the filigree ball-第21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！


futile　and　uncalled　for。　　But　Coroner　Z。　was　never　known　to　waste
time　on　trivialities；　and　if　he　called　for　these　facts；　those　who
knew　him　best　felt　certain　that　they　were　meant　as　a　preparation　for
Mr。　Jeffrey's　testimony；　which　was　now　called　for。




XII

THRUST　AND　PARRY


When　Francis　Jeffrey's　hand　fell　from　his　forehead　and　he　turned　to
face　the　assembled　people；　an　instinctive　compassion　arose　in　every
breast　at　sight　of　his　face；　which；　if　not　open　in　its　expression；
was　at　least　surcharged　with　the　deepest　misery。　　In　a　flash　the
scene　took　on　new　meaning。　　Many　remembered　that　less　than　a　month
before　his　eye　had　been　joyous　and　his　figure　a　conspicuous　one
among　the　favored　sons　of　fortune。　　And　now　he　stood　in　sight　of　a
crowd；　drawn　together　mainly　by　curiosity；　to　explain　as　best　he
might　why　this　great　happiness　and　hope　had　come　to　a　sudden
termination；　and　his　bride　of　a　fortnight　had　sought　death　rather
than　continue　to　live　under　the　same　roof　with　him。

So　much　for　what　I　saw　on　the　faces　about　me。　　What　my　own　face
revealed　I　can　not　say。　　I　only　know　that　I　strove　to　preserve　an
impassive　exterior。　　If　I　secretly　held　this　man's　misery　to　be　a
mask　hiding　untold　passions　and　the　darkness　of　an　unimaginable
deed；　it　was　not　for　me　to　disclose　in　this　presence　either　my
suspicions　or　my　fears。　　To　me；　as　to　those　about　me；　he　apparently
was　a　man　who　at　some　sacrifice　to　his　pride；　would；　yet　be　able
to　explain　whatever　seemed　dubious　in　the　mysterious　case　in　which
he　had　become　involved。

His　wife's　uncle；　who　to　all　appearance　shared　the　general　curiosity
as　to　the　effect　which　this　woeful　tragedy　had　had　upon　his　niece's
most　interested　survivor；　eyed　with　a　certain　cold　interest；
eminently　in　keeping　with　his　general　character；　the　pallid　forehead；
sunken　eyes　and　nervously　trembling　lip　of　the　once　〃handsome
Jeffrey〃　till　that　gentleman；　rousing　from　his　depression；　manifested
a　realization　of　what　was　required　of　hire　and　turned　with　a　bow
toward　the　coroner。

Miss　Tuttle　settled　into　a　greater　rigidity。　　I　pass　over　the
preliminary　examination　of　this　important　witness　and　proceed　at　once
to　the　point　when　the　coroner；　holding　out　the　two　or　three　lines
of　writing　which　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　declared　to　have　been　left　him　by
his　wife；　asked：

〃Are　these　words　in　your　wife's　handwriting？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　replied　hastily；　and；　with　just　d　glance　at　the　paper
offered　him：

〃They　are。〃

The　coroner　pressed　the　slip　upon　him。

〃Look　at　them　carefully；〃　he　urged。　　〃The　handwriting　shows　hurry
and　in　places　is　scarcely　legible。　　Are　you　ready　to　swear　that
these　words　were　written　by　your　wife　and　by　no　other？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey；　with　just　a　slight　contraction　of　his　brow　expressive
of　annoyance；　did　as　he　was　bid。　　He　scanned；　or　appeared　to　scan；
the　small　scrap　of　paper　which　he　now　took　into　his　own　hand。

〃It　is　my　wife's　writing；〃　he　impatiently　declared。　　〃Written；　as　all
can　see；　under　great　agitation　of　mind；　but　hers　without　any　doubt。〃

〃Will　you　read　aloud　these　words　for　our　benefit？〃　asked　the　coroner：

It　was　a　cruel　request；　causing　an　instinctive　protest　from　the
spectators。　　But　no　protest　disturbed　Coroner　Z。　　He　had　his　reasons；
no　doubt；　for　thus　trying　this　witness；　and　when　Coroner　Z。　had
reason　for　anything　it　took　more　than　the　displeasure　of　the　crowd
to　deter　him。

