the woman in the alcove-第38节

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Fairbrother　had　shaved　off　his　beard　before　leaving　El　Moro。　Sears　had　shaved　his　off　on　the　train。　Both　were　changed；　the　former　the　more；　owing　to　a　peculiarity　of　his　mouth　which　up　till　now　he　had　always　thought　best　to　cover。　Sears；　therefore；　walked　behind　him　without　fear；　and　was　almost　at　his　heels　when　this　owner　of　one　of　New　York's　most　notable　mansions；　entered；　with　a　spruce　air；　the　doors　of　a　prominent　caterer。

Understanding　the　plot　now；　and　having　everything　to　fear　for　his　mistress；　he　walked　the　streets　for　some　hours　in　a　state　of　great　indecision。　Then　he　went　up　to　her　apartment。　But　he　had　no　sooner　come　within　sight　of　it　than　a　sense　of　disloyalty　struck　him　and　he　slunk　away；　only　to　come　sidling　back　when　it　was　too　late　and　she　had　started　for　the　ball。

Trembling　with　apprehension；　but　still　strangely　divided　in　his　impulses；　wishing　to　serve　master　and　mistress　both；　without　disloyalty　to　the　one　or　injury　to　the　other；　he　hesitated　and　argued　with　himself；　till　his　fears　for　the　latter　drove　him　to　Mr。　Ramsdell's　house。

The　night　was　a　stormy　one。　The　heaviest　snow　of　the　season　was　falling　with　a　high　gale　blowing　down　the　Sound。　As　he　approached　the　house；　which；　as　we　know；　is　one　of　the　modern　ones　in　the　Riverside　district；　he　felt　his　heart　fail　him。　But　as　he　came　nearer　and　got　the　full　effect　of　glancing　lights；　seductive　music；　and　the　cheery　bustle　of　crowding　carriages；　he　saw　in　his　mind's　eye　such　a　picture　of　his　beautiful　mistress；　threatened；　unknown　to　herself；　in　a　quarter　she　little　realized；　that　he　lost　all　sense　of　what　had　hitherto　deterred　him。　Making　then　and　there　his　great　choice；　he　looked　about　for　the　entrance；　with　the　full　intention　of　seeing　and　warning　her。

But　this；　he　presently　perceived；　was　totally　impracticable。　He　could　neither　go　to　her　nor　expect　her　to　come　to　him；　meanwhile；　time　was　passing；　and　if　his　master　was　there　The　thought　made　his　head　dizzy；　and；　situated　as　he　was；　among　the　carriages；　he　might　have　been　run　over　in　his　confusion　if　his　eyes　had　not　suddenly　fallen　on　a　lighted　window；　the　shade　of　which　had　been　inadvertently　left　up。

Within　this　window；　which　was　only　a　few　feet　above　his　head；　stood　the　glowing　image　of　a　woman　clad　in　pink　and　sparkling　with　jewels。　Her　face　was　turned　from　him；　but　he　recognized　her　splendor　as　that　of　the　one　woman　who　could　never　be　too　gorgeous　for　his　taste；　and；　alive　to　this　unexpected　opportunity；　he　made　for　this　window　with　the　intention　of　shouting　up　to　her　and　so　attracting　her　attention。

But　this　proved　futile；　and；　driven　at　last　to　the　end　of　his　resources；　he　tore　out　a　slip　of　paper　from　his　note…book　and；　in　the　dark　and　with　the　blinding　snow　in　his　eyes；　wrote　the　few　broken　sentences　which　he　thought　would　best　warn　her；　without　compromising　his　master。　The　means　he　took　to　reach　her　with　this　note　I　have　already　related。　As　soon　as　he　saw　it　in　her　hands　he　fled　the　place　and　took　the　first　train　west。　He　was　in　a　pitiable　condition；　when；　three　days　later；　he　reached　the　small　station　from　which　he　had　originally　set　out。　The　haste；　the　exposure；　the　horror　of　the　crime　he　had　failed　to　avert；　had　undermined　his　hitherto　excellent　constitution；　and　the　symptoms　of　a　serious　illness　were　beginning　to　make　themselves　manifest。　But　he；　like　his　indomitable　master；　possessed　a　great　fund　of　energy　and　willpower。　He　saw　that　if　he　was　to　save　Abner　Fairbrother　（and　now　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother　was　dead；　his　old　master　was　all　the　world　to　him）　he　must　make　Fairbrother's　alibi　good　by　carrying　on　the　deception　as　planned　by　the　latter；　and　getting　as　soon　as　possible　to　his　camp　in　the　New　Mexico　mountains。　He　knew　that　he　would　have　strength　to　do　this　and　he　went　about　it　without　sparing　himself。

Making　his　way　into　the　mountains；　he　found　the　guide　and　his　horse　at　the　place　agreed　upon　and；　paying　the　guide　enough　for　his　services　to　insure　a　quiet　tongue；　rode　back　toward　El　Moro　where　he　was　met　and　sent　on　to　Santa　Fe　as　already　related。

Such　is　the　real　explanation　of　the　well…nigh　unintelligible　scrawl　found　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　hand　after　her　death。　As　to　the　one　which　left　Miss　Grey's　bedside　for　this　same　house；　it　was；　alike　in　the　writing　and　sending；　the　loving　freak　of　a　very　sick　but　tender…hearted　girl。　She　had　noted　the　look　with　which　Mr。　Grey　had　left　her；　and；　in　her　delirious　state；　thought　that　a　line　in　her　own　hand　would　convince　him　of　her　good　condition　and　make　it　possible　for　him　to　enjoy　the　evening。　She　was；　however；　too　much　afraid　of　her　nurse　to　write　it　openly；　and　though　we　never　found　that　scrawl；　it　was　doubtless　not　very　different　in　appearance　from　the　one　with　which　I　had　confounded　it。　The　man　to　whom　it　was　intrusted　stopped　for　too　many　warming　drinks　on　his　way　for　it　ever　to　reach　Mr。　Ramsdell's　house。　He　did　not　even　return　home　that　night；　and　when　he　did　put　in　an　appearance　the　next　morning；　he　was　dismissed。

