the filigree ball-第9部分

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had　enough　of　it　not　only　to　reenter　the　house；　but　to　reenter　it
alone。　　At　least；　such　is　the　present　inference。　　Had　you　been
blessed　with　more　curiosity　and　made　more　frequent　use　of　the　chair
so　conveniently　placed　for　viewing　the　opposite　house；　you　might
have　been　in　a　position　to　correct　this　inference。　　It　would　help
the　police　materially　to　know　positively　that　she　had　no　companion
in　her　fatal　visit。〃

〃Fatal？〃　he　repeated；　running　his　finger　inside　his　neckband；　which
suddenly　seemed　to　have　grown　too　tight　for　comfort。　　〃Can　it　be
that　my　niece　has　been　frightened　to　death　in　that　old　place？　　You
alarm　me。〃

He　did　not　look　alarmed；　but　then　he　was　not　of　an　impressible
nature。　　Yet　he　was　of　the　same　human　clay　as　the　rest　of　us；　and；
if　he　knew　no　more　of　this　occurrence　than　he　tried　to　make　out；
could　not　be　altogether　impervious　to　what　I　had　to　say　next。

〃You　have　a　right　to　be　alarmed；〃　I　assented。　　〃She　was　not
frightened　to　death；　yet　is　she　lying　dead　on　the　library　floor。〃
Then；　with　a　glance　at　the　windows　about　me；　I　added　lightly：　〃I
take　it　that　a　pistol…shot　delivered　over　there　could　not　be　heard
in　this　room。〃

He　sank　rather　melodramatically　into　his　seat；　yet　his　face　and
form　did　not　lose　that　sudden　assumption　of　dignity　which　I　had
observed　in　him　ever　since　my　entrance　into　the　house。

〃I　am　overwhelmed　by　this　news；〃　he　remarked。　　〃She　has　shot
herself？　　Why？〃

〃I　did　not　say　that　she　had　shot　herself；〃　I　carefully　repeated。
〃Yet　the　facts　point　that　way　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　accepts　the　suicide
theory　without　question。〃

〃Ah；；　Mr。　Jeffrey　is　there！〃

〃Most　certainly；　he　was　sent　for　at　once。〃

〃And　Miss　Tuttle？　　She　came　with　him　of　course？〃

〃She　came；　but　not　with　him。　　She　is　very　fond　of　her　sister。〃

〃I　must　go　over　at　once；〃　he　cried；　leaping　again　to　his　feet　and
looking　about　for　his　hat。　　〃It　is　my　duty　to　make　them　feel　at
home；　in　short；　to　…　to　put　the　house　at　their　disposal。〃　　Here　he
found　his　hat　and　placed　it　on　his　head。　　〃The　property　is　mine　now；
you　know；〃　he　politely　explained；　turning；　with　a　keen　light　in　his
gray　eye；　full　upon　me　and　overwhelming　me　with　the　grand　air　of　a
man　who　has　come　unexpectedly　into　his　own。　　〃Mrs。　Jeffrey's　father
was　my　younger　brother　…　the　story　is　an　old　and　long　one　…　and　the
property；　which　in　all　justice　should　have　been　divided　between　us；
went　entirely　to　him。　　But　he　was　a　good　fellow　in　the　main　and　saw
the　injustice　of　his　father's　will　as　clearly　as　I　did；　and　years
ago　made　one　on　his　own　account　bequeathing　me　the　whole　estate　in
case　he　left　no　issue；　or　that　issue　died。　　Veronica　was　his　only
child；　Veronica　has　died；　therefore　the　old　house　is　mine　and　all
that　goes　with　it；　all　that　goes　with　it。〃

There　was　the　miser's　gloating　in　this　repetition　of　a　phrase
sufficiently　expressive　in　itself；　or　rather　the　gloating　of　a　man
who　sees　himself　suddenly　rich　after　a　life　of　poverty。　　There　was
likewise　a　callousness　as　regarded　his　niece's　surprising　death
which　I　considered　myself　to　have　some　excuse　for　noticing。

〃You　accept　her　death　very　calmly；〃　I　remarked。　　〃Probably　you
knew　her　to　be　possessed　of　an　erratic　mind。〃

He　was　about　to　bestow　an　admonitory　kick　on　his　dog；　who　had　been
indiscreet　enough　to　rise　at　his　master's　first　move；　but　his　foot
stopped　in　mid　air；　in　his　anxiety　to　concentrate　all　his　attention
on　his　answer。

