initials only-第13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！


ed；　gave　unmistakable　signs　of　secret　wavering；　he　slowly　changed　his　mind　and；　ranging　himself　with　the　detective；　waited　for　the　word　or　words　which　should　explain　this　situation　and　render　intelligible　the　triumph　gradually　becoming　visible　in　the　young　detective's　eyes。

But　he　was　not　destined　to　have　his　curiosity　satisfied　so　far。　　He　might　witness　and　hear；　but　it　was　long　before　he　understood。

〃Brotherson？〃　repeated　their　host；　after　the　silence　had　lasted　to　the　breaking…point。　　〃Why　do　you　call　me　that？〃

〃Because　it　is　your　name。〃

〃You　called　me　Dunn　a　minute　ago。〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃Why　Dunn　if　Brotherson　is　my　name？〃　

〃Because　you　spoke　under　the　name　of　Dunn　at　the　meeting　to…night；　and　if　I　don't　mistake；　that　is　the　name　by　which　you　are　known　here。〃

〃And　you？　　By　what　name　are　you　known？〃

〃It　is　late　to　ask；　isn't　it？　　But　I'm　willing　to　speak　it　now；　and　I　might　not　have　been　so　a　little　earlier　in　our　conversation。　　I　am　Detective　Sweetwater　of　the　New　York　Department　of　Police；　and　my　errand　here　is　a　very　simple　one。　　Some　letters　signed　by　you　have　been　found　among　the　papers　of　the　lady　whose　mysterious　death　at　the　hotel　Clermont　is　just　now　occupying　the　attention　of　the　New　York　authorities。　　If　you　have　any　information　to　give　which　will　in　any　way　explain　that　death；　your　presence　will　be　welcome　at　Coroner　Heath's　office　in　New　York。　　If　you　have　not；　your　presence　will　still　be　welcome。　　At　all　events；　I　was　told　to　bring　you。　　You　will　be　on　hand　to　accompany　me　in　the　morning；　I　am　quite　sure；　pardoning　the　unconventional　means　I　have　taken　to　make　sure　of　my　man？〃

The　humour　with　which　this　was　said　seemed　to　rob　it　of　anything　like　attack；　and　Mr。　Brotherson；　as　we　shall　hereafter　call　him；　smiled　with　an　odd　acceptance　of　the　same；　as　he　responded：

〃I　will　go　before　the　police　certainly。　　I　haven't　much　to　tell；　but　what　I　have　is　at　their　service。　　It　will　not　help　you；　but　I　have　no　secrets。　　What　are　you　doing？〃

He　bounded　towards　Sweetwater；　who　had　simply　stepped　to　the　window；　lifted　the　shade　and　looked　across　at　the　opposing　tenement。

〃I　wanted　to　see　if　it　was　still　snowing；〃　explained　the　detective；　with　a　smile；　which　seemed　to　strike　the　other　like　a　blow。　　〃If　it　was　a　liberty；　please　pardon　it。〃

Mr。　Brotherson　drew　back。　　The　cold　air　of　self　possession　which　he　now　assumed；　presented　such　a　contrast　to　the　unwarranted　heat　of　the　moment　before　that　George　wondered　greatly　over　it；　and　later；　when　he　recapitulated　to　me　the　whole　story　of　this　night；　it　was　this　incident　of　the　lifted　shade；　together　with　the　emotion　it　had　caused；　which　he　acknowledged　as　being　for　him　the　most　inexplicable　event　of　the　evening　and　the　one　he　was　most　anxious　to　hear　explained。

As　this　ends　our　connection　with　this　affair；　I　will　bid　you　my　personal　farewell。　　I　have　often　wished　that　circumstances　had　made　it　possible　for　me　to　accompany　you　through　the　remaining　intricacies　of　this　remarkable　case。

But　you　will　not　lack　a　suitable　guide。






BOOK　II


AS　SEEN　BY　DETECTIVE　SWEETWATER



X

A　DIFFERENCE　OF　OPINION


At　an　early　hour　the　next　morning；　Sweetwater　stood　before　the　coroner's　desk；　urging　a　plea　he　feared　to　hear　refused。　　He　wished　to　be　present　at　the　interview　soon　to　be　held　with　Mr。　Brotherson；　and　he　had　no　good　reason　to　advance　why　such　a　privilege　should　be　allotted　him。

