the filigree ball-第20部分

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said　no　more　for　several　minutes；　during　which　she　clutched　her
throat　with　both　hands　and　struggled　with　herself　till　she　got　her
voice　back　and　found　herself　able　to　repeat：　〃When　Mr。　Jeffrey　comes；
　…　if　he　does　come；　…　tell　him　that　I　was　right　about　the　way　that
novel　ended。　　Remember　that　you　are　to　say　to　him　the　moment　you
see　him　that　I　was　right　about　the　novel；　and　that　he　is　to　look　and
see　if　it　did　not　end　as　I　said　it　would。　　And　〃Loretta　…〃　here　she
rose　and　approached　the　speaker　with　a　sweet；　appealing　look　which
brought　tears　to　the　impressionable　girl's　eyes；　〃don't　go　gossiping
about　me　downstairs。　　I　sha'n't　be　sick　long。　　I　am　going　to　be
better　soon；　very　soon。　　By　the　time　you　see　me　here　again　I　shall
be　quite　like　my　old　self。　　Forget　how　…　how〃　…　and　Loretta　said　she
seemed　to　have　difficulty　in　finding　the　right　word　here　…　〃how
childish　I　have　been。〃

Of　course　Loretta　promised；　but　she　is　not　sure　that　she　would　have
had　the　courage　to　keep　all　this　to　herself　if　she　had　not　heard
Mrs。　Jeffrey　stop　in　Miss　Tuttle's　room　on　her　way　out。　　That
relieved　her；　and　enabled　her　to　go　downstairs　to　her　own　supper
with　more　appetite　than　she　had　thought　ever　to　have　again。　　Alas！
it　was　the　last　good　meal　she　was　able　to　eat　for　days。　　In　three
hours　afterward　a　man　came　from　the　station　house　with　the　news　of
Mrs。　Jeffrey's　suicide　in　the　horrible　old　house　in　which　she　had
been　married　only　two　weeks　before。

As　this　had　been　a　continuous　narrative　and　concisely　told；　the
coroner　had　not　interrupted　her。　　When　at　this　point　a　little　gasp
escaped　Miss　Tuttle　and　a　groan　broke　from　Francis　Jeffrey's
hitherto　sealed　lips；　the　feelings　of　the　whole　assemblage　seemed
to　find　utterance。　　A　young　wife's　misery　culminating　in　death　on
the　very　spot　where　she　had　been　so　lately　married！　　What　could　be
more　thrilling；　or　appeal　more　closely　to　the　general　heart　of
humanity？　　But　the　cause　of　that　misery！　　This　was　what　every　one
present　was　eager　to　have　explained。　　This　is　what　we　now　expected
the　coroner　to　bring　out。　　But　instead　of　continuing　on　the　line　he
had　opened　up；　he　proceeded　to　ask：

〃Where　were　you　when　this　officer　brought　the　news　you　mention？〃

〃In　the　hall；　sir。　　I　opened　the　door　for　him。〃

〃And　to　whom　did　he　first　mention　his　errand？〃

〃To　Miss　Tuttle。　　She　had　come　in　just　before　him　and　was　standing
at　the　foot　of　the　stairs〃

〃What！　　Was　Miss　Tuttle　out　that　evening？〃

〃Yes；　she　went　out　very　soon　after　Mrs。　Jeffrey　left。　　When　she
came　in　she　said　that　she　had　been　around　the　block；　but　she　must
have　gone　around　it　more　than　once；　for　she　was　absent　two　hours。〃

〃Did　you　let　her　in？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃And　she　said　she　had　been　around　the　block？〃

〃Yes；　sir〃

〃Did　she　say　anything　else？〃

〃She　asked　if　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　come　in〃

〃Anything　else？〃

〃Then　if　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　returned。〃

〃To　both　of　which　questions　you　answered　…〃

〃A　plain　'No。'〃

〃Now　tell　us　about　the　officer。〃

〃He　rang　the　bell　almost　immediately　after　she　did。　　Thinking　she
would　want　to　slip　upstairs　before　I　admitted　any　one；　I　waited　a
minute　for　her　to　go；　but　she　did　not　do　so；　and　when　the　officer
stepped　in　she　…〃

〃Well！〃

〃She　shrieked。〃

〃What！　　before　he　spoke？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Just　at　sight　of　him？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Did　he　wear　his　badge　in　plain　view？〃

