the woman in the alcove-第27节

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　with　which　you；　a　kind…hearted　enough　little　woman；　persevere　in　ascribing　the　deepest　guilt　to　one　you　profess　to　admire　and　certainly　would　be　glad　to　find　innocent　of　any　complicity　with　a　great　crime。〃

I　felt　that　I　must　justify　myself。

〃Mr。　Durand　has　had　no　such　consideration　shown　him；〃　said　I。

〃I　know；　my　child；　I　know；　but　the　cases　differ。　Wouldn't　it　be　well　for　you　to　see　this　and　be　satisfied　with　the　turn　which　things　have　taken；　without　continuing　to　insist　upon　involving　Mr。　Grey　in　your　suspicions？〃

A　smile　took　off　the　edge　of　this　rebuke；　yet　I　felt　it　keenly；　and　only　the　confidence　I　had　in　his　fairness　as　a　man　and　public　official　enabled　me　to　say：

〃But　I　am　talking　quite　confidentially。　And　you　have　been　so　good　to　me；　so　willing　to　listen　to　all　I　had　to　say；　that　I　can　not　help　but　speak　my　whole　mind。　It　is　my　only　safety　valve。　Remember　how　I　have　to　sit　in　the　presence　of　this　man　with　my　thoughts　all　choked　up。　It　is　killing　me。　But　I　think　I　should　go　back　content　if　you　will　listen　to　one　more　suggestion　I　have　to　make。　It　is　my　last。〃

〃Say　it　I　am　nothing　if　not　indulgent。〃

He　had　spoken　the　word。　Indulgent；　that　was　it。　He　let　me　speak；　probably　had　let　me　speak　from　the　first；　from　pure　kindness。　He　did　not　believe　one　little　bit　in　my　good　sense　or　logic。　But　I　was　not　to　be　deterred。　I　would　empty　my　mind　of　the　ugly　thing　that　lay　there。　I　would　leave　there　no　miserable　dregs　of　doubt　to　ferment　and　work　their　evil　way　with　me　in　the　dead　watches　of　the　night；　which　I　had　yet　to　face。　So　I　took　him　at　his　word。

〃I　only　want　to　ask　this。　In　case　Sears　is　innocent　of　the　crime；　who　wrote　the　warning　and　where　did　the　assassin　get　the　stiletto　with　the　Grey　arms　chased　into　its　handle？　And　the　diamond？　Still　the　diamond！　You　hint　that　he　stole　that；　too。　That　with　some　idea　of　its　proving　useful　to　him　on　this　gala　occasion；　he　had　provided　himself　with　an　imitation　stone；　setting　and　all；he　who　has　never　shown；　so　far　as　we　have　heard；　any　interest　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　diamond；　only　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother　herself。　If　Wellgood　is　Sears　and　Sears　the　medium　by　which　the　false　stone　was　exchanged　for　the　real；　then　he　made　this　exchange　in　Mr。　Grey's　interests　and　not　his　own。　But　I　don't　believe　he　had　anything　to　do　with　it。　I　think　everything　goes　to　show　that　the　exchange　was　made　by　Mr。　Grey　himself。〃

〃A　second　Daniel；〃　muttered　the　inspector　lightly。　〃Go　on；　little　lawyer！〃　But　for　all　this　attempt　at　banter　on　his　part；　I　imagined　that　I　saw　the　beginning　of　a　very　natural　anxiety　to　close　the　conversation。　I　therefore　hastened　with　what　I　had　yet　to　say；　cutting　my　words　short　and　almost　stammering　in　my　eagerness。

