the darrow enigma-第5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！


The　girl's　quick　observation　had　detected　what　had　escaped　me；
convinced　as　I　was　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　found　by　a　scrutiny
however　close。

Gwen　now　transferred　her　attention　to　Maitland；　and　asked：　〃Had　not
one　of　us　better　go　for　an　officer？〃　　Maitland；　whose　power　of
concentration　is　so　remarkable　as　on　some　occasions　to　render　him
utterly　oblivious　of　his　surroundings；　did　not　notice　the　question
and　Browne　replied　to　it　for　him。　　〃I　should　be　only　too　happy　to
fetch　an　officer　for　you；　if　you　wish；〃　he　said。　　Have　you　ever
noticed　how　acute　the　mind　is　for　trifles　and　slight　incongruities
when　under　the　severe　tension　of　such　a　shock　as　we　had　experienced？
Such　attacks；　threatening　to　invade　and　forever　subjugate　our
happiness；　seem　to　have　the　effect　of　so　completely　manning　the
ramparts　of　our　intellect　the　nothing；　however　trivial；　escapes
observation。　　Gwen's　father；　her　only　near　relative；　lay　cold　before
her；　…　his　death；　from　her　standpoint；　the　most　painful　of　mysteries；
　…　and　yet　the　incongruity　of　Browne's　〃only　too　happy　〃　did　not
escape　her；　as　was　evident　by　the　quick　glance　and　sudden　relaxation
of　the　mouth　into　the　faintest　semblance　of　a　smile。　　All　this　was
momentary　and；　I　doubt　not；　half　unconscious。　　She　replied　gravely：

〃I　would　indeed　be　obliged　if　you　would　do　so。〃

Maitland；　who　had　now　finished　his　examination；　noticed　that　Browne
was　about　to　depart。　　When　the　artist　would　have　passed　him　on　his
way　to　the　hall　door；　he　placed　his　hand　upon　that　gentleman's
shoulder；　saying：　〃Pardon　me；　sir；　but　I　would　strongly　urge　that
you　do　not　leave　the　room！〃

Browne　paused。　　Both　men　stood　like　excited　animals　at　gaze。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　Nothing　is　so　full　of　possibilities　as　the　seemingly　impossible。

Maitland's　request　that　Browne　should　not　leave　the　room　seemed　to
us　all　a　veritable　thunderbolt。　　It　impressed　me　at　the　time　as
being　a　thinly　veneered　command；　and　I　remember　fearing　lest　the
artist　should　be　injudicious　enough　to　disregard　it。　　If　he　could
have　seen　his　own　face　for　the　next　few　moments；　he　would　have　had
a　lesson　in　expression　which　years　of　portrait　work　may　fail　to
teach　him。　　At　length　the　rapidly　changing　kaleidoscope　of　his　mind
seemed　to　settle；　to　group　its　varied　imaginings　about　a　definite
idea；　…　the　idea　that　he　had　been　all　but　openly　accused；　in　the
presence　of　Miss　Darrow；　of　being　instrumental　in　her　father's　death。
For　a　moment；　as　he　faced　Maitland；　whom　he　instinctively　felt　to　be
a　rival；　he　looked　so　dark　and　sinister　that　one　could　easily　have
believed　him　capable　of　almost　any　crime。

Gwen　was　no　less　surprised　than　the　rest　of　us　at　Maitland's
interference；　but　she　did　not　permit　it　to　show　in　her　voice　as　she
said　quietly：　〃Mr。　Browne　has　consented　to　go　for　an　officer。〃　　As
I　felt　sure　she　must　have　thought　Maitland　already　knew　this；　as
anyone　else　must　have　heard　what　had　passed；　I　looked　upon　her
remark　as　a　polite　way　of　saying：

〃I　am　mistress　here。〃

Maitland　apparently　so　regarded　it；　for　he　replied　quickly：　〃I　hope
you　will　not　think　me　officious；　or　unmindful　of　your　right　to
dictate　in　a　matter　so　peculiarly　your　own　affair。　　My　only　desire
is　to　help　you。　　Mr。　Browne's　departure　would　still　further
complicate　a　case　already　far　to　difficult　of　solution。　　My　legal
training　has　given　me　some　little　experience　in　these　matters；　and
I　only　wish　that　you　may　have　the　benefit　thereof。　　It　is　now　nearly
three…quarters　of　an　hour　since　your　father's　death；　and；　I　assure
you；　time　at　this　particular　juncture　may　be　of　the　utmost
importance。　　Not　a　moment　should　be　wasted　in　needless　discussion。
If　you　will　consent　to　despatch　a　servant　to　the　police　station
I　will；　in　due　time；　explain　to　you　why　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of
being　so　insistent　on　this　point。〃

