the law and the lady-第13章

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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　overacted。

〃_That_　doesn't　look　very　encouraging；〃　he　said；　with　a　smile；
pointing　to　the　shattered　pieces　of　china　in　the　drawer。

〃Appearances　are　not　always　to　be　trusted；〃　I　replied。　〃The
wisest　thing　I　can　do　in　my　present　situation　is　to　suspect
everything；　even　down　to　a　broken　vase。〃

I　looked　hard　at　him　as　I　spoke。　He　changed　the　subject。

〃Does　the　music　upstairs　annoy　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　in　the　least；　Major。〃

〃It　will　soon　be　over　now。　The　singing…master　is　going；　and　the
Italian　master　has　just　arrived。　I　am　sparing　no　pains　to　make　my
young　prima　donna　a　most　accomplished　person。　In　learning　to　sing
she　must　also　learn　the　language　which　is　especially　the　language
of　music。　I　shall　perfect　her　in　the　accent　when　I　take　her　to
Italy。　It　is　the　height　of　my　ambition　to　have　her　mistaken　for
an　Italian　when　she　sings　in　public。　Is　there　anything　I　can　do
before　I　leave　you　again？　May　I　send　you　some　more　champagne？
Please　say　yes！〃

〃A　thousand　thanks；　Major。　No　more　champagne　for　the　present。〃

He　turned　at　the　door　to　kiss　his　hand　to　me　at　parting。　At　the
same　moment　I　saw　his　eyes　wander　slyly　toward　the　book…case。　It
was　only　for　an　instant。　I　had　barely　detected　him　before　he　was
out　of　the　room。

Left　by　myself　again；　I　looked　at　the　book…caselooked　at　it
attentively　for　the　first　time。

It　was　a　handsome　piece　of　furniture　in　ancient　carved　oak；　and
it　stood　against　the　wall　which　ran　parallel　with　the　hall　of　the
house。　Excepting　the　space　occupied　in　the　upper　corner　of　the
room　by　the　second　door；　which　opened　into　the　hall；　the
book…case　filled　the　whole　length　of　the　wall　down　to　the　window。
The　top　was　ornamented　by　vases；　candelabra；　and　statuettes；　in
pairs；　placed　in　a　row。　Looking　along　the　row；　I　noticed　a　vacant
space　on　the　top　of　the　bookcase　at　the　extremity　of　it　which　was
nearest　to　the　window。　The　opposite　extremity；　nearest　to　the
door；　was　occupied　by　a　handsome　painted　vase　of　a　very　peculiar
pattern。　Where　was　the　corresponding　vase；　which　ought　to　have
been　placed　at　the　corresponding　extremity　of　the　book…case？　I
returned　to　the　open　sixth　drawer　of　the　cabinet；　and　looked　in
again。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　pattern　on　the　fragments　when　I
examined　them　now。　The　vase　which　had　been　broken　was　the　vase
which　had　stood　in　the　place　now　vacant　on　the　top　of　the
book…case　at　the　end　nearest　to　the　window。

Making　this　discovery；　I　took　out　the　fragments；　down　to　the
smallest　morsel　of　the　shattered　china；　and　examined　them
carefully　one　after　another。

I　was　too　ignorant　of　the　subject　to　be　able　to　estimate　the
value　of　the　vase　or　the　antiquity　of　the　vase；　or　even　to　know
whether　it　were　of　British　or　of　foreign　manufacture。　The　ground
was　of　a　delicate　cream…color。　The　ornaments　traced　on　this　were
wreaths　of　flowers　and　Cupids　surrounding　a　medallion　on　either
side　of　the　vase。　Upon　the　space　within　one　of　the　medallions　was
painted　with　exquisite　delicacy　a　woman's　head；　representing　a
nymph　or　a　goddess；　or　perhaps　a　portrait　of　some　celebrated
personI　was　not　learned　enough　to　say　which。　The　other
medallion　inclosed　the　head　of　a　man；　also　treated　in　the
classical　style。　Reclining　shepherds　and　shepherdesses　in　Watteau
costume；　with　their　dogs　and　their　sheep；　formed　the　adornments
of　the　pedestal。　Such　had　the　vase　been　in　the　days　of　its
prosperity；　when　it　stood　on　the　top　of　the　book…case。　By　what　a
ccident　had　it　become　broken？　And　why　had　Major　Fitz…David's　face
changed　when　he　found　that　I　had　discovered　the　remains　of　his
shattered　work　of　art　in　the　cabinet　drawer？

The　remains　left　those　serious　questions　unansweredthe　remains
told　me　absolutely　nothing。　And　yet；　if　my　own　observation　of　the
Major　were　to　be　trusted；　the　way　to　the　clew　of　which　I　was　in
search　lay；　directly　or　indirectly；　through　the　broken　vase。

It　was　useless　to　pursue　the　question；　knowing　no　more　than　I
knew　now。　I　returned　to　the　book…case。

