the filigree ball-第3部分

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With　a　smothered　oath　I　drew　him　back。

〃See　here！〃　I　cried；　〃you're　not　a　babe　in　arms。　　Come　on　or　…　　Well；
what　now？〃

He　had　clenched　my　arm　and　was　pointing　to　the　door　which　was　slowly
swaying　to　behind　us。

〃Notice　that；〃　he　whispered。　　〃No　key　in　the　lock！　　Men　use　keys　but　…〃

My　patience　could　stand　no　more。　　With　a　shake　I　rid　myself　of　his
clutch；　muttering：

〃There；　go！　　You're　too　much　of　a　fool　for　me。　　I'm　in　for　it　alone。〃
And　in　proof　of　my　determination；　I　turned　the　slide　of　the　lantern
and　flashed　the　light　through　the　house。

The　effect　was　ghostly；　but　while　the　fellow　at　my　side　breathed　hard
he　did　not　take　advantage　of　my　words　to　make　his　escape；　as　I　half
expected　him　to。　　Perhaps；　like　myself；　he　was　fascinated　by　the
dreary　spectacle　of　long　shadowy　walls　and　an　equally　shadowy
staircase　emerging　from　a　darkness　which　a　minute　before　had　seemed
impenetrable。　　Perhaps　he　was　simply　ashamed。　　At　all　events　he　stood
his　ground；　scrutinizing　with　rolling　eyes　that　portion　of　the　hall
where　two　columns；　with　gilded　Corinthian　capitals；　marked　the　door
of　the　room　which　no　man　entered　without　purpose　or　passed　without
dread。　　Doubtless　he　was　thinking　of　that　which　had　so　frequently
been　carried　out　between　those　columns。　　I　know　that　I　was；　and　when；
in　the　sudden　draft　made　by　the　open　door；　some　open　draperies
hanging　near　those　columns　blew　out　with　a　sudden　swoop　and　shiver；
I　was　not　at　all　astonished　to　see　him　lose　what　little　courage　had
remained　in　him。　　The　truth　is；　I　was　startled　myself；　but　I　was
able　to　hide　the　fact　and　to　whisper　back　to　him；　fiercely：

〃Don't　be　an　idiot。　　That　curtain　hides　nothing　worse　than　some
sneaking　political　refugee　or　a　gang　of　counterfeiters。〃

〃Maybe。　　I'd　just　like　to　put　my　hand　on　Upson　and　…〃

〃Hush！〃

I　had　just　heard　something。

For　a　moment　we　stood　breathless；　but　as　the　sound　was　not　repeated
I　concluded　that　it　was　the　creaking　of　that　far…away　shutter。
Certainly　there　was　nothing　moving　near　us。

〃Shall　we　go　upstairs？〃　whispered　Hibbard。

〃Not　till　we　have　made　sure　that　all　is　right　down　here〃

A　door　stood　slightly　ajar　on　our　left。

Pushing　it　open；　we　looked　in。　　A　well　furnished　parlor　was　before
us。

〃Here's　where　the　wedding　took　place；〃　remarked　Hibbard；　straining
his　head　over　my　shoulder。

There　were　signs　of　this　wedding　on　every　side。　　Walls　and　ceilings
had　been　hung　with　garlands；　and　these　still　clung　to　the　mantelpiece
and　over　and　around　the　various　doorways。　　Torn…off　branches　and　the
remnants　of　old　bouquets；　dropped　from　the　hands　of　flying　guests；
littered　the　carpet；　adding　to　the　general　confusion　of　overturned
chairs　and　tables。　　Everywhere　were　evidences　of　the　haste　with　which
the　place　had　been　vacated　as　well　as　the　superstitious　dread　which
had　prevented　it　being　re…entered　for　the　commonplace　purpose　of
cleaning。　　Even　the　piano　had　not　been　shut；　and　under　it　lay　some
scattered　sheets　of　music　which　had　been　left　where　they　fell；　to
the　probable　loss　of　some　poor　musician。　　The　clock　occupying　the
center　of　the　mantelpiece　alone　gave　evidence　of　life。　　It　had　been
wound　for　the　wedding　and　had　not　yet　run　down。　　Its　tick…tick　came
faint　enough；　however；　through　the　darkness；　as　if　it　too　had　lost
heart　and　would　soon　lapse　into　the　deadly　quiet　of　its　ghostly
surroundings。