〃Remember　the　perfection　of　that　imitation　stone；　a　copy　so　exact　that　it　extends　to　the　setting。　That　shows　plan　forgive　me　if　I　repeat　myselfpreparation；　a　knowledge　of　stones；　a　particular　knowledge　of　this　one。　Mr。　Fairbrother's　steward　may　have　had　the　knowledge；　but　he　would　have　been　a　fool　to　have　used　his　knowledge　to　secure　for　himself　a　valuable　he　could　never　have　found　a　purchaser　for　in　any　market。　But　a　fancierone　who　has　his　pleasure　in　the　mere　possession　of　a　unique　and　invaluable　gemah！　that　is　different！　He　might　risk　a　crimehistory　tells　us　of　several。〃

Here　I　paused　to　take　breath；　which　gave　the　inspector　chance　to　say：

〃In　other　words；　this　is　what　you　think。　The　Englishman；　desirous　of　covering　up　his　tracks；　conceived　the　idea　of　having　this　imitation　on　hand；　in　case　it　might　be　of　use　in　the　daring　and　disgraceful　undertaking　you　ascribe　to　him。　Recognizing　his　own　inability　to　do　this　himself；　he　delegated　the　task　to　one　who　in　some　way；　he　had　been　led　to　think；　cherished　a　secret　grudge　against　its　present　possessora　man　who　had　had　some　opportunity　for　seeing　the　stone　and　studying　the　setting。　The　copy　thus　procured；　Mr。　Grey　went　to　the　ball；　and；　relying　on　his　own　seemingly　unassailable　position；　attacked　Mrs。　Fairbrother　in　the　alcove　and　would　have　carried　off　the　diamond；　if　he　had　found　it　where　he　had　seen　it　earlier　blazing　on　her　breast。　But　it　was　not　there。　The　warning　received　by　hera　warning　you　ascribe　to　his　daughter；　a　fact　which　is　yet　to　be　provedhad　led　her　to　rid　herself　of　the　jewel　in　the　way　Mr。　Durand　describes；　and　he　found　himself　burdened　with　a　dastardly　crime　and　with　nothing　to　show　for　it。　Later；　however；　to　his　intense　surprise　and　possible　satisfaction；　he　saw　that　diamond　in　my　hands；　and；　recognizing　an　opportunity；　as　he　thought；　of　yet　securing　it；　he　asked　to　see　it；　held　it　for　an　instant；　and　then；　making　use　of　an　almost　incredible　expedient　for　distracting　attention；　dropped；　not　the　real　stone　but　the　false　one；　retaining　the　real　one　in　his　hand。　This；　in　plain　English；　as　I　take　it；　is　your　present　idea　of　the　situation。〃

Astonished　at　the　clearness　with　which　he　read　my　mind；　I　answered：　〃Yes；　Inspector；　that　is　what　was　in　my　mind。〃

〃Good！　then　it　is　just　as　well　that　it　is　out。　Your　mind　is　now　free　and　you　can　give　it　entirely　to　your　duties。〃　Then；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　door…knob；　he　added：　〃In　studying　so　intently　your　own　point　of　view；　you　seem　to　have　forgotten　that　the　last　thing　which　Mr。　Grey　would　be　likely　to　do；　under　those　circumstances；　would　be　to　call　attention　to　the　falsity　of　the　gem　upon　whose　similarity　to　the　real　stone　he　was　depending。　Not　even　his　confidence　in　his　own　position；　as　an　honored　and　highly…esteemed　guest；　would　lead　him　to　do　that。〃

〃Not　if　he　were　a　well…known　connoisseur；〃　I　faltered；　〃with　the　pride　of　one　who　has　handled　the　best　gems？　He　would　know　that　the　deception　would　be　soon　discovered　and　that　it　would　not　do　for　him　to　fail　to　recognize　it　for　what　it　was；　when　the　make…believe　was　in　his　hands。〃

