the woman in the alcove-第8节

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　his　overcoat；　he　has　put　on；　somewhat　prematurely；　one　might　say；　the　large　silk　handkerchief　lie　presumably　wears　under　it？　Have　you　not　noticed　this；　and　asked　yourself　why？〃

I　had　noticed　it。　I　had　noticed　it　from　the　moment　I　recovered　from　my　fainting　fit；　but　I　had　not　thought　it　a　matter　of　sufficient　interest　to　ask；　even　of　myself；　his　reason　for　thus　hiding　his　shirt…front。　Now　I　could　not。　My　faculties　were　too　confused；　my　heart　too　deeply　shaken　by　the　suggestion　which　the　inspector's　words　conveyed；　for　me　to　be　conscious　of　anything　but　the　devouring　question　as　to　what　I　should　do　if；　by　my　own　mistaken　zeal；　I　had　succeeded　in　plunging　the　man　I　loved　yet　deeper　into　the　toils　in　which　he　had　become　enmeshed。

The　inspector　left　me　no　time　for　the　settlement　of　this　question。　Ushering　me　back　into　the　room　where　Mr。　Durand　and　my　uncle　awaited　our　return　in　apparently　unrelieved　silence；　he　closed　the　door　upon　the　curious　eyes　of　the　various　persons　still　lingering　in　the　hall；　and　abruptly　said　to　Mr。　Durand：

〃The　explanations　you　have　been　pleased　to　give　of　the　manner　in　which　this　diamond　came　into　your　possession　are　not　too　fanciful　for　credence；　if　you　can　satisfy　us　on　another　point　which　has　awakened　some　doubt　in　the　mind　of　one　of　my　men。　Mr。　Durand；　you　appear　to　have　prepared　yourself　for　departure　somewhat　prematurely。　Do　you　mind　removing　that　handkerchief　for　a　moment？　My　reason　for　so　peculiar　a　request　will　presently　appear。〃

Alas；　for　my　last　fond　hope！　Mr。　Durand；　with　a　face　as　white　as　the　background　of　snow　framed　by　the　uncurtained　window　against　which　he　leaned；　lifted　his　hand　as　if　to　comply　with　the　inspector's　request；　then　let　it　fall　again　with　a　grating　laugh。

〃I　see　that　I　am　not　likely　to　escape　any　of　the　results　of　my　imprudence；〃　he　cried；　and　with　a　quick　jerk　bared　his　shirt…front。

A　splash　of　red　defiled　its　otherwise　uniform　whiteness！　That　it　was　the　red　of　heart's　blood　was　proved　by　the　shrinking　look　he　unconsciously　cast　at　it。



IV

EXPLANATIONS

My　love　for　Anson　Durand　died　at　sight　o？that　crimson　splash　or　I　thought　it　did。　In　this　spot　of　blood　on　the　breast　of　him　to　whom　I　had　given　my　heart　I　could　read　but　one　wordguilt　heinous　guilt；　guilt　denied　and　now　brought　to　light　in　language　that　could　be　seen　and　read　by　all　men。　Why　should　I　stay　in　such　a　presence？　Had　not　the　inspector　himself　advised　me　to　go？

Yes；　but　another　voice　bade　me　remain。　Just　as　I　reached　the　door；　Anson　Durand　found　his　voice　and　I　heard；　in　the　full；　sweet　tones　I　loved　so　well：

〃Wait　I　am　not　to　be　judged　like　this。　I　will　explain！〃

But　here　the　inspector　interposed。

〃Do　you　think　it　wise　to　make　any　such　attempt　without　the　advice　of　counsel；　Mr。　Durand？〃

The　indignation　with　which　Mr。　Durand　wheeled　toward　him　raised　in　me　a　faint　hope。