〃It's　it's　funeral…like；〃　chattered　Hibbard。

He　was　right；　I　felt　as　if　I　were　shutting　the　lid　of　a　coffin　when
I　finally　closed　the　door。

Our　next　steps　took　us　into　the　rear　where　we　found　little　to　detain
us；　and　then；　with　a　certain　dread　fully　justified　by　the　event；　we
made　for　the　door　defined　by　the　two　Corinthian　columns。

It　was　ajar　like　the　rest；　and；　call　me　coward　or　call　me　fool　…　I
have　called　Hibbard　both；　you　will　remember　…　I　found　that　it　cost　me
an　effort　to　lay　my　hand　on　its　mahogany　panels。　　Danger；　if　danger
there　was；　lurked　here；　and　while　I　had　never　known　myself　to　quail
before　any　ordinary　antagonist；　I；　like　others　of　my　kind；　have　no
especial　fondness　for　unseen　and　mysterious　perils。

Hibbard；　who　up　to　this　point　had　followed　me　almost　too　closely；
now　accorded　me　all　the　room　that　was　necessary。　　It　was　with　a　sense
of　entering　alone　upon　the　scene　that　I　finally　thrust　wide　the　door
and　crossed　the　threshold　of　this　redoubtable　room　where；　but　two
short　weeks　before；　a　fresh　victim　had　been　added　to　the　list　of
those　who　had　by　some　unheard…of；　unimaginable　means　found　their
death　within　its　recesses。

My　first　glance　showed　me　little　save　the　ponderous　outlines　of　an
old　settle；　which　jutted　from　the　corner　of　the　fireplace　half　way
out　into　the　room。　　As　it　was　seemingly　from　this　seat　that　the　men；
who　at　various　times　had　been　found　lying　here；　had　fallen　to　their
doom；　a　thrill　passed　over　me　as　I　noted　its　unwieldy　bulk　and　the
deep　shadow　it　threw　on　the　ancient　and　dishonored　hearthstone。　　To
escape　the　ghastly　memories　it　evoked　and　also　to　satisfy　myself
that　the　room　was　really　as　empty　as　it　seemed；　I　took　another　step
forward。　　This　caused　the　light　from　the　lantern　I　carried　to　spread
beyond　the　point　on　which　it　had　hitherto　been　so　effectively
concentrated；　but　the　result　was　to　emphasize　rather　than　detract
from　the　extreme　desolation　of　the　great　room。　　The　settle　was　a
fixture；　as　I　afterwards　found；　and　was　almost　the　only　article　of
furniture　to　be　seen　on　the　wide　expanse　of　uncarpeted　floor。　　There
was　a　table　or　two　in　hiding　somewhere　amid　the　shadows　at　the　other
end　from　where　I　stood；　and　possibly　some　kind　of　stool　or　settee；
but　the　general　impression　made　upon　me　was　that　of　a　completely
dismantled　place　given　over　to　moth　and　rust。

I　do　not　include　the　walls。　　They　were　not　bare　like　the　floor；　but
covered　with　books　from　floor　to　ceiling。　　These　books　were　not　the
books　of　to…day；　they　had　stood　so　long　in　their　places　unnoted　and
untouched；　that　they　had　acquired　the　color　of　fungus；　and　smelt　…
Well；　there　is　no　use　adding　to　the　picture。　　Every　one　knows　the
spirit　of　sickening　desolation　pervading　rooms　which　have　been　shut
up　for　an　indefinite　length　of　time　from　air　and　sunshine。

The　elegance　of　the　heavily　stuccoed　ceiling；　admitted　to　be　one　of
the　finest　specimens　of　its　kind　in　Washington；　as　well　as　the
richness　of　the　carvings　ornamenting　the　mantel　of　Italian　marble
rising　above　the　accursed　hearthstone；　only　served　to　make　more
evident　the　extreme　neglect　into　which　the　rest　of　the　room　had　sunk。
Being　anything　but　anxious　to　subject　myself　further　to　its　unhappy
influence　and　quite　convinced　that　the　place　was　indeed　as　empty　as
it　looked；　I　turned　to　leave；　when　my　eyes　fell　upon　something　so
unexpected　and　so　extraordinary；　seen　as　it　was　under　the　influence
of　the　old　tragedies　with　which　my　mind　was　necessarily　full；　that
I　paused；　balked　in　my　advance；　and　well…nigh　uncertain　whether　I
looked　upon　a　real　thing　or　on　some　strange　and　terrible　fantasy　of
my　aroused　imagination。

