the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第38节
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and are working together toward some common end。 I should think it
very likely； judging from their interest in cancers and toxicology； that they
were medical students。 Numbers four and five don't exactly seem to
strengthen my medical hypothesis； but they are only two out of the ten。
That's about all I can make out of it；〃 and I returned the list to him。
〃Your views in the matter；〃 replied Maitland； 〃are precisely those
which first occurred to me； and I am not sure but I should still hold them；
had I been obliged to decide solely from the evidence I have submitted to
you。 It was clear to my mind from the first that some common purpose
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actuated both Weltz and Rizzi。 With a view to ascertaining where they
lived as a preparatory step toward learning more of them； I consulted a
Boston directory； only to learn that it contained no such names。 I was
about to examine some of the directories of neighbouring towns when it
occurred to me that the easiest way to find their places of residence would
be to consult the green slips upon which they had procured their books；
and I accordingly asked the attendant to kindly let me look at them。 While
she was collecting the slips I re…examined the list of books taken by Weltz
and Rizzi； especially those which had been taken by both men。 One
thing at once struck my attention； and that was that most of these latter
were large books which would take a long time to peruse and would
require to be borrowed several times for hall use； were they to be
examined with any care。 I put this fact down for future reference and
gave my attention to the green slips； the whole twenty of which the
attendant now placed before me。 The residence of Weltz was given as
No。 15 Staniford Place； Boston； while that of Rizzi was No。 5 Oak Street；
Boston。 I was about to walk over to Oak Street to see if Rizzi were still
there when； in returning the slips to the attendant； I noticed a peculiarity in
Weltz's 'z' which I had thought I had seen in Rizzi's signature。 I
immediately compared the slips。 There was the same oddly shaped 'z' in
both。 It was made like this〃 … and he handed us a slip of paper with this
z* upon it。
〃You see；〃 he continued； 〃it is so unusual a way of making the letter
that it at once attracted my attention； notwithstanding the fact that Rizzi
wrote with his left hand。 Closer examination revealed other peculiarities；
as in the r*'s； common to both hands。 Well； to make a long story short； I
satisfied myself that the same person wrote the whole twenty slips and was；
moreover； ambidextrous。 This I considered as a very promising discovery；
so much so； indeed； that I gave up an engagement I had for the evening
and decided to camp right there until the Library closed。 Happily the
books I had been consulting were still on the table。 I picked out those
borrowed under the names of Weltz and Rizzi； and began a most careful
examination of them。 I had been working about two hours when I
discovered something that fairly took my breath away。 I was not sure
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that I was right； but I knew that； if my microscope bore me out； I would be
able to stake my life that the murderer of John Darrow had read that book。
I was aware； however； that even then I should not be able to name the man
who had put his mark upon the book； but I could take oath that the record
was made by the same hand that committed the murder。
____________________________________________________________
_______
transcriber's note： the symbols designated z* and r* are shown as
script which is not reproducible here。
____________________________________________________________
_______
〃I was too excited to do more till this had been settled； so I besought
the official in charge to let me take all the books home with me； if only for
a day； explaining to him the vital importance of my request。 He readily
consented and I hastened home with the whole lot。 You may imagine
with what interest I put the page I wished to examine under my
microscope and laid beside it the piece of glass which； you will perhaps
remember； I cut from a window of the room in which the murder was
committed。 I believe I have never yet explained to Miss Darrow why I
preserved that bit of glass。 There were two reasons for it。 The house had
been primed that day and there were two smutches of paint upon the glass
and two almost identical smutches upon the sill。 One was a sinuous line；
as if the glass had been struck with a short bit of rope； … or possibly rubber
tubing since no rope…like texture was visible； … which had previously been
soiled with the paint from the sill。 The other mark was that of a human
thumb。 I had seen at the World's Fair an exhibit of these thumbmarks
collected by a Frenchman who has made an exhaustive study of the
subject； and had learned there for the first time that no two thumbs in the
world can make the same mark。 I knew； therefore； that this slip of glass
would at any time tell me whether or not a suspected man were guilty。 I
had not failed to get the thumb…marks of the men who painted the house
on that day； as well as those of every other person known to be about the
place。 The marks upon the glass could not； by any possibility； have been
made by any of them。 The deduction was inevitable。 They were made
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by the man who stood by the window when the murder was committed。
〃You will be surprised when I tell you it was some moments before I
could summon up courage to look through my microscope upon the page
beneath it。 You see； I had been seized by an unaccountable conviction
that I had at last found a real clue to the murderer； and I dreaded lest the
first glance should show this to have been an idle delusion。 At length I
looked。 The thumb that had pressed the paper was the thumb that had
pressed the glass！ There was not a doubt of it。 My suspicions were
confirmed。 Everything now regarding this book was of immense
importance。 The page upon which the mark was found … well； I think you
would open your eyes if I were to read it to you。 I will defer this pleasure；
however； till I see if my suspicions are correct。 The thumb…mark is upon
page 469 of 'Poisons； Their Effects and Detection；' by Alexander Wynter
Blyth。
〃No sooner had I made sure of my discovery than I set out for No。 5
Oak Street； the address given by Rizzi。 There was no such person there；
nor had there been anyone of that name in the house during the three years
of the present tenant's occupancy。 I went to 15 Staniford Place with the
same result。 A young woman about twenty…five years of age came to the
door。 She informed me that she had been born in the house and had
always lived there。 She had never known anyone by the name of Weltz。
This was just what I had expected。 The man for whom we are searching
is shrewd almost beyond belief； and if we succeed in finding him it will
not； we may be assured； be the result of any bungling on his part。
〃I have now told you all I have learned； or rather all that is sufficiently
definite to communicate … it is not much； yet it is a clue and may serve to
give our hope a new lease of life。 What do you think of it； Miss
Darrow？〃
〃I think what you have learned；〃 Gwen replied； 〃will be of the utmost
importance。 You have now something definite to guide you。 I am most
fortunate in having the services of such a detective； … indeed； I am at a
loss to know ho
