the filigree ball-第27部分

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the　shot　which　in　all　probability　ended　my　sister's　life。　　I　walked
farther　than　I　intended；　I　strolled　into　the　street　which　had　such
bitter　memories　for　us　and　I　heard　…　No；　I　was　not　in　search　of　my
sister。　　I　had　not　associated　my　sister's　going　out　with　any
intention　of　visiting　this　house；　I　was　merely　troubled　in　mind　and
anxious　and　…　and　…〃

She　had　overrated　her　strength　or　her　cleverness。　　She　found　herself
unable　to　finish　the　sentence；　and　so　did　not　try。　　She　had　been
led　by　the　impulse　of　the　moment　farther　than　she　had　intended；　and；
aghast　at　her　own　imprudence；　paused　with　her　first　perceptible　loss
of　courage　before　the　yawning　gulf　opening　before　her。

I　felt　myself　seized　by　a　very　uncomfortable　dread　lest　her
concealments　and　unfinished　sentences　hid　a　guiltier　knowledge　of
this　crime　than　I　was　yet　ready　to　admit。

The　coroner；　who　is　an　older　man　than　myself；　betrayed　a　certain
satisfaction　but　no　dread。　　Never　did　the　unction　which　underlies
his　sharpest　speeches　show　more　plainly　than　when　he　quietly
remarked：

〃And　so　under　a　similar　impulse　you；　as　well　as　Mr。　Jeffrey；　chose
this　uncanny　place　to　ramble　in。　　To　all　appearance　that　old　hearth
acted　much　more　like　a　lodestone　upon　members　of　your　family　than
you　were　willing　at　one　time　to　acknowledge〃

This　reference　to　words　she　had　herself　been　heard　to　use　seemed　to
overwhelm　her。　　Her　calmness　fled　and　she　cast　a　fleeting　look　of
anguish　at　Mr。　Jeffrey。　　But　his　face　was　turned　from　sight；　and；
meeting　with　no　help　there；　or　anywhere；　indeed；　save　in　her　own
powerful　nature；　she　recovered　as　best　she　could　the　ground　she　had
lost　and；　with　a　trembling　question　of　her　own；　attempted　to　put
the　coroner　in　fault　and　reestablish　herself。

〃You　say　'ramble　through。'　　Do　you　for　a　moment　think　that　I　entered
that　old　house？〃

〃Miss　Tuttle；〃　was　the　grave；　almost　sad　reply；　〃did　you　not　know
that　in　some　earth；　dropped　from　a　flower…pot　overturned　at　the
time　when　a　hundred　guests　flew　in　terror　from　this　house；　there　is
to　be　seen　the　mark　of　a　footstep；　…　a　footstep　which　you　are　at
liberty　to　measure　with　your　own？〃

〃Ah！〃　she　murmured；　her　hands　going　up　to　her　face。

But　in　another　moment　she　had　dropped　them　and　looked　directly　at
the　coroner。

〃I　walked　there　…　I　never　said　that　I　did　not　walk　there　…　when　I
went　later　to　see　my　sister　and　in　sight　of　a　number　of　detectives
passed　straight　through　the　halls　and　into　the　library。〃

〃And　that　this　footstep；〃　inexorably　proceeded　the　coroner；　〃is　not
in　a　line　with　the　main　thoroughfare　extending　from　the　front　to　the
back　of　the　house；　but　turned　inwards　toward　the　wall　as　if　she　who
made　it　had　stopped　to　lean　her　head　against　the　partition？〃

Miss　Tuttle's　head　drooped。　　Probably　she　realized　at　this　moment；
if　not　before；　that　the　coroner　and　jury　had　ample　excuse　for
mistrusting　one　who　had　been　so　unmistakably　caught　in　a
prevarication；　possibly　her　regret　carried　her　far　enough　to　wish
she　had　not　disdained　all　legal　advice　from　those　who　had　so
earnestly　offered　it。　　But　though　she　showed　alike　her　shame　and
her　disheartenment；　she　did　not　give　up　the　struggle。

〃If　I　went　into　the　house；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　not　to　enter　that　room。
I　had　too　great　a　dread　of　it。　　If　I　rested　my　head　against　the　wall
it　was　in　terror　of　that　shot。　　It　came　so　suddenly　and　was　so
frightful；　so　much　more　frightful　than　anything　you　can　conceive。〃

