the woman in the alcove-第3部分

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〃Mrs。　Fairbrother　has　been　murdered　and　her　diamond　stolen！　Lock　the　doors！〃



II

THE　GLOVES

I　must　have　remained　insensible　for　many　minutes；　for　when　I　returned　to　full　consciousness　the　supper…room　was　empty　and　the　two　hundred　guests　I　had　left　seated　at　table　were　gathered　in　agitated　groups　about　the　hall。　This　was　what　I　first　noted；　not　till　afterward　did　I　realize　my　own　situation。　I　was　lying　on　a　couch　in　a　remote　corner　of　this　same　hall　and　beside　me；　but　not　looking　at　me；　stood　my　lover；　Mr。　Durand。

How　he　came　to　know　my　state　and　find　me　in　the　general　disturbance　I　did　not　stop　to　inquire。　It　was　enough　for　me　at　that　moment　to　look　up　and　see　him　so　near。　Indeed；　the　relief　was　so　great；　the　sense　of　his　protection　so　comforting　that　I　involuntarily　stretched　out　my　hand　in　gratitude　toward　him；　but；　failing　to　attract　his　attention；　slipped　to　the　floor　and　took　my　stand　at　his　side。　This　roused　him　and　he　gave　me　a　look　which　steadied　me；　in　spite　of　the　thrill　of　surprise　with　which　I　recognized　his　extreme　pallor　and　a　certain　peculiar　hesitation　in　his　manner　not　at　all　natural　to　it。

Meanwhile；　some　words　uttered　near　us　were　slowly　making　their　way　into　my　benumbed　brain。　The　waiter　who　had　raised　the　first　alarm　was　endeavoring　to　describe　to　an　importunate　group　in　advance　of　us　what　he　had　come　upon　in　that　murderous　alcove。

〃I　was　carrying　about　a　tray　of　ices；〃　he　was　saying；　〃and　seeing　the　lady　sitting　there；　went　up。　I　had　expected　to　find　the　place　full　of　gentlemen；　but　she　was　all　alone；　and　did　not　move　as　I　picked　my　way　over　her　long　train。　The　next　moment　I　had　dropped　ices；　tray　and　all。　I　bad　come　face　to　face　with　her　and　seen　that　she　was　dead。　She　had　been　stabbed　and　robbed。　There　was　no　diamond　on　her　breast；　but　there　was　blood。〃

A　hubbub　of　disordered　sentences　seasoned　with　horrified　cries　followed　this　simple　description。　Then　a　general　movement　took　place　in　the　direction　of　the　alcove；　during　which　Mr。　Durand　stooped　to　my　ear　and　whispered：

〃We　must　get　out　of　this。　You　are　not　strong　enough　to　stand　such　excitement。　Don't　you　think　we　can　escape　by　the　window　over　there？〃

〃What；　without　wraps　and　in　such　a　snowstorm？〃　I　protested。　〃Besides；　uncle　will　be　looking　for　me。　He　came　with　me；　you　know。〃

An　expression　of　annoyance；　or　was　it　perplexity；　crossed　Mr。　Durand's　face；　and　he　made　a　movement　as　if　to　leave　me。

〃I　must　go；〃　he　began；　but　stopped　at　my　glance　of　surprise　and　assumed　a　different　airone　which　became　him　very　much　better。　〃Pardon　me；　dear；　I　will　take　you　to　your　uncle。　Thisthis　dreadful　tragedy；　interrupting　so　gay　a　scene；　has　quite　upset　me。　I　was　always　sensitive　to　the　sight；　the　smell；　even　to　the　very　mention　of　the　word　blood。〃

So　was　I；　but　not　to　the　point　of　cowardice。　But　then　I　had　not　just　come　from　an　interview　with　the　murdered　woman。　Her　glances；　her　smiles；　the　lift　of　her　eyebrows　were　not　fresh　memories　to　me。　Some　consideration　was　certainly　due　him　for　the　shock　he　must　be　laboring　under。　Yet　I　did　not　know　how　to　keep　back　the　vital　question。

〃Who　did　it？　You　must　have　heard　some　one　say。〃

〃I　have　heard　nothing；〃　was　his　somewhat　fierce　rejoinder。　Then；　as　I　made　a　move；　〃What　you　do　not　wish　to　follow　the　crowd　there？〃

