the clue of the twisted candle-第35节

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〃I　flung　him　back　on　the　bed　and　half　knelt；　half　laid　on　him。

〃'Kara；'　I　said；　'you　are　going　to　die；　a　more　merciful　death　than　my　wife　died。'

〃He　tried　to　speak。　　His　soft　hands　gesticulated　wildly；　but　I　was　half　lying　on　one　arm　and　held　the　other。

〃I　whispered　in　his　ear：

〃'Nobody　will　know　who　killed　you；　Kara；　think　of　that！　　I　shall　go　scot　free　…　and　you　will　be　the　centre　of　a　fine　mystery！　　All　your　letters　will　be　read；　all　your　life　will　be　examined　and　the　world　will　know　you　for　what　you　are！'

〃I　released　his　arm　for　just　as　long　as　it　took　to　draw　my　knife　and　strike。　　I　think　he　died　instantly；〃　John　Lexman　said　simply。

〃I　left　him　where　he　was　and　went　to　the　door。　　I　had　not　much　time　to　spare。　　I　took　the　candles　from　my　pocket。　　They　were　already　ductile　from　the　heat　of　my　body。

〃I　lifted　up　the　steel　latch　of　the　door　and　propped　up　the　latch　with　the　smaller　of　the　two　candles；　one　end　of　which　was　on　the　middle　socket　and　the　other　beneath　the　latch。　　The　heat　of　the　room　I　knew　would　still　further　soften　the　candle　and　let　the　latch　down　in　a　short　time。

〃I　was　prepared　for　the　telephone　by　his　bedside　though　I　did　not　know　to　whither　it　led。　　The　presence　of　the　paper…knife　decided　me。　　I　balanced　it　across　the　silver　cigarette　box　so　that　one　end　came　under　the　telephone　receiver；　under　the　other　end　I　put　the　second　candle　which　I　had　to　cut　to　fit。　　On　top　of　the　paper…knife　at　the　candle　end　I　balanced　the　only　two　books　I　could　find　in　the　room；　and　fortunately　they　were　heavy。

〃I　had　no　means　of　knowing　how　long　it　would　take　to　melt　the　candle　to　a　state　of　flexion　which　would　allow　the　full　weight　of　the　books　to　bear　upon　the　candle　end　of　the　paper…knife　and　fling　off　the　receiver。　　I　was　hoping　that　Fisher　had　taken　my　warning　and　had　gone。　　When　I　opened　the　door　softly；　I　heard　his　footsteps　in　the　hall　below。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　finish　the　play。

〃I　turned　and　addressed　an　imaginary　conversation　to　Kara。　　It　was　horrible；　but　there　was　something　about　it　which　aroused　in　me　a　curious　sense　of　humour　and　I　wanted　to　laugh　and　laugh　and　laugh！


〃I　heard　the　man　coming　up　the　stairs　and　closed　the　door　gingerly。　　What　length　of　time　would　it　take　for　the　candle　to　bend！

〃To　completely　establish　the　alibi　I　determined　to　hold　Fisher　in　conversation　and　this　was　all　the　easier　since　apparently　he　had　not　seen　the　envelope　I　had　left　on　the　table　downstairs。　　I　had　not　long　to　wait　for　suddenly　with　a　crash　I　heard　the　steel　latch　fall　in　its　place。　　Under　the　effect　of　the　heat　the　candle　had　bent　sooner　than　I　had　expected。　　I　asked　Fisher　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　sound　and　he　explained。　　I　passed　down　the　stairs　talking　all　the　time。　　I　found　a　cab　at　Sloane　Square　and　drove　to　my　lodgings。　　Underneath　my　overcoat　I　was　partly　dressed　in　evening　kit。

〃Ten　minutes　after　I　entered　the　door　of　my　flat　I　came　out　a　beardless　man　about　town；　not　to　be　distinguished　from　the　thousand　others　who　would　be　found　that　night　walking　the　promenade　of　any　of　the　great　music…halls。　　From　Victoria　Street　I　drove　straight　to　Scotland　Yard。　　It　was　no　more　than　a　coincidence　that　whilst　I　should　have　been　speaking　with　you　all；　the　second　candle　should　have　bent　and　the　alarm　be　given　in　the　very　office　in　which　I　was　sitting。

