the filigree ball-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


handwriting；　of　this　same　communication　being　a　forgery　substituted
for　the　one　really　written　by　Mrs。　Jeffrey。

3。　　The　fact　that；　previous　to　Mr。　Jeffrey's　handling　of　the　book
in　which　this　communication　was　said　to　have　been　hidden；　it　had
been　seen　in　Miss　Tuttle's　hands。

4。　　That　immediately　after　this　she　had　passed　to　the　drawer　where
Mr。　Jeffrey's　pistol　was　kept。

5。　　That　while　this　pistol　had　not　been　observed　in　her　hand；　there
was　as　yet　no　evidence　to　prove　that　it　had　been　previously　taken
from　the　drawer；　save　such　as　was　afforded　by　her　own　acknowledgment
that　she　had　tied　some　unknown　object；　presumably　the　pistol；　to　her
sister's　wrist　before　that　sister　left　the　house。

6。　　That　if　this　was　so；　the　pistol　and　the　ribbon　connecting　it
with　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　wrist　had　been　handled　again　before　the　former
was　discharged；　and　by　fingers　which　had　first　touched　dust　…　of
which　there　was　plenty　in　the　old　library。

7。　　That　Miss　Tuttle　had　admitted；　though　not　till　after　much
prevarication　and　apparent　subterfuge；　that　she　had　extended　her
walk　on　that　fatal　night　not　only　as　far　as　the　Moore　house；　but
that　she　had　entered　it　and　penetrated　as　far　as　the　library　door
at　the　very　moment　the　shot　was　fired　within。

8。　　That　in　acknowledging　this　she　had　emphatically　denied
having　associated　the　firing　of　this　shot　with　any　idea　of　harm　to
her　sister；　yet　was　known　to　have　gone　from　this　house　in　a
condition　of　mind　so　serious　that　she　failed　to　recollect　the　places
she　visited　or　the　streets　she　passed　through　till　she　found　herself
again　in　her　sister's　house　face　to　face　with　an　officer。

9。　　That　her　first　greeting　of　this　officer　was　a　shriek；　betraying
a　knowledge　of　his　errand　before　he　had　given　utterance　to　a　word。

10。　　That　the　candles　found　in　the　Moore　house　were　similar　to　those
bought　by　Mr。　Jeffrey　and　afterward　delivered　at　his　kitchen　door。

11。　　That　she　was　the　only　member　of　the　household　besides　the　cook
who　was　in　the　kitchen　at　the　time；　and　that　it　was　immediately
after　her　departure　from　the　room　that　the　package　containing　the
candles　had　been　missed。

12。　　That　opportunities　of　coming　to　an　understanding　with　Mr。
Jeffrey　after　his　wife's　death　had　not　been　lacking　and　it　was　not
until　after　such　opportunities　had　occurred　that　any　serious　inquiry
into　this　matter　had　been　begun　by　the　police。　　To　which　must　be
added；　not　in　way　of　proof　but　as　an　important　factor　in　the　case；
that　her　manner；　never　open；　was　such　throughout　her　whole　public
examination　as　to　make　it　evident　to　all　that　only　half　of　what　had
occurred　in　the　Jeffreys'　house　since　the　wedding　had　been　given
out　by　her　or　by　the　man　for　whose　release　from　a　disappointing
matrimonial　entanglement　she　was　supposed　to　have　worked；　this；
though　the　suspicion　hanging　over　them　both　called　for　the　utmost
candor。

Verily；　a　serious　list；　and　opposed　to　this　I　had　as　yet　little　to
offer　but　my　own　belief　in　her　innocence　and　the　fact；　but　little
dwelt　on　and　yet　not　without　its　value；　that　the　money　which　had
come　to　Mr。　Jeffrey；　and　the　home　which　had　been　given　her；　had　both
been　forfeited　by　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death。

