the woman in the alcove-第1节

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The　Woman　in　the　Alcove

by　Anna　Katharine　Green




CONTENTS
I　　THE　WOMAN　WITH　THE　DIAMOND
II　　THE　GLOVES
II　　ANSON　DURAND
IV　　EXPLANATIONS
V　　SUPERSTITION　
VI　　SUSPENSE
VII　　NIGHT　AND　A　VOICE
VIII　　ARREST　
IX　　THE　MOUSE　NIBBLES　AT　THE　NET
X　　I　ASTONISH　THE　INSPECTOR
XI　　THE　INSPECTOR　ASTONISHES　ME
XII　　ALMOST　
XIII　　THE　MISSING　RECOMMENDATION
XIV　　TRAPPED　
XV　　SEARS　OR　WELLGOOD　
XVI　　DOUBT
XVII　　SWEETWATER　IN　A　NEW　ROLE
XVIII　　THE　CLOSED　DOOR　
XIX　　THE　FACE　
XX　　MOONLIGHTAND　A　CLUE
XXI　　GRIZEL！　GRIZEL！　
XXII　　GUILT　
XXIII　　THE　GREAT　MOGUL　


I

THE　WOMAN　WITH　THE　DIAMOND

I　was；　perhaps；　the　plainest　girl　in　the　room　that　night。　I　was　also　the　happiestup　to　one　o'clock。　Then　my　whole　world　crumbled；　or；　at　least；　suffered　an　eclipse。　Why　and　how；　I　am　about　to　relate。

I　was　not　made　for　love。　This　I　had　often　said　to　myself；　very　often　of　late。　In　figure　I　am　too　diminutive；　in　face　far　too　unbeautiful；　for　me　to　cherish　expectations　of　this　nature。　Indeed；　love　had　never　entered　into　my　plan　of　life；　as　was　evinced　by　the　nurse's　diploma　I　had　just　gained　after　three　years　of　hard　study　and　severe　training。

I　was　not　made　for　love。　But　if　I　had　been；　had　I　been　gifted　with　height；　regularity　of　feature；　or　even　with　that　eloquence　of　expression　which　redeems　all　defects　save　those　which　savor　of　deformity；　I　knew　well　whose　eye　I　should　have　chosen　to　please；　whose　heart　I　should　have　felt　proud　to　win。

This　knowledge　came　with　a　rush　to　my　heart（did　I　say　heart？　I　should　have　said　understanding；　which　is　something　very　different）when；　at　the　end　of　the　first　dance；　I　looked　up　from　the　midst　of　the　bevy　of　girls　by　whom　I　was　surrounded　and　saw　Anson　Durand's　fine　figure　emerging　from　that　quarter　of　the　hall　where　our　host　and　hostess　stood　to　receive　their　guests。　His　eye　was　roaming　hither　and　thither　and　his　manner　was　both　eager　and　expectant。　Whom　was　he　seeking？　Some　one　of　the　many　bright　and　vivacious　girls　about　me；　for　he　turned　almost　instantly　our　way。　But　which　one？

I　thought　I　knew。　I　remembered　at　whose　house　I　had　met　him　first；　at　whose　house　I　had　seen　him　many　times　since。　She　was　a　lovely　girl；　witty　and　vivacious；　and　she　stood　at　this　very　moment　at　my　elbow。　In　her　beauty　lay　the　lure；　the　natural　lure　for　a　man　of　his　gifts　and　striking　personality。　If　I　continued　to　watch；　I　should　soon　see　his　countenance　light　up　under　the　recognition　she　could　not　fail　to　give　him。　And　I　was　right；　in　another　instant　it　did；　and　with　a　brightness　there　was　no　mistaking。　But　one　feeling　common　to　the　human　heart　lends　such　warmth；　such　expressiveness　to　the　features。　How　handsome　it　made　him　look；　how　distinguished；　how　everything　I　was　not　except

