the filigree ball-第18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！


unhappy　woman　and　the　way　the　pistol　had　been　tied　to　her　arm。　　Then
the　doctor　who　had　acted　under　the　coroner　was　called。　　After　a　long
and　no　doubt　learned　description　of　the　bullet　wound　which　had　ended
the　life　of　this　unhappy　lady；　…　a　wound　which　he　insisted；　with　a
marked　display　of　learning；　must　have　made　that　end　instantaneous　or
at　least　too　immediate　for　her　to　move　foot　or　hand　after　it；　…　he
was　asked　if　the　body　showed　any　other　mark　of　violence。

To　this　he　replied

〃There　was　a　minute　wound　at　the　base　of　one　of　her　fingers；　the　one
which　is　popularly　called　the　wedding　finger。〃

This　statement　made　all　the　women　present　start　with　renewed　interest；
nor　was　it　altogether　without　point　for　the　men；　especially　when　the
doctor　went　on　to　say：

〃The　hands　were　entirely　without　rings。　　As　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　been
married　with　a　ring；　I　noticed　their　absence。〃

〃Was　this　wound　which　you　characterize　as　minute　a　recent　one？〃

〃It　had　bled　a　little。　　It　was　an　abrasion　such　as　would　be　made　if
the　ring　she　usually　wore　there　had　been　drawn　off　with　a　jerk。
That　was　the　impression　I　received　from　its　appearance。　　I　do　not
state　that　it　was　so　made。〃

A　little　thrill　which　went　over　the　audience　at　the　picture　this
evoked　communicated　itself　to　Miss　Tuttle；　who　trembled　violently。
It　even　produced　a　slight　display　of　emotion　in　Mr。　Jeffrey；　whose
hand　shook　where　he　pressed　it　against　his　forehead。　　But　neither
uttered　a　sound；　nor　looked　up　when　the　next　witness　was　summoned。

This　witness　proved　to　be　Loretta；　who；　on　hearing　her　name　called；
evinced　great　reluctance　to　come　forward。　　But　after　two　or　three
words　uttered　in　her　ear　by　the　friendly　Jinny；　who　had　been　given
a　seat　next　her；　she　stepped　into　the　place　assigned　her　with　a
suddenly　assumed　air　of　great　boldness；　which　sat　upon　her　with
scant　grace。　　She　had　need　of　all　the　boldness　at　her　command；　for
the　eyes　of　all　in　the　room　were　fixed　on　her；　with　the　exception
of　the　two　persons　most　interested　in　her　testimony。　　Scrutiny　of
any　kind　did　not　appear　to　be　acceptable　to　her；　if　one　could　read
the　trepidation　visible　in　the　short；　quick　upheavals　of　the　broad
collar　which　covered　her　uneasy　breast。　　Was　this　shrinking　on　her
part　due　to　natural　timidity；　or　had　she　failings　to　avow　which；
while　not　vitiating　her　testimony；　would　certainly　cause　her　shame
in　the　presence　of　so　many　men　and　women？　　I　was　not　able　to　decide
this　question　immediately；　for　after　the　coroner　had　elicited　her
name　and　the　position　she　held　in　Mr。　Jeffrey's　household　he　asked
whether　her　duties　took　her　into　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　room；　upon　her
replying　that　they　did；　he　further　inquired　if　she　knew　Mrs。
Jeffrey's　rings；　and　could　say　whether　they　were　all　to　be　found
on　that　lady's　toilet…table　after　the　police　came　in　with　news　of
her　death。　　The　answer　was　decisive。　　They　were　all　there；　her
rings　and　all　the　other　ornaments　she　was　in　the　daily　habit　of
wearing；　with　the　exception　of　her　watch。　　That　was　not　there。

〃Did　you　take　up　those　rings？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Did　you　see　any　one　else　take　them　up？〃

〃No；　sir；　not　till　the　officer　did　so。〃

〃Very　well；　Loretta；　sit　down　again　till　we　hear　what　Durbin　has　to
say　about　these　rings。〃

