the filigree ball-第8部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　caught　his　first　sight　of　the　ribbon　and　the　pistol　attached　to
it；　the　most　experienced　among　us　were　baffled　as　to　the　nature　of
his　feelings　and　thoughts。　　One　thing　alone　was　patent　to　all。　　He
had　no　wish　to　touch　this　woman　whom　he　had　so　lately　sworn　to
cherish。　　His　eyes　devoured　her；　he　shuddered　and　strove　several
times　to　speak；　and　though　kneeling　by　her　side；　he　did　not　reach
forth　his　hand　nor　did　he　let　a　tear　fall　on　the　appealing　features
so　pathetically　turned　upward　as　if　to　meet　his　look。

Suddenly　he　leaped　to　his　feet。

〃Must　she　stay　here？〃　he　demanded；　looking　about　for　the　person　most
in　authority。

The　captain　answered　by　a　question：

〃How　do　you　account　for　her　being　here　at　all？　　What　explanation
have　you；　as　her　husband；　to　give　for　this　strange　suicide　of　your
wife？〃

For　reply；　Mr。　Jeffrey；　who　was　an　exceptionally　handsome　man；　drew
forth　a　small　slip　of　crumpled　paper；　which　he　immediately　handed
over　to　the　speaker。

〃Let　her　own　words　explain；〃　said　he。　　〃I　found　this　scrap　of
writing　in　our　upstairs　room　when　I　returned　home　to…night。　　She
must　have　written　it　just　before　…　before　…〃

A　smothered　groan　filled　up　the　break；　but　it　did　not　come　from　his
lips；　which　were　fixed　and　set；　but　from　those　of　the　woman　who
crouched　amongst　us。　　Did　he　catch　this　expression　of　sorrow　from
one　whose　presence　he　as　yet　had　given　no　token　of　recognizing？　　He
did　not　seem　to。　　His　eye　was　on　the　captain；　who　was　slowly　reading；
by　the　light　of　a　lantern　held　in　a　detective's　hand；　the　almost
illegible　words　which　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　just　said　were　his　wife's　last
communication。

Will　they　seem　as　pathetic　to　the　eye　as　they　did　to　the　ear　in　that
room　of　awesome　memories　and　present　death？

〃I　find　that　I　do　not　love　you　as　I　thought　I　did。　　I　can　not　live；
knowing　this　to　be　so。　　I　pray　God　that　you　may　forgive　me。

VERONICA〃


A　gasp　from　the　figure　in　the　corner；　then　silence。　　We　were　glad　to
hear　the　captain's　voice　again。

〃A　woman's　heart　is　a　great　mystery；〃　he　remarked；　with　a　short
glance　at　Mr。　Jeffrey。

It　was　a　sentiment　we　could　all　echo；　for　he；　to　whom　she　had　alluded
in　these　few　lines　as　one　she　could　not　love；　was　a　man　whom　most
women　would　consider　the　embodiment　of　all　that　was　admirable　and
attractive。

That　one　woman　so　regarded　him　was　apparent　to　all。　　If　ever　the
heart　spoke　in　a　human　face；　it　spoke　in　that　of　Miss　Tuttle　as　she
watched　her　sister's　husband　struggling　for　composure　above　the
prostrate　form　of　her　who　but　a　few　hours　previous　had　been　the
envy　of　all　the　fashionable　young　women　in　Washington。　　I　found　it
hard　to　fix　my　attention　on　the　next　question；　interesting　and
valuable　as　every　small　detail　was　likely　to　prove　in　case　my　theory
of　this　crime　should　ever　come　to　be　looked　on　as　the　true　one。

〃How　came　you　to　search　here　for　the　wife　who　had　written　you　this
vague　and　far　from　satisfactory　farewell？　　I　see　no　hint　in　these
lines　of　the　place　where　she　intended　to　take　her　life。〃

〃No！　　no！〃　　Even　this　strong　man　shrank　from　this　idea　and　showed　a
very　natural　recoil　as　his　glances　flew　about　the　ill…omened　room
and　finally　rested　on　the　fireside　over　which　so　repellent　a　mystery
hung　in　impenetrable　shadow。　　〃She　said　nothing　of　her　intentions；
nothing！　　But　the　man　who　came　for　me　told　me　where　she　was　to　be
found。　　He　was　waiting　at　the　door　of　my　house。　　He　had　been　on　a
search　for　me　up　and　down　the　town。　　We　met　on　the　stoop。〃

