the filigree ball-第19部分

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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
there；　but　neither　of　them　noticed　me；　he　was　staring　at　her；　and
she　was　looking　down。　　Neither　seemed　at　ease。　　Suddenly　he　spoke
and　asked；　'Why　must　Cora　remain　with　us？'　　She　started　and　her
look　grew　strange　and　frightened。　　'Because　I　want　her　to；'　she
cried。　　'I　can　not　live　without　Cora。〃'

These　words；　so　different　from　what　we　were　expecting；　caused　a
sensation　in　the　room　and　consequently　a　stir。　　As　the　noise　of
shifting　feet　and　moving　heads　began　to　be　heard　in　all　directions；
Miss　Tuttle's　head　drooped　a　little；　but　Francis　Jeffrey　did　not
betray　any　sign　of　feeling　or　even　of　attention。　　The　coroner；
embarrassed；　perhaps；　by　this　exhibition　of　silent　misery　so　near
him；　hesitated　a　little　before　he　put　his　next　question。　　Loretta；
on　the　contrary；　had　gathered　courage　with　every　word　she　spoke　and
now　looked　ready　for　anything。

〃It　was　Mrs。　Jeffrey；　then；　who　clung　most　determinedly　to　her
sister？〃　the　coroner　finally　suggested。

〃I　have　told　you　what　she　said。〃

〃Yet　these　sisters　spent　but　little　time　together？〃

〃Very　little；　as　little　as　two　persons　could　who　lived　together
in　one　house。〃

This　statement；　which　seemed　such　a　contradiction　to　her　former　one；
increased　the　interest；　and　much　disappointment　was　covertly　shown
when　the　coroner　veered　off　from　this　topic　and　brusquely　inquired
〃Did　you　ever　know　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jeffrey　to　have　any　open　rupture？〃

The　answer　was　a　decided　one。

〃Yes。　　On　Tuesday　morning　preceding　her　death　they　had　a　long　and
angry　talk　in　their　own　room；　after　which　Mrs。　Jeffrey　made　no
further　effort　to　conceal　her　wretchedness。　　Indeed；　one　may　say
she　began　to　die　from　that　hour。〃

Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death　had　occurred　on　Wednesday　evening。

〃Let　us　hear　what　you　have　to　say　about　this　quarrel　and　what
happened　after　it。〃

The　girl；　with　a　renewed　flush；　cast　a　deprecatory　look　at　the　mass
of　faces　before　her；　and；　meeting　on　all　sides　but　one　look　of
intense　and　growing　interest；　drew　up　her　neat　figure　with　a
relieved　air　and　began　a　story　which　I　will　proceed　to　transcribe
for　you　in　the　fewest　possible　words。

Tuesday　morning's　breakfast　had　been　a　silent　one。　　There　had　been　a
ball　the　night　before　at　some　great　place　on　Massachusetts　Avenue；
but　no　one　spoke　of　it。　　Miss　Tuttle　made　some　remark　about　a　friend
she　had　met　there；　but　as　no　one　listened　to　her；　she　soon　stopped
and　in　a　little　while　left　the　table。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jeffrey　sat　on；
but　neither　said　anything。　　Finally　Mr。　Jeffrey　rose　and；　speaking　in
a　voice　hardly　recognizable；　remarked　that　he　had　something　to　say　to
her；　and　led　the　way　to　their　room。　　Mrs。　Jeffrey　looked　frightened
as　she　followed　him；　so　frightened　that　it　was　evident　that　something
very　serious　had　occurred　or　was　about　to　occur　between　them。　　As
nothing　of　this　kind　had　ever　happened　before；　Loretta　could　not
help　waiting　about　till　Mr。　Jeffrey　reappeared；　and　when　he　did　so
and　she　saw　no　signs　of　relief　in　his　face　or　manner；　she　watched；
with　the　silly　interest　of　a　girl　who　had　nothing　else　to　occupy　her
mind；　to　see　if　he　would　leave　the　house　in　such　a　mood；　and　without
making　peace　with　his　young　bride。　　To　her　surprise；　he　did　not　go
out　at　the　usual　time；　but　went　to　Miss　Tuttle's　room；　where　for　a
full　half…hour　he　remained　closeted　with　his　sister…in…law；　talking
in　excited　and　unnatural　tones。　　Then　he　went　back　for　a　few　minutes
to　where　he　had　left　his　wife；　in　her　own　boudoir。　　But　he　could　not
have　had　much　to　say　to　her　this　time；　for　he　presently　came　out
again　and　ran　hastily　downstairs　and　out；　almost　without　stopping
to　catch　up　his　hat。

