the darrow enigma-第19节

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plain　his　hunt　like　dog　for　last　twenty　year。　　Such　persevere　mean
strong　motive；　and　as　I　have　good　reason　to　remember　how　quick　he
forget　a　kindness；　I　know　he　not　moved　by　friendship；　Sahib。

Q　。His　motive　then　is　…=20

A。　Revenge。

Q。　Have　you　any　idea　why　he　cherishes　this　malice？

A。　I　think　it　because　some　old　love　affair；　some　rival　in　his　wife's
love。

Q。　Indeed！　　Then　he　has　been　married？

A。　Yes；　Sahib。

Q。　Where　shall　I　find　his　wife？

A。　All　that　is　left　of　her　is　in　the　bottomless　well　in　the　cave　on
Malabar　Hill。

Q。　Did　Ragobah　kill　her？

A。　No；　that　is；　not　with　his　own　hand。

Q。　How　long　ago　did　she　die？

A。　More　than　twenty　year；　Sahib。

Q。　Are　any　of　her　relatives　living？

A。　Her　husband；　Sahib；　and　a　cousin；　that　is　all。

Q。　Is　there　anyone　else　who　could　tell　me　of　this　woman？

A。　Moro　Scindia　could；　but　he　not　do　it。

Q。　Why？　　Is　he　Ragobah's　friend？

A。　Ragobah　has　no　friends；　Sahib。

Q。　Why；　then？

A。　He　under　oath　to　tell　what　was　told　him　only　to　one　person。　　He
has　keep　his　secret　out　of　every　year　for　more　as　twenty　year；　and
can　no　be　expect　to　tell　to　you；　Sahib。

Q。　Can　you　bring　this　man　to　me？　　You　will　both　be　well　paid　for　your
time；　of　course。

A。　I　bring　him；　Sahib；　but　I　not　make　him　speak。

Q。　Let　me　see　you　both；　then；　to…night　at　eight；　at　Herr　Blaschek's
villa　on　Malabar　Hill。　　Ask　for　Mr。　Maitland。

A。　We　be　there。　　Anything　more；　Sahib？

Q。　Yes。　　When　is　Ragobah　expected　to　return？

A。　He　write　that　he　think　he　return　on　the　Dalmatia。　　She　due　next
day　after　to…morrow。

Q。　Has　Ragobah　any　physical　peculiarities？

A。　His　hands　and　feet　they　very　small　for　man　so　big　and　strong。

Q。　Anything　else？

A。　His　left　leg　been　hurt。　　The　foot　very　bad　shape；　and　the　whole
leg　some　bad；　and；　…　what　you　call　…　halt　when　he　walk。