〃I　am　a　man　of　few　sentimentalities；〃　he　coldly　averred。　　〃I　have
loved　but　one　person　in　my　whole　life。　　Why　then　should　I　be　expected
to　mourn　over　a　niece　who　did　not　care　enough　for　me　to　invite　me
to　her　wedding？　　It　would　be　an　affectation　unworthy　the　man　who　has
at　last　come　to　fill　his　rightful　position　in　this　community　as　the
owner　of　the　great　Moore　estate。　　For　great　it　shall　be；〃　he
emphatically　continued。　　〃In　three　years　you　will　not　know　the　house
over　yonder。　　Despite　its　fancied　ghosts　and　death…dealing　fireplace；
it　will　stand　A　Number　One　in　Washington。　　I；　David　Moore；　promise　you
this；　and　I　am　not　a　man　to　utter　fatuous　prophecies。　　But　I　must　be
missed　over　there。〃　　Here　he　gave　the　mastiff　the　long　delayed　kick。
〃Rudge；　stay　here！　　The　vestibule　opposite　is　icy。　　Besides；　your
howls　are　not　wanted　in　those　old　walls　tonight　even　if　you　would　go
with　me；　which　I　doubt。　　He　has　never　been　willing　to　cross　to　that
side　of　the　street；〃　the　old　gentleman　went　on　to　complain；　with　his
first　show　of　irritation。　　〃But　he'll　have　to　overcome　that　prejudice
soon；　even　if　I　have　to　tear　up　the　old　hearthstone　and　reconstruct
the　walls。　　I　can't　live　without　Rudge；　and　I　will　not　live　in　any
other　place　than　in　the　old　home　of　my　ancestors。〃

I　was　by　this　time　following　him　out。

〃You　have　failed　to　answer　the　suggestion　I　made　you　a　minute
since；〃　I　hazarded。　　〃Will　you　pardon　me　if　I　put　it　now　as　a
question？　　Your　niece；　Mrs。　Jeffrey；　seemed　to　have　everything　in
the　world　to　make　her　happy；　yet　she　took　her　life。　　Was　there　a
taint　of　insanity　in　her　blood；　or　was　her　nature　so　impulsive　that
her　astonishing　death　in　so　revolting　a　place　should　awaken　in　you
so　little　wonder？〃

A　gleam　of　what　had　made　him　more　or　less　feared　by　the　very　urchins
who　dogged　his　steps　and　made　sport　of　him　at　a　respectful　distance
shot　from　his　eye　as　he　glowered　back　at　me　from　the　open　door。　　But
he　hastily　suppressed　this　sign　of　displeasure　and　replied　with　the
faintest　tinge　of　sarcasm：

〃There！　　you　are　expecting　from　me　feelings　which　belong　to　youth　or
to　men　of　much　more　heart　than　understanding。　　I　tell　you　that　I
have　no　feelings。　　My　niece　may　have　developed　insanity　or　she　may
simply　have　drunk　her　cup　of　pleasure　dry　at　twenty…two　and　come　to
its　dregs　prematurely。　　I　do　not　know　and　I　do　not　care。　　What
concerns　me　is　that　the　responsibility　of　a　large　fortune　has　fallen
upon　me　most　unexpectedly　and　that　I　have　pride　enough　to　wish　to
show　myself　capable　of　sustaining　the　burden。　　Besides；　they　may　be
tempted　to　do　some　mischief　to　the　walls　or　floors　over　there。　　The
police　respect　no　man's　property。　　But　I　am　determined　they　shall
respect　mine。　　No　rippings　up　or　tearings　down　will　I　allow　unless　I
stand　by　to　supervise　the　job。　　I　am　master　of　the　old　homestead　now
and　I　mean　to　show　it。〃　　And　with　a　last　glance　at　the　dog；　who
uttered　the　most　mournful　of　protests　in　reply；　he　shut　the　front
door　and　betook　himself　to　the　other　side　of　the　street。

As　I　noticed　his　assured　bearing　as　he　disappeared　within　the
forbidding　portal　which；　according　to　his　own　story；　had　for　so　long
a　time　been　shut　against　him；　I　asked　myself　if　the　candle　which　I
had　noticed　lying　on　his　mantel…shelf　was　of　the　same　make　and　size
as　those　I　had　found　in　my　late　investigations　in　the　house　he　was
then　entering。




