the filigree ball-第42部分
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crisis of crises had come； and that denial would be worse than
useless。
〃Then it only remains for us to acquaint you with the identity of
the person who last pressed the fatal spring。 But perhaps you know
that； too？〃
〃I … 〃 He paused； words were impossible to him； and in that pause
his eyes flashed helplessly in the direction of Miss Tuttle。
But the major was quick on his feet and was already between him and
that lady。 This act forced from Mr。 Jeffrey's lips the following
broken sentence：
〃I should … like … you … to … tell … me。〃 Great gasps came with
each heavily spoken word。
〃Perhaps this morsel of lace will do it in a gentler manner than
I could；〃 responded the district attorney； opening his hand； in
which lay the scrap of lace that； an hour or so before； I had
plucked away from the boarding of that fatal closet。
Mr。 Jeffrey eyed it and understood。 His hands went up to his face
and he swayed to the point of falling。 Miss Tuttle came quickly
forward。
〃Oh！〃 she moaned； as her eyes fell on the little white shred。 〃The
providence of God has found us out。 We have suffered； labored and
denied in vain。〃
〃Yes；〃 came in dreary echo from the man none of us had understood
till now； 〃so great a crime could not be hid。 God will have
vengeance。 What are we that we should hope to avert it by any act
or at any cost？〃
The major； with his eyes fixed piercingly on this miserable man；
replied with one pregnant； sentence：
〃Then you forced your wife to suicide？〃
〃No；〃 he began； but before another word could follow； Miss Tuttle；
resplendent in beauty and beaming with new life； broke in with the
fervid cry：
〃You wrong him and you wrong her by such a suggestion。 It was not
her husband but her conscience that forced her to this retributive
act。 What Mr。 Jeffrey might have done had she proved obdurate and
blind to the enormity of her own guilt； I do not know。 But that he
is innocent of so influencing her is proved by the shock he suffered
at finding she had taken her punishment into her own hands。〃
〃Mr。 Jeffrey will please answer the question；〃 insisted the major。
Whereupon the latter； with great effort； but with the first
appearance of real candor yet seen in him； said earnestly：
〃I did nothing to influence her。 I was in no condition to do so。
I was benumbed … dead。 When first she told me； … it was in some
words muttered in her sleep … I thought she was laboring under some
fearful nightmare； but when she persisted； and I questioned her；
and found the horror true； I was like a man turned instantly into
stone； save for one intolerable throb within。 I am still so；
everything passes by me like a dream。 She was so young； seemingly
so innocent and light…hearted。 I loved her！ Gentlemen； you have
thought me guilty of my wife's death； … this young fairy…like
creature to whom I ascribed all the virtues！ and I was willing；
willing that you should think so； willing even to face the distrust
and opprobrium of the whole world； … and so was her sister； the
noble woman whom you see before you … rather than that the full
horror of her crime should be known and a name so dear be given up
to execration。 We thought we could keep the secret … we felt that
we must keep the secret … we took an oath … in French … in the
carriage with the detectives opposite us。 She kept it … God bless
her！ I kept it。 But it was all useless … a tiny bit of lace is
found hanging to a lifeless splinter； and all our efforts； all the
hopes and agony of weeks are gone for naught。 The world will soon
know of her awful deed … and I … 〃
He still loved her！ That was apparent in every look； in every word
he uttered。 We marveled in awkward silence； and were glad when the
major said：
〃The deed； as I take it； was an unpremeditated one on her part。 Is
that why her honor was dearer to you than your own； and why you
could risk the reputation if not the life of the woman who you say
sacrificed herself to it？〃
〃Yes； it was unpremeditated； she hardly realized her act。 If you
must know her heart through all this dreadful business； we have her
words to show you … words which she spent the last miserable day of
her life in writing。 The few lines which I showed the captain and
which have been published to the world was an inclosure meant for
the public eye。 The real letter； telling the whole terrible truth；
I kept for myself and for the sister who already knew her sin。 Oh；
we did everything we could！〃 And he again moaned： 〃But it was in
vain； quite in vain。〃
There were no signs of subterfuge in him now； and we all； unless I
except Durbin； began to yield him credence。 Durbin never gives
credence to anybody whose name he has once heard associated with
crime。
〃And this Pfeiffer was contracted to her？ A man she had secretly
married while a school…girl and who at this very critical instant
had found his way to the house。〃
〃You shall read her letter。 It was meant for me； for me only … but
you shall see it。 I can not talk of him or of her crime。 It is
enough that I have been unable to think of anything else since first
