I did not know the person thus introduced.
He was a handsome man, a very handsome man, if the truth must be told, but it did not seem to be this fact which made half the people there crane their heads to catch a glimpse of him. Something else, something entirely9 disconnected with his appearance there as a witness, appeared to hold the people enthralled10 and waken a subdued11 enthusiasm which showed itself not only in smiles, but in whispers and significant nudges, chiefly among the women, though I noticed that the jurymen stared when somebody obliged them with the name of this new witness. At last it reached my ears, and though it awakened12 in me also a decided curiosity, I restrained all expression of it, being unwilling[Pg 156] to add one jot13 to this ridiculous display of human weakness.
Randolph Stone, as the intended husband of the rich Miss Althorpe, was a figure of some importance in the city, and while I was very glad of this opportunity of seeing him, I did not propose to lose my head or forget, in the marked interest his person invoked14, the very serious cause which had brought him before us. And yet I suppose no one in the room observed his figure more minutely.
He was elegantly made and possessed15, as I have said, a face of peculiar16 beauty. But these were not his only claims to admiration17. He was a man of undoubted intelligence and great distinction of manner. The intelligence did not surprise me, knowing, as I did, how he had raised himself to his present enviable position in society in the short space of five years. But the perfection of his manner astonished me, though how I could have expected anything less in a man honored by Miss Althorpe's regard, I cannot say. He had that clear pallor of complexion18 which in a smooth-shaven face is so impressive, and his voice when he spoke19 had that music in it which only comes from great cultivation20 and a deliberate intent to please.
He was a friend of Howard's, that I saw by the short look that passed between them when he first entered the room; but that it was not as a friend he stood there was apparent from the state of amazement21 with which the former recognized him, as well as from the regret to be seen underlying22 the polished manner of the witness himself. Though perfectly23 self-possessed and perfectly respectful, he showed by every means possible the pain he felt in adding one feather-weight to the[Pg 157] evidence against a man with whom he was on terms of more or less intimacy24.
But let me give his testimony25. Having acknowledged that he knew the Van Burnam family well, and Howard in particular, he went on to state that on the night of the seventeenth he had been detained at his office by business of a more than usual pressing nature, and finding that he could expect no rest for that night, humored himself by getting off the cars at Twenty-first Street instead of proceeding26 on to Thirty-third Street, where his apartments were.
The smile which these words caused (Miss Althorpe lives in Twenty-first Street) woke no corresponding light on his face. Indeed, he frowned at it, as if he felt that the gravity of the situation admitted of nothing frivolous27 or humorsome. And this feeling was shared by Howard, for he started when the witness mentioned Twenty-first Street, and cast him a haggard look of dismay which happily no one saw but myself, for every one else was concerned with the witness. Or should I except Mr. Gryce?
"I had of course no intentions beyond a short stroll through this street previous to returning to my home," continued the witness, gravely; "and am sorry to be obliged to mention this freak of mine, but find it necessary in order to account for my presence there at so unusual an hour."
"You need make no apologies," returned the Coroner. "Will you state on what line of cars you came from your office?"
"I came up Third Avenue."
"Ah! and walked towards Broadway?"
"Yes."[Pg 158]
"Yes."
"At what time was this, can you say?"
"At four, or nearly four. It was half-past three when I left my office."
"Was it light at that hour? Could you distinguish objects readily?"
"I had no difficulty in seeing."
"And what did you see? Anything amiss at the Van Burnam mansion?"
"No, sir, nothing amiss. I merely saw Howard Van Burnam coming down the stoop as I went by the corner."
"You made no mistake. It was the gentleman you name, and no other whom you saw on this stoop at this hour?"
"I am very sure that it was he. I am sorry——"
But the Coroner gave him no opportunity to finish.
"You and Mr. Van Burnam are friends, you say, and it was light enough for you to recognize each other; then you probably spoke?"
"No, we did not. I was thinking—well of other, things," and here he allowed the ghost of a smile to flit suggestively across his firm-set lips. "And Mr. Van Burnam seemed preoccupied29 also, for, as far as I know, he did not even look my way."
"And you did not stop?"
"No, he did not look like a man to be disturbed."
"And this was at four on the morning of the eighteenth?"
"At four."