And　then　the　man　I　hated　came　forward；　and　though　I　shrank　from
acknowledging　it　even　to　myself；　I　could　but　observe　how　strong
and　quiet　and　self…possessed　he　seemed　and　how　decisive　was　his
testimony。　　But　it　was　equally　brief。　　He　had　taken　up　the　rings
and　he　had　looked　at　them；　and　on　one；　the　wedding…ring；　he　had
detected　a　slight　stain　of　blood。　　He　had　called　Mr。　Jeffrey's
attention　to　it；　but　that　gentleman　had　made　no　comment。　　This
remark　had　the　effect　of　concentrating　general　attention　upon　Mr。
Jeffrey。　　But　he　seemed　quite　oblivious　of　it；　his　attitude　remained
unchanged；　and　only　from　the　quick　stretching　out　and　withdrawal　of
Miss　Tuttle's　hand　could　it　be　seen　that　anything　had　been　said
calculated　to　touch　or　arouse　this　man。　　The　coroner　cast　an　uneasy
glance　in　his　direction；　then　he　motioned　Durbin　aside　and　recalled
Loretta。

And　now　I　began　to　be　sorry　for　the　girl。　　It　is　hard　to　have　one's
weaknesses　exposed；　especially　if　one　is　more　foolish　than　wicked。
But　there　was　no　way　of　letting　this　girl　off　without　sacrificing
certain　necessary　points；　and　the　coroner　went　relentlessly　to　work。

〃How　long　have　you　been　in　this　house？〃

〃Three　weeks。　　Ever　since　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　wedding　day；　sir。〃

〃Were　you　there　when　she　first　came　as　a　bride　from　the　Moore　house？〃

〃I　was；　sir。〃

〃And　saw　her　then　for　the　first　time？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃How　did　she　look　and　act　that　first　day？〃

〃I　thought　her　the　gayest　bride　I　had　ever　seen；；　then　I　thought
her　the　saddest；　and　then　I　did　not　know　what　to　think。　　She　was　so
merry　one　minute　and　so　frightened　the　next；　so　full　of　talk　when
she　came　running　up　the　steps　and　so　struck　with　silence　the　minute
she　got　into　the　parlor；　that　I　set　her　down　as　a　queer　one　till
some　one　whispered　in　my　ear　that　she　was　suffering　from　a　dreadful
shock；　that　ill…luck　had　attended　her　marriage　and　much　more　about
what　had　happened　from　time　to　time　at　the　Moore　house。〃

〃And　you　believed　what　was　told　you？〃

〃Believed？〃

〃Believed　it　well　enough　to　keep　a　watch　on　your　young　mistress　to
see　if　she　were　happy　or　not？〃

〃Oh；　sir！〃

〃It　was　but　natural；〃　the　coroner　suavely　observed。　　〃Every　one　felt
interested　in　this　marriage。　　You　watched　her　of　course。　　Now　what
was　the　result？　　Did　you　consider　her　well　and　happy？〃

The　girl's　voice　sank　and　she　cast　a　glance　at　her　master　which　he
did　not　lift　his　head　to　meet。

〃I　did　not　think　her　happy。　　She　laughed　and　sang　and　was　always　in
and　out　of　the　rooms　like　a　butterfly；　but　she　did　not　wear　a　happy
look；　except　now　and　then　when　she　was　seated　with　Mr。　Jeffrey　alone。
Then　I　have　seen　her　flush　in　a　way　to　make　the　heart　ache；　it　was
such　a　contrast；　sir；　to　other　times　when　she　was　by　herself　or　…〃

〃Or　what？〃

〃Or　just　with　her　sister；　sir。〃

The　defiance　with　which　this　was　said　added　point　to　what　otherwise
might　have　been　an　unimportant　admission。　　Those　who　had　already
scrutinized　Miss　Tuttle　with　the　curiosity　of　an　ill…defined　suspicion
now　scrutinized　her　with　a　more　palpable　one；　and　those　who　had
hitherto　seen　nothing　in　this　heavily…veiled　woman　but　the　bereaved
sister　of　an　irresponsible　suicide　allowed　their　looks　to　dwell
piercingly　on　that　concealing　veil；　as　if　they　would　be　glad　to
penetrate　its　folds　and　read　in　those　beautiful　features　the　meaning
of　an　allusion　uttered　with　such　a　sting　in　the　tone。

〃You　refer　to　Miss　Tuttle？〃　observed　the　coroner。

〃Mrs。　Jeffrey's　sister？　　Yes；　sir。〃　　The　menace　was　gone　from　the
voice　now；　but　no　one　could　forget　that　it　had　been　there。

