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第69节

classic mystery and detective stories-第69节

小说: classic mystery and detective stories 字数: 每页4000字

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however convincing it might be to my own mind。  Nor did there seem

any evidence forthcoming from Grosshesslohe。  Sophie's body had

been found in the afternoon lying as if asleep in one of the by…

paths of the wood。  No marks of a struggle; no traces of the

murderer。  Her affianced lover; who was at Augsburg; on hearing of

her fate; hurried to Grosshesslohe; but could throw no light on the

murder; could give no hint as to a possible motive for the deed。

But this entire absence of evidence; or even ground of suspicion;

only made MY case the stronger。  It was the motiveless malignity of

the deed which fastened it on Bourgonef; or rather; it was the

absence of any known motive elsewhere which assured me that I had

detected the motive in him。



Should I communicate my conviction to the police?  It was possible

that I might impress them with at least sufficient suspicion to

warrant his examinationand in that case the truth might be

elicited; for among the many barbarities and iniquities of the

criminal procedure in Continental States which often press heavily

on the innocent; there is this compensating advantage; that the

pressure on the guilty is tenfold heavier。  If the innocent are

often unjustly punishedimprisoned and maltreated before their

innocence can be establishedthe guilty seldom escape。  In England

we give the criminal not only every chance of escape; but many

advantages。  The love of fair…play is carried to excess。  It seems

at times as if the whole arrangements of our procedure were

established with a view to giving a criminal not only the benefit

of every doubt; but of every loophole through which he can slip。

Instead of this; the Continental procedure goes on the principle of

closing up every loophole; and of inventing endless traps into

which the accused may fall。  We warn the accused not to say

anything that may be prejudicial to him。  They entangle him in

contradictions and confessions which disclose his guilt。



Knowing this; I thought it very likely that; however artful

Bourgonef might be; a severe examination might extort from him

sufficient confirmation of my suspicion to warrant further

procedure。  But knowing also that THIS resort was open to me when

all others had failed; I resolved to wait and watch。





IX



FINALE





Two days passed; and nothing occurred。  My watching seemed

hopeless; and I resolved to try the effect of a disguised

interrogatory。  It might help to confirm my already settled

conviction; if it did not elicit any new evidence。



Seated in Bourgonef's room; in the old place; each with a cigar;

