the clue of the twisted candle-第6节

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In　the　early　hours　of　the　morning　a　tragic　little　party　was　assembled　in　the　study　at　Beston　Priory。　　John　Lexman；　white　and　haggard；　sat　on　the　sofa　with　his　wife　by　his　side。　　Immediate　authority　as　represented　by　a　village　constable　was　on　duty　in　the　passage　outside；　whilst　T。　X。　sitting　at　the　table　with　a　writing　pad　and　a　pencil　was　briefly　noting　the　evidence。

The　author　had　sketched　the　events　of　the　day。　　He　had　described　his　interview　with　the　money…lender　the　day　before　and　the　arrival　of　the　letter。

〃You　have　the　letter！〃　asked　T。　X。

John　Lexman　nodded。

〃I　am　glad　of　that；〃　said　the　other　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　〃that　will　save　you　from　a　great　deal　of　unpleasantness；　my　poor　old　chap。　　Tell　me　what　happened　afterward。〃


〃I　reached　the　village；〃　said　John　Lexman；　〃and　passed　through　it。　There　was　nobody　about；　the　rain　was　still　falling　very　heavily　and　indeed　I　didn't　meet　a　single　soul　all　the　evening。　　I　reached　the　place　appointed　about　five　minutes　before　time。　　It　was　the　corner　of　Eastbourne　Road　on　the　station　side　and　there　I　found　Vassalaro　waiting。　　I　was　rather　ashamed　of　myself　at　meeting　him　at　all　under　these　conditions；　but　I　was　very　keen　on　his　not　coming　to　the　house　for　I　was　afraid　it　would　upset　Grace。　　What　made　it　all　the　more　ridiculous　was　this　infernal　pistol　which　was　in　my　pocket　banging　against　my　side　with　every　step　I　took　as　though　to　nudge　me　to　an　understanding　of　my　folly。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　Vassalaro？〃　asked　T。　X。

〃He　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　Eastbourne　Road　and　crossed　the　road　to　meet　me。　　At　first　he　was　very　pleasant　though　a　little　agitated　but　afterward　he　began　to　behave　in　a　most　extraordinary　manner　as　though　he　was　lashing　himself　up　into　a　fury　which　he　didn't　feel。　　I　promised　him　a　substantial　amount　on　account；　but　he　grew　worse　and　worse　and　then；　suddenly；　before　I　realised　what　he　was　doing；　he　was　brandishing　a　revolver　in　my　face　and　uttering　the　most　extraordinary　threats。　　Then　it　was　I　remembered　Kara's　warning。〃

〃Kara；〃　said　T。　X。　quickly。

〃A　man　I　know　and　who　was　responsible　for　introducing　me　to　Vassalaro。　　He　is　immensely　wealthy。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃go　on。〃

〃I　remembered　this　warning；〃　the　other　proceeded；　〃and　I　thought　it　worth　while　trying　it　out　to　see　if　it　had　any　effect　upon　the　little　man。　　I　pulled　the　pistol　from　my　pocket　and　pointed　it　at　him；　but　that　only　seemed　to　make　it　…　and　then　I　pressed　the　trigger　。　。　。　。

〃To　my　horror　four　shots　exploded　before　I　could　recover　sufficient　self…possession　to　loosen　my　hold　of　the　butt。　　He　fell　without　a　word。　　I　dropped　the　revolver　and　knelt　by　his　side。　　I　could　tell　he　was　dangerously　wounded；　and　indeed　I　knew　at　that　moment　that　nothing　would　save　him。　　My　pistol　had　been　pointed　in　the　region　of　his　heart　。　。　。　。　〃

He　shuddered；　dropping　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　the　girl　by　his　side；　encircling　his　shoulder　with　a　protecting　arm；　murmured　something　in　his　ear。　　Presently　he　recovered。

