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room； and I thought his indifference a little overacted。
〃_That_ doesn't look very encouraging；〃 he said； with a smile；
pointing to the shattered pieces of china in the drawer。
〃Appearances are not always to be trusted；〃 I replied。 〃The
wisest thing I can do in my present situation is to suspect
everything； even down to a broken vase。〃
I looked hard at him as I spoke。 He changed the subject。
〃Does the music upstairs annoy you？〃 he asked。
〃Not in the least； Major。〃
〃It will soon be over now。 The singing…master is going； and the
Italian master has just arrived。 I am sparing no pains to make my
young prima donna a most accomplished person。 In learning to sing
she must also learn the language which is especially the language
of music。 I shall perfect her in the accent when I take her to
Italy。 It is the height of my ambition to have her mistaken for
an Italian when she sings in public。 Is there anything I can do
before I leave you again？ May I send you some more champagne？
Please say yes！〃
〃A thousand thanks； Major。 No more champagne for the present。〃
He turned at the door to kiss his hand to me at parting。 At the
same moment I saw his eyes wander slyly toward the book…case。 It
was only for an instant。 I had barely detected him before he was
out of the room。
Left by myself again； I looked at the book…caselooked at it
attentively for the first time。
It was a handsome piece of furniture in ancient carved oak； and
it stood against the wall which ran parallel with the hall of the
house。 Excepting the space occupied in the upper corner of the
room by the second door； which opened into the hall； the
book…case filled the whole length of the wall down to the window。
The top was ornamented by vases； candelabra； and statuettes； in
pairs； placed in a row。 Looking along the row； I noticed a vacant
space on the top of the bookcase at the extremity of it which was
nearest to the window。 The opposite extremity； nearest to the
door； was occupied by a handsome painted vase of a very peculiar
pattern。 Where was the corresponding vase； which ought to have
been placed at the corresponding extremity of the book…case？ I
returned to the open sixth drawer of the cabinet； and looked in
again。 There was no mistaking the pattern on the fragments when I
examined them now。 The vase which had been broken was the vase
which had stood in the place now vacant on the top of the
book…case at the end nearest to the window。
Making this discovery； I took out the fragments； down to the
smallest morsel of the shattered china； and examined them
carefully one after another。
I was too ignorant of the subject to be able to estimate the
value of the vase or the antiquity of the vase； or even to know
whether it were of British or of foreign manufacture。 The ground
was of a delicate cream…color。 The ornaments traced on this were
wreaths of flowers and Cupids surrounding a medallion on either
side of the vase。 Upon the space within one of the medallions was
painted with exquisite delicacy a woman's head； representing a
nymph or a goddess； or perhaps a portrait of some celebrated
personI was not learned enough to say which。 The other
medallion inclosed the head of a man； also treated in the
classical style。 Reclining shepherds and shepherdesses in Watteau
costume； with their dogs and their sheep； formed the adornments
of the pedestal。 Such had the vase been in the days of its
prosperity； when it stood on the top of the book…case。 By what a
ccident had it become broken？ And why had Major Fitz…David's face
changed when he found that I had discovered the remains of his
shattered work of art in the cabinet drawer？
The remains left those serious questions unansweredthe remains
told me absolutely nothing。 And yet； if my own observation of the
Major were to be trusted； the way to the clew of which I was in
search lay； directly or indirectly； through the broken vase。
It was useless to pursue the question； knowing no more than I
knew now。 I returned to the book…case。
Thus far I had assumed （without any sufficient reason） that the
clew of which I was in search must necessarily reveal itself
through a written paper of some sort。 It now occurred to
meafter the movement which I had detected on the part of the
Majorthat the clew might quite as probably present itself in
the form of a book。
I looked along the lower rows of shelves； standing just near
enough to them to read the titles on the backs of the volumes。 I
saw Voltaire in red morocco； Shakespeare in blue； Walter Scott in
