the woman in the alcove-第32部分

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Some　five　years　before；　one　of　the　great　diamonds　of　the　world　was　offered　for　sale　in　an　Eastern　market。　Mr。　Grey；　who　stopped　at　no　expense　in　the　gratification　of　his　taste　in　this　direction；　immediately　sent　his　agent　to　Egypt　to　examine　this　stone。　If　the　agent　discovered　it　to　be　all　that　was　claimed　for　it；　and　within　the　reach　of　a　wealthy　commoner's　purse；　he　was　to　buy　it。　Upon　inspection；　it　was　found　to　be　all　that　was　claimed；　with　one　exception。　In　the　center　of　one　of　the　facets　was　a　flaw；　but；　as　this　was　considered　to　mark　the　diamond；　and　rather　add　to　than　detract　from　its　value　as　a　traditional　stone　with　many　historical　associations；　it　was　finally　purchased　by　Mr。　Grey　and　placed　among　his　treasures　in　his　manor…house　in　Kent。　Never　a　suspicious　man；　he　took　delight　in　exhibiting　this　acquisition　to　such　of　his　friends　and　acquaintances　as　were　likely　to　feel　any　interest　in　it；　and　it　was　not　an　uncommon　thing　for　him　to　allow　it　to　pass　from　hand　to　hand　while　he　pottered　over　his　other　treasures　and　displayed　this　and　that　to　such　as　had　no　eyes　for　the　diamond。

It　was　after　one　such　occasion　that　he　found；　on　taking　the　stone　in　his　hand　to　replace　it　in　the　safe　he　had　had　built　for　it　in　one　of　his　cabinets；　that　it　did　not　strike　his　eye　with　its　usual　force　and　brilliancy；　and；　on　examining　it　closely；　he　discovered　the　absence　of　the　telltale　flaw。　Struck　with　dismay；　he　submitted　it　to　a　still　more　rigid　inspection；　when　he　found　that　what　he　held　was　not　even　a　diamond；　but　a　worthless　bit　of　glass；　which　had　been　substituted　by　some　cunning　knave　for　his　invaluable　gem。

For　the　moment　his　humiliation　almost　equaled　his　sense　of　loss；　he　had　been　so　often　warned　of　the　danger　he　ran　in　letting　so　priceless　an　object　pass　around　under　all　eyes　but　his　own。　His　wife　and　friends　had　prophesied　some　such　loss　as　this；　not　once；　but　many　times；　and　he　had　always　laughed　at　their　fears；　saying　that　he　knew　his　friends；　and　there　was　not　a　scamp　amongst　them。　But　now　he　saw　it　proved　that　even　the　intuition　of　a　man　well…versed　in　human　nature　is　not　always　infallible；　and；　ashamed　of　his　past　laxness　and　more　ashamed　yet　of　the　doubts　which　this　experience　called　up　in　regard　to　all　his　friends；　he　shut　up　the　false　stone　with　his　usual　care　and　buried　his　loss　in　his　own　bosom；　till　he　could　sift　his　impressions　and　recall　with　some　degree　of　probability　the　circumstances　under　which　this　exchange　could　have　been　made。

It　had　not　been　made　that　evening。　Of　this　he　was　positive。　The　only　persons　present　on　this　occasion　were　friends　of　such　standing　and　repute　that　suspicion　in　their　regard　was　simply　monstrous。　when　and　to　whom；　then；　had　he　shown　the　diamond　last？　Alas；　it　had　been　a　long　month　since　be　had　shown　the　jewel。　Cecilia；　his　youngest　daughter；　had　died　in　the　interim；　therefore　his　mind　had　not　been　on　jewels。　A　month！　time　for　his　precious　diamond　to　have　been　carried　back　to　the　East！　Time　for　it　to　have　been　recut！　Surely　it　was　lost　to　him　for　ever；　unless　he　could　immediately　locate　the　person　who　had　robbed　him　of　it。

But　this　promised　difficulties。　He　could　not　remember　just　what　persons　he　had　entertained　on　that　especial　day　in　his　little　hall　of　cabinets；　and；　when　he　did　succeed　in　getting　a　list　of　them　from　his　butler；　he　was　by　no　means　sure　that　it　included　the　full　number　of　his　guests。　His　own　memory　was　execrable；　and；　in　short；　he　had　but　few　facts　to　offer　to　the　discreet　agent　sent　up　from　Scotland　Yard　one　morning　to　hear　his　complaint　and　act　secretly　in　his　interests。　He　could　give　him　carte　blanche　to　carry　on　his　inquiries　in　the　diamond　market；　but　little　else。　And　while　this　seemed　to　satisfy　the　agent；　it　did　not　lead　to　any　gratifying　result　to　himself；　and　he　had　thoroughly　made　up　his　mind　to　swallow　his　loss　and　say　nothing　about　it；　when　one　day　a　young　cousin　of　his；　living　in　great　style　in　an　adjoining　county；　informed　him　that　in　some　mysterious　way　he　had　lost　from　his　collection　of　arms　a　unique　and　highly…prized　stiletto　of　Italian　workmanship。

Startled　by　this　coincidence；　Mr。　Grey　ventured　upon　a　question　or　two；　which　led　to　his　cousin's　confiding　to　him　the　fact　that　this　article　had　disappeared　after　a　large　supper　given　by　him　to　a　number　of　friends　and　gentlemen　from　London。　This　piece　of　knowledge；　still　further　coinciding　with　his　own　experience；　caused　Mr。　Grey　to　ask　for　a　list　of　his　guests；　in　the　hope　of　finding　among　them　one　who　had　been　in　his　own　house。

His　cousin；　quite　unsuspicious　of　the　motives　underlying　this　request；　hastened　to　write　out　this　list；　and　together　they　pored　over　the　names；　crossing　out　such　as　were　absolutely　above　suspicion。　When　they　had　reached　the　end　of　the　list；　but　two　names　remained　uncrossed。　One　was　that　of　a　rattle…pated　youth　who　had　come　in　the　wake　of　a　highly　reputed　connection　of　theirs；　and　the　other　that　of　an　American　tourist　who　gave　all　the　evidences　of　great　wealth　and　had　presented　letters　to　leading　men　in　London　which　had　insured　him　attentions　not　usually　accorded　to　foreigners。　This　man's　name　was　Fairbrother；　and；　the　moment　Mr。　Grey　heard　it；　he　recalled　the　fact　that　an　American　with　a　peculiar　name；　but　with　a　reputation　for　wealth；　had　been　among　his　guests　on　the　suspected　evening。

Hiding　the　effect　produced　upon　him　by　this　discovery；　he　placed　his　finger　on　this　name　and　begged　his　cousin　to　look　up　its　owner's　antecedents　and　present　reputation　in　America；　but；　not　content　with　this；　he　sent　his　own　agent　over　to　New　York　whither；　as　he　soon　learned；　this　gentleman　had　returned。　The　result　was　an　apparent　vindication　of　the　suspected　American。　He　was　found　to　be　a　well…known　citizen　of　the　great　metropolis；　moving　in　the　highest　circles　and　with　a　reputation　for　wealth　won　by　an　extraordinary　business　instinct。

To　be　sure；　he　had　not　always　enjoyed　these　distinctions。　Like　many　another　self…made　man；　he　had　risen　from　a　menial　position　in　a　Western　mining　camp；　to　be　the　owner　of　a　mine　himself；　and　so　up　through　the　various　gradations　of　a　successful　life　to　a　position　among　the　foremost　business　men　of　New　York。　In　all　these　changes　he　had　maintained　a　name　for　honest；　if　not　generous；　dealing。　He　lived　in　great　style；　had　married　and　was　known　to　have　but　one　extravagant　fancy。　This　was　for　the　unique　and　curious　in　art；a　taste　which；　if　report　spoke　true；　cost　him　many　thousands　each　year。