〃He　wasn't　quite　dead。　　I　heard　him　murmur　something　but　I　wasn't　able　to　distinguish　what　he　said。　　I　went　straight　to　the　village　and　told　the　constable　and　had　the　body　removed。〃

T。　X。　rose　from　the　table　and　walked　to　the　door　and　opened　it。

〃Come　in；　constable；〃　he　said；　and　when　the　man　made　his　appearance；　〃I　suppose　you　were　very　careful　in　removing　this　body；　and　you　took　everything　which　was　lying　about　in　the　immediate　ate　vicinity'？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　man；　〃I　took　his　hat　and　his　walkingstick；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃

〃And　the　revolver！〃　asked　T。　X。

The　man　shook　his　head。

〃There　warn't　any　revolver；　sir；　except　the　pistol　which　Mr。　Lexman　had。〃

He　fumbled　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　it　out　gingerly；　and　T。　X。　took　it　from　him。

〃I'll　look　after　your　prisoner；　you　go　down　to　the　village；　get　any　help　you　can　and　make　a　most　careful　search　in　the　place　where　this　man　was　killed　and　bring　me　the　revolver　which　you　will　discover。　　You'll　probably　find　it　in　a　ditch　by　the　side　of　the　road。　　I'll　give　a　sovereign　to　the　man　who　finds　it。〃

The　constable　touched　his　hat　and　went　out。

〃It　looks　rather　a　weird　case　to　me；〃　said　T。　X。；　as　he　came　back　to　the　table；　〃can't　you　see　the　unusual　features　yourself；　Lexman！　　It　isn't　unusual　for　you　to　owe　money　and　it　isn't　unusual　for　the　usurer　to　demand　the　return　of　that　money；　but　in　this　case　he　is　asking　for　it　before　it　was　due；　and　further　than　that　he　was　demanding　it　with　threats。　　It　is　not　the　practice　of　the　average　money　lender　to　go　after　his　clients　with　a　loaded　revolver。　　Another　peculiar　thing　is　that　if　he　wished　to　blackmail　you；　that　is　to　say；　bring　you　into　contempt　in　the　eyes　of　your　friends；　why　did　he　choose　to　meet　you　in　a　dark　and　unfrequented　road；　and　not　in　your　house　where　the　moral　pressure　would　be　greatest？　　Also；　why　did　he　write　you　a　threatening　letter　which　would　certainly　bring　him　into　the　grip　of　the　law　and　would　have　saved　you　a　great　deal　of　unpleasantness　if　he　had　decided　upon　taking　action！〃

He　tapped　his　white　teeth　with　the　end　of　his　pencil　and　then　suddenly；

〃I　think　I'll　see　that　letter；〃　he　said。

John　Lexman　rose　from　the　sofa；　crossed　to　the　safe；　unlocked　it　and　was　unlocking　the　steel　drawer　in　which　he　had　placed　the　incriminating　document。　　His　hand　was　on　the　key　when　T。　X。　noticed　the　look　of　surprise　on　his　face。

〃What　is　it！〃　asked　the　detective　suddenly。

〃This　drawer　feels　very　hot；〃　said　John；　…　he　looked　round　as　though　to　measure　the　distance　between　the　safe　and　the　fire。

T。　X。　laid　his　hand　upon　the　front　of　the　drawer。　　It　was　indeed　warm。

〃Open　it；〃　said　T。　X。；　and　Lexman　turned　the　key　and　pulled　the　drawer　open。

As　he　did　so；　the　whole　contents　burst　up　in　a　quick　blaze　of　flame。　　It　died　down　immediately　and　left　only　a　little　coil　of　smoke　that　flowed　from　the　safe　into　the　room。

〃Don't　touch　anything　inside；〃　said　T。　X。　quickly。

He　lifted　the　drawer　carefully　and　placed　it　under　the　light。　　In　the　bottom　was　no　more　than　a　few　crumpled　white　ashes　and　a　blister　of　paint　where　the　flame　had　caught　the　side。

