the filigree ball-第43部分

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as　to　certain　directions　being　embodied　there　in　writing。　　Shaken　in
my　last　lingering　hope；　but　not　yet　quite　convinced　that　these　words
pointed　to　outrageous　crime；　I　flew　next　to　the　closet　and　drew　out
the　fatal　drawer。

〃You　have　been　there　and　know　what　the　place　is；　but　no　one　but
myself　can　ever　realize　what　it　was　for　me；　still　loving；　still
clinging　to　a　wild　inconsequent　belief　in　my　wife；　to　grope　in　that
mouth　of　hell　for　the　spring　she　had　chattered　about　in　her　sleep；
to　find　it；　press　it；　and　then　to　hear；　down　in　the　dark　of　the
fearsome　recess；　the　sound　of　something　deadly　strike　against　what
I　took　to　be　the　cushions　of　the　old　settle　standing　at　the　edge
of　the　library　hearthstone。

〃I　think　I　must　have　fainted。　　For　when　I　found　myself　possessed
of　sufficient　consciousness　to　withdraw　from　that　hole　of　death；
the　candle　in　the　candelabrum　was　shorter　by　an　inch　than　when　I
first　thrust　my　head　into　the　gap　made　by　the　removed　drawers。
In　putting　back　the　drawers　I　hit　the　candelabrum　with　my　foot；
upsetting　it　and　throwing　out　the　burning　candle。　　As　the　flames
began　to　lick　the　worm…eaten　boarding　of　the　floor　a　momentary
impulse　seized　me　to　rush　away　and　leave　the　whole　place　to　burn。
But　I　did　not。　　With　a　sudden　frenzy；　I　stamped　out　the　flame；
and　then　finding　myself　in　darkness；　griped　my　way　downstairs　and
out。　　If　I　entered　the　library　I　do　not　remember　it。　　Some　lapses
must　be　pardoned　a　man　involved　as　I　was。〃

〃But　the　fact　which　you　dismiss　so　lightly　is　an　important　one；〃
insisted　the　major。　　〃We　must　know　positively　whether　you　entered
this　room　or　not。〃

〃I　have　no　recollection　of　doing　so〃

〃Then　you　can　not　tell　us　whether　the　little　table　was　standing
there；　with　the　candelabrum　upon　it　or　…　〃

〃I　can　tell　you　nothing　about　it。〃

The　major；　after　a　long　look　at　this　suffering　man；　turned　toward
Miss　Tuttle。

〃You　must　have　loved　your　sister　very　much；〃　he　sententiously
remarked。

She　flushed　and　for　the　first　time　her　eyes　fell　from　their
resting…place　on　Mr。　Jeffrey's　face。

〃I　loved　her　reputation；〃　was　her　quiet　answer；　〃and　…　〃　　The
rest　died　in　her　throat。

But　we　all　…　such　of　us；　I　mean；　who　were　possessed　of　the　least
sensibility　or　insight；　knew　how　that　sentence　sounded　as　finished
in　her　heart〃　and　I　loved　him　who　asked　this　sacrifice　of　me。〃

Yet　was　her　conduct　not　quite　clear。

〃And　to　save　that　reputation　you　tied　the　pistol　to　her　wrist？〃
insinuated　the　major。

〃No；〃　was　her　vehement　reply。　　〃I　never　knew　what　I　was　tying　to
her。　　My　testimony　in　that　regard　was　absolutely　true。　　She　held
the　pistol　concealed　in　the　folds　of　her　dress。　　I　did　not　dream
　…　I　could　not　…　that　she　was　contemplating　any　such　end　to　the
atrocious　crime　…　to　which　she　had　confessed。　　Her　manner　was　too
light；　too　airy　and　too　frivolous　…　a　manner　adopted；　as　I　now　see；
to　forestall　all　questions　and　hold　back　all　expressions　of
feeling　on　my　part。　　'Tie　these　hanging　ends　of　ribbon　to　my
wrist；'　were　her　words。　　'Tie　them　tight；　a　knot　under　and　a　bow
on　top。　　I　am　going　out　…　There；　don't　say　anything　…　　What　you
want　to　talk　about　will　keep　till　tomorrow。　　For　one　night　more　I
am　going　to　make　merry　…　to　…　to　enjoy　myself。'　　She　was　laughing。
I　thought　her　horribly　callous　and　trembled　with　such　an
unspeakable　repulsion　that　I　had　difficulty　in　making　the　knot。
To　speak　at　all　would　have　been　impossible。　　Neither　did　I　dare
to　look　in　her　face。　　I　was　touching　the　hand　and　she　kept　on
laughing　…　such　a　hollow　laugh　covering　up　such　an　awful　resolve！
When　she　turned　to　give　me　that　last　injunction　about　the　note；
this　resolve　glared　still　in　her　eyes。〃

