youhold a warrant has, alas! gone to where she is not amenable to the lawof man."
The men halted, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" cried the inspector.
"Look for yourselves, gentlemen," the man answered calmly. Then, in avoice full of emotion he added, "She is dead!"
"Dead! Impossible!" all three echoed dismayed, as next second theycrowded around her, gazed into her calm, sweet face, and touching herstiffening fingers, at last satisfied themselves of the terrible truth.Then they removed their hats reverently, and, aghast at the sudden andunexpected discovery, stood eagerly listening to the grave-faced man whohad made the amazing announcement.
"Yes," he continued, preserving a quiet demeanour. "Such an occurrenceis undoubtedly as unexpected by you as it is bitterly painful to us.This intrusion upon the death-chamber is, I know, warranted by certainunfortunate circumstances; nevertheless it is my duty, as theofficiating priest, to inform you that shortly before this lady expiredshe was united in matrimony by special licence to this gentleman, MrStuart Ridgeway, and of course if you wish you can inspect the register,which I think you will find duly in order."
"The marriage does not concern us," the red-faced inspector answered,murmuring in the same breath an apology for causing us unnecessary painby forcing the door. "The lady is dead, therefore we must, of course,return our warrant unexecuted."
The others also expressed regret at their hasty action, and, havingquite satisfied themselves that Sybil was not merely unconscious, theyconsulted among themselves in an undertone, and afterwards withdrew withdisappointment plainly portrayed upon their features.
"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded angrily of the clergyman whenthey had gone.
"Unfortunately I can make no explanation," he replied.
"But while I have been unconscious you have, without my knowledge orconsent, performed the ceremony of marriage, uniting me to a dead bride.You have thus rendered yourself distinctly liable to prosecution,therefore I demand to know the reason at once," I exclaimed fiercely.
Unconcernedly he shrugged his shoulders, answering: "I regret extremelythat it is beyond my power to satisfy you. No doubt all this appearsexceedingly strange; nevertheless, when the truth is revealed, I ventureto think you will not be inclined to judge me quite so harshly, sir. Iwas asked to perform a service, and have done so. This lady is yourwife, although, alas! she no longer lives."
"But why was I entrapped here to be wedded to a dying woman?"
"I have acted no part in entrapping you--as you term it," he protestedwith calm dignity. "I had but one duty; I have performed thatfaithfully."
"Then I am to understand that you absolutely refuse to tell me the nameof my dead wife, or any facts concerning her?"
"I do."
"Very well, then. I shall invoke the aid of the police in order tofully investigate the mystery," I said. "That all of you fear arrest isevident from the alarm betrayed on the arrival of the officers. Whatguarantee have I that Sybil has not been murdered?"
"Mine," interposed one of the men, bald-headed and grey bearded, who haduntil then been standing silent and thoughtful. "I may as well informyou that I am a qualified medical practitioner, and for two years havebeen this lady's medical attendant. She suffered acutely fromheart-disease, and the hurry and excitement of the marriage ceremonyunder such strange conditions has resulted fatally. I think mycertificate, combined with my personal reputation in the medicalprofession, will be quite sufficient to satisfy any coroner's officer."
Approaching my dead bride as he spoke, he tenderly closed her staringeyes, composed her hands, and, taking up the veil I had torn aside,folded it and placed it lightly across her white face.
I was about to demur, when suddenly the man who had acted as my guideplaced his hand upon my shoulder, saying in a calm, serious tone:
"Remember, you have taken your oath never to attempt to elucidate thismystery."
"Yes, but if I have suspicion that Sybil has been murdered I amjustified in breaking it," I cried in protest. "She has not beenmurdered, I swear," he replied. "Moreover, the doctor here stakes hisprofessional reputation by giving a certificate showing natural causes."
This did not satisfy me, and I commented in rather uncomplimentary termsupon the unsatisfactory nature of the whole proceedings.
