the darrow enigma-第37节

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When　Maitland　began　for　the　defence　he　said：

〃At　about　half…past　seven　on　the　night　of　the　22d　of　April；　John
Darrow　met　his　death　at　his　home　in　Dorchester。　　He　died　in　the
presence　of　his　daughter；　Messrs。　Willard；　Browne；　Herne；　and
myself。　　His　death　was　caused　by　injecting　a　virulent　poison　into
his　system　through　a　slight　incision　in　his　neck。　　That　wound　the
prisoner　before　you　confesses　he　himself　inflicted。　　I　would　like
to　know　a　little　more　definitely　how　he　succeeded　in　doing　it
without　detection；　in　the　presence；　not　only　of　his　victim；　but
of　five　other　persons　sitting　close　about　him。　　　M。　Latour　will
please　take　the　stand。〃

As　M。　Latour　stepped　into　the　witness…box；　a　wave　of　suppressed
excitement　ran　all　over　the　court…room。　　Every　nerve　was　strained
to　its　tensest　pitch；　every　ear　eager　for　the　slightest　syllable
he　might　utter。　　What　could　be　done　for　a　man　who　had　confessed；
and　what　would　be　the　solution　of　the　crime　which　had　so　long
defied　the　authorities？　　The　explanation　was　now　to　be　made　and　it
is　no　wonder　that　the　excitement　was　intense。

I　omit　all　uninteresting　formalities。

Q。　Have　you　ever　seen　me　before　to…day？

A。　Not　to　my　knowledge。

Q。　Have　you　any　reason　to　believe　I　have　ever　seen　you　before　to…day？

A。　None　whatever　…　er　…　that　is　…　unless　on　the　night　of　the　murder。

Q。　Were　you　acquainted　with　John　Darrow？

A。　Yes。

Q。　How　long　have　you　known　him？

A。　About　six　months　…　perhaps　seven。

Q。　What　were　your　relations？

A。　I　don't　understand。　…　We　had　gambled　together。

Q。　Where？

A。　In　this　city　…　Decatur　Street。　=20

Q。　What　motive　led　you　to　kill　him？

A。　He　cheated　me　at　cards；　and　I　swore　to　be　even　with　him。

Q。　Had　you　any　other　reason？

A。　I　owed　him　twelve　hundred　and　thirty…five　dollars　which　I　borrowed
of　him　hoping　my　luck　would　change。　　He　won　it　all　back　from　me　by
false　play；　and　when　I　could　not　meet　it　he　pressed　me　over　hard。

Q。　You　say　this　occurred　on　Decatur　Street。　　What　was　the　date？

A。　I　do　not　remember。

Q。　What　month　was　it？

A。　It　was　in　March。　　Early　in　March。

Q。　You　are　sure　it　was　in　March？

A。　Yes。

Q。　Should　you　say　it　was　between　the　1st　and　15th　of　March？

A。　Yes。　　I　am　positive　it　was　before　the　15th　of　March。

Q。　Have　you　long　known　that　M。　Godin　was　at　work　upon　this　case？

A。　No。

Q。　When　did　you　first　become　aware　of　it？

A。　Not　until　my　arrest。

Q。　When　did　you　first　see　M。　Godin？

A。　When　I　was　arrested。

Q。　Did　he　ever　call　at　your　rooms？

A。　Never　…　not　to　my　knowledge　…　I　never　saw　him　till　the　day　of　my
arrest。

Q。　With　what　weapon　did　you　kill　Mr。　Darrow？

A。　I　made　use　of　a　specially　constructed　hypodermic　syringe。

Half…smothered　exclamations　of　surprise　were　heard　from　every　part
of　the　room。　　Even　the　Judge　gave　a　start　at　this　astounding　bit　of
testimony。　　Every　person　present　knew　perfectly　well　that　no　human
being　could　have　entered　or　left　the　Darrow　parlour　without　certain
discovery；　yet　here　was　a　man；　apparently　in　his　right　mind；　who
soberly　asserted　that　he　had　used　a　hypodermic　syringe。　　Maitland
and　Godin　alone　seemed　cool　and　collected。　　Throughout　all　Latour's
testimony；　M。　Godin　watched　the　witness　with　a　burning　concentration。
It　seemed　as　if　the　great　detective　meant　to　bore　through　Latour's
gaze　down　to　the　most　secret　depths　of　his　soul。　　Not　for　an　instant
did　he　take　his　eyes　from　Latour。　　I　said　to　myself　at　the　time　that
this　power　of　concentration　explained；　in　a　great　measure；　this
detective's　remarkable　success。　　Nothing　was　permitted　to　escape
him；　and　little　movements　which　another　man　would　doubtless　never
notice；　had；　for　M。　Godin；　I　felt　sure；　a　world　of　suggestive
significance。

Maitland's　calm　demeanour；　so　resourceful　in　its　serenity；　caused
all　eyes　to　turn　at　length　to　him　as　if　for　explanation。　　He
continued　with　slow　deliberation。

Q。　In　what　particulars　was　this　hypodermic　syringe　of　special
construction？

M。　Latour　seemed　nervous　and　ill　at　ease。　　He　shifted　from　side　to
side　as　if　M。　Godin's　glance　had　pierced　him　like　a　rapier；　and　he
were　trying　vainly　to　wriggle　off　of　it。　　He　seemed　unable　to
disengage　himself　and　at　length　replied　in　a　wearied　and　spiritless
tone：

A。　In　two　particulars　only。　　In　the　first　place；　it　was　very　small；
having　a　capacity　of　but　five　or　six　drops；　and；　in　the　second　place；
it　was　provided　with　an　internal　spring　which；　when　released；　worked
the　plunger　and　ejected　the　contents　with　extreme　rapidity。

Q。　What　operated　this　spring？

A。　Around　the　needle…like　point　of　the　syringe；　less　than　a　quarter
of　an　inch　from　its　end；　was　a　tiny；　annular　bit　of　metal。　　This
little　metallic　collar　was　forced　upward　by　the　pressure　of　the　flesh
as　the　sharp　point　entered　it；　and　this　movement　released　the　spring
and　instantly　and　forcibly　ejected　the　contents　of　the　cylinder。

Q。　Did　you　use　a　poison　in　this　syringe？=20

A。　Yes；　sir。

Q。　What　did　you　use？

M。　LATOUR　hesitated　and　shifted　helplessly　about　as　if　he　dreaded　to
go　farther　into　these　particulars；　and　fondly　hoped　someone　might
come　to　his　rescue。　　His　gaze　seemed　to　shift　about　the　room　without
in　the　least　being　able　to　disentangle　itself　from　that　of　M。　Godin。
He　remained　silent　and　the　question　was　repeated。

Q。　What　did　you　use？

Again　the　witness　hesitated　while　everyone；　save　only　Maitland　and
Godin；　leaned　eagerly　forward　to　catch　his　reply。　　At　length　it
came　in　a　voice　scarcely　above　a　whisper。

A。　Anhydrous　hydrocyanic　acid。

A　long…drawn　〃Hum！〃　escaped　from　Maitland；　while　M。　Godin　gave　not
the　slightest　indication　of　surprise。　　It　was　quite　evident　to　us
all　that　the　astute　Frenchman　had　acquired　complete　control　of　the
case　before　he　had　arrested　the　assassin。　　At　this　juncture　the　Court
said；　addressing　Maitland：

〃This　substance　is　extremely　poisonous；　I　take　it。〃

〃Your　Honour；〃　Maitland　replied；　〃it　is　the　most　fatal　of　all　poisons
known　to　chemists。　　It　is　also　called　cyanhydric；　and；　more　commonly；
prussic　acid。　　An　insignificant　amount；　when　inhaled　or　brought　into
contact　with　the　skin；　causes　immediate　death。　　If　a　drop　be　placed
upon　the　end　of　a　glass　rod　and　brought　toward　the　nose　of　a　live
rabbit　he　will　be　dead　before　it　reaches　him。〃

A　profound　silence　…　the　death…like　quiet　which　accompanies　an　almost
breaking　tension　…　reigned　in　the　court…room　as　Maitland　turned　again
to　Latour。

Q。　I　understand　you　to　say　you　used　anhydrous　hydrocyanic　or
cyanhydric　acid。

A。　Yes；　sir。

Q。　Do　you　sufficiently　understand　chemistry　to　use　these　terms　with
accuracy？　　Might　you　not　have　used　potassium　cyanide　or　prussiate
of　potash？

A。　I　am　a　tolerably　good　chemist；　and　have　spoken　understandingly。
Potassium　cyanide；　KCN；　is　a　white；　crystalline　compound；　and　could
hardly　be　used　in　a　hypodermic　syringe　save　in　solution；　in　which
condition　it　would　not　have　been　sufficiently　poisonous　to　have
served　my　purpose。

At　this　reply　many　of　the　audience　exchanged　approving　glances。
They　believed　M。　Latour　had　shown　himself　quite　a　match　for　Maitland
in　not　falling　easily　into　what　they　regarded　as　a　neat　little　trap
which　had　been　set　to　prove　his　lack　of　chemical　knowledge。　　They
attributed　Maitland's　failure　to　further　interrogate　Latour　upon
his　understanding　of　chemistry　as　evidence　that　he　had　met　an　equal。
To　be　sure；　they　were　not　quite　clear　in　their　own　minds　why　Latour's
counsel　should　be　at　such　pains　to　carefully　examine　a　man　who　had
already　confessed；　but　they　believed　they　knew　when　a　lawyer　had　met
his　match；　and　felt　sure　that　this　was　one　such　instance。　　Clinton
Browne；　who　sat　in　one　of　the　front　seats；　seemed　to　find　a　deal
more　to　amuse　him　in　this　incident　than　was　apparent　to　me。　　Some
men　have　such=20a　wonderful　sense　of　humour！

Maitland　continued：

Q。　When　Mr。　Darrow　was　murdered　he　sat　in　the　centre　of　his　parlour；
surrounded　by　his　daughter　and　invited　guests。　　Will　you　tell　the
Court　how　you　entered　and　left　this　room　without　detection？

Again　the　witness　hesitated　and　looked　irresolutely；　almost
tremblingly；　about　him；　but　seemed　finally　to　steady　himself；　as　it
were；　upon　Godin's　glance。　　It's　a　strange　thing　how　the　directness
and　intense　earnestness　of　a　strong　man　will　pull　the　vacillation
of　a　weak　one　into　line　with　it；　even　as　great　ships　draw　lesser
ones　into　their　wakes。　　The　excited　audience　hung　breathlessly　upon
Latour's　utterance。　　At　last　they　were　to　know　how　this　miracle　of
crime　had　been　performed。　　Every　auditor　leaned　forward　in　his　seat；
and　those　who　were　a　trifle　dull　of　hearing　placed　their　hands　to
their　ears；　fearful　lest　some　syllable　of　the　riddle's　solution
should　escape　them。　　　M。　Latour　remained　dumb。　　The　Judge　regarded
him　sternly　and　said：

〃Answer　the　question。　　How　did　you　enter　the　Darrow　parlour？〃

A。　I　…　I　did　…　I　did　not　enter　it。

Again　a　half…suppressed　exclamation　of　surprise　traversed　the　room。

Q。　If　you　did　not　enter　the　room　how　did　you　plunge　the　hypodermic
syringe　into　your　victim's　neck？

It　seemed　for　a　moment　as　if　the　witness　would　utterly　collapse；
but　he　pulled　himself　together；　as　with　a　mighty　effort；　and