〃And　you　never　suspected？〃

〃Not　for　an　instant。　　I　chid　not　do　justice　either　to　her　misery　or
to　her　conscience。　　I　fear　that　I　have　never　done　her　justice　in
anyway。　　I　thought　her　light；　pleasure…loving。　　I　did　not　know　that
it　was　assumed　to　hide　a　terrible　secret。〃

〃Then　you　had　no　knowledge　of　the　contract　she　had　entered　into
while　a　school…girl？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　Another　woman；　and　not　myself；　had　been　her
confidante；　a　woman　who　has　since　died。　　No　intimation　of　her　first
unfortunate　marriage　had　ever　reached　me　till　Mr。　Jeffrey　rushed
in　upon　me　that　Tuesday　morning　with　her　dreadful　confession　on
his　lips。〃

The　district　attorney；　who　did　not　seem　quite　satisfied　on　a　certain
point　passed　over　by　the　major；　now　took　the　opportunity　of　saying：

〃You　assure　us　that　you　had　no　idea　that　this　once　lighthearted
sister　of　yours　meditated　suicide　when　she　left　you？〃

〃And　I　repeat　it；　sir。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　immediately　go　to　Mr。　Jeffrey's　drawer；　where
you　could　have　no　business；　unless　it　was　to　see　if　she　had　taken
his　pistol　with　her？〃

Miss　Tuttle's　head　fell　and　a　soft　flush　broke　through　the　pallor
of　her　cheek。

〃Because　I　was　thinking　of　him。　　Because　I　was　terrified　for　him。
He　had　left　the　house　the　morning　before　in　a　half…maddened　condition
and　had　not　come　back　to　sleep　or　eat　since。　　I　did　not　know　what　a
man　so　outraged　in　every　sacred　feeling　of　love　and　honor　might　be
tempted　to　do。　　I　thought　of　suicide。　　I　remembered　the　old　house
and　how　he　had　said；　'I　don't　believe　her。　　I　don't　believe　she　ever
did　so　cold…blooded　an　act；　or　that　any　such　dreadful　machinery　is
in　that　house。　　I　never　shall　believe　it　till　I　have　seen　and　handled
it　myself。　　It　is　a　nightmare；　Cora。　　We　are　insane。'　　I　thought　of
this；　sirs；　and　when　I　went　into　her　room；　to　change　the　place　of
the　little　note　in　the　book；　I　went　to　his　bureau　drawer；　not　to
look　for　the　pistol　…　I　did　not　think　of　that　then；　…　but　to　see　if
the　keys　of　the　Moore　house　were　still　there。　　I　knew　that　they　were
kept　in　this　drawer；　for　I　had　been　present　in　the　room　when　they
were　brought　in　after　the　wedding。　　I　had　also　been　short…sighted
enough　to　conclude　that　if　they　were　gone　it　was　he　who　had　taken
them。　　They　were　gone；　and　that　was　why　I　flew　immediately　from　the
house　to　the　old　place　in　Waverley　Avenue。　　I　was　concerned　for　Mr。
Jeffrey！　　I　feared　to　find　him　there；　demented　or　dead〃

〃But　you　had　no　key。〃

〃No。　　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　taken　one　of　them　and　my　sister　the　other。
But　the　lack　of　a　key　or　even　of　a　light　…　for　the　missing　candles
were　not　taken　by　me*　…　could　not　keep　me　at　home　after

I　was　once　convinced　that　he　had　gone　to　this　dreadful　house。　　If　I
could　not　get　in　I　could　at　least　hammer　at　the　door　or　rouse　the
neighbors。　　Something　must　be　done。　　I　did　not　think　what；　I　merely
flew。〃
____________________________________________________________________

*We　afterwards　found　that　these　candles　were　never　delivered　　at　the
house　at　all；　that　they　had　been　placed　in　the　wrong　basket　and　left
in　a　neighboring　kitchen。
____________________________________________________________________