As　I　mused　and　mused　over　this　impromptu　synopsis；　in　my　vain
attempt　to　reach　some　fresh　clue　to　a　proper　understanding　of　the
inconsistencies　in　Miss　Tuttle's　conduct　by　means　of　my　theory　of
her　strong　but　mistaken　devotion　to　Mr。　Jeffrey；　a　light　suddenly
broke　upon　me　from　an　entirely　unexpected　quarter。　　It　was　a　faint
one；　but　any　glimmer　was　welcome。　　Remembering　a　remark　made　by　Mr。
Jeffrey　in　his　examination；　that　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　not　been　the　same
since　crossing　the　fatal　doorstep　of　the　Moore　house；　I　asked　myself
if　we　had　paid　enough　attention　to　the　mental　condition　and　conduct
of　the　bride　prior　to　the　alarm　which　threw　a　pall　of　horror　over
her　marriage；　and　caught　by　the　idea；　I　sought　for　a　fuller　account
of　the　events　of　that　day　than　had　hitherto　been　supplied　by
newspaper　or　witness。

Hunting　up　my　friend；　the　reporter；　I　begged　him　to　tell　me　where
he　had　obtained　the　facts　from　which　he　made　that　leading　article
in　the　Star　which　had　so　startled　all　Washington　on　the　evening　of
the　Jeffrey　wedding。　　That　they　had　come　from　some　eye…witness　I
had　no　doubt；　but　who　was　the　eye…witness？　　Himself？　　No。　　Who　then？
At　first　he　declined　to　tell　me；　but　after　a　fuller　understanding　of
my　motives　he　mentioned　the　name　of　a　young　lady；　who；　while　a
frequent　guest　at　the　most　fashionable　functions；　was　not　above
supplying　the　papers　with　such　little　items　of　current　gossip　as
came　under　her　own　observation。

How　I　managed　to　approach　this　lady　and　by　what　means　I　succeeded
in　gaining　her　confidence　are　details　quite　unnecessary　to　this
narrative。　　Enough　that　I　did　obtain　access　to　her　and　that　she
talked　quite　frankly　to　me；　and　in　so　doing　supplied　me　with　a　clue
which　ultimately　opened　up　to　me　an　entirely　new　field　of　inquiry。
We　had　been　discussing　Mr。　Jeffrey　and　Miss　Tuttle；　when　suddenly；
and　with　no　apparent　motive　beyond　the　natural　love　of　gossip　which
was　her　weakness；　she　launched　out　into　remarks　about　the　bride。
The　ceremony　had　been　late；　did　I　know　it？　　A　half…hour　or
three…quarters　past　the　time　set　for　it。　　And　why？　　Because　Miss
Moore　was　not　ready。　　She　had　chosen　to　array　herself　in　the　house
and　had　come　early　enough　for　the　purpose；　but　she　would　not　accept
any　assistance；　not　even　that　of　her　maid；　and　of　course　she　kept
every　one　waiting。　　〃Oh；　there　was　no　more　uneasy　soul　in　the　whole
party　that　morning　than　the　bride！〃　　Let　other　people　remark　upon
the　high　look　in　Cora　Tuttle's　face；　or　gossip　about　the　anxious
manner　of　the　bridegroom；　she；　the　speaker；　could　tell　things　about
the　bride　which　would　go　to　show　that　she　was　not　all　right　even
before　that　ominous　death's…head　reared　itself　into　view　at　her
marriage　festival。　　Why；　the　fact　that　she　came　downstairs　and　was
married　without　her　bridal　bouquet　was　enough。　　Had　there　not　been
so　much　else　to　talk　about；　people　would　have　talked　about　that。
But　the　big　event　had　so　effectually　swallowed　up　the　little　that
only　herself；　and　possibly　two　other　ladies　she　might　name；　seemed
to　retain　any　memory　of　the　matter。

