the filigree ball-第38部分

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of　his　motives　for　this　crime　been　the　acquisition　of　this
filigree　ball？　　If　so；　why　had　he　left　it　on　the　table　upstairs？
A　candle　had　been　lit　in　that　room　…　could　it　have　been　by　him　in
his　search　for　this　object？　　It　would　be　a　great　relief　to　believe
so。　　What　was　the　reason　then　that　my　mind　refused　so　emphatically
to　grasp　this　possibility　and　settle　upon　him　as　the　murderer　of
Mrs。　Jeffrey？　　I　can　not　tell。　　I　hated　the　man；　and　I　likewise
deeply　distrusted　him。　　But　I　could　not；　even　after　this　revelation
of　his　duplicity；　connect　him　in　my　thoughts　with　absolute　crime
without　a　shock　to　my　intuitions。　　Happily；　my　scruples　were　not
shared　by　my　colleagues。　　They　had　listed　him。　　Here　I　felt　my
shoulder　touched；　and　a　newspaper　was　thrust　into　my　hand　by　the
man　who　had　just　addressed　me。

〃Look　down　the　lost　and　found　column；〃　said　he。　　〃The　third
advertisement　you　will　see　there　came　from　the　district　attorney's
office；　the　next　one　was　inserted　by　Mr。　Moore　himself。〃

I　followed　his　pointing　finer　and　read　two　descriptions　of　the
filigree　ball。　　The　disproportion　in　the　rewards　offered　was
apparent。　　That　promised　by　Uncle　David　was　calculated　to　rouse
any　man's　cupidity　and　should　have　resulted　in　the　bauble's
immediate　return。

〃He　got　ahead　of　the　police　that　time；〃　I　laughed。　　〃When　did
these　advertisements　appear？〃

〃During　the　days　you　were　absent　from　Washington。〃

〃And　how　sure　are　you　that　he　did　not　get　this　jewel　back？〃

〃Oh；　we　are　sure。　　His　continued　anxiety　and　still　active　interest
prove　this；　even　if　our　surveillance　had　been　less　perfect。〃

〃And　the　police　have　been　equally　unsuccessful？〃

〃Equally。〃

〃After　every　effort？〃

〃Every。〃

〃Who　was　the　man　who　collected　and　carried　out　those　things　from
the　southwest　chamber？〃

He　smiled。

〃You　see　him；〃　said　he。

〃It　was　you？〃

〃Myself。〃

〃And　you　are　sure　this　small　ball　was　among　them？〃

〃No。　　I　only　know　that　I　have　seen　it　somewhere；　but　that　it
wasn't　among　the　articles　I　delivered　to　Mr。　Jeffrey。〃

〃How　did　you　carry　them？〃

〃In　a　hand…bag　which　I　locked　myself。〃

〃Before　leaving　the　southwest　chamber？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　it　is　still　in　that　room？〃

〃Find　it；〃　was　his　laconic　reply。

Here　most　men　would　have　stopped；　but　I　have　a　bulldog's　tenacity
when　once　I　lay　hold。　　That　night　I　went　back　to　the　Moore　house
and；　taking　every　precaution　against　being　surprised　by　the
sarcastic　Durbin　or　some　of　his　many　flatterers；　I　ransacked　the
southwest　chamber　on　my　own　behalf　for　what　certainly　I　had
little　reason　to　expect　to　find　there。

It　seemed　a　hopeless　cause　from　the　first；　but　I　acted　as　if　no
one　had　hunted　for　this　object　before。　　Moving　every　article；　I
sought　first　on　the　open　floor　and　then　in　every　possible　cranny
for　the　missing　trinket。　　But　I　failed　to　find　it　and　was　about
to　acknowledge　myself　defeated　when　my　eye　fell　on　the　long
brocaded　curtains　which　I　had　drawn　across　the　several　windows　to
hide　every　gleam　of　light　from　the　street。　　They　were　almost　free
from　folds；　but　I　shook　them　well；　especially　the　one　nearest　the
table；　and　naturally　with　no　effect。