But　what　does　this　mean？　He　has　passed　Miss　Sperrypassed　her　with　a　smile　and　a　friendly　wordand　is　speaking　to　me；　singling　me　out；　offering　me　his　arm！　He　is　smiling；　too；　not　as　he　smiled　on　Miss　Sperry；　but　more　warmly；　with　more　that　is　personal　in　it。　I　took　his　arm　in　a　daze。　The　lights　were　dimmer　than　I　thought；　nothing　was　really　bright　except　his　smile。　It　seemed　to　change　the　world　for　me。　I　forgot　that　I　was　plain；　forgot　that　I　was　small；　with　nothing　to　recommend　me　to　the　eye　or　heart；　and　let　myself　be　drawn　away；　asking　nothing；　anticipating　nothing；　till　I　found　myself　alone　with　him　in　the　fragrant　recesses　of　the　conservatory；　with　only　the　throb　of　music　in　our　ears　to　link　us　to　the　scene　we　had　left。

Why　had　he　brought　me　here；　into　this　fairyland　of　opalescent　lights　and　intoxicating　perfumes？　What　could　he　have　to　sayto　show？　Ah　in　another　moment　I　knew。　He　had　seized　my　hands；　and　love；　ardent　love；　came　pouring　from　his　lips。

Could　it　be　real？　Was　I　the　object　of　all　this　feeling；　I？　If　so；　then　life　had　changed　for　me　indeed。

Silent　from　rush　of　emotion；　I　searched　his　face　to　see　if　this　Paradise；　whose　gates　I　was　thus　passionately　bidden　to　enter；　was　indeed　a　verity　or　only　a　dream　born　of　the　excitement　of　the　dance　and　the　charm　of　a　scene　exceptional　in　its　splendor　and　picturesqueness　even　for　so　luxurious　a　city　as　New　York。

But　it　was　no　mere　dream。　Truth　and　earnestness　were　in　his　manner；　and　his　words　were　neither　feverish　nor　forced。

〃I　love　you　I！　I　need　you！〃　So　I　heard；　and　so　he　soon　made　me　believe。　〃You　have　charmed　me　from　the　first。　Your　tantalizing；　trusting；　loyal　self；　like　no　other；　sweeter　than　any　other；　has　drawn　the　heart　from　my　breast。　I　have　seen　many　women；　admired　many　women；　but　you　only　have　I　loved。　Will　you　be　my　wife？〃

I　was　dazzled；　moved　beyond　anything　I　could　have　conceived。　I　forgot　all　that　I　had　hitherto　said　to　myselfall　that　I　had　endeavored　to　impress　upon　my　heart　when　I　beheld　him　approaching；　intent；　as　I　believed；　in　his　search　for　another　woman；　and；　confiding　in　his　honesty；　trusting　entirely　to　his　faith；　I　allowed　the　plans　and　purposes　of　years　to　vanish　in　the　glamour　of　this　new　joy；　and　spoke　the　word　which　linked　us　together　in　a　bond　which　half　an　hour　before　I　had　never　dreamed　would　unite　me　to　any　man。

His　impassioned　〃Mine！　mine！〃　filled　my　cup　to　overflowing。　Something　of　the　ecstasy　of　living　entered　my　soul；　which；　in　spite　of　all　I　have　suffered　since；　recreated　the　world　for　me　and　made　all　that　went　before　but　the　prelude　to　the　new　life；　the　new　joy。

Oh；　I　was　happy；　happy；　perhaps　too　happy！　As　the　conservatory　filled　and　we　passed　back　into　the　adjoining　room；　the　glimpse　I　caught　of　myself　in　one　of　the　mirrors　startled　me　into　thinking　so。　For　had　it　not　been　for　the　odd　color　of　my　dress　and　the　unique　way　in　which　I　wore　my　hair　that　night；　I　should　not　have　recognized　the　beaming　girl　who　faced　me　so　naively　from　the　depths　of　the　responsive　glass。

Can　one　be　too　happy？　I　do　not　know。　I　know　that　one　can　be　too　perplexed；　too　burdened　and　too　sad。