〃Good　God；　yes！〃　he　cried。　〃Would　you　have　me　leave　Miss　Van　Arsdale　one　minute　longer　than　is　necessary　to　such　dreadful　doubts？　RitaMiss　Van　Arsdaleweakness；　and　weakness　only；　has　brought　me　into　my　present　position。　I　did　not　kill　Mrs。　Fairbrother；　nor　did　I　knowingly　take　her　diamond；　though　appearances　look　that　way；　as　I　am　very　ready　to　acknowledge。　I　did　go　to　her　in　the　alcove；　not　once；　but　twice；　and　these　are　my　reasons　for　doing　so：　About　three　months　ago　a　certain　well…known　man　of　enormous　wealth　came　to　me　with　the　request　that　I　should　procure　for　him　a　diamond　of　superior　beauty。　He　wished　to　give　it　to　his　wife；　and　he　wished　it　to　outshine　any　which　could　now　be　found　in　New　York。　This　meant　sending　abroad　an　expense　he　was　quite　willing　to　incur　on　the　sole　condition　that　the　stone　should　not　disappoint　him　when　he　saw　it；　and　that　it　was　to　be　in　his　hands　on　the　eighteenth　of　March；　his　wife's　birthday。　Never　before　had　I　had　such　an　opportunity　for　a　large　stroke　of　business。　Naturally　elated；　I　entered　at　once　into　correspondence　with　the　best　known　dealers　on　the　other　side；　and　last　week　a　diamond　was　delivered　to　me　which　seemed　to　fill　all　the　necessary　requirements。　I　had　never　seen　a　finer　stone；　and　was　consequently　rejoicing　in　my　success；　when　some　one；　I　do　not　remember　who　now；　chanced　to　speak　in　my　hearing　of　the　wonderful　stone　possessed　by　a　certain　Mrs。　Fairbrothera　stone　so　large；　so　brilliant　and　so　precious　altogether　that　she　seldom　wore　it；　though　it　was　known　to　connoisseurs　and　had　a　great　reputation　at　Tiffany's；　where　it　had　once　been　sent　for　some　alteration　in　the　setting。　Was　this　stone　larger　and　finer　than　the　one　I　had　procured　with　so　much　trouble？　If　so；　my　labor　had　all　been　in　vain；　for　my　patron　must　have　known　of　this　diamond　and　would　expect　to　see　it　surpassed。

