the filigree ball-第17部分

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〃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。　Jeffrey　winced。　　But　he　made　a　direct　reply。

〃Yes；　I　gave　a　look　at　that　old　picture；　got　up；　as　you　say；　on　a
chair　to　do　so。　　Wasn't　that　the　freak　of　an　idle　man；　wandering；　he
hardly　knows　why；　from　room　to　room　in　an　old　and　deserted　house？〃

His　tormentor　did　not　answer。　　Probably　his　mind　was　on　his　next
line　of　inquiry。　　But　Mr。　Jeffrey　did　not　take　his　silence　with　the
calmness　he　had　shown　prior　to　the　last　attack。　　As　no　word　came
from　his　unwelcome　guest；　he　paused　in　his　rapid　pacing　and；
casting　aside　with　one　impulsive　gesture　his　hitherto　imperfectly
held　restraint；　he　cried　out　sharply：

〃Why　do　you　ask　me　these　questions　in　tones　of　such　suspicion？　　Is
it　not　plain　enough　that　my　wife　took　her　own　life　under　a
misapprehension　of　my　state　of　mind　toward　her；　that　you　should　feel
it　necessary　to　rake　up　these　personal　matters；　which；　however
interesting　to　the　world　at　large；　are　of　a　painful　nature　to　me？〃

〃Mr。　Jeffrey；〃　retorted　the　other；　with　a　sudden　grave　assumption　of
dignity　not　without　its　effect　in　a　case　of　such　serious　import；　〃we
do　nothing　without　purpose。　　We　ask　these　questions　and　show　this
interest　because　the　charge　of　suicide　which　has　hitherto　been　made
against　your　wife　is　not　entirely　sustained　by　the　facts。　　At　least
she　was　not　alone　when　she　took　her　life。　　Some　one　was　in　the　house
with　her。〃

It　was　startling　to　observe　the　effect　of　this　declaration　upon　him。

〃Impossible！〃　he　cried　out　in　a　protest　as　forcible　as　it　was
agonized。　　〃You　are　playing　with　my　misery。　　She　could　have　had　no
one　there；　she　would　not。　　There　is　not　a　man　living　before　whom　she
would　have　fired　that　deadly　shot；　unless　it　was　myself；　…　unless　it
was　my　own　wretched；　miserable　self。〃

The　remorseful　whisper　in　which　those　final　words　were　uttered
carried　them　to　my　heart；　which　for　some　strange　and　unaccountable
reason　had　been　gradually　turning　toward　this　man。　　But　my　less
easily　affected　companion；　seeing　his　opportunity　and　possibly
considering　that　it　was　this　gentleman's　right　to　know　in　what　a
doubtful　light　he　stood　before　the　law；　remarked　with　as　light　a
touch　of　irony　as　was　possible：

〃You　should　know　better　than　we　in　whose　presence　she　would　choose
to　die　…　if　she　did　so　choose。　　Also　who　would　be　likely　to　tie　the
pistol　to　her　wrist　and　blow　out　the　candle　when　the　dreadful　deed
was　over。〃

The　laugh　which　seemed　to　be　the　only　means　of　violent　expression
remaining　to　this　miserable　man　was　kept　down　by　some　amazing　thought
which　seemed　to　paralyze　him。　　Without　making　any　attempt　to　refute
a　suggestion　that　fell　just　short　of　a　personal　accusation；　he　sank
down　in　the　first　chair　he　came　to　and　became；　as　it　were；　lost　in
the　vision　of　that　ghastly　ribbon…tying　and　the　solitary　blowing　out
of　the　candle　upon　this　scene　of　mournful　death。　　Then　with　a
struggling　sense　of　having　heard　something　which　called　for　answer；
he　rose　blindly　to　his　feet　and　managed　to　let　fall　these　words：

〃You　are　mistaken　…　no　one　was　there；　or　if　any　one　was　…　it　was　not
I。　　There　is　a　man　in　this　city　who　can　prove　it。〃

