the filigree ball-第36部分

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mental　uneasiness；　he　began　having　some　changes　made　in　the　house；
changes　which　occupied　much　of　his　time　and　with　which　he　never
seemed　satisfied。　　Men　working　one　day　were　dismissed　the　next　and
others　called　in　until　this　work　and　everything　else　was　interrupted
by　the　return　of　his　late　unwelcome　guest；　who　kept　his　appointment
to　a　day。

〃At　this　point　in　her　narrative　Mistress　Callista's　voice　fell　and
the　flame　which　had　thrown　a　partial　light　on　her　countenance　died
down　until　I　could　but　faintly　discern　the　secretly　inquiring　look
with　which　she　watched　me　as　she　went　on　to　say

〃'Reuben　and　I；'　…　Reuben　was　her　brother；　…　'were　posted　in　the
dark　corner　under　the　stairs　when　my　father　met　the　general　at　the
door。　　We　had　expected　to　hear　high　words；　or　some　explosion　of
bitter　feeling　between　them；　and　hardly　knew　whether　to　be　glad　or
sorry　when　our　father　welcomed　his　guest　with　the　same　elaborate
bow　we　once　saw　him　make　to　the　president　in　the　grounds　of　the
White　House。　　Nor　could　we　understand　what　followed。　　We　were
summoned　in　to　supper。　　Our　mother　was　there　…　a　great　event　in
those　days　…　and　toasts　were　drunk　and　our　father　proposed　one　to
the　general's　health。　　This　Reuben　thought　was　an　open　signal　of
peace；　and　turned　upon　me　his　great　round　eyes　in　surprise；　but　I；
who　was　old　enough　to　notice　that　this　toast　was　not　responded　to
and　that　the　general　did　not　even　touch　his　lips　to　the　glass　he
had　lifted　in　compliment　to　our　mother；　who　had　lifted　hers；　felt
that　there　was　something　terrifying　rather　than　reassuring　in　this
attempt　at　good　fellowship。

Though　unable　to　reason　over　it　at　the　time；　I　have　often　done　so
since；　and　my　father's　attitude　and　look　as　he　faced　this　strange
guest　has　dwelt　so　persistently　in　my　memory　that　scarcely　a　year
passes　without　the　scene　coming　up　in　my　dreams　with　its　accompanying
emotions　of　fear　and　perplexity。　　For　…　perhaps　you　know　the　story　…
that　hour　was　the　general's　last。　　He　died　before　leaving　the　house；
died　in　that　same　dark　library　concerning　which　you　have　asked　so
many　questions。

〃'I　remember　the　circumstances　well；　how　well　down　to　each　and　every
detail。　　Our　mother　had　gone　back　to　her　room；　and　the　general　and
my　father；　who　did　not　linger　over　their　wine　…　why　should　they；
when　the　general　would　not　drink？　…　had　withdrawn　to　the　library　at
the　suggestion　of　the　general；　whose　last　words　are　yet　lingering
in　my　ears。

〃'The　time　has　come　for　our　little　talk；'　said　he。　　'Your　reception
augurs　…'

〃'You　do　not　look　well；'　my　father　here　broke　in；　in　what　seemed　an
unnaturally　loud　voice。　　'Come　and　sit　down　…'

〃'Here　the　door　closed。

〃'We　had　hung　about　this　door；　curious　children　that　we　were；　in
hopes　of　catching　a　glimpse　of　the　queer　new　settle　which　had　been
put　into　place　that　day。　　But　we　scampered　away　at　this；　and　were
playing　in　and　out　of　the　halls　when　the　library　door　agin　opened
and　my　father　came　out。

〃'Where's　Samba？'　he　cried。　　'Tell　him　to　carry　a　glass　of　wine　in
to　the　general。　　1　do　not　like　his　looks。　　I　am　going　upstairs　for
some　medicine。'　　This　he　whispered　in　choked　tones　as　he　set　foot
on　the　stairs。　　Why　I　remember　it　I　do　not　know；　for　Reuben；　who
was　standing　where　he　could　look　into　the　library　when　our　father
came　out　and　saw　the　settle　and　the　general　sitting　at　one　end　of
it；　was　chattering　about　it　in　my　ear　at　the　very　moment　our　father
was　giving　his　orders。

