the woman in the alcove-第5节

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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　turned　to　see。　A　gentleman　was　standing　in　the　doorway；　who　smiled　as　I　met　his　eye。

〃Is　this　Miss　Van　Arsdale？〃　he　asked。

Instantly　my　courage；　which　had　threatened　to　leave　me；　returned　and　I　smiled。

〃I　am；〃　said　I。　〃Are　you　the　inspector？〃

〃Inspector　Dalzell；〃　he　explained　with　a　bow；　which　included　my　uncle。

Then　he　closed　the　door。

〃I　hope　I　have　not　frightened　you；〃　he　went　on；　approaching　me　with　a　gentlemanly　air。　〃A　little　matter　has　come　up　concerning　which　I　mean　to　be　perfectly　frank　with　you。　It　may　prove　to　be　of　trivial　importance；　if　so；　you　will　pardon　my　disturbing　you。　Mr。　Durandyou　know　him？〃

〃I　am　engaged　to　him；〃　I　declared　before　poor　uncle　could　raise　his　hand。

〃You　are　engaged　to　him。　Well；　that　makes　it　difficult；　and　yet；　in　some　respects；　easier　for　me　to　ask　a　certain　question。〃

It　must　have　made　it　more　difficult　than　easy；　for　he　did　not　proceed　to　put　this　question　immediately；　but　went　on：

〃You　know　that　Mr。　Durand　visited　Mrs。　Fairbrother　in　the　alcove　a　little　while　before　her　death？〃

〃I　have　been　told　so。〃

　〃He　was　seen　to　go　in；　but　I　have　not　yet　found　any　one　who　saw　him　come　out；　consequently　we　have　been　unable　to　fix　the　exact　minute　when　he　did　so。　What　is　the　matter；　Miss　Van　Arsdale？　You　want　to　say　something？〃

〃No；　no；〃　I　protested；　reconsidering　my　first　impulse。　Then；　as　I　met　his　look；　〃He　can　probably　tell　you　that　himself。　I　am　sure　he　would　not　hesitate。〃

〃We　shall　ask　him　later；〃　was　the　inspector's　response。　〃Meanwhile；　are　you　ready　to　assure　me　that　since　that　time　he　has　not　intrusted　you　with　a　little　article　to　keepNo；　no；　I　do　not　mean　the　diamond；〃　he　broke　in；　in　very　evident　dismay；　as　I　fell　back　from　him　in　irrepressible　indignation　and　alarm。　〃The　diamondwell；　we　shall　look　for　that　later；　it　is　another　article　we　are　in　search　of　now；　one　which　Mr。　Durand　might　very　well　have　taken　in　his　hand　without　realizing　just　what　he　was　doing。　As　it　is　important　for　us　to　find　this　article；　and　as　it　is　one　he　might　very　naturally　have　passed　over　to　you　when　he　found　himself　in　the　hall　with　it　in　his　hand；　I　have　ventured　to　ask　you　if　this　surmise　is　correct。〃

〃It　is　not；〃　I　retorted　fiercely；　glad　that　I　could　speak　from　my　very　heart。　〃He　has　given　me　nothing　to　keep　for　him。　He　would　not〃

Why　that　peculiar　look　in　the　inspector's　eye？　Why　did　he　reach　out　for　a　chair　and　seat　me　in　it　before　he　took　up　my　interrupted　sentence　and　finished　it？

〃would　not　give　you　anything　to　hold　which　had　belonged　to　another　woman？　Miss　Van　Arsdale；　you　do　not　know　men。　They　do　many　things　which　a　young；　trusting　girl　like　yourself　would　hardly　expect　from　them。〃

〃Not　Mr。　Durand；〃　I　maintained　stoutly。

〃Perhaps　not；　let　us　hope　not。〃　Then；　with　a　quick　change　of　manner；　he　bent　toward　me；　with　a　sidelong　look　at　uncle；　and；　pointing　to　my　gloves；　remarked：　〃You　wear　gloves。　Did　you　feel　the　need　of　two　pairs；　that　you　carry　another　in　that　pretty　bag　hanging　from　your　arm？〃

