the filigree ball-第39部分

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There　are　moments　which　stand　out　with　intense　force　and　clearness
in　every　man's　life。　　Mine　was　the　one　which　followed　the　reading
of　these　lines　which　were　meant　for　a　warning；　but　which　in
more　than　one　case　had　manifestly　served　to　open　the　way　to　a
repetition　of　the　very　crime　they　deplored。　　I　felt　myself　under
the　same　fascination。　　I　wanted　to　test　the　mechanism；　to　follow
out　then　and　there　the　instructions　given　with　such　shortsighted
minuteness　and　mark　the　result。　　But　a　sense　of　decorum　prevented。
It　was　clearly　my　duty　to　carry　so　important　a　discovery　as　this
to　the　major　and　subject　myself　to　his　commands　before　making　the
experiment　suggested　by　the　scroll　I　had　so　carefully　deciphered。
Besides；　it　would　be　difficult　to　carry　out　this　experiment　alone；
and　with　no　other　light　ht　than　that　afforded　by　my　lantern。
Another　man　and　more　lights　were　needed。

Influenced　by　these　considerations；　I　restored　the　picture　to　its
place；　and　left　the　building。　　As　I　did　so；　the　first　signs　of
dawn　became　visible　in　the　east。　　I　had　expended　three　hours　in
picking　out　the　meaning　concealed　in　the　wavy　lines　of　the　old
picture。

I　was　early　at　headquarters　that　morning；　but　not　so　early　as　to
find　the　superintendent　alone。　　A　group　of　men　were　already
congregated　about　him　in　his　small　office；　and　when；　on　being
admitted；　I　saw　amongst　them　the　district　attorney；　Durbin　and
another　famous　detective；　I　instinctively　knew　what　matter　was
under　discussion。

I　was　allowed　to　remain；　possibly　because　I　brought　news　in　my
face；　possibly　because　the　major　felt　more　kindly　toward　me　than
I　thought。　　Though　Durbin；　who　had　been　speaking；　had　at　first
sight　of　me　shut　his　mouth　like　a　trap；　and　even　went　so　far　as
to　drum　an　impatient　protest　with　his　fingers　on　the　table　before
which　he　stood；　neither　the　major　nor　the　district　attorney　turned
an　unkindly　face　toward　me；　and　my　amiable　friend　was　obliged　to
accept　my　presence　with　what　grace　he　could。

There　was　with　them　a　fourth　man；　who　stood　apart。　　On　him　the
general　attention　had　been　concentrated　at　my　entrance　and　to　him
it　now　returned。　　He　was　an　unpretentious　person　of　kindly　aspect。
To　any　one　accustomed　to　Washington　residents；　he　bore　the
unmistakable　signs　of　being　one　of　the　many　departmental　employees
whose　pay　is　inadequate　to　the　necessities　of　his　family。　　Of　his
personal　peculiarities　I　noted　two。　　He　blinked　when　he　talked；
and　stuttered　painfully　when　excited。　　Notwithstanding　these
defects　he　made　a　good　impression；　and　commanded　confidence。
This　I　soon　saw　was　of　importance；　for　the　story　he　now　entered
upon　was　one　calculated　to　make　me　forget　my　own　errand　and　even
to　question　my　own　convictions。

The　first　intimation　I　received　of　the　curious　nature　of　his
communication　was　through　the　following　questions；　put　to　him　by
the　major：

〃You　are　sure　this　gentleman　is　identical　with　the　one　pointed　out
to　you　last　night？〃

〃Very　sure；　sir。　　I　can　swear　to　it。〃

I　omit　all　evidence　of　the　defect　in　his　speech　above　mentioned。

〃You　recognize　him　positively？〃

〃Positively。　　I　should　have　picked　him　out　with　the　same　assurance；
if　I　had　seen　him　in　some　other　city　and　in　a　crowd　of　as
fine…looking　gentlemen　as　himself。　　His　face　made　a　great　impression
on　me。　　You　see　I　had　ample　time　to　study　it　in　the　few　minutes　we
stood　so　close　together。〃

〃So　you　have　said。　　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　repeat　the
circumstance？　　I　should　like　the　man　who　has　just　come　in　to　hear
your　description　of　this　scene。　　Give　the　action；　please。　　It　is
all　very　interesting。〃