Q。　Has　he　the　habit　of　biting　his　finger　nails？

A。　I　not　know　he　has；　Sahib。

This　completed　the　list　of　questions　which　I　had　desired　to　ask　him；
so；　after　once　more　receiving　his　assurance　that　he　would　meet　me　in
the　evening　with　his　friend　Scindia；　I　left　him。　　　As　you　know；　I　am
not　wont　to　draw　conclusions　until　all　the　evidence　is　in；　but　I　must
confess　that；　looking　at　the　whole　matter　from　start　to　finish；　there
seems　to　have　fallen　upon　Ragobah　a　net　of　circumstantial　evidence
so　strong；　and　with　a　mesh　of　detail　so　minute；　that　it　does　not　seem
possible　a　mosquito　could　escape　from　it。　　Look　at　it　a　moment　from
this　standpoint。　Ragobah　alone；　so　far　as　we　know；　has　a　motive　for
the　murder。　　His　victim　has　related　the　feud　existing　between　them
and　foretold；　with　an　air　of　the　utmost　assurance；　just　such　an
outcome　thereof。　　Add　to　this　that　this　man　leaves　India　on　a　mission
which　those　about　him　do　not　hesitate　to　pronounce　one　of　vengeance；
at　just　such　a　time　as　would　enable　him　to　reach　Boston　just　a　little
before　the　commission　of　the　murder；　that　this　mission　is　the
culmination　of　twenty　years　of　unremitting　search　for　revenge；　that
this　malignity　is　supposed　to　be　directed　against　some　rival　in　his
wife's　affections；　and　the　chain　of　circumstantial　evidence
possesses；　so　far　as　it　extends；　no　weak　link。　　Then；　too；　Ragobah
has　very　small　hands；　a　deformed　left　foot；　and　a　limping　gait；　…=20
everything　almost　which　we　had　already　predicted　of　the　assassin。
So　sure　am　I　that　Ragobah　is　the　guilty　man　that　I　shall　ask　for　his
arrest　upon　his　arrival　day　after　to…morrow　should　he　return　then；
a　thing　which；　I　regret　to　say；　does　not　impress　me　as　altogether
likely。　　Should　he　not　come　I　shall　cable　you　to　institute　a　search
for　your　end　of　the　line。　　The　next　thing　in　order　which　I　have　to
relate　is　my　interview　with　Moro　Scindia。　　I　had　engaged　an
interpreter；　but　was　able　to　dismiss　him　as　my　guest　spoke　English
with　more　ease　and　fluency　than　he；　being　an　intelligent　and
well…to…do　member　of　the　Vaisya　caste。　　I　thought　it　wise　to　see　the
venerable　Scindia　alone；　and　accordingly　sent　Parinama　out　of　the
room　with　the　interpreter。　　As　before；　I　give　you　what　passed　between
us　as　I　jotted　it　down　in　my　notebook。

Q。　You　are　a　friend　of　Rama　Ragobah；　are　you　not？

A。　No；　Sahib；　he　has　no　friends。

Q。　You　speak　as　if　you　disliked　him。

A。　It　is　not　Mono　Scindia's　habit　to　play　the　hypocrite。　　I　have　good
reason　to　hate　him。

Q。　You　would　not；　then；　had　he　committed　a　crime；　assist　him　to　escape
justice？

A。　I　would　track　him　like　a　bloodhound　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。

Q。　You　knew　Ragobah's　wife？

A。　She　was　my　cousin；　Sahib。

Q。　Were　your　relations　friendly？

A。　They　were　more　than　friendly。　　I　loved　her　dearly；　and　would　have
tried　to　win　her　had　I　not　been　so　much　her　senior。

Q。　Did　she　live　happily　with　Ragobah？

A。　No；　Sahib。

Q。　Why？

A。　I　cannot　answer。　　I　have　sworn　to　reveal　the　last　experiences　of
my　cousin　to　but　one　person。

Q。　And　that　person　is。？

A。　I　must　decline　to　answer　that　also；　Sahib。

Q。　If　I　succeed　in　naming　him　will　you　acknowledge　it？

A。　You　will　not　succeed；　Sahib。

Q。　But　if　I　should？

A。　I　will　acknowledge　it。

Q。　The　person　is　John　Hinton　Darrow。

The　old　man　started　as　if　he　had　been　stabbed；　and　looked　at　me　in
amazement。　　He　seemed　at　first　to　think　I　had　read　his　thoughts　and
riveted　his　dark　eyes　upon　me　as　if；　by　way　of　return；　he　would　read
my　very　soul。　　I　think　he　did　so；　for　his　scrutiny　seemed　to　satisfy
him。　　　He　replied；　somewhat　reassured：　〃I　can　speak　only　to　John
Hinton　Darrow。〃

〃John　Darrow　is　dead；〃　I　said。

〃Dead！〃　he　exclaimed；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃Darrow　Sahib　dead！〃　and
he　fell　back　into　his　chair；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands。　　〃Ah；
my　poor　Lona！〃　he　muttered　feebly；　〃I　have　failed　to　keep　my　promise。
Do　not　reproach　me；　for　I　have　done　my　best。　　For　twenty　years　have　I
searched　in　vain　for　this　man　that　I　might　fulfil　your　last　request；
and　the　very　first　information　I　receive　is　the　news　of　his　death。　　I
have　been　no　less　vigilant　than　Ragobah；　yet　I　have　failed；　even　as
he　has　failed。〃