It's　not　curiosity；〃　said　he。　　〃There's　a　question　I　hope　to　see　settled。　　I　can't　communicate　it　…　you　would　laugh　at　me；　but　it's　an　important　one；　a　very　important　one；　and　I　beg　that　you　will　let　me　sit　in　one　of　the　corners　and　hear　what　he　says。　　I　won't　bother　and　I'll　be　very　still；　so　still　that　he'll　hardly　notice　me。　　Do　grant　me　this　favour；　sir。

The　coroner；　who　had　had　some　little　experience　with　this　man；　surveyed　him　with　a　smile　less　forbidding　than　the　poor　fellow　expected。

〃You　seem　to　lay　great　store　by　it；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　want　to　sort　those　papers　over　there；　you　may。〃

〃Thank　you。　　I　don't　understand　the　job；　but　I　promise　you　not　to　increase　the　confusion。　　If　I　do；　if　I　rattle　the　leaves　too　loudly；　it　will　mean；　'Press　him　further　on　this　exact　point；'　but　I　doubt　if　I　rattle　them；　sir。　　No　such　luck。〃

The　last　three　words　were　uttered　sotto　voce；　but　the　coroner　heard　him；　and　followed　his　ungainly　figure　with　a　glance　of　some　curiosity；　as　he　settled　himself　at　the　desk　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。

〃Is　the　man　…〃　he　began；　but　at　this　moment　the　man　entered；　and　Dr。　Heath　forgot　the　young　detective；　in　his　interest　in　the　new　arrival。

Neither　dressed　with　the　elegance　known　to　the　habitues　of　the　Clermont；　nor　yet　in　the　workman's　outfit　in　which　he　had　thought　best　to　appear　before　the　Associated　Brotherhood；　the　newcomer　advanced；　with　an　aspect　of　open　respect　which　could　not　fail　to　make　a　favourable　impression　upon　the　critical　eye　of　the　official　awaiting　him。　　So　favourable；　indeed；　was　this　impression　that　that　gentleman　half　rose；　infusing　a　little　more　consideration　into　his　greeting　than　he　was　accustomed　to　show　to　his　prospective　witnesses。　Such　a　fearless　eye　he　had　seldom　encountered；　nor　was　it　often　his　pleasure　to　confront　so　conspicuous　a　specimen　of　physical　and　intellectual　manhood。

〃Mr。　Brotherson；　I　believe；〃　said　he；　as　he　motioned　his　visitor　to　sit。

〃That　is　my　name；　sir。〃

〃Orlando　Brotherson？〃

〃The　same；　sir。〃

〃I'm　glad　we　have　made　no　mistake；〃　smiled　the　doctor。　　〃Mr。　Brotherson；　I　have　sent　for　you　under　the　supposition　that　you　were　a　friend　of　the　unhappy　lady　lately　dead　at　the　Hotel　Clermont。〃

〃Miss　Challoner？〃

〃Certainly；　Miss　Challoner。〃

〃I　knew　the　lady。　　But　…〃　here　the　speaker's　eye　took　on　a　look　as　questioning　as　that　of　his　interlocutor　…〃　but　in　a　way　so　devoid　of　all　publicity　that　I　cannot　but　feel　surprised　that　the　fact　should　be　known。〃

At　this；　the　listening　Sweetwater　hoped　that　Dr。　Heath　would　ignore　the　suggestion　thus　conveyed　and　decline　the　explanation　it　apparently　demanded。　　But　the　impression　made　by　the　gentleman's　good　looks　had　been　too　strong　for　this　coroner's　proverbial　caution；　and；　handing　over　the　slip　of　a　note　which　had　been　found　among　Miss　Challoner's　effects　by　her　father；　he　quietly　asked：

〃Do　you　recognise　the　signature？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　mine。〃

〃Then　you　acknowledge　yourself　the　author　of　these　lines？〃

〃Most　certainly。　　Have　I　not　said　that　this　is　my　signature？〃

〃Do　you　remember　the　words　of　this　note；　Mr。　Brotherson？〃

〃Hardly。　　I　recollect　its　tenor；　but　not　the　exact　words。〃

〃Read　them。〃

〃Excuse　me；　I　had　rather　not。　　I　am　aware　that　they　were　bitter　and　should　be　the　cause　of　great　regret。　　I　was　angry　when　I　wrote　them。〃

