第55章

Nothingincomparisonwithyourowncollection。“ Thebishopclaspedhishandoverhisheart。Hisbreathcameshortandquick。 “Areturnofthatdizziness，“heexplainedwithafaintsmile。 “YouarethinkingoftheValdezsapphire，areyounot？Someday，“ hewentonwithforcedcomposure，“Imayhavethepleasureofshowingittoyou。Itisatmybanker’sjustnow。“ MissPanton’sstepswereheardintheball。“Youarewellknownasaconnoisseur，Mr。Acton，“hewentonhurriedly。“Isyourcollectionvaluable？Ifso，keepitsafe；don’ttrustaringoffyourhand，orthekeyofyourjewelcaseoutofyourpockettillthehouseisclearagain。“Thewordsrushedfromhislipsinanimpetuouswhisper，hegavemeameaningglance，anddepartedwithhisdaughter。Iwentbacktothedrawing-room，myheadswimmingwithbewilderment。 “What！Thedearbishopgone！“screamedLadyCarwitchetfromthecentralottomanwhereshesat，surroundedbymostofthegentlemen，allapparentlywellentertainedbyherconversation。“AndIwantedtotalkoveroldtimeswithhimsobadly。Hispoorwifewasmygreatestfriend。MiraMontanaro，daughterofthegreatbanker，youknow。It’snotpossiblethatthatmiserablelittleprigismypoorMira’sgirl。TheheiressofalltheMontanarosinablacklacegownworthtwopence！WhenIthinkofhermother’sbeautyandhertoilets！Doessheeverwearthesapphires？Hasanyoneeverseenherinthem？Elevenlargestonesinalovelyantiquesetting，andthegreatValdezsapphire——worththousandsandthousands——forthependant。“Noonereplied。“Iwantedtogetariseoutofthebishopto-night。ItusedtomakehimsomadwhenIworethis。“ Shefumbledamongthelacesatherthroat，andclawedoutapendantthathungtoavelvetbandaroundherneck。Ifairlygaspedwhensheremovedherhand。Asapphireofirregularshapeflashedoutitsbluelightningonus。Suchastone！Atrue，rich，cornflowerblueevenbythatwretchedartificiallight，withsoftvelvetydepthsofcoloranddazzlingclearnessoftintinitslightsandshades——astonetoremember！Istretchedoutmyhandinvoluntarily，butLadyCarwitchetdrewbackwithacoquettishsqueal。“No！no！Youmustn’tlookanycloser。Tellmewhatyouthinkofitnow。Isn’titpretty？“ “Superb！“wasallIcouldejaculate，staringattheazuresplendorofthatmiraculousjewelinasortoftrance。 Shegaveashrillcacklinglaughofmockery。 “ThegreatMr。ActontakeninbyabitofPalaisRoyalgimcrackery！ WhatanadvertisementforBogaertsetCie！Theyareperfectartistsinfrauds。Don’tyouremembertheirstandatthefirstParisExhibition？Theyhadimitationsthereofeverycelebratedstone；butIneverexpectedanythingmadebymancoulddeludeMr。 Acton，never！“Andshewentoffintoanothermockingcackle，andalltheidiotsroundherhaw-hawedknowingly，asiftheyhadseenthejokeallalong。Iwastoobewilderedtoreply，whichwasonthewholelucky。“IsupposeImustn’ttellwhyIcametogivequiteabigsuminfrancsforthis？“shewenton，tappingherclosedlipswithherclosedfan，andcockinghereyeatusalllikeaparrotwantingtobecoaxedtotalk。“It’saqueerstory。“ Ididn’twanttohearheranecdote，especiallyasIsawshewantedtotellit。WhatIDIDwantwastoseethatpendantagain。Shehadthrustitbackamongherlaces，onlytheloopwhichheldittothevelvetbeingvisible。Itwassetwiththreesmallsapphires，andevenfromadistanceIclearlymadethemouttobeimitations，andpoorones。Ifeltaqueerthrillofself-mistrust。Wasthelargestonenobetter？CouldI，evenforaninstant，havebeendazzledbyasham，andashamofthatquality？Theeventsoftheeveninghadflurriedandconfusedme。Iwishedtothinkthemoverinquiet。Iwouldgotobed。 MyroomsattheManorarethebestinthehouse。Letawillhaveitso。Imustexplaintheirpositionforareasontobeunderstoodlater。Mybedroomisinthesoutheastangleofthehouse；itopensononesideintoasitting-roomintheeastcorridor，therestofwhichistakenupbythesuiteofroomsoccupiedbyTomandLeta； andontheothersideintomybathroom，thefirstroominthesouthcorridor，wheretheprincipalguestchambersare，tooneofwhichitwasoriginallythedressing-room。