the darrow enigma-第36节

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however；　before　Jeannette　repaid　this　interest　with　anything　more
than　a　dreamy；　far…off　gaze；　that　refused　to　focus　itself　upon
anything。　　As　time　wore　on；　however；　I　noticed　with　relief　that　there
was　a　faint　expression　of　wonder　in　her　look；　and；　as　this　daily
grew　stronger；　I　knew　she　was　beginning　to　realise　her　novel
surroundings　and　to　ask　herself　if　she　were　still　dreaming。　　Yet　she
did　not　speak；　she　seemed　to　fear　the　sound　of　her　own　voice　and　to
determine　to　solve；　unaided；　the　mystery　confronting　her。　　I
requested　that　no　one　question　her　or　make　any　attempt　to　induce
her　to　break　silence；　for　I　knew　the　time　would　come　when　she　would
do　so　of　her　own　free　will。　　As　it　happened；　her　first　words　were
spoken　to　me；　and；　as　my　writing　this　recalls　the　event；　a　thrill
of　pleasurable　pain　passes　through　me。　　You　may　think　this　foolish；
the　more　so；　indeed；　when　you　learn　that　nothing　was　said　to　warrant
such　a　feeling；　but　I　must　urge　upon　you　not　to　let　your　satisfied
heart　set　itself　up　as　judge　in　bachelor　regions。

I　had　been　mixing　some　medicine　for　her　and　was　holding　the　cup　to
her　lips　that　she　might　drink　the　draught。　　She　laid　her　hand　upon
my　wrist　and　gently　put　the　cup　aside；　saying；　as　she　gazed
thoughtfully　at　me：　〃Did　you　not　bring　me　here？〃　　〃Yes；〃　I　replied。
She　reached　for　the　cup；　and　drinking　its　contents；　sank　back　upon
the　pillows　with　a　half…satisfied　look　upon　her　face；　as　if　my　reply
had　cleared　up　one　mystery；　but　left　many　more　to　be　solved。

》From　this　day　Jeannette　steadily　improved；　and　within　two　weeks　she
and　Gwen　had　come　to　a　very　good　understanding。　　It　was　plainly
evident　that　Alice；　too；　came　in　for　a　very　good　share　of　the　little
French　girl's　love。　　They　did　not　exchange　confidences　to　any　great
degree；　for；　as　Maitland　used　to　say；　Alice　was　one　of　those　rare；
sweet　women　who　say　but　little；　but　seem　to　act　upon　all　around　them
by　a　sort　of　catalysis；　sweetening　the　atmosphere　by　their　very
presence。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II

　　Belief；　though　it　be　as　ample　as　the　ocean；　does　not　always
　　similarly　swell　in　crystallising。　　It　has；　however；　its　point　of
　　maximum　density；　but　this；　not　infrequently；　is　also　ifs　point
　　of　minimum　knowledge。

During　all　these　days　Gwen　was　gaining　rapidly。　　Maitland　came　to
visit　us　almost　every　night；　and　he　told　Gwen　that　he　did　not　feel
altogether　certain　that；　in　arresting　M。　Latour；　the　law　had　secured
her　father's　real　assassin。　　It　would　be　necessary　to　account　for；
he　told　her；　some　very　singular　errors　in　his　early　calculations　if
M。　Latour　was　the　man。

〃When　first　I　took　up　my　abode　under　the　same　roof　with　him；〃　he
said；　〃I　had　no　doubt　that　we　had　at　last　run　down　our　man。　　Now；
although　another　detective　has　come　to　the　same　conclusion；　I　myself
have　many　misgivings；　and　you　may　be　assured；　Miss　Darrow；　that　I
shall　lose　no　time　in　getting　these　doubts　answered　one　way　or　the
other。　　At　present　you　may　say　to　your　friend　Jeannette　that　I　am
straining　every　nerve　in　her　father's　behalf。〃

Why　all　this　should　so　please　Gwen　I　was　at　a　loss　to　comprehend；
but　I　could　not　fail　to　see　that　it　did　please　her　greatly。　　She
had　been　the　most　anxious　of　us　all　to　see　her　father's　murderer
brought　to　justice；　and　now；　when　through　the　efforts　of　M。　Godin；
a　man　stood　all　but　convicted　of　the　crime；　she　was　pleased　to　hear
Maitland；　whose　efforts　to　track　Latour　she　had　applauded　in　no
equivocal　way；　say　that　he　should　spare　no　pains　to　give　the　suspect
every　possible　chance　to　prove　his　innocence。　　There　was　certainly
a　reason；　whatever　it　might　have　been；　for　Gwen's　attitude　in　this
matter；　for　that　young　woman　was　exceptionally　rational　in　all
things。　　Nothing　of　especial　moment　occurred　between　this　time　and
the　beginning　of　the　trial。　　Maitland；　for　the　most　part；　kept　his
own　counsel　and　gave　us　little　information　other　than　a　hint　that
he　still　thought　there　was　a　chance　of　clearing　M。　Latour。

With　this　end　in　view　he　had　become　an　associate　attorney　with
Jenkins　in　order　the　better　to　conduct　M。　Latour's　case　along　the
lines　which　seemed　to　him　the　most　promising。　　I　asked　him　on　one
occasion　what　led　him　to　entertain　a　hope　that　Latour　could　be
cleared　and　he　replied：　〃A　good　many　things。〃　　〃Well；　then；〃　I
rejoined；　〃what　are　some　of　them？〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then
replied　laughingly：　〃You　see　I　hate　to　acknowledge　the　falsity　of
my　theories。　　I　said　shortly　after　the　murder　was　committed　that　I
thought　the　assassin　was　short　and　probably　did　not　weigh　over　one
hundred　and　thirty…five　pounds；　that　he　most　likely　had　some　especial
reason　for　concealing　his　footprints；　and　that　he　had　a　peculiarity
in　his　gait。　　I　felt　tolerably　sure　then　of　all　this；　but　now　it
turns　out　that　M。　Latour　is　six　feet　tall　in　his　stockings；　and　thin；
and　that；　emaciated　as　he　is；　he　tips　the　scales　at　one　hundred　and
fifty　pounds　by　reason　of　his　large　frame。　　His　feet　are　as
commonplace　as　…　as　yours；　Doc；　and　his　gait　as　regular　as　…　mine。
Is　it　to　be　expected　that　I　am　going　to　give　up　all　my　pet　illusions
without　a　struggle？〃