〃Yes；　on　his　breast。〃

〃So　that　you　knew　him　to　be　a　police　officer？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　Miss　Tuttle　shrieked　at　seeing　a　police　officer？〃

〃Yes；　and　sprang　forward。〃

〃Did　she　say　anything？〃

〃Not　then。〃

〃What　did　she　do？〃

〃Waited　for　him　to　speak。〃

〃Which　he　did？〃

〃At　once；　and　very　brutally。　　He　asked　if　she　was　Mrs。　Jeffrey's
sister；　and　when　she　nodded　and　gasped　'Yes；'　he　blurted　out　that
Mrs。　Jeffrey　was　dead；　that　he　had　just　come　from　the　old　house　in
Waverley　Avenue；　where　she　had　just　been　found。〃

〃And　Miss　Tuttle？〃

〃Didn't　know　what　to　say；　just　hid　her　face。　　She　was　leaning
against　the　newel…post；　so　it　was　easy　for　her　to　do　so。　　I　remember
that　the　man　stared　at　her　for　taking　it　so　quietly　and　asking　no
questions。〃

〃And　did　she　speak　at　all？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　afterwards。　　Her　face　was　wrapped　in　the　folds　of　her
cloak；　but　I　heard　her　whisper；　as　if　to　herself：　'No！　　no！　　That
old　hearth　is　not　a　lodestone。　　She　can　not　have　fallen　there。'
And　then　she　looked　up　quite　wildly　and　cried：　'There　is　something
more　！　　Something　which　you　have　not　told　me。'　'She　shot　herself；
if　that's　what　you　mean。'　　Miss　Tuttle's　arms　went　straight　up　over
her　head。　　It　was　awful　to　see　her。　　'Shot　herself？'　she　gasped。
'Oh；　Veronica；　Veronica！'　　'With　a　pistol；'　he　went　on　…　I　suppose
he　was　going　to　say；　'tied　to　her　wrist；'　but　he　never　got　it　out；
for　Miss　Tuttle；　at　the　word　'pistol'　clapped　her　hands　to　her　ears
and　for　a　moment　looked　quite　distracted；　so　that　he　thought　better
of　worrying　her　any　more　and　only　demanded　to　know　if　Mr。　Jeffrey
kept　any　such　weapon。　　Miss　Tuttle's　face　grew　very　strange　at　this。
'Mr。　Jeffrey！　　was　he　there？'　she　asked。　　The　man　looked　surprised。
'They　are　searching　for　Mr。　Jeffrey；'　he　replied。　　'Isn't　he　here？
'No；'　came　both　from　her　lips　and　mine。　　The　man　acted　very
impertinently。　　'You　haven't　told　me　whether　a　pistol　was　kept　here
or　not；'　said　he。　　Miss　Tuttle　tried　to　compose　herself；　but　I　saw
that　I　should　have　to　speak　if　any　one　did；　so　I　told　him　that　Mr。
Jeffrey　did　have　a　pistol；　which　he　kept　in　one　of　his　bureau
drawers。　　But　when　the　officer　wanted　Miss　Tuttle　to　go　up　and　see
if　it　was　there；　she　shook　her　head　and　made　for　the　front　door；
saying　that　she　must　be　taken　directly　to　her　sister。〃

〃And　did　no　one　go　up？　　Was　no　attempt　made　to　see　if　the　pistol
was　or　was　not　in　the　drawer？〃

〃Yes；　the　officer　went　up　with　me。　　I　pointed　out　the　place　where
it　was　kept；　and　he　rummaged　all　through　it；　but　found　no　pistol。
I　didn't　expect　him　to　…〃　　Here　the　witness　paused　and　bit　her　lip；
adding　confusedly：　〃Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　taken　it；　you　see。〃

The　jurors；　who　sat　very　much　in　the　shadow；　had　up　to　this　point
attracted　but　little　attention。　　But　now　they　began　to　make　their
presence　felt；　perhaps　because　the　break　in　the　witness'　words　had
been　accompanied　by　a　sly　look　at　Jinny。　　Possibly　warned　by　this
that　something　lay　back　of　this　hitherto　timid　witness'　sudden
volubility；　one　of　them　now　spoke　up。

〃In　what　room　did　you　say　this　pistol　was　kept？〃

〃In　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　bed…room；　sir；　the　room　opening　out　of
the　sitting…room　where　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　kept　herself　shut　up　all
day。〃

〃Does　this　bed…room　of　which　you　speak　communicate　with　the　hall　as
well　as　with　the　sitting　room　？〃

