the woman in the alcove-第4节

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　various　cries　from　hysterical　lips；　such　as；　〃We　are　going　to　be　searched！〃　〃　He　believes　the　thief　and　murderer　to　be　still　in　the　house！〃　〃Do　you　see　the　diamond　on　me？〃　〃Why　don't　they　confine　their　suspicions　to　the　favored　few　who　were　admitted　to　the　alcove？〃

〃They　will；〃　remarked　some　one　close　to　my　ear。　

But　quickly　as　I　turned　I　could　not　guess　from　whom　the　comment　came。　Possibly　from　a　much　beflowered；　bejeweled；　elderly　dame；　whose　eyes　were　fixed　on　Mr。　Durand's　averted　face。　If　so；　she　received　a　defiant　look　from　mine；　which　I　do　not　believe　she　forgot　in　a　hurry。

Alas！　it　was　not　the　only　curious；　I　might　say　searching　glance　I　surprised　directed　against　him　as　we　made　our　way　to　where　I　could　see　my　uncle　struggling　to　reach　us　from　a　short　side　hall。　The　whisper　seemed　to　have　gone　about　that　Mr。　Durand　had　been　the　last　one　to　converse　with　Mrs。　Fairbrother　prior　to　the　tragedy。

In　time　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　joining　my　uncle。　He　betrayed　great　relief　at　the　sight　of　me；　and；　encouraged　by　his　kindly　smile；　I　introduced　Mr。　Durand。　My　conscious　air　must　have　produced　its　impression；　for　he　turned　a　startled　and　inquiring　look　upon　my　companion；　then　took　me　resolutely　on　his　own　arm；　saying：

〃There　is　likely　to　be　some　unpleasantness　ahead　for　all　of　us。　I　do　not　think　the　police　will　allow　any　one　to　go　till　that　diamond　has　been　looked　for。　This　is　a　very　serious　matter；　dear。　So　many　think　the　murderer　was　one　of　the　guests。〃

〃I　think　so；　too；〃　said　I。　But　why　I　thought　so　or　why　I　should　say　so　with　such　vehemence；　I　do　not　know　even　now。

My　uncle　looked　surprised。

〃You　had　better　not　advance　any　opinions；〃　he　advised。　〃A　lady　like　yourself　should　have　none　on　a　subject　so　gruesome。　I　shall　never　cease　regretting　bringing　you　here　tonight。　I　shall　seize　on　the　first　opportunity　to　take　you　home。　At　present　we　are　supposed　to　await　the　action　of　our　host。〃

〃He　can　not　keep　all　these　people　here　long；〃　I　ventured。

〃No；　most　of　us　will　he　relieved　soon。　Had　you　not　better　get　your　wraps　so　as　to　be　ready　to　go　as　soon　as　he　gives　the　word？〃

〃I　should　prefer　to　have　a　peep　at　the　people　in　the　drawing…room　first。；〃　was　my　perverse　reply。　〃I　don't　know　why　I　want　to　see　them；　but　I　do；　and；　uncle；　I　might　as　well　tell　you　now　that　I　engaged　myself　to　Mr。　Durand　this　eveningthe　gentleman　with　me　when　you　first　came　up。〃

〃You　have　engaged　yourself　toto　this　manto　marry　him；　do　you　mean？〃

I　nodded；　with　a　sly　look　behind　to　see　if　Mr。　Durand　were　near　enough　to　hear。　He　was　not；　and　I　allowed　my　enthusiasm　to　escape　in　a　few　quick　words。

〃He　has　chosen　me；〃　I　said；　〃the　plainest；　most　uninteresting　puss　in　the　whole　city。〃　My　uncle　smiled。　〃And　I　believe　he　loves　me；　at　all　events；　I　know　that　I　love　him。〃