This　takes　me　back　to　the　ball　and　Mrs。　Fairbrother。　She　had　never　had　much　fear　of　her　husband　till　she　received　his　old　servant's　note　in　the　peculiar　manner　already　mentioned。　This；　coming　through　the　night　and　the　wet　and　with　all　the　marks　of　hurry　upon　it；　did　impress　her　greatly　and　led　her　to　take　the　first　means　which　offered　of　ridding　herself　of　her　dangerous　ornament。　The　story　of　this　we　know。

Meanwhile；　a　burning　heart　and　a　scheming　brain　were　keeping　up　their　deadly　work　a　few　paces　off　under　the　impassive　aspect　and　active　movements　of　the　caterer's　newly…hired　waiter。　Abner　Fairbrother；　whose　real　character　no　one　had　ever　been　able　to　sound；　unless　it　was　the　man　who　had　known　him　in　his　days　of　struggle；　was　one　of　those　dangerous　men　who　can　conceal　under　a　still　brow　and　a　noiseless　manner　the　most　violent　passions　and　the　most　desperate　resolves。　He　was　angry　with　his　wife；　who　was　deliberately　jeopardizing　his　good　name；　and　he　had　come　there　to　kill　her　if　he　found　her　flaunting　the　diamond　in　Mr。　Grey's　eyes；　and　though　no　one　could　have　detected　any　change　in　his　look　and　manner　as　he　passed　through　the　room　where　these　two　were　standing；　the　doom　of　that　fair　woman　was　struck　when　he　saw　the　eager　scrutiny　and　indescribable　air　of　recognition　with　which　this　long…defrauded　gentleman　eyed　his　own　diamond。

He　had　meant　to　attack　her　openly；　seize　the　diamond；　fling　it　at　Mr。　Grey's　feet；　and　then　kill　himself。　That　had　been　his　plan。　But　when　he　found；　after　a　round　or　two　among　the　guests；　that　nobody　looked　at　him；　and　nobody　recognized　the　well…known　millionaire　in　the　automaton…like　figure　with　the　formally…arranged　whiskers　and　sleekly…combed　hair；　colder　purposes　intervened；　and　he　asked　himself　if　it　would　not　be　possible　to　come　upon　her　alone；　strike　his　blow；　possess　himself　of　the　diamond；　and　make　for　parts　unknown　before　his　identity　could　be　discovered。　He　loved　life　even　without　the　charm　cast　over　it　by　this　woman。　Its　struggles　and　its　hard…bought　luxuries　fascinated　him。　If　Mr。　Grey　suspected　him；　why；　Mr。　Grey　was　English；　and　he　a　resourceful　American。　If　it　came　to　an　issue；　the　subtle　American　would　win　if　Mr。　Grey　were　not　able　to　point　to　the　flaw　which　marked　this　diamond　as　his　own。　And　this；　Fairbrother　had　provided　against；　and　would　succeed　in　if　he　could　hold　his　passions　in　check　and　be　ready　with　all　his　wit　when　matters　reached　a　climax。

Such　were　the　thoughts　and　such　the　plans　of　the　quiet；　attentive　man　who；　with　his　tray　laden　with　coffee　and　ices；　came　and　went　an　unnoticed　unit　among　twenty　other　units　similarly　quiet　and　similarly　attentive。　He　waited　on　lady　after　lady；　and　when；　on　the　reissuing　of　Mr。　Durand　from　the　alcove；　he　passed　in　there　with　his　tray　and　his　two　cups　of　coffee；　nobody　heeded　and　nobody　remembered。

It　was　all　over　in　a　minute；　and　he　came　out；　still　unnoted；　and　went　to　the　supper…room　for　more　cups　of　coffee。　But　that　minute　had　set　its　seal　on　his　heart　for　ever。　She　was　sitting　there　alone　with　her　side　to　the　entrance；　so　that　he　had　to　pass　around　in　order　to　face　her。　Her　elegance　and　a　certain　air　she　had　of　remoteness　from　the　scene　of　which　she　was　the　glowing　center　when　she　smiled；　awed　him　and　made　his　hand　loosen　a　little　on　the　slender　stiletto　he　held　close　against　the　bottom　of　the　tray。　But　such　resolution　does　not　easily　yield；　and　his　fingers　soon　tightened　again；　this　time　with　a　deadly　grip。

He　had　expected　to　meet　the　flash　of　the　diamond　as　he　bent　over　her；　and　dreaded　doing　so　for　fear　it　would　attract　his　eye　from　her　face　and　so　cost　him　the　sight　of　that　startled　recognition　which　would　give　the　desired　point　to　his　revenge。　But　the　tray；　as　he　held　it；　shielded　her　breast　from　view；　and　when　he　lowered　it　to　strike　his　blow；　he　thought　of　nothing　but　aiming　so　truly　as　to　need　no　second　blow。　He　had　had　his　experience　in　those　old　years　in　a　mining　camp；　and　he　did　not　fear　failure　in　this。　What　he　did　fear　was　her　utterance　of　some　cry；possibly　his　name。　But　she　was　stunned　with　horror；　and　did　not　shriek；horror　of　him　whose　eyes　she　met　with　her　glassy　and　staring　ones　as　he　slowly　drew　forth　the　weapon。

Why　he　drew　it　forth　instead　of　leaving　it　in　her　breast　he　could　not　say。