the filigree ball-第5部分

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Hardly；　if　it　came　from　the　top　of　the　mantel　toward　which　I　now
turned　in　my　course　of　investigation。

I　have　already　mentioned　this　mantel　more　than　once。　　This　I　could
hardly　avoid；　since　in　and　about　it　lay　the　heart　of　the　mystery　for
which　the　room　was　remarkable。　　But　though　I　have　thus　freely　spoken
of　it；　and　though　it　was　not　absent　from　my　thoughts　for　a　moment；
I　had　not　ventured　to　approach　it　beyond　a　certain　safe　radius。　　Now；
in　looking　to　see　if　I　might　not　lessen　this　radius；　I　experienced
that　sudden　and　overwhelming　interest　in　its　every　feature　which
attaches　to　all　objects　peculiarly　associated　with　danger。

I　even　took　a　step　toward　it；　holding　up　my　lamp　so　that　a　stray　ray
struck　the　faded　surface　of　an　old　engraving　hanging　over　the
fireplace。

It　was　the　well…known　one　…　in　Washington　at　least　…　of　Benjamin
Franklin　at　the　Court　of　France；　interesting　no　doubt　in　a　general
way；　but　scarcely　calculated　to　hold　the　eye　at　so　critical　an
instant。　　Neither　did　the　shelf　below　call　for　more　than　momentary
attention；　for　it　was　absolutely　bare。　　So　was　the　time…worn；　if　not
blood…stained　hearth；　save　for　the　impenetrable　shadow　cast　over　it
by　the　huge　bulk　of　the　great　settle　standing　at　its　edge。

I　have　already　described　the　impression　made　on　me　at　my　first
entrance　by　this　ancient　and　characteristic　article　of　furniture。

It　was　intensified　now　as　my　eye　ran　over　the　clumsy　carving　which
added　to　the　discomfort　of　its　high　straight　back　and　as　I　smelt　the
smell　of　its　moldy　and　possibly　mouse…haunted　cushions。　　A　crawling
sense　of　dread　took　the　place　of　my　first　instinctive　repugnance；
not　because　superstition　had　as　yet　laid　its　grip　upon　me；　although
the　place；　the　hour　and　the　near　and　veritable　presence　of　death
were　enough　to　rouse　the　imagination　past　the　bounds　of　the　actual；
but　because　of　a　discovery　I　had　madea　discovery　which　emphasized
the　tradition　that　all　who　had　been　found　dead　under　the　mantel　had
fallen　as　if　from　the　end　of　this　monstrous　and　patriarchal　bench。
Do　you　ask　what　this　discovery　was？　　It　can　be　told　in　a　word。　　This
one　end　and　only　this　end　had　been　made　comfortable　for　the　sitter。
For　a　space　scarcely　wide　enough　for　one；　the　seat　and　back　at　this
special　point　had　been　upholstered　with　leather；　fastened　to　the
wood　with　heavy　wrought　nails。　　The　remaining　portion　stretched　out
bare；　hard　and　inexpressibly　forbidding　to　one　who　sought　ease　there；
or　even　a　moment　of　casual　rest。　　The　natural　inference　was　that　the
owner　of　this　quaint　piece　of　furniture　had　been　a　very　selfish　man
who　thought　only　of　his　own　comfort。　　But　might　he　not　have　had　some
other　reason　for　his　apparent　niggardliness？　　As　I　asked　myself　this
question　and　noted　how　the　long　and　embracing　arm　which　guarded　this
cushioned　retreat　was　flattened　on　top　for　the　convenient　holding　of
decanter　and　glass；　feelings　to　which　I　can　give　no　name　and　which　I
had　fondly　believed　myself　proof　against；　began　to　take　the　place　of
judgment　and　reason。　　Before　I　realized　the　nature　of　my　own　impulse
or　to　what　it　was　driving　me；　I　found　myself　moving　slowly　and
steadily　toward　this　formidable　seat；　under　an　irresistible　desire
to　fling　myself　down　upon　these　old　cushions　and　…

