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THE MOONSTONE
By WILKIE COLLINS B EFORE the Mohammedan conquest the moon-god, in his Brahmin shrine, wore upon his forehead one of the most beautiful diamonds in creation. "Partly from its peculiar color, partly from a superstition which represented it as partaking of the nature of the deity whom it adorned, and growing and lessening in luster with tll waxing and waning of the moon, it first gained the name by which it continues to be known in India to this day-the name of `the moonstone.' After passing from one lawless hand to an-other, in 1850, `after the lapse of eight centuries the moonstone looks forth over the walls of the sacred city in which its story first began.'" Throughout this long period the moonstone had been sought diligently by three Brahmins and their successors. Their vigilance was, in 1848, rewarded by the sight of the resplendent gem gleaming on the bosom of a light-hearted girl. Rachel Verinder had received the moonstone as a legacy from an unscrupulous uncle who was in high disfavor with the family. And he, knowing that the moonstone brought ill-luck, had made the gift in revenge. Although thoroughly admired at Miss Verinder's birthday dinner, the stone began to exert its uncanny influence on the atmosphere of the party. Two rival suitors were present-both cousins of Rachel Verinder. One, Godfrey Ablewhite, persuasive in manner and eloquent as chairman of many charitable organizations, lived in the neighborhood and had hitherto gained the advantage which propinquity gave him over Franklin Blake, lately returned to England, bringing the moonstone, after several years spent on the Continent. The latter was a guest of Mrs. Verinder three weeks before the birthday, where his graciousness and congeniality to Miss Verinder made him most welcome. Hence it was not surprising that Rachel fell in love with him and refused the importunities of Godfrey Ablewhite just before the birthday dinner. This major tension, accompanied by various misunderstandings on the part of other guests, ended in a dispute between the family physician and Franklin Blake over the latter's sleeplessness, in which the doctor failed to convince him that medicine could triumph over his nerves. On hearing a drum the guests rushed to the terrace to be confronted by three Indian jugglers. At a word from one of the diners, a celebrated Indian traveler, the intruders hurriedly retreated. This surprising turn of events argued for putting the moonstone into especially safe keeping, but Miss Rachel, with ideas of her own, insisted on placing it in an unlocked Indian cabinet in her dressing-room. The company then dispersed, leaving Franklin Blake, who looked wretchedly, and Mr. Ablewhite together. After much urging Mr. Blake decided to take brandy and water to help combat his sleeplessness. The household was startled next morning at the disappearance of the moonstone. Franklin Blake, always alert, was instrumental in bringing in the nearest police. Rachel became exceedingly angry at their intrusion and was deeply offended with Franklin Blake for securing them. The chief of police succeeded in making a mess of affairs and was superseded by the famous detective Sergeant Cuff. The chief of police had aroused the resentment of the servants by examining their boxes; Sergeant Cuff wished to begin with the personal effects of the family, not looking for the moonstone, but rather for an article of clothing bearing a paint stain from the door of Rachel's boudoir. Every one ac-ceded but Miss Verinder, who gave a most decided refusal. The only servant suspected by the sergeant was Rosanna Spearman, who had been rescued from misfortune by Lady Verinder. She was discovered by Sergeant Cuff to have bought a quantity of plain white cloth and made and laundered a new garment in her room when supposed to be ill with a headache. Miss Rachel's point-blank refusal to have her possessions searched and her decision to leave her home ended in gaining her point; and the dismissal of the detective, who left the Verinder home convinced that Miss Rachel had disposed of the diamond through the connivance of Rosanna Spearman in order to pay some pressing debt. Rachel and Lady Verinder spent some little time in London, where Rachel was ordered by her physician to have as much gaiety as possible to counteract the depression of recent events. Franklin Blake left for the Continent and Godfrey Ablewhite again resumed his attentions to Rachel. Shortly after leaving Lady Verinder's country home for London, Godfrey Ablewhite was summoned to a strange house by an unknown person, bound, gagged, and searched by a tawny-skinned individual. On the same day a notorious money-lender met with a like experience in the exact spot where Mr. Able-white was maltreated, only that in his case a receipt for a valuable left at a banker's was removed from his loose papers. The news of the disappearance of the moonstone having reached London, an ugly suspicion began to attach itself to Godfrey Ablewhite, only to be dissipated by the emphatic assertion of Rachel Verinder: "I know that Godfrey Ablewhite is innocent!" Soon after this Rachel became engaged to Mr. Ablewhite, although she told him her heart was else-where. He seemed, however, to be quite satisfied with this condition until after Lady Verinder's death, when he had an opportunity to examine her will. When Rachel's lawyer found this out and communicated it to Rachel she dismissed Godfrey Ablewhite, on suspecting him of wishing to marry her for pecuniary reasons. He accepted his dismissal more gracefully than his father, in whose house Rachel was residing after the death of her mother. Mr. Bruff, her lawyer, then made arrangements for her to live with one of her aunts. At this time Franklin Blake was quickly summoned to England by the death of his father. In his unhappiness he visited Lady Verinder's old home, where he found things sadly changed, with no one in charge except a faithful old steward. This servant told him that there was a letter waiting for him from Rosanna Spearman which her confidant would deliver into no other hands than his. The short letter contained directions to search on the seashore for a hidden box. The box held a garment stained with a smear of paint from Miss Rachel's boudoir and marked with the name of Franklin Blake. A long letter explained that the garment had been hidden there by Rosanna Spearman on account of her love for Franklin Blake and her hopes of shielding him from discovery. Immediately knowing that there must be some mistake, Mr. Blake tried in vain to see Rachel in London by all fair means. His resort to a trick to accomplish this ended unfortunately and they parted in great bitterness. Rachel's words, "You villain, I saw you take the diamond with my own eyes ! " spurred him to do all in his power to prove his innocence. He returned to the country house and soon met the assistant of the family physician, with whom he had disputed at the birthday dinner. Doctor Candy had caught a severe cold that night, which with complications still affected him mentally and bodily. His assistant had taken in shorthand the doctor's delirious ravings, and after studying them had found out what was preying upon the doctor's mind. In the tumbler of water measured for Franklin Blake the night of the birthday a small quantity of laudanum had been placed. Sleep-walking results were immediately suspected and even Rachel was persuaded to have the experiment repeated under conditions as nearly possible like those of the year before. Her aunt came with her to chaperon this strange house party, and all eagerly awaited the experiment. Franklin Blake walked in his sleep as far as the cabinet, which held a mock diamond. Al-though he let this stone drop to the floor as the effects of the medicine wore off, his innocence was established and the two lovers were reconciled. The time had nearly come when the money-lender was to take from the banker's the valuable which he had deposited there. Detectives watched the bank and several people near the money-lender were followed on wrong suspicion. A shrewd office-boy took upon himself to follow a large man with a dark beard. This man had taken refuge in a low-class boarding-house, awaiting the sailing of his steamer for Rotterdam. Franklin Blake and Sergeant Cuff hastened to this house and found the man had been murdered, presumably by an Indian. The detective, on removing the black beard and pasty complexion, revealed to the onlookers the fair hair and ruddy features of Godfrey Ablewhite. Thus the Brahmin priests, after patiently waiting for eight centuries, were able to re-store to the moon-god his famous moonstone. |