《the sphinx without a secret》

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the sphinx without a secret- 第2部分


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looking woman opened it to me。  I asked her if she had any rooms to

let。  〃Well; sir;〃 she replied; 〃the drawing…rooms are supposed to

be let; but I have not seen the lady for three months; and as rent

is owing on them; you can have them。〃 … 〃Is this the lady?〃 I said;

showing the photograph。  〃That's her; sure enough;〃 she exclaimed;

〃and when is she coming back; sir?〃 … 〃The lady is dead;〃 I

replied。  〃Oh sir; I hope not!〃 said the woman; 〃she was my best

lodger。  She paid me three guineas a week merely to sit in my

drawing…rooms now and then。〃  〃She met some one here?〃 I said; but

the woman assured me that it was not so; that she always came

alone; and saw no one。  〃What on earth did she do here?〃 I cried。

〃She simply sat in the drawing…room; sir; reading books; and

sometimes had tea;〃 the woman answered。  I did not know what to

say; so I gave her a sovereign and went away。  Now; what do you

think it all meant?  You don't believe the woman was telling the

truth?'



'I do。'



'Then why did Lady Alroy go there?'



'My dear Gerald;' I answered; 'Lady Alroy was simply a woman with a

mania for mystery。  She took these rooms for the pleasure of going

there with her veil down; and imagining she was a heroine。  She had

a passion for secrecy; but she herself was merely a Sphinx without

a secret。'



'Do you really think so?'



'I am sure of it;' I replied。



He took out the morocco case; opened it; and looked at the

photograph。  'I wonder?' he said at last。

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