〃I　assure　you　all　in　all　earnestness　that　I　did　not　suspect　the　cause　of　that　ringing　until　Mr。　Mansus　spoke。

〃There；　gentlemen；　is　my　story！〃　　He　threw　out　his　arms。

〃You　may　do　with　me　as　you　will。　　Kara　was　a　murderer；　dyed　a　hundred　times　in　innocent　blood。　　I　have　done　all　that　I　set　myself　to　do　…　that　and　no　more　…　that　and　no　less。　　I　had　thought　to　go　away　to　America；　but　the　nearer　the　day　of　my　departure　approached；　the　more　vivid　became　the　memory　of　the　plans　which　she　and　I　had　formed；　my　girl　。　。　。　my　poor　martyred　girl！〃

He　sat　at　the　little　table；　his　hands　clasped　before　him；　his　face　lined　and　white。

〃And　that　is　the　end！〃　he　said　suddenly；　with　a　wry　smile。

〃Not　quite！〃　T。　X。　swung　round　with　a　gasp。　　It　was　Belinda　Mary　who　spoke。

〃I　can　carry　it　on；〃　she　said。

She　was　wonderfully　self…possessed；　thought　T。　X。；　but　then　T。　X。　never　thought　anything　of　her　but　that　she　was　〃wonderfully〃　something　or　the　other。

〃Most　of　your　story　is　true；　Mr。　Lexman；〃　said　this　astonishing　girl；　oblivious　of　the　amazed　eyes　that　were　staring　at　her；　〃but　Kara　deceived　you　in　one　respect。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　John　Lexman；　rising　unsteadily　to　his　feet。

For　answer　she　rose　and　walked　back　to　the　door　with　the　chintz　curtains　and　flung　it　open：　There　was　a　wait　which　seemed　an　eternity；　anal　then　through　the　doorway　came　a　girl；　slim　and　grave　and　beautiful。

〃My　God！〃　whispered　T。　X。　　〃Grace　Lexman！〃




CHAPTER　XXIII


They　went　out　and　left　them　alone；　two　people　who　found　in　this　moment　a　heaven　which　is　not　beyond　the　reach　of　humanity；　but　which　is　seldom　attained　to。　　Belinda　Mary　had　an　eager　audience　all　to　her　very　self。

〃Of　course　she　didn't　die；〃　she　said　scornfully。　　〃Kara　was　playing　on　his　fears　all　the　time。　　He　never　even　harmed　her　…　in　the　way　Mr。　Lexman　feared。　　He　told　Mrs。　Lexman　that　her　husband　was　dead　just　as　he　told　John　Lexman　his　wife　was　gone。　　What　happened　was　that　he　brought　her　back　to　England　…　〃

〃Who？〃　asked　T。　X。；　incredulously。

〃Grace　Lexman；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　smile。　　〃You　wouldn't　think　it　possible；　but　when　you　realize　that　he　had　a　yacht　of　his　own　and　that　he　could　travel　up　from　whatever　landing　place　he　chose　to　his　house　in　Cadogan　Square　by　motorcar　and　that　he　could　take　her　straight　away　into　his　cellar　without　disturbing　his　household；　you'll　understand　that　the　only　difficulty　he　had　was　in　landing　her。　　It　was　in　the　lower　cellar　that　I　found　her。〃

〃You　found　her　in　the　cellar？〃　demanded　the　Chief　Commissioner。

The　girl　nodded。

〃I　found　her　and　the　dog　…　you　heard　how　Kara　terrified　her　…　and　I　killed　the　dog　with　my　own　hands；〃　she　said　a　little　proudly；　and　then　shivered。　　〃It　was　very　beastly；〃　she　admitted。

〃And　she's　been　living　with　you　all　this　time　and　you've　said　nothing！〃　asked　T。　X。；　incredulously。　　Belinda　Mary　nodded。