A　form　lay　before　me；　outstretched　on　that　portion　of　the　floor
which　had　hitherto　been　hidden　from　me　by　the　half…open　door　…　a
woman's　form；　which　even　in　that　first　casual　look　impressed　itself
upon　me　as　one　of　aerial　delicacy　and　extreme　refinement；　and　this
form　lay　as　only　the　dead　lie；　the　dead！　　And　I　had　been　looking　at
the　hearthstone　for　just　such　a　picture！　　No；　not　just　such　a
picture；　for　this　woman　lay　face　uppermost；　and；　on　the　floor　beside
her　was　blood。

A　hand　had　plucked　my　sleeve。　　It　was　Hibbard's。　　Startled　by　my
immobility　and　silence；　he　had　stepped　in　with　quaking　members；
expecting　he　hardly　knew　what。　　But　no　sooner　did　his　eyes　fall　on
the　prostrate　form　which　held　me　spellbound；　than　an　unforeseen
change　took　place　in　him。　　What　had　unnerved　me；　restored　him　to
full　self…possession。　　Death　in　this　shape　was　familiar　to　him。　　He
had　no　fear　of　blood。　　He　did　not　show　surprise　at　encountering　it；
but　only　at　the　effect　it　appeared　to　produce　on　me。

〃Shot！〃　was　his　laconic　comment　as　he　bent　over　the　prostrate　body。
〃Shot　through　the　heart！　　She　must　have　died　before　she　fell。〃

Shot！

That　was　a　new　experience　for　this　room。　　No　wound　had　ever　before
disfigured　those　who　had　fallen　here；　nor　had　any　of　the　previous
victims　been　found　lying　on　any　other　spot　than　the　one　over　which
that　huge　settle　kept　guard。　　As　these　thoughts　crossed　my　mind；　I
instinctively　glanced　again　toward　the　fireplace　for　what　I　almost
refused　to　believe　lay　outstretched　at　my　feet。　　When　nothing　more
appeared　there　than　that　old　seat　of　sinister　memory；　I　experienced
a　thrill　which　poorly　prepared　me　for　the　cry　which　I　now　heard
raised　by　Hibbard。

〃Look　here！　　What　do　you　make　of　this？〃

He　was　pointing　to　what；　upon　closer　inspection；　proved　to　be　a
strip　of　white　satin　ribbon　running　from　one　of　the　delicate　wrists
of　the　girl　before　us　to　the　handle　of　a　pistol　which　had　fallen
not　far　away　from　her　side。　　〃It　looks　as　if　the　pistol　was　attached
to　her。　　That　is　something　new　in　my　experience。　　What　do　you　think
it　means？〃

Alas！　　there　was　but　one　thing　it　could　mean。　　The　shot　to　which　she
had　succumbed　had　been　delivered　by　herself。　　This　fair　and　delicate
creature　was　a　suicide。

But　suicide　in　this　place！　　How　could　we　account　for　that？　　Had　the
story　of　this　room's　ill…acquired　fame　acted　hypnotically　on　her；　or
had　she　stumbled　upon　the　open　door　in　front　and　been　glad　of　any
refuge　where　her　misery　might　find　a　solitary　termination？　　Closely
scanning　her　upturned　face；　I　sought　an　answer　to　this　question；　and
while　thus　seeking　received　a　fresh　shock　which　I　did　not　hesitate
to　communicate　to　my　now　none…too…sensitive　companion。

〃Look　at　these　features；〃　I　cried。　　〃I　seem　to　know　them；　do　you？〃

He　growled　out　a　dissent；　but　stooped　at　my　bidding　and　gave　the
pitiful　young　face　a　pro　longed　stare。　　When　he　looked　up　again　it
was　with　a　puzzled　contraction　of　his　eyebrows。

〃I've　certainly　seen　it　somewhere；〃　he　hesitatingly　admitted；　edging
slowly　away　toward　the　door。　　〃Perhaps　in　the　papers。　　Isn't　she
like　…？〃

〃Like！〃　I　interrupted；　〃it　is　Veronica　Moore　herself；　the