〃'Reuben　is　a　man　now；　and　I　have　asked　him　more　than　once　since
then　how　the　general　looked　at　that　critical　instant。　　It　is
important　to　me；　very；　very　important；　and　to　him；　too；　now　that
he　has　come　to　know　a　man's　passions　and　temptations。　　But　he　will
never　tell　me；　never　relieve　my　mind；　and　I　can　only　hope　that
there　were　real　signs　of　illness　on　the　general's　brow；　for　then　I
could　feel　that　all　had　been　right　and　that　his　death　was　the
natural　result　of　the　great　distress　he　felt　at　opposing　my　father
in　the　one　desire　of　his　heart。　　That　glimpse　which　Reuben　had　of
him　before　he　fell　has　always　struck　me　with　strange　pathos。　　A
little　child　looking　in　upon　a　man；　who；　for　all　his　apparent
health；　will　in　another　moment　be　in　eternity　…　I　do　not　wonder　he
does　not　like　to　talk　of　it；　and　yet　…

〃'It　was　Samba　who　came　upon　the　general　first。　　Our　father　had　not
yet　descended。　　When　he　did；　it　was　with　loud　cries　and　piteous
ejaculations。　　Word　had　gone　upstairs　and　surprised　him　in　the　room
with　my　mother。　　I　recollect　wondering　in　all　childish　simplicity
why　he　wrung　his　hands　so　over　the　death　of　a　man　he　so　hated　and
feared。　　Nor　was　it　till　years　had　passed　and　our　mother　had　been
laid　in　the　grave　and　the　house　had　settled　into　a　gloom　too　heavy
and　somber　for　Reuben　to　endure；　that　I　recognized　in　my　father　the
signs　of　a　settled　remorse。　　These　I　endeavored　to　account　for　by
the　fact　that　he　had　been　saved　from　what　he　looked　upon　as　political
death　by　the　sudden　but　opportune　decease　of　his　best　friend。　　This
caused　a　shock　to　his　feelings　which　had　unnerved　him　for　life。
Don't　you　think　this　the　true　explanation　of　his　invariably　moody
brow　and　the　great　distaste　he　always　showed　for　this　same　library？
Though　he　would　live　in　no　other　house；　he　would　not　enter　that
room　nor　look　at　the　gloomy　settle　from　which　the　general　had　fallen
to　his　death。　　The　place　was　virtually　tabooed；　and　though；　as　the
necessity　arose；　it　was　opened　from　time　to　time　for　great
festivities；　the　shadow　it　had　acquired　never　left　it　and　my　father
hated　its　very　door　until　he　died。　　Is　it　not　natural　that　his
daughter　should　share　this　feeling？'

〃It　was；　and　I　said　so；　but　I　would　say　no　more；　though　she　cast　me
little　appealing　looks　which　acquired　an　eery　significance　from　the
pressure　of　her　small　fingers　on　my　arm　and　the　wailing　sound　of
the　wind　which　at　that　moment　blew　down　in　one　gust；　scattering　the
embers　and　filling　the　house　with　banshee　calls。　　I　simply　kissed
her　and　advised　her　to　go　back　with　me　to　England　and　forget　this
old　house　and　all　its　miserable　memories。　　For　that　was　the　sum　of
the　comfort　at　my　poor　command。　　When；　after　another　restless　night；
I　crept　down　in　the　early　morning　to　peer　into　the　dim　and　unused
room　whose　story　I　had　at　last　learned；　I　can　not　say　but　that　I
half　expected　to　behold　the　meager　ghost　of　the　unfortunate　general
rise　from　the　cushions　of　the　prodigious　bench　which　still　kept　its
mysterious　watch　over　the　deserted　hearthstone。〃

So　much　for　the　passages　culled　from　the　book　itself。　　The　newspaper
excerpts；　to　which　I　next　turned；　bore　a　much　later　date；　and　read
as　follows：