PassingthisroomInoticedacoupleofhousemaidspreparingitforthenight，anddiscoveredwithashiverthatLadyCarwitchetwastobemynext-doorneighbor。 Itgavemeaturn。 Thebishop’sstrangewarningmusthaveunnervedme。Iwasperfectlysafefromherladyship。Thedisuseddoorintoherroomwaslocked，andthekeysafeonthehousekeeper’sbunch。Itwasalsoundiscoverableonherside，therecessinwhichitstoodbeingcompletelyfilledbyalargewardrobe。Onmysidehungathicksound-proofportiere。Nevertheless，Iresolvednottousethatroomwhilesheinhabitedthenextone。Iremovedmypossessions，fastenedthedoorofcommunicationwithmybedroom，anddraggedaheavyottomanacrossit。 ThenIstowedawaymyemeraldinmystrong-box。Itisbuiltintothewallofmysitting-room，andmaskedbythelowerpartofanoldcarvedoakbureau。IputawayeventheringsIworehabitually，keepingoutonlyaninferiorcat’s-eyeforworkadaywear。IhadjustmadeallsafewhenLetatappedatthedoorandcameintowishmegoodnight。Shelookedflushedandharassedandreadytocry。 “UnclePaul，“shebegan，“Iwantyoutogouptotownatonce，andstayawaytillIsendforyou。“ “Mydear——！“Iwastooamazedtoexpostulate。 “We’vegota——apestilenceamongus，“shedeclared，herfoottappingthegroundangrily，“andtheleastwecandoistogointoquarantine。Oh，I’msosorryandsoashamed！Thepoorbishop！ I’lltakegoodcarethatnooneelseshallmeetthatwomanhere。 Youdidyourbestforme，UnclePaul，andmanagedadmirably，butitwasallnouse。Ihopedagainsthopethatwhatbetweentheduskofthedrawing-roombeforedinner，andbeingputatoppositeendsofthetable，wemightgetthroughwithoutameeting——“ “But，mydear，explain。Whyshouldn’tthebishopandLadyCarwitchetmeet？Whyisitworseforhimthananyoneelse？“ “Why？Ithoughteverybodyhadheardofthatdreadfulwifeofhiswhonearlybrokehisheart。Ifhemarriedherforhermoneyitservedhimright，butLadyLandorsaysshewasveryhandsomeandreallyinlovewithhimatfirst。ThenLadyCarwitchetgotholdofherandledherintoallsortsofmischief。Sheleftherhusband—— hewasonlyarectorwithacountrylivinginthosedays——andwenttoliveintown，gotintoahorridfastset，andmadeherselfnotorious。YouMUSThaveheardofher。“ “Iheardofhersapphires，mydear。ButIwasinBrazilatthetime。“ “Iwishyouhadbeenathome。Youmighthavefoundherout。ShewasfuriousbecauseherhusbandrefusedtoletherwearthegreatValdezsapphire。IthadbeenintheMontanarofamilyforsomegenerations，andherfathersettleditfirstonherandthenonherlittlegirl——thebishopbeingtrustee。Hefeltobligedtotakeawaythelittlegirl，andsendherofftobebroughtupbysomeoldauntsinthecountry，andhelockedupthesapphire。LadyCarwitchettellsasasplendidjokehowtheygotthecopymadeinParis，anditdidjustaswellforthepeopletostareat。Nowonderthebishophatestheverynameofthestone。“ “Howlongwillshestayhere？“Iaskeddismally。 “TillLordCarwitchetcancomeandescorthertoParistovisitsomeAmericanfriends。Goodnessknowswhenthatwillbe！Dogouptotown，UnclePaul！“ Irefusedindignantly。TheveryleastIcoulddowastostandbymypooryoungrelativesintheirtroublesandhelpthemthrough。I didso。Iworethatinferiorcat’seyeforsixweeks！ ItisatimeIcannotthinkofevennowwithoutashudder。ThemoreIsawofthatterribleoldwomanthemoreIdetestedher，andwesawaverygreatdealofher。Letakeptherword，andneitheracceptednorgaveinvitationsallthattime。WewerecutofffromallsocietybutthatofoldGeneralFairford，whowouldgoanywhereandmeetanyonetogetarubberafterdinner；thedoctor，asportingwidower；andtheDuberlys，agiddy，ratherracketyyoungcouplewhohadtakentheDowerHouseforayear。LadyCarwitchetseemedperfectlycontent。