the woman in the alcove-第17节

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sulting　to　the　country　of　which　he　is　an　acknowledged　ornament。〃

〃My　dear！〃

The　inspector　had　actually　risen。　His　expression　and　whole　attitude　showed　shock。　But　I　did　not　quail；　I　only　subdued　my　manner　and　spoke　with　quieter　conviction。

〃I　am　aware；〃　said　I；　〃how　words　so　daring　must　impress　you。　But　listen；　sir；　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　before　you　utterly　condemn　me。　I　acknowledge　that　it　is　the　frightful　position　into　which　I　threw　Mr。　Durand　by　my　officious　attempt　to　right　him　which　has　driven　me　to　make　this　second　effort　to　fix　the　crime　on　the　only　other　man　who　had　possible　access　to　Mrs。　Fairbrother　at　the　fatal　moment。　How　could　I　live　in　inaction？　How　could　you　expect　me　to　weigh　for　a　moment　this　foreigner's　reputation　against　that　of　my　own　lover？　If　I　have　reasons〃

〃Reasons！〃

〃reasons　which　would　appeal　to　all；　if　instead　of　this　person's　having　an　international　reputation　at　his　back　he　had　been　a　simple　gentleman　like　Mr。　Durand；would　you　not　consider　me　entitled　to　speak？〃

〃Certainly；　but〃

〃You　have　no　confidence　in　my　reasons；　Inspector；　they　may　not　weigh　against　that　splash　of　blood　on　Mr。　Durand's　shirt…front；　but　such　as　they　are　I　must　give　them。　But　first；　it　will　be　necessary　for　you　to　accept　for　the　nonce　Mr。　Durand's　statements　as　true。　Are　you　willing　to　do　this？〃

〃I　will　try。〃

〃Then；　a　harder　thing　yet；to　put　some　confidence　in　my　judgment。　I　saw　the　man　and　did　not　like　him　long　before　any　intimation　of　the　evening's　tragedy　had　turned　suspicion　on　any　one。　I　watched　him　as　I　watched　others。　I　saw　that　he　had　not　come　to　the　ball　to　please　Mr。　Ramsdell　or　for　any　pleasure　he　himself　hoped　to　reap　from　social　intercourse；　but　for　some　purpose　much　more　important；　and　that　this　purpose　was　connected　with　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　diamond。　Indifferent；　almost　morose　before　she　came　upon　the　scene；　he　brightened　to　a　surprising　extent　the　moment　he　found　himself　in　her　presence。　Not　because　she　was　a　beautiful　woman；　for　he　scarcely　honored　her　face　or　even　her　superb　figure　with　a　look。　All　his　glances　were　centered　on　her　large　fan；　which；　in　swaying　to　and　fro；　alternately　hid　and　revealed　the　splendor　on　her　breast；　and　when　by　chance　it　hung　suspended　for　a　moment　in　her　forgetful　hand　and　he　caught　a　full　glimpse　of　the　great　gem；　I　perceived　such　a　change　in　his　face　that；　if　nothing　more　had　occurred　that　night　to　give　prominence　to　this　woman　and　her　diamond；　I　should　have　carried　home　the　conviction　that　interests　of　no　common　import　lay　behind　a　feeling　so　extraordinarily　displayed。〃

〃Fanciful；　my　dear　Miss　Van　Arsdale　I　Interesting；　but　fanciful。〃

〃I　know。　I　have　not　yet　touched　on　fact。　But　facts　are　coming；　Inspector。〃

He　stared。　Evidently　he　was　not　accustomed　to　hear　the　law　laid　down　in　this　fashion　by　a　midget　of　my　proportions。

〃Go　on；〃　said　he；　〃happily；　I　have　no　clerk　here　to　listen。〃

〃I　would　not　speak　if　you　had。　These　are　words　for　but　one　ear　as　yet。　Not　even　my　uncle　suspects　the　direction　of　my　thoughts。〃