My　uncle　sighed；　while　giving　me　the　most　affectionate　of　glances。

〃It's　a　pity　you　should　have　come　to　this　understanding　to…night；〃　said　he。　〃He's　an　acquaintance　of　the　murdered　woman；　and　it　is　only　right　for　you　to　know　that　you　will　have　to　leave　him　behind　when　you　start　for　home。　All　who　have　been　seen　entering　that　alcove　this　evening　will　necessarily　be　detained　here　till　the　coroner　arrives。

My　uncle　and　I　strolled　toward　the　drawing…room　and　as　we　did　so　we　passed　the　library。　It　held　but　one　occupant；　the　Englishman。　He　was　seated　before　a　table；　and　his　appearance　was　such　as　precluded　any　attempt　at　intrusion；　even　if　one　had　been　so　disposed。　There　was　a　fixity　in　his　gaze　and　a　frown　on　his　powerful　forehead　which　bespoke　a　mind　greatly　agitated。　It　was　not　for　me　to　read　that　mind；　much　as　it　interested　me；　and　I　passed　on；　chatting；　as　if　I　had　not　the　least　desire　to　stop。

I　can　not　say　how　much　time　elapsed　before　my　uncle　touched　me　on　the　arm　with　the　remark：

〃The　police　are　here　in　full　force。　I　saw　a　detective　in　plain　clothes　look　in　here　a　minute　ago。　He　seemed　to　have　his　eye　on　you。　There　he　is　again！　What　can　he　want？　No；　don't　turn；　he's　gone　away　now。〃

Frightened　as　I　had　never　been　in　all　my　life；　I　managed　to　keep　my　head　up　and　maintain　an　indifferent　aspect。　What；　as　my　uncle　said；　could　a　detective　want　of　me？　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　crime；　not　in　the　remotest　way　could　I　be　said　to　be　connected　with　it；　why；　then；　had　I　caught　the　attention　of　the　police？　Looking　about；　I　sought　Mr。　Durand。　He　had　left　me　on　my　uncle's　coming　up；　but　had　remained；　as　I　supposed；　within　sight。　But　at　this　moment　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Was　I　afraid　on　his　account？　Impossible；　yet

Happily　just　then　the　word　was　passed　about　that　the　police　had　given　orders　that；　with　the　exception　of　such　as　had　been　requested　to　remain　to　answer　questions；　the　guests　generally　should　feel　themselves　at　liberty　to　depart。

The　time　had　now　come　to　take　a　stand　and　I　informed　my　uncle；　to　his　evident　chagrin；　that　I　should　not　leave　as　long　as　any　excuse　could　be　found　for　staying。

He　said　nothing　at　the　time；　but　as　the　noise　of　departing　carriages　gradually　lessened　and　the　great　hall　and　drawing…rooms　began　to　wear　a　look　of　desertion　he　at　last　ventured　on　this　gentle　protest：

〃You　have　more　pluck；　Rita；　than　I　supposed。　Do　you　think　it　wise　to　stay　on　here？　Will　not　people　imagine　that　you　have　been　requested　to　do　so？　Look　at　those　waiters　hanging　about　in　the　different　doorways。　Run　up　and　put　on　your　wraps。　Mr。　Durand　will　come　to　the　house　fast　enough　as　soon　as　he　is　released。　I　give　you　leave　to　sit　up　for　him　if　you　will；　only　let　us　leave　this　place　before　that　impertinent　little　man　dares　to　come　around　again；〃　he　artfully　added。

But　I　stood　firm；　though　somewhat　moved　by　his　final　suggestion；　and；　being　a　small　tyrant　in　my　way；　at　least　with　him；　I　carried　my　point。

Suddenly　my　anxiety　became　poignant。　A　party　of　men；　among　whom　I　saw　Mr。　Durand；　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　led　by　a　very　small　but　self…important　personage　whom　my　uncle　immediately　pointed　out　as　the　detective　who　had　twice　come　to　the　door　near　which　I　stood。　As　this　man　looked　up　and　saw　me　still　there；　a　look　of　relief　crossed　his　face；　and；　after　a　word　or　two　with　another　stranger　of　seeming　authority；　he　detached　himself　from　the　group　he　had　ushered　upon　the　scene；　and；　approaching　me　respectfully　enough；　said　with　a　deprecatory　glance　at　my　uncle　whose　frown　he　doubtless　understood：