The　stranger　glanced　inquisitively　in　my　direction；　and　turned　to
obey　the　superintendent。

〃I　was　returning　to　my　home　in　Georgetown；　on　the　evening　of　May
the　eleventh；　the　day　of　the　great　tragedy。　　My　wife　was　ill；　and
I　had　been　into　town　to　see　a　physician　and　should　have　gone
directly　home；　but　I　was　curious　to　see　how　high　the　flood　was
running　…　you　remember　it　was　over　the　banks　that　night。　　So　I
wandered　out　on　the　bridge；　and　came　upon　the　gentleman　about　whom
you　have　been　questioning　me。　　He　was　standing　all　alone　leaning
on　the　rail　thus。〃　　Here　the　speaker　drew　up　a　chair；　and；　crossing
his　arms　over　its　back；　bent　his　head　down　over　them。　　〃I　did　not
know　him；　but　the　way　he　eyed　the　water　leaping　and　　boiling　in　a
yellow　flood　beneath　was　not　the　way　of　a　curious　man　like　myself；
but　of　one　who　was　meditating　some　desperate　deed。　　He　was　handsome
and　well　dressed；　but　he　looked　a　miserable　wretch　and　was　in　a
state　of　such　complete　self…absorption　that　he　did　not　notice　me；
though　I　had　stopped　not　five　feet　from　his　side。　　I　expected　to
see　him　throw　himself　over；　but　instead　of　that；　he　suddenly
raised　his　head　and；　gazing　straight　before　him；　not　at　the　heavy
current；　but　at　some　vision　in　his　own　mind；　broke　forth　in　these
words；　spoken　as　I　had　never　heard　words　spoken　before　…　〃

Here　the　speaker's　stuttering　got　the　better　of　him　and　the
district　attorney　had　time　to　say：

〃What　were　these　words？　　Speak　them　slowly；　we　have　all　the　time
there　is。〃

Instantly　the　man　plucked　up　heart　and；　eying　us　all　impressively；
was　able　to　say：

〃They　were　these：　'She　must　die！　　she　must　die！'　　No　name；　but　just
the　one　phrase　twice　repeated；　'She　must　die！'　　This　startled　me；
and　hardly　knowing　whether　to　lay　hands　on　him；　or　to　turn　about
and　run；　I　was　moving　slowly　away；　when　he　drew　his　arms　from　the
rail；　like　this；　and；　still　staring　into　space；　added；　in　the　same
hard　and　determined　voice；　this　one　word　more；　'To…night！'　；　and；
wheeling　about；　passed　me　with　one　blank　and　wholly　unconscious
look　and　betook　himself　toward　the　city。　　As　he　went　by；　his　lips
opened　for　the　third　time。　　'Which　means　…　'　he　cried；　between　a
groan　and　a　shriek；　'a　bullet　for　her　and　…　'　I　wish　I　had　heard
the　rest；　but　he　was　out　of　my　hearing　before　his　sentence　was
finished。〃

〃What　time　was　this？〃

〃As　near　half…past　five　as　possible。　　It　was　six　when　I　reached
home　a　few　minutes　later。〃

〃Ah；　he　must　have　gone　to　the　cemetery　after　this。〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　of　it。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　follow　the　man？〃　grumbled　Durbin。

〃It　wasn't　my　business。　　He　was　a　stranger　and　possibly　mad。　　I
didn't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃What　did　you　do？〃

〃Went　home　and　kept　quiet；　my　wife　was　very　ill　that　night　and　I
had　my　own　cause　for　anxiety。〃

〃You；　however；　read　the　papers　next　morning？〃

〃No；　sir；　nor　for　many　days。　　My　wife　grew　constantly　worse　and
for　a　week　I　didn't　leave　her；　not　knowing　but　that　every　breath
would　be　her　last。　　I　was　dead　to　everything　outside　the　sick…room
and　when　she　grew　better；　which　was　very　gradually；　we　had　to　take
her　away；　so　that　I　had　no　opportunity　of　speaking　of　this
occurrence　to　any　one　till　a　week　ago；　when　some　remark；　published
in　connection　with　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death；　recalled　that　encounter
on　the　bridge。　　I　told　a　neighbor　that　I　believed　the　man　I　had
seen　there　was　Mr。　Jeffrey；　and　we　looked　up　the　papers　and　ran
over　them　till　we　came　upon　his　picture。　　That　settled　it；　and　I
could　no　longer　…　being　free　from　home　anxieties　now　…　hold　my
tongue　and　the　police　heard　…　〃