I　started；　looked　down；　and　then　slowly　drew　up　into　my　hand　the　bag　he　had　mentioned。　The　white　finger　of　a　glove　was　protruding　from　the　top。　Any　one　could　see　it；　many　probably　had。　What　did　it　mean？　I　had　brought　no　extra　pair　with　me。

〃This　is　not　mine；〃　I　began；　faltering　into　silence　as　I　perceived　my　uncle　turn　and　walk　a　step　or　two　away。

〃The　article　we　are　looking　for；〃　pursued　the　inspector；　〃is　a　pair　of　long；　white　gloves；　supposed　to　have　been　worn　by　Mrs。　Fairbrother　when　she　entered　the　alcove。　Do　you　mind　showing　me　those；　a　finger　of　which　I　see？〃

I　dropped　the　bag　into　his　hand。　The　room　and　everything　in　it　was　whirling　around　me。　But　when　I　noted　what　trouble　it　was　to　his　clumsy　fingers　to　open　it；　my　senses　returned　and；　reaching　for　the　bag；　I　pulled　it　open　and　snatched　out　the　gloves。　They　had　been　hastily　rolled　up　and　some　of　the　fingers　were　showing。

〃Let　me　have　them；〃　he　said。

With　quaking　heart　and　shaking　fingers　I　handed　over　the　gloves。

〃Mrs。　Fairbrother's　hand　was　not　a　small　one；〃　he　observed　as　he　slowly　unrolled　them。　〃Yours　is。　We　can　soon　tell〃

But　that　sentence　was　never　finished。　As　the　gloves　fell　open　in　his　grasp　he　uttered　a　sudden；　sharp　ejaculation　and　I　a　smothered　shriek。　An　object　of　superlative　brilliancy　had　rolled　out　from　them。　The　diamond！　the　gem　which　men　said　was　worth　a　king's　ransom；　and　which　we　all　knew　had　just　cost　a　life。



III

ANSON　DURAND

With　benumbed　senses　and　a　dismayed　heart；　I　stared　at　the　fallen　jewel　as　at　some　hateful　thing　menacing　both　my　life　and　honor。

〃I　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　I　vehemently　declared。　〃I　did　not　put　the　gloves　in　my　bag；　nor　did　I　know　the　diamond　was　in　them。　I　fainted　at　the　first　alarm；　and

〃There！　there！　I　know；〃　interposed　the　inspector　kindly。　〃I　do　not　doubt　you　in　the　least；　not　when　there　is　a　man　to　doubt。　Miss　Van　Arsdale；　you　had　better　let　your　uncle　take　you　home。　I　will　see　that　the　hall　is　cleared　for　you。　Tomorrow　I　may　wish　to　talk　to　you　again；　but　I　will　spare　you　all　further　importunity　tonight。〃

I　shook　my　head。　It　would　require　more　courage　to　leave　at　that　moment　than　to　stay。　Meeting　the　inspector's　eye　firmly；　I　quietly　declared；

〃If　Mr。　Durand's　good　name　is　to　suffer　in　any　way；　I　will　not　forsake　him。　I　have　confidence　in　his　integrity；　if　you　have　not。　It　was　not　his　hand；　but　one　much　more　guilty；　which　dropped　this　jewel　into　the　bag。〃

〃So！　so！　do　not　be　too　sure　of　that；　little　woman。　You　had　better　take　your　lesson　at　once。　It　will　be　easier　for　you；　and　more　wholesome　for　him。〃

Here　he　picked　up　the　jewel。

〃Well；　they　said　it　was　a　wonder！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　sudden　admiration。　〃I　am　not　surprised；　now　that　I　have　seen　a　great　gem；　at　the　famous　stories　I　have　read　of　men　risking　life　and　honor　for　their　possession。　If　only　no　blood　had　been　shed！〃

