the filigree ball-第25部分

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house；　at　the　time　of　his　acknowledged　visit；　the　candles　which　had
been　afterward　discovered　there？　　No。　　He　had　had　time　to　think
since　his　hesitating　and　unsatisfactory　replies　of　the　day　before；
and　he　was　now　in　a　position　to　say　that　while　he　distinctly
remembered　buying　candles　on　his　way　to　the　Moore　house；　he　had　not
found　them　in　his　pocket　on　getting　there　and　had　been　obliged　to
make　use　of　the　matches　he　always　carried　on　his　person　in　order　to
find　his　way　to　the　upstairs　room　where　he　felt　positive　he　would
find　a　candle。

This　gave　the　coroner　an　opportunity　to　ask：

〃And　why　did　you　expect　to　find　a　candle　there？〃

The　answer　astonished　me　and；　I　have　no　doubt；　many　others。

〃It　was　the　room　in　which　my　wife　had　dressed　for　the　ceremony。　　It
had　not　been　disturbed　since　that　time。　　My　wife　had　little　ways　of
her　own；　one　was　to　complete　her　toilet　by　using　a　curling　iron　on
a　little　lock　she　wore　over　her　temple。　　When　at　home　she　heated
this　curling　iron　in　the　gas　jet；　but　there　being　no　gas　in　the　Moore
house；　I　naturally　concluded　that　she　had　made　use　of　a　candle；　as
the　curl　had　been　noticeable　under　her　veil。〃

Oh；　the　weariness　in　his　tone！　I　could　scarcely　interpret　it。　　Was
he　talking　by　rote；　or　was　he　utterly　done　with　life　and　all　its
interests？　　No　one　besides　myself　seemed　to　note　this　strange
passivity。　　To　the　masses　he　was　no　longer　a　suffering　man；　but　an
individual　from　whom　information　was　to　be　got。　　The　next　question
was　a　vital　one。

He　had　accounted　for　one　candle　in　the　house；　could　he　account　for
the　one　found　in　the　tumbler　or　for　the　one　lying　crushed　and
battered　on　the　closet　floor？

He　could　not。

And　now　we　all　observed　a　change　of　direction　in　the　inquiry。
Witnesses　were　summoned　to　corroborate　Mr。　Jeffrey's　statements；
statements　which　it　seemed　to　be　the　coroner's　present　wish　to
establish。　　First　came　the　grocer　who　had　sold　Mr。　Jeffrey　the
candles。　　He　acknowledged；　much　to　Jinny's　discomfort；　that　an　hour
after　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　left　the　store；　he　had　found　on　the　counter
the　package　which　that　gentleman　had　forgotten　to　take。　　Poor　Jinny
had　not　stayed　long　enough　to　hear　his　story　out。　　The　grocer
finished　his　testimony　by　saying　that　immediately　upon　his
discovery　he　had　sent　the　candles　to　Mr。　Jeffrey's　house。

This　the　coroner　caused　to　be　emphasized　to　such　an　extent　that　we
were　all　convinced　of　its　importance。　　But　as　yet　his　purpose　was
not　evident　save　to　those　who　were　more　in　his　confidence　than　myself。

The　other　witnesses　were　men　from　Rauchers；　who　had　acted　as　waiters
at　the　time　of　the　marriage。　　One　of　them　testified　that　immediately
on　Miss　Moore's　arrival　he　had　been　sent　for　a　candle　and　a　box　of
matches。　　The　other；　that　he　had　carried　up　to　her　room　a　large
candelabrum　from　the　drawing…room　mantel。　　A　pair　of　curling　tongs
taken　from　the　dressing　table　of　this　room　was　next　produced；
together　with　other　articles　of　toilet　use　which　had　been　allowed
to　remain　there　uncared　for；　though　they　were　of　solid　silver　and
of　beautiful　design。

The　next　witness　was　a　member　of　Mr。　Jeffrey's　own　household。　　Chloe
was　her　name；　and　her　good　black　face　worked　dolefully　as　she
admitted　that　the　package　of　candles　which　the　grocer　boy　had　left
on　the　kitchen　table；　with　the　rest　of　the　groceries　on　the　morning
of　that　dreadful　day　when　〃Missus〃　killed　herself；　was　not　to　be
found　when　she　came　to　put　the　things　away。　　She　had　looked　and
looked　for　it；　but　it　was　not　there。