But　here　the　creaking　of　some　far…off　shutter　…　possibly　the　one　I
had　seen　swaying　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　street　…　recalled　me
to　the　duties　of　the　hour；　and；　remembering　that　my　investigations
were　but　half　completed　and　that　I　might　be　interrupted　any　moment
by　detectives　from　headquarters；　I　broke　from　the　accursed　charm；
which　horrified　me　the　moment　I　escaped　it；　and　quitting　the　room
by　a　door　at　the　farther　end；　sought　to　find　in　some　of　the　adjacent
rooms　the　definite　traces　I　had　failed　to　discover　on　this；　the
actual　scene　of　the　crime。

It　was　a　dismal　search；　revealing　at　every　turn　the　almost　maddened
haste　with　which　the　house　had　been　abandoned。　　The　dining…room
especially　roused　feelings　which　were　far　from　pleasant。　　The　table；
evidently　set　for　the　wedding　breakfast；　had　been　denuded　in　such
breathless　hurry　that　the　food　had　been　tossed　from　the　dishes　and
now　lay　in　moldering　heaps　on　the　floor。　　The　wedding　cake；　which
some　one　had　dropped；　possibly　in　the　effort　to　save　it；　had　been
stepped　on；　and　broken　glass；　crumpled　napery　and　withered　flowers
made　all　the　corners　unsightly　and　rendered　stepping　over　the
unwholesome　floors　at　once　disgusting　and　dangerous。　　The　pantries
opening　out　of　this　room　were　in　no　better　case。　　Shrinking　from　the
sights　and　smells　I　found　there；　I　passed　out　into　the　kitchen　and
so　on　by　a　close　and　narrow　passage　to　the　negro　quarters　clustered
in　the　rear。

Here　I　made　a　discovery。　　One　of　the　windows　in　this　long　disused
portion　of　the　house　was　not　only　unlocked　but　partly　open。　　But　as
I　came　upon　no　marks　showing　that　this　outlet　had　been　used　by　the
escaping　murderer；　I　made　my　way　back　to　the　front　of　the　house　and
thus　to　the　stairs　communicating　with　the　upper　floor。

It　was　on　the　rug　lying　at　the　foot　of　these　stairs　that　I　came　upon
the　first　of　a　dozen　or　more　burned　matches　which　lay　in　a　distinct
trail　up　the　staircase　and　along　the　floors　of　the　upper　halls。　　As
these　matches　were　all　burned　as　short　as　fingers　could　hold　them；
it　was　evident　that　they　had　been　used　to　light　the　steps　of　some
one　seeking　refuge　above；　possibly　in　the　very　room　where　we　had
seen　the　light　which　had　first　drawn　us　to　this　house。　　How　then？
Should　I　proceed　or　await　the　coming　of　the　〃boys〃　before　pushing
in　upon　a　possible　murderer？　　I　decided　to　proceed；　fascinated；　I
think；　by　the　nicety　of　the　trail　which　lay　before　me。

But　when；　after　a　careful　following　in　the　steps　of　him　who　had　so
lately　preceded　me；　I　came　upon　a　tightly　closed　door　at　the　end
of　aside　passage；　I　own　that　I　stopped　a　moment　before　lifting　hand
to　it。　　So　much　may　lie　behind　a　tightly　closed　door！　　But　my
hesitation；　if　hesitation　it　was；　lasted　but　a　moment。　　My　natural
impatience　and　the　promptings　of　my　vanity　overcame　the　dictates
of　my　judgment；　and；　reckless　of　consequences；　perhaps　disdainful
of　them；　I　soon　had　the　knob　in　my　grasp。　　I　gave　a　slight　push　to
the　door　and；　on　seeing　a　crack　of　light　leap　into　life　along　the
jamb；　pushed　the　door　wider　and　wider　till　the　whole　room　stood
revealed。

The　instantaneous　banging　of　a　shutter　in　one　of　its　windows　proved
the　room　to　be　the　very　one　which　we　had　seen　lighted　from　below。
Otherwise　all　was　still；　nor　was　I　able　to　detect；　in　my　first
hurried　glance；　any　other　token　of　human　presence　than　a　candle
sputtering　in　its　own　grease　at　the　bottom　of　a　tumbler　placed　on
one　corner　of；　an　old…fashioned　dressing　table。　　This；　the　one
touch　of　incongruity　in　a　room　otherwise　rich　if　not　stately　in
its　appointments；　was　loud　in　its　suggestion　of　some　hidden
presence　given　to　expedients　and　reckless　of　consequences；　but　of
this　presence　nothing　was　to　be　seen。

