the filigree ball-第29部分

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suicide　has　not　been　proved。　　Naturally；　this　is　equivalent　to　one
of　murder。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　ejaculated；　slightly　taken　aback　for　one　so　invariably
impassive。

〃And　to　whom　is　the　guilt　of　this　crime　ascribed？〃　he　presently
ventured。

〃There　was　mention　of　no　name；　but　the　opprobrium　naturally　falls
on　Miss　Tuttle。〃

〃Miss　Tuttle？　　Ah！〃

〃Since　Mr。　Jeffrey　is　proved　to　have　been　too　far　away　at　the　time
to　have　fired　that　shot；　while　she　…〃

〃I　am　following　you　…〃

〃Was　in　the　very　house　…　at　the　door　of　the　library　in　fact　…　and
heard　the　pistol　discharged；　if　she　did　not　discharge　it　herself　…
which　some　believe；　notably　the　district　attorney。　　You　should　have
been　there；　Mr。　Moore。〃

He　looked　surprised　at　this　suggestion。

〃I　never　am　anywhere　but　here　on　the　twenty…third　of　May；〃　he
declared。

〃Miss　Tuttle　needed　some　adviser。〃

〃Ah；　probably。〃

〃You　would　have　been　a　good　one。〃

〃And　a　welcome　one；　eh？〃

I　hardly　thought　he　would　have　been　a　welcome　one；　but　I　did　not
admit　the　fact。　　Nevertheless　he　seized　on　the　advantage　he　evidently
thought　he　had　gained　and　added；　mildly　enough；　or　rather　without　any
display　of　feeling：

〃Miss　Tuttle　likes　me　even　less　than　Veronica　did。　　I　do　not　think
she　would　have　accepted；　certainly　she　would　not　have　desired；　my
presence　in　her　counsels。　　But　of　one　thing　I　wish　her　to　be　assured；
her　and　the　world　in　general。　　Any　money　she　may　need　at　this　…　at
this　unhappy　crisis　in　her　life；　she　will　find　amply　supplied。　　She
has　no　claims　on　me；　but　that　makes　little　difference　where　the
family　honor　is　concerned。　　Her　mother's　husband　was　my　brother　…　the
girl　shall　have　all　she　needs。　　I　will　write　her　so。〃

He　was　moving　toward　his　carriage。

〃Fine　turnout？〃　he　interrogatively　remarked。

I　assented　with　all　the　surprise；　…　with　all　the　wonder　even　…　which
his　sublime　egotism　seemed　to　invite。

〃It　is　the　best　that　Downey　could　raise　in　the　time　I　allotted　him。
When　I　really　finger　the　money；　we　shall　see；　we　shall　see。〃

His　foot　was　on　the　carriage…step。　　He　looked　up　at　the　west。　　The
sun　was　almost　down　but　not　quite。　　〃Have　you　any　special　business
with　me？〃　he　asked；　lingering　with　what　I　thought　a　surprising
display　of　conscientiousness　till　the　last　ray　of　direct　sunlight
had　disappeared。

I　glanced　up　at　the　coachman　sitting　on　his　box　as　rigid　as　any
stone。

〃You　may　speak；〃　said　he；　〃Caesar　neither　hears　nor　sees　anything
but　his　horses　when　he　drives　me。〃

The　black　did　not　wink。　　He　was　as　completely　at　home　on　the　box
and　as　quiet　and　composed　in　his　service　as　if　he　had　driven　this
man　for　years。

〃He　understands　his　duty；〃　finished　the　master；　but　with　no　outward
appearance　of　pride。　　〃What　have　you　to　say　to　me？〃

I　hesitated　no　longer。

〃Miss　Tuttle　is　supposed　to　have　secretly　entered　the　Moore　house
on　the　night　you　summoned　us。　　She　even　says　she　did。　　I　know　that
you　have　sworn　to　having　seen　no　one　go　into　that　house；　but
notwithstanding　this；　haven't　you　some　means　at　your　disposal　for
proving　to　the　police　and　to　the　world　at　large　that　she　never
fired　that　fatal　shot？　　Public　opinion　is　so　cruel。　　She　will　be
ruined　whether　innocent　or　guilty；　unless　it　can　be　very　plainly
shown　that　she　did　not　enter　the　library　prior　to　going　there　with
the　police。〃