〃Miss　Tuttle　lived　in　the　house　with　her　sister；　did　she　not？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　till　that　sister　died　and　was　buried；　then　she　went　away。〃

The　coroner　did　not　pursue　this　topic；　preferring　to　return　to　the
former　one。

〃So　you　say　that　Mrs。　Jeffrey　showed　uneasiness　ever　since　her
wedding　day。　　Can　you　give　me　any　instance　of　this；　mention；　I　mean；
any　conversations　overheard　by　you　which　would　show　us　just　what　you
mean？〃

〃I　don't　like　to　repeat　things　I　hear。　　But　if　you　say　that　I　must；
I　can　remember　once　passing　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jeffrey　in　the　hall；　just
as　he　was　saying：　'You　take　it　too　much　to　heart！　　I　expected　a
happy　honeymoon。　　Somehow；　we　have　failed　…'　　That　was　all　I　heard；
sir。　　But　what　made　me　remember　his　words　was　that　she　was　dressed
for　some　afternoon　reception　and　looked　so　charming　and　so　…　and　so；
as　if　she　ought　to　be　happier。〃

〃Just　so。　　Now；　when　was　this？　　How　long　before　her　death？〃

〃Oh；　a　week　or　so。　　It　was　very　soon　after　the　wedding　day。〃

〃And　did　matters　seem　to　improve　after　that？　Did　she　appear　any
better　satisfied　or　more　composed？〃

〃I　think　she　endeavored　to。　　But　there　was　something　on　her　mind；
something　which　she　tried　to　laugh　off；　something　that　annoyed　Mr。
Jeffrey　and　worried　Miss　Tuttle；　something　which　caused　a　cloud　in
the　house；　for　all　the　dances　and　dinners　and　goings　and　comings。
I　am　sorry　to　speak　of　it；　but　it　was　so。〃

〃Something　that　showed　an　unsettled　mind？〃

〃Almost。　　The　glitter　in　her　eye　was　not　natural；　neither　was　the
way　she　looked　at　her　sister　and　sometimes　at　her　husband。〃

〃Did　she　talk　much　about　the　catastrophe　which　attended　her　wedding？
Did　her　mind　seem　to　run　on　that？〃

〃Incessantly　at　first；　but　afterward　not　so　much。　　I　think　Mr。
Jeffrey　frowned　on　that　subject。〃

〃Did　he　ever　frown　on　her？〃

〃No；　sir　…　not　…　not　when　they　were　alone　or　with　no　one　by　but　me。
He　seemed　to　love　her　then　very　much。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that；　Loretta；　that　he　lost　patience　with　her
when　other　people　were　present　…　Miss　Tuttle；　for　instance？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　He　used　to　change　very　much　when　…　when　…　when　Miss
Tuttle　came　into　the　room。〃

〃Change　toward　his　wife？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃How　？〃

〃He　grew　more　distant；　much　more　distant；　got　up　quite　fretfully
from　his　seat；　if　he　were　sitting　beside　her；　and　took　up　some
book　or　paper。〃

〃And　Miss　Tuttle？〃

〃She　never　seemed　to　notice　but〃

〃But　…　？〃

〃She　did　not　come　in　very　often　after　this　had　happened　once　or
twice；　I　mean　into　the　room　upstairs　where　they　used　to　sit。〃

〃Loretta；　I　regret　to　put　this　question；　but　after　your　replies　I
owe　it　to　the　jury；　if　not　to　the　parties　themselves；　to　make　Miss
Tuttle's　position　in　this　household　thoroughly　understood。　　Do　you
think　she　was　a　welcome　visitor　in　this　house？〃

The　girl　pursed　up　her　lips；　glanced　at　the　lady　and　gentleman
whose　feelings　she　was　supposed　to　pass　comment　on；　and　seemed　to
lose　heart。　　Then；　as　they　failed　to　respond　to　her　look　of　appeal；
she　strove　to　get　the　better　of　her　sense　of　shame　and；　with　a
somewhat　injured　air；　replied：

〃I　can　only　repeat　what　I　once　heard　said　about　this　by　Mr。
Jeffrey　himself。　　Miss　Tuttle　had　just　left　the　diningroom　and　Mrs。
Jeffrey　was　standing　in　one　of　her　black　moods；　with　her　hand　on
the　top　of　her　chair；　ready　to　go　but　forgetting　to　do　so。　　I　was
ther