the darrow enigma-第10节

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just　what　we　make　it；〃　returned　the　other。　　〃We　hadn't　much　doubt　of
it　last　night；　but　there　were　some　things；　such　as　the　motive；　for
example；　not　quite　clear　to　us；　but　it　is　all　as　plain　as　daylight
now。〃

〃And　what　says　？〃　asked　Maitland。

Mr。　Osborne　burst　into　a　loud　guffaw。

〃Oho；　but　that's　good！　　What　says　？　　I　say；　Allen；　Maitland
wants　to　know　what　'Frenchy'　says；〃　and　the　pair　laughed　boisterously。
〃It's　plain　enough　you　don't　know　；〃　he　continued；　addressing
Maitland。　　〃He's　tighter　'n　any　champagne　bottle　you　ever　saw。　　The
corkscrew　ain't　invented　that　'11　draw　a　word　out　of　。　　You
saw　him　making　notes　here　last　night。　　Well；　the　chances　are　that　if
this　were　a　murder　case；　which　it　isn't；　you'd　see　no　more　of　M。
Godin　till　he　bobbed　up　some　day；　perhaps　on　the　other　side　of　the
earth；　with　a　pair　of　twisters　on　the　culprit。　　He's　a　'wiz；'　is　M。
Godin。　　What　does　he　think？　　He　knows　what　he　thinks；　and　he's　the
only　individual　on　the　planet　that　enjoys　that　distinction。　　I　say；
Allen；　do　you　pump　'Frenchy'　for　the　gentleman's　enlightenment；〃　and
again　the　pair　laughed　long　and　heartily。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Maitland；　〃since　we　can't　have　's　views
we　shall　have　to　content　ourselves　with　those　of　your　more　confiding
selves。　　Let's　hear　all　about　the　suicide　theory。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Osborne　in　an　undertone；　〃you　had　better　ask　Miss
Darrow　to　withdraw　for　a　few　moments；　as　there　are　some　details
likely　to　pain　her。〃　　This　suggestion　was　intended　only　for　Maitland；
but　the　officer；　used　to　talking　in　the　open　air；　spoke　so　loudly
that　we　all　overheard　him。　　〃I　thank　you　for　your　consideration；〃
Gwen　said　to　him；　〃but　I　would　much　prefer　to　remain。　　There　can　be
nothing　connected　with　this　matter　which　I　cannot　bear　to　hear；　or
should　not　know。　　Pray　proceed。〃

Osborne；　anxious　to　narrate　his　triumph；　needed　no　further　urging。
〃We　felt　sure；〃　he　began；　〃that　it　was　a　case　of　suicide；　but　were
perplexed　to　know　why　Mr。　Darrow　should　wish　to　make　it　appear　a
murder。　　Of　course；　we　thought　he　might　wish　to　spare　his　daughter
the　shame　such　an　act　would　visit　upon　her；　but　when　this　was
exchanged　for　the　horrible　notoriety　of　murder；　the　motive　didn't
seem　quite　sufficient；　so　we　looked　for　a　stronger　one　…　and　found
it。〃　　〃Ah！　　you　are　getting　interesting；〃　Maitland　observed。

