initials only-第15部分

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　and　mean　to　remain　so。〃

The　assertive　boldness　…　some　would　call　it　bravado　…　with　which　he　thus　finished　the　story　of　his　relations　with　the　dead　heiress；　seemed　to　be　more　than　Mr。　Challoner　could　stand。　　With　a　look　of　extreme　pain　and　perplexity　he　vanished　from　the　doorway；　and　it　fell　to　Dr。　Heath　to　inquire：

〃Is　this　letter　…　a　letter　of　threat　you　will　remember　…　the　only　communication　which　passed　between　you　and　Miss　Challoner　after　this　unfortunate　passage　of　arms　at　the　Clermont？〃

〃Yes。　　I　had　no　wish　to　address　her　again。　　I　had　exhausted　in　this　one　outburst　whatever　humiliation　I　felt。〃

〃And　she？　　Did　she　give　no　sign；　make　you　no　answer？〃

〃None　whatever。〃　　Then；　as　if　he　found　it　impossible　to　hide　this　hurt　to　his　pride；　〃She　did　not　even　seem　to　consider　me　worthy　the　honour　of　an　added　rebuke。　　Such　arrogance　is；　no　doubt；　commendable　in　a　Challoner。〃

This　time　his　bitterness　did　not　pass　unrebuked　by　the　coroner：

　〃　Remember　the　grey　hairs　of　the　only　Challoner　who　can　hear　you；　and　respect　his　grief。〃

Mr。　Brotherson　bowed。

〃I　have　finished；〃　said　he。　　〃I　shall　have　nothing　more　to　say　on　the　subject。〃　　And　he　drew　himself　up　in　expectation　of　the　dismissal　he　evidently　thought　pending。

But　the　coroner　was　not　done　with　him　by　any　means。　　He　had　a　theory　in　regard　to　this　lamentable　suicide　which　he　hoped　to　establish　by　this　man's　testimony；　and；　in　pursuit　of　this　plan；　he　not　only　motioned　to　Mr。　Brotherson　to　reseat　himself；　but　began　at　once　to　open　a　fresh　line　of　examination　by　saying：

〃You　will　pardon　me；　if　I　press　this　matter。　　I　have　been　given　to　understand　that　notwithstanding　your　break　with　Miss　Challoner；　you　have　kept　up　your　visits　to　the　Clermont　and　were　even　on　the　spot　at　the　time　of　her　death。〃

〃On　the　spot？〃

〃In　the　hotel；　I　mean。〃

〃There　you　are　right；　I　was　in　the　hotel。〃

〃At　the　time　of　her　death？〃

〃Very　near　the　time。　　I　remember　hearing　some　disturbance　in　the　lobby　behind　me；　just　as　I　was　passing　out　at　the　Broadway　entrance。〃

〃You　did；　and　did　not　return？〃

〃Why　should　I　return？　　I　am　not　a　man　of　much　curiosity。　　There　was　no　reason　why　I　should　connect　a　sudden　alarm　in　the　lobby　of　the　Clermont　with　any　cause　of　special　interest　to　myself。〃

This　was　so　true　and　the　look　which　accompanied　the　words　was　so　frank　that　the　coroner　hesitated　a　moment　before　he　said：

〃Certainly　not；　unless　…　well；　to　be　direct；　unless　you　had　just　seen　Miss　Challoner　and　knew　her　state　of　mind　and　what　was　likely　to　follow　your　abrupt　departure。〃

〃I　had　no　interview　with　Miss　Challoner。〃

〃But　you　saw　her？　　Saw　her　that　evening　and　just　before　the　accident？〃

Sweetwater's　papers　rattled；　it　was　the　only　sound　to　be　heard　in　that　moment　of　silence。　　Then　…　〃What　do　you　mean　by　those　words？〃　inquired　Mr。　Brotherson；　with　studied　composure。　　〃I　have　said　that　I　had　no　interview　with　Miss　Challoner。　　Why　do　you　ask　me　then；　if　I　saw　her？〃

〃Because　I　believe　that　you　did。　　From　a　distance　possibly；　but　yet　directly　and　with　no　possibility　of　mistake。〃

〃Do　you　put　that　as　a　question？〃

〃I　do。　　Did　you　see　her　figure　or　face　that　night？〃

〃I　did。〃

Nothing　…　not　even　the　rattling　of　Sweetwater's　papers　…　disturbed　the　silence　which　followed　this　admission。

〃From　where？〃　Dr。　Heath　asked　at　last。

〃From　a　point　far　enough　away　to　make　any　communication　between　us　impossible。　　I　do　not　think　you　will　require　me　to　recall　the　exact　spot。〃

〃If　it　were　one　which　made　it　possible　for　her　to　see　you　as　clearly　as　you　could　see　her；　I　think　it　would　be　very　advisable　for　you　to　say　so。〃

It　was　…　such　…　a　spot。''

〃Then　I　think　I　can　locate　it　for　you；　or　do　you　prefer　to　locate　it　yourself？〃

〃I　will　locate　it　myself。　　I　had　hoped　not　to　be　called　upon　to　mention　what　I　cannot　but　consider　a　most　unfortunate　coincidence。　As　a　gentleman　you　will　understand　my　reticence　and　also　why　it　is　a　matter　of　regret　to　me　that　with　an　acumen　worthy　of　your　position；　you　should　have　discovered　a　fact　which；　while　it　cannot　explain　Miss　Challoner's　death；　will　drag　our　little　affair　before　the　public；　and　possibly　give　it　a　prominence　in　some　minds　which　I　am　sure　does　not　belong　to　it。　　I　met　Miss　Challoner's　eye　for　one　instant　from　the　top　of　the　little　staircase　running　up　to　the　mezzanine。　　I　had　yielded　thus　far　to　an　impulse　I　had　frequently　combated；　to　seek　by　another　interview　to　retrieve　the　bad　effect　which　must　have　been　made　upon　her　by　my　angry　note。　　I　knew　that　she　frequently　wrote　letters　in　the　mezzanine　at　this　hour；　and　got　as　far　as　the　top　of　the　staircase　in　my　effort　to　join　her。　But　got　no　further。　　When　I　saw　her　on　her　feet；　with　her　face　turned　my　way；　I　remembered　the　scorn　with　which　she　had　received　my　former　heart…felt　proposals　and；　without　taking　another　step　forward；　I　turned　away　from　her　and　fled　down　the　steps　and　so　out　of　the　building　by　the　main　entrance。　　She　saw　me；　for　her　hand　flew　up　with　a　startled　gesture；　but　I　cannot　think　that　my　presence　on　the　same　floor　with　her　could　have　caused　her　to　strike　the　blow　which　terminated　her　life。　　Why　should　I？　　No　woman　sacrifices　her　life　out　of　mere　regret　for　the　disdain　she　has　shown　a　man　she　has　taken　no　pains　to　understand。〃

His　tone　and　his　attitude　seemed　to　invite　the　concurrence　of　Dr。　Heath　in　this　statement。　　But　the　richness　of　the　one　and　the　grace　of　the　other　showed　the　handsome　speaker　off　to　such　advantage　that　the　coroner　was　rather　inclined　to　consider　how　a　woman；　even　of　Miss　Challoner's　fine　taste　and　careful　breeding；　might　see　in　such　a　situation　much　for　regret；　if　not　for　active　despair　and　the　suicidal　act。　　He　gave　no　evidence　of　his　thought；　however；　but　followed　up　the　one　admission　made　by　Mr。　Brotherson　which　he　and　others　must　naturally　view　as　of　the　first　importance。

〃You　saw　Miss　Challoner　lift　her　hand；　you　say。　　Which　hand；　and　what　was　in　it？　　Anything？〃

〃She　lifted　her　right　hand；　but　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　tell　you　whether　there　was　anything　in　it　or　not。　　I　simply　saw　the　movement　before　I　turned　away。　　It　looked　like　one　of　alarm　to　me。　　I　felt　that　she　had　some　reason　for　this。　　She　could　not　know　that　it　was　in　repentance　I　came　rather　than　in　fulfilment　of　my　threat。〃

A　sigh　from　the　adjoining　room。　　Mr。　Brotherson　rose；　as　he　heard　it；　and　in　doing　so　met　the　clear　eye　of　Sweetwater　fixed　upon　his　own。　　Its　language　was；　no　doubt；　peculiar　and　it　seemed　to　fascinate　him　for　a　moment；　for　he　started　as　if　to　approach　the　detective；　but　forsook　this　intention　almost　immediately；　and　addressing　the　coroner；　gravely　remarked：

