the darrow enigma-第26节

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of　the　bed。　　'Legree'　snatches　off　'Eva's'　wig　and　'Topsy'　deftly
removes　the　white　nightdress　concealing　his　…　'Eva's'　…　'Uncle　Tom'
make…up；　while　the　erstwhile　little　girl　hastily　blackens　his　face
and　hands；　puts　on　a　negro　wig；　and　in　less　than　a　minute　is
changed　in　colour；　race；　and　sex。　　He　'gets　round'　left　and　enters
the　sick　room　as　'Uncle　Tom'　with　'Topsy。'　　They　are　both　told　that
'Little　Eva'　is　asleep；　and　'Topsy'　peeps　cautiously　between　the
curtains　and　remarks　that　the　child's　eyes　are　open　and　staring。
The　father　looks　in　and；　overcome　by　grief；　informs　the　audience
that　his　child　is　dead。　　'Topsy；'　tearful　and　grief…stricken；
'gets　off'　right　and　washes　up　to　'do'　'Little　Eva'　climbing　the
golden　stair　in　the　last　tableau。　　Meanwhile　'Uncle　Tom；'　in　a
paroxysm　of　grief；　throws　himself　upon　the　bed　and　holds　the　stage
till　he　smells　the　red　fire　for　the　vision；　then　he　staggers　down
stage；　strikes　an　attitude；　the　others　do　likewise；　picture　of
'Little　Eva；'　curtain。　　Talk　about　doubling　'Marcellus；'　'Folonius；'
'Osric；'　and　the　'First　Grave　Digger'！　　Why；　that's　nothing　to　these
'Uncle　Tom'　productions。　　But　hold　on；　where　did　I　get　side…tracked？
Oh；　yes；　the　dogs。

〃Well；　as　I　was　saying；　as　soon　as　I　thought　of　Burwell　I　made　up
my　mind　at　once　to　borrow　one　of　his　hounds。　　It　was　late　when　I　got
to　his　house。　　When　I　knocked　at　the　door　both　Pompey　and　Caesar
began　sub…bass　solos　of　growls；　and　Burwell　was　awake　in　a　minute。
I　told　him　I　wanted　a　dog　for　private　business　and　took　Caesar　off
with　me。　　He　found　the　trail　with　no　difficulty；　and　followed　it　in
a　bee…line　down　to　the　water；　where　he　raised　his　big　muzzle　and
howled　in　dismal　impotency。　　The　assassin　had　taken　to　the　water。
I　took　the　dog　up　and　down　the　shore　to　see　if　he　had　returned　to
land；　but　all　I　found　of　interest　was　a　clump　of　alders　from
which　a　pole　had　been　cut。　　I　knew　by　the　dog's　actions　that　the
assassin　had　been　there；　for　Caesar　immediately　took　a　new　trail
back　to　the　house。　　Try　as　I　might　I　could　learn　nothing　further；
and　I　at　once　returned　the　dog。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　the
murderer　made　his　escape　in　a　boat　and　took　with　him　the　pole　he
had　cut；　the　boards　he　had　worn；　and　everything　else；　I　dare　say；
connected　with　his　crime。　　One　thing　seems　clear；　and　that　is　that
we　are　dealing　with　no　ordinary　criminal。　　I　would　wager　a　good
deal　that　this　fellow；　if　ever　he　is　caught；　will　be　found　to　be
a　man　of　brains。　　I　don't　place　much　confidence　in　the　Chinese
theory；　Doc；　but　as　I　have　nothing　better　to　offer；　let　us　go　see
Miss　Darrow。　　If　her　father　has　ever　had　any　dealings　with　Chinamen；
we　shall　probably　deem　it　wise　to　look　the　Orientals　up　a　bit。〃

