the filigree ball-第34部分

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the　truth　concerning　those　fatal　ten　minutes；　but　this　brought　no
peace　to　the　miserable　wife；　who　never　again　saw　a　really　happy
moment。

8。　　Extraordinary　efforts　at　concealment　argue　extraordinary　causes
for　fear。　　Fully　too　understand　the　circumstances　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's
death；　it　would　be　necessary　first　to　know　what　had　happened　in　the
Moore　house　when　Mr。　Jeffrey　learned　from　Curly　Jim　that　the　man；
whose　hold　upon　his　bride　had　been　such　that　he　dared　to　demand　an
interview　with　her　just　as　she　was　on　the　point　of　descending　to
her　nuptials；　had　been　seated；　or　was　about　to　be　seated；　in　the
room　where　death　had　once　held　its　court　and　might　easily　be
persuaded　to　hold　court　again。

This　was　the　limit　of　my　conclusions。　　I　could　get　no　further；　and
awaited　my　arrival　in　Washington　with　the　greatest　impatience。
But　once　there；　and　the　responsibility　of　this　new　inquiry　shifted
to　broader　shoulders　than　my　own；　I　was　greatly　surprised　and　as
deeply　chagrined　to　observe　the　whole　affair　lag　unaccountably　and
to　note　that；　in　spite　of　my　so…called　important　discoveries；
the　prosecution　continued　working　up　the　case　against　Miss　Tuttle
in　manifest　intention　of　presenting　it　to　the　grand　jury　at　its
fall　sitting。

Whether　Durbin　was　to　blame　for　this　I　could　not　say。　　Certainly
his　look　was　more　or　less　quizzical　when　next　we　met；　and　this
nettled　me　so　that　I　at　once　came　to　the　determination　that　whatever
was　in　his　mind；　or　in　the　minds　of　the　men　whose　counsels　he
undoubtedly　shared；　I　was　going　to　make　one　more　great　effort　on　my
own　account；　not　to　solve　the　main　mystery；　which　had　passed　out　of
my　hands；　but　to　reach　the　hidden　cause　of　the　equally　unexplained
deaths　which　had　occurred　from　time　to　time　at　the　library　fireplace。

For　nothing　could　now　persuade　me　that　the　two　mysteries　were　not
indissolubly　connected；　or　that　the　elucidation　of　the　one　would　not
lead　to　the　elucidation　of　the　other。

To　be　sure；　it　was　well　accepted　at　headquarters　that　all　possible
attempts　had　been　made　in　this　direction　and　with　nothing　but
failure　as　a　result。　　The　floor；　the　hearth；　the　chimney；　and；　above
all；　the　old　settle；　had　been　thoroughly　searched。　　But　to　no　avail。
The　secret　had　not　been　reached　and　had　almost　come　to　be　looked
upon　as　insolvable。

But　I　was　not　one　to　be　affected　by　other　men's　failures。　　The
encouragement　afforded　me　by　my　late　discoveries　was　such　that　I
felt　confident　that　nothing　could　hinder　my　success　save　the
necessity　of　completely　pulling　down　the　house。　　Besides；　all
investigation　had　hitherto　started；　if　it　had　not　ended；　in　the
library。　　I　was　resolved　to　begin　work　in　quite　a　different　spot。
I　had　not　forgotten　the　sensations　I　had　experienced　in　the
southwest　chamber。

During　my　absence　this　house　had　been　released　from　surveillance。
But　the　major　still　held　the　keys　and　I　had　no　difficulty　in
obtaining　them。　　The　next　thing　was　to　escape　its　owner's　vigilance。
This　I　managed　to　do　through　the　assistance　of　Jinny；　and　when
midnight　came　and　all　lights　went　out　in　the　opposite　cottage　I
entered　boldly　upon　the　scene。

As　before；　I　went　first　of　all　to　the　library。　　It　was　important
to　know　at　the　outset　that　this　room　was　in　its　normal　condition。
But　this　was　not　my　only　reason　for　prefacing　my　new　efforts　by　a
visit　to　this　scene　of　death　and　mysterious　horror。　　I　had　another；
so　seemingly　puerile；　that　I　almost　hesitate　to　mention　it　and
would　not　if　the　sequel　warranted　its　omission。