〃Forced；　my　dear　child；　forced；　and　as　chimerical　as　all　the　rest。　It　can　not　stand　putting　into　words。　I　will　go　further；　you　are　a　good　girl　and　can　bear　to　hear　the　truth　from　me。　I　don't　believe　in　your　theory；　I　can't。　I　have　not　been　able　to　from　the　first；　nor　have　any　of　my　men；　but　if　your　ideas　are　true　and　Mr。　Grey　is　involved　in　this　matter；　you　will　find　that　there　has　been　more　of　a　hitch　about　that　diamond　than　you；　in　your　simplicity；　believe。　If　Mr。　Grey　were　in　actual　possession　of　this　valuable；　he　would　show　less　care　than　you　say　he　does。　So　would　he　if　it　were　in　Wellgood's　hands　with　his　consent　and　a　good　prospect　of　its　coming　to　him　in　the　near　future。　But　if　it　is　in　Wellgood's　hands　without　his　consent；　or　any　near　prospect　of　his　regaining　it；　then　we　can　easily　understand　his　present　apprehensions　and　the　growing　uneasiness　he　betrays。〃

〃True；〃　I　murmured。

〃If；　then；〃　the　inspector　pursued；　giving　me　a　parting　glance　not　without　its　humor；　probably　not　without　something　really　serious　underlying　its　humor；　〃we　should　find；　in　following　up　our　present　clue；　that　Mr。　Grey　has　had　dealings　with　this　Wellgood　or　this　Sears；　or　if　you；　with　your　advantages　for　learning　the　fact；　should　discover　that　he　shows　any　extraordinary　interest　in　either　of　them；　the　matter　will　take　on　a　different　aspect。　But　we　have　not　got　that　far　yet。　At　present　our　task　is　to　find　one　or　the　other　of　these　men。　If　we　are　lucky；　we　shall　discover　that　the　waiter　and　the　steward　are　identical；　in　spite　of　their　seemingly　different　appearance。　A　rogue；　such　as　this　Sears　has　shown　himself　to　be；　would　be　an　adept　at　disguise。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　I　acknowledged。　〃He　has　certainly　the　heart　of　a　criminal。　If　he　had　no　hand　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　murder；　he　came　near　having　one　in　that　of　your　detective。　You　know　what　I　mean。　I　could　not　help　hearing；　Inspector。〃

He　smiled；　looked　me　steadfastly　in　the　face　for　a　moment；　and　then　bowed　me　out。

The　inspector　told　me　afterward　that；　in　spite　of　the　cavalier　manner　with　which　he　had　treated　my　suggestions；　he　spent　a　very　serious　half…hour；　head　to　head　with　the　district　attorney。　The　result　was　the　following　order　to　Sweetwater；　the　detective。

〃You　are　to　go　to　the　St。　Regis；　make　yourself　solid　there；　and　gradually；　as　you　can　manage　it；　work　yourself　into　a　position　for　knowing　all　that　goes　on　in　Room　。　If　the　gentleman　（mind　you；　the　gentleman；　we　care　nothing　about　the　women）　should　go　out；　you　are　to　follow　him　if　it　takes　you　to。　We　want　to　know　his　secret；　but　he　must　never　know　our　interest　in　it　and　you　are　to　be　as　silent　in　this　matter　as　if　possessed　of　neither　ear　nor　tongue。　I　will　add　memory；　for　if　you　find　this　secret　to　be　one　in　which　we　have　no　lawful　interest；　you　are　to　forget　it　absolutely　and　for　ever。　You　will　understand　why　when　you　consult　the　St　Regis　register。〃

But　they　expected　nothing　from　it；　absolutely　nothing。



XVI

DOUBT

I　prayed　uncle　that　we　might　be　driven　home　by　the　way　of　Eighty…sixth　Street。　I　wanted　to　look　at　the　Fairbrother　house。　I　had　seen　it　many　times；　but　I　felt　that　I　should　see　it　with　new　eyes　after　the　story　I　had　just　heard　in　the　inspector's　office。　That　an　adventure　of　this　nature　could　take　place　in　a　New　York　house　taxed　my　credulity。　I　might　have　believed　it　of　Paris；　wicked；　mysterious　Paris；　the　home　of　intrigue　and　every　redoubtable　crime；　but　of　our　own　homely；　commonplace