But their averted eyes too sorrowfully answered her question.
Then she turned to her husband and lowered her voice to an almost
imploring tone as she inquired: "Lyon Berners, do YOU believe me guilty?"
He looked up, and their eyes met. If he had really believed her guilty
he did not now. He answered briefly and firmly: "No, Sybil! Heaven knows that I do not. But oh! my dear wife! explain,
if you can, how that dagger came into your possession, how that blood
came upon your hands; and, above all, why this most unhappy lady should
have charged you with having murdered her."
"At your desire, and for the satisfaction of the few dear old friends
whom I see among this unbelieving crowd, the friends who would deeply
grieve if I should either do or suffer wrong, I will speak. But if it
were not for you and for them, I would die before I would deign to
defend myself from a charge that is at once so atrocious and so
preposterous--so monstrous," said Sybil, turning a gaze full of haughty
defiance upon those who stood there before her face, and dared to
believe her guilty.
A stern voice spoke up from that crowd.
"Mr. Lyon Berners, attend to this. A lady lies murdered in your house.
By whom she has been so murdered we do not know. But I tell you that
every moment in which you delay in sending for the officers of justice
to investigate this affair, compromises you and me and all who stand by
and silently submit to this delay, as accessories, after the fact."
Lyon Berners turned towards the speaker, a grave and stern old man of
nearly eighty years, a retired judge, who had come to the mask ball
escorting his grand-daughters.
"An instant, Judge Basham. Pardon us, if in this dismay some things are
forgotten. The coroner shall be summoned immediately. Captain Pendleton,
will you oblige me by despatching a messenger to Coroner Taylor at
Blackville?" he then inquired, turning to the only friend upon whose
discretion he felt he could rely.
Captain Pendleton nodded acquiescence and intelligence, and left the
room, as if for the purpose specified.
"Now, dear Sybil, with Judge Basham's permission, give our friends the
explanation that you have promised them," said Lyon Berners
affectionately, and confidingly taking her hand and placing himself
beside her.
For all his anger as well as all her jealousy had been swept away in the
terrible tornado of this evening's events.
"The explanation that I promised you, and those who wish me well," she
said emphatically. And then her voice arose clear, firm, and distinct,
as she continued: "I was in my chamber, which is immediately above that occupied by Mrs.
Blondelle. My chamber is approached by two ways, first by the front
passage and stairs, and secondly by a narrow staircase running up from
Mrs. Blondelle's room. And the door leading from her room up this
staircase and into mine, she has been in the habit of leaving open.
To-night, as I said, I was sitting in my chamber; from causes not
necessary to explain now and here, I was too much disturbed in mind to
think of retiring to rest, or even of undressing. I do not know how long
I had sat there, when I heard a piercing shriek from some one in the
room below. Instinctively I rushed down the communicating stairs and
into Mrs. Blondelle's room, and up to her bed, where I saw by the light
of the taper she was lying. Her eyes were closed, and I thought at first
that she had fainted from some fright until, almost at the same instant,
I saw this dagger--" here Sybil stooped and picked up the dagger that
she had dropped a few minutes before--"driven to its haft in her chest.
I drew it out. Instantly the blood from the opened wound spirted up,
covering my hand and sleeve with the accusing stains you see! With the
flowing of the blood her eyes flew wildly open! She gazed affrightedly
at me for an instant, and then with the last effort of her life, for
which terror lent her strength, she started up and fled shrieking to
this room. I, still holding the dagger that I had drawn from her bosom,
followed her here. And--you know the rest," said Sybil; and overcome
with excitement, she sank upon the nearest chair to rest.