As　it　was　Mary's　business；　and　not　the　witness'；　to　make　Mrs。
Jeffrey's　bed　in　the　morning；　Loretta　could　think　of　no　excuse　for
approaching　her　mistress'　room　at　this　moment；　but　later；　when
letters　came；　followed　by　various　messages　and　some　visitors；　she
went　more　than　a　dozen　times　to　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　door。　　She　was　not
admitted；　nor　were　her　appeals　answered；　except　by　a　sharp　〃Go
away！〃

Nor　was　Miss　Tuttle　received　any　better；　though　she　tried　more　than
once　to　see　her　sister；　especially　as　night　came　on　and　the　hour
approached　for　Mr。　Jeffrey's　return。　　Mrs。　Jeffrey　was　simply
determined　to　remain　alone；　and　when　dinner　time　arrived；　and　no
Mr。　Jeffrey；　she　could　be　induced　to　open　her　door　only　wide　enough
to　take　in　the　cup　of　tea　which　Miss　Tuttle　insisted　upon　sending
her。

The　witness　here　confessed　that　she　had　been　very　much　excited　by
these　unusual　proceedings　and　by　the　effect　which　they　seemed　to
have　on　the　lady　just　mentioned；　so　she　was　ready　to　notice　that
Mrs。　Jeffrey's　hand　shook　like　that　of　an　old　and　palsied　woman　when
she　reached　out　for　the　tray。

Gladly　would　Loretta　have　caught　one　glimpse　of　her　face；　but　it
was　hidden　by　the　door；　nor　did　Mrs。　Jeffrey　answer　a　single　one　of
her　questions。　　She　simply　closed　her　door　and　kept　it　so　till
toward　midnight；　when　Miss　Tuttle；　coming　into　the　hall；　ordered　the
house　to　be　closed　for　the　night。　　Then　the　long…shut　door　softly
swung　open；　but　before　any　one　could　reach　it；　it　was　again　pulled　to
and　locked。

The　next　day　brought　no　relief。　　Miss　Tuttle；　who　had　changed　greatly
during　this　unhappy　day　and　night；　succeeded　no　better　than　before　in
getting　access　to　her　sister；　nor　could　Loretta　gain　the　least　word
from　her　mistress　till　toward　the　latter　part　of　the　afternoon；　when
that　lady；　ringing　her　bell；　gave　her　first　order。

〃A　substantial　dinner；〃　she　cried；　and　when　Loretta；　greatly　relieved；
brought　up　the　required　meal　she　was　astonished　to　find　the　door　open
and　herself　bidden　to　enter。　　The　sight　which　met　her　eyes　staggered
her。　　From　one　end　of　the　room　to　the　other　were　signs　of　great
nervous　unrest　and　of　terrible　suffering。　　The　chairs　were　pushed
into　corners　as　if　the　wretched　bride　had　tramped　the　floor　in　an
agony　of　excitement。　　Curtains　were　torn　and　the　piano…cover　was
hanging　half　on　and　half　off　the　open　upright；　as　if　she　had　clutched
at　it　to　keep　herself　from　falling。　　On　the　floor　beneath　lay　several
pieces　of　broken　china；　…　vases　of　whose　value　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　often
spoken；　but　which；　jerked　off　with　the　cover；　had　been　left　where
they　fell；　while　immediately　in　front　of　the　fireplace　lay　one　of
the　rugs　tossed　into　a　heap；　as　if　she　had　rolled　in　it　on　the　floor
or　used　it　to　smother　her　cries　of　pain　or　anger。

So　much　for　the　state　in　which　the　witness　found　the　boudoir。　　The
adjoining　bed…room　was　not　in　much　better　case；　though　it　was　evident
that　the　bed　itself　had　not　been　lain　in　since　it　was　made　up　the
day　before　at　breakfast　time。　　By　this　token　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　not
slept　the　night　before；　or　if　she　had　laid　her　head　anywhere　it　had
been　on　the　rug　already　spoken　of。

