Final Proof

by Rodrigues Ottolengui

  “‘—my mind, whether to release you or not. At all events, I must know more about this somewhat curious proposition of yours.’

  “I recognized at once the voice of Madame Damien. It was evident, therefore, that the man was her partner of the dance, and that it was he who had been with her in this place on the other occasion seemed a probability. He answered her as follows:

  “‘I do not think the proposition is a curious one. I only do what women always do. Certainly my sex should have the same privileges in an affair of this character.’

  “‘That is a question that philosophers might discuss,’ said Madame Damien, ‘but we need not. Whether you have the right or not it is evident that you choose to exercise it. And what is this right?’

  “‘The right to tell you the truth. The right to tell you that I do not love you, that I have made a terrible blunder.’

  “The little hand over my mouth trembled violently, and slipped away. I could hear the girl next to me breathing so distinctly that it seemed odd that the others did not hear also. Perhaps they were too much occupied with their own affair.

  “‘The right to tell me that you do not love me,’ repeated madame; ‘but you have so often told me that you do love me, and you have told me of your love so eloquently, that now when you come to me and say that you have made a blunder, naturally I have the right to question you. Here are two opposite statements. How am I to know which to believe?’

  “‘I am telling you the truth, now.’

  “‘Perhaps; you may be right. You may know your heart at last, and if what you say is really true, of course I have no desire to try to keep what you only supposed to be love, however eloquently you told about it, however well you played the part. The awkward thing is that to-morrow, next week, by the new moon perhaps, you may be at my feet again singing the same old songs, old love songs. You will tell me that what you say then is truth, but that what you are telling me now is false. How, then, shall I know what to think?’

  “‘What I tell you now is true. I shall not tell you otherwise at any time in the future.’

  “‘Of this you are quite sure?’

  “‘Quite sure!’

  “Up to this point the woman had spoken softly, almost with love in her voice. It sounded like a mother talking with her son who was confessing a change of heart, or rather a change of sweethearts. Now, suddenly, all was changed. When she spoke again it was in the voice of rage, almost of hate. It was the woman spurned; more than that,—it was the woman jealous of the rival who had replaced her in her lover’s heart.

  “‘So you are quite sure that you will not make love to me again!’ she cried, with such ferocity that the girl beside me moved closer to me as though seeking protection; ‘you are sure of that? Then you love another. There is no other test by which you could be so sure. Answer me, is it true? Is it true, I say? Answer me at once; I want no lies.’

  “‘Well, and what if it is true,’ said the man, angered by her speech.

  “‘What if it is true? You ask me that? Well, I’ll answer. If it is true, then the other girl is welcome to you. She may have you, with your secondhand love. May she be happy in the love that changes with the moon. So much for her. But with you. Ah, that must be different. You wish to be released? Well, you shall pay for your liberty, my fickle lover; you shall pay!’

  “‘I will pay you whatever you demand. What is it?’

  “‘So. You value your liberty so much that you promise before you know my terms! Very well, then. You will bring me to-night, before an hour has passed, the string of pearls that your mother wore on her wedding-day.’

  “‘My God, no! Not that! It is impossible!’

  “‘How quickly you make and break promises! Your ideas of honor are as slim as your notions of love. And why is it impossible to give me the pearls?’

  “‘They are not mine. Anything that is mine I will give. But the pearls are not mine.’

  “‘If not yours whose are they, pray?’

  “‘Let me explain. They have been in my family for generations. They were taken from an idol in Mexico by one of my ancestors who was with Cortez. He gave them to his bride, and declared that they should descend to the eldest sons for all time, to be given as a bridal present to their wives. Moreover he declared that so long as this behest was strictly followed, no dishonor should come to our house and name.’

  “‘What you tell me makes me only more determined to have the pearls. Your ancestor was a good prophet. You dishonor your house when you offer me your love and then withdraw from your contract. You asked me to be your wife, and according to your ancestor’s will the pearls should be my bridal decoration. I could claim them in that manner, did I choose.’

  “‘What do you mean?’

  “‘I mean to have those pearls. No other woman shall wear them. If the loss brings dishonor to your house, yours is the fault. But I have talked long enough. I loathe myself for bartering with you. Now I give you my command. Bring me those pearls within an hour.’

  “She rose and started to leave the place. The man jumped up and called after her:

  “‘What if I should refuse?’

  “She paused for a moment to reply, and her words reminded me of the hiss of a serpent.

  “‘If you do not obey, when my guests unmask to-night I will announce my engagement, our engagement, and introduce you as my Romeo.’

  “She laughed mockingly, and hurried away. The man did not wait, but went out immediately. I felt about for my companion, but she seemed not to be near me. I took out a match and struck it, only to find myself alone. Seated nearer to the door than I, she must have slipped out without my knowledge.’

  “Then you did not learn the secret of your sphinx maiden after all,” said Mr. Barnes.