The　captain　accepted　this　explanation　without　cavil。　　I　was　glad　he
did。　　But　to　me　the　affair　showed　inconsistencies　which　I　secretly
felt　it　to　be　my　especial　duty　to　unravel。




V

MASTER　AND　DOG


No　further　opportunity　was　afforded　me　that　night　for　studying　the
three　leading　characters　in　the　remarkable　drama　I　saw　unfolding
before　me。　　A　task　was　assigned　me　by　the　captain　which　took　me　from
the　house；　and　I　missed　the　next　scene　…　the　arrival　of　the　coroner。
But　I　repaid　myself　for　this　loss　in　a　way　I　thought　justified　by
the　importance　of　my　own　theory　and　the　evident　necessity　there　was
of　collecting　each　and　every　point　of　evidence　which　could　give
coloring　to　the　charge；　in　the　event　of　this　crime　coming　to　be
looked　on　at　headquarters　as　one　of　murder。

Observing　that　a　light　was　still　burning　in　Uncle　David's　domicile；
I　crossed　to　his　door　and　rang　the　bell。　　I　was　answered　by　the　deep
and　prolonged　howl　of　a　dog；　soon　cut　short　by　his　master's　amiable
greeting。　　This　latter　was　a　surprise　to　me。　　I　had　heard　so　often
of　Mr。　Moore's　churlishness　as　a　host　that　I　had　expected　some
rebuff。　　But　I　encountered　no　such　tokens　of　hostility。　　His　brow
was　smooth　and　his　smile　cheerfully　condescending。　　Indeed；　he
appeared　anxious　to　have　me　enter；　and　cast　an　indulgent　look　at
Rudge；　whose　irrepressible　joy　at　this　break　in　the　monotony　of　his
existence　was　tinged　with　a　very　evident　dread　of　offending　his
master。　　Interested　anew；　I　followed　this　man　of　contradictory
impulses　into　the　room　toward　which　he　led　me。

The　time　has　now　come　for　a　more　careful　description　of　this　peculiar
man。　　Mr。　Moore　was　tall　and　of　that　refined　spareness　of　shape　which
suggests　the　scholar。　　Yet　he　had　not　the　scholar's　eye。　　On　the
contrary；　his　regard　was　quick；　if　not　alert；　and　while　it　did　not
convey　actual　malice　or　ill…will；　it　roused　in　the　spectator　an
uncomfortable　feeling；　not　altogether　easy　to　analyze。　　He　wore　his
iron　gray　locks　quite　long；　and　to　this　distinguishing　idiosyncrasy；
as　well　as　to　his　invariable　custom　of　taking　his　dog　with　him
wherever　he　went；　was　due　the　interest　always　shown　in　him　by　street
urchins。　　On　account　of　his　whimsicalities；　he　had　acquired　the
epithet　of　Uncle　David　among　them；　despite　his　aristocratic
connections　and　his　gentlemanlike　bearing。　　His　clothes　formed　no
exception　to　the　general　air　of　individuality　which　marked　him。　　They
were　of　different　cut　from　those　of　other　men；　and　in　this　as　in　many
other　ways　he　was　a　law　to　himself；　notably　so　in　the　following
instance：　　He　kept　one　day　of　the　year　religiously；　and　kept　it
always　in　the　same　way。　　Long　years　before；　he　had　been　blessed　with
a　wife　who　both　understood　and　loved　him。　　He　had　never　forgotten
this　fact；　and　once　a　year；　presumably　on　the　anniversary　of　her
death；　it　was　his　custom　to　go　to　the　cemetery　where　she　lay　and　to
spend　the　whole　day　under　the　shadow　of　the　stone　he　had　raised　to
her　memory。　　No　matter　what　the　weather；　no　matter　what　the　condition
of　his　own　health；　he　was　always　to　be　seen　in　this　spot；　at　the　hour
of　seven；　leaning　against　the　shaft　on　which　his　wife's　name　was
written；　eating　his　supper　in　the　company　of　his　dog。　　It　was　a
custom　he　had　never　omitted。　　So　well　known　was　it　to　the　boys　and
certain　other　curious　individuals　in　the　neighborhood　that　he　never
lacked　an　audience；　though　woe　betide　the　daring　foot　that　presumed
to　invade　the　precincts　of　the　lot　he　called　his；　or　the　venturesome
voice　which　offered　to　raise　itself　in　gibe　or　jeer。　　He　had　but　to
cast　a　glance　at　Rudge　and　an　avenging　rush　scattered　the　crowd　in
a　twinkling。　　But　he　seldom　had　occasion　to　resort　to　this　extreme
measure　for　preserving　the　peace　and　quiet　of　his　solemn　watch。　　As
a　rule　he　was　allowed　to　eat　his　meal　undisturbed；　and　to　pass　out
unmolested　even　by　ridicule；　though　his　teeth　might　still　be　busy
over　some　final　tidbit。　　Often　the　great　tears　might　be　seen　hanging
undried　upon　his　withered　cheeks。