Not　satisfied　with　this　short　survey；…a　survey　which　had　given　me
the　impression　of　a　spacious　old…fashioned　chamber；　fully　furnished
but　breathing　of　the　by…gone　rather　than　of　the　present　…　and
resolved　to　know　the　worst；　or；　rather；　to　dare　the　worst　and　be
done　with　it；　I　strode　straight　into　the　center　of　the　room　and
cast　about　me　quickly　a　comprehensive　glance　which　spared　nothing；
not　even　the　shadows　lurking　in　the　corners。　　But　no　low…lying
figure　started　up　from　those　corners；　nor　did　any　crouching　head
rise　into　sight　from　beyond　the　leaves　of　the　big　screen　behind
which　I　was　careful　to　look。

Greatly　reassured；　and　indeed　quite　convinced　that　wherever　the
criminal　lurked　at　that　moment　he　was　not　in　the　same　room　with　me；
I　turned　my　attention　to　my　surroundings；　which　had　many　points　of
interest。　　Foremost　among　these　was　the　big　four…poster　which
occupied　a　large　space　at　my　right。　　I　had　never　seen　its　like　in
use　before；　and　I　was　greatly　attracted　by　its　size　and　the　air　of
mystery　imparted　to　it　by　its　closely　drawn　curtains　of　faded
brocade。　　In　fact；　this　bed；　whether　from　its　appearance　or　some
occult　influence　inherent　in　it；　had　a　fascination　for　me。　　I
hesitated　to　approach　it；　yet　could　not　forbear　surveying　it　long
and　earnestly。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　those　curtains　concealed
some　one　in　hiding　behind　them？　　Strange　to　say　I　did　not　feel
quite　ready　to　lay　hand　on　them　and　see。

A　dressing　table　laden　with　woman's　fixings　and　various　articles　of
the　toilet；　all　of　an　unexpected　value　and　richness；　occupied　the
space　between　the　two　windows；　and　on　the　floor；　immediately　in
front　of　a　high　mahogany　mantel；　there　lay；　amid　a　number　of　empty
boxes；　an　overturned　chair。　　This　chair　and　the　conjectures　its
position　awakened　led　me　to　look　up　at　the　mantel　with　which　it
seemed　to　be　in　some　way　connected；　and　thus　I　became　aware　of　a
wan　old　drawing　hanging　on　the　wall　above　it。　　Why　this　picture；
which　was　a　totally　uninteresting　sketch　of　a　simpering　girl　face；
should　have　held　my　eye　after　the　first　glance；　I　can　not　say　even
now。　　It　had　no　beauty　even　of　the　sentimental　kind　and　very　little；
if　any；　meaning。　　Its　lines；　weak　at　the　best；　were　nearly
obliterated　and　in　some　places　quite　faded　out。　　Yet　I　not　only
paused　to　look　at　it；　but　in　looking　at　it　forgot　myself　and
well…nigh　my　errand。　　Yet　there　was　no　apparent　reason　for　the　spell
it　exerted　over　me；　nor　could　I　account　in　any　way　for　the　really
superstitious　dread　which　from　this　moment　seized　me；　making　my
head　move　slowly　round　with　shrinking　backward　looks　as　that　swaying
shutter　creaked　or　some　of　the　fitful　noises；　which　grow　out　of
silence　in　answer　to　our　inner　expectancy；　drew　my　attention　or
appalled　my　sense。

To　all　appearance　there　was　less　here　than　below　to　affect　a　man's
courage。　　No　inanimate　body　with　the　mark　of　the　slayer　upon　it　lent
horror　to　these　walls；　yet　sensations　which　I　had　easily　overcome　in
the　library　below　clung　with　strange　insistence　to　me　here；　making
it　an　effort　for　me　to　move；　and　giving　to　the　unexpected　reflection
of　my　own　image　in　the　mirror　I　chanced　to　pass；　a　power　to　shock　my
nerves　which　has　never　been　repe