Osborne　cast　a　furtive　glance　at　Gwen；　and　then　continued：　〃We
learned　on　inquiry　that　certain　recent　investments　of　Mr。　Darrow's
had　turned　out　badly。　　In　addition　to　this　he　had　been　dealing
somewhat　extensively　in　certain　electric　and　sugar　stocks；　and　when
the　recent　financial　crash　came；　he　found　himself　unable　to　cover
his　margins；　and　was　so　swept　clean　of　everything。　　Nor　is　this　all；
he　had　lost　a　considerable　sum　of　money　in　yet　another　way　…　just
how　my　informant　would　not　disclose　…　and　all　of　these　losses
combined　made　his　speedy　failure　inevitable。　　Under　such　conditions
many　another　man　has　committed　suicide；　unable　to　face　financial
ruin。　　But　this　man　had　a　daughter　to　consider；　and；　as　I　have
already　said；　he　would　wish　to　spare　her　the　disgrace　which　the
taking　of　his　own　life　would　visit　upon　her；　and；　more　than　all；
would　desire　that　she　should　not　be　left　penniless。　　The　creditors
would　make　away　with　his　estate；　and　his　daughter　be　left　a　beggar。
We　could　see　but　one　way　of　his　preventing　this；　and　that　was　to
insure　his　life　in　his　daughter's　favour。　　We　instituted　inquiries
at　the　insurance　offices；　and　found　that　less　than　a　month　ago　he
had　taken　out　policies　in　various　companies　aggregating　nearly
fifty　thousand　dollars；　whereas；　up　to　that　time；　he　had　been
carrying　only　two　thousand　dollars　insurance。　　Why　this　sudden　and
tremendous　increase？　　Clearly　to　provide　for　his　daughter　after
his　act　should　have　deprived　her　of　his　own　watchful　care。　　And　now
we　can　plainly　see　why　he　wished　his　suicide　to　pass　for　murder。
He　had　been　insured　but　a　month；　and　immediate　ruin　stared　him　in
the　face。　　His　death　must　be　consummated　at　once；　and　yet；　by
our　law；　a　man　who　takes　his　life　before　the　payment　of　his　second
annual　insurance　premium　relieves　the　company　issuing　his　policy　of
all　liability　thereunder；　and　robs　his　beneficiary　of　the　fund
intended　for　her。　　Here；　then；　is　a　sufficient　motive；　and　nothing
more　is　required　to　make　the　whole　case　perfectly　clear。　　Of　course；
it　would　be　a　little　more　complete　if　we　could　find　the　weapon；　but
even　without　it；　there　can　be　no　doubt；　in　the　light　of　our　work；
that　John　Darrow　took　his　own　life　with　the　intentions；　and　for　the
purposes；　I　have　already　set　forth。〃

〃Upon　my　soul；　gentlemen；〃　exclaimed　Maitland；　〃you　have　reasoned
that　out　well！　　Did　you　carefully　read　the　copies　of　the　various
policies　when　interrogating　the　companies　insuring　Mr。　Darrow？〃
〃Hardly；〃　Osborne　replied。　　〃We　learned　from　the　officials　all　we
needed　to　know；　and　didn't　waste　any　time　in　gratifying　idle
curiosity。〃　　A　long…drawn　〃hm…m〃　was　the　only　reply　Maitland
vouchsafed　to　this。　　〃We　regret；〃　said　Osborne；　addressing　Gwen；
〃that　our　duty；　which　has　compelled　us　to　establish　the　truth　in
this　matter；　has　been　the　means　of　depriving　you　of　the　insurance
money　which　your　father　intended　for　you。〃　Gwen　bowed；　and　a　slight
enigmatical　smile　played　for　a　moment　about　her　lips；　but　she　made
no　other　reply；　and；　as　neither　Maitland　nor　I　encouraged
conversation；　the　two　officers　wished　us　a　good…morning；　and　left
the　house　without　further　remark。

〃I　wish　to　ask　you　a　few　questions；〃　Maitland　said　to　Gwen　as　soon
as　the　door　had　closed　behind　Osborne　and　his　companion；　'and　I　beg
you　will　remember　that　in　doing　so；　however　personal　my　inquiries
may　seem；　they　have　but　one　object　in　view　…　the　solution　of　this
mystery。〃　　〃I　have　already　had　good　proof　of　your　singleness　of
purpose；〃　she　replied。　　〃Only　too　gladly　will　I　give　you　any
information　in　my　possession。　　Until　this　assassin　is　found；　and　my
father's　good　name　freed　from　the　obloquy　which　has　been　cast　upon
it；　my　existence　will　be　but　a　blank；　…　yes；　worse；　it　will　be　an
unceasing　torment；　for　I　know　my　father's　spirit　…　if　the　dead　have
power　to　return　to　this　earth　…　can　never　rest　with　this　weight　of
shame　upon　it。〃　　As　she　spoke　these　words　the　depth　of　grief　she　had
hitherto　so　well　concealed　became　visible　for　a　moment；　and　her　whole
frame　shook　as　the　expression　of　her　emotion　reacted　upon　her。　　The
next　instant　she　regained　her　old　composure；　and　said　calmly：