So　much　for　one　oddity　which　may　stand　as　a　sample　of　many　others。

One　glance　at　the　room　into　which　he　ushered　me　showed　why　he
cherished　so　marked　a　dislike　for　visitors。　　It　was　bare　to　the
point　of　discomfort；　and　had　it　not　been　for　a　certain　quaintness
in　the　shape　of　the　few　articles　to　be　seen　there；　I　should　have
experienced　a　decided　feeling　of　repulsion；　so　pronounced　was　the
contrast　between　this　poverty…stricken　interior　and　the　polished
bearing　of　its　owner。　　He；　I　am　sure；　could　have　shown　no　more
elevated　manners　if　he　had　been　doing　the　honors　of　a　palace。　　The
organ；　with　the　marks　of　home　construction　upon　it；　was　the　only
object　visible　which　spoke　of　luxury　or　even　comfort。

But　enough　of　these　possibly　uninteresting　details。　　I　did　not　dwell
on　them　myself；　except　in　a　vague　way　and　while　waiting　for　him　to
open　the　conversation。　　This　he　did　as　soon　as　he　saw　that　I　had　no
intention　of　speaking　first。

〃And　did　you　find　any　one　in　the　old　house？〃　he　asked。

Keeping　him　well　under　my　eye；　I　replied　with　intentional　brusqueness：

〃She　has　gone　there　once　too　often！〃

The　stare　he　gave　me　was　that　of　an　actor　who　feels　that　some
expression　of　surprise　is　expected　from　him。

〃She？〃　he　repeated。　　〃Whom　can　you　possibly　mean　by　she？〃

The　surprise　I　expressed　at　this　bold　attempt　at　ingenuousness　was
better　simulated　than　his；　I　hope。

〃You　don't　know！〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃Can　you　live　directly　opposite　a
place　of　such　remarkable　associations　and　not　interest　yourself　in
who　goes　in　and　out　of　its　deserted　doors？〃

〃I　don't　sit　in　my　front　window；〃　he　peevishly　returned。

I　let　my　eye　roam　toward　a　chair　standing　suspiciously　near　the
very　window　he　had　designated。

〃But　you　saw　the　light？〃　I　suggested。

〃I　saw　that　from　the　door…step　when　I　went　out　to　give　Rudge　his
usual　five　minutes'　breathing　spell　on　the　stoop。　　But　you　have　not
answered　my　question；　whom　do　you　mean　by　she？〃

〃Veronica　Jeffrey；〃　I　replied。　　〃She　who　was　Veronica　Moore。　　She
has　visited　this　haunted　house　of　hers　for　the　last　time。〃

〃Last　time！〃　　Either　he　could　not　or　would　not　understand　me。

〃What　has　happened　to　my　niece？〃　he　cried；　rising　with　an　energy
that　displaced　the　great　dog　and　sent　him；　with　hanging　head　and
trailing　tail；　to　his　own　special　sleeping…place　under　the　table。
〃Has　she　run　upon　a　ghost　in　those　dismal　apartments？　　You　interest
me　greatly。　　I　did　not　think　she　would　ever　have　the　pluck　to　visit
this　house　again　after　what　happened　at　her　wedding。〃

〃She　has　had　the　pluck；〃　I　assured　him；　〃and　what　is　more；　she　has
had　enough　of　it　not　only　to　reenter　the　house；　but　to　reenter　it
alone。　　At　least；　such　is　t