Romeo and Juliet.
THE morning papers contained a more detailed1 account of the murder than those of the evening before; but, to my great relief, in none of them was Eleanore’s name mentioned in the connection I most dreaded2.
The final paragraph in the Times ran thus: “The detectives are upon the track of the missing girl, Hannah.” And in the Herald3 I read the following notice:
“A Liberal Reward will be given by the relatives of Horatio Leavenworth, Esq., deceased, for any news of the whereabouts of one Hannah Chester, disappeared from the house ———— Fifth Avenue since the evening of March 4. Said girl was of Irish extraction; in age about twenty-five, and may be known by the following characteristics. Form tall and slender; hair dark brown with a tinge4 of red; complexion5 fresh; features delicate and well made; hands small, but with the fingers much pricked6 by the use of the needle; feet large, and of a coarser type than the hands. She had on when last seen a checked gingham dress, brown and white, and was supposed to have wrapped herself in a red and green blanket shawl, very old. Beside the above distinctive7 marks, she had upon her right hand wrist the scar of a large burn; also a pit or two of smallpox8 upon the left temple.”
This paragraph turned my thoughts in a new direction. Oddly enough, I had expended9 very little thought upon this girl; and yet how apparent it was that she was the one person upon whose testimony10, if given, the whole case in reality hinged, I could not agree with those who considered her as personally implicated11 in the murder. An accomplice12, conscious of what was before her, would have hid in her pockets whatever money she possessed13. But the roll of bills found in Hannah’s trunk proved her to have left too hurriedly for this precaution. On the other hand, if this girl had come unexpectedly upon the assassin at his work, how could she have been hustled14 from the house without creating a disturbance15 loud enough to have been heard by the ladies, one of whom had her door open? An innocent girl’s first impulse upon such an occasion would have been to scream; and yet no scream was heard; she simply disappeared. What were we to think then? That the person seen by her was one both known and trusted? I would not consider such a possibility; so laying down the paper, I endeavored to put away all further consideration of the affair till I had acquired more facts upon which to base the theory. But who can control his thoughts when over-excited upon any one theme? All the morning I found myself turning the case over in my mind, arriving ever at one of two conclusions. Hannah Chester must be found, or Eleanore Leavenworth must explain when and by what means the key of the library door came into her possession.
At two o’clock I started from my office to attend the inquest; but, being delayed on the way, missed arriving at the house until after the delivery of the verdict. This was a disappointment to me, especially as by these means I lost the opportunity of seeing Eleanore Leavenworth, she having retired16 to her room immediately upon the dismissal of the jury. But Mr. Harwell was visible, and from him I heard what the verdict had been.
“Death by means of a pistol shot from the hand of some person unknown.”
The result of the inquest was a great relief to me. I had feared worse. Nor could I help seeing that, for all his studied self-command, the pale-faced secretary shared in my satisfaction.
What was less of a relief to me was the fact, soon communicated, that Mr. Gryce and his subordinates had left the premises17 immediately upon the delivery of the verdict. Mr. Gryce was not the man to forsake18 an affair like this while anything of importance connected with it remained unexplained. Could it be he meditated19 any decisive action? Somewhat alarmed, I was about to hurry from the house for the purpose of learning what his intentions were, when a sudden movement in the front lower window of the house on the opposite side of the way arrested my attention, and, looking closer, I detected the face of Mr. Fobbs peering out from behind the curtain. The sight assured me I was not wrong in my estimate of Mr. Gryce; and, struck with pity for the desolate20 girl left to meet the exigencies21 of a fate to which this watch upon her movements was but the evident precursor22, I stepped back and sent her a note, in which, as Mr. Veeley’s representative, I proffered23 my services in case of any sudden emergency, saying I was always to be found in my rooms between the hours of six and eight. This done, I proceeded to the house in Thirty-seventh Street where I had left Miss Mary Leavenworth the day before.
Ushered24 into the long and narrow drawing-room which of late years has been so fashionable in our uptown houses, I found myself almost immediately in the presence of Miss Leavenworth.
“Oh,” she cried, with an eloquent25 gesture of welcome, “I had begun to think I was forsaken26!” and advancing impulsively27, she held out her hand. “What is the news from home?”
“A verdict of murder, Miss Leavenworth.”
Her eyes did not lose their question.
“Perpetrated by party or parties unknown.”
A look of relief broke softly across her features.
“And they are all gone?” she exclaimed.
“I found no one in the house who did not belong there.”
“Oh! then we can breathe easily again.”
I glanced hastily up and down the room.
