the darrow enigma-第4节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　For　my　heart　was　crushed　with　longing。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　What　had　been　could　never　be：
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　It　was　best　to　leave　you　thus；　dear；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Best　for　you　and　best〃


But　the　line　was　never　finished。　　With　a　wild　cry；　more　of　fear　than
of　pain；　Darrow　sprang　from　his　chair。　　〃Gentlemen；　I　have　been
stabbed！〃　was　all　he　said；　and　fell　back　heavily　into　his　seat。　　Gwen
was　kneeling　before　him　in　an　instant；　even　before　I　could　assist
him。　　His　right　hand　was　pressed　to　his　throat　and　his　eyes　seemed
starting　from　their　sockets　as　he　shouted　hoarsely：　〃A　light；　a
light！　　For　God's　sake；　don't　let　him　strike　me　again　in　the　dark！〃
Maitland　was　already　lighting　the　gas　and　Herne　and　Browne；　so　Browne
afterward　told　me；　were　preparing　to　seize　the　assailant。　　I
remembered；　after　it　all　was　over；　a　quick　movement　Browne　had　made
toward　the　darkest　corner　of　the　room。

The　apartment　was　now　flooded　with　light；　and　I　looked　for　the
assassin。　　He　was　not　to　be　found！　　The　room　contained　only　Gwen；
Darrow；　and　his　four　invited　guests！　　The　doors　were　closed；　the
windows　had　not　been　touched。　　No　one　could　possibly　have　entered
or　left　the　room；　and　yet　the　assassin　was　not　there。　　But　one
solution　remained；　Darrow　was　labouring　under　a　delusion；　and
Gwen's　voice　would　restore　him。　　As　she　was　about　to　speak　I
stepped　back　to　note　the　effect　of　her　words　upon　him。　　〃Do　not
fear；　father；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　as　she　laid　her　face　against
his　cheek；　〃there　is　nothing　here　to　hurt　you。　　You　are　ill；　…　I
will　get　you　a　glass　of　cordial　and　you　will　be　yourself　again　in
a　moment。〃　　She　was　about　to　rise　when　her　father　seized　her
frantically　by　the　arm；　exclaiming　in　a　hoarse　whisper：　　〃Don't
leave　me！　　Can't　you　see？　　Don't　leave　me！〃　and　for　the　first　time
he　removed　his　hand　from　his　throat；　and　taking　her　head　between
his　palms；　gazed　wistfully　into　her　face。　　He　tried　to　speak　again；
but　could　not；　and　glanced　up　at　us　with=20a　helpless　expression
which　I　shall　never　forget。　　Maitland；　his　eyes　riveted　upon　the
old　gentleman；　whose　thoughts　he　seemed　to　divine；　hurriedly
produced　a　pencil　and　note…book　and　held　them　toward　him；　but
he　did　not　see　them；　for　he　had　drawn　Gwen's　face　down　to　him　and
was　kissing　her　passionately。　　The　next　instant　he　was　on　his　feet
and　from　the　swollen　veins　that　stood　out　like　cords　upon　his　neck
and　forehead；　we　could　see　the　terrible　effort　he　was　making　to
speak。　　At　last　the　words　came；　…　came　as　if　they　were　torn　hissing
from　his　throat；　for　he　took　a　full　breath　between　each　one　of　them。
〃Gwen　…　I　…　knew　…　it！　　Good…bye！　　Remember　…　your　…　promise！〃
　…　and　he　fell　a　limp　mass　into　his　chair；　overcome；　I　felt　sure；
by　the　fearful　struggle　he　had　made。　　Maitland　seized　a　glass　of
water　and　threw　it　in　his　face。　　I　loosened　the　clothing　about　his
neck　and；　in　doing　so；　his　head　fell　backward　and　his　face　was
turned　upward　toward　me。　　The　features　were　drawn；　…　the　eyes　were
glazed　and　set。　　I　felt　of　his　heart；　he　was　dead！



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II

　　　　　　　　Silence　is　the　only　tender　Death　can　make　to　Mystery。


The　look　of　pain　and　astonishment　upon　my　face　said　plainly　enough
to　Gwen：

〃Your　father　is　dead。〃　　I　could　not　speak。　　In　the　presence　of　her
great　affliction　we　all　stood　silent；　and　with　bowed　heads。　　I　had
thought　Darrow's　attack　the　result　of　an　overwrought　mental　condition
which　would　speedily　readjust　itself；　and　had　so　counted　upon　his
daughter's　influence　as　all　but　certain　to　immediately　result　in　a
temporary　cure。　　When；　therefore；　I　found　him　dead　without　any
apparent　cause；　I　was；　for　the　time　being；　too　dazed　to　think；　much
less　to　act；　and　I　think　the　other　gentlemen　were　quite　as　much
incapacitated　as　I。　　My　first　thought；　when　I　recovered　so　that　I
could　think；　was　of　Gwen。　　I　felt　sure　her　reason　must　give　way　under
the　strain；　and　I　thought　of　going　nearer　to　her　in　case　she　should
fall；　but　refrained　when　I　noticed　that　Maitland　had　noiselessly
glided　within　easy　reach　of　her。　　To　move　seemed　impossible　to　me。
Such　a　sudden　transition　from　warm；　vigorous　life　to　cold；　impassive
death　seems　to　chill　the　dynamic　rivers　of　being　into　a　horrible
winter；　static　and　eternal。　　Though　death　puts　all　things　in　the
past　tense；　even　we　physicians　cannot　but　be　strangely　moved　when
the　soul　thus　hastily　deserts　the　body　without　the　usual　farewell　of
an　illness。