〃And　how　can　you　suppose　me　to　be　in　a　position　to　prove　that？　　Say
that　I　had　sat　in　my　front　window　all　that　evening；　and　watched　with
uninterrupted　assiduity　the　door　through　which　so　many　are　said　to
have　passed　between　sunset　and　midnight　…　something　which　I　did　not
do；　as　I　have　plainly　stated　on　oath　…　how　could　you　have　expected
me　to　see　what　went　on　in　the　black　interior　of　a　house　whose
exterior　is　barely　discernible　at　night　across　the　street？〃

〃Then　you　can　not　aid　her？〃　I　asked。

With　a　light　bound　he　leaped　into　the　carriage。　　As　he　took　his　seat
he　politely　remarked：

〃I　should　be　glad　to；　since；　though　not　a　Moore；　she　is　near　enough
the　family　to　affect　its　honor。　　But　not　having　even　seen　her　enter
the　house　I　can　not　testify　in　any　way　in　regard　to　her。　　Home；
Caesar；　and　drive　quickly。　　I　do　not　thrive　under　these　evening　damps。〃

And　leaning　back；　with　an　inexpressible　air　of　contentment　with
himself；　his　equipage　and　the　prospect　of　an　indefinite　enjoyment　of
the　same；　the　last　representative　of　the　great　Moore　family　was
quietly　driven　away。




XVII

A　FRESH　START


I　was　far　from　being　good　company　that　night。　　I　knew　this　without
being　told。　　My　mind　was　too　busy。　　I　was　too　full　of　regrets　and
plans；　seasonings　and　counter　reasonings。　　In　my　eyes　Miss　Tuttle
had　suddenly　become　innocent；　consequently　a　victim。　　But　a　victim
to　what？　　To　some　exaggerated　sense　of　duty？　　Possibly；　but　to　what
duty？　　That　was　the　question；　to　answer　which　offhand　I　would；　in
my　present　excitement；　have　been　ready　to　sacrifice　a　month's　pay。

For　I　was　moved；　not　only　by　the　admiration　and　sympathy　which　all
men　must　feel　for　a　beautiful　woman　caught　in　such　a　deadly　snare
of　circumstantial　evidence；　but　by　the　conviction　that　Durbin；　whose
present　sleek　complacency　was　more　offensive　to　me　than　the　sneering
superiority　of　a　week　ago；　believed　her　to　be　a　guilty　woman；　and　as
such　his　rightful　prey。　　This　alone　would　have　influenced　me　to　take
the　opposite　view；　for　we　never　ran　along　together；　and　in　a　case
where　any　division　of　opinion　was　possible；　always　found　ourselves；
consciously　or　unconsciously；　on　different　sides。　　Yet　I　did　not
really　dislike　Durbin；　who　is　a　very　fine　fellow。　　I　only　hated　his
success　and　the　favor　which　rewarded　it。

I　know　that　I　have　some　very　nasty　failings　and　I　do　not　shrink　from
owning　them。　　My　desire　is　to　represent　myself　as　I　am；　and　I　must
admit　that　it　was　not　entirely　owing　to　disinterested　motives　that
I　now　took　the　secret　stand　I　did　in　Miss　Tuttle's　favor。　　To　prove
her　innocent　whom　once　I　considered　the　cause　of；　if　not　the　guilty
accessory　to　her　sister's　murder；　now　became　my　dream　by　night　and
my　occupation　by　day。　　Though　I　seemed　to　have　no　sympathizer　in
this　effort　and　though　the　case　against　her　was　being　pushed　very
openly　in　the　district　attorney's　office；　yet　I　clung　to　my
convictions　with　an　almost　insensate　persistence；　inwardly　declaring
her　the　victim　of　circumstances；　and　hoping　against　hope　that　some
clue　would　offer　itself　by　means　of　which　I　might　yet　prove　her　so。
But　where　was　I　to　seek　for　this　clue？

