the filigree ball-第26部分

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with　something　like　secret　shame　till　I　was　relieved　by　the　thought
that　a　perfectly　innocent　woman　would　show　more　feeling　at　so　false
and　cruel　a　position。　　I　felt　that　only　one　with　something　to　conceal
would　turn　so　calm　a　front　upon　men　ready；　as　she　knew；　to　fix　upon
her　a　great　crime。　　This　conviction　steadied　me　and　made　me　less
susceptible　to　her　grace　and　to　the　tone　of　her　quiet　voice　and　the
far…away　sadness　of　her　look。　　She　faltered　only　when　by　chance　she
glanced　at　the　shrinking　figure　of　Francis　Jeffrey。

Her　name　which　she　uttered　without　emphasis　and　yet　in　a　way　to
arouse　attention　sank　into　all　hearts　with　more　or　less　disturbance。
〃Alice　Cora　Tuttle！〃　　How　in　days　gone　by；　and　not　so　long　gone　by；
either；　those　three　words　had　aroused　the　enthusiasm　of　many　a
gallant　man　and　inspired　the　toast　at　many　a　gallant　feast！　They
had　their　charm　yet；　if　the　heightened　color　observable　on　many　a
cheek　there　was　a　true　index　to　the　quickening　heart　below。

〃How　are　you　connected　with　the　deceased　Mrs。　Jeffrey？〃

〃I　am　the　child　of　her　mother　by　a　former　husband。　　We　were
half…sisters。〃

No　bitterness　in　this　statement；　only　an　infinite　sadness。　　The
coroner　continued　to　question　her。　　He　asked　for　an　account　of　her
childhood；　and　forced　her　to　lay　bare　the　nature　of　her　relations
with　her　sister。　　But　little　was　gained　by　this；　for　their　relations
seemed　to　have　been　of　a　sympathetic　character　up　to　the　time　of
Veronica's　return　from　school；　when　they　changed　somewhat；　but　how
or　why；　Miss　Tuttle　was　naturally　averse　to　saying。　　Indeed　she
almost　refused　to　do　so；　and　the　coroner；　feeling　his　point　gained
more　by　this　refusal　than　by　any　admission　she　might　have　made；　did
not　press　this　subject　but　passed　on　to　what　interested　us　more：　the
various　unexplained　actions　on　her　part　which　pointed　toward　crime。

His　first　inquiry　was　in　reference　to　the　conversation　held　between
her　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　at　the　time　he　visited　her　room。　　We　had
listened　to　his　account　of　it　and　now　we　wished　to　hear　hers。　　But
the　cue　which　had　been　given　her　by　this　very　account　had　been
invaluable　to　her；　and　her　testimony　naturally　coincided　with　his。
We　found　ourselves　not　an　inch　advanced。　　They　had　talked　of　her
sister's　follies　and　she　had　advised　patience；　and　that　was　all　she
could　say　on　the　subject　…　all　she　would　say；　as　we　presently　saw。

The　coroner　introduced　a　fresh　topic。

〃What　can　you　tell　us　about　the　interview　you　had　with　you　sister
prior　to　her　going　out　on　the　night　of　her　death？〃

〃Very　little；　except　that　it　differed　entirely　from　what　is　generally
supposed。　　She　did　not　come　to　my　room　for　conversation　but　simply
to　tell　me　that　she　had　an　engagement。　　She　was　in　an　excited　mood
but　said　nothing　to　alarm　me。　　She　even　laughed　when　she　left　me；
perhaps　to　put　me　off　my　guard；　perhaps　because　she　was　no　longer
responsible。〃

〃Did　she　know　that　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　visited　you　earlier　in　the　day？
Did　she　make　any　allusion　to　it；　I　mean？〃

〃None　at　all。　　She　shrugged　her　shoulders　when　I　asked　if　she　was
well；　and　anticipated　all　further　questions　by　running　from　the　room。
She　was　always　capricious　in　her　ways　and　never　more　so　than　at　that
moment。　　Would　to　God　that　it　had　been　different！　　Would　to　God　that
she　had　shown　herself　to　be　a　suffering　woman！　　Then　I　might　have
reached　her　heart　and　this　tragedy　would　have　been　averted。〃