Further　inquiry　brought　out　the　fact　that　but　one　other　member　of
the　household　was　in　the　kitchen　when　these　groceries　were　delivered；
and　that　this　person　gave　a　great　start　when　the　boy　shouted　out；
〃The　candles　there　were　bought　by　Mr。　Jeffrey；〃　and　hurried　over　to
the　table　and　handled　the　packages；　although　Chloe　did　not　see　her
carry　any　of　them　away。

〃And　who　was　this　person？〃

〃Miss　Tuttle。〃

With　the　utterance　of　this　name　the　veil　fell　from　the　coroner's
intentions　and　the　purpose　of　this　petty　but　prolonged　inquiry　stood
revealed。　　It　was　to　all　a　fearful　and　impressive　moment。　　To　me　it
was　as　painful　as　it　was　triumphant。　　I　had　not　anticipated　such　an
outcome　when　I　put　my　wits　to　work　to　prove　that　murder；　and　not
suicide；　was　answerable　for　young　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death。

When　the　murmur　which　had　hailed　this　startling　turn　in　the　inquiry
had　subsided；　the　coroner　drew　a　deep　breath；　and；　with　an　uneasy
glance　at　the　jury；　who；　to　a　man；　seemed　to　wish　themselves　well
out　of　this　job；　he　dismissed　the　cook　and　summoned　a　fresh　witness。

Her　name　made　the　people　stare。

〃Miss　Nixon。〃

Miss　Nixon！　　That　was　a　name　well　known　in　Washington；　almost　as
well　known　as　that　of　Uncle　David；　or　even　of　Mr。　Tallman。　　What
could　this　quaint　and　characteristic　little　body　have　to　do　with
this　case　of　doubtful　suicide？　　A　word　will　explain。　　She　was　the
person　who；　on　the　day　before；　had　made　that　loud　exclamation　when
the　box　containing　the　ribbon　and　the　pistol　had　been　disclosed　to
the　jury。

As　her　fussy　little　figure　came　forward；　some　nudged　and　some
laughed；　possibly　because　her　bonnet　was　not　of　this　year's　style；
possibly　because　her　manner　was　peculiar　and　as　full　of　oddities
as　her　attire。　　But　they　did　not　laugh　long；　for　the　little　lady's
look　was　appealing；　if　not　distressed。　　The　fact　that　she　was
generally　known　to　possess　one　of　the　largest　bank　accounts　in　the
District；　made　any　marked　show　of　disrespect　toward　her　a　matter
of　poor　judgment；　if　not　of　questionable　taste。

The　box　in　the　coroner's　hand　prepared　us　for　what　was　before　us。
As　he　opened　it　and　disclosed　again　the　dainty　white　bow　which；　as
I　have　before　said；　was　of　rather　a　fantastic　make；　the　whole
roomful　of　eager　spectators　craned　forward　and　were　startled　enough
when　he　asked：

〃Did　you　ever　see　a　bow　like　this　before？〃

Her　answer　came　in　the　faintest　of　tones。

〃Yes；　I　have　one　like　it；　very　like　it；　so　like　it　that　yesterday
I　could　not　suppress　an　exclamation　on　seeing　this　one。〃

〃Where　did　you　get　the　one　you　have？　　Who　fashioned　it；　I　mean；　or
tied　it　for　you；　if　that　is　what　I　ought　to　say？〃

〃It　was　tied　for　me　by　…　Miss　Tuttle。　　She　is　a　friend　of　mine；　or
was　…　and　a　very　good　one；　and　one　day　while　watching　me　struggling
with　a　piece　of　ribbon；　which　I　wanted　made　into　a　bow；　she　took　it
from　my　hand　and　tied　a　knot　for　which　I　was　very　much　obliged　to
her。　　It　was　very　pretty。〃

〃And　like　this？〃

〃Almost　exactly；　sir。〃

〃Have　you　that　knot　with　you？〃

She　had。

〃Will　you　show　it　to　the　jury？〃

Heaving　a　sigh　which　she　had　much　better　have　suppressed；　she　opened
a　little　bag　she　carried　at　her　side　and　took　out　a　pink　satin　bow。
It　had　been　tied　by　a　deft　hand；　and　more　than　one　pair　of　eyes　fell
significantly　at　sight　of　it。