But　when　Mr。　Jeffrey　was　asked　to　give　the　name　of　this　man；　he
showed　confusion　and　presently　was　obliged　to　admit　that　he　could
neither　recall　his　name　nor　remember　anything　about　him；　but　that
he　was　some　one　whom　he　knew　well；　and　who　knew　him　well。　　He
affirmed　that　the　two　had　met　and　spoken　near　Soldiers'　Home
shortly　after　the　sun　went　down；　and　that　the　man　would　be　sure
to　remember　this　meeting　if　we　could　only　find　him。

As　Soldiers'　Home　was　several　miles　from　the　Moore　house　and　quite
out　of　the　way　of　all　his　accustomed　haunts；　Coroner　Z。　asked　him
how　he　came　to　be　there。　　He　replied　that　he　had　just　come　from　Rock
Creek　Cemetery。　　That　he　had　been　in　a　wretched　state　of　mind　all
day；　and　possibly　being　influenced　by　what　he　had　heard　of　the
yearly　vigils　Mr。　Moore　was　in　the　habit　of　keeping　there；　had　taken
a　notion　to　stroll　among　the　graves；　in　search　of　the　rest　and　peace
of　mind　he　had　failed　to　find　in　his　aimless　walks　about　the　city。
At　least；　that　was　the　way　he　chose　to　account　for　the　meeting　he
mentioned。　　Falling　into　reverie　again；　he　seemed　to　be　trying　to
recall　the　name　which　at　this　moment　was　of　such　importance　to　him。
But　it　was　without　avail；　as　he　presently　acknowledged。

〃I　can　not　remember　who　it　was。　　My　brain　is　whirling；　and　I　can
recollect　nothing　but　that　this　man　and　myself　left　the　cemetery
together　on　the　night　mentioned；　just　as　the　gate　was　being　closed。
As　it　closes　at　sundown；　the　hour　can　be　fixed　to　a　minute。　　It　was
somewhere　near　seven；　I　believe；　near　enough；　I　am　sure；　for　it　to
have　been　impossible　for　me　to　be　at　the　Moore　house　at　the　time　my
unhappy　wife　is　supposed　to　have　taken　her　life。　　There　is　no　doubt
about　your　believing　this？〃　he　demanded　with　sudden　haughtiness；　as；
rising　to　his　feet；　he　confronted　us　in　all　the　pride　of　his
exceptionally　handsome　person。

〃We　wish　to　believe　it；〃　assented　the　coroner；　rising　in　his　turn。
〃That　our　belief　may　become　certainty；　will　you　let　us　know；　the
instant　you　recall　the　name　of　the　man　you　talked　with　at　the
cemetery　gate？　　His　testimony；　far　more　than　any　word　of　yours；　will
settle　this　question　which　otherwise　may　prove　a　vexed　one。〃

Mr。　Jeffrey's　hand　went　up　to　his　head。　　Was　he　acting　a　part　or
did　he　really　forget　just　what　it　was　for　his　own　best　welfare　to
remember？　　If　he　had　forgotten；　it　argued　that　he　was　in　a　state　of
greater　disturbance　on　that　night　than　would　naturally　be　occasioned
by　a　mere　lover's　quarrel　with　his　wife。

Did　the　same　thought　strike　my　companion？　　I　can　not　say；　I　can　only
give　you　his　next　words。

〃You　have　said　that　your　wife　would　not　be　likely　to　end　her　life
in　presence　of　any　one　but　yourself。　　Yet　you　must　see　that　some　one
was　with　her。　　How　do　you　propose　to　reconcile　your　assertions　with
a　fact　so　undeniable？〃

〃I　can　not　reconcile　them。　　It　would　madden　me　to　try。　　If　I　thought
any　one　was　with　her　at　that　moment　…〃

〃Well？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey's　eyes　fell；　and　a　startling　change　passed　over　him。
But　before　either　of　us　could　make　out　just　what　this　change
betokened　he　recovered　his　aspect　of　fixed　melancholy　and　quietly
remarked：

〃It　is　dreadful　to　think　of　her　standing　there　alone；　aiming　a　pistol
at　her　young；　passionate　heart；　but　it　is　worse　to　picture　her　doing
this　under　the　gaze　of　unsympathizing　eyes。　　I　can　not　and　will　not
so　picture　her。　　You　have　been　misled　by　appearances　or　what　in
police　parlance　is　called　a　clue。〃