We　immediately　acted　upon　this　suggestion；　waiting　upon　Gwen　at　my
house。　　She　said　she　and　her　father　had　spent　a　year　in　San
Francisco　when　she　was　about　seven　years　of　age。　　While　there　their
household　was　looked　after　by　two　Chinese　servants；　named　Wah　Sing
and　Sam　Lee。　　The　latter　had　been　discharged　by　her　father　because
of　his　refusal　to　perform　certain　minor　duties　which；　through
oversight；　had　not　been　set　down　as　part　of　his　work　when　he　was
engaged。　　So　far　as　she　knew　no　altercation　had　taken　place　and
there　were　no　hard　feelings　on　either　side。　　Sam　Lee　had　bade　her
good…bye　and　had　seemed　sorry　to　leave；　notwithstanding　which；
however；　he　refused；　with　true　Chinese　pertinacity；　to　assume　the
new　duties。　　She　did　not　think　it　likely　that　either　of　these
Chinamen　had　been　instrumental　in　her　father's　death；　yet　she
agreed　with　Maitland　that　it　would　be　a　point　gained　to　be　assured
of　this　fact。　　Maitland　accordingly　determined　to　depart　at　once
for　San　Francisco；　and　the　next　day　he　was　off。

We　received　no　letters　from　him　during　his　absence　and　were；
accordingly；　unable　to　tell　when　he　expected　to　get　back。　　Since
his　return　from　India　Gwen　had　given　evidence　of　a　reviving　interest
in　life；　but　now　that　he　was　again　away；　she　relapsed　into　her　old
listless　condition；　from　which　we　found　it　impossible　to　arouse　her。
Alice；　who　did　her　utmost　to　please　her；　was　at　her　wit's　end。　　She
could　never　tell　which　of　two　alternatives　Gwen　preferred；　since
that　young　lady　would　invariably　express　herself　satisfied　with
either　and　did　not　seem　to　realise　why　she　should　be　expected　to　have
any　choice　in　the　matter。　　Alice　was　quite　at　a　loss　to　understand
this　state　of　affairs；　until　I　told　her　that　Gwen　was　in　a　condition
of　semi…torpor　in　which　even　the　effort　of　choice　seemed　an
unwarrantable　outlay。　　She　simply　did　not　care　what　happened。　　She
felt　nothing；　save　a　sense　of　fatigue；　and　even　what　she　saw　was
viewed　as　from　afar；　…　and　seemed　to　her　a　drama　in　which　she　took
no　other　part　than　that　of　an　idle；　tired；　and　listless　spectator。
Clearly　she　was　losing　her　hold　on　life。　　I　told　Alice　we　must　do
our　utmost　to　arouse　her；　to　stimulate　her　will；　to　awaken　her
interest；　and　we　tried　many　things　in　vain。

Maitland　had　been　gone；　I　think；　about　three　weeks　when　my　sister
and　I　hit　upon　a　plan　which　we　thought　might　have　the　desired　effect
upon　Gwen。　　Before　her　father's　death　she　had　been　one　of　the　most
active　members　of　a　Young　People's　Club　which　devoted　every
Wednesday　evening　to　the　study　of　Shakespeare。　　She　had　attended
none　of　its　meetings　since　her　bereavement；　but　Alice　and　I　soon
persuaded　her　to　accompany　us　on　the　following　week　and　I　succeeded；
by　a　little　quiet　wire…pulling；　in　getting　her　appointed　to　take
charge　of　the　following　meeting；　which　was　to　be　devoted　to　the
study　of　〃Antony　and　Cleopatra。〃　　When　informed　of　the　task　which
had　been　imposed　upon　her　Gwen　was　for　declining　the　honour　at　once；
and　the　most　Alice　and　I　were　able　to　do　was　to　get　her　to　promise
to　think　it　over　a　day　or　so　before　she　refused。