  “Not immediately. But hear the sequel. You may be sure I was near our hostess when midnight arrived and the moment came to unmask. Madame Damien herself gave the signal, and then, standing at the end of the room, she slowly unwound a thread-lace scarf which covered her head and face, serving in place of a mask, and draped about her shoulders. The shawl thrown aside revealed her bare neck, around which hung resplendent the pearls in your hand. Madame made a sensation with her pearls. Though she owned many jewels of rare price she often wore them, and her guests were quite familiar with her usual display; but pearls she had never worn before. And such pearls! What wonder there were whisperings and guessings! I looked around for the other two actors in the romantic drama, but neither Romeo nor my sphinx maiden was to be seen.

  “Refreshments were served in several small rooms, and it was from one of these that presently a cry was heard that startled all of the guests, so that they rushed back into the main ballroom. There we found Madame Damien, pale with rage, calling for her servants, who rushed from all directions.

  “‘I have been robbed,’ she cried; ‘robbed of my pearls! They have been taken from me within a minute! Let no one leave the house! Close and lock the doors! No one shall leave this house, until my pearls are restored!’

  “Imagine the consternation and indignation which this aroused. Madame was so enraged at the loss, and so wildly determined to recover the jewels, her jealous fear lest her rival might obtain them so intense, that she had entirely forgotten all the courtesy and duties of a hostess to her guests. All that she knew, all that she cared for, was that the person who had robbed her was still in the house, and she wished to prevent escape.

  “You may guess the hubbub that followed. Women and men congregated in groups asking each other what it all meant. Some demanded their wraps and the opportunity to leave instantly. Others declared that they were quite willing, nay, anxious, to await the denouement, which would certainly prove interesting. ‘At least it was well to know who of their number might be a thief,’ etc.

  “In these circumstances, I undertook to relieve the tension and restore tranquillity. I we
nt up to Madame Damien, and said to her in a low tone:

  “‘If you will let me speak to you alone for two minutes I will recover the lost pearls.’

  “‘What do you know? What can you do?’ she asked eagerly. ‘Come into this room; we will be alone.’

  “I followed her into an anteroom, and we stood as we talked. She was laboring under such excitement that it was impossible for her to sit quietly.

  “‘Tell me first just how the pearls were taken, madame.’

  “‘That is the miserable part of it. To think that a thief could take them from my neck! It is mortifying. All I know is that I was in one of the refreshment-rooms, standing near the window that opens into the ballroom. I knew nothing, felt nothing, until like a flash they were twitched from my neck. I clutched at them, but too late. The thief had stood in the ballroom, and passed her arm through the window, till she reached and unlocked the clasp of the necklace. Then with one quick tug, she had the pearls. I cried out, and the stupid people crowded about me so that it was a whole minute, a precious minute, before I could get out into the ballroom. It was empty, of course. The woman had hurried into one of the small rooms. But she has not left the house and she shall not, until the pearls are in my possession again.’

  “‘You allude to the thief as a woman. How did you discover that, since from your account you could hardly have seen her?’

  “‘No; I saw no one. But I know it was a woman. Never mind how I know. What, though, if it were—no! no! Impossible. He is not here; besides, he would not dare.’

  “Of course I understood that she referred to our friend Romeo, and I might also have thought of him, had I not made sure that he was not present after the unmasking.

  “‘If you did not see the thief, you cannot be sure it was a woman,’ I continued. ‘Now, madame, I have a proposal to make. I will purchase your pearls.’

  “‘You will do nothing of the sort, Mr. Mitchel. You got my ruby, but you will not get the pearls. Besides, I have not them to deliver, even if I were willing to sell them to you.’

  “‘That is the attractive feature of my proposition. I will pay for the pearls, their full value, and I will undertake to recover them.’

  “‘But I tell you I won’t sell them. And besides, how could you recover them?’

  “‘I will tell you nothing in advance, except that I guarantee to recover them, and that, I imagine, is the main object with you.’

  “‘What do you mean? You talk in riddles.’

  “‘Listen. I will make my purpose clear to you. You obtained those pearls to-night, and—’

  “‘How do you know that?’

  “‘And you obtained them for a purpose,’ I went on, ignoring her interruption. ‘You made a man give them to you, because you were determined that another woman should not have them.’

  “‘You are a magician,’ she cried in wonder.

  “‘You are angry at the loss of the pearls, not so much because of their value, as because you fear they may be restored to that other woman. You even think that she herself is the thief.’

  “‘You are right; I do think that. What other woman would do such a thing as to steal a string of pearls from a woman’s very person?’

  “‘What if I tell you that she is not in the house?’

  “‘Ah, then you know her? Who is she? Tell me who she is and you may have the pearls.’ Madame spoke eagerly.

  “‘I will only tell you enough to convince you that she is not the thief. You remember after one of the quadrilles passing a girl and saying, “That girl is a sphinx”?’

  “‘Yes; was she—’

  “‘Yes. Now if you search your rooms you will not find her. I know this because I have looked for her for half an hour.’

  “‘If not she, then the thief was some emissary of hers. Those pearls shall never reach her. Never! never! never! I’ll search every person in this house first.’