I　wished　to　make　certain　that　I　had　exhausted　every　suspected；　as
well　as　every　known　clue；　to　the　information　I　sought。　　In　my　long
journey　home　and　the　hours　of　thought　it　had　forced　upon　me；　I　had
more　than　once　been　visited　by　flitting　visions　of　things　seen　in
this　old　house　and　afterward　nearly　forgotten。　　Among　these　was
the　book　which　on　that　first　night　of　hurried　search　had　given
proofs　of　being　in　some　one's　hand　within　a　very　short　period。　　The
attention　I　had　given　it　at　a　moment　of　such　haste　was　necessarily
cursory；　and　when　later　a　second　opportunity　was　granted　me　of
looking　into　it　again；　I　had　allowed　a　very　slight　obstacle　to
deter　me。　　This　was　a　mistake　I　was　anxious　to　rectify。　　Anything
which　had　been　touched　with　purpose　at　or　near　the　time　of　so
mysterious　a　tragedy；　…　and　the　position　of　this　book　on　a　shelf　so
high　that　a　chair　was　needed　to　reach　it　proved　that　it　had　been
sought　and　touched　with　purpose；　held　out　the　promise　of　a　clue　which
one　on　so　blind　a　trail　as　myself　could　not　afford　to　ignore。

But　when　I　had　taken　the　book　down　and　read　again　its　totally
uninteresting　and　unsuggestive　title　and；　by　another　reference　to
its　dim　and　faded　leaves；　found　that　my　memory　had　not　played　me
false　and　that　it　contained　nothing　but　stupid　and　wholly　irrelevant
statistics；　my　confidence　in　it　as　a　possible　aid　in　the　work　I　had
in　hand　departed　just　as　it　had　on　the　previous　occasion。　　I　was
about　to　put　it　back　on　the　shelf；　when　I　bethought　me　of　running
my　hand　in　behind　the　two　books　between　which　it　had　stood。　　Ah！
that　was　it！　Another　book　lay　flat　against　the　wall　at　the　back　of
the　shelf；　and　when；　by　the　removal　of　those　in　front　I　was　enabled
to　draw　this　book　out；　I　soon　saw　why　it　had　been　relegated　to
such　a　remote　place　of　concealment　on　the　shelves　of　the　Moore
library。

It　was　a　collection　of　obscure　memoirs　written　by　an　English　woman；
but　an　English　woman　who　had　been　in　America　during　the　early　part
of　the　century；　and　who　had　been　brought　more　or　less　into　contact
with　the　mysteries　connected　with　the　Moore　house　in　Washington。
Several　passages　were　marked；　one　particularly；　by　a　heavy
pencil…line　running　the　length　of　the　margin。　　As　the　name　of　Moore
was　freely　scattered　through　these　passages　as　well　as　through　two
or　three　faded　newspaper　clippings　which　I　discovered　pasted　on　the
inside　cover；　I　lost　no　time　in　setting　about　their　perusal。

The　following　extracts　are　from　the　book　itself；　taken　in　the　order
in　which　I　found　them　marked：