〃Uncle！　uncle！〃　I　wailed　aloud　in　my　agony。

It　was　all　my　lips　could　utter；　but　to　uncle　it　was　enough。　Speaking　for　the　first　time；　he　asked　to　have　a　passage　made　for　us；　and　when　the　inspector　moved　forward　to　comply；　he　threw　his　arm　about　me；　and　was　endeavoring　to　find　fitting　words　with　which　to　fill　up　the　delay；　when　a　short　altercation　was　heard　from　the　doorway；　and　Mr。　Durand　came　rushing　in；　followed　immediately　by　the　inspector。

His　first　look　was　not　at　myself；　but　at　the　bag；　which　still　hung　from　my　arm。　As　I　noted　this　action；　my　whole　inner　self　seemed　to　collapse；　dragging　my　happiness　down　with　it。　But　my　countenance　remained　unchanged；　too　much　so；　it　seems；　for　when　his　eye　finally　rose　to　my　face；　he　found　there　what　made　him　recoil　and　turn　with　something　like　fierceness　on　his　companion。

〃You　have　been　talking　to　her；〃　he　vehemently　protested。　〃Perhaps　you　have　gone　further　than　that。　What　has　happened　here？　I　think　I　ought　to　know。　She　is　so　guileless；　Inspector　Dalzell；　so　perfectly　free　from　all　connection　with　this　crime。　Why　have　you　shut　her　up　here；　and　plied　her　with　questions；　and　made　her　look　at　me　with　such　an　expression；　when　all　you　have　against　me　is　just　what　you　have　against　some　half…dozen　others；that　I　was　weak　enough；　or　unfortunate　enough；　to　spend　a　few　minutes　with　that　unhappy　woman　in　the　alcove　before　she　died？〃

〃It　might　be　well　if　Miss　Van　Arsdale　herself　would　answer　you；〃　was　the　inspector's　quiet　retort。　〃What　you　have　said　may　constitute　all　that　we　have　against　you；　but　it　is　not　all　we　have　against　her。〃

I　gasped；　not　so　much　at　this　seeming　accusation；　the　motive　of　which　I　believed　myself　to　understand；　but　at　the　burning　blush　with　which　it　was　received　by　Mr。　Durand。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　demanded；　with　certain　odd　breaks　in　his　voice。　〃What　can　you　have　against　her？〃

〃A　triviality；〃　returned　the　inspector；　with　a　look　in　my　direction　that　was；　I　felt；　not　to　be　mistaken。

〃I　do　not　call　it　a　triviality；〃　I　burst　out。　〃It　seems　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother；　for　all　her　elaborate　toilet；　was　found　without　gloves　on　her　arms。　As　she　certainly　wore　them　on　entering　the　alcove；　the　police　have　naturally　been　looking　for　them。　And　where　do　you　think　they　have　found　them？　Not　in　the　alcove　with　her；　not　in　the　possession　of　the　man　who　undoubtedly　carried　them　away　with　him；　but〃

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Mr。　Durand　hoarsely　put　in。　〃You　need　not　say　any　more。　Oh；　my　poor　Rita！　what　have　I　brought　upon　you　by　my　weakness？〃

〃Weakness！〃

He　started；　I　started；　my　voice　was　totally　unrecognizable。

〃I　should　give　it　another　name；〃　I　added　coldly。

For　a　moment　he　seemed　to　lose　heart；　then　he　lifted　his　head　again；　and　looked　as　handsome　as　when　he　pleaded　for　my　hand　in　the　little　conservatory。

〃You　have　that　right；〃　said　he；　〃besides；　weakness　at　such　a　time；　and　under　such　an　exigency；　is　little　short　of　wrong。　It　was　unmanly　in　me　to　endeavor　to　secrete　these　gloves；　more　than　unmanly　for　me　to　choose　for　their　hiding…place　the　recesses　of　an　article　belonging　exclusively　to　yourself。　I　acknowledge　it；　Rita；　and　shall　meet　only　my　just　punishment　if　you　deny　me　in　the　future　bot