Contrary　to　my　expectations　Gwen　did　not　faint。　　For　a　long　time；
　…　it　may　not　have　been　more　than　twenty　minutes；　but　it　seemed；
under　the　peculiar　circumstances；　at　least　an　hour；　…　she　remained
perfectly　impassive。　　She　neither　changed　colour　nor　exhibited　any
other　sign　of　emotion。　　She　stood　gazing　quietly；　tenderly；　at　her
father's　body　as　if　he　were　asleep　and　she　were　watching　for　some
indication　of　his　awakening。　　Then　a　puzzled　expression　came　over
her　countenance。　　There　was　no　trace　of　sorrow　in　it；　only　the　look
of　perplexity。　　I　decided　to　break　the　gruesome　silence；　but　the
thought　of　how　my　own　voice　would　sound　in　that　awe…inspired
stillness　frightened　me。　　Gwen　herself　was　the　first　to　speak。　　She
looked　up　with　the　same　impassive　countenance；　from　which　now　the
perplexed　look　had　fled；　and　said　simply：

〃Gentlemen；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　　Her　voice　was　firm　and　sane；　…　that
it　was　pitched　lower　than　usual　and　had　a　suggestion　of　intensity　in
it；　was　perfectly　natural。　　I　thought　she　did　not　realise　her　loss
and　said：　〃He　has　gone　past　recall。〃　　〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃I　know
that；　but　should　we　not　send　for　an　officer？〃　　〃An　officer！〃　I
exclaimed。　　〃Is　it　possible　you　entertain　a　doubt　that　your　father's
death　resulted　from　natural　causes？〃　　She　looked　at　me　a　moment
fixedly；　and　then　said　deliberately：　〃My　father　was　murdered！〃　　I
was　so　surprised　and　pained　that；　for　a　moment；　I　could　not　reply；
and　no　one　else　sought　to　break　the　silence。

Maitland；　as　if　Gwen's　last　remark　had　given　rise　to　a　sudden
determination；　glided　to　the　body。　　He　examined　the　throat；　raised
the　right　hand　and　looked　at　the　fingers：　then　he　stepped　back　a
little　and　wrote　something　in　his　note…book。　　This　done；　he　tried
the　folding　doors　and　found　them　locked　on　the　inside；　then　the　two
windows　on　the　south　side　of　the　room；　which　he　also　found　fastened。
He　opened　the　hall　door　slightly　and　the　hinges　creaked　noisily；　of
all　of　which　he　made　a　note。　　Then　taking　a　rule　from　his　pocket　he
went　to　the　east　window；　and　measured　the　opening；　and　then　the
distance　between　this　window　and　the　chair　in　which　the　old　gentleman
had　sat；　recording　his　results　as　before。　　His　next　act　astonished
me　not　a　little　and　had　the　effect　of　recalling　me　to　my　senses。
With　his　penknife　he　cut　a　circle　in　the　carpet　around　each　leg　of
the　chair　on　which　the　body　rested。　　He　continued　his　examinations
with　quiet　thoroughness；　but　I　ceased　now　to　follow　him　closely；
since　I　had　begun　to　feel　the　necessity　of　convincing　Gwen　of　her
error；　and　was　casting　about　for　the　best　way　to　do　so。

〃My　dear　Miss　Darrow；〃　I　said　at　length；　〃you　attach　too　much
importance　to　the　last　words　of　your　father；　who；　it　is　clear；　was
not　in　his　right　mind。　　You　must　know　that　he　has；　for　some　months；
had　periods　of　temporary　aberration；　and　that　all　his　delusions
have　been　of　a　sanguinary　nature。　　Try　to　think　calmly；〃　I　said；
perceiving　from　her　expression　that　I　had　not　shaken　her　conviction
in　the　least。　　〃Your　father　said　he　had　been　stabbed。　　You　must　see
that　such　a　thing　is　physically　impossible。　　Had　all　the　doors　and
windows　been　open；　no　object　so　large　as　a　man　could　possibly　have
entered　or　left　the　room　without　our　observing　him；　but　the　windows
were　closed　and　fastened；　with　the　exception　of　the　east　window；
which；　as　you　may　see　for　yourself；　is　open　some　six　inches　or　so；
in　which　position　it　is　secured　by　the　spring　fastening。　　The　folding
doors　are　locked　on　the　inside　and　the　only　possible　means　of
entrance；　therefore；　would　have　been　by　the　hall　door。　　Directly　in
front　of　that；　between　it　and　your　father；　sat　Mr。　Maitland　and
myself。　　You　see　by　my　chair　that　I　was　less　than　two　feet　from　the
door。　　It　is　inconceivable　that；　in　that　half…light；　anyone　could
have　used　that　entrance　and　escaped　observation。　　Do　you　not　see
how　untenable　your　idea　is？　　　Had　your　father　been　stabbed　he　would
have　bled；　but　I　am　as　certain　as　though　I　had　made　a　thorough
examination　that　there　is　not　so　much　as　a　scratch　anywhere　upon　his
body。〃　　Gwen　heard　me　through　in　silence　and　then　said　wearily；　in
a　voice　which　had　now　neither　intensity　nor　elasticity；　〃I　understand
fully　the　apparent　absurdity　of　my　position；　yet　I　know　my　father
was　murdered。　　The　wound　which　caused　his　death　has　escaped　your
notice；　but　…　〃

〃My　dear　Miss　Darrow；〃　I　interrupted；　〃there　is　no　wound；　you　may
be　sure　of　that！〃　　For　the　first　time　since　Darrow's　death　Maitland
spoke。　　〃If　you　will　look　at　the　throat　a　little　more　closely；　you
will　see　what　may　be　a　wound；〃　he　said；　and　went　on　quietly　with　his
examinations。　　He　was　right；　there　was　a　minute　abrasion　visible。
The　girl's　quick　observation　had　detected　what　ha