〃Miss　Van　Arsdale；　I　believe？〃

I　nodded；　too　choked　to　speak。

〃I　am　sorry；　Madam；　if　you　were　expecting　to　go。　Inspector　Dalzell　has　arrived　and　would　like　to　speak　to　you。　Will　you　step　into　one　of　these　rooms？　Not　the　library；　but　any　other。　He　will　come　to　you　as　quickly　as　he　can。〃

I　tried　to　carry　it　off　bravely　and　as　if　I　saw　nothing　in　this　summons　which　was　unique　or　alarming。　But　I　succeeded　only　in　dividing　a　wavering　glance　between　him　and　the　group　of　men　of　which　he　had　just　formed　a　part。　In　the　latter　were　several　gentlemen　whom　I　had　noted　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　train　early　in　the　evening　and　a　few　strangers；　two　of　whom　were　officials。　Mr。　Durand　was　with　the　former；　and　his　expression　did　not　encourage　me。

〃The　affair　is　very　serious；〃　commented　the　detective　on　leaving　me。　〃That's　our　excuse　for　any　trouble　we　may　be　putting　you　to。〃　I　clutched　my　uncle's　arm。

〃Where　shall　we　go？〃　I　asked。　〃The　drawing…room　is　too　large。　In　this　hall　my　eyes　are　for　ever　traveling　in　the　direction　of　the　alcove。　Don't　you　know　some　little　room？　Oh；　what；　what　can　he　want　of　me？〃

〃Nothing　serious；　nothing　important；〃　blustered　my　good　uncle。　〃Some　triviality　such　as　you　can　answer　in　a　moment。　A　little　room？　Yes；　I　know　one；　there；　under　the　stairs。　Come；　I　will　find　the　door　for　you。　Why　did　we　ever　come　to　this　wretched　ball？〃

I　had　no　answer　for　this。　Why；　indeed！

My　uncle；　who　is　a　very　patient　man；　guided　me　to　the　place　he　had　picked　out；　without　adding　a　word　to　the　ejaculation　in　which　he　had　just　allowed　his　impatience　to　expend　itself。　But　once　seated　within；　and　out　of　the　range　of　peering　eyes　and　listening　ears；　he　allowed　a　sigh　to　escape　him　which　expressed　the　fullness　of　his　agitation。

〃My　dear；〃　he　began；　and　stopped。　〃I　feel〃　here　he　again　came　to　a　pause〃that　you　should　know〃

〃What？〃　I　managed　to　ask。

〃That　I　do　not　like　Mr。　Durand　andthat　others　do　not　like　him。〃

〃Is　it　because　of　something　you　knew　about　him　before　to…night？〃

He　made　no　answer。

〃Or　because　he　was　seen；　like　many　other　gentlemen；　talking　with　that　woman　some　time　beforea　long　time　beforeshe　was　attacked　for　her　diamond　and　murdered？〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　dear；　he　was　the　last　one　seen　talking　to　her。　Some　one　may　yet　be　found　who　went　in　after　he　came　out；　but　as　yet　he　is　considered　the　last。　Mr。　Ramsdell　himself　told　me　so。〃

〃It　makes　no　difference；〃　I　exclaimed；　in　all　the　heat　of　my　long…suppressed　agitation。　〃I　am　willing　to　stake　my　life　on　his　integrity　and　honor。　No　man　could　talk　to　me　as　he　did　early　this　evening　with　any　vile　intentions　at　heart。　He　was　interested；　no　doubt；　like　many　others；　in　one　who　had　the　name　of　being　a　captivating　woman；　but〃

I　paused　in　sudden　alarm。　A　look　had　crossed　my　uncle's　face　which　assured　me　that　we　were　no　longer　alone。　Who　could　have　entered　so　silently？　In　some　trepidation　I