〃Then　you　did　enter　the　house？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃And　it　was　while　you　were　inside；　instead　of　outside；　that　you
heard　the　shot？〃

〃I　must　admit　that；　too。　　I　was　at　the　library　door。〃

〃You　acknowledge　that？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃But　you　did　not　enter　the　library？〃

〃No；　not　then；　not　till　I　was　taken　back　by　the　officer　who　told　me
of　my　sister's　death〃

〃We　are　glad　to　hear　this　precise　statement　from　you。　　It　encourages
me　to　ask　again　the　nature　of　the　freak　which　took　you　into　this
house。　　You　say　that　it　was　not　from　any　dread　on　your　sister's
account？　　What；　then；　was　it？　　No　evasive　answer　will　satisfy　us；
Miss　Tuttle。〃

She　realized　this　as　no　one　else　could。

Mr。　Jeffrey's　reason　for　his　visit　there　could　not　be　her　reason；
yet　what　other　had　she　to　give？　　Apparently　none。

〃I　can　not　answer；〃　she　said。

And　the　deep　sigh　which　swept　through　the　room　was　but　an　echo　of
the　despair　with　which　she　saw　herself　brought　to　this　point。

〃We　will　not　oblige　you　to；〃　said　the　coroner　with　apparent
consideration。　　But　to　those　who　knew　the　law　against　forcing　a
witness　to　incriminate　himself；　this　was　far　from　an　encouraging
concession。

〃However；〃　he　now　went　on；　with　suddenly　assumed　severity；　〃you
may　answer　this。　　Was　the　house　dark　or　light　when　you　entered　it？
And；　how　did　you　get　in？〃

〃The　house　was　dark；　and　I　got　in　through　the　front　door；　which　I
found　ajar。〃

〃You　are　more　courageous　than　most　women！　　I　fear　there　are　few　of
your　sex　who　could　be　induced　to　enter　it　in　broad　daylight　and
under　every　suitable　protection。〃

She　raised　her　figure　proudly。

〃Miss　Tuttle；　you　have　heard　Chloe　say　that　you　were　in　the　kitchen
of　Mr。　Jeffrey's　house　when　the　grocer　boy　delivered　the　candles
which　had　been　left　by　your　brother…in…law　on　the　counter　of　the
store　where　he　bought　them。　　Is　this　true？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is　true。〃

〃Did　you　see　those　candles？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃You　did　not　see　them？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Yet　you　went　over　to　the　table？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　but　I　did　not　meddle　with　the　packages。　　I　had　really
no　business　with　them。〃

The　coroner；　surveying　her　sadly；　went　quickly　on　as　if　anxious　to
terminate　this　painful　examination。

〃You　have　not　told　us　what　you　did　when　you　heard　that　pistol…shot。〃

〃I　ran　away　as　soon　as　I　could　move；　I　ran　madly　from　the　house。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Home。〃

〃But　it　was　half…past　ten　when　you　got　home。〃

〃Was　it？〃

〃It　was　half…past　ten　when　the　man　came　to　tell　you　of　your
sister's　death。〃

〃It　may　have　been。〃

〃Your　sister　is　supposed　to　have　died　in　a　few　minutes。　　Where　were
you　in　the　interim？〃

〃God　knows。　　I　do　not。〃

A　wild　look　was　creeping　into　her　face；　and　her　figure　was　swaying。
But　she　soon　steadied　it。　　I　have　never　seen　a　more　admirable
presence　maintained　in　the　face　of　a　dreadful　humiliation。

〃Perhaps　I　can　help　you；〃　rejoined　the　coroner；　not　unkindly。　　〃Were
you　not　in　the　Congressional　Library　looking　up　at　the　lunettes　and
gorgeously　painted　walls？〃

〃I？〃　　Her　eyes　opened　wide　in　wondering　doubt。　　〃If　I　was；　I　did
not　know　it。　　I　have　no　remembrance　of　it。〃

She　seemed　to　lose　sight　of　her　present　position；　the　cloud　under
which　she　rested；　and　even　the　construction　which　might　be　put　upon
such　a　forgetfulness　at　a　time　confessedly　prior　to　her　knowledge
of　the　purpose　and　effect　of　the　shot　from　which　she　had　so
incontinently　fled。