Mr。　Jeffrey；　who　had　subdued　whatever　indignation　he　may　have　felt
at　this　unmistakable　proof　of　the　coroner's　intention　to　have　his
own　way　with　him　whatever　the　cost　to　his　sensitiveness　or　pride；
obeyed　the　latter's　command　in　firmer　tones　than　I　expected。

The　lines　he　was　thus　called　upon　to　read　may　bear　repetition：

〃I　find　that　I　do　not　love　you　as　I　thought。　　I　can　not　live　knowing
this　to　be　so。　　Pray　God　you　may　forgive　me！

VERONICA。〃


As　the　last　word　fell　with　a　little　tremble　from　Mr。　Jeffrey's　lips；
the　coroner　repeated：

〃You　still　think　these　words　were　addressed　to　you　by　your　wife；
that　in　short　they　contain　an　explanation　of　her　death？〃

〃I　do〃

There　was　sharpness　in　the　tone。　　Mr。　Jeffrey　was　feeling　the　prick。
There　was　agitation　in　it；　too；　an　agitation　he　was　trying　hard　to
keep　down。

〃You　have　reason；　then；〃　persisted　the　coroner；　〃for　accepting　this
peculiar　explanation　of　your　wife's　death；　a　death　which；　in　the
judgment　of　most　people；　was　of　a　nature　to　call　for　the　strongest
provocation　possible。〃

〃My　wife　was　not　herself。　　My　wife　was　in　an　over　strained　and
suffering　condition。　　For　one　so　nervously　overwrought　many
allowances　must　be　made。　　She　may　have　been　conscious　of　not
responding　fully　to　my　affection。　　That　this　feeling　was　strong
enough　to　induce　her　to　take　her　life　is　a　source　of　unspeakable
grief　to　me；　but　one　for　which　you　must　find　explanation；　as　I　have
so　often　said；　in　the　terrors　caused　by　the　dread　event　at　the
Moore　house；　which　recalled　old　tragedies　and　emphasized　a　most
unhappy　family　tradition。〃

The　coroner　paused　a　moment　to　let　these　words　sink　into　the　ears
of　the　jury；　then　plunged　immediately　into　what　might　be　called　the
offensive　part　of　his　examination。

〃Why；　if　your　wife's　death　caused　you　such　intense　grief；　did　you
appear　so　relieved　at　receiving　this　by　no　means　consoling
explanation？〃

At　an　implication　so　unmistakably　suggestive　of　suspicion　Mr。
Jeffrey　showed　fire　for　the　first　time。

〃Whose　word　have　you　for　that？　　A　servant's；　so　newly　come　into　my
house　that　her　very　features　are　still　strange　to　me。　　You　must
acknowledge　that　a　person　of　such　marked　inexperience　can　hardly　be
thought　to　know　me　or　to　interpret　rightly　the　feelings　of　my　heart
by　any　passing　look　she　may　have　surprised　upon　my　face。〃

This　attitude　of　defiance　so　suddenly　assumed　had　an　effect　he
little　realized。　　Miss　Tuttle　stirred　for　the　first　time　behind　her
veil；　and　Uncle　David；　from　looking　bored；　became　suddenly　quite
attentive。　　These　two　but　mirrored　the　feelings　of　the　general
crowd；　and　mine　especially。

〃We　do　not　depend　on　her　judgment　alone；〃　the　coroner　now　remarked。
〃The　change　in　you　was　apparent　to　many　others。　　This　we　can　prove
to　the　jury　if　they　require　it。〃

But　no　man　lifting　a　voice　from　that　gravely　attentive　body；　the
coroner　proceeded　to　inquire　if　Mr。　Jeffrey　felt　like　volunteering
any　explanations　on　this　head。　　Receiving　no　answer　from　him　either；
he　dropped　the　suggestive　line　of　inquiry　and　took　up　the
consideration　of　facts。　　The　first　question　he　now　put　was：

〃Where　did　you　find　the　slip　of　paper　containing　these　last　words
from　your　wife？〃

〃In　a　book　I　picked　out　of　the　book…shelf　in　our　room　upstairs。
When　Loretta　gave　me　my　wife's　message　I　knew　that　I　should　find
some　word　from　her　in　the　novel　we　had　just　been　reading。　　As　we　had
been　interested　in　but　one　book　since　our　marriage；　there　was　no
possibility　of　my　making　an'　mistake　as　to　which　one　she　referred〃

