the woman in the alcove-第34节

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ng　the　room　within　five　minutes　of　the　stroke　of　one。　But　would　he　be　as　prompt　to…day？　Was　he　in　the　mood　for　luncheon？　Would　he　go　down　stairs　at　all？　Yes；　for　the　tramp；　tramp　stopped；　I　heard　him　approaching　his　daughter's　door　for　a　last　look　in　and　managed　to　escape　just　in　time　to　procure　what　I　wanted　and　reach　the　room　below　before　he　came。

My　opportunity　was　short；　but　I　had　time　to　see　two　things：　first；　that　the　location　of　his　seat　had　been　changed　so　that　his　back　was　to　the　door　leading　into　the　adjoining　room；　secondly；　that　this　door　was　ajar。　The　usual　waiter　was　in　the　room　and　showed　no　surprise　at　my　appearance；　I　having　been　careful　to　have　it　understood　that　hereafter　Miss　Grey's　appetite　was　to　be　encouraged　by　having　her　soup　served　from　her　father's　table　by　her　father's　own　hands；　and　that　I　should　be　there　to　receive　it。

〃Mr。　Grey　is　coming；〃　said　I；　approaching　the　waiter　and　handing　him　the　stiletto　loosely　wrapped　in　tissue　paper。　〃Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　place　this　at　his　plate；　just　as　it　is？　A　man　gave　it　to　me　for　Mr。　Grey；　said　we　were　to　place　it　there。〃

The　waiter；　suspecting　nothing；　did　as　he　was　bidden；　and　I　had　hardly　time　to　catch　up　the　tray　laden　with　dishes；　which　I　saw　awaiting　me　on　a　side…table；　when　Mr。　Grey　came　in　and　was　ushered　to　his　seat。

The　soup　was　not　there；　but　I　advanced　with　my　tray　and　stood　waiting；　not　too　near；　lest　the　violent　beating　of　my　heart　should　betray　me。　As　I　did　so　the　waiter　disappeared　and　the　door　behind　us　opened。　Though　Mr。　Grey's　eye　had　fallen　on　the　package；　and　I　saw　him　start；　I　darted　one　glance　at　the　room　thus　disclosed；　and　saw　that　it　held　two　tables。　At　one；　the　inspector　and　some　one　I　did　not　know　sat　eating；　at　the　other　a　man　alone；　whose　back　was　to　us　all；　and　who　seemingly　was　entirely　disconnected　with　the　interests　of　this　tragic　moment。　All　this　I　saw　in　an　instant；the　next　my　eyes　were　fixed　on　Mr。　Grey's　face。

He　had　reached　out　his　hand　to　the　package　and　his　features　showed　an　emotion　I　hardly　understood。

〃What's　this？〃　he　murmured；　feeling　it　with　wonder；　I　should　almost　say　anger。　Suddenly　he　pulled　off　the　wrapper；　and　my　heart　stood　still　in　expectancy。　If　he　quailedand　how　could　he　help　doing　so　if　guiltywhat　a　doubt　would　be　removed　from　my　own　breast；　what　an　impediment　from　police　action！　But　he　did　not　quail；　he　simply　uttered　an　exclamation　of　intense　anger；　and　laid　the　weapon　back　on　the　table　without　even　taking　the　precaution　of　covering　it　up。　I　think　he　muttered　an　oath；　but　there　was　no　fear　in　it；　not　a　particle。

My　disappointment　was　so　great；　my　humiliation　so　unbounded；　that；　forgetting　myself　in　my　dismay；　I　staggered　back　and　let　the　tray　with　all　its　contents　slip　from　my　hands。　The　crash　that　followed　stopped　Mr。　Grey　in　the　act　of　rising。　But　it　did　something　more。　It　awoke　a　cry　from　the　adjoining　room　which　I　shall　never　forget。　While　we　both　started　and　turned　to　see　from　whom　this　grievous　sound　had　sprung；　a　man　came　stumbling　toward　us　with　his　hands　before　his　eyes　and　this　name　wild　on　his　lips：