V

GOSSIP


Next　morning　the　city　was　in　a　blaze　of　excitement。　　All　the　burning
questions　of　the　hour　…　the　rapid　mobilization　of　the　army　and　the
prospect　of　a　speedy　advance　on　Cuba　…　were　forgotten　in　the　one
engrossing　topic　of　young　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death　and　the　awful
circumstances　surrounding　it。　　Nothing　else　was　in　any　one's　mouth
and　but　little　else　in　any　one's　heart。　　Her　youth；　her　prominence；
her　union　with　a　man　of　such　marked　attractions　as　Mr。　Jeffrey；　the
tragedy　connected　with　her　marriage；　thrown　now　into　shadow　by　the
still　more　poignant　tragedy　which　had　so　suddenly　terminated　her
own　life；　gave　to　the　affair　an　interest　which　for　those　first
twenty…four　hours　did　not　call　for　any　further　heightening　by　a
premature　suggestion　of　murder。

Though　I　was　the　hero　of　the　hour　and；　as　such；　subjected　to　an
infinite　number　of　questions；　I　followed　the　lead　of　my　superiors
in　this　regard　and　carefully　refrained　from　advancing　any　theories
beyond　the　obvious　one　of　suicide。　　The　moment　for　self…exploitation
was　not　ripe；　I　did　not　stand　high　enough　in　the　confidence　of　the
major；　or；　I　may　say；　of　the　lieutenant　of　my　own　precinct；　to　risk
the　triumph　I　anticipated　ultimately　by　a　premature　expression　of
opinion。

I　had　an　enemy　at　headquarters；　or；　rather；　one　of　the　men　there
had　always　appeared　peculiarly　interested　in　showing　me　up　in　the
worst　light。　　The　name　of　this　man　was　Durbin；　and　it　was　he　who
had　uttered　something　like　a　slighting　remark　when　on　that　first
night　I　endeavored　to　call　the　captain's　attention　to　some　of　the
small　matters　which　had　offered　themselves　to　me　in　the　light　of
clues。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　prospect　of　surprising　him　some　day
which　made　me　so　wary　now　as　well　as　so　alert　to　fill　my　mind　with
all　known　facts　concerning　the　Jeffreys。　　One　of　my　first　acts　was
to　turn　over　the　files　of　the　Star　and　reread　the　following　account
of　the　great　wedding。　　As　it　is　a　sensational　description　of　a
sensational　event；　I　shall　make　no　apology　for　the　headlines　which
startled　all　Washington　the　night　they　appeared。

〃STARTLING　TERMINATION　OF　THE　JEFFREY…MOORE　WEDDING。

THE　TRADITIONAL　DOOM　FOLLOWS　THE　OPENING　OF
THE　OLD　HOUSE　ON　WAVERLEY　AVENUE。

ONE　OF　THE　GUESTS　FOUND　LYING　DEAD　ON　THE　LIBRARY　HEARTHSTONE。

LETTERS　IN　HIS　POCKET　SHOW　HIM　TO　HAVE　BEEN　ONE　W。　PFEIFFER　OF　DENVER。

NO　INTERRUPTION　TO　THE　CEREMONY　FOLLOWS　THIS　GHASTLY　DISCOVERY；
BUT　THE　GUESTS　FLY　IN　ALL　DIRECTIONS　AS　SOON　AS　THE　NUPTIAL　KNOT　IS　TIED。

〃The　festivities　attendant　upon　the　wedding　of　Miss　Veronica　Moore　to
Mr。　Francis　Jeffrey　of　this　city　met　with　a　startling　check　to…day。
As　most　of　our　readers　know；　the　long…closed　house　on　Waverley　Avenue；
which　for　nearly　a　century　has　been　in　possession　of　the　bride's
family；　was　opened　for　the　occasion　at　the　express　wish　of　the　bride。
For　a　week　the　preparations　for　this　great　function　have　been　going
on。　　When　at　an　early　hour　this　morning　a　line　of　carriages　drew　up
in　front　of　the　historic　mansion　and　the　bridal　party　entered　under
its　once　gloomy　but　now　seemingly　triumphant　portal；　the　crowds；
which　blocked　the　street　from　curb　to　curb；　testified　to　the　interest
felt　by　the　citizens　of　Washington　in　this　daring　attempt　to　brave
the　traditions　which　have　marked　this　house　out　as　solitary；　and　by
a　scene　of　joyous　festivity　make　the　past　forgotten　and