the sphinx without a secret-第2章

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do。　　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　I　had　no　right　to　spy　on　her；

and　I　drove　down　to　the　club。　　At　six　I　called　to　see　her。　　She　was

lying　on　a　sofa；　in　a　tea…gown　of　silver　tissue　looped　up　by　some

strange　moonstones　that　she　always　wore。　　She　was　looking　quite

lovely。　　〃I　am　so　glad　to　see　you；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　not　been　out

all　day。〃　　I　stared　at　her　in　amazement；　and　pulling　the

handkerchief　out　of　my　pocket；　handed　it　to　her。　　〃You　dropped　this

in　Cumnor　Street　this　afternoon；　Lady　Alroy；〃　　I　said　very　calmly。

She　looked　at　me　in　terror　but　made　no　attempt　to　take　the

handkerchief。　　〃What　were　you　doing　there？〃　I　asked。　　〃What　right

have　you　to　question　me？〃　she　answered。　　〃The　right　of　a　man　who

loves　you；〃　I　replied；　〃I　came　here　to　ask　you　to　be　my　wife。〃　　She

hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　burst　into　floods　of　tears。　　〃You

must　tell　me；〃　I　continued。　　She　stood　up；　and；　looking　me　straight

in　the　face；　said；　〃Lord　Murchison；　there　is　nothing　to　tell　you。〃

…　〃You　went　to　meet　some　one；〃　I　cried；　〃this　is　your　mystery。〃

She　grew　dreadfully　white；　and　said；　〃I　went　to　meet　no　one。〃　…

〃Can't　you　tell　the　truth？〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃I　have　told　it；〃　she

replied。　　I　was　mad；　frantic；　I　don't　know　what　I　said；　but　I　said

terrible　things　to　her。　　Finally　I　rushed　out　of　the　house。　　She

wrote　me　a　letter　the　next　day；　I　sent　it　back　unopened；　and

started　for　Norway　with　Alan　Colville。　　After　a　month　I　came　back；

and　the　first　thing　I　saw　in　the　MORNING　POST　was　the　death　of　Lady

Alroy。　　She　had　caught　a　chill　at　the　Opera；　and　had　died　in　five

days　of　congestion　of　the　lungs。　　I　shut　myself　up　and　saw　no　one。

I　had　loved　her　so　much；　I　had　loved　her　so　madly。　　Good　God！　how　I

had　loved　that　woman！'



'You　went　to　the　street；　to　the　house　in　it？'　I　said。



'Yes；'　he　answered。



'One　day　I　went　to　Cumnor　Street。　　I　could　not　help　it；　I　was

tortured　with　doubt。　　I　knocked　at　the　door；　and　a　respectable…

looking　woman　opened　it　to　me。　　I　asked　her　if　she　had　any　rooms　to

let。　　〃Well；　sir；〃　she　replied；　〃the　drawing…rooms　are　supposed　to

be　let；　but　I　have　not　seen　the　lady　for　three　months；　and　as　rent

is　owing　on　them；　you　can　have　them。〃　…　〃Is　this　the　lady？〃　I　said；

showing　the　photograph。　　〃That's　her；　sure　enough；〃　she　exclaimed；

〃and　when　is　she　coming　back；　sir？〃　…　〃The　lady　is　dead；〃　I

replied。　　〃Oh　sir；　I　hope　not！〃　said　the　woman；　〃she　was　my　best

lodger。　　She　paid　me　three　guineas　a　week　merely　to　sit　in　my

drawing…rooms　now　and　then。〃　　〃She　met　some　one　here？〃　I　said；　but

the　woman　assured　me　that　it　was　not　so；　that　she　always　came

alone；　and　saw　no　one。　　〃What　on　earth　did　she　do　here？〃　I　cried。

〃She　simply　sat　in　the　drawing…room；　sir；　reading　books；　and

sometimes　had　tea；〃　the　woman　answered。　　I　did　not　know　what　to

say；　so　I　gave　her　a　sovereign　and　went　away。　　Now；　what　do　you

think　it　all　meant？　　You　don't　believe　the　woman　was　telling　the

truth？'



'I　do。'



'Then　why　did　Lady　Alroy　go　there？'



'My　dear　Gerald；'　I　answered；　'Lady　Alroy　was　simply　a　woman　with　a

mania　for　mystery。　　She　took　these　rooms　for　the　pleasure　of　going

there　with　her　veil　down；　and　imagining　she　was　a　heroine。　　She　had

a　passion　for　secrecy；　but　she　herself　was　merely　a　Sphinx　without

a　secret。'



'Do　you　really　think　so？'



'I　am　sure　of　it；'　I　replied。



He　took　out　the　morocco　case；　opened　it；　and　looked　at　the

photograph。　　'I　wonder？'　he　said　at　last。