〃Proceed；〃　he　again　enjoined。

Upon　which　I　plunged　into　my　subject。

〃Mrs。　Fairbrother　wore　the　real　diamond；　and　no　imitation；　to　the　ball。　Of　this　I　feel　sure。　The　bit　of　glass　or　paste　displayed　to　the　coroner's　jury　was　bright　enough；　but　it　was　not　the　star　of　light　I　saw　burning　on　her　breast　as　she　passed　me　on　her　way　to　the　alcove。〃

〃Miss　Van　Arsdale！〃

〃The　interest　which　Mr。　Durand　displayed　in　it；　the　marked　excitement　into　which　he　was　thrown　by　his　first　view　of　its　size　and　splendor；　confirm　in　my　mind　the　evidence　which　he　gave　on　oath　（and　he　is　a　well…known　diamond　expert；　you　know；　and　must　have　been　very　well　aware　that　he　would　injure　rather　than　help　his　cause　by　this　admission）　that　at　that　time　he　believed　the　stone　to　be　real　and　of　immense　value。　Wearing　such　a　gem；　then；　she　entered　the　fatal　alcove；　and；　with　a　smile　on　her　face；　prepared　to　employ　her　fascinations　on　whoever　chanced　to　come　within　their　reach。　But　now　something　happened。　Please　let　me　tell　it　my　own　way。　A　shout　from　the　driveway；　or　a　bit　of　snow　thrown　against　the　window；　drew　her　attention　to　a　man　standing　below；　holding　up　a　note　fastened　to　the　end　of　a　whip…handle。　I　do　not　know　whether　or　not　you　have　found　that　man。　If　you　have　〃　The　inspector　made　no　sign。　〃I　judge　that　you　have　not；　so　I　may　go　on　with　my　suppositions。　Mrs。　Fairbrother　took　in　this　note。　She　may　have　expected　it　and　for　this　reason　chose　the　alcove　to　sit　in；　or　it　may　have　been　a　surprise　to　her。　Probably　we　shall　never　know　the　whole　truth　about　it；　but　what　we　can　know　and　do；　if　you　are　still　holding　to　our　compact　and　viewing　this　crime　in　the　light　of　Mr。　Durand's　explanations；　is　that　it　made　a　change　in　her　and　made　her　anxious　to　rid　herself　of　the　diamond。　It　has　been　decided　that　the　hurried　scrawl　should　read；　'Take　warning。　He　means　to　be　at　the　ball。　Expect　trouble　if　you　do　not　give　him　the　diamond；'　or　something　to　that　effect。　But　why　was　it　passed　up　to　her　unfinished？　Was　the　haste　too　great？　I　hardly　think　so。　I　believe　in　another　explanation；　which　points　with　startling　directness　to　the　possibility　that　the　person　referred　to　in　this　broken　communication　was　not　Mr。　Durand；　but　one　whom　I　need　not　name；　and　that　the　reason　you　have　failed　to　find　the　messenger；　of　whose　appearance　you　have　received　definite　information；　is　that　you　have　not　looked　among　the　servants　of　a　certain　distinguished　visitor　in　town。　Oh；〃　I　burst　forth　with　feverish　volubility；　as　I　saw　the　inspector's　lips　open　in　what　could　not　fail　to　be　a　sarcastic　utterance；　〃I　know　what　you　feel　tempted　to　reply。　Why　should　a　servant　deliver　a　warning　against　his　own　master？　If　you　will　be　patient　with　me　you　will　soon　see；　but　first　I　wish　to　make　it　clear　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother；　having　received　this　warning　just　before　Mr。　Durand　appeared　in　the　alcove；reckless；　scheming　woman　that　she　was！　sought　to　rid　herself　of　the　object　against　which　it　was　directed　in　the　way　we　have　temporarily　accepted　as　true。　Relying　on　her　arts；　and　possibly　misconceiving　the　nature　of　Mr。　Durand's　interest　in　her；　she　hands　over　the　diamond　hidden　in　her　rolled…up　gloves；　which　he；　without　suspicion；　carries　away　with　him；　thus　linking　himself　indissolubly　to　a　great　crime　of　which　another　was　the　perpetrator。　That　other；　or　so　I　believe　from　my　very　heart　of　hearts；　was　the　man　I　saw　leaning　against　the　wall　at　the　foot　of　the　alcove　a　few　minutes　before　I　passed　into　the　supper…room。〃

I　stopped　with　a　gasp；　hardly　able　to　meet　the　stern　and　forbidding　look　with　which　the　inspector　sought　to　restrain　what　he　evidently　considered　the　senseless　ravings　of　a　child。　But　I　had　come　there　to　speak；　and　I　hastily　proceeded　before　the　rebuke　thus　expressed　could　formulate　itself　into　words。

〃I　have　some　excuse　for　a　declaration　so　monstrous。　Perhaps　I　am　the　only　person　who　can　satisfy　you　in　regard　to　a　certain　fact　about　which　you　have　expressed　some　curiosity。　Inspector；　have　you　ever　solved　the　mystery　of　the　two　broken　coffee…cups　found　amongst　the　debris　at　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　feet？　It　did　not　come　out　in　the　inquest；　I　noticed。〃

〃Not　yet；〃　he　cried；　〃butyou　can　not　tell　me　anything　about　them！〃

〃Possibly　not。　But　I　can　tell　you　this：　When　I　reached　the　supper…room　door　that　evening　I　looked　back　and；　providentially　or　otherwiseonly　the　future　can　determine　thatdetected　Mr。　Grey　in　the　act　of　lifting　two　cups　from　a　tray　left　by　some　waiter　on　a　table　standing　just　outside　the　reception…room　door。　I　did　not　see　where　he　carried　them；　I　only　saw　his　face　turned　toward　the　alcove；　and　as　there　was　no　other　lady　there；　or　anywhere　near　there；　I　have　dared　to　think〃

Here　the　inspector　found　speech。

〃You　saw　Mr。　Grey　lift　two　cups　and　turn　toward　the　alcove　at　a　moment　we　all　know　to　have　been　critical？　You　should　have　told　me　this　before。　He　may　be　a　possible　witness。〃

I　scarcely　listened。　I　was　too　full　of　my　own　argument。

〃There　were　other　people　in　the　hall；　especially　at　my　end　of　it。　A　perfect　throng　was　coming　from　the　billiard…room；　where　the　dancing　had　been；　and　it　might　easily　be　that　he　could　both　enter　and　leave　that　secluded　spot　without　attracting　attention。　He　had　shown　too　early　and　much　too　unmistakably　his　lack　of　interest　in　the　general　company　for　his　every　movement　to　be　watched　as　at　his　first　arrival。　But　this　is　simple　conjecture；　what　I　have　to　say　next　is　evidence。　The　stilettohave　you　studied　it；　sir？　I　have；　from　the　pictures。　It　is　very　quaint；　and　among　the　devices　on　the　handle　is　one　that　especially　attracted　my　attention。　See！　This　is　what　I　mean。〃　And　I　handed　him　a　drawing　which　I　had　made　with　some　care　in　expectation　of　this　very　interview。

He　surveyed　it　with　some　astonishment。

〃I　understand；〃　I　pursued　in　trembling　tones；　for　I　was　much　affected　by　my　own　daring；　〃that　no　one　has　so　far　succeeded　in　tracing　this　weapon　to　its　owner。　Why　didn't　your　experts　study　heraldry　and　the　devices　of　great　houses？　They　would　have　found　that　this　one　is　not　unknown　in　England。　I　can　tell　you　on　whose　blazon　it　can　often　be　seen；　and　so　could　Mr。　Grey。〃



X

I　ASTONISH　THE　INSPECTOR

I　was　not　the　only　one　to　tremble　now。　This　man　of