the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第49节
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Q。 Did you not look at any of them？
A。 No。 It did not occur to me to examine their names。
Q。 You probably noticed that there were several of them。 Among
the pile was one by Alexander Wynter Blyth entitled； 〃Poisons； Their
Effects and Detection。〃 Did you notice that？ A。 No。 I did not notice
any of them。
Q。 But after you became suspicious of M。 Latour； did you not then
look up the slips； find this work； and read it？
A。 No。 I have never seen the book in my life and did not even know
such a work existed。
Q。 Oh！ Then the perusal of the books had no part in the tracking of
M。 Latour。
A。 None whatever。
Q。 Do you ever play cards？
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A。 Yes； sometimes； to pass the time。
Q。 Do you play for money？
A。 Sometimes for a small stake … just enough to make it interesting。
Q。 Are you familiar with the house in which Mr。 Darrow was
murdered？
A。 I have only such knowledge of it as I acquired at the examination
immediately after the murder。 You will remember I entered but the one
room。
Q。 And the grounds about the house？ Surely you examined them？
A。 On the contrary； I did not。
Q。 Did you not even examine the eastern side of the house？
A。 I did not。 I have never been within the gate save on the night in
question； and then only to traverse the front walk to and from the house in
company with Messieurs Osborne and Allen。 I was convinced that the
solution of the problem was to be found within the room in which the
murder was committed； and that my notes taken the night of the tragedy
contained all the data I could hope to get。
Q。 Was not this rather a singular assumption？
A。 For many doubtless it would be； but I have my own methods； and I
think I may say they have been measurably successful in most cases。 ＇This
last was said with a good…natured smile and a modest dignity that
completely won the audience。＇
At this point Maitland dismissed M。 Godin and the court adjourned for
the day。 That night M。 Godin made his first call upon Gwen。 Their
interview was private； and Gwen had nothing to say about it further than
that her caller had not hesitated to inform her that he was aware a reward
had been offered and that he considered he had earned it。 Maitland
questioned her as to what he had claimed as his due； but Gwen； with her
face alternately flushed and ashen； begged to be permitted to keep silence。
This attitude was； of course； not without its significance to Maitland；
and it was easy to see that M。 Godin's visit had much displeased him。
But he was not the only one who was displeased that night。 I regret that
my promise of utter candour compels me to bear witness to my own
foolishness； for when Maitland found it necessary to take Jeannette into
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the back parlour and to remain there alone with her in earnest conversation
one hour and twelve minutes … I happened to notice the exact time … it
seemed to me he was getting unpleasantly confidential； and it nettled me。
You may fancy that I was jealous； but it was； most likely； only pique； or； at
the worst； envy。 I was provoked at the nonchalant ease with which this
fellow did offhand a thing I had been trying to work myself up to for
several days； and had finally abandoned from sheer lack of courage。
Why couldn't I carelessly say to her； 〃Miss Jeannette； a word with you if
you please；〃 and then take her into the parlour and talk a 〃whole history。〃
Oh； it was envy； that's what it was！ And then the change in Jeannette！
If he had not been making love to her … well； I have often wondered since
if it were all envy； after all
The next morning M。 Latour's trial was resumed； and Maitland again
put M。 Godin upon the stand。 The object of this did not appear at the
time； though I think the Judge fully understood it。 Maitland's first act
was to show the Judge and Jury a glass negative and a letter； which he
asked them to examine carefully as he held the articles before them。 He
then passed the negative to M。 Godin； saying：
〃Please take this by the lower corner； between your thumb and
forefinger； so that you may be sure not to touch the sight of the picture；
hold it to the light； and tell me if you recognise the face。〃 M。 Godin did
as directed and replied without hesitancy： 〃It is a picture of M。 Latour。〃
〃Good；〃 rejoined Maitland； taking back the negative and passing him the
letter； 〃now tell me if you recognise that signature。〃 M。 Godin looked
sharply at the letter； holding it open between the thumb and forefinger of
each hand； and read the signature； 〃'Carl Cazenove。' I should say that was
M。 Latour's hand。〃
〃Good again；〃 replied Maitland； reaching for the paper and appearing
somewhat disconcerted as he glanced at it。 〃You have smutched the
signature； … however； it doesn't matter；〃 and he exhibited the paper to the
Judge and Jury。 〃The negative must have been oily … yes； that's where it
came from；〃 and he quietly examined it with a magnifying glass； to the
wonderment of us all。 〃That is all； M。 Godin； thank you。〃
As the celebrated detective left the stand we were all doing our best to
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fathom what possible bearing all this could have upon Latour's confession。
M。 Godin for once seemed equally at a loss to comprehend the trend of
affairs； if I may judge by the deep furrows which gathered between his
eyes。
Maitland then proceeded to address the Court and to sum up his case；
the gist of which I shall give you as nearly as possible in his own words；
omitting only such portions as were purely formal； uninteresting； or
unnecessarily verbose。
〃Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury： John Darrow was murdered
and the prisoner； M。 Gustave Latour； has confessed that he did the deed。
When a man denies the commission of a crime we do not feel bound to
consider his testimony of any particular value； but when； on the other hand；
a prisoner accused of so heinous a crime as murder responds to the
indictment； 'I am guilty；' we instinctively feel impelled to believe his
testimony。 Why is this？ Why do we doubt his word when he asserts his
innocence and accept it when he acknowledges his guilt？ I will tell you。
It is all a question of motive。 Could we see as cogent a motive for
asseverating his guilt as we find for his insisting upon his innocence； we
should lend as much credence to the one as to the other。 I propose to
show that M。 Latour has what seems to him the strongest of motives for
confessing to the murder of John Darrow。 If I am able to do this to your
satisfaction； I shall practically have thrown M。 Latour's entire testimony
out of court； and nothing of importance will then remain but the evidence
of the government's witness； M。 Godin。〃
A great wave of excitement swept over the room at these remarks。
〃What！〃 each said to himself； 〃is it possible that this lawyer will try to
prove that Latour； despite his circumstantial confession； did not commit
the murder after all？〃 We did not dare let such a thought take hold of us；
yet could not see what else could explain Maitland's remarks。 Is it any
wonder； therefore； that we all waited breathlessly for him to continue？ M。
Godin's face was dark and lowering。 It was evident he did not propose to
have his skill as a detective； … and with it the Darrow reward； … set aside
without a struggle … at least so it seemed to me。 The room was as quiet as
the grave when Maitland continued。