〃I　wish　to　find　my　uncle；　and　he　is　in　that　crowd。〃

Mr。　Durand　said　nothing　further；　and　together　we　passed　down　the　hall。　A　strange　mood　pervaded　my　mind。　Instead　of　wishing　to　fly　a　scene　which　under　ordinary　conditions　would　have　filled　me　with　utter　repugnance；　I　felt　a　desire　to　see　and　hear　everything。　Not　from　curiosity；　such　as　moved　most　of　the　people　about　me；　but　because　of　some　strong　instinctive　feeling　I　could　not　understand；　as　if　it　were　my　heart　which　had　been　struck；　and　my　fate　which　was　trembling　in　the　balance。

We　were　consequently　among　the　first　to　hear　such　further　details　as　were　allowed　to　circulate　among　the　now　well…nigh　frenzied　guests。　No　one　knew　the　perpetrator　of　the　deed　nor　did　there　appear　to　be　any　direct　evidence　calculated　to　fix　his　identity。　Indeed；　the　sudden　death　of　this　beautiful　woman　in　the　midst　of　festivity　might　have　been　looked　upon　as　suicide；　if　the　jewel　had　not　been　missing　from　her　breast　and　the　instrument　of　death　removed　from　the　wound。　So　far；　the　casual　search　which　had　been　instituted　had　failed　to　produce　this　weapon；　but　the　police　would　be　here　soon　and　then　something　would　be　done。　As　to　the　means　of　entrance　employed　by　the　assassin；　there　seemed　to　be　but　one　opinion。　The　alcove　contained　a　window　opening　upon　a　small　balcony。　By　this　he　had　doubtless　entered　and　escaped。　The　long　plush　curtains　which；　during　the　early　part　of　the　evening；　had　remained　looped　back　on　either　side　of　the　casement；　were　found　at　the　moment　of　the　crime's　discovery　closely　drawn　together。　Certainly　a　suspicious　circumstance。　However；　the　question　was　one　easily　settled。　If　any　one　had　approached　by　the　balcony　there　would　be　marks　in　the　snow　to　show　it。　Mr。　Ramsdell　had　gone　out　to　see。　He　would　be　coming　back　soon。

〃Do　you　think　this　a　probable　explanation　of　the　crime？〃　I　demanded　of　Mr。　Durand　at　this　juncture。　〃If　I　remember　rightly　this　window　overlooks　the　carriage　drive；　it　must；　therefore；　be　within　plain　sight　of　the　door　through　which　some　three　hundred　guests　have　passed　to…night。　How　could　any　one　climb　to　such　a　height；　lift　the　window　and　step　in　without　being　seen？〃

〃You　forget　the　awning。〃　He　spoke　quickly　and　with　unexpected　vivacity。　〃The　awning　runs　up　very　near　this　window　and　quite　shuts　it　off　from　the　sight　of　arriving　guests。　The　drivers　of　departing　carriages　could　see　it　if　they　chanced　to　glance　back。　But　their　eyes　are　usually　on　their　horses　in　such　a　crowd。　The　probabilities　are　against　any　of　them　having　looked　up。〃　His　brow　had　cleared；　a　weight　seemed　removed　from　his　mind。　〃When　I　went　into　the　alcove　to　see　Mrs。　Fairbrother；　she　was　sitting　in　a　chair　near　this　window　looking　out。　I　remember　the　effect　of　her　splendor　against　the　snow　sifting　down　in　a　steady　stream　behind　her。　The　pink　velvetthe　soft　green　of　the　curtains　on　either　sideher　brilliantsand　the　snow　for　a　background！　Yes；　the　murderer　came　in　that　way。　Her　figure　would　be　plain　to　any　one　outside；　and　if　she　moved　and　the　diamond　shoneDon't　you　see　what　a　probable　theory　it　is？　There　must　be　ways　by　which　a　desperate　man　might　reach　that　balcony。　I　believe〃

How　eager　he　was　and　with　what　a　look　he　turned　when　the　word　came　filtering　through　the　crowd　that；　though　footsteps　had　been　found　in　the　snow　pointing　directly　toward　the　balcony；　there　was　none　on　the　balcony　itself；　proving；　as　any　one　could　see；　that　the　attack　had　not　come　from　without；　since　no　one　could　enter　the　alcove　by　the　window　without　stepping　on　the　balcony。

〃Mr。　Durand　has　suspicions　of　his　own；〃　I　explained　determinedly　to　myself。　〃He　met　some　one　going　in　as　he　stepped　out。　Shall　I　ask　him　to　name　this　person？〃　No；　I　did　not　have　the　courage；　not　while　his　face　wore　so　stern　a　look　and　was　so　resolutely　turned　away。

The　next　excitement　was　a　request　from　Mr。　Ramsdell　for　us　all　to　go　into　the　drawing…room。　This　led　to　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　wh