Thus　far　I　have　spoken　only　of　myself　in　connection　with　the　evening's　elaborate　function。　But　though　entitled　by　my　old　Dutch　blood　to　a　certain　social　consideration　which　I　am　happy　to　say　never　failed　me；　I；　even　in　this　hour　of　supreme　satisfaction；　attracted　very　little　attention　and　awoke　small　comment。　There　was　another　woman　present　better　calculated　to　do　this。　A　fair　woman；　large　and　of　a　bountiful　presence；　accustomed　to　conquest；　and　gifted　with　the　power　of　carrying　off　her　victories　with　a　certain　lazy　grace　irresistibly　fascinating　to　the　ordinary　man；　a　gorgeously　appareled　woman；　with　a　diamond　on　her　breast　too　vivid　for　most　women；　almost　too　vivid　for　her。　I　noticed　this　diamond　early　in　the　evening；　and　then　I　noticed　her。　She　was　not　as　fine　as　the　diamond；　but　she　was　very　fine；　and；　had　I　been　in　a　less　ecstatic　frame　of　mind；　I　might　have　envied　the　homage　she　received　from　all　the　men；　not　excepting　him　upon　whose　arm　I　leaned。　Later；　there　was　no　one　in　the　world　I　envied　less。

The　ball　was　a　private　and　very　elegant　one。　There　were　some　notable　guests。　One　gentleman　in　particular　was　pointed　out　to　me　as　an　Englishman　of　great　distinction　and　political　importance。　I　thought　him　a　very　interesting　man　for　his　years；　but　odd　and　a　trifle　self…centered。　Though　greatly　courted；　he　seemed　strangely　restless　under　the　fire　of　eyes　to　which　he　was　constantly　subjected；　and　only　happy　when　free　to　use　his　own　in　contemplation　of　the　scene　about　him。　Had　I　been　less　absorbed　in　my　own　happiness　I　might　have　noted　sooner　than　I　did　that　this　contemplation　was　confined　to　such　groups　as　gathered　about　the　lady　with　the　diamond。　But　this　I　failed　to　observe　at　the　time；　and　consequently　was　much　surprised　to　come　upon　him；　at　the　end　of　one　of　the　dances；　talking　With　this　lady　in　an　animated　and　courtly　manner　totally　opposed　to　the　apathy；　amounting　to　boredom；　with　which　he　had　hitherto　met　all　advances。

Yet　it　was　not　admiration　for　her　person　which　he　openly　displayed。　During　the　whole　time　he　stood　there　his　eyes　seldom　rose　to　her　face；　they　lingered　mainly…and　this　was　what　aroused　my　curiosityon　the　great　fan　of　ostrich　plumes　which　this　opulent　beauty　held　against　her　breast。　Was　he　desirous　of　seeing　the　great　diamond　she　thus　unconsciously　（or　was　it　consciously）　shielded　from　his　gaze？　It　was　possible；　for；　as　I　continued　to　note　him；　he　suddenly　bent　toward　her　and　as　quickly　raised　himself　again　with　a　look　which　was　quite　inexplicable　to　me。　The　lady　had　shifted　her　fan　a　moment　and　his　eyes　had　fallen　on　the　gem。

The　next　thing　I　recall　with　any　definiteness　was　a　tete…a…tete　conversation　which　I　held　with　my　lover　on　a　certain　yellow　divan　at　the　end　of　one　of　the　halls。

To　the　right　of　this　divan　rose　a　curtained　recess；　highly　suggestive　of　romance；　called　〃the　alcove。〃　As　this　alcove　figures　prominently　in　my　story；　I　will　pause　here　to　describe　it。

It　was　originally　intended　to　contain　a　large　group　of　statuary　which　our　host；　Mr。　Ramsdell；　had　ordered　from　Italy　to　adorn　his　new　house。　He　is　a　man　of　original　ideas　in　regard　to　such　matters；　and　in　this　instance　had　gone　so　far　as　to　have　this　end　of　the　house　constructed　with　a　special　view　to　an　advantageous　display　of　this　promised　work　of　art。　Fearing　the　ponderous　effect　of　a　pedestal　large　enough　to　hold　such　a　considerable　group；　he