〃I　see；〃　said　T。　X。　slowly。

He　saw　something　more　than　that　handful　of　ashes；　he　saw　the　deadly　peril　in　which　his　friend　was　standing。　　Here　was　one　half　of　the　evidence　in　Lexman's　favour　gone；　irredeemably。

〃The　letter　was　written　on　a　paper　which　was　specially　prepared　by　a　chemical　process　which　disintegrated　the　moment　the　paper　was　exposed　to　the　air。　　Probably　if　you　delayed　putting　the　letter　in　the　drawer　another　five　minutes；　you　would　have　seen　it　burn　before　your　eyes。　　As　it　was；　it　was　smouldering　before　you　had　turned　the　key　of　the　box。　　The　envelope！〃

〃Kara　burnt　it；〃　said　Lexman　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　remember　seeing　him　take　it　up　from　the　table　and　throw　it　in　the　fire。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃There　remains　the　other　half　of　the　evidence；〃　he　said　grimly；　and　when　an　hour　later；　the　village　constable　returned　to　report　that　in　spite　of　his　most　careful　search　he　had　failed　to　discover　the　dead　man's　revolver；　his　anticipations　were　realized。

The　next　morning　John　Lexman　was　lodged　in　Lewes　gaol　on　a　charge　of　wilful　murder。


A　telegram　brought　Mansus　from　London　to　Beston　Tracey；　and　T。　X。　received　him　in　the　library。

〃I　sent　for　you；　Mansus；　because　I　suffer　from　the　illusion　that　you　have　more　brains　than　most　of　the　people　in　my　department；　and　that's　not　saying　much。〃

〃I　am　very　grateful　to　you；　sir；　for　putting　me　right　with　Commissioner；〃　began　Mansus；　but　T。　X。　stopped　him。

〃It　is　the　duty　of　every　head　of　departments；〃　he　said　oracularly；　〃to　shield　the　incompetence　of　his　subordinates。　　It　is　only　by　the　adoption　of　some　such　method　that　the　decencies　of　the　public　life　can　be　observed。　　Now　get　down　to　this。〃　　He　gave　a　sketch　of　the　case　from　start　to　finish　in　as　brief　a　space　of　time　as　possible。

〃The　evidence　against　Mr。　Lexman　is　very　heavy；〃　he　said。　　〃He　borrowed　money　from　this　man；　and　on　the　man's　body　were　found　particulars　of　the　very　Promissory　Note　which　Lexman　signed。　　Why　he　should　have　brought　it　with　him；　I　cannot　say。　　Anyhow　I　doubt　very　much　whether　Mr。　Lexman　will　get　a　jury　to　accept　his　version。　　Our　only　chance　is　to　find　the　Greek's　revolver　…　I　don't　think　there's　any　very　great　chance；　but　if　we　are　to　be　successful　we　must　make　a　search　at　once。〃

Before　he　went　out　he　had　an　interview　with　Grace。　　The　dark　shadows　under　her　eyes　told　of　a　sleepless　night。　　She　was　unusually　pale　and　surprisingly　calm。

〃I　think　there　are　one　or　two　things　I　ought　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　as　she　led　the　way　into　the　drawing　room；　closing　the　door　behind　him。

〃And　they　concern　Mr。　Kara；　I　think；〃　said　T。　X。

She　looked　at　him　startled。

〃How　did　you　know　that？〃

〃I　know　nothing。〃

He　hesitated　on　the　brink　of　a　flippant　claim　of　omniscience；　but　realizing　in　time　the　agony　she　must　be　suffering　he　checked　his　natural　desire。

〃I　really　know　nothing；〃　he　continued；　〃but　I　guess　a　lot；〃　and　that　was　as　near　to　the　truth　as　you　might　expect　T。　X。　to　reach　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。

She　began　without　preliminary。

〃In　the　first　place　I　must　tell　you　that　Mr。　Kara　once　asked　me　to　marry　him；　a