登陆注册
5362400000048

第48章 XV WHITE BOW AND PINK(2)

Miss Nixon! That was a name well known in Washington; almost as well known as that of Uncle David, or even of Mr. Tallman. What could this quaint and characteristic little body have to do with this case of doubtful suicide? A word will explain. She was the person who, on the day before, had made that loud exclamation when the box containing the ribbon and the pistol had been disclosed to the jury.

As her fussy little figure came forward, some nudged and some laughed, possibly because her bonnet was not of this year's style, possibly because her manner was peculiar and as full of oddities as her attire. But they did not laugh long, for the little lady's look was appealing, if not distressed. The fact that she was generally known to possess one of the largest bank accounts in the District, made any marked show of disrespect toward her a matter of poor judgment, if not of questionable taste.

The box in the coroner's hand prepared us for what was before us.

As he opened it and disclosed again the dainty white bow which, as I have before said, was of rather a fantastic make, the whole roomful of eager spectators craned forward and were startled enough when he asked:

"Did you ever see a bow like this before?"

Her answer came in the faintest of tones.

"Yes, I have one like it; very like it; so like it that yesterday I could not suppress an exclamation on seeing this one."

"Where did you get the one you have? Who fashioned it, I mean, or tied it for you, if that is what I ought to say?"

"It was tied for me by - Miss Tuttle. She is a friend of mine, or was - and a very good one; and one day while watching me struggling with a piece of ribbon, which I wanted made into a bow, she took it from my hand and tied a knot for which I was very much obliged to her. It was very pretty."

"And like this?"

"Almost exactly, sir."

"Have you that knot with you?"

She had.

"Will you show it to the jury?"

Heaving a sigh which she had much better have suppressed, she opened a little bag she carried at her side and took out a pink satin bow.

It had been tied by a deft hand; and more than one pair of eyes fell significantly at sight of it.

Amid a silence which was intense, two or three other witnesses were called to prove that Miss Tuttle's skill in bow-tying was exceptional, and was often made use of, not only by members of her household, but, as in Miss Nixon's case, by outsiders; the special style shown in the one under consideration being the favorite.

During all this, I kept my eyes on Mr. Jeffrey. It had now become so evident which way the coroner's inquiries tended that I wished to be the first to note their effect on him. It was less marked than I had anticipated. The man seemed benumbed by accumulated torment and stared at the witnesses filing before him as if they were part of some wild phantasmagoria which confused, without enlightening him.

When finally several persons of both sexes were brought forward to prove that his attentions to Miss Tuttle had once been sufficiently marked for an announcement of their engagement to be daily looked for, he let his head fall forward on his breast as if the creeping horror which had seized him was too much for his brain if not for his heart. The final blow was struck when the man whom I had myself seen in Alexandria testified to the contretemps which had occurred in Atlantic City; an additional point being given to it by the repetition of some old conversation raked up for the purpose, by which an effort was made to prove that Miss Tuttle found it hard to forgive injuries even from those nearest and dearest to her. This subject might have been prolonged, but some of the jury objected, and the time being now ripe for the great event of the day, the name of the lady herself was called.

After so significant a preamble, the mere utterance of Miss Tuttle's name had almost the force of an accusation; but the dignity with which she rose calmed all minds, and subdued every expression of feeling. I could but marvel at her self-poise and noble equanimity, and asked myself if, in the few days which had passed since first the murmur of something more serious than suicide had gone about, she had so schooled herself for all emergencies that nothing could shake her self-possession, not even the suggestion that a woman of her beauty and distinction could be concerned in a crime. 0r had she within herself some great source of strength, which sustained her in this most dreadful ordeal? All were on watch to see. When the veil dropped from before her features and she stepped into the full sight of the expectant crowd, it was not the beauty of her face, notable and conspicuous as that was, which roused the hum of surprise that swept from one end of the room to the other, but the calmness, almost the elevation of her manner, a calmness and elevation so unlooked for in the light of the strange contradictions offered by the evidence to which we had been listening for a day and a half, that all were affected; many inclined even to believe her innocent of any undue connection with her sister's death before she had stretched forth her hand to take the oath.

I was no exception to the rest. Though I had exerted myself from the first to bring matters to a climax - but not to this one - I experienced such a shock under the steady gaze of her sad but gentle eyes, that I found myself recoiling before my own presumption with something like secret shame till I was relieved by the thought that a perfectly innocent woman would show more feeling at so false and cruel a position. I felt that only one with something to conceal would turn so calm a front upon men ready, as she knew, to fix upon her a great crime. This conviction steadied me and made me less susceptible to her grace and to the tone of her quiet voice and the far-away sadness of her look. She faltered only when by chance she glanced at the shrinking figure of Francis Jeffrey.

