the law and the lady-第15节

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then　I　have　done。　If　you　do　by　any　chance　succeed　in　laying　your
hand　on　the　clew；　remember　this_the　discovery　which　follows
will　be　a　terrible　one。_　If　you　have　any　doubt　about　your
capacity　to　sustain　a　shock　which　will　strike　you　to　the　soul；
for　God's　sake　give　up　the　idea　of　finding　out　your　husband's
secret　at　once　and　forever！〃

〃I　thank　you　for　your　warning；　Major。　I　must　face　the
consequences　of　making　the　discovery；　whatever　they　may　be。〃

〃You　are　positively　resolved？〃

〃Positively。〃

〃Very　well。　Take　any　time　you　please。　The　house；　and　every　person
in　it；　are　at　your　disposal。　Ring　the　bell　once　if　you　want　the
man…servant。　Ring　twice　if　you　wish　the　housemaid　to　wait　on　you。
From　time　to　time　I　shall　just　look　in　myself　to　see　how　you　are
going　on。　I　am　responsible　for　your　comfort　and　security；　you
know；　while　you　honor　me　by　remaining　under　my　roof。〃

He　lifted　my　hand　to　his　lips；　and　fixed　a　last　attentive　look　on
me。

〃I　hope　I　am　not　running　too　great　a　risk；〃　he　saidmore　to
himself　than　to　me。　〃The　women　have　led　me　into　many　a　rash
action　in　my　time。　Have　_you_　led　me；　I　wonder；　into　the　rashest
action　of　all？〃

With　those　ominous　last　words　he　bowed　gravely　and　left　me　alone
in　the　room。


CHAPTER　X。

THE　SEARCH。

　THE　fire　burning　in　the　grate　was　not　a　very　large　one；　and　the
outer　air　（as　I　had　noticed　on　my　way　to　the　house）　had　something
of　a　wintry　sharpness　in　it　that　day。

Still；　my　first　feeling；　when　Major　Fitz…David　left　me；　was　a
feeling　of　heat　and　oppression；　with　its　natural　result；　a
difficulty　in　breathing　freely。　The　nervous　agitation　of　the　time
was；　I　suppose；　answerable　for　these　sensations。　I　took　off　my
bonnet　and　mantle　and　gloves；　and　opened　the　window　for　a　little
while。　Nothing　was　to　be　seen　outside　but　a　paved　courtyard；　with
a　skylight　in　the　middle；　closed　at　the　further　end　by　the　wall
of　the　Major's　stables。　A　few　minutes　at　the　window　cooled　and
refreshed　me。　I　shut　it　down　again；　and　took　my　first　step　on　the
way　of　discovery。　In　other　words；　I　began　my　first　examination　of
the　four　walls　around　me；　and　of　all　that　they　inclosed。

I　was　amazed　at　my　own　calmness。　My　interview　with　Major
Fitz…David　had；　perhaps；　exhausted　my　capacity　for　feeling　any
strong　emotion；　for　the　time　at　least。　It　was　a　relief　to　me　to
be　alone；　it　was　a　relief　to　me　to　begin　the　search。　Those　were
my　only　sensations　so　far。

The　shape　of　the　room　was　oblong。　Of　the　two　shorter　walls；　one
contained　the　door　in　grooves　which　I　have　already　mentioned　as
communicating　with　the　front　room；　the　other　was　almost　entirely
occupied　by　the　broad　window　which　looked　out　on　the　courtyard。

Taking　the　doorway　wall　first；　what　was　there；　in　the　shape　of
furniture；　on　either　side　of　it？　There　was　a　card…table　on　either
side。　Above　each　card…table　stood　a　magnificent　china　bowl　placed
on　a　gilt　and　carved　bracket　fixed　to　the　wall。

I　opened　the　card…tables。　The　drawers　beneath　contained　nothing
but　cards；　and　the　usual　counters　and　markers。　With　the　exception
of　one　pack；　the　cards　in　both　tables　were　still　wrapped　in　their
paper　covers　exactly　as　they　had　come　from　the　shop。　I　examined
the　loose　pack；　card　by　card。　No　writing；　no　mark　of　any　kind；
was　visible　on　any　one　of　them。　Assisted　by　a　library　ladder
which　stood　against　the　book…case；　I　looked　next　into　the　two
china　bowls。　Both　were　perfectly　empty。　Was　there　anything　more
to　examine　on　that　side　of　the　room？　In　the　two　corners　there
were　two　little　chairs　of　inlaid　wood；　with　red　silk　cushions。　I
turned　them　up　and　looked　under　the　cushions；　and　still　I　made　no
discoveries。　When　I　had　put　the　chairs　back　in　their　places　my
search　on　one　side　of　the　room　was　complete。　So　far　I　had　found
nothing。

I　crossed　to　the　opposite　wall；　the　wall　which　contained　the
window。

The　window　（occupying；　as　I　have　said；　almost　the　entire　length
and　height　of　the　wall）　was　divided　into　three　compartments；　and
was　adorned　at　their　extremity　by　handsome　curtains　of　dark　red
velvet。　The　ample　heavy　folds　of　the　velvet　left　just　room　at　the
two　corners　of　the　wall　for　two　little　upright　cabinets　in　buhl；
containing　rows　of　drawers；　and　supporting　two　fine　bronze
productions　（reduced　in　size）　of　the　Venus　Milo　and　the　Venus
Callipyge。　I　had　Major　Fitz…David's　permission　to　do　just　what　I
pleased。　I　opened　the　si　x　drawers　in　each　cabinet；　and　examined
their　contents　without　hesitation。