〃That　will　do；　Mr。　Gelston；〃　broke　in　the　major。　　〃When　we　want
you　again；　we　will　let　you　know；　Durbin；　see　Mr。　Gelston　out〃

I　was　left　alone　with　the　major　and　the　district　attorney。

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　my　own　heart　beat　so
loud　that　I　was　afraid　they　would　hear　it。　　Since　taking　up　Miss
Tuttle's　cause　I　had　never　really　believed　in　Mr。　Jeffrey's
innocence　in　spite　of　the　alibi　he　had　brought　forward；　and　now
I　expected　to　hear　these　men　utter　the　same　conviction。　　The　major
was　the　first　to　speak。　　Addressing　the　district　attorney；　he
remarked：　〃This　will　strengthen　your　case　very　materially。　　We
have　proof　now　that　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death　was　actually　determined
upon。　　If　Miss　Tuttle　had　not　shot　her；　he　would。　　I　wonder　if　it
was　a　relief　to　him　on　reaching　his　door　to　find　that　the　deed
was　done。〃

I　could　not　suppress　my　surprise。

〃Miss　Tuttle！〃　I　repeated。　　〃Is　it　so　unmistakably　evident　that
Mr。　Jeffrey　did　not　get　to　the　Moore　house　in　time　to　do　the
shooting　himself？〃

The　major　gave　me　a　quick　look。

〃I　thought　you　considered　Miss　Tuttle　the　guilty　one。〃

I　felt　that　the　time　had　come　to　show　my　colors。

〃I　have　changed　my　mind；〃　said　I。　　〃I　can　give　you　no　good　reason
for　this；　something　in　the　woman　herself；　I　suppose。　　She　does　not
look　nor　act　like　a　criminal。　　While　not　desirous　of　raising　myself
in　opposition　to　the　judgment　of　those　so　greatly　my　superior　in
all　respects；　I　have　had　this　feeling；　and　I　am　courageous　enough
to　avow　it。　　And　yet；　if　Mr。　Jeffrey　could　not　have　left　the
cemetery　gates　and　reached　the　Moore　house　in　time　to　fulfil　all
the　conditions　of　this　tragedy；　the　case　does　look　black　against
the　woman。　　She　admits　to　having　been　there　when　the　pistol　was
fired；　unless　…　〃

〃Unless　what？　　You　have　something　new　to　tell　us。　　That　I　have　seen
ever　since　you　entered　the　room。　　What　is　it？〃

I　cast　a　glance　at　the　door。　　Should　I　be　able　to　finish　my　story
before　Durbin　returned？　　I　thought　it　possible；　and；　though　still
upset　by　this　new　evidence；　which　I　could　now　see　was　not　entirely
in　Miss　Tuttle's　favor；　I　spoke　up　with　what　spirit　I　might。

〃I　have　just　come　from　spending　another　night　in　the　Moore　house。
All　the　efforts　heretofore　made　to　exhaust　its　secrets　have　been
founded　upon　a　theory　that　has　brought　us　nowhere。　　I　had　another
in　mind；　and　I　was　anxious　to　test　it　before　resting　from　all
further　attempt　to　solve　this　riddle。　　And　it　has　not　failed　me。
By　pursuing　a　clue　apparently　so　trivial　that　I　allowed　it　to　go
neglected　for　weeks；　I　have　come　upon　the　key　to　the　many　mysterious
crimes　which　have　defiled　the　library　hearthstone。　　And　where　do
you　think　it　lies？　　Not　in　the　hearthstone　itself　and　not　in　the
floor　under　the　settle；　not；　in　fact；　in　the　library　at　all；　but
in　the　picture　hanging　upstairs　in　the　southwest　chamber。〃

〃The　picture！　　that　faded…out　sketch；　fit　only　for　the　garret？〃

〃Yes。　　To　you　and　to　most　people　surveying　it；　it　is　just　what　y