〃It　was　about　this　time　that　I　spent　a　week　in　the　Moore　house；
that　grand　and　historic　structure　concerning　which　and　its　occupants
so　many　curious　rumors　are　afloat。　　I　knew　nothing　then　of　its
discreditable　fame；　but　from　the　first　moment　of　my　entrance　into
its　ample　and　well　lighted　halls　I　experienced　a　sensation　which　I
will　not　call　dread；　but　which　certainly　was　far　from　being　the
impulse　of　pure　delight　which　the　graciousness　of　my　hostess　and
the　imposing　character　of　the　place　itself　were　calculated　to
produce。　　This　emotion　was　but　transitory；　vanishing；　as　was　natural；
in　the　excitement　of　my　welcome　and　the　extraordinary　interest　I
took　in　Callista　Moore；　who　in　those　days　was　a　most　fascinating
little　body。　　Small　to　the　point　of　appearing　diminutive；　and　lacking
all　assertion　in　manner　and　bearing；　she　was　nevertheless　such　a
lady　that　she　easily　dominated　all　who　approached　her；　and　produced；
quite　against　her　will　I　am　sure；　an　impression　of　aloofness
seasoned　with　kindness；　which　made　her　a　most　surprising　and
entertaining　study　to　the　analytic　observer。　　Her　position　as　nominal
mistress　of　an　establishment　already　accounted　one　of　the　finest　in
Washington；　…　the　real　owner；　Reuben　Moore；　preferring　to　live
abroad　with　his　French　wife；　…　gave　to　her　least　action　an　importance
which　her　shy；　if　not　appealing　looks；　and　a　certain　strained
expression　most　difficult　to　characterize；　vainly　attempted　to
contradict。　　I　could　not　understand　her；　and　soon　gave　up　the
attempt；　but　my　admiration　held　firm；　and　by　the　time　the　evening
was　half　over　I　was　her　obedient　slave。　　I　think　from　what　I　know
of　her　now　that　she　would　have　preferred　to　be　mine。

〃I　was　put　to　sleep　in　a　great　chamber　which　I　afterward　heard
called　'The　Colonel's　Own。'　It　was　very　grand　and　had　a　great　bed
in　it　almost　royal　in　its　size　and　splendor。　　I　believe　that　I
shrank　quite　unaccountably　from　this　imposing　piece　of　furniture
when　I　first　looked　at　it；　it　seemed　so　big　and　so　out　of
proportion　to　my　slim　little　body。　　But　admonished　by　the　look
which　I　surprised　on　Mistress　Callista's　high…bred　face；　I　quickly
recalled　an　expression　so　unsuited　to　my　position　as　guest；　and；
with　a　gush　of　well…simulated　rapture；　began　to　expatiate　upon
the　interesting　characteristics　of　the　room；　and　express　myself
as　delighted　at　the　prospect　of　sleeping　there。

〃Instantly　the　nervous　look　left　her；　and；　with　the　quiet　remark；
'It　was　my　father's　room；'　she　set　down　the　candles　with　which　both
her　hands　were　burdened；　and　gave　me　a　kiss　so　warm　and　surcharged
with　feeling　that　it　sufficed　to　keep　me　happy　and　comfortable　for
a　half…hour　or　more　after　she　passed　out。

〃I　had　thought　myself　a　very　sleepy　girl；　but　when；　after　a　somewhat
lengthened　brooding　over　the　dying　embers　in　the　open　fireplace；　I
lay　down　behind　the　curtains　of　the　huge　bed；　I　found　myself　as　far
from　sleep　as　I　had　ever　been　in　my　whole　life。

〃And　I　did　not　recover　from　this　condition　for　the　entire　night。
For　hours　I　tossed　from　one　side　of　the　bed　to　the　other　in　my
efforts　to　avoid　the　persistent　eyes　of　a　scarcely…to…be…perceived
drawing　facing　me　from　the　opposite　wall。　　It　had　no　merit　as　a
picture；　this　drawing；　but　seen　as　it　was　under　the　rays　of　a
gibbous　moon　looking　in　through　the　half…open　shutter；　it　exercised
upon　me　a　spell　such　as　I　can　not　describe　and　hope　never　again　to
experience。　　Finally　I　rose　and　pulled　the　curtains　violently
together　across　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　This　shut　out　the　picture；
but　I　found　it　worse　to　imagine　it　there　with　its　haunting　eyes
peering　at　me　through　the　intervening　folds　of　heavy　damask　than
to　confront　it　openly；　so　I　pushed　the　curtains　back　again；　only
to　rise　a　half…hour　later　and　twitch　them　desperately　together
once　more。

〃I　fidgeted　and　worried　so　that　night　that　I　must　have　looked　quite
pale　when　my　attentive　hostess　met　me　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　the
next　morning。　　For　her　hand　shook　quite　perceptibly　as　she　grasped
mine；　and　her　voice　was　pitched　in　no　natural　key　as　she　inquired
how　I　had　slept。　　I　replied；　as　truth；　if　not　courtesy；　demanded；
'Not　as　w