〃Grizel！　Grizel！〃

Mrs。　Fairbrother's　name！　and　the　man



XXII

GUILT

Was　he　Wellgood？　Sears？　Who？　A　lover　of　the　woman　certainly；　that　was　borne　in　on　us　by　the　passion　of　his　cry：

〃Grizel！　Grizel！〃

But　how　here？　and　why　such　fury　in　Mr。　Grey's　face　and　such　amazement　in　that　of　the　inspector？

This　question　was　not　to　be　answered　offhand。　Mr。　Grey；　advancing；　laid　a　finger　on　the　man's　shoulder。　〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　have　our　conversation　in　another　room。〃

The　man；　who；　in　dress　and　appearance　looked　oddly　out　of　place　in　those　gorgeous　rooms；　shook　off　the　stupor　into　which　he　had　fallen　and　started　to　follow　the　Englishman。　A　waiter　crossed　their　track　with　the　soup　for　our　table。　Mr。　Grey　motioned　him　aside。

〃Take　that　back；〃　said　he。　〃I　have　some　business　to　transact　with　this　gentleman　before　I　eat。　I'll　ring　when　I　want　you。〃

Then　they　entered　where　I　was。　As　the　door　closed　I　caught　sight　of　the　inspector's　face　turned　earnestly　toward　me。　In　his　eyes　I　read　my　duty；　and　girded　up　my　heart；　as　it　were；　to　meetwhat？　In　that　moment　it　was　impossible　to　tell。

The　next　enlightened　me。　With　a　total　ignoring　of　my　presence；　due　probably　to　his　great　excitement；　Mr。　Grey　turned　on　his　companion　the　moment　he　had　closed　the　door　and；　seizing　him　by　the　collar；　cried：

〃Fairbrother；　you　villain；　why　have　you　called　on　your　wife　like　this？　Are　you　murderer　as　well　as　thief？〃

Fairbrother！　this　man？　Then　who　was　he　who　was　being　nursed　back　to　life　on　the　mountains　beyond　Santa　Fe？　Sears？　Anything　seemed　possible　in　that　moment。

Meanwhile；　dropping　his　hand　from　the　other's　throat　as　suddenly　as　he　had　seized　it；　Mr。　Grey　caught　up　the　stiletto　from　the　table　where　he　had　flung　it；　crying：　〃Do　you　recognize　this？〃

Ah；　then　I　saw　guilt！

In　a　silence　worse　than　any　cry；　this　so…called　husband　of　the　murdered　woman；　the　man　on　whom　no　suspicion　had　fallen；　the　man　whom　all　had　thought　a　thousand　miles　away　at　the　time　of　the　deed；　stared　at　the　weapon　thrust　under　his　eyes；　while　over　his　face　passed　all　those　expressions　of　fear；　abhorrence　and　detected　guilt　which；　fool　that　I　was；　I　had　expected　to　see　reflected　in　response　to　the　same　test　in　Mr。　Grey's　equable　countenance。

The　surprise　and　wonder　of　it　held　me　chained　to　the　spot。　I　was　in　a　state　of　stupefaction；　so　that　I　scarcely　noted　the　broken　fragments　at　my　feet。　But　the　intruder　noticed　them。　Wrenching　his　gaze　from　the　stiletto　which　Mr。　Grey　continued　to　hold　out；　he　pointed　to　the　broken　cup　and　saucer；　muttering：

〃That　is　what　startled　me　into　this　betrayalthe　noise　of　breaking　china。　I　can　not　bear　it　since〃

He　stopped；　bit　his　lip　and　looked　around　him　with　an　air　of　sudden　bravado。

〃Since　you　dropped　the　cups　at　your　wife's　feet　in　Mr。　Ramsdell's　alcove；〃　finished　Mr。　Grey　with　admirable　self…possession。

〃I　see　that　explanations　from　myself　are　not　in　order；〃　was　the　grim　retort；　launched　with　the　bitterest　sarcasm。　Then　as　the　full　weight　of　his　position　crushed　in　on　him；　his　face　assumed　an　aspect　startling　to　my　unaccustomed　eyes；　and；　thrusting　his　hand　into　his　pocket　he　drew　forth　a　small　box　which　he　placed　in　Mr。　Grey's　hands。

