the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第22节
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gait and great stature； were all the police had in the way of description；
and I may as well add that the information was insufficient； for they never
found any trace of Gwen's assailant。
I had had some hopes of this clue； but they were doomed to
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disappointment。 It seemed evident to us that if anything were ever done
in bringing Mr。 Darrow's assassin to justice； Maitland would have to do it；
unless； indeed； M。 Godin solved the problem。=20 Osborne； Allen； and
their associates were simply out of the question。
We debated for some time as to whether or not we should write
Maitland about Gwen's strange experience； and finally decided that the
knowledge would be a constant source of worriment without being of the
least assistance to him while he was so far away。 We； therefore； decided
to keep our own counsel； for the present at least。
Maitland had written us a few lines from New York telling us the
result of his analysis； and ended by saying：
There is no doubt that Mr。 Darrow died of poison injected into the
blood through the slight wound in the throat。 This wound was not deep；
and seemed to have been torn rather than cut in the flesh。 What sort of
weapon or projectile produced that wound is a question of the utmost
importance； shrouded in the deepest of mysteries。 Once this point is settled；
however； its very uniqueness will be greatly in our favour。 I have an idea
our friend Ragobah might be able to throw some light upon this subject；
therefore I am starting on my way to visit him this afternoon； and shall
write you en route whenever occasion offers。 My kindest regards to Miss
Darrow。 Yours sincerely；GEORGE MAITLAND。
P。 S。 I shall have leisure now on shipboard to set tie that question of
atomic pitches； which is still a thorn in my intellectual flesh。
I handed this letter to Gwen； and； after she had read it through very
carefully； she questioned me about this new theory of Maitland's。 I went
through the form of telling her； after the usual practice of amiable men
discoursing to women； feeling sure she would be no wiser when I had
finished； and was dumfounded when she replied： 〃It looks very reasonable。
Professor Bjerknes； if I remember the name； has produced all the
phenomena of magnetic attraction； repulsion； and polarisation； by air
vibrations corresponding； I suppose； to certain fixed musical notes。 Why
might not something similar to this be true of atomic； as well as of larger；
bodies？〃
If the roof of my house had fallen in； I should not have been more
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surprised than at this quiet remark。 How many times had I said： 〃You
can always count on a young woman； however much she flutter over the
surface of things； being ignorant of all the great underlying verities of
existence〃？ I promptly decided； on all future occasions； to add to that … 〃
When not brought up by her father。〃 I was convinced that of the
attainments of a girl educated by her father absolutely nothing could be
definitely predicted。
We had a short note from Maitland written at Trieste。 He excused its
brevity by saying he had been obliged to travel night and day in order to
reach this port in time to catch the Austrian Lloyd steamer Helois； bound
for Aden； Bombay； Ceylon； Singapore； and Hong Kong。 From Aden I
received the following：
MY DEAR DOCTOR：
We have just been through the Red Sea； and I know now the real
origin of the Calvinistic hell。 Imagine it！ A cloudless sky； the sun
beating down with an intolerable fierceness； not a breath stirring； and the
thermometer registering 120 degrees F。 in the shade！ It seemed as though
reason must desert us。 The constant motion of the punkas in the saloons；
and an unlimited supply of ice…water was all that saved us。 Sleep was
hardly to be thought of； for at no time during the night did the mercury
drop below 100=B0 F。 Apart from the oppressive heat referred to； the
entire voyage has been exceedingly pleasant。 I have not solved the
atomic…pitch problems； as attendance at meals has left me little time for
anything else。 They seem to eat all the time on these boats。 At 8 A。 M。
coffee and bread； at ten a hearty breakfast of meat； eggs； curry and rice；
vegetables and fruit； at 1 P。 M。 a luncheon； called 〃tiffin；〃 of cold meats；
bread and butter； potatoes； and tea； at five o'clock a regular dinner of soups；
meats with relishes； farinaceous dishes； dessert； fruits； and coffee； and
lastly； at 8 P。 M。； the evening meal of tea； bread and butter； and other light
dishes。 Five meals a day； and there are some English people who fill up
the gaps between them by constantly munching nuts and sweets！ Verily；
if specialisation of function means anything； some of these people will
soon become huge gastric balloons with a little wart on top representing
the atrophied brain structure。 They run their engines of digestion wholly
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on the high…pressure system。
After eight days' voyage on the Indian Ocean we shall be in Bombay。 I
must close now； for there is really nothing to say； and； besides； I am
wanted on deck。 My engagement is with a Rev。 Mr。 Barrows； who is
bound as missionary to Hong Kong。 This worthy Methodist gentleman is
very much exercised because I insist that potentiality is necessity and
rebut his arguments on free…will。 He got quite excited yesterday； and said
to me severely： 〃Do you mean to say； young man； that I can't do as I
please？〃 I must say I don't think his warmth was much allayed by my
replying： 〃I certainly mean to say you can't please as you please。 You
may eat sugar because you prefer it to vinegar； but you can't prefer it just
because you will to do so。〃 He has probably got some new arguments
now and is anxious to try their effect； so； with kind regards to Miss
Darrow … I trust she is well … I remain； Cordially your friend；
GEORGE MAITLAND。
P。 S。 （Like a woman I always write a postscript。） You shall hear
again from me as soon as I reach Bombay。
This last promise was religiously kept； though his letter was short and
merely announced his safe arrival early that morning。 He closed by
saying： 〃I have not yet breakfasted； preferring to do so on land； and I feel
that I can do justice to whatever is set before me。 I intend； as soon as I
have taken the edge off my appetite； to set out immediately for Malabar
Hill； as I believe that to be our proper starting…point。 I inclose a little
sketch I made of Bombay as we came up its harbour； thinking it may
interest Miss Darrow。 Kindly give it to her with my regards。 You will
note that there are two tongues of land in the picture。 On the eastern side
is the suburb of Calaba； and on the western our Malabar Hill。 Good…bye
until I have something of interest to report。〃
I gave the sketch to Gwen； and she seemed greatly pleased with it。
〃Are you aware；〃 she said to me that Mr。 Maitland draws with rare
precision？〃
〃I am fully persuaded；〃 I rejoined； 〃that he does not do anything which
he cannot do well。〃
〃I believe there is nothing；〃 she continued； 〃which so conduces to the
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