velvet。 The ample heavy folds of the velvet left just room at the
two corners of the wall for two little upright cabinets in buhl；
containing rows of drawers； and supporting two fine bronze
productions （reduced in size） of the Venus Milo and the Venus
Callipyge。 I had Major Fitz…David's permission to do just what I
pleased。 I opened the si x drawers in each cabinet； and examined
their contents without hesitation。
Beginning with the cabinet in the right…hand corner； my
investigations were soon completed。 All the six drawers were
alike occupied by a collection of fossils； which （judging by the
curious paper inscriptions fixed on some of them） were associated
with a past period of the Major's life when he had speculated；
not very successfully in mines。 After satisfying myself that the
drawers contained nothing but the fossils and their inscriptions；
I turned to the cabinet in the left…hand corner next。
Here a variety of objects was revealed to view； and the
examination accordingly occupied a much longer time。
The top drawer contained a complete collection of carpenter's
tools in miniature； relics probably of the far…distant time when
the Major was a boy； and when parents or friends had made him a
present of a set of toy tools。 The second drawer was filled with
toys of another sortpresents made to Major Fitz…David by his
fair friends。 Embroidered braces； smart smoking…caps； quaint
pincushions； gorgeous slippers； glittering purses； all bore
witness to the popularity of the friend of the women。 The
contents of the third drawer were of a less interesting sort： the
entire space was filled with old account…books； ranging over a
period of many years。 After looking into each book； and opening
and shaking it uselessly； in search of any loose papers which
might be hidden between the leaves； I came to the fourth drawer；
and found more relics of past pecuniary transactions in the shape
of receipted bills； neatly tied together； and each inscribed at
the back。 Among the bills I found nearly a dozen loose papers；
all equally unimportant。 The fifth drawer was in sad confusion。 I
took out first a loose bundle of ornamental cards； each
containing the list of dishes at past banquets given or attended
by the Major in London or Paris； next； a box full of delicately
tinted quill pens （evidently a lady's gift）； next； a quantity of
old invitation cards； next； some dog's…eared French plays and
books of the opera； next； a pocket…corkscrew； a bundle of
cigarettes； and a bunch of rusty keys； lastly； a passport； a set
of luggage labels； a broken silver snuff…box； two cigar…cases；
and a torn map of Rome。 〃Nothing anywhere to interest me；〃 I
thought； as I closed the fifth； and opened the sixth and last
drawer。
The sixth drawer was at once a surprise and a disappointment。 It
literally contained nothing but the fragments of a broken vase。
I was sitting； at the time； opposite to the cabinet； in a low
chair。 In the momentary irritation caused by my discovery of the
emptiness of the last drawer； I had just lifted my foot to push
it back into its place； when the door communicating with the hall
opened； and Major Fitz…David stood before me。
His eyes； after first meeting mine； traveled downward to my foot。
The instant he noticed the open drawer I saw a change in his
face。 It was only for a moment； but in that moment he looked at
me with a sudden suspicion and surpriselooked as if he had
caught me with my hand on the clew。
〃Pray don't let me disturb you；〃 said Major Fitz…David。 〃I have
only come here to ask you a question。〃
〃What is it； Major？〃
〃Have you met with any letters of mine in the course of your
investigations？〃
〃I have found none yet；〃 I answered。 〃If I do discover any
letters； I shall； of course； not take the liberty of examining
them。〃
〃I wanted to speak to you about that；〃 he rejoined。 〃It only
struck me a moment since； upstairs； that my letters might
embarrass you。 In your place I should feel some distrust of
anything which I was not at liberty to examine。 I think I can set
this matter right； however； with very little trouble to either of
us。 It is no violation of any promises or pledges on my part if I
simply tell you that my letters will not assist the discovery
which you are trying to make。 You can safely pass them over as
objects that are not worth examining from your point of view。 You
understand me； I am sure？〃
〃I am much obliged to you； MajorI quite understand。〃
〃Are you feeling any fatigue？〃
〃None whatever； thank you。〃
〃And you still hope to succeed？ You are not beginning to be
discouraged already？〃
〃I am not in the least discouraged。 With your kind leave； I mean
to persevere for some time yet。〃
I had not closed the drawer of the cabinet while we were talking；
and I glanced carelessly； as I answered him； at the fragments of
the broken vase。 By this time he had got his feelings under
perfect command。 He； too； glanced at the fragments of the vase
with an appearance of perfect indifference。 I remembered the look
of suspicion and surprise that had escaped him on entering the
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