and chatting as of old on public affairs; I gradually approached

the subject of the recent murder。



〃Is it not strange;〃 I said; 〃that both these crimes should have

happened while we were casually staying in both places?〃



〃Perhaps we are the criminals;〃 he replied; laughing。  I shivered

slightly at this audacity。  He laughed as he spoke; but there was a

hard; metallic; and almost defiant tone in his voice which

exasperated me。



〃Perhaps we are;〃 I answered; quietly。  He looked full at me; but I

was prepared; and my face told nothing。  I added; as in

explanation; 〃The crime being apparently contagious; we may have

brought the infection from Nuremberg。〃



〃Do you believe in that hypothesis of imitation?〃



〃I don't know what to believe。  Do you believe in there being only

one murderer?  It seems such a preposterous idea。  We must suppose

him; at any rate; to be a maniac。〃



〃Not necessarily。  Indeed there seems to have been too much artful

contrivance in both affairs; not only in the selection of the

victims; but in the execution of the schemes。  Cunning as maniacs

often are they are still maniacs; and betray themselves。〃



〃If not a maniac;〃 said I; hoping to pique him; 〃he must be a man

of stupendous and pitiable vanity;perhaps one of your constant…

minded friends; whom you refuse to call bloodthirsty。〃



〃Constant…minded; perhaps; but why pitiably vain?〃



〃Why?  Because only a diseased atrocity of imagination; stimulating

a nature essentially base and weak in its desire to make itself

conspicuous; would or could suggest such things。  The silly youth

who 'fired the Ephesian dome;' the vain idiot who set fire to York

Minster; the miserable Frenchmen who have committed murder and

suicide with a view of making their exit striking from a world in

which their appearance had been contemptible; would all sink into

insignificance beside the towering infamy of baseness whichfor

the mere love of producing an effect on the minds of men; and thus

drawing their attention upon him; which otherwise would never have

marked him at allcould scheme and execute crimes so horrible and

inexcusable。  In common charity to human nature; let us suppose the

wretch is mad; because otherwise his miserable vanity would be too

loathsome。〃  I spoke with warmth and bitterness; which increased as

I perceived him wincing under the degradation of my contempt。



〃If his motive WERE vanity;〃 he said; 〃no doubt it would be

horrible; but may it not have been revenge?〃



〃Revenge!〃 I exclaimed; 〃what! on innocent women?〃



〃You assume their innocence。〃



〃Good God! do you know anything to the contrary?〃



〃Not I。  But as we are conjecturing; I may as well conjecture it to

have been the desire to produce a startling effect。〃



〃How do you justify your conjecture?〃



〃Simply enough。  We have to suppose a motive; let us say it was

revenge; and see whether that will furnish a clue。〃



〃But it can't。  The two victims were wholly unconnected with each

other by any intermediate acquaintances; consequently there can

have been no common wrong or common enmity in existence to furnish

food for vengeance。〃



〃That may be so; it may also be that the avenger made them

vicarious victims。〃



〃How so?〃



〃It is human nature。  Did you ever observe a thwarted child

striking in its anger the unoffending nurse; destroying its toys to

discharge its wrath?  Did you ever see a schoolboy; unable to wreak

his anger on the bigger boy who has just struck him; turn against

the nearest smaller boy and beat him?  Did you ever know a

schoolmaster; angered by one of the boy's parents; vent his pent…up

spleen upon the unoffending class?  Did you ever see a subaltern

punished because an officer had been reprimanded?  These are

familiar examples of vicarious vengeance。  When the soul is stung

to fury; it must solace itself by the discharge of that furyit

must relieve its pain by the sight of pain in others。  We are so

constituted。  We need sympathy above all things。  In joy we cannot

bear to see others in distress; in distress we see the joy of

others with dismal envy which sharpens our pain。  That is human

nature。〃



〃And;〃 I exclaimed; carried away by my indignation; 〃you suppose

that the sight of these two happy girls; beaming with the quiet joy

of brides; was torture to some miserable wretch who had lost his

bride。〃



I had gone too far。  His eyes looked into mine。  I read in his that

he divined the whole drift of my suspicionthe allusion made to

himself。  There often passes into a look more than words can

venture to express。  In that look he read that he was discovered;

and I read that he had recognized it。  With perfect calmness; but

with a metallic ring in his voice which was like the clash of

swords; he said:



〃I did not say that I supposed this; but as we were on the wide

field of conjectureutterly without evidence one way or the other;

having no clue either to the man or his motivesI drew from the

general principles of human nature a conclusion which was just as

plausibleor absurd if you likeas the conclusion that the motive

must have been vanity。〃



〃As you say; we are utterly without evidence; and conjecture drifts

aimlessly from one thing to another。  After all; the most plausible

explanation is that of a contagion of imitation。〃



I said this in order to cover my previous imprudence。  He was not

deceivedthough for a few moments I fancied he wasbut replied:



〃I am not persuaded of that either。  The whole thing is a mystery;

and I shall stay here some time in the hope of seeing it cleared

up。  Meanwhile; for a subject of conjecture; let me show you

something on which your ingenuity may profitably be employed。〃



He rose and passed into his bedroom。  I heard him unlocking and

rummaging the drawers; and was silently reproaching myself for my

want of caution in having spoken as I had done; though it was now

beyond all doubt that he was the murderer; and that his motive had

been rightly guessed; but with this self…reproach there was mingled

a self…gratulation at the way I had got out of the difficulty; as I

fancied。



He returned; and as he sat down I noticed that the lower part of

his surtout was open。  He always wore a long frogged and braided

coat reaching to 

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