〃Did　you　know　that　the　house　had　two　keys？〃

〃Not　then。〃

〃But　your　sister　did？〃

〃Probably。〃

〃And　finding　the　only　key；　as　you　supposed；　gone；　you　flew　to　the
Moore　house？〃

〃Immediately。〃

〃And　now　what　else？〃

〃I　found　the　door　unlocked。〃

〃That　was　done　by　Mrs。　Jeffrey？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　did　not　think　of　her　then。〃

〃And　you　went　in？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　all　dark；　but　I　felt　my　way　till　I　came　to　the　gilded
pillars。〃

〃Why　did　you　go　there？〃

〃Because　I　felt　…　I　knew　…　if　he　were　anywhere　in　that　house　he
would　be　there！〃

〃And　why　did　you　stop？〃

Her　voice　rose　above　its　usual　quiet　pitch　in　shrill　protest：

〃You　know！　　you　know！　　I　heard　a　pistol…shot　from　within；　then　a
fall。　　I　don't　remember　anything　else。　　They　say　I　went　wandering
about　town。　　Perhaps　I　did；　it　is　all　a　blank　to　me　…　everything　is
a　blank　till　the　policeman　said　that　my　sister　was　dead　and　I
learned　for　the　first　time　that　the　shot　I　had　heard　in　the　Moore
house　was　not　the　signal　of　his　death；　but　hers。　　Had　I　been　myself
when　at　that　library　door；〃　she　added；　after　a　moment　of　silence；
〃I　would　have　rushed　in　at　the　sound　of　that　shot　and　have　received
my　sister's　dying　breath〃

〃Cora！〃　　The　cry　was　from　Mr。　Jeffrey；　and　seemed　to　be　quite
involuntary。　　〃In　the　weeks　during　which　we　have　been　kept　from
speaking　together　I　have　turned　all　these　events　over　in　my　mind
till　I　longed　for　any　respite；　even　that　of　the　grave。　　But　in　all
my　thinking　I　never　attributed　this　motive　to　your　visit　here。
Will　you　forgive　me？〃

There　was　a　new　tone　in　his　voice；　a　tone　which　no　woman　could
hear　without　emotion。

〃You　had　other　things　to　think　of；〃　she　said；　and　her　lips　trembled。
Never　have　I　seen　on　the　human　face　a　more　beautiful　expression　than
I　saw　on　hers　at　that　moment；　nor　do　I　think　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　either；
for　as　he　marked　it　his　own　regard　softened　almost　to　tenderness。

The　major　had　no　time　for　sentimentalities。　　Turning　to　Mr。　Jeffrey；
he　said：

〃One　more　question　before　we　send　for　the　letter　which　you　say　will
give　us　full　insight　into　your　wife's　crime。　　Do　you　remember　what
occurred　on　the　bridge　at　Georgetown　just　before　you　came　into　town
that　night？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Did　you　meet　any　one　there？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃Can　you　remember　your　state　of　mind？〃

〃I　was　facing　the　future。〃

〃And　what　did　you　see　in　the　future？〃

〃Death。　　Death　for　her　and　death　for　me！　　A　crime　was　on　her　soul
and　she　must　die；　and　if　she；　then　myself。　　I　knew　no　other　course。
I　could　not　summon　the　police；　point　out　my　bride　of　a　fortnight
and；　with　the　declaration　that　she　had　been　betrayed　into　killing　a
man；　coldly　deliver　her　up　to　justice。　　Neither　could　I　live　at　her
side　knowing　the　guilty　secret　which　parted　us；　or　live　anywhere　in
the　world　under　this　same　consciousness。　　Therefore；　I　meant　to　kill
myself　before　another　sun　rose。　　But　she　was　more　deeply　stricken
with　a　sense　of　her　own　guilt　than　I　realized。　　When　I　returned　home
for　the　pistol　which　was　to　end　our　common　misery　I　found　that　she
had　taken　her　punishment　into　her　own　hands。　　This　strangely　affected
me；　but　when　I　found　that；　in　doing　this；　she　had　remembered　that　I
should　have　to　face　the　world　after　she　was　gone；　and　so　left　a　few
lines　for　me　to　show　in　explanation　of　her　act；　my　revolt　against
her　receiv