〃What　ladies？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　it　doesn't　matter　what　ladies。　　Two　of　the　very　best　sort。　　I
know　they　noticed　it；　because　I　heard　them　talking　about　it。　　We
were　all　standing　in　the　upper　hall　and　were　all　crowded　into　a
passage　leading　to　the　room　where　the　bride　was　dressing。　　It　was
before　the　alarm　had　gone　around　of　what　had　been　discovered　in　the
library；　and　we　were　all　impatient　enough　for　the　appearance　of　the
bride；　who；　we　had　been　told；　intended　to　wear　the　old　point　in
which　her　great…grandmother　was　married。　　I　have　a　weakness　for　old
point　and　I　was　determined　to　stand　where　I　could　see　her　come　out；
even　if　I　lost　sight　of　the　ceremony　itself。　　But　it　would　have　been
tedious　enough　waiting　in　that　close　hall　if　the　ladies　behind　me
had　not　kept　up　a　conversation；　which　I；　of　course；　pretended　not
to　hear。　　I　remember　it；　every　word；　for　it　was　my　sole　amusement
for　half　an　hour。　　What　was　it？　　Oh；　it　was　about　that　same　bouquet；
which；　by　the　way；　I　had　the　privilege　of　staring　at　all　the　time
they　chatted。　　For　the　boy　who　brought　it　had　not　been　admitted
into　Miss　Moore's　room；　and；　not　knowing　what　else　to　do　with　it；
was　lingering　before　her　door；　with　the　great　streamers　falling
from　his　hands；　and　the　lilies　making　the　whole　place　heavy　with　a
sickening　perfume。　　From　what　I　heard　the　ladies　say；　he　had　been
standing　there　an　hour；　and　the　timid　knock　he　gave　from　time　to
time　produced　in　me　an　odd　feeling　which　those　ladies　behind　me
seemed　to　share。

〃'It's　a　shame！'　I　heard　one　of　them　cry。　　'Veronica　Moore　has　no
excuse　for　such　thoughtlessness。　　It　is　an　hour　now　that　she　has
been　shut　up　in　her　room　alone。　　She　won't　have　even　her　maid　in。
She　prefers　to　dress　alone；　she　says。　　Peculiar　in　a　bride；　isn't
it？　　But　one　thing　is　certain：　she　can　not　put　on　her　veil　without
help。　　She　will　have　to　call　some　one　in　for　that。'　　At　which　the
other　volunteered　that　the　Moores　were　all　queer；　and　that　she
didn't　envy　Francis　Jeffrey。　　'What！　　not　with　fifty　thousand　a
year　to　lighten　her　oddities？'　returned　her　companion　with　a　shrug
which　communicated　itself　to　me；　so　closely　were　we　packed　together。
'I　have　a　son　who　could　bear　with　them　under　such　circumstances。'
Indeed　she　has；　and　all　Washington　knows　it；　but　the　remark　passed
without　comment；　for　they　had　not　yet　exhausted　the　main　event；　and
the　person　they　now　attacked　was　Miss　Tuttle。　　'Why　doesn't　she
come　and　see　that　that　bouquet　is　taken　in？　　I　declare　it's　not
decent。　　Mr。　Jeffrey　would　not　feel　complimented　if　he　knew　the　fate
of　those　magnificent　lilies　and　roses。　　I　presume　he　furnished　the
bouquet。'

〃'Miss　Tuttle　has　looked　out　of　her　room　once；'　I　heard　the　other
reply。　　'She　is　in　splendid　beauty　to…day；　but　pale。　　But　she
never　could　control　Veronica。'　　'Hush！　　you　speak　louder　than　you
think'　　This　amused　me；　and　I　do　believe　that　in　another　moment　I
should　have　laughed　outright　if　another　boy　had　not　appeared　in
the　hall　before　us；　who；　shoving　aside　the　first；　rapped　on　the
door　with　a　spirit　which　called　for　answer。　　But　he　was　no　more
successful　than　the　other　boy　had　been；　so；　being　a　brisk　fellow；
with　no　time　for　nonsense；　he　called　out；　'Your　bouquet；　Miss；　and
a　message；　which　I　am　to　give　you　before　you　go　downstairs！　　The
gentleman　is　quite　particular　about　it。'　　These　words　were
literally　shouted　at　the　door；　but　in　the　hubbub　of　voices　about
us　I　don't　believe　any　one　heard　them　but　ourselves　and　the　bride。
I　know　that　she　heard　them；　for　she　opened　the　door　a　very　little
way；　…　such　a　very　little　way　that　the　boy　had　to　put　his　lips　to
the　crack　when　he　spoke；　and　then　turn　and　place　his　ear　where　his
lips　had　been　in　order　to　catch　her　reply。　　This；　for　some　reason；
seemed　a　long　time　in　coming；　and　the　fellow　grew　so　impatient　that
he　amused　himself　by　snatching　the　bouquet　from　the　other　boy　and
thrusting　it　in　through　the　crack；　to　the　very　great　d