When　the　hour　for　the　trial　arrived　Gwen　insisted　on　accompanying　us
to　the　court…room。　　She　had　a　great　deal　of　confidence　in　George　and
felt　sure　that；　as　he　expressed　a　strong　doubt　of　the　prisoner's
guilt；　he　would　triumph　in　proving　him　innocent。　　She　determined；
therefore；　to　be　present　at　the　trial；　even　before　her　attendance
should　be　required　as　a　witness。

M。　Latour；　when　he　was　led　into　the　prisoner's　box；　seemed　to　have
aged　greatly　during　his　incarceration。　　It　was　with　a　marked　effort
that　he　arose　and　straightened　himself　up　as　the　indictment　was　read
to　him。　　　When　the　words：　〃Are　you　guilty　or　not　guilty？〃　were
addressed　to　him　every　eye　was　turned　upon　him　and　every　ear　listened
to　catch　the　first　sound　of　his　voice；　but　no　sound　came。　　The
question　was　repeated　more　loudly；　〃Are　you　guilty　or　not　guilty？〃
Like　one　suddenly　awakened　from　a　reverie　M。　Latour　started；　turned
toward　his　questioner；　and　in　a　full；　firm　voice　replied：〃　Guilty；！〃
I　was　so　dumfounded　that　I　could　offer　Gwen　no　word　of　comfort　to
alleviate　this　sudden　shock。　　Maitland　and　Godin　seemed　about　the
only　ones　in　the　court…room　who　were　not　taken　off　their　feet；　so　to
speak；　by　this　unexpected　plea；　and　George　was　at　Gwen's　side　in　a
moment　and　whispered　something　to　her　which　I　could　not　hear；　but
which　I　could　see　had　a　very　beneficial　effect　upon　her。　　We　had　all
expected　a　long；　complicated　trial；　and　here　the　whole　matter　was
reduced　to　a　mere　formality　by　M。　Latour's　simple　confession；
〃Guilty！〃　　Is　it　any　wonder；　therefore；　that　we　were　taken　aback？

While　we　were　recovering　from　our　surprise　at　this　sudden　turn　of
affairs；　Maitland　was　engaged　in　private　conversation　with　the　Judge；
with　whom；　he　afterward　told　me；　he　had　become　well　acquainted　both
in　his　own　cases　and　in　those　of　other　lawyers　requiring　his　services
as　an=20expert　chemist。　　He　never　told　me　what　passed　between　them；　nor
the　substance　of　any　of　the　brief　interviews　which　followed　with　the
prosecuting　attorney；　his　associate　counsel；　and　other　legal
functionaries。　　All　I　know　is　that　when　the　case　was　resumed　M。
Latour's　senior　counsel；　Jenkins；　kept　carefully　in　the　background；
leaving　the　practical　conduct　of　the　case　in　Maitland's　hands。

If　a　hazelnut　had　the　shell　of　a　cocoanut；　its　meat　would；　in　my
opinion；　sustain　about　the　same　relation　to　its　bulk　as　the　gist　of
the　usual　legal　proceeding　sustains　to　the　mass　of　verbiage　in　which
it　is　enshrouded。　　For　this　reason　you　will　not　expect　me　to　give　a
detailed　account　of　this　trial。　　I　couldn't　if　I　would；　and　I　wouldn't
if　I　could。　　My　knowledge　of　legal　procedure　is　far　from　profound；
albeit　I　once　began　the　study　of　law。　　My　memories　of　Blackstone
are　such　as　need　prejudice　no　ambitious　aspirant　for　legal　honours。
I　have　a　recollection　that　somewhere　Blackstone　says　something
about　eavesdropping；　…　I　mean　in　its　literal　sense　…　something
about　the　drippings　from　A's　roof　falling　on　B's　estate；　but　for
the　life　of　me　I　couldn't　tell　what　he　says。　　More　distinctly　do
I　remember　this　learned　lawgiver　stated　that　there　could　be　no
doubt　of　the　evidence　of　witchcraft；　because　the　Bible　was　full
of　it；　and　that　witches　should　be　punished　with　death。　　This　made
an　impression　upon　me；　because　it　was　an　instance；　rare　to　me　then；
but　common　enough　now；　of　how　minds；　otherwise　exceptionally　able；
may　have　a　spot　so　encankered　with　creed；　bigotry；　and　superstition
as　to　render　their　judgments　respecting　certain　classes　of　phenomena
erroneous　and　illogical；　puerile　and　ridiculous。

But　to　return　to　those　points　of　the　trial　which　I　can　remember；
and　which　I　think　of　sufficient　interest　to　put　before　you。　　These
refer　chiefly　to　Maitland's　examination　of　M。　Latour；　and　of　the
government's　chief　witness；　M。　Godin。　　Such　portions　of　their
testimony　as　I　shall　put　before　you　I　shall　quote　exactly　as　it
was　given　and　reported　by　Maitland's　friend；　Simonds。

When　Maitland　began　for　the　defence　he　said：

〃At　about　half…past　seven　on　the　night　of　the　22d　of　April