〃I　was　so　upset　by　this　possibility　that　I　resolved　to　see　the　jewel　and　make　comparisons　for　myself。　I　found　a　friend　who　agreed　to　introduce　me　to　the　lady。　She　received　me　very　graciously　and　was　amiable　enough　until　the　subject　of　diamonds　was　broached；　when　she　immediately　stiffened　and　left　me　without　an　opportunity　of　proffering　my　request。　However；　on　every　other　subject　she　was　affable；　and　I　found　it　easy　enough　to　pursue　the　acquaintance　till　we　were　almost　on　friendly　terms。　But　I　never　saw　the　diamond；　nor　would　she　talk　about　it；　though　I　caused　her　some　surprise　when　one　day　I　drew　out　before　her　eyes　the　one　I　had　procured　for　my　patron　and　made　her　look　at　it。　'Fine；'　she　cried；　'fine！'　But　I　failed　to　detect　any　envy　in　her　manner；　and　so　knew　that　I　had　not　achieved　the　object　set　me　by　my　wealthy　customer。　This　was　a　woeful　disappointment；　yet；　as　Mrs。　Fairbrother　never　wore　her　diamond；　it　was　among　the　possibilities　that　he　might　be　satisfied　with　the　very　fine　gem　I　had　obtained　for　him；　and；　influenced　by　this　hope；　I　sent　him　this　morning　a　request　to　come　and　see　it　tomorrow。　Tonight　I　attended　this　ball；　and　almost　as　soon　as　I　enter　the　drawing…room　I　hear　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother　is　present　and　is　wearing　her　famous　jewel。　What　could　you　expect　of　me？　Why；　that　I　would　make　an　effort　to　see　it　and　so　be　ready　with　a　reply　to　my　exacting　customer　when　he　should　ask　me　to…morrow　if　the　stone　I　showed　him　had　its　peer　in　the　city。　But　was　not　in　the　drawing…room　then；　and　later　I　became　interested　elsewhere〃here　he　cast　a　look　at　me〃so　that　half　the　evening　passed　before　I　had　an　opportunity　to　join　her　in　the　so…called　alcove；　where　I　had　seen　her　set　up　her　miniature　court。　What　passed　between　us　in　the　short　interview　we　held　together　you　will　find　me　prepared　to　state；　if　necessary。　It　was　chiefly　marked　by　the　one　short　view　I　succeeded　in　obtaining　of　her　marvelous　diamond；　in　spite　of　the　pains　she　took　to　hide　it　from　me　by　some　natural　movement　whenever　she　caught　my　eyes　leaving　her　face。　But　in　that　one　short　look　I　had　seen　enough。　This　was　a　gem　for　a　collector；　not　to　be　worn　save　in　a　royal　presence。　How　had　she　come　by　it？　And　could　Mr。　Smythe　expect　me　to　procure　him　a　stone　like　that？　In　my　confusion　I　arose　to　depart；　but　the　lady　showed　a　disposition　to　keep　me；　and　began　chatting　so　vivaciously　that　I　scarcely　noticed　that　she　was　all　the　time　engaged　in　drawing　off　her　gloves。　Indeed；　I　almost　forgot　the　jewel；　possibly　because　her　movements　hid　it　so　completely；　and　only　remembered　it　when；　with　a　sudden　turn　from　the　window　where　she　had　drawn　me　to　watch　the　falling　flakes；　she　pressed　the　gloves　into　my　hand　with　the　coquettish　request　that　I　should　take　care　of　them　for　her。　I　remember；　as　I　took　them；　of　striving　to　catch　another　glimpse　of　the　stone；　whose　brilliancy　had　dazzled　me；　but　she　had　opened　her　fan　between　us。　A　moment　after；　thinking　I　heard　approaching　steps；　I　quitted　the　room。　This　was　my　first　visit。〃

As　he　stopped；　possibly　for　breath；　possibly　to　judge　to　what　extent　I　was　impressed　by　his　account；　the　inspector　seized　the　opportunity　to　ask　if　Mrs。　Fairbrother　had　been　standing　any　of　this　time　with　her　back　to　him。　To　which　he　answered　yes；　while　they　were　in　the　window。

〃Long　enough　for　her　to　pluck　off　the　jewel　and　thrust　it　into　the　gloves；　if　she　had　so　wished？〃

〃Quite　long　enough。〃

〃But　you　did　not　see　her　do　this？〃

〃I　did　not。〃

〃And　so　took　the　gloves　without　suspicion？〃

〃Entirely　so。〃

〃And　carried　them　away？〃

〃Unfortunately；　yes。〃

〃Without　thinking　that　she　might　want　them　the　next　minute？〃

〃I　doubt　if　I　was　thinking　seriously　of　her　at　all。　My　thoughts　were　on　my　own　disappointment。〃

〃Did　you　carry　these　gloves　out　in　your　hand？〃

〃No；　in　my　pocket。〃

〃I　see。　And　you　met〃

〃No　one。　The　sound　I　heard　must　have　come　from　the　rear　hall。〃

〃And　there　was　nobody　on　the　steps？〃

〃No。　A　gentleman　was　standing　at　their　footMr。　Grey；　the　Englishmanbut　his　face　was　turned　another　way；　and　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　in　that　same　position　for　several　minutes。〃

〃Did　this　gentlemanMr。　Greysee　you？〃

〃I　can　not　say；　but　I　doubt　it。　He　appeared　to　be　in　a　sort　of　dream。　There　were　other　people　about；　but　nobody　with　whom　I　was　acquainted。〃

〃Very　good。　Now　for　the　second　visit　you　acknowledge　having　paid　this　unfortunate　lady。〃

The　inspector's　voice　was　hard。　I　clung　a　little　more　tightly　to　my　uncle；　and　Mr。　Durand；　after　one　agonizing　glance　my　way；　drew　himself　up