〃Her　death　following　so　quickly　upon　this　abortive　attempt　of　mine　at　an　interview　startled　me　by　its　coincidence　as　much　as　it　does　you。　　If　in　the　weakness　of　her　woman's　nature；　it　was　more　than　this　…　if　the　scorn　she　had　previously　shown　me　was　a　cloak　she　instinctively　assumed　to　hide　what　she　was　not　ready　to　disclose；　my　remorse　will　be　as　great　as　any　one　here　could　wish。　　But　the　proof　of　all　this　will　have　to　be　very　convincing　before　my　present　convictions　will　yield　to　it。　　Some　other　and　more　poignant　source　will　have　to　be　found　for　that　instant's　impulsive　act　than　is　supplied　by　this　story　of　my　unfortunate　attachment。

Dr。　Heath　was　convinced；　but　he　was　willing　to　concede　something　to　the　secret　demand　made　upon　him　by　Sweetwater；　who　was　bundling　up　his　papers　with　much　clatter。

Looking　up　with　a　smile　which　had　elements　in　it　he　was　hardly　conscious　of　perhaps　himself；　he　asked　in　an　off…hand　way：

〃Then　why　did　you　take　such　pains　to　wash　your　hands　of　the　affair　the　moment　you　had　left　the　hotel？〃

〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃You　passed　around　the　corner　into　…　street；　did　you　not？〃

〃Very　likely。　　I　could　go　that　way　as　well　as　another。〃

〃And　stopped　at　the　first　lamp…post？〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　　Someone　saw　that　childish　action　of　mine。〃

〃What　did　you　mean　by　it？〃

〃Just　what　you　have　suggested。　　I　did　go　through　the　pantomime　of　washing　my　hands　of　an　affair　I　considered　definitely　ended。　　I　had　resisted　an　irrepressible　impulse　to　see　and　talk　with　Miss　Challoner　again；　and　was　pleased　with　my　firmness。　　Unaware　of　the　tragic　blow　which　had　just　fallen；　I　was　full　of　self…congratulations　at　my　escape　from　the　charm　which　had　lured　me　back　to　this　hotel　again　and　again　in　spite　of　my　better　judgment；　and　I　wished　to　symbolise　my　relief　by　an　act　of　which　I　was；　in　another　moment；　ashamed。　Strange　that　there　should　have　been　a　witness　to　it。　　（Here　he　stole　a　look　at　Sweetwater。）　　Stranger　still；　that　circumstances　by　the　most　extraordinary　of　coincidences；　should　have　given　so　unforeseen　a　point　to　it。

〃You　are　right；　Mr。　Brotherson。　　The　whole　occurrence　is　startling　and　most　strange。　　But　life　is　made　up　of　the　unexpected；　as　none　know　better　than　we　physicians；　whether　our　practice　be　of　a　public　or　private　character。〃

As　Mr。　Brotherson　left　the　room；　the　curiosity　to　which　he　had　yielded　once　before；　led　him　to　cast　a　glance　of　penetrating　inquiry　behind　him　full　at　Sweetwater；　and　if　either　felt　embarrassment；　it　was　not　the　hunted　but　the　hunter。

But　the　feeling　did　not　last。

〃I've　simply　met　the　strongest　man　I've　ever　encountered；〃　was　Sweetwater's　encouraging　comment　to　himself。　　〃All　the　more　glory　if　I　can　find　a　joint　in　his　armour　or　a　hidden　passage　to　his　cold；　secretive　heart。〃



XI

ALIKE　IN　ESSENTIALS


〃Mr。　Gryce；　I　am　either　a　fool　or　the　luckiest　fellow　going。　　You　must　decide　which。〃

The　aged　detective；　thus　addressed；　laid　down　his　evening　paper　and　endeavoured　to　make　out　the　dim　form　he　could　just　faintly　discern　standing　between　him　and　the　library　door。

〃Sweetwater；　is　that　you？〃

〃No　one　else。　　Sweetwater；　the　fool；　or　Sweetwater；　much　too　wise　for　his　own　good。　　I　don't　know　which。　　Perhaps　you　can　find　out　and　tell　me。〃

A　grunt　from　the　region　of　the　library　table；　then　the　sarcastic　remark：

〃I'm　just　in　the　mood　to　settle　that　question。　　This　last　failure　to　my　account　ought　to　make　me　an　excellent　judge　of　another's　folly。　I've　meddled　with　the　old　business　for　the　last　time；　Sweetwater。　You'll　have　to　go　it　lone　from　now　on。　　The　Department　has　no　more　work　for　Ebe