Thus　far　I　had　assumed　（without　any　sufficient　reason）　that　the
clew　of　which　I　was　in　search　must　necessarily　reveal　itself
through　a　written　paper　of　some　sort。　It　now　occurred　to
meafter　the　movement　which　I　had　detected　on　the　part　of　the
Majorthat　the　clew　might　quite　as　probably　present　itself　in
the　form　of　a　book。

I　looked　along　the　lower　rows　of　shelves；　standing　just　near
enough　to　them　to　read　the　titles　on　the　backs　of　the　volumes。　I
saw　Voltaire　in　red　morocco；　Shakespeare　in　blue；　Walter　Scott　in
green；　the　〃History　of　England〃　in　brown；　the　〃Annual　Register〃
in　yellow　calf。　There　I　paused；　wearied　and　discouraged　already
by　the　long　rows　of　volumes。　How　（I　thought　to　myself）　am　I　to
examine　all　these　books？　And　what　am　I　to　look　for；　even　if　I　do
examine　them　all？

Major　Fitz…David　had　spoken　of　a　terrible　misfortune　which　had
darkened　my　husband's　past　life。　In　what　possible　way　could　any
trace　of　that　misfortune；　or　any　suggestive　hint　of　something
resembling　it；　exist　in　the　archives　of　the　〃Annual　Register〃　or
in　the　pages　of　Voltaire？　The　bare　idea　of　such　a　thing　seemed
absurd　The　mere　attempt　to　make　a　serious　examination　in　this
direction　was　surely　a　wanton　waste　of　time。

And　yet　the　Major　had　certainly　stolen　a　look　at　the　book…case。
And　again；　the　broken　vase　had　once　stood　on　the　book…case。　Did
these　circumstances　justify　me　in　connecting　the　vase　and　the
book…case　as　twin　landmarks　on　the　way　that　led　to　discovery？　The
question　was　not　an　easy　one　to　decide　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。

I　looked　up　at　the　higher　shelves。

Here　the　collection　of　books　exhibited　a　greater　variety。　The
volumes　were　smaller；　and　were　not　so　carefully　arranged　as　on
the　lower　shelves。　Some　were　bound　in　cloth；　some　were　only
protected　by　paper　covers；　one　or　two　had　fallen；　and　lay　flat　on
the　shelves。　Here　and　there　I　saw　empty　spaces　from　which　books
had　been　removed　and　not　replaced。　In　short；　there　was　no
discouraging　uniformity　in　these　higher　regions　of　the　book…case。
The　untidy　top　shelves　looked　suggestive　of　some　lucky　accident
which　might　unexpectedly　lead　the　way　to　success。　I　decided；　if　I
did　examine　the　book…case　at　all；　to　begin　at　the　top。

Where　was　the　library　ladder？

I　had　left　it　against　the　partition　wall　which　divided　the　back
room　from　the　room　in　front。　Looking　that　way；　I　necessarily
looked　also　toward　the　door　that　ran　in　groovesthe　imperfectly
closed　door　through　which　I　heard　Major　Fitz…David　question　his
servant　on　the　subject　of　my　personal　appearance　when　I　first
entered　the　house。　No　one　had　moved　this　door　during　the　time　of
my　visit。　Everybody　entering　or　leaving　the　room　had　used　the
other　door；　which　led　into　the　hall。

At　the　moment　when　I　looked　round　something　stirred　in　the　front
room。　The　movement　let　the　light　in　suddenly　through　the　small
open　space　left　by　the　partially　closed　door。　Had　somebody　been
watching　me　through　the　chink？　I　stepped　softly　to　the　door；　and
pushed　it　back　until　it　was　wide　open。　There　was　the　Major；
discovered　in　the　front　room！　I　saw　it　in　his　facehe　had　been
watching　me　at　the　book…case！

His　hat　was　in　his　hand。　He　was　evidently　going　out；　and　he
dexterously　took　advantage　of　that　circumstance　to　give　a
plausible　reason　for　being　so　near　the　door。

〃I　hope　I　didn't　frighten　you；〃　he　said。

〃You　startled　me　a　little；　Major。〃

〃I　am　so　sorry；　and　so　ashamed！　I　was　just　going　to　open　the
door；　and　tell　you　that　I　am　obliged　to　go　out。　I　have　received　a
pressing　message　from　a　lady。　A　charming　personI　should　so　like
you　to　know　her。　She　is　in　sad　trouble；　poor　thing。　Little　bills；
you　know；　and　nasty　tradespeople　who　want　their　money；　and　a
husbandoh；　dear　me；　a　husband　who　is　quite　unworthy　of　her！　A
most　interesting　creature。　You　remind　me　of　her　a　little；　you
both　have　the　same　carriage　of　the　head。　I　shall　not　be　more　than
half　an　hour　gone。　Can　I　do　anything　for　you？　You　are　looking
fatigued。　Pray　let　me　send　for　some　more　champagne。　No？　Promise
to　ring　when　you　want　it。　That's　right！　_Au　revoir_；　my　charming
friend_au　revoir！_〃

I　pulled　the　door　to　ag