〃No；　sir；　it　is　the　defect　of　the　house。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Jeffrey　often
spoke　of　it　as　a　great　annoyance。　　You　had　to　pass　through　the　little
boudoir　in　order　to　reach　it。〃

The　juryman　sank　back；　evidently　satisfied　with　her　replies；　but　we
who　marked　the　visible　excitement　with　which　the　witness　had　answered
this　seemingly　unimportant　question；　wondered　what　special　interest
surrounded　that　room　and　the　pistol　to　warrant　the　heightened　color
with　which　the　girl　answered　this　new　interlocutor。　　We　were　not
destined　to　know　at　this　time；　for　the　coroner；　when　he　spoke　again；
pursued　a　different　subject。

〃How　long　was　this　before　Mr。　Jeffrey　came　in。〃

〃Only　a　few　minutes。　　I　was　terribly　frightened　at　being　left　there
alone　and　was　on　my　way　to　ask　one　of　the　other　girls　to　come　up　and
stay　with　me；　when　I　heard　his　key　in　the　lock　and　came　back。　　He　had
entered　the　house　and　was　standing　near　the　door　talking　to　an
officer；　who　had　evidently　come　in　with　him。　　It　was　a　different
officer　from　the　one　who　had　gone　away　with　Miss　Tuttle。　　Mr。　Jeffrey
was　saying；　'What's　that？　　My　wife　hurt！'　'Dead；　sir！'　blurted　out
the　man。　　I　had　expected　to　see　Mr。　Jeffrey　terribly　shocked；　but
not　in　so　awful　a　way。　　It　really　frightened　me　to　see　him　and　I
turned　to　run；　but　found　that　I　couldn't　and　that　I　had　to　stand
still　and　look　whether　I　wanted　to　or　not。　　Yet　he　didn't　say　a　word
or　ask　a　question。〃

〃What　did　he　do；　Loretta？〃

〃I　can　not　say；　he　was　on　his　knees　and　was　white　…　Oh；　how　white！
Yet　he　looked　up　when　the　man　described　how　and　where　Mrs。　Jeffrey；
had　been　found　and　even　turned　toward　me　when　I　said　something
about　his　wife　having　left　a　message　for　him　when　she　went　out。
This　message；　which　I　almost　hesitated　to　give　after　the　awful　news
of　her　death；　was　about　the　ending　of　some　story；　as　you　remember；
and　it　seemed　heartless　to　speak　of　it　at　a　moment　like　this；　but
as　she　had　told　me　to；　I　didn't　dare　to　disobey　her。　　So；　with　the
man　listening　to　my　every　word；　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　looking　as　if　he
would　fall　to　the　ground　before　I　could　finish；　I　repeated　her
words　to　him　and　was　surprised　enough　when　he　suddenly　started
upright　and　went　flying　upstairs。　　But　I　was　more　surprised　yet
when；　at　the　top　of　the　first　flight；　he　stopped　and；　looking　over
the　balustrade；　asked　in　a　very　strange　voice　where　Miss　Tuttle
was。　　For　he　seemed　just　then　to　want　her　more　than　anything　else
in　the　world　and　looked　beaten　and　wild　when　I　told　him　that　she
was　already　gone　to　Waverley　Avenue。　　But　he　recovered　himself
before　the　man　could　draw　near　enough　to　see　his　face；　and　rushed
into　the　sitting…room　above　and　shut　the　door　behind　him；　leaving
the　officer　and　me　standing　down　by　the　front　door。　　As　I　didn't
know　what　to　say　to　a　man　like　him；　and　he　didn't　know　what　to
say　to　me；　the　time　seemed　long；　but　it　couldn't　have　been　very
many　minutes　before　Mr。　Jeffrey　came　back　with　a　slip　of　paper
in　his　hand　and　a　very　much　relieved　look　on　his　face。　　'The　deed
was　premeditated；'　he　cried。　　'My　unfortunate　wife　has　misunderstood
my　affection　for　her。'　　And　from　being　a　very　much　broken…down　man；
he　stood　up　straight　and　tall　and　prepared　himself　very　quietly　to
go　to　the　Moore　house。　　That　is　all　I　can　tell　about　the　way　the
news　was　received　by　him。〃

Were　these　details　necessary？　　Many　appeared　to　regard　them　as
futile　and　uncalled　for。　　But　Coroner　Z。　was　never　known　to　waste
time　on　trivialities；　and　if　he　called　for　thes