Beginning　with　the　cabinet　in　the　right…hand　corner；　my
investigations　were　soon　completed。　All　the　six　drawers　were
alike　occupied　by　a　collection　of　fossils；　which　（judging　by　the
curious　paper　inscriptions　fixed　on　some　of　them）　were　associated
with　a　past　period　of　the　Major's　life　when　he　had　speculated；
not　very　successfully　in　mines。　After　satisfying　myself　that　the
drawers　contained　nothing　but　the　fossils　and　their　inscriptions；
I　turned　to　the　cabinet　in　the　left…hand　corner　next。

Here　a　variety　of　objects　was　revealed　to　view；　and　the
examination　accordingly　occupied　a　much　longer　time。

The　top　drawer　contained　a　complete　collection　of　carpenter's
tools　in　miniature；　relics　probably　of　the　far…distant　time　when
the　Major　was　a　boy；　and　when　parents　or　friends　had　made　him　a
present　of　a　set　of　toy　tools。　The　second　drawer　was　filled　with
toys　of　another　sortpresents　made　to　Major　Fitz…David　by　his
fair　friends。　Embroidered　braces；　smart　smoking…caps；　quaint
pincushions；　gorgeous　slippers；　glittering　purses；　all　bore
witness　to　the　popularity　of　the　friend　of　the　women。　The
contents　of　the　third　drawer　were　of　a　less　interesting　sort：　the
entire　space　was　filled　with　old　account…books；　ranging　over　a
period　of　many　years。　After　looking　into　each　book；　and　opening
and　shaking　it　uselessly；　in　search　of　any　loose　papers　which
might　be　hidden　between　the　leaves；　I　came　to　the　fourth　drawer；
and　found　more　relics　of　past　pecuniary　transactions　in　the　shape
of　receipted　bills；　neatly　tied　together；　and　each　inscribed　at
the　back。　Among　the　bills　I　found　nearly　a　dozen　loose　papers；
all　equally　unimportant。　The　fifth　drawer　was　in　sad　confusion。　I
took　out　first　a　loose　bundle　of　ornamental　cards；　each
containing　the　list　of　dishes　at　past　banquets　given　or　attended
by　the　Major　in　London　or　Paris；　next；　a　box　full　of　delicately
tinted　quill　pens　（evidently　a　lady's　gift）；　next；　a　quantity　of
old　invitation　cards；　next；　some　dog's…eared　French　plays　and
books　of　the　opera；　next；　a　pocket…corkscrew；　a　bundle　of
cigarettes；　and　a　bunch　of　rusty　keys；　lastly；　a　passport；　a　set
of　luggage　labels；　a　broken　silver　snuff…box；　two　cigar…cases；
and　a　torn　map　of　Rome。　〃Nothing　anywhere　to　interest　me；〃　I
thought；　as　I　closed　the　fifth；　and　opened　the　sixth　and　last
drawer。

The　sixth　drawer　was　at　once　a　surprise　and　a　disappointment。　It
literally　contained　nothing　but　the　fragments　of　a　broken　vase。

I　was　sitting；　at　the　time；　opposite　to　the　cabinet；　in　a　low
chair。　In　the　momentary　irritation　caused　by　my　discovery　of　the
emptiness　of　the　last　drawer；　I　had　just　lifted　my　foot　to　push
it　back　into　its　place；　when　the　door　communicating　with　the　hall
opened；　and　Major　Fitz…David　stood　before　me。

His　eyes；　after　first　meeting　mine；　traveled　downward　to　my　foot。
The　instant　he　noticed　the　open　drawer　I　saw　a　change　in　his
face。　It　was　only　for　a　moment；　but　in　that　moment　he　looked　at
me　with　a　sudden　suspicion　and　surpriselooked　as　if　he　had
caught　me　with　my　hand　on　the　clew。

〃Pray　don't　let　me　disturb　you；〃　said　Major　Fitz…David。　〃I　have
only　come　here　to　ask　you　a　question。〃

〃What　is　it；　Major？〃

〃Have　you　met　with　any　letters　of　mine　in　the　course　of　your
investigations？〃

〃I　have　found　none　yet；〃　I　answered。　〃If　I　do　discover　any
letters；　I　shall；　of　course；　not　take　the　liberty　of　examining
them。〃

〃I　wanted　to　speak　to　you　about　that；〃　he　rejoined。　〃It　only
struck　me　a　moment　since；　upstairs；　that　my　letters　might
embarrass　you。　In　your　place　I　should　feel　some　distrust　of
anything　which　I　was　not　at　liberty　to　examine。　I　think　I　can　set
this　matter　right；　however；　with　very　little　trouble　to　either　of
us。　It　is　no　violation　of　any　promises　or　pledges　on　my　part　if　I
simply　tell　you　that　my　letters　will　not　assist　the　discovery
which　you　are　trying　to　make。　You　can　safely　pass　them　over　as
objects　that　are　not　worth　examining　from　your　point　of　view。　You
understand　me；　I　am　sure？〃

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　MajorI　quite　understand。〃

〃Are　you　feeling　any　fatigue？〃

〃None　whatever；　thank　you。〃

〃And　you　still　hope　to　succeed？　You　are　not　beginning　to　be
discouraged　already？〃

〃I　am　not　in　the　least　discouraged。　With　your　kind　leave；　I　mean
to　persevere　for　some　time　yet。〃

I　had　not　closed　the　drawer　of　the　cabinet　while　we　were　talking；
and　I　glanced　carelessly；　as　I　answered　him；　at　the　fragments　of
the　broken　vase。　By　this　time　he　had　got　his　feelings　under
perfect　command。　He；　too；　glanced　at　the　fragments　of　the　vase
with　an　appearance　of　perfect　indifference。　I　remembered　the　look
of　suspicion　and　surprise　that　had　escaped　him　on　entering　the
room；　and　I　thought　his　indifference　a　little　overacte