Her name which she uttered without emphasis and yet in a way to arouse attention sank into all hearts with more or less disturbance.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 城市的表情

    城市的表情

    社会自打进城后,那方面突然就不行了。雅萍怎么配合也不行,社会就像一辆老掉牙的摩托车,突然熄火了?熏咋加油门也打不着火,任凭俩人折腾得大汗淋漓,也没什么实质性的起色。两口子这样努力的结果是弄醒了一个屋睡觉的女儿豆豆。女儿以为社会的胃疼病犯了,睡眼蒙癤地问:“爸,咋的了?”社会在黑暗中慌乱地停止了努力,伏在雅萍身上突然定格一样一动不动。社会小心地回答女儿一句:“睡吧,爸没事。”社会回答的腔调很滑稽,有点欲盖弥彰弄巧成拙的味道。雅萍憋不住,托着社会的裸体哧哧地笑。社会听见笑,怕女儿听出什么来,就很惭愧地去捂雅萍的嘴巴。
  • 圭峰集

    圭峰集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 历史的底牌

    历史的底牌

    从秦始皇身世的由来,到传国玉玺的下落之谜;从宋太宗弑兄悬案,到雍正帝暴卒之谜……本书汇集了大量历史上悬而未决的悬疑谜案,作者在综合历史研究成果的基础上,还对诸多民间的秘闻传说进行了整理,试图将历史研究的科学性、知识性、探索性同民间传说的趣味性融为一体,充分汇集关于历史悬疑的各种说法,给出独到见解,让你在前人众说纷纭的观点中拨开历史的迷雾,探究历史的真相。
  • 余生,温先生常在

    余生,温先生常在

    死了一年突然重生的乔竹,出现在村口石碑被人所救。故事的一切则是从这村子开始的,在村子的的背后,有着各种各样光怪陆离的故事……只是乔竹重生后,却遇到了不走寻常路的总裁大人。乔竹:只要你坦白从宽抗拒从严,一切都好说。某男:那我把身心都交给你,能好说吗?乔竹:……
  • 逆袭,本妃就是这么拽

    逆袭,本妃就是这么拽

    21世纪女医学生变身莫家嫡二小姐,为原主斗嫡姐、惩恶奴不亦乐乎!谁知重生的三皇子还是对恶毒嫡姐一往情深。丫嘀!这是虾米剧情!她演得要哭了好么!情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 泣血雪豹(动物传奇·探险卷)

    泣血雪豹(动物传奇·探险卷)

    动物与人类一样经历“生老病死”、“婚丧嫁娶”,动物们也性梠各异:鹰冷酷、蛇毒辣、狮子霸道……它们的存在使大自然充满生机和活力,也使人类的生活更加丰富和充实。此套10本“动物传奇”(10本)丛书以短小的篇幅、精练的语言,描绘出大自然是善良的慈母,同时也是冷酷的屠夫,人类只有顺应大自然,而不是战胜大自然,才会与大自然和谐地融为一体。
  • 浪迹妖界

    浪迹妖界

    将世事看做游艺,把生死当做儿戏,这会是怎样一段让人啼笑皆非的冒险呢?嬉笑打闹游妖界,龙魂奇术就侠名。不喜武功,不爱争斗,只是贪恋游玩享乐的洛溪恒偏偏卷入了万妖横行的新世界。抱着游玩的心态,遇事能避则避,该躲则躲;偏偏拥有强大的龙魂奇术,成就侠名。东碰西撞破奸谋,南征北讨立奇功。只想游历一番,却误打误撞发现了惊天阴谋;带领大军只是为了能够让自己安全一些,南征北讨只是为了躲避强敌,误打误撞却立下大功。
  • 每天学点怪诞行为学大全集

    每天学点怪诞行为学大全集

    每天学点怪诞行为学大全集:透视人类行为的非理性误区和非常态背后的真相(白金版)》向人们揭示了左右我们大脑和行为的各种诡谲的深层因素及导致这些怪诞行为发生的真实原因和特定心理,并为我们提供了相应的应对措施。《每天学点怪诞行为学大全集:透视人类行为的非理性误区和非常态背后的真相(白金版)》除了为读者还原了日常生活中的怪诞行为及现象背后的本质,为读者展示生活的本来面目外,更加注重告诉读者如何拥有一双慧眼,让读者能够对自己所见、所闻、所感到的事件和行为进行分析,了解事情背后的真相,从而真正作出理性的决断。
  • 标准的礼仪规范

    标准的礼仪规范

    交谈是人们传递信息和感情、彼此增进了解和友谊的一种方式,是一种有来有往、相互交流思想情感的双边或多边活动,同时,交谈也是一件十分有意义的活动,它可以使你增长知识、开阔眼界、陶冶情操、愉悦心灵。
  • 坟墓里的钢模子

    坟墓里的钢模子

    己亥(1899)年,龙阳一带遭遇大旱,六至十月不雨。田中禾苗,皆枯如茅草。消息报给巡抚,巡抚无意赈灾,厘局钱庄趁机勒索盘剥,以致谷价昂贵,饥民采蕨根、茅根为食。龙阳县境内有炭窑窑主冯德乾联络骁勇,密谋起事。农历腊月初三,冯德乾与众好汉歃血盟酒,喊出劫富济贫的口号,自封将军,率七百余人奔袭县城,杀官绅,烧毁厘局,没收当铺财产,开官仓设粥厂三处。街上贴满了石灰标语,饥民欢呼雀跃。冯德乾下令设点招募新兵。顷刻间,报名者排起了长队。