Evidently　he　did　not　mean　to　admit　the　possibility　of　the　pistol
having　been　fired　by　any　other　hand　than　her　own。　　This　the　coroner
noted。　　Bowing　with　the　respect　he　showed　every　man　before　a　jury
had　decided　upon　his　guilt；　he　turned　toward　the　door　out　of　which
I　had　already　hurried。

〃We　hope　to　hear　from　you　in　the　morning；〃　he　called　back
significantly；　as　he　stepped　down　the　stairs。

Mr。　Jeffrey　did　not　answer；　he　was　having　his　first　struggle　with
the　new　and　terrible　prospect　awaiting　him　at　the　approaching　inquest。






BOOK　II

THE　LAW　AND　ITS　VICTIM



XI

DETAILS


The　days　of　my　obscurity　were　over。　　Henceforth；　I　was　regarded　as
a　decided　factor　in　this　case　…　a　case　which　from　this　time　on；
assumed　another　aspect　both　at　headquarters　and　in　the　minds　of
people　at　large。　　The　reporters；　whom　we　had　hitherto　managed　to
hold　in　check；　now　overflowed　both　the　coroner's　office　and　police
headquarters；　and　articles　appeared　in　all　the　daily　papers　with
just　enough　suggestion　in　them　to　fire　the　public　mind　and　make　me；
for　one；　anticipate　an　immediate　word　from　Mr。　Jeffrey　calculated
to　establish　the　alibi　he　had　failed　to　make　out　on　the　day　we
talked　with　him。　　But　no　such　word　came。　　His　memory　still　played
him　false；　and　no　alternative　was　left　but　to　pursue　the　official
inquiry　in　the　line　suggested　by　the　interview　just　recounted。

No　proceeding　in　which　I　had　ever　been　engaged　interested　me　as　did
this　inquest。　　In　the　first　place；　the　spectators　were　of　a　very
different　character　from　the　ordinary。　　As　I　wormed　myself　along　to
the　seat　accorded　to　such　witnesses　as　myself；　I　brushed　by　men　of
the　very　highest　station　and　a　few　of　the　lowest；　and　bent　my　head
more　than　once　in　response　to　the　inquiring　gaze　of　some　fashionable
lady　who　never　before；　I　warrant；　had　found　herself　in　such　a　scene。
By　the　time　I　reached　my　place　all　the　others　were　seated　and　the
coroner　rapped　for　order。

I　was　first　to　take　the　stand。　　What　I　said　has　already　been　fully
amplified　in　the　foregoing　pages。　　Of　course；　my　evidence　was
confined　to　facts；　but　some　of　these　facts　were　new　to　most　of　the
persons　there。　　It　was　evident　that　a　considerable　effect　was
produced　by　them；　not　only　on　the　spectators；　but　upon　the
witnesses　themselves。　　For　instance；　it　was　the　first　time　that　the
marks　on　the　mantel…shelf　had　been　heard　of　outside　the　major's
office；　or　the　story　so　told　as　to　make　it　evident　that　Mrs。　Jeffrey
could　not　have　been　alone　in　the　house　at　the　time　of　her　death。

A　photograph　had　been　taken　of　those　marks；　and　my　identification
of　this　photograph　closed　my　testimony。

As　I　returned　to　my　seat　I　stole　a　look　toward　a　certain　corner
where；　with　face　bent　down　upon　his　hand；　Francis　Jeffrey　sat
between　Uncle　David　and　the　heavily…veiled　figure　of　Miss　Tuttle。
Had　there　dawned　upon　him　as　my　testimony　was　given　any　suspicion　of
the　trick　by　which　he　had　been　proved　responsible　for　those　marks？
It　was　impossible　to　tell。　　From　the　way　Miss　Tuttle's　head　was
turned　toward　him；　one　might　judge　him　to　be　laboring　under　an
emotion　of　no　ordinary　character；　though　he　sat　like　a　statue　and
hardly　seemed　to　realize　how　many　eyes　were　at　that　moment　riveted
upon　his　face。

I　was　followed　by　other　detectives　who　had　been　present　at　the　time
and　who　corroborated　my　statement　as　to　the　appearance　of　this
unhappy　woman　and　the　way　the　pistol　had　been　tied　to　her　arm。　　Then
the　doctor　who　had　acted　und