“There is no one here,” said she.
And still I hesitated. At length, in an awkward way enough, I turned towards her and said:
“I do not wish either to offend or alarm you, but I must say that I consider it your duty to return to your own home to-night.”
“Why?” she stammered28. “Is there any particular reason for my doing so? Have you not perceived the impossibility of my remaining in the same house with Eleanore?”
“Miss Leavenworth, I cannot recognize any so-called impossibility of this nature. Eleanore is your cousin; has been brought up to regard you as a sister; it is not worthy29 of you to desert her at the time of her necessity. You will see this as I do, if you will allow yourself a moment’s dispassionate thought.”
“Dispassionate thought is hardly possible under the circumstances,” she returned, with a smile of bitter irony30.
But before I could reply to this, she softened31, and asked if I was very anxious to have her return; and when I replied, “More than I can say,” she trembled and looked for a moment as if she were half inclined to yield; but suddenly broke into tears, crying it was impossible, and that I was cruel to ask it.
I drew back, baffled and sore. “Pardon me,” said I, “I have indeed transgressed32 the bounds allotted33 to me. I will not do so again; you have doubtless many friends; let some of them advise you.”
She turned upon me all fire. “The friends you speak of are flatterers. You alone have the courage to command me to do what is right.”
She made no reply, but began pacing the room, her eyes fixed35, her hands working convulsively. “You little know what you ask,” said she. “I feel as though the very atmosphere of that house would destroy me; but—why cannot Eleanore come here?” she impulsively inquired. “I know Mrs. Gilbert will be quite willing, and I could keep my room, and we need not meet.”
“You forget that there is another call at home, besides the one I have already mentioned. To-morrow afternoon your uncle is to be buried.”
“O yes; poor, poor uncle!”
“You are the head of the household,” I now ventured, “and the proper one to attend to the final offices towards one who has done so much for you.”
There was something strange in the look which she gave me. “It is true,” she assented36. Then, with a grand turn of her body, and a quick air of determination: “I am desirous of being worthy of your good opinion. I will go back to my cousin, Mr. Raymond.”
I felt my spirits rise a little; I took her by the hand. “May that cousin have no need of the comfort which I am now sure you will be ready to give her.”
Her hand dropped from mine. “I mean to do my duty,” was her cold response.
As I descended37 the stoop, I met a certain thin and fashionably dressed young man, who gave me a very sharp look as he passed. As he wore his clothes a little too conspicuously38 for the perfect gentleman, and as I had some remembrance of having seen him at the inquest, I set him down for a man in Mr. Gryce’s employ, and hasted on towards the avenue; when what was my surprise to find on the corner another person, who, while pretending to be on the look out for a car, cast upon me, as I approached, a furtive39 glance of intense inquiry40. As this latter was, without question, a gentleman, I felt some annoyance41, and, walking quietly up to him, asked if he found my countenance42 familiar, that he scrutinized43 it so closely.
“I find it a very agreeable one,” was his unexpected reply, as he turned from me and walked down the avenue.
Nettled44, and in no small degree mortified45, at the disadvantage in which his courtesy had placed me, I stood watching him as he disappeared, asking myself who and what he was. For he was not only a gentleman, but a marked one; possessing features of unusual symmetry as well as a form of peculiar46 elegance47. Not so very young—he might well be forty—there were yet evident on his face the impress of youth’s strongest emotions, not a curve of his chin nor a glance of his eye betraying in any way the slightest leaning towards ennui48, though face and figure were of that type which seems most to invite and cherish it.
“He can have no connection with the police force,” thought I; “nor is it by any means certain that he knows me, or is interested in my affairs; but I shall not soon forget him, for all that.”
The summons from Eleanore Leavenworth came about eight o’clock in the evening. It was brought by Thomas, and read as follows:
“Come, Oh, come! I—” there breaking off in a tremble, as if the pen had fallen from a nerveless hand.
It did not take me long to find my way to her home.
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1
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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2
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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3
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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4
tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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5
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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6
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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7
distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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8
smallpox
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| n.天花 | |
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9
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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10
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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11
implicated
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| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
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12
accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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13
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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14
hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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15
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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16
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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17
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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18
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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19
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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20
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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21
exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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22
precursor
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| n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆 | |
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23
proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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26
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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27
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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28
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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30
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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31
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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32
transgressed
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| v.超越( transgress的过去式和过去分词 )；越过；违反；违背 | |
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33
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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35
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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36
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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38
conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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39
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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40
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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41
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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42
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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43
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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45
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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46
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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47
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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48
ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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