〃Will　you　give　us　the　name　of　this　novel？〃

〃COMPENSATION。〃

〃And　you　found　this　book　called　COMPENSATION　in　your　room　upstairs？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃On　the　book…shelf？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　does　this　book…shelf　stand？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　looked　up　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Why　so　many　small　questions
about　so　simple　a　matter？〃　but　answered　frankly　enough：

〃At　the　right　of　the　door　leading　into　the　bedroom。〃

〃And　at　right　angles　to　the　door　leading　into　the　hall？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Very　good。　　Now　may　I　ask　you　to　describe　the　cover　of　this　book？〃

〃The　cover？　　I　never　noticed　the　cover。　　Why　do　you　…。　　Excuse　me；
I　suppose　you　have　your　reasons　for　asking　even　these　puerile　and
seemingly　unnecessary　questions。　　The　cover　is　a　queer　one　I　believe；
partly　red　and　partly　green；　and　that　is　all　I　know　about　it。〃

〃Is　this　the　book？〃

Mr。　Jeffrey　glanced　at　the　volume　the　coroner　held　up　before　him。

〃I　believe　so；　it　looks　like　it。〃

The　book　had　a　flaming　cover；　quite　unmistakable　in　its　character。

〃The　title　shows　it　to　be　the　same；〃　remarked　the　coroner。　　〃Is　this
the　only　book　with　a　cover　of　this　kind　in　the　house？〃

〃The　only　one；　I　should　say。〃

The　coroner　laid　down　the　book。

〃Enough　of　this；　then；　for　the　present；　only　let　the　jury　remember
that　the　cover　of　this　book　is　peculiar　and　that　it　was　kept　on　a
shelf　at　the　right　of　the　opening　leading　into　the　adjoining
bed…room。　　And　now；　Mr。　Jeffrey；　we　must　ask　you　to　look　at　these
rings；　or；　rather；　at　this　one。　　You　have　seen　it　before；　it　is　the
one　you　placed　on　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　hand　when　you　were　married　to　her
a　little　over　a　fortnight　ago。　　You　recognize　it？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Do　you　also　recognize　this　small　mark　of　blood　on　it　as　having　been
here　when　it　was　shown　to　you　by　the　detective　on　your　return　from
seeing　her　dead　body　at　the　Moore　house？〃

〃I　do；　yes。〃

〃How　do　you　account　for　that　spot　and　the　slight　injury　made　to　her
finger？　　Should　you　not　say　that　the　ring　had　been　dragged　from　her
hand？〃

〃I　should。〃

〃By　whom　was　it　dragged？　　By　you？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃By　herself；　then？〃

〃It　would　seem　so。〃

〃Much　passion　must　have　been　in　that　act。　　Do　you　think　that　any
ordinary　quarrel　between　husband　and　wife　would　account　for　the
display　of　such　fury？　　Are　we　not　right　in　supposing　a　deeper　cause
for　the　disturbance　between　you　than　the　slight　one　you　offer　in
way　of　explanation？〃

An　inaudible　answer；　then　a　sudden　straightening　of　Francis　Jeffrey's
fine　figure。　　And　that　was　all。

〃Mr。　Jeffrey；　in　the　talk　you　had　with　your　wife　on　Tuesday　morning
was　Miss　Tuttle's　name　introduced？〃

〃It　was　mentioned；　yes；　sir。〃

〃With　recrimination　or　any　display　of　passion　on　the　part　of　your
wife？〃

〃You　would　not　believe　me　if　I　said　no；〃　was　the　unexpected　rejoinder。

The　coroner；　taken　aback　by　this　direct　attack　from　one　who　had
hitherto　borne　all　his　innuendoes　with　apparent　patience；　lost
countenance　for　a　moment；　but；　remembering　that　in　his　official
capacity　he　was　more　than　a　match　for　the　elegant　gentleman；　who
under　other　circumstances　would　have　found　it　only　too　easy　to　put
him　to　the　blush；　he　observed　with　dignity：

〃Mr。　Jeffrey；　you　are　on　oath。　　We　certainly　have　no　reason　for　not
believing　you。〃

Mr。　Jeffrey