〃And　that　is　why　you　didn't　want　me　to　know　where　you　were　living？〃　　She　nodded　again。

〃You　see　she　was　very　ill；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　had　to　nurse　her　up；　and　of　course　I　knew　that　it　was　Lexman　who　had　killed　Kara　and　I　couldn't　tell　you　about　Grace　Lexman　without　betraying　him。　　So　when　Mr。　Lexman　decided　to　tell　his　story；　I　thought　I'd　better　supply　the　grand　de　denouement。〃

The　men　looked　at　one　another。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　Lexman？〃　asked　the　Chief　Commissioner；　〃and；　by　the　way；　T。　X。；　how　does　all　this　fit　your　theories！〃

〃Fairly　well；〃　replied　T。　X。　coolly；　〃obviously　the　man　who　committed　the　murder　was　the　man　introduced　into　the　room　as　Gathercole　and　as　obviously　it　was　not　Gathercole；　although　to　all　appearance；　he　had　lost　his　left　arm。〃

〃Why　obvious？〃　asked　the　Chief　Commissioner。

〃Because；〃　answered　T。　X。　Meredith；　〃the　real　Gathercole　had　lost　his　right　arm　…　that　was　the　one　error　Lexman　made。〃

〃H'm；〃　the　Chief　pulled　at　his　moustache　and　looked　enquiringly　round　the　room；　〃we　have　to　make　up　our　minds　very　quickly　about　Lexman；〃　he　said。　　〃What　do　you　think；　Carlneau？〃

The　Frenchman　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃For　my　part　I　should　not　only　importune　your　Home　Secretary　to　pardon　him；　but　I　should　recommend　him　for　a　pension；〃　he　said　flippantly。

〃What　do　you　think；　Savorsky？〃

The　Russian　smiled　a　little。

〃It　is　a　very　impressive　story；〃　he　said　dispassionately；　〃it　occurs　to　me　that　if　you　intend　bringing　your　M。　Lexman　to　judgment　you　are　likely　to　expose　some　very　pretty　scandals。　Incidentally；〃　he　said；　stroking　his　trim　little　moustache；　〃I　might　remark　that　any　exposure　which　drew　attention　to　the　lawless　conditions　of　Albania　would　not　be　regarded　by　my　government　with　favour。〃

The　Chief　Commissioner's　eyes　twinkled　and　he　nodded。

〃That　is　also　my　view；〃　said　the　Chief　of　the　Italian　bureau；　〃naturally　we　are　greatly　interested　in　all　that　happens　on　the　Adriatic　littoral。　　It　seems　to　me　that　Kara　has　come　to　a　very　merciful　end　and　I　am　not　inclined　to　regard　a　prosecution　of　Mr。　Lexman　with　equanimity。〃

〃Well；　I　guess　the　political　aspect　of　the　case　doesn't　affect　us　very　much；〃　said　O'Grady；　〃but　as　one　who　was　once　mighty　near　asphyxiated　by　stirring　up　the　wrong　kind　of　mud；　I　should　leave　the　matter　where　it　is。〃

The　Chief　Commissioner　was　deep　in　thought　and　Belinda　Mary　eyed　him　anxiously。

〃Tell　them　to　come　in；〃　he　said　bluntly。

The　girl　went　and　brought　John　Lexman　and　his　wife；　and　they　came　in　hand　in　hand　supremely　and　serenely　happy　whatever　the　future　might　hold　for　them。　　The　Chief　Commissioner　cleared　his　throat。

〃Lexman；　we're　all　very　much　obliged　to　you；〃　he　said；　〃for　a　very　interesting　story　and　a　most　interesting　theory。　　What　you　have　done；　as　I　understand　the　matter；〃　he　proceeded　deliberately；　〃is　to　put　yourself　in　the　murderer's　place　and　advance　a　theory　not　only　as　to　how　the　murder　was　actually　committed；　but　as　to　the　motive　for　that　murder。　　It　is；　I　might　say；　a　r