The　coroner　favored　the　witness　with　a　look　of　respect；　perhaps
because　his　next　question　must　necessarily　be　cruel。

〃Is　that　all　you　have　to　say　concerning　this　important　visit；　the
last　you　held　with　your　sister　before　her　death？〃

〃No；　sir；　there　is　something　else；　something　which　I　should　like　to
relate　to　this　jury。　　When　she　came　into　my　room；　she　held　in　her
hand　a　white　ribbon；　that　is；　she　held　the　two　ends　of　a　long　satin
ribbon　which　seemed　to　come　from　her　pocket。　　Handing　those　two　ends
to　me；　she　asked　me　to　tie　them　about　her　wrist。　　'A　knot　under　and
a　bow　on　top；'　she　said；　'so　that　it　can　not　slip　off。'　　As　this　was
something　I　had　often　been　called　on　to　do　for　her；　I　showed　no
hesitation　in　complying　with　her　request。　　Indeed；　I　felt　none。　　I
thought　it　was　her　fan　or　her　bouquet　she　held　concealed　in　the　folds
of　her　dress；　but　it　proved　to　be　…　Gentlemen；　you　know　what。　　I　pray
that　you　will　not　oblige　me　to　mention　it。〃

It　was　such　a　stroke　as　no　lawyer　would　have　advised　her　to　make；　…　I
heard　afterward　that　she　had　refused　the　offices　of　a　dozen　lawyers
who　had　proffered　her　their　services。　　But　uttered　as　it　was　with　a
noble　air　and　a　certain　dignified　serenity；　it　had　a　great　effect　upon
those　about　her　and　turned　in　a　moment　the　wavering　tide　of　favor　in
her　direction。

The　coroner；　who　doubtless　was　perfectly　acquainted　with　the
explanation　with　which　she　had　provided　herself；　but　who　perhaps　did
not　look　for　it　to　antedate　his　attack；　bowed　in　quiet　acknowledgment
of　her　request　and　then　immediately　proceeded　to　ignore　it。

〃I　should　be　glad　to　spare　you；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　do　not　find　it
possible。　　You　knew　that　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　a　pistol？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃That　it　was　kept　in　their　apartment？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃In　the　upper　drawer　of　a　certain　bureau？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Now；　Miss　Tuttle；　will　you　tell　us　why　you　went　to　that　drawer　…　if
you　did　go　to　that　drawer　…　immediately　after　Mrs。　Jeffrey　left　the
house？〃

She　had　probably　felt　this　question　coming；　not　only　since　the
coroner　began　to　speak　but　ever　since　the　evidence　elicited　from
Loretta　proved　that　her　visit　to　this　drawer　had　been　secretly
observed。　　Yet　she　had　no　answer　ready。

〃I　did　not　go　for　the　pistol；〃　she　finally　declared。　　But　she　did
not　say　what　she　had　gone　for；　and　the　coroner　did　not　press　her。

Again　the　tide　swung　back。

She　seemed　to　feel　the　change　but　did　not　show　it　in　the　way
naturally　looked　for。　　Instead　of　growing　perturbed　or　openly
depressed　she　bloomed　into　greater　beauty　and　confronted　with
steadier　eye；　not　us；　but　the　men　she　instinctively　faced　as　the
tide　of　her　fortunes　began　to　lower。　　Did　the　coroner　perceive　this
and　recognize　at　last　both　the　measure　of　her　attractions　and　the
power　they　were　likely　to　carry　with　them？　　Perhaps；　for　his　voice
took　an　acrid　note　as　he　declared：

〃You　had　another　errand　in　that　room？〃

She　let　her　head　droop　just　a　trifle。

〃Alas！〃　she　murmured。

〃You　went　to　the　book…shelves　and　took　out　a　book　with　a　peculiar
cover；　a　cover　which　Mr。　Jeffrey　has　already　recognized　as　that　of
the　book　in　which　he　found　a　certain　note。〃

〃You　have　said　it；〃　she　faltered。

〃Did　you　take　such　a　book　out？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃For　what　purpose；　Miss　Tuttle？〃

She　had　meant　to　answer　quickly。　　But　some　consideration　made　her
hesitate　and　the　words　were　long　in　coming；　when　she　did　speak；　it
was　to　say：