These　signs　of　extreme　mental　suffering；　so　much　more　extreme　than
any　Loretta　had　ever　before　witnessed；　frightened　her　so　that　the
tray　shook　in　her　hand　as　she　set　it　down　on　the　table　among　the
countless　objects　Mrs。　Jeffrey　always　had　about　her。　　The　noise
seemed　to　startle　her　mistress；　who　had　walked　to　the　window　after
opening　the　door；　for　she　wheeled　impetuously　about　and　Loretta　saw
her　face。　　It　was　as　if　a　blight　had　passed　over　it。　　Once　gay　and
animated　beyond　the　power　of　any　one　to　describe；　it　had　become　in
twenty…four　hours　a　ghost's　face；　with　the　glare　of　some　awful
resolve　on　it。　　Or　so　it　would　appear　from　the　way　Loretta　described
it。　　But　such　girls　do　not　always　see　correctly；　and　perhaps　all
that　can　be　safely　stated　is　that　Mrs。　Jeffrey　was　unnaturally　pale
and　had　lost　her　butterfly…like　way　of　incessant　movement。

Loretta；　who　was　evidently　accustomed　to　seeing　her　mistress　arrayed
in　brilliant　colors　and　much　begemmed；　laid　great　stress　on　the　fact
that；　though　it　was　on　the　verge　of　evening　and　she　was　evidently
going　out；　she　was　dressed　in　black　cloth　and　without　even　a　diamond
or　a　flower　to　relieve　its　severe　simplicity。　　Her　hair；　too；　which
was　always　her　pride；　was　piled　in　a　careless　mass　upon　her　head　as
if　she　had　tried　to　arrange　it　herself　and　had　forgotten　what　she
was　doing　while　her　fingers　were　but　half　through　their　work。　　There
was　a　cloak　lying　on　a　chair　near　which　she　was　standing；　and　she
held　a　hat　in　her　band；　but　Loretta　saw　no　gloves。　　As　the　maid's
glance　and　that　of　her　mistress　crossed；　Mrs。　Jeffrey　spoke；　and　the
effort　she　made　in　doing　so　naturally　frightened　the　girl　still
more。　　〃I　am　going　out；〃　were　her　words。　　〃I　may　not　be　home　till
late　…　What　are　you　looking　at？〃

Loretta　declared　that　the　words　took　her　by　surprise　and　that　she
did　not　know　what　to　say；　but　managed　to　cover　up　her　embarrassment
by　intimating　that　if　her　mistress　would　let　her　touch　up　her　hair
a　bit　she　would　make　her　look　more　natural。

At　this　suggestion；　Mrs。　Jeffrey　cast　a　glance　in　the　glass　and
impetuously　declared；　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃　　But　she　seemed　to　think
better　of　it　the　next　minute；　for；　throwing　herself　in　a　chair；　she
bade　the　girl　to　bring　a　comb；　and　sat　quiet　enough；　though　evidently
in　a　great　tremor　of　haste　and　impatience；　while　Loretta　combed　her
hair　and　put　it　up　in　the　old　way。

But　the　old　way　was　not　as　becoming　as　usual；　and　Loretta　was
wondering　if　she　ought　to　call　in　Miss　Tuttle；　when　Mrs。　Jeffrey
jumped　to　her　feet　and　went　over　to　the　table　and　began　to　eat　with
the　feverish　haste　of　one　who　forces　himself　to　take　food　in　spite
of　hurry　and　distaste。

This　was　the　moment　for　Loretta　to　leave　the　room；　but　she　did　not
know　how　to　do　so。　　She　felt　herself　fixed　to　the　spot　and　stood
watching　Mrs。　Jeffrey　till　that　lady；　suddenly　becoming　conscious
of　the　girl's　presence；　turned；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　moans　which
broke　unconsciously　from　her　lips；　said　with　a　pitiable　effort　at
her　old　manner：

〃Go　away；　Loretta；　I　am　ill；　have　been　ill　for　two　days。　　I　don't
like　people　to　look　at　me　like　that！〃　　Then；　as　the　girl　shrank
back；　added　in　a　breaking　voice：　〃When　Mr。　Jeffrey　comes　home　…〃　and
said　no　more　for　several　minutes；　during　which　sh