Part 3 (2/2)
To see it there was to have it; or so I vowed in my surprise and self-confidence. Putting on an air of great dignity, I bowed to the woman and pa.s.sed on, resolving upon the course I would pursue, which must necessarily be daring in order to succeed. At the door I paused till all who followed me had pa.s.sed out; then I turned back, and once again faced Madame.
She was alone. Her watchful guardian had left her side, and to all appearances the room. The opportunity surpa.s.sed my expectations, and with a step full of nerve I pushed forward and took my stand again directly in front of her. She gave no token of seeing me; but I did not hesitate on that account. Exerting all my will power, I first subjected her to a long and masterful look, and then I spoke, directly and to the point, like one who felt himself her superior,
”Madame,” said I, ”the man you wish for is here. Give me the ring, and trust no more to weak or false emissaries.”
The start with which she came to life, or to the evidence of life, was surprising. Lifting her great lids, she returned my gaze with one equally searching and powerful, and seeing with what disdain I sustained it, allowed an almost imperceptible tremor to pa.s.s across her face, which up to now had not displayed the shadow even of an emotion.
”You!” she murmured, in a dove-like tone of voice; ”who are you that I should trust you more than the others?”
”I am he you expect,” said I, venturing more as I felt her impa.s.sibility giving way before me. ”Have you had no premonition of my coming? Did you not know that he who controls would be in your presence to-day?”
She trembled, and her fingers almost unclasped from her arms.
”I have had dreams,” she murmured, ”but I have been bidden to beware of dreams. If you are the person you claim to be, you will have some token which will absolve me from the charge of credulity. What is your token?”
Though doubtful, I dared not hesitate. ”This,” I said, taking from my pocket the key which had been given me by my fair neighbor.
She moved, she touched it with a finger; then she eyed me again.
”Others have keys,” said she, ”but they fail in the opening. How are you better than they?”
”You know,” I declared--”you know that I can do what others have failed in. Give me the ring.”
The force, the a.s.surance with which I uttered this command moved her in spite of herself. She trembled, gave me one final, searching look, and slowly began to pull the ring from off her finger. It was in her hand, and half way to mine, when a third voice came to break the spell.
”Madame, Madame,” it said; ”be careful. This is the man who clogged the lock, and hindered my endeavors in your behalf in the doctor's office.”
Her hand which was so near mine drew back; but I was too quick and too determined for her. I s.n.a.t.c.hed the ring before she could replace it on her own hand, and, holding it firmly, faced the intruder with an air of very well-a.s.sumed disdain.
”Attempt no argument with me. It was because I saw your weakness and vulgar self-confidence that I interfered in a matter only to be undertaken by one upon whom all can rely. Now that I have the ring, the end is near. Madame, be wiser in the choice of your confidants, _To-morrow this ring will be in its proper place_.”
Bowing as I had done before, I advanced to the door. They had made no effort to regain the ring, and I felt that my rashness had stood me in good stead. But as, with a secret elation I was just capable of keeping within bounds, I put my foot across the threshold, I heard behind me a laugh so triumphant and mocking that I felt struck with consternation; and, glancing down into my hand, I saw that I held, not the peculiar steel circlet destined for the piece of mechanism in the doctor's office, but an ordinary ring of gold.
She had offered me the wrong ring, _and I had taken it_, thus proving the falsity of my pretensions.
There was nothing left for me but to acknowledge defeat by an ignominious departure.
IV. CHECKMATE.
I HASTENED at once home, and knocked at Miss Calhoun's door. While waiting for a response, the mockery of my return without the token I had undertaken to restore to her, impressed itself upon me in full force. It seemed to me that in that instant my face must have taken on a haggard look. I could not summon up the necessary will to make it otherwise.
Any effort in that direction would have made my failure at cheerfulness pitiable.
The door opened. There she stood. Whatever expectancy of success she may have had fled at once. Our eyes met and her countenance changed. My face must have told the whole story, for she exclaimed:
”You have failed!”
I was obliged to acknowledge it in a whisper, but hastened to a.s.sure her that the ring had not yet been placed upon the bronze hand, and was not likely to be till the lock had been cleaned, out. This interested her, and called out a hurried but complete recital of my adventure. She hung upon it breathlessly, and when I reached the point where Madame and her prophetic voice entered the tale, she showed so much excitement that any doubts I may have cherished as to the importance of the communication Madame had made us vanished in a cold horror I with difficulty hid from my companion. But the end agitated her more than the beginning, and when she heard that I had taken upon myself a direct connection with this mysterious matter, she grew so pale that I felt forced to inquire if the folly I had committed was likely to result badly, at which she shuddered and replied:
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