The　next　morning　Maitland　walked　in　upon　us。　　He　had　found　both　of
Mr。　Darrow's　former　servants　and　satisfied　himself　that　they　were
in　San　Francisco　on　the　night　of　the　murder。　　So　that　ended　my
Chinese　clue。　　While　Alice　and　Gwen　were　discussing　the　matter；　I
took　occasion　to　draw　Maitland　aside；　and　told　him　of　Gwen's
appointment　to　take　charge　of　the　Cleopatra　night；　and　how　necessary
it　was　to　her　health　that　she　should　be　aroused　from　her　torpor。　　It
doesn't　take　long　for　Maitland　to　see　a　thing；　and　before　I　had
whispered　a　dozen　sentences　he　had　completely　grasped　the　situation。
He　crossed　the　room；　drew　a　chair　up　beside　Gwen；　and　sat　down。
〃Miss　Darrow；〃　he　began；　〃I　am　afraid　you　will　have　a　poor　opinion
of　me　as　a　detective。　　This　is　the　second　time　I　have　failed。　　I
feel　that　I　should　remind　you　again　of　our　compact；　at　least；　that
part　of　it　which　permits　you　to　dispense　with　my　services　whenever
you　shall　see　fit　to　do　so；　and；　at　the　same　time；　to　relieve　you
from　your　obligation　to　let　me　order　your　actions。　　I　tell　you
frankly　it　will　be　necessary　for　you　to　discharge　me；　if　you　would　be
rid　of　me；　for；　unless　you　do　so；　or　I　find　the　assassin；　I　shall
never　cease　my　search　so　long　as　I　have　the　strength　and　means　to
conduct　it。　　What　do　you　say？　　Have　I　not　proved　my　uselessness？〃
This　was　said　in　a　tentative；　half…jesting　tone。　　Gwen　answered　it
very　seriously。

〃You　have　done　for　me；〃　she　said；　in　the　deep；　vibrating　tones　of　her
rich　contralto　voice；　〃all　that　human　intelligence　could　suggest。　　You
have　examined　the　evidence　and　conducted　the　whole　affair　with　a
thoroughness　which　I　never　could　have　obtained　elsewhere。　　That　your
search　has　been　unavailing　is　due；　not　to　any　fault　of　yours；　but
rather　to　the　consummate　skill　of　the　assassin；　who；　I　think；　we　may
conclude；　is　no　ordinary　criminal。　　I　do　not　know　much　of　the
abilities　of　Messrs。　Osborne　and　Allen；　but　I　understand　that　M。
Godin　has　the　reputation　of　being　the　cleverest　detective　in　America。
I　　　cannot　learn　that　he　has　made　any　progress　whatsoever　in　the
solution　of　this　terrible　mystery。　　I　do　not　feel；　therefore；　that
you　have　any　right　to　reproach　yourself。　　Such　hope　as　I　have　that
my　father's　murderer　may　ever　be　brought　to　justice　rests　in　your
efforts；　else　I　should　feel　bound　to　relieve　you　of　a　task；　which；
though　self…imposed；　is；　none　the　less；　onerous　and　ill…paid。　　Do
not　consider　me　altogether　selfish　if　I　ask　that　you　still　continue
the　search；　and　that　I　…　that　I　still　be　held　to　my　covenant。　　I　am
aware　that　I　can　never　fully　repay　the　kindness　I　am　asking　of　you；
but　…　〃

Maitland　did　not　wait　for　her　to　finish。　　〃Let　us　not　speak　of　that；〃
he　said。　　〃It　is　enough　to　know　that　you　are　still　satisfied　with　my；
thus　far；　unsuccessful　efforts　in　your　behalf。　　There　is　nothing
affords　me　keener　pleasure　than　to　struggle　with　and　solve　an
intricate　problem；　whether　it　be　in　algebra；　geometry；　or　the
mathematics　of　crime；　and　then　…　well；　even　if　I　succeed；　I　shall
quit　the　work　your　debtor。〃

He　had　spoken　this　last　impulsively；　and　when　he　had　finished　he
remained　silent；　as　if　surprised　and　a　bit　nettled　at　his　own　failure
to　control　himself。　　Gwen　made　no　reply；　not　even　raising　her　eyes；
but　I　noticed　that　her=20fingers　at　once　busied　themselves　with　the
entirely　uncalled…for　labour　of　readjusti