〃Folly；〃　I　muttered；　yet　did　not　quite　desist。　　For　the　great
tassels　still　hung　at　the　sides　and　…　　Well！　　you　may　call　it　an
impossible　find　or　say　that　if　the　bauble　was　there　it　should　have
been　discovered　in　the　first　search　for　it！　　I　will　not　say　no。　　I
can　only　tell　you　what　happened。　　When　I　took　one　of　those　tassels
in　my　band；　I　thought；　as　it　twirled　under　my　touch；　that　I　saw
something　gleam　in　its　faded　old　threads　which　did　not　belong　there。
Startled；　and　yet　not　thoroughly　realizing　that　I　had　come　upon　the
object　of　my　search；　I　picked　at　this　thing　and　found　it　to　be　a
morsel　of　gold　chain　that　had　become　entangled　in　it。　　When　I　had
pulled　it　out；　it　showed　a　small　golden　ball　at　one　end；　filigreed
over　and　astonishingly　heavy　for　its　size　and　apparent　delicacy。

How　it　came　there　…　whether　it　rolled　from　the　table；　or　was　swept
off　inadvertently　by　the　detective's　hand；　and　how　it　came　to　be
caught　by　this　old　tassel　and　held　there　in　spite　of　the　many
shakings　it　must　have　received；　did　not　concern　me　at　this　momentous
instant。　　The　talisman　of　this　old　family　was　found。　　I　had　but　to
discover　what　it　held　concealed　to　understand　what　had　baffled　Mr。
Moore　and　made　the　mystery　he　had　endeavored　to　penetrate　so
insolvable。　　Rejoicing　in　my　triumph；　but　not　wasting　a　moment　in
self…congratulation；　I　bent　over　the　candle　with　my　prize　and　sought
for　the　clasp　or　fastening　which　held　its　two　parts　together。　　I
have　a　knack　at　clasps　and　curious　fastenings　and　was　able　at　first
touch　to　spring　this　one　open。　　And　what　did　I　find　inside？
Something　so　different　from　what　I　expected；　something　so　trivial
and　seemingly　harmless；　that　it　was　not　until　I　recalled　the　final
words　of　Uncle　David's　memorandum　that　I　realized　its　full　import
and　the　possibilities　it　suggested。　　In　itself　it　was　nothing　but
a　minute　magnifying　glass；　but　when　used　in　connection　with　…　what？
Ah；　that　was　just　what　Uncle　David　failed　to　say；　possibly　to　know。
Yet　this　was　now　the　important　point；　the　culminating　fact　which
might　lead　to　a　full　understanding　of　these　many　tragedies。　　Could
I　hope　to　guess　what　presented　itself　to　Mr。　Moore　as　a　difficult
if　not　insolvable　problem？　　No；　guessing　would　not　answer。　　I　must
trust　to　the　inspiration　of　the　moment　which　suggested　with　almost
irresistible　conviction：

The　picture！　　That　inane　and　seemingly　worthless　drawing　over　the
fireplace　in　The　Colonel's　Own；　whose　presence　in　so　rich　a　room
has　always　been　a　mystery！

Why　this　object　should　have　suggested　itself　to　me　and　with　such
instant　conviction；　I　can　not　readily　say。　　Whether；　from　my
position　near　the　bed；　the　sight　of　this　old　drawing　recalled　the
restless　nights　of　all　who　had　lain　in　face　of　its　sickly　smile；
or　whether　some　recollection　of　that　secret　law　of　the　Moores
which　forbade　the　removal　of　any　of　their　pictures　from　the
time…worn　walls；　or　a　remembrance　of　the　curiosity　which　this
picture　excited　in　every　one　who　looked　at　it　…　Francis　Jeffrey
among　the　number　…　I　no　sooner　asked　myself　what　object　in　this
house　might　possibly　yield　counsel　or　suggest　aid　when　subjected
to　the　influence　of　a　magnifying　glass；　than　the　answer；　which　I
have　already　given；　sprang　instantly　into　my　mind：　The　picture！

Greatly　excited；　I　sprang　upon　a　chair；　took　down　the　drawing　from
the　wall　and　laid　it　face　up　on　the　bed。　　Then　I　placed　the　glass
over　one　of　the　large　coils　surrounding　the　insipid　face；　and　was
startled　enough；　in　spite　of　all　mental　preparation；　to　perceive
the　crinkly　lines　which　formed　it；　resolve　themselves　into　script
and　the　script　into　words；　some　of　which　were　perfectly　legible。