This　last　was　the　only　clause　in　the　report　which　pointed　in　any　way　toward　this　man　being　the　possible　abstractor　of　the　Great　Mogul；　as　Mr。　Grey's　famous　diamond　was　called；　and　the　latter　was　too　just　a　man　and　too　much　of　a　fancier　in　this　line　himself　to　let　a　fact　of　this　kind　weigh　against　the　favorable　nature　of　the　rest。　So　he　recalled　his　agent；　double…locked　his　cabinets　and　continued　to　confine　his　display　of　valuables　to　articles　which　did　not　suggest　jewels。　Thus　three　years　passed；　when　one　day　he　heard　mention　made　of　a　wonderful　diamond　which　had　been　seen　in　New　York。　From　its　description　he　gathered　that　it　must　be　the　one　surreptitiously　abstracted　from　his　cabinet；　and　when；　after　some　careful　inquiries；　he　learned　that　the　name　of　its　possessor　was　Fairbrother；　he　awoke　to　his　old　suspicions　and　determined　to　probe　this　matter　to　the　bottom。　But　secretly。　He　still　had　too　much　consideration　to　attack　a　man　in　high　position　without　full　proof。

Knowing　of　no　one　he　could　trust　with　so　delicate　an　inquiry　as　this　had　now　become；　he　decided　to　undertake　it　himself；　and　for　this　purpose　embraced　the　first　opportunity　to　cross　the　water。　He　took　his　daughter　with　him　because　he　had　resolved　never　to　let　his　one　remaining　child　out　of　his　sight。　But　she　knew　nothing　of　his　plans　or　reason　for　travel。　No　one　did。　Indeed；　only　his　lawyer　and　the　police　were　aware　of　the　loss　of　his　diamond。

His　first　surprise　on　landing　was　to　learn　that　Mr。　Fairbrother；　of　whose　marriage　he　had　heard；　had　quarreled　with　his　wife　and　that；　in　the　separation　which　had　occurred；　the　diamond　had　fallen　to　her　share　and　was　consequently　in　her　possession　at　the　present　moment。

This　changed　matters；　and　Mr。　Grey's　only　thought　now　was　to　surprise　her　with　the　diamond　on　her　person　and　by　one　glance　assure　himself　that　it　was　indeed　the　Great　Mogul。　Since　Mrs。　Fairbrother　was　reported　to　be　a　beautiful　woman　and　a　great　society　belle；　he　saw　no　reason　why　he　should　not　meet　her　publicly；　and　that　very　soon。　He　therefore　accepted　invitations　and　attended　theaters　and　balls；　though　his　daughter　had　suffered　from　her　voyage　and　was　not　able　to　accompany　him。　But　alas！　he　soon　learned　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother　was　never　seen　with　her　diamond　and；　one　evening　after　an　introduction　at　the　opera；　that　she　never　talked　about　it。　So　there　he　was；　balked　on　the　very　threshold　of　his　enterprise；　and；　recognizing　the　fact；　was　preparing　to　take　his　now　seriously　ailing　daughter　south；　when　he　received　an　invitation　to　a　ball　of　such　a　select　character　that　he　decided　to　remain　for　it；　in　the　hope　that　Mrs。　Fairbrother　would　be　tempted　to　put　on　all　her　splendor　for　so　magnificent　a　function　and　thus　gratify　him　with　a　sight　of　his　own　diamond。　During　the　days　that　intervened　he　saw　her　several　times　and　very　soon　decided　that；　in　spite　of　her　reticence　in　regard　to　this　gem；　she　was　not　sufficiently　in　her　husband's　confidence　to　know　the　secret　of　its　real　ownership。　This　encouraged　him　to　attempt　piquing　her　into　wearing　the　diamond　on　this　occasion。　He　talked　of　precious　stones　and　finally　of　his　own；　declaring　that　he　had　a　connoisseur's　eye　for　a　fine　diamond；　but　had　seen　none　as　yet　in　America　to　compete　with　a　specimen　or　two　he　had　in　his　own　cabinets。　Her　eye　flashed　at　this　and；　though　she　said　nothing；　he　felt　sure　that　her　presence　at　Mr。　Ramsdell's　house　would　be　enlivened　by　her　great　jewel。

So　much　for　Mr。　Grey's　attitude　in　this　matter　up　to　the　night　of　the　ball。　It　is　interesting　enough；　but　that　of　Abner　Fairbrother　is　more　interesting　still　and　much　more　serious。

His　was　indeed　the　hand　which　had　abstracted　the　diamond　from　Mr。　Grey's　collection。　Under　ordinary　conditions　he　was　an　honest　man。　He　prized　his　good　name　and　would　not　willingly　risk　it；　but　he　ha