〃That　is　evident。　　But　the　cause　of　your　anger　is　not　so　clear；　Mr。　Brotherson。　　Miss　Challoner　was　a　woman　of　lofty　character；　or　such　was　the　universal　opinion　of　her　friends。　　What　could　she　have　done　to　a　gentleman　like　yourself　to　draw　forth　such　a　tirade？〃

〃You　ask　that？〃

〃I　am　obliged　to。　　There　is　mystery　surrounding　her　death；　…　the　kind　of　mystery　which　demands　perfect　frankness　on　the　part　of　all　who　were　near　her　on　that　evening；　or　whose　relations　to　her　were　in　any　way　peculiar。　　You　acknowledge　that　your　friendship　was　of　such　a　guarded　nature　that　it　surprised　you　greatly　to　hear　it　recognised。　Yet　you　could　write　her　a　letter　of　this　nature。　　Why？〃

〃Because　…〃　the　word　came　glibly；　but　the　next　one　was　long　in　following。　　〃　Because；〃　he　repeated；　letting　the　fire　of　some　strong　feeling　disturb　for　a　moment　his　dignified　reserve；　〃I　offered　myself　to　Miss　Challoner；　and　she　dismissed　me　with　great　disdain。〃

〃Ah！　　and　so　you　thought　a　threat　was　due　her？〃

〃A　threat？〃

〃These　words　contain　a　threat；　do　they　not？〃

〃They　may。　　I　was　hardly　master　of　myself　at　the　time。　　I　may　have　expressed　myself　in　an　unfortunate　manner。〃

〃Read　the　words；　Mr。　Brotherson。　　I　really　must　insist　that　you　do　so。〃

There　was　no　hesitancy　now。　　Rising；　he　leaned　over　the　table　and　read　the　few　words　the　other　had　spread　out　for　his　perusal。　　Then　he　slowly　rose　to　his　full　height；　as　he　answered；　with　some　slight　display　of　compunction：

〃I　remember　it　perfectly　now。　　It　is　not　a　letter　to　be　proud　of。　I　hope　…〃

〃Pray　finish；　Mr。　Brotherson。〃

〃That　you　are　not　seeking　to　establish　a　connection　between　this　letter　and　her　violent　death？〃

〃Letters　of　this　sort　are　often　very　mischievous；　Mr。　Brotherson。　The　harshness　with　which　this　is　written　might　easily　rouse　emotions　of　a　most　unhappy　nature　in　the　breast　of　a　woman　as　sensitive　as　Miss　Challoner。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Dr。　Heath；　I　cannot　flatter　myself　so　far。　　You　overrate　my　influence　with　the　lady　you　name。〃

〃You　believe；　then；　that　she　was　sincere　in　her　rejection　of　your　addresses？

A　start；　too　slight　to　be　noted　by　any　one　but　the　watchful　Sweetwater；　showed　that　this　question　had　gone　home。　　But　the　self…poise　and　mental　control　of　this　man　were　perfect；　and　in　an　instant　he　was　facing　the　coroner　again；　with　a　dignity。　　which　gave　no　clew　to　the　disturbance　into　which　his　thoughts　had　just　been　thrown。　　Nor　was　this　disturbance　apparent　in　his　tones　when　he　made　his　reply：

〃I　have　never　allowed　myself　to　think　otherwise。　I　have　seen　no　reason　why　I　should。　　The　suggestion　you　would　convey　by　such　a　question　is　hardly　welcome；　now。　　I　pray　you　to　be　careful　in　your　judgment　of　such　a　woman's　impulses。　　They　often　spring　from　sources　not　to　be　sounded　even　by　her　dearest　friends。〃

Just；　but　how　cold！　　Dr。　Heath；　eyeing　him　with　admiration　rather　than　sympathy；　hesitated　how　to　proceed；　while　Sweetwater；　peering　up　from　his　papers；　sought　in　vain　for　some　evidence　of　the　bereaved　lover　in　the　impressive　but　wholly　dispassionate　figure　of　him　who　had　just　spoken。　　Had　pride　got　the　better　of　his　heart？　　or　had　that　organ　always　been　subordinate　to　the　will　in　this　man　of　instincts　so　varying；　that　at　one　time　he　impressed　you　simply　as　a　typical　gentleman　of　leisure；　at　another；　as　no　more　than　a　fiery　agitator　with　powers　absorbed　by；　if　not　limited　to　the　one　cause　he　advocated；　and　again　…　and　this　seemed　the　most　contradictory　of　all　…　just　the　ardent　inventor；　living　in