〃You　see　I　have　every　reason　to　shed　whatever　light　I　can　upon　this
dark　subject。〃

〃Please；　then；　to　answer　my　questions　methodically；　and　do　not　permit
yourself　to　reason　why　I　have　asked　them。　　What　was　your　father's　age？〃

〃Sixty…two。〃

〃Did　he　drink？〃

〃No。〃

〃Did　he　play　cards？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Poker？〃

〃Yes；　and　several　other　games。〃

〃Was　he　as　fond　of　them　as　of　croquet？〃

〃No；　nothing　pleased　him　as　croquet　did　…　nothing；　unless　it　were
chess。〃

〃Hum！　　Do　you　play　chess？〃

〃Yes；　I　played　a　good　deal　with　father。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　game　did　he　play？〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you。　　He　played　a　good　game；　my　father　did　not
enjoy　doing　anything　that　he　could　not　do　well。〃

〃I　mean　to　ask　if　his　positions　were　steadily　sustained　…　or　if；
on　the　other　hand；　his　manoeuvres　were　swift；　and　what　you　might
call　brilliant。〃

〃I　think　you　would　call　them　brilliant。〃

〃Hum！　　How　old　are　you？〃

〃Twenty…two。〃

〃Tell　me　your　relations　with　your　father。〃

〃We　were　most　constant　companions。　　My　mother　…　she　and　my　father
　…　they　were　not　altogether　companionable　…　in　short；　they　were
ill…mated；　and；　being　wise　enough　to　find　it　out；　and　having　no
desire　to　longer　embitter　each　other's　lives；　they　agreed　to
separate　when　I　was　only　four。　　They　parted　without　the　slightest
ill…feeling；　and　I　remained　with　father。　　He　was　very　fond　of　me；
and　would　permit　no　one　else　to　teach　me。　　At　seven　I　was　drawing
and　painting　under　his　guidance。　　At　eight　the　violin　was　put　into
my　hands　and　my　studies　in　voice　began。　　In　the　meantime　father　was
most　careful　not　to　neglect　my　physical　training；　he　taught　me　the
use　of　Indian　clubs；　and　how　to　walk　easily。　　At　eight　I　could
walk　four　miles　an　hour　without　fatigue。　　The　neighbours　used　to
urge　that　I　be　put　to　school；　but　my　father　would　reply　…　many　a
time　I　have　heard　him　say　it　…　'a　child's　brain　is　like　a　flower
that　blossoms　in　perceptions　and　goes　to　seed　in　abstractions。
Correct　concepts　are　the　raw　material　of　reason。　　Every　desk　in
your　school　is　an　intellectual　loom　which　is　expected　to　weave　a
sound　fabric　out　of　rotten　raw　material。　　While　your　children　are
wasting　their　fibre　in　memorising　the　antique　errors　of　classical
thought　my　child　is　being　fitted　to　perceive　new　truths　for　herself。'
It　is　needless　to　say　his　friends　considered　these　views　altogether
too　radical。　　But　for　all　that　I　was　never　sent　to　school。　　My
father's　library　was　always　at　my　disposal；　and　I　was　taught　how
to　use　it。　　We　were　constantly　together；　and　grew　so　into　each
other's　lives　that　〃　…　but　her　voice　failed　her；　and　her　eyes
moistened。　　Maitland；　though　he　apparently　did　not　notice　her
emotion；　so　busy　was