Amid　a　silence　which　was　intense；　two　or　three　other　witnesses　were
called　to　prove　that　Miss　Tuttle's　skill　in　bow…tying　was　exceptional；
and　was　often　made　use　of；　not　only　by　members　of　her　household；　but；
as　in　Miss　Nixon's　case；　by　outsiders；　the　special　style　shown　in　the
one　under　consideration　being　the　favorite。

During　all　this；　I　kept　my　eyes　on　Mr。　Jeffrey。　　It　had　now　become
so　evident　which　way　the　coroner's　inquiries　tended　that　I　wished　to
be　the　first　to　note　their　effect　on　him。　　It　was　less　marked　than　I
had　anticipated。　　The　man　seemed　benumbed　by　accumulated　torment　and
stared　at　the　witnesses　filing　before　him　as　if　they　were　part　of
some　wild　phantasmagoria　which　confused；　without　enlightening　him。
When　finally　several　persons　of　both　sexes　were　brought　forward　to
prove　that　his　attentions　to　Miss　Tuttle　had　once　been　sufficiently
marked　for　an　announcement　of　their　engagement　to　be　daily　looked
for；　he　let　his　head　fall　forward　on　his　breast　as　if　the　creeping
horror　which　had　seized　him　was　too　much　for　his　brain　if　not　for
his　heart。　　The　final　blow　was　struck　when　the　man　whom　I　had　myself
seen　in　Alexandria　testified　to　the　contretemps　which　had　occurred
in　Atlantic　City；　an　additional　point　being　given　to　it　by　the
repetition　of　some　old　conversation　raked　up　for　the　purpose；　by
which　an　effort　was　made　to　prove　that　Miss　Tuttle　found　it　hard　to
forgive　injuries　even　from　those　nearest　and　dearest　to　her。　　This
subject　might　have　been　prolonged；　but　some　of　the　jury　objected；
and　the　time　being　now　ripe　for　the　great　event　of　the　day；　the
name　of　the　lady　herself　was　called。

After　so　significant　a　preamble；　the　mere　utterance　of　Miss　Tuttle's
name　had　almost　the　force　of　an　accusation；　but　the　dignity　with
which　she　rose　calmed　all　minds；　and　subdued　every　expression　of
feeling。　　I　could　but　marvel　at　her　self…poise　and　noble　equanimity；
and　asked　myself　if；　in　the　few　days　which　had　passed　since　first
the　murmur　of　something　more　serious　than　suicide　had　gone　about；
she　had　so　schooled　herself　for　all　emergencies　that　nothing　could
shake　her　self…possession；　not　even　the　suggestion　that　a　woman　of
her　beauty　and　distinction　could　be　concerned　in　a　crime。　　0r　had
she　within　herself　some　great　source　of　strength；　which　sustained
her　in　this　most　dreadful　ordeal？　　All　were　on　watch　to　see。　　When
the　veil　dropped　from　before　her　features　and　she　stepped　into　the
full　sight　of　the　expectant　crowd；　it　was　not　the　beauty　of　her
face；　notable　and　conspicuous　as　that　was；　which　roused　the　hum　of
surprise　that　swept　from　one　end　of　the　room　to　the　other；　but　the
calmness；　almost　the　elevation　of　her　manner；　a　calmness　and
elevation　so　unlooked　for　in　the　light　of　the　strange　contradictions
offered　by　the　evidence　to　which　we　had　been　listening　for　a　day　and
a　half；　that　all　were　affected；　many　inclined　even　to　believe　her
innocent　of　any　undue　connection　with　her　sister's　death　before　she
had　stretched　forth　her　hand　to　take　the　oath。

I　was　no　exception　to　the　rest。　　Though　I　had　exerted　myself　from
the　first　to　bring　matters　to　a　climax　…　but　not　to　this　one　…　I
experienced　such　a　shock　under　the　steady　gaze　of　her　sad　but
gentle　eyes；　that　I　found　myself　recoiling　before　my　own　presumption
with　something　like　secret　shame　till　I　was　relieved　by　the　thought
that　a　per