〃The　Great　Mogul；〃　he　declared　simply。

It　was　the　first　time　I　had　heard　this　diamond　so　named。

Without　a　word　that　gentleman　opened　the　box；　took　one　look　at　the　contents；　assumed　a　satisfied　air；　and　carefully　deposited　the　recovered　gem　in　his　own　pocket。　As　his　eyes　returned　to　the　man　before　him；　all　the　passion　of　the　latter　burst　forth。

〃It　was　not　for　that　I　killed　her！〃　cried　he。　〃It　was　because　she　defied　me　and　flaunted　her　disobedience　in　my　very　face。　I　would　do　it　again；　yet〃

Here　his　voice　broke　and　it　was　in　a　different　tone　and　with　a　total　change　of　manner　he　added：　〃You　stand　appalled　at　my　depravity。　You　have　not　lived　my　life。〃　Then　quickly　and　with　a　touch　of　sullenness：　〃You　suspected　me　because　of　the　stiletto。　It　was　a　mistake；　using　that　stiletto。　Otherwise；　the　plan　was　good。　I　doubt　if　you　know　now　how　I　found　my　way　into　the　alcove；　possibly　under　your　very　eyes；　certainly；　under　the　eyes　of　many　who　knew　me。〃

〃I　do　not。　It　is　enough　that　you　entered　it；　that　you　confess　your　guilt。〃

Here　Mr。　Grey　stretched　his　hand　toward　the　electric　button。

〃No；　it　is　not　enough。〃　The　tone　was　fierce；　authoritative。　〃Do　not　ring　the　bell；　not　yet。　I　have　a　fancy　to　tell　you　how　I　managed　that　little　affair。〃

Glancing　about；　he　caught　up　from　a　near…by　table　a　small　brass　tray。　Emptying　it　of　its　contents；　he　turned　on　us　with　drawn…down　features　and　an　obsequious　air　so　opposed　to　his　natural　manner　that　it　was　as　if　another　man　stood　before　us。

〃Pardon　my　black　tie；〃　he　muttered；　holding　out　the　tray　toward　Mr。　Grey。

Wellgood！

The　room　turned　with　me。　It　was　he；　then；　the　great　financier；　the　multimillionaire；　the　husband　of　the　magnificent　Grizel；　who　had　entered　Mr。　Ramsdell's　house　as　a　waiter！

Mr。　Grey　did　not　show　surprise；　but　he　made　a　gesture；　when　instantly　the　tray　was　thrown　aside　and　the　man　resumed　his　ordinary　aspect。

〃I　see　you　understand　me；〃　he　cried。　〃I　who　have　played　host　at　many　a　ball；　passed　myself　off　that　night　as　one　of　the　waiters。　I　came　and　went　and　no　one　noticed　me。　It　is　such　a　natural　sight　to　see　a　waiter　passing　ices　that　my　going　in　and　out　of　the　alcove　did　not　attract　the　least　attention。　I　never　look　at　waiters　when　I　attend　balls。　I　never　look　higher　than　their　trays。　No　one　looked　at　me　higher　than　my　tray。　I　held　the　stiletto　under　the　tray　and　when　I　struck　her　she　threw　up　her　hands　and　they　hit　the　tray　and　the　cups　fell。　I　have　never　been　able　to　bear　the　sound　of　breaking　china　since。　I　loved　her〃

A　gasp　and　he　recovered　himself。

〃That　is　neither　here　nor　there；〃　he　muttered。　〃You　summoned　me　under　threat　to　present　myself　at　your　door　to…day。　I　have　done　so。　I　meant　to　restore　you　your　diamond；　simply。　It　has　become　worthless　to　me。　But　fate　exacted　more。　Surprise　forced　my　secret　from　me。　That　young　lady　with　her　damnable　awkwardness　has　put　my　head　in　a　noose。　But　do　not　think　to　hold　it　there。　I　did　not　ris