〃A　strange　coincidence　marks　the　death　of　Albert　Moore　in　his
brother's　house　yesterday。　　He　was　discovered　lying　with　his　head
on　the　identical　spot　where　General　Lloyd　fell　forty　years　before。
It　is　said　that　this　sudden　demise　of　a　man　hitherto　regarded　as　a
model　of　physical　strength　and　endurance　was　preceded　by　a　violent
altercation　with　his　elder　brother。　　If　this　is　so；　the　excitement
incident　upon　such　a　break　in　their　usually　pleasant　relations　may
account　for　his　sudden　death。　　Edward　Moore；　who；　unfortunately；
was　out　of　the　room　when　his　brother　succumbed　…　some　say　that　he
was　in　his　grandfather's　room　above　…　was　greatly　unnerved　by　this
unexpected　end　to　what　was　probably　merely　a　temporary　quarrel；
and　now　lies　in　a　critical　condition。

〃The　relations　between　him　and　the　deceased　Albert　have　always　been
of　the　most　amicable　character　until　they　unfortunately　fell　in
love　with　the　same　woman。〃

Attached　to　this　was　another　slip；　apparently　from　a　later　paper。

〃The　quarrel　between　the　two　brothers　Moore；　just　prior　to　the
younger　one's　death；　turns　out　to　have　been　of　a　more　serious　nature
than　was　first　supposed。　　It　has　since　leaked　out　that　an　actual
duel　was　fought　at　that　time　between　these　two　on　the　floor　of　the
old　library；　and　that　in　this　duel　the　elder　one　was　wounded。　　Some
even　go　so　far　as　to　affirm　that　the　lady's　hand　was　to　be　the
reward　of　him　who　drew　the　first　blood；　it　is　no　longer　denied　that
the　room　was　in　great　disorder　when　the　servants　first　rushed　in　at
the　sound　he　made　in　falling。　　Everything　movable　had　been　pushed
back　against　the　wall　and　an　open　space　cleared；　in　the　center　of
which　could　be　seen　one　drop　of　blood。　　What　is　certain　is　that
Mr。　Moore　is　held　to　the　house　by　something　even　more　serious　than
his　deep　grief；　and　that　the　young　lady　who　was　the　object　of　this
fatal　dispute　has　left　the　city。〃

Pasted　under　this　was　the　following　short　announcement：

〃Married　on　the　twenty…first　of　January；　at　the　American　consulate
in　Rome；　Italy；　Edward　Moore；　of　Washington；　D。　C。；　United　States
of　America；　to　Antoinette　Sloan；　daughter　of　Joseph　Dewitt　Sloan；
also　of　that　city。〃

With　this　notice　my　interest　in　the　book　ceased　and　I　prepared　to
step　down　from　the　chair　on　which　I　had　remained　standing　during
the　reading　of　the　above　passages。

As　I　did　so　I　spied　a　slip　of　paper　lying　on　the　floor　at　my　feet。
As　it　had　not　been　there　ten　minutes　before　there　could　be　little
doubt　that　it　had　slipped　from　the　book　whose　leaves　I　had　been
turning　over　so　rapidly。　　Hastening　to　recover　it；　I　found　it　to
be　a　sheet　of　ordinary　note　paper　partly　inscribed　with　words　in
a　neat　and　distinctive　handwriting。　　This　was　a　great　find；　for
the　paper　was　fresh　and　the　handwriting　one　which　could　be　readily
identified。　　What　I　saw　written　there　was　still　more　remarkable。
It　had　the　look　of　some　of　the　memoranda　I　had　myself　drawn　up
during　the　most　perplexing　moments　of　this　strange　case。　　I
transcribe　it　just　as　it　read：

〃We　have　here　two　separate　accounts　of　how　death　comes　to　those
who　breathe　their　last　on　the　ancestral　hearthstone　of　the　Moore
house　library。

〃Certain　facts　are　emphasized　in　both：

〃Each　victim　was　alone　when　he　fell。

〃Each　death　was　preceded　by　a　scene　of　altercation　or　violent
controversy　between　the　victim　and　the　alleged　master　of　these
premises。

〃In　each　case　the　master　of　the　house　reaped　some　benefit；　real　or
fancied；　from　the　other's　death。〃

A　curious　set　of　paragraphs。　　Some　one　besides　myself