〃　returned　Mr。　Jeffrey；　rising　and　pacing　the
room　in　his　intense　restlessness。　　〃We　did　have　some　words；　her
conduct　the　night　before　had　not　pleased　me。　　I　am　naturally
jealous；　vilely　jealous；　and　I　thought　she　was　a　little　frivolous
at　the　German　ambassador's　ball。　　But　I　had　no　idea　she　would　take
my　sharp　speeches　so　much　to　heart。　　I　had　no　idea　that　she　would
care　so　much　or　that　I　should　care　so　much。　　A　little　jealousy　is
certainly　pardonable　in　a　bridegroom；　and　if　her　mind　had　not
already　been　upset；　she　would　have　remembered　how　I　loved　her　and
hopefully　waited　for　a　reconciliation。〃

〃You　did　love　your　wife；　then？　　It　was　you　and　not　she　who　had　a
right　to　be　jealous？　　I　have　heard　the　contrary　stated。　　It　is　a
matter　of　public　gossip　that　you　loved　another　woman　previous　to
your　acquaintance　with　Miss　Moore；　a　woman　whom　your　wife　regarded
with　sisterly　affection　and　subsequently　took　into　her　new　home。〃

〃Miss　Tuttle？〃　　Mr。　Jeffrey　stopped　in　his　walk　to　fling　out　this
ejaculation。　　〃I　admire　and　respect　Miss　Tuttle；〃　he　went　on　to
declare；　〃but　I　never　loved　her。　　Not　as　I　did　my　wife；〃　he　finished；
but　with　a　certain　hard　accent；　apparent　enough　to　a　sensitive　ear。

〃Pardon　me；　it　is　as　difficult　for　me　to　put　these　questions　as　it
is　for　you　to　hear　them。　　Were　you　and　Miss　Tuttle　ever　engaged？〃

I　started。　　This　was　a　question　which　half　of　Washington　had　been
asking　itself　for　the　last　three　months。

Would　Mr。　Jeffrey　answer　it？　　or；　remembering　that　these　questions
were　rather　friendly　than　official；　refuse　to　satisfy　a　curiosity
which　he　might　well　consider　intrusive？　　The　set　aspect　of　his
features　promised　little　in　the　way　of　information；　and　we　were
both　surprised　when　a　moment　later　he　responded　with　a　grim
emphasis　hardly　to　be　expected　from　one　of　his　impulsive　temperament：

〃Unhappily；　no。　　My　attentions　never　went　so　far。〃

Instantly　the　coroner　pounced　on　the　one　weak　word　which　Mr。
Jeffrey　had　let　fall。

〃Unhappily？〃　he　repeated。　　〃Why　do　you　say；　unhappily？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　flushed　and　seemed　to　come　out　of　some　dream。

〃Did　I　say　unhappily？〃　he　inquired。　　〃Well；　I　repeat　it；　Miss　Tuttle
would　never　have　given　me　any　cause　for　jealousy。〃

The　coroner　bowed　and　for　the　present　dropped　her　name　out　of　the
conversation。

〃You　speak　again　of　the　jealousy　aroused　in　you　by　your　wife's
impetuosities。　　Was　this　increased　or　diminished　by　the　tone　of
the　few　lines　she　left　behind　her？〃

The　response　was　long　in　coming。　　It　was　hard　for　this　man　to　lie。
The　struggle　he　made　at　it　was　pitiful。　　As　I　noted　what　it　cost
him；　I　began　to　have　new　and　curious　thoughts　concerning　him　and
the　whole　matter　under　discussion。

〃I　shall　never　overcome　the　remorse　roused　in　me　by　those　few
lines；〃　he　finally　rejoined。　　〃She　showed　a　consideration　for　me　…〃

〃What！〃

The　coroner's　exclamation　showed　all　the　surprise　he　felt。　　Mr。
Jeffrey　tottered　under　it；　then　grew　slowly　pale　as　if　only　through
our　amazed　looks　he　had　come　to　realize　the　charge　of　inconsistency
to　which　he　had　laid　himself　open。

〃I　mean　…〃　he　endeavored　to　explain；　〃that　Mrs。　Jeffrey　showed　an
unexpected　tenderness　toward　me　by　taking　all　the　blame　of　our
misunderstanding　upon　herself。　　It　was　generous　of　her　and　will
do　much　toward　making　my　memory　of　her　a　gentle　one。〃

He　was　forgetting　himself　again。　　Indeed；　his　manner　and　attempted
explanations　were　full　of　contradictions。　　To　emphasize　this　fact
Coroner　Z。　exclaimed

〃I　should　think　so！　　She　paid　a　heavy　penalty　for　her　professed
lack　of　love。　　You　believe　that　her　mind　was　unseated？〃

〃Does　not　her　action　show　it？〃

〃Unseated　by　the　mishap　occurring　at　her　marriage？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　really　think　that？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃By　anything　that　passed　between　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃May　I　ask　you　to　tell　us　what　passed　between　you　on　this　point？〃

〃Yes。〃

He　had　uttered　the　monosyllable　so　often　it　seemed　to　come
unconsciously　from　his　lips。　　But　he　recognized　almost　as　soon　as
we　did　that　it　was　not　a　natural　reply　to　the　last　question；　and；
making　a　gesture　of　apology；　he　added；　with　the　same　monotony　of
tone　which　had　characterized　these　replies：

〃She　spoke　of　her　strange　guest's　unaccountable　death　more　than
once；　and　whenever　she　did　so；　it　was　with　an　unnatural　excitement
and　in　an　unbalanced　way。　　This　was　so　noticeable　to　us　all　that
the　subject　presently　was　tabooed　amongst　us；　but　though　she
henceforth　spared　us　all　allusion　to　it；　she　continued　to　talk
about　the　house　itself　and　of　the　previous　deaths　which　had　occurred
there　till　we　were　forced　to　forbid　that　topic　also。　　She　was　never
really　herself　after　crossing　the　threshold　of　this　desolate　house
to　be　married。　　The　shadow　which　lurks　within　its　walls　fell　at　that
instant　upon　her　life。　　May　God　have　mercy　…〃

The　prayer　remained　unfinished。　　His　head　which　had　fallen　on　his
breast　sank　lower。

He　presented　the　aspect　of　one　who　is　quite　done　with　life；　even
its　sorrows。

But　men　in　the　position　of　Coroner　Z。　can　not　afford　to　be
compassionate。　　Everything　the　bereaved　man　said　deepened　the
impression　that　he　was　acting　a　part。　　To　make　sure　that　this　was
really　so；　the　coroner；　with　just　the　slightest　touch　of　sarcasm；
quietly　observed：

〃And　to　ease　your　wife's　mind　…　the　wife　you　were　so　deeply　angered
with　…　you　visited　this　house；　and；　at　an　hour　which　you　should　have
spent　in　reconciliation　with　her；　went　through　its　ancient　rooms　in
the　hope　…　of　what？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　could　not　answer。　　The　words　which　came　from　his　lips
were　mere　ejaculations。

〃I　was　restless　…　mad　…　I　found　this　adventure　diverting。　　I　had
no　real　purpose　in　mind。〃

〃Not　when　you　looked　at　the　old　picture？〃

〃The　old　picture？　　What　old　picture？〃

〃The　old　picture　in　the　southwest　chamber。　　You　took　a　look　at　that；
didn't　you？　　Got　up　on　a　chair　on　purpose　to　do　so？〃

Mr