〃My　sister　asked　another　favor　of　me　after　I　had　tied　the　ribbon。
Pausing　in　her　passage　to　the　door；　she　informed　me　in　a　tone　quite
in　keeping　with　her　whole　manner；　that　she　had　left　a　note　for　her
husband　in　the　book　they　were　reading　together。　　Her　reason　for
doing　this；　she　said；　was　the　very　natural　one　of　wishing　him　to
come　upon　it　by　chance；　but　as　she　had　placed　it　in　the　front　of
the　book　instead　of　in　the　back　where　they　were　reading；　she　was
afraid　that　he　would　fail　to　find　it。　　Would　I　be　so　good　as　to　take
it　out　for　her　and　insert　it　again　somewhere　near　the　end？　　She　was
in　a　hurry　or　she　would　return　and　do　it　herself。　　As　she　and　Mr。
Jeffrey　had　parted　in　anger；　I　hailed　with　joy　this　evidence　of　her
desire　for　a　reconciliation；　and　it　was　in　obedience　to　her　request；
the　singularity　of　which　did　not　strike　me　as　forcibly　then　as　now；
that　I　went　to　the　shelves　in　her　room　and　took　down　the　book。〃

〃And　did　you　find　the　note　where　she　said？〃

〃Yes；　and　put　it　in　toward　the　end　of　the　story。〃

〃Nothing　more？　　Did　you　read　the　note？〃

〃It　was　folded；〃　was　Miss　Tuttle's　quiet　answer。　　Certainly　this
woman　was　a　thoroughbred　or　else　she　was　an　adept　in　deception　such
as　few　of　us　had　ever　encountered。　　The　gentleness　of　her　manner；
the　easy　tone；　the　quiet　eyes；　eyes　in　whose　dark　depths　great
passions　were　visible；　but　passions　that　were　under　the　control　of
an　equally　forcible　will；　made　her　a　puzzle　to　all　men's　minds；　but
it　was　a　fascinating　puzzle　that　awoke　a　species　of　awe　in　those
who　attempted　to　understand　her。　　To　all　appearances　she　was　the
unlikeliest　woman　possible　to　cherish　criminal　intents；　yet　her
answers　were　rather　clever　than　convincing；　unless　you　allowed
yourself　to　be　swayed　by　the　look　of　her　beautiful　face　or　the　music
of　her　rich；　sad　voice。

〃You　did　not　remain　before　these　book…shelves　long？〃　observed　the
coroner。

〃You　have　a　witness　who　knows　more　about　that　than　I　do；〃　she
suggested；　and　doubtless　aware　of　the　temerity　of　this　reply；　waited
with　unmoved　countenance；　but　with　a　visibly　bounding　breast；　for
what　would　doubtless　prove　a　fresh　attack。

It　was　a　violent　one　and　of　a　character　she　was　least　fitted　to　meet。
Taking　up　the　box　I　have　so　often　mentioned；　the　coroner　drew　away
the　ribbon　lying　on　top　and　disclosed　the　pistol。　　In　a　moment　her
hands　were　over　her　ears。

〃Why　do　you　do　that？〃　he　asked。　　〃Did　you　think　I　was　going　to
discharge　it？〃

She　smiled　pitifully　as　she　let　her　hands　fall　again。

〃I　have　a　dread　of　firearms；〃　she　explained。　　〃I　always　have　had。
Now　they　are　simply　terrible　to　me；　and　this　one　…〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　coroner；　with　a　slight　glance　in　the
direction　of　Durbin。　　They　had　evidently　planned　this　test　together
on　the　strength　of　an　idea　suggested　to　Durbin　by　her　former　action
when　the　memory　of　this　shot　was　recalled　to　her。

〃Your　horror　seems　to　lie　in　the　direction　of　the　noise　they　make；〃
continued　her　inexorable　interlocutor。　　〃One　would　say　you　had
heard　this　pistol　discharged。〃

Instantly　a　complete　breaking…up　of　her　hitherto　well　maintained
composure　altered　her　whole　aspect　and　she　vehemently　cried：

〃I　did；　I　did。　　I　was　on　Waverley　Avenue　that　night；　and　I　heard
the　shot　which　in　all　probability　ended　my　sister's　life。　　I　walked
farther　than　I　intended；　I　strolled　into　the　street　whi