ShereveledinthesoftlivingandgoodfareoftheManorHouse，thedrivesinLeta’sbigbarouche，andDomenico’sdinners，asonetowhomshortcommonswerenotunknown。 Shehadahungrywayofgrabbingandgraspingateverythingshecould——theshillingsshewonatwhist，thebestfruitatdessert，thepostagestampsinthelibraryinkstand——thatwasinfinitelysuggestive。SometimesIcouldhavepitiedher，shewassogreedy，sospiteful，sofriendless。Shealwaysmademethinkofsomewickedoldpirateputtingintoapeacefulporttoprovisionandrepairhisbatteredoldhulk，obligedtoliveonfriendlytermswiththenatives，buthispiraticaloldnostrilsasniffforplunderandhispiraticaloldsoullongingtobeoffmaraudingoncemore。 Whenwouldthatbe？NottillthearrivalinParisofherdistinguishedAmericanfriends，ofwhomweheardagreatdeal。 “Charmingpeople，theBokumsofChicago，theAmericanbranchoftheEnglishBeauchamps，youknow！“Theyseemedtobetakinganunconscionabletimetogetthere。ShewouldhaveinsistedonbeingdrivenovertoNorthchurchtocallatthepalace，butthatthebishopwasunderstoodtobeholdingconfirmationsattheotherendofthediocese。 Iwasaloneinthehouseoneafternoonsittingbymywindow，toyingwiththekeyofmysafe，andwonderingwhetherIdaretreatmyselftoapeepatmytreasures，whenasuspiciousmovementintheparkbelowcaughtmyattention。Ablackfigurecertainlydodgedfrombehindonetreetothenext，andthenintotheshadowoftheparkpalinginsteadofkeepingtothefootpath。Itlookedqueer。I caughtupmyfieldglassandmarkedhimatonepointwherehewasboundtocomeintotheopenforafewsteps。Hecrossedthestripofturfwithgiantstridesandgotintocoveragain，butnotquickenoughtopreventmerecognizinghim。Itwas——greatheavens！——thebishop！Inasofthatpulledoverhisforehead，withalongcloakandabigstick，helookedlikeapoacher。 GuidedbysomemysteriousinstinctIhurriedtomeethim。Iopenedtheconservatorydoor，andinherushedlikeahuntedrabbit。 WithoutexplanationIledhimupthewidestaircasetomyroom，wherehedroppedintoachairandwipedhisface。 “Youareastonished，Mr。Acton，“hepanted。“Iwillexplaindirectly。Thanks。“HetossedofftheglassofbrandyIhadpouredoutwithoutwaitingforthequalifyingsoda，andlookedbetter。 “Iaminserioustrouble。Youcanhelpme。I’vehadashockto- day——agrievousshock。“Hestoppedandtriedtopullhimselftogether。“Imusttrustyouimplicitly，Mr。Acton，Ihavenochoice。Tellmewhatyouthinkofthis。“Hedrewacasefromhisbreastpocketandopenedit。“IpromisedyoushouldseetheValdezsapphire。Lookthere！“ TheValdezsapphire！Agreatbigshininglumpofbluecrystal—— flawlessandofperfectcolor——thatwasall。Itookitup，breathedonit，drewoutmymagnifier，lookedatitinonelightandanother。Whatwaswrongwithit？Icouldnotsay。Nineexpertsoutoftenwouldundoubtedlyhavepronouncedthestonegenuine。I，byvirtueofsomemysteriousinstinctthathashithertoalwaysguidedmearight，wastheunluckytenth。Ilookedatthebishop。Hiseyesmetmine。Therewasnoneedofspokenwordbetweenus。 “HasLadyCarwitchetshownyouhersapphire？“washismostunexpectedquestion。“Shehas？Now，Mr。Acton，onyourhonorasaconnoisseurandagentleman，whichofthetwoistheValdez？“ “Notthisone。“Icouldsaynaughtelse。 “Youweremylasthope。“Hebrokeoff，anddroppedhisfaceonhisfoldedarmswithagroanthatshookthetableonwhichherested，whileIstooddismayedatmyselfforhavingletsohastyajudgmentescapeme。Heliftedaghastlycountenancetome。“Shevowedshewouldseemeruinedanddisgraced。Imadehermyenemybycrossingsomeofherschemesonce，andsheneverforgives。Shewillkeepherword。Ishallappearbeforetheworldasafraudulenttrustee。 Icanneitherproducethevaluableconfidedtomychargenormakethelossgood。Ihaveonlyanincrediblestorytotell，“bedroppedhisheadandgroanedagain。“Whowillbelieveme？“ “Iwill，forone。“