I　took　this　opportunity　to　again　question　him。

Q。　Are　you　sure　Ragobah　failed？

A。　Yes；　had　he　found　Darrow　Sahib　he　would　have　killed　him。　　　His
mission　was　one　of　revenge；　mine　one　of　love　and　justice；　both　have
failed　utterly　since　their　object　is　dead。　　My　pledge　is　broken！

Q。　In　its　letter；　yes；　but　the　chance　is　still　left　you　to　keep　the
spirit　of　your　covenant。

A。　I　do　not　understand　you；　Sahib。

Q。　I　will　explain。　　Lona　Ragobah　confided　to　you　certain　facts　in
explanation　of　her　conduct　toward　John　Darrow。　　She　loved　him
passionately；　and　it　was　her　desire　to　stand　acquitted　in　his　sight。
Were　she　alive　now；　any　wish　he　had　expressed　during　his　life
would　be　fulfilled　by　her　as　a　sacred　and　pleasurable　duty。　　This；
then；　as　one　who　lovingly　performs　her　will；　should　be　your　attitude
also。　　John　Darrow　was　the　only　man　she　ever　loved；　and；　were　she
living；　every　drop　of　her　loyal　blood　would　rise　against　anyone　who
had　done　him　injury。　　Do　I　not　speak　the　truth？

A。　Yes；　she　was　loyal　unto　death　and　so　shall　I　be。　　My　hand　has　ever
been　against　all　who　have　done　her　harm；　Ragobah　knows　that　full　well。

Q。　Were　she　alive；　you　certainly　would　aid　her　in　bringing　to　justice
one　who　has　done　her　the　most　cruel　of　wrongs　and；　at　the　same　time；
fulfilling　the　dying　request　of　the　man　who　to　her　was　more　than
life。

A。　I　should　do　her　bidding；　Sahib。

Q。　How　much　more　need；　then；　now　that　the　poor　woman　is　dead；　that
you　should　act　for　her　as　she　would；　were　she　here。

A。　You　have　not　told　me　all；　speak　your　mind　freely；　Sahib。　　You　may
depend　upon　my　doing　whatever　I　believe　Lona　would　do　were　she　here。

Q。　I　ask　nothing　more；　and　am　now　prepared　to　fully　confide　in　you。
As　you　doubtless　know；　Rama　Ragobah　left　Bombay　for　New　York　about
eleven　weeks　ago。　　He　went；　I　have　been　told；　on　an　errand　of　revenge。
Six　weeks　ago　John　Darrow　was　murdered。　　He　left　behind　him　a　written
statement　describing　his　wooing　of　Lona　Scindia　and　his　experiences
with　Rama　Ragobah。　　He　asserted；　furthermore；　his　belief　that　he
would　die　by　Ragobah's　hand；　…　the　hand　which　twice　before　had
attempted　his　life。　　Even　as　he　loved　your　cousin；　so　he　hated　her
husband；　and；　confident　that　he　would　ultimately　be　killed　by　him；
he　was　haunted　by　the　fear　that　he　would　escape　the　just　penalty　for
his　crime。　　He　bound　his　heir　by　the　most　solemn　of　promises　to　use；
in　the　event　of　his　murder；　every　possible　means　to　bring　the
assassin　to　justice。　　There　can；　of　course；　be　little　doubt　that　the
assassin　and　Rama　Ragobah　are　one　and　the　same　person。　　The　last
request　John　Darrow　ever　made　…　it　was　after　he　had　been　attacked
by　the　assassin　…　had　for　its　object　the　punishment　of　his　murderer。
Were　your　cousin　living；　do　you　think　she　would　be　deaf　to　that
entreaty？

A。　No。　　She　would　make　its　fulfilment　the　one　object　of　her　life；　and；
acting　in　her　stead；　I　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　see　justice　done。
If　I　can　render　you　any　aid　in　that　direction　you　may　command　me；
Sahib。

Q。　You　can　assist　me　by　telling　me　all　you　know　of　your　cousin's
married　life；　and；　more　especially；　the　message　she　confided　to　you。

A。　I