The　drawing；　simple　as　it　looked；　was　a　communication　in　writing
to　those　who　used　a　magnifying　glass　to　read　it。　　I　could　hardly
contain　my　triumph；　hardly　find　the　self…control　necessary　to　a
careful　study　of　its　undulating　and　often　conflicting　lines　and　to
the　slow　picking　out　of　the　words　therein　contained。

But　when　I　had　done　this；　and　had　copied　the　whole　of　the　wandering
scrawl　on　a　page　of　my　note　book　the　result　was　of　value。

Read；　and　judge　for　yourself。

〃Coward　that　I　am；　I　am　willing　to　throw　upon　posterity　the　shadow
of　a　crime　whose　consequences　I　dare　not　incur　in　life。　　Confession
I　must　make。　　To　die　and　leave　no　record　of　my　deed　is　impossible。
Yet　how　tell　my　story　so　that　only　my　own　heirs　may　read　and　they
when　at　the　crisis　of　their　fate？　　I　believe　I　have　found　the　way
by　this　drawing　and　the　injunction　I　have　left　to　the　holders　of
the　filigree　ball。

〃No　man　ever　wished　his　enemy　dead　more　than　I　did；　and　no　man
ever　spent　more　cunning　on　the　deed。　　Master　in　my　own　house；　I
contrived　a　device　by　which　the　man　who　held　my　fate　in　his　hands
fell　on　my　library　hearth　with　no　one　near　and　no　sign　by　which
to　associate　me　with　the　act。　　Does　this　seem　like　the　assertion
of　a　madman？　　Go　to　the　old　chamber　familiarly　called　〃The　Colonel's
Own。〃　　Enter　its　closet；　pull　out　its　two　drawers；　and　in　the
opening　thus　made　seek　for　the　loophole　at　the　back；　through　which；
if　you　stoop　low　enough；　you　can　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　library
hearth　and　its　great　settle。　　With　these　in　view；　slip　your　finger
along　the　wall　on　your　right　and　when　it　touches　an　obstruction
　…　pass　it　if　it　is　a　handle；　for　that　is　only　used　to　rewind　the
apparatus　and　must　be　turned　from　you　until　it　can　be　turned　no
farther；　but　if　it　is　a　depression　you　encounter；　press；　and　press
hard　on　the　knob　concealed　within　it。　　But　beware　when　any　one　you
love　is　seated　in　that　corner　of　the　settle　where　the　cushion
invites　rest；　lest　it　be　your　fate　to　mourn　and　wail　as　it　is　mine
to　curse　the　hour　when　I　sought　to　clear　my　way　by　murder。　　For
the　doom　of　the　man　of　blood　is　upon　me。　　The　hindrance　is　gone
from　my　life；　but　a　horror　has　entered　it　beyond　the　conception
of　any　soul　that　has　not　yielded　itself　to　the　unimaginable
influences　emanating　from　an　accomplished　crime。　　I　can　not　be
content　with　having　pressed　that　spring　once。　　A　mania　is　upon　me
which；　after　thirty　years　of　useless　resistance　and　superhuman
struggle；　still　draws　me　from　bed　and　sleep　to　rehearse　in　ghastly
fashion　that　deed　of　my　early　manhood。　　I　can　not　resist　it。　　To
tear　out　the　deadly　mechanism；　unhinge　weight　and　drum　and　rid　the
house　of　every　evidence　of　crime　would　but　drive　me　to　shriek　my
guilt　aloud　and　act　in　open　pantomime　what　I　now　go　through　in
fearsome　silence　and　secrecy。　　When　the　hour　comes；　as　come　it
must；　that　I　can　not　rise　and　enter　that　fatal　closet；　I　shall
still　enact　the　deed　in　dreams；　and　shriek　aloud　in　my　sleep　and
wish　myself　dead　and　yet　fear　to　die　lest　my　hell　be　to　go　through
all　eternity；　slaying　over　and　over　my　man；　in　ever　growing　horror
and　repulsion。

〃Do　you　wish　to　share　my　fate？　　Try　to　effect　through　blood　a
release　from　the　difficulties　menacing　you。〃




XXIII

A　THREAD　IN　HAND


There　are　moments　which　stand　out　with　intense　force　and　clearness
in　every　man's　life。　　Mine　was　the　one　wh