"You are certain of the hour and of the day?"[Pg 159]
"I am certain. I should not be standing30 here if I were not very sure of my memory. I am sorry," he began again, but he was stopped as peremptorily31 as before by the Coroner.
Mr. Stone, who had manifestly given his evidence under compulsion, looked relieved at its termination. As he passed back to the room from which he had come, many only noticed the extreme elegance33 of his form and the proud cast of his head, but I saw more than these. I saw the look of regret he cast at his friend Howard.
A painful silence followed his withdrawal34, then the Coroner spoke to the jury:
"Gentlemen, I leave you to judge of the importance of this testimony. Mr. Stone is a well-known man of unquestionable integrity, but perhaps Mr. Van Burnam can explain how he came to visit his father's house at four o'clock in the morning on that memorable35 night, when according to his latest testimony he left his wife there at twelve. We will give him the opportunity."
"There is no use," began the young man from the place where he sat. But gathering36 courage even while speaking, he came rapidly forward, and facing Coroner and jury once more, said with a false kind of energy that imposed upon no one:
"I can explain this fact, but I doubt if you will accept my explanation. I was at my father's house at that hour, but not in it. My restlessness drove me back to my wife, but not finding the keys in my pocket, I came down the stoop again and went away."[Pg 160]
"Ah, I see now why you prevaricated37 this morning in regard to the time when you missed those keys."
"I know that my testimony is full of contradictions."
"You feared to have it known that you were on the stoop of your father's house for the second time that night?"
"Naturally, in face of the suspicion I perceived everywhere about me."
"And this time you did not go in?"
"No."
"Nor ring the bell?"
"No."
"Why not, if you left your wife within, alive and well?"
"I did not wish to disturb her. My purpose was not strong enough to surmount38 the least difficulty. I was easily deterred39 from going where I had little wish to be."
"So that you merely went up the stoop and down again at the time Mr. Stone saw you?"
"Yes, and if he had passed a minute sooner he would have seen this: seen me go up, I mean, as well as seen me come down. I did not linger long in the doorway40."
"But you did linger there a moment?"
"Yes; long enough to hunt for the keys and get over my astonishment41 at not finding them."
"Did you notice Mr. Stone going by on Twenty-first Street?"
"No."
"Was it as light as Mr. Stone has said?"
"Yes, it was light."[Pg 161]
"And you did not notice him?"
"No."
"Yet you must have followed very closely behind him?"
"Not necessarily. I went by the way of Twentieth Street, sir. Why, I do not know, for my rooms are uptown. I do not know why I did half the things I did that night."
"I can readily believe it," remarked the Coroner.
Mr. Van Burnam's indignation rose.
"You are trying," said he, "to connect me with the fearful death of my wife in my father's lonely house. You cannot do it, for I am as innocent of that death as you are, or any other person in this assemblage. Nor did I pull those shelves down upon her as you would have this jury think, in my last thoughtless visit to my father's door. She died according to God's will by her own hand or by means of some strange and unaccountable accident known only to Him. And so you will find, if justice has any place in these investigations42 and a manly43 intelligence be allowed to take the place of prejudice in the breasts of the twelve men now sitting before me."
And bowing to the Coroner, he waited for his dismissal, and receiving it, walked back not to his lonely corner, but to his former place between his father and brother, who received him with a wistful air and strange looks of mingled44 hope and disbelief.
"The jury will render their verdict on Monday morning," announced the Coroner, and adjourned45 the inquiry.
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1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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2
exasperating
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| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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3
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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4
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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5
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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6
allaying
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 ) | |
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7
unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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8
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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9
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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10
enthralled
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| 迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快 | |
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11
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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12
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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13
jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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14
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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15
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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16
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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17
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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18
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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20
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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21
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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22
underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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23
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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24
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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25
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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26
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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27
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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28
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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29
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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30
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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31
peremptorily
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| adv.紧急地，不容分说地，专横地 | |
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32
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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33
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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34
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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35
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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36
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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37
prevaricated
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| v.支吾( prevaricate的过去式和过去分词 )；搪塞；说谎 | |
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38
surmount
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| vt.克服；置于…顶上 | |
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39
deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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41
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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42
investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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43
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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44
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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45
adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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