〃Your　condition　of　mind　and　that　of　Mr。　Jeffrey　seem　to　have　been
strangely　alike；〃　remarked　the　coroner。

〃No；　no！〃　she　protested。

〃Arguing　a　like　source。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　cried　again；　this　time　with　positive　agony。　　Then　with
an　effort　which　awakened　respect　for　her　powers　of　mind；　if　for
nothing　else；　she　desperately　added：　〃I　can　not　say　what　was　in　his
heart　that　night；　but　I　know　what　was　in　mine　…　dread　of　that　old
house；　to　which　I　had　been　drawn　in　spite　of　myself；　possibly　by　the
force　of　the　tragedy　going　on　inside　it；　culminating　in　a　delirium
of　terror；　which　sent　me　flying　in　an　opposite　direction　from　my　home
and　into　places　I　had　been　accustomed　to　visit　when　my　heart　was
light　and　untroubled。〃

The　coroner　glanced　at　the　jury；　who　unconsciously　shook　their　heads。
He　shook　his；　too；　as　he　returned　to　the　charge。

〃Another　question；　Miss　Tuttle。　　When　you　heard　a　pistol…shot
sounding　from　the　depths　of　that　dark　library；　what　did　you　think　it
meant？〃

She　put　her　hands　over　her　ears　…　it　seemed　as　if　she　could　not
prevent　this　instinctive　expression　of　recoil　at　the　mention　of　the
death…dealing　weapon　…and　in　very　low　tones　replied：

〃Something　dreadful；　something　superstitious。　　It　was　night；　you
remember；　and　at　night　one　has　such　horrible　thoughts。〃

〃Yet　an　hour　or　two　later　you　declared　that　the　hearth　was　no
lodestone。　　You　forgot　its　horrors　and　your　superstition　upon
returning　to　your　own　house。〃

〃It　might　be；〃　she　murmured；　〃but　if　so；　they　soon　returned。　　I
had　reason　for　my　horror；　if　not　for　my　superstition；　as　the　event
showed。〃

The　coroner　did　not　attempt　to　controvert　this。　　He　was　about　to
launch　a　final　inquiry。

〃Miss　Tuttle；　upon　the　return　of　yourself　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　to　your
home　after　your　final　visit　to　the　Moore　house；　did　you　have　any
interview　that　was　without　witnesses？〃

〃No。〃

〃Did　you　exchange　any　words？〃

〃I　think　we　did　exchange　some　words；　it　would　be　only　natural。〃

〃Are　you　willing　to　state　what　words？〃

She　looked　dazed　and　appeared　to　search　her　memory。

〃I　don't　think　I　can；〃　she　objected。

〃But　something　was　said　by　you　and　some　answer　was　made　by　him？〃

〃I　believe　so。〃

〃Can　not　you　say　definitely？〃

〃We　did　speak。〃

〃In　English？〃

〃No；　in　French。〃

〃Can　not　you　translate　that　French　for　us？〃

〃Pardon　me；　sir；　it　was　so　long　ago　my　memory　fails　me。〃

〃Is　it　any　better　for　the　second　and　longer　interview　between　you
the　next　day？〃

〃No…sir。〃

〃You　can　not　give　us　any　phrase　or　word　that　was　uttered　there？〃

〃No。〃

〃Is　this　your　final　reply　on　this　subject？〃

〃It　is。〃

She　never　had　been　subjected　to　an　interrogation　like　this　before。
It　made　her　proud　soul　quiver　in　revolt；　notwithstanding　the
patience　with　which　she　had　fortified　herself。　　With　red　cheeks
and　glistening　eyes　she　surveyed　the　man　who　had　made　her　suffer　so；
and　instantly　every　other　man　there　suffered　with　her；　excepting
possibly　Durbin；　whose　heart　was　never　his　strong　point。　　But　our
hearts　were　moved；　our　reasons　were　not　convinced；　as　was　presently
shown；　when；　with　a　bow　of　dismissal；　the　coroner　released　her；　and
she　passed　back　to　her　seat。

Simultaneously　with　her　withdrawal　the　gleam　of　sensibility　left
the　faces　of　the　jury；　and　the　dark　and　brooding　look　which　had
marked　their　countenances　from　the　beginning　ret