"But before coming here you accepted my conditions," the man said,thrusting his hands deep into his pockets. "Sybil sought your aid tosave her from a deadly peril, and you were willing to assist her. Youhave done so, although alas! all our efforts have been unavailing. Youhave had the unique experience of having been a bridegroom and a widowerwithin ten minutes. Although I admit that there are many mysteriouscircumstances surrounding your tragic union, yet for the present it isimpossible to give my explanation. Indeed, as I have already told you,any inquiries must inevitably increase your burden of sorrow andunhappiness. Therefore preserve silence and wait until I am able torender you full satisfaction. When the true facts are exposed, you willfind that the only safeguard to ourselves lies in the presentpreservation of our secret."
I observed that he was fully alive to my suspicions, that he divinedthem, and anxiously followed my words. I surprised a swift gleam in hiseye that revealed the instinctive terror of the animal attacked at themoment of its fancied security. I felt convinced that a crime had beencommitted. At thought of it my heart-beats were quickened, and mynerves thrilled. Again he placed his hand upon my shoulder, but Ishrank with unconquerable repugnance from that contact. "I intend toelucidate this mystery," I said firmly. "Neither threats nor oathsshall deter me from seeking the truth."
"Very well," he replied hoarsely; "if you intend to violate your oath,taken before your Creator, do so. Nevertheless, I and my friends warnyou of the penalty for so doing."
"Well, and what is the penalty, pray?"
He shrugged his shoulders, but no answer passed his lips.
His face had strong individuality and vivid expression. As he stoodthere between the two handsomely-dressed women, in his grey furtiveeyes, too wide apart, and always seeming to shun observation; in hisprematurely grey hair, in his mouth set round with deep wrinkles; in hisdark, blotched, bilious complexion, there seemed to be a creature ofanother race. What passions had worn those furrows? What vigils hadhollowed those eyeballs? Was this the face of a happy man who had knownneither the wearying cares of ambition, the toil of money-getting, northe stings of wounded self-love? Why did all these marks of trouble andexhaustion suddenly strike me as effects of a secret cause, and why wasI astonished that I had not sooner sought for it?
"Then you threaten me?" I said slowly, after a moment's pause.
"I threaten nothing," he answered, raising his dark eyebrows, andadding, "There is no reason, as far as I can see, why we should beenemies, but rather let us be friends. Sybil's death has brought to myheart grief quite as poignant as that which you are suffering; thereforein our mourning for one who was pure and good, should we not be united?I have given you my word that I will elucidate the mystery as soon as Ifeel confident that no catastrophe will follow. I consider that thisshould satisfy you for the present, and that your own discretion shouldinduce you to wait at least with patience."
As he spoke there were some little details--the quick flutter of theeyelids, the rapidly dismissed expression of disagreeable surprise whenI announced my intention of breaking my oath--that did not escape me.But was it not the same with myself? I could have sworn that at thesame moment he experienced sensations exactly similar to those whichwere catching me at the breast and in the throat. Did this not provethat a current of antipathy existed between him and me?
Why had the police held a warrant for Sybil's arrest? Why had such carebeen taken to conceal her identity? Why had I been married to her somysteriously? Why had she so suddenly passed to that land that liesbeyond human ken? Had a fatal draught been forced between her lips; orhad she, too, been placed in that room where I had so narrowly escapedasphyxiation?
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br /> "Since I have been in this house," I said, "an attempt has been made tokill me. I have therefore a right to demand an explanation, or placethe matter in the hands of the police."
"There was no attempt to injure you. It was imperative that you shouldbe rendered unconscious," the man said.
"And you expect me to accept all this, and make no effort to ascertainthe true facts?" I cried. "Sybil feared an unknown terror, but itappears to me more than probable that she lived in constant dread ofassassination."
The man frowned, and upon the faces of those about him settled dark,ominous expressions.
"It is useless to continue this argument in the presence of the dead,"he said. "I have