green； the 〃History of England〃 in brown； the 〃Annual Register〃
in yellow calf。 There I paused； wearied and discouraged already
by the long rows of volumes。 How （I thought to myself） am I to
examine all these books？ And what am I to look for； even if I do
examine them all？
Major Fitz…David had spoken of a terrible misfortune which had
darkened my husband's past life。 In what possible way could any
trace of that misfortune； or any suggestive hint of something
resembling it； exist in the archives of the 〃Annual Register〃 or
in the pages of Voltaire？ The bare idea of such a thing seemed
absurd The mere attempt to make a serious examination in this
direction was surely a wanton waste of time。
And yet the Major had certainly stolen a look at the book…case。
And again； the broken vase had once stood on the book…case。 Did
these circumstances justify me in connecting the vase and the
book…case as twin landmarks on the way that led to discovery？ The
question was not an easy one to decide on the spur of the moment。
I looked up at the higher shelves。
Here the collection of books exhibited a greater variety。 The
volumes were smaller； and were not so carefully arranged as on
the lower shelves。 Some were bound in cloth； some were only
protected by paper covers； one or two had fallen； and lay flat on
the shelves。 Here and there I saw empty spaces from which books
had been removed and not replaced。 In short； there was no
discouraging uniformity in these higher regions of the book…case。
The untidy top shelves looked suggestive of some lucky accident
which might unexpectedly lead the way to success。 I decided； if I
did examine the book…case at all； to begin at the top。
Where was the library ladder？
I had left it against the partition wall which divided the back
room from the room in front。 Looking that way； I necessarily
looked also toward the door that ran in groovesthe imperfectly
closed door through which I heard Major Fitz…David question his
servant on the subject of my personal appearance when I first
entered the house。 No one had moved this door during the time of
my visit。 Everybody entering or leaving the room had used the
other door； which led into the hall。
At the moment when I looked round something stirred in the front
room。 The movement let the light in suddenly through the small
open space left by the partially closed door。 Had somebody been
watching me through the chink？ I stepped softly to the door； and
pushed it back until it was wide open。 There was the Major；
discovered in the front room！ I saw it in his facehe had been
watching me at the book…case！
His hat was in his hand。 He was evidently going out； and he
dexterously took advantage of that circumstance to give a
plausible reason for being so near the door。
〃I hope I didn't frighten you；〃 he said。
〃You startled me a little； Major。〃
〃I am so sorry； and so ashamed！ I was just going to open the
door； and tell you that I am obliged to go out。 I have received a
pressing message from a lady。 A charming personI should so like
you to know her。 She is in sad trouble； poor thing。 Little bills；
you know； and nasty tradespeople who want their money； and a
husbandoh； dear me； a husband who is quite unworthy of her！ A
most interesting creature。 You remind me of her a little； you
both have the same carriage of the head。 I shall not be more than
half an hour gone。 Can I do anything for you？ You are looking
fatigued。 Pray let me send for some more champagne。 No？ Promise
to ring when you want it。 That's right！ _Au revoir_； my charming
friend_au revoir！_〃
I pulled the door to again the moment his back was turned； and
sat down for a while to compose myself。
He had been watching me at the book…case！ The man who was in my
husband's confidence； the man who knew where the clew was to be
found； had been watching me at the book…case！ There was no doubt
of it now。 Major Fitz…David had shown me the hiding…place of the
secret in spite of himself！
I looked with indifference at the other pieces of furniture；
ranged against the fourth wall； which I had not examined yet。 I
surveyed； without the slightest feeling of curiosity； all the
little elegant trifles scattered on the tables and on the
chimney…piece； each one of which might have been an object of
suspicion to me under other circumstances。 Even the water…color
drawings failed to interest me in my present frame of mind。 I
observed languidly that they were most of them portraits of
ladiesfair idols； no doubt； of the Major's facile
adorationand I cared to notice no more。 _My_ business in that
room （I was certain of it now！） began and ended with the