those dreadful words fell front her lips in sleep； thirty…six hours
before she died。〃 Then with the inconsistency of great anguish he
suddenly broke forth into the details he shrank from and cried
〃She muttered； lying there； that she was no bigamist。 That she had
killed one husband before she married the other。 Killed him in the
old house and by the method her ancestors had taught her。 And I；
risen on my elbow； listened； with the sweat oozing from my forehead；
but not believing her； oh； not believing her； any more than any one
of you would believe such words uttered in a dream by the darling of
your heart。 But when； with a long…drawn sigh； she murmured；
'Murderer！' and raised her fists … tiny fists； hands which I had
kissed a thousand times … and shook them in the air； an awful terror
seized me； and I sought to grasp them and hold them down； but was
hindered by some nameless inner recoil under which I could not speak；
nor gasp； nor move。 Of course； it was some dream…horror she was
laboring under； a nightmare of unimaginable acts and thoughts； but
it was one to hold me back； and when she lay quiet again and her
face resumed its old sweetness in the moonlight； I found myself
staring at her almost as if it were true … what she had said … that
word … that awful word which no woman could use with regard to
herself； even in dreams； unless … Something； an echo from the
discordant chord in our two weeks' married life； rose like the
confirmation of a doubt in my shocked and rebellious breast。 From
that hour till dawn nothing in that slowly brightening room seemed
real； not her face lying buried in its youthful locks upon the
pillow； not the objects well…known and well…prized by which we were
surrounded … not myself … most of all； not myself； unless the icy
dew oozing from the roots of my lifted hair was real； unless that
shape； fearsome； vague； but persistent； which hovered in the
shadows above us； drawing a line of eternal separation between me
and my wife； was a thing which could be caught and strangled and …
Oh！ I rave！ I chatter like a madman； but I did not rave that
night。 Nor did I rave when； in the bright； broad sunlight； her eye
slowly unclosed and she started to see me bending so near her； but
not with my usual kiss or glad good morning。 I could not question
her then； I dared not。 The smile which slowly rose to her lips was
too piteous … it showed confidence。 I waited till after breakfast。
Then； while she was seated where she could not see my face； I
whispered the question： 'Do you know that you have had a horrible
dream？' She shrieked and turned。 I saw her face and knew that what
she had uttered in her sleep was true。'
〃I have no remembrance of what I said to her。 She tried to tell me
how she had been tempted and how she had not realized her own act；
till the moment I bent down to kiss her lips as her husband。 But I
did not stop to listen … I could not。 I flew immediately to Miss
Tuttle with the violent demand as to whether she knew that her
sister was already a wife when she married me； and when she cried
out 'No！' and showed great dismay； I broke forth with the dreadful
tale and cowered in unmanly anguish at her feet； and went mad and
lost myself for a little while。 Then I went back to my wretched
wife and asked her how the awful deed had been done。 She told me；
and again I did not believe her and began to look upon it all as
some wild dream or the distempered fancies of a disordered brain。
This thought calmed me and I spoke gently to her and even tried to
take her hand。 But she herself was raving now； and clung about my
knees； murmuring words of such anguish and contrition that my worst
fears returned and； only stopping to take the key of the Moore
house from my bureau； I left the house and wandered madly … I know
not where。
〃I did not go back that day。 I could not face her again till I
knew how much of her confession was fancy and how much was fact。
I roamed the streets； carrying that key from one end of the city to
the other； and at night I used it to open the house which she had
declared contained so dreadful a secret。
〃I had bought candles on my way there but； forgetting to take them
from the store； I had no light with which to penetrate the horrible
place that even the moon refused to illumine。 I realized this when
once in； but would not go back。 All I have told about using matches
to light me to the southwest chamber is true； also my coming upon
the old candelabrum there； with a candle in one of its sockets。 This
candle I lit； my sole reason for seeking this room being my desire
to examine the antique sketch for the words which she had said could
be found there。
〃I had failed to bring a magnifying…glass with me； but my eyes are
phenomenally sharp。 Knowing where to look； I was able to pick out
enough words here and there in the lines composing the hair； to feel
quite sure that my wife had neither deceived me nor been deceived
as to certain directions being embodied there in writing。 Shaken in
my last lingering hope； but not yet quite convince