  “‘And accomplish what? Nothing, except to ruin yourself before the world. Remember, your guests have rights. Already you have insulted them by having the doors locked. Come, we are wasting time. Sell me the pearls, and I will promise you two things. First, I will satisfy your guests and restore you to their good opinion. Secondly, I will recover and keep those pearls. Your rival shall never wear them.’

  “‘My rival?’

  “‘Your rival. Why mince matters? Is it not evident to you that I know all the details of this affair?’

  “‘You are a devil! Have your own way then. Take the pearls at your own price, and pay for them when you like. All I demand is that you fulfil your agreement. She must not have them. Good night. I cannot meet my guests again. Explain things for me, will you?’

  “She was nothing but a woman again—a conquered woman, relying upon the chivalry of her conqueror.

  “‘Trust me,’ I replied. ‘Lean on me and I will escort you to the stairway.’

  “All eyes followed us as we crossed the ballroom, and madame looked ill enough to evoke pity. At any rate, my explanation was accepted generously, and madame was forgiven.”

  “I am curious to know,” said Mr. Barnes, “how you recovered or expected to recover those pearls?”

  “It certainly was a unique bargain, to purchase stolen property while yet in the possession of the thief. I will tell you what I did. After leaving madame in the care of her maids at the foot of the stairway, I returned to the ballroom, and made a little speech. Addressing the throng that crowded about me, I said:

  “‘Friends, I beg that you will forgive Madame Damien’s hasty words. She was overwrought, and spoke irresponsibly. She had just met with a serious loss under most peculiar circumstances. Imagine her standing at the refreshment table, while one of her guests intrudes an arm through the window behind her, unclasps and removes from her neck a string of pearls worth a fabulous sum of money. Naturally her first thought was to recover the pearls, and to her distracted mind the only way seemed to be to demand that no one should leave the house. Of course she now regrets her words, for no loss can excuse such treatment of guests. But I am sure you will forgive her, especially the ladies, who will appreciate her feelings. Now, in regard to the pearls I may state that I have undertaken to recover them. Fortunately I witnessed the theft, though from a distance, so that I could not prevent it. But I know who took the pearls, and who has them. Consequently it is unnecessary to cause anyone any further annoyance in the matter. To the thief, I will say that I understand the motive of the theft, and that I am in a position to promise that that motive can be consummated if the pearls are returned to me within three days. If they are not returned, it will be necessary to have the person arrested and imprisoned.’”

  “A bold stroke, and ingenious too,” exclaimed Mr. Barnes. “The thief, of course, could not know whether you saw the act or not, and if a person of high social position it would be too great a risk not to return the pearls.”

  “So I argued. Of course, had it been a man, he might have taken even that risk, believing that my threat was a ‘bluff,’ as we say in poker. But a woman—a woman would not take such a risk, especially as I promised that her purpose could still be fulfilled.”

  “Now it is my turn to be mystified. Did you not say that your sphinx maiden was absent? Who else could steal the pearls? What other woman, I mean?”

  “Why, no other woman, of course. Therefore it followed that my little mysterious maiden must have been present, which merely means that as soon as she found that madame would insist upon having the pearls, she boldly plotted to recover them. Her first move was to rush off and change her costume. You see, I was the one she most feared. Others might know her face, but they would not know her reasons for committing such an act. I could do that but I could recognize her by her costume only. Thus I was sure that she was still in the house, though differently attired.”

  “How did your plan result?”

 
“Of course she brought me the pearls, though not until the third day. She delayed action as long as she dared. Then she came to me openly and confessed everything. It was really a pitiful tale. She was an orphan, living with an aged aunt. She met the young man, and at once they loved. After a time she began to suspect that he was not absolutely true to her, and she followed him to the first masquerade to spy upon him. She overheard enough that night to make her believe that the young man was making a dupe of her. Then she also heard the men plotting the robbery, and feared that he might be hurt. Seeing me she told me enough to prevent that. Then she went home, and brooded over her sorrow until she decided to go into a convent. Then came the second fête, and the temptation once more to watch her fickle swain. This time what she heard brought her happiness, for did he not give up the other woman for her? Did he not even yield up his greatest family treasure, the pearls?

  “She decided to recover the pearls, and she had the courage to carry out her purpose. When compelled through fear of arrest to bring them to me, she was delighted to know that they would not be restored to Madame Damien. It was when I told her this, that she drew from her bosom the pink pearl which is now in the centre of the string, but which does not belong to the set as they came from the brow of the idol.

  “‘There is a story,’ said she, ‘that these pearls each represent the price of a maiden’s honor; the price of withdrawing from the service of God’s temple. So I will add this pearl to the string, for I had promised to devote myself to God’s work, and now I am going to my lover. This pearl was worn by my mother, and it is said that her mother also wore it, and that her blood stained it the color that it is. Her stupid husband, my grandfather, doubted her wrongfully and stabbed her with a dagger, so that she died. I think the pearl is worthy of a place among the others.’

  “I took the pink pearl, agreeing with her that it might better be with the others. Then, as she turned to go, I asked her:

  “‘Why did you choose the costume of the Sphinx for the ball?’

  “Her reply astonished me, as it will you. She said: