the darrow enigma-第38节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
It seemed for a moment as if the witness would utterly collapse；
but he pulled himself together； as with a mighty effort； and fairly
took our breath away with his astounding answer：
A。 I … I did not strike Mr。 Darrow with the syringe。
The audience literally gasped in open…mouthed amazement； while the
Court turned fiercely upon Latour and said：
〃What do you mean by first telling us you killed Mr。 Darrow by
injecting poison into his circulation from a specially prepared
hypodermic syringe； and then telling us that you did not strike him
with this syringe。 What do you mean； sir？ Answer me！〃
A sudden change came over M。 Latour。 All his timidity seemed to
vanish in a moment； as he drew himself up to his full height and
faced the Judge。 It seemed to me as if till now he had cherished
a hope that he might not be forced to give the details of his awful
crime； but that he had at last concluded he would be obliged to
disclose all the particulars； and had decided to manfully face the
issue。
Every eye was fixed upon him； and every ear strained to its utmost
as he turned slowly toward the Judge and said with a calm dignity
which surprised
us all：
A。 Your Honour is in error。 I said that I made use of a specially
constructed hypodermic syringe。 I have not said that I struck Mr。
Darrow with it。 There is； therefore； nothing contradictory in my
statements。
Again the prisoner had scored； and again the audience exchanged
approving glances which plainly said： 〃He's clever enough for them
all！〃
Then the Court continued the examination。
Q。 Were you upon the Darrow estate when Mr。 Darrow met his death？
A。 Yes； your Honour。
Q。 Where？
A。 Just outside the eastern parlour…window； your Honour。
Q。 Did you strike the blow which caused Mr。 Darrow's death？
A。 No； your Honour。 =20
Q。 What！ Have you not said you are responsible for his murder？
A。 Yes； your Honour。
Q。 Ah； I see！ You had some other person for an accomplice？
A。 No； your Honour。
Q。 Look here； sir！ Do you propose to tell us anything of your
own accord； or must we drag it out of you piecemeal？
A。 No power can make me speak if I do not elect to； and I only elect
to answer questions。 Commission for contempt will hardly discipline
a man in my position； and may lead me to hold my peace entirely。
The Court turned away with an expression of disgust and engaged
Jenkins and Maitland in a whispered conversation。 The prisoner had
again scored。 There is enough of the bully in many judges to cause
the public to secretly rejoice when they are worsted。 It was plain
to be seen that the audience was pleased with Latour's defiance。
Maitland now resumed the examination with his accustomed ease。 One
would have thought he was addressing a church sociable； … if he
judged by his manner。
Q。 You have testified to being responsible for the death of John
Darrow。 The instrument with which he was killed was directly or
indirectly your handiwork； yet you did not strike the blow； and you
have said you had no other person for an accomplice。 Am I
substantially correct in all this？
A。 You are quite correct。
Q。 Very good。 Did John Darrow's death result from a poisoned wound
made by the instrument you have described？
A。 It did。
This reply seemed to nonplus us all with the exception of Maitland
and Godin。 These two seemed proof against all surprises。 The rest
of us looked helplessly each at his neighbour as if to say； 〃What
next？〃 and we all felt； … at least I did and the others certainly
looked it； … as if the solution of the enigma were farther away
than ever。
Maitland proceeded in the same methodical strain。
Q。 A blow was given； yet neither you nor any person acting as your
accomplice gave it。 Did Mr。 Darrow himself give the blow？
A。 No； sir。
Q。 I thought not。 Did any person give it？
A。 No； sir。
The audience drew a deep inspiration； as if with one accord！ They
had ceased to reason。 Again and again had we been brought； as we
all felt sure； within a single syllable of the truth； only to find
ourselves at the next word more mystified than ever。 It would
hardly have surprised us more if the prisoner had informed us that
Mr。 Darrow still lived。 The excitement was so intense that thought
was impossible； so we could only listen with bated breath for someone
else to solve the thing for our beleaguered and discouraged minds。
After a word with his colleague； Maitland resumed。
Q。 A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was it given by anything
which is alive？
A。 It was not。
You could have heard a pin drop； so silent was the room during the
pause which preceded Maitland's next question。
Q。 Did you arrange some inanimate object or objects outside the
eastern window； or elsewhere； on the Darrow estate so that it or
they might wound Mr。 Darrow？
A。 No； … no inanimate object other than the hypodermic syringe
already referred to。
Q。 To my question： 〃A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was
it given by anything which is alive？〃 you have answered： 〃It was
not。〃 Let me now ask： Was it given by anything which was at that
time alive？
A。 It was。
There was a stir all over the court…room。 Here at last was a
suggestive admission。 The examination was approaching a crisis！
Q。 And you have said it was not a person。 Was it not an animal？
A。 It was。
〃An animal！〃 we all ejaculated with the unanimity of a Greek chorus。
So audible were the exclamations of incredulity which arose from the
spellbound audience that the crier's gavel had to be brought into
requisition before Maitland could proceed。
Q。 Did you train a little Capucin monkey to strike this blow？
A。 I did。
A great sigh； the result of suddenly relieved tension； liberally
interlarded with unconscious exclamations； swept over the court…room
and would not be gavelled into silence until it had duly spent itself。
Even the Judge so far forgot his dignity as to give vent to a
half…stifled exclamation。
Maitland proceeded：
Q。 In order that this monkey might not attack the wrong man after you
had armed him； you taught him to obey certain signals given by little
twitches upon the cord by which you held him。 A certain signal was
to creep stealthily forward； another to strike； and still another to
crawl quickly back with the weapon。 When circumstances seemed most
favourable to the success of your designs； … that is； when Miss
Darrow's voice and the piano prevented any slight sound from
attracting attention； … you gently dropped the monkey in at the
window and signalled him what to do。 When Mr。 Darrow sprang to his
feet you recalled the monkey and hastened away。 Is not this a fairly
correct description of what occurred？
A。 It is true to the letter。
Q。 And subsequently you killed the monkey lest he should betray you
by exhibiting his little tricks； at an inopportune moment in a way
to compromise you。 Is it not so？
A。 It is。 I killed him； though he was my daughter's pet。
We were stricken aghast at Maitland's sudden grasp of the case。
Even Godin was surprised。 What could it all mean？ Had Maitland
known the facts all along？ Had he simply been playing with the
witness for reasons which we could not divine？ M。 Godin's face
was a study。 He ceased boring holes in Latour with his eyes and
turned those wonderful orbs full upon Maitland； in whom they
seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul。 Clearly M。 Godin
was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland's power。
Browne； who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone； now
lowered blacker than ever； it seemed to me。 I wondered what could
have occurred to still further displease him； and finally concluded
it must either be some transient thought which had come uncalled
into his mind； or else a feeling of envy at his rival's prominence
in the case； and the deservedly good reputation he was making。 His
general ill…feeling I； of course； charged to jealousy； for I could
not but note his uncontrollable admiration for Gwen。 I fully
believed he would have given his own life … or anyone else's for
that matter … to possess her； and I decided to speak a word of
warning to George。 After a short； whispered consultation with
Jenkins and the prosecuting attorney； Maitland turned to the prisoner
and said：
〃That will do。 M。 Latour may leave the stand。〃
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared
up； and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the
formal denouement。 They were； therefore； much taken aback when
Maitland continued； addressing the jury：
〃The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming；
even had we not his confession。 Apart from this confession we have
no incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government's chief witness； M。 Godin。 As it is through this
gentleman's efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice；
it is but natural that much should be clear to him which may be
puzzling to those who have not made so close a study of the case。
I think he will enlighten us upon a few points。 M。 Godin will
please take t