Alas；　no　ready　answer　to　this　very　important　query　was　forthcoming。
All　possible　evidence　in　this　case　seemed　to　have　been　exhausted　save
such　as　Mr。　Jeffrey　and　Miss　Tuttle　withheld。　　And　so　the　monstrous
accusation　stood；　and　before　it　all　Washington　…　my　humble　self
included　…　stood　in　a　daze　of　mingled　doubt　and　compassion；　hunting
for　explanations　which　failed　to　appear　and　seeking　in　vain　for
some　guiltier　party；　who　evermore　slipped　from　under　our　hand。　　Had
Mr。　Jeffrey's　alibi　been　less　complete　he　could　not　have　stood　up
against　the　suspicions　which　now　ran　riot。　　But　there　was　no
possibility　of　shifting　the　actual　crime　back　to　him　after　the
testimony　of　so　frank　and　trustworthy　a　man　as　Tallman。　　If　the
stopping　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　watch　fixed　the　moment　of　her　death　as
accurately　as　was　supposed；　…　and　I　never　heard　the　least　doubt
thrown　out　in　this　regard；　…　he　could　not　by　any　means　of　transit
then　known　in　Washington　have　reached　Waverley　Avenue　in　time　to
fire　that　shot。　　The　gates　of　the　cemetery　were　closed　at　sundown；
sundown　took　place　that　night　at　one　minute　past　seven；　and　the
distance　into　town　is　considerable。　　His　alibi　could　not　be　gainsaid。
So　his　name　failed　to　be　publicly　broached　in　connection　with　the
shooting；　though　his　influence　over　Miss　Tuttle　could　not　be
forgotten；　suggesting　to　some　that　she　had　acted　as　his　hand　in　the
deed　which　robbed　him　of　an　undesirable　wife。　　But　this　I　would　not
believe。　　I　preferred　to　accept　the　statement　that　she　had　stopped
short　of　the　library　door　in　her　suspicious　visit　there；　and　that
the　ribbon…tying；　which　went　for　so　much；　had　been　done　at　home。
That　these　facts；　especially　the　latter；　called　for　more　than　common
credulity；　I　was　quite　ready　to　acknowledge；　and　had　her　feeling　for
Francis　Jeffrey　shown　less　unselfishness；　I　should　certainly　have
joined　my　fellows　in　regarding　these　assertions　as　very　lame　attempts
to　explain　what　could　only　be　explained　by　a　confession　of　guilt。

So　here　was　a　tangle　without　a　frayed　end　to　pull　at；　unless　the
impervious　egotism　of　Uncle　David　afforded　one；　which　I　doubted。　　For
how　could　any　man　with　a　frightful　secret　in　his　breast　show　that
unmixed　delight　in　his　new　equipage　and　suddenly　acquired　position；
which　had　so　plainly　beamed　from　that　gentleman's　calm　eye　and
assured　bearing？　　When　he　met　my　scrutiny　in　the　sacred　precincts
where　the　one　love　of　his　heart　lay　buried；　he　did　so　without　a
quiver　or　any　sign　of　inner　disturbance。　　His　tone　to　Caesar　as　he
drove　off　had　been　the　tone　of　a　man　who　can　afford　to　speak　quietly
because　he　is　conscious　of　being　so　undeniably　the　master；　and　when
his　foot　rose　to　the　carriage　step　it　was　with　the　confidence　of　one
who　had　been　kept　out　of　his　rights　for　most　of　his　natural　life；
but　who　feels　in　his　present　enjoyment　of　them　no　apprehension　of　a
change。　　His　whole　bearing　and　conversation　on　that　day　were；　as　I
am　quite　ready　to　admit；　an　exhibition　of　prodigious　selfishness；
but　it　was　also　an　exhibition　of　mental　poise　incompatible　with　a
consciousness　of　having　acquired　his　fortune　by　any　means　which　laid
him　open　to　the　possibility　of　losing　it。　　Or　so　I　judged。

Finding　myself；　with　every　new　consideration　of　the　tantalizing
subject；　deeper　and　deeper　in　the　quagmire　of　doubt　and　uncertainty；
I　sought　enlightenment　by　making　a　memorandum　of　the　special　points
which　must　have　influenced　the　jury　in　their　verdict；　as　witness：

1。　　The　relief　shown　by　Mr。　Jeffrey　at　finding　an　apparent
communication　from　his　wife　hinting　at　suicide。

2。　　The　possibility；　disclosed　by　the　similarity　between　the　sisters'
handwriting；　of　this　same　communication　being　a　forgery　substituted
for　the　one　re