He　had　hardly　ceased　speaking　before　Gwen　rang　for　a　servant。　　She
hurriedly　told　him　what　had　transpired　and　sent　him　to　the　nearest
police　station。　　As　this　was　but　a　few　rods　away　and　the　messenger
was　fleet　of　foot；　an　officer　was　soon　upon　the　scene。　　〃We　were
able；〃　he　said　to　us　generally　as　he　entered　the　room；　〃to　catch
Medical　Examiner　Ferris　by　'phone　at　his　home　in　F…　　Street；　and
he　will　be　here　directly。　　In　the　meantime　I　have　been　sent　along
merely　to　see　that　the　body　is　not　moved　before　his　examination　and
that　everything　in　the　room　remains　exactly　as　it　was　at　the　time
of　the　old　gentleman's　death。　　Did　I　not　understand；〃　he　said　to
Maitland　in　an　undertone；　〃that　there　is　a　suspicion　of　foul　play？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　George；　〃that　is　one　explanation　which　certainly　will
have　to　be　considered。〃

〃I　thought　I　heard　the　Cap'n　say　'murder'　when　he　'phoned　in　town
for　some　specials。　　They're　for　detective　work　on　this　case；　I　reckon。
Hello！　　That　sounds　like　the　Doctor's　rig。〃

A　moment　later　the　bell　rang　and　Dr。　Ferris　entered　the　room。

〃Ah；　Doctor；〃　he　said　extending　his　hand　to　me；　〃what　have　we　here？〃

Before　I　could　answer　he　had　noticed　Maitland　and　advanced　to　shake
hands　with　him。

〃Is　this　indeed　so　serious　as　I　have　been　told？〃　he　asked；　after
his　greeting。

〃It　seems　to　me　likely；〃　replied　Maitland　slowly；　〃to　develop　into
the　darkest　mystery　I　have　ever　known。〃

〃Hum！〃　replied　the　Examiner。　　〃Has　the　body　been　moved　or　the
disposition　of　its　members　altered？〃

〃Not　since　I　arrived；〃　replied　Officer　Barker。

〃And　before？〃　queried　Dr。　Ferris；　turning　to　Maitland。

〃Everything　is　absolutely　intact。　　I　have　made　a　few　notes　and
measurements；　but　I　have　disturbed　nothing；〃　replied　Maitland。

〃Good；〃　said　the　Examiner。　　〃May　I　see　those　notes　before　I　go？
You　were　on　that　Parker　case　and　you　have；　you　know；　something　of　a
reputation　for　thoroughness。　　Perhaps　you　may　have　noted　something
that　would　escape　me。〃

〃The　notes；　Doctor；　are　at　your　service；〃　George　replied。

Dr。　Ferris'　examination　of　the　body　was　very　thorough；　yet；　since
it　was　made　with　the　rapid　precision　which　comes　from　extended
practice；　it　was　soon　over。　　Short　as　it　was；　however；　it　was　still
an　ordeal　under　which　Gwen　suffered　keenly；　to　judge　from　her　manner。

The　Examiner　then　took　Maitland　aside；　looked　at　his　notes；　and
conversed　earnestly　with　him　in　an　undertone　for　several　minutes。　　I
do　not　know　what　passed　between　them。　　When　he　left；　a　few　moments
later；　Officer　Barker　accompanied　him。

As　soon　as　the　door　closed　behind　them　Gwen　turned　to　Maitland。

〃Did　he　give　you　his　opinion？〃　she　asked　with　a　degree　of　interest
which　surprised　me。

〃He　will　report　death　as　having　resulted　from　causes　at　present
unknown；〃　rejoined　Maitland。

Gwen　seemed　greatly　relieved　by　this　answer；　though　I　confess　I　was
utterly　at　a　loss　to　see　why　she　should　be。

Observing　this　change　in　her　manner　Maitland　approached　her；　saying：

〃Will　you　now　permit　me　to　explain　my　seeming　rudeness　in　interfering
with　your　plan　to　make　Mr。　Browne　your　messenger；　and　at　the　same
time　allow　me　to　justify　myself　in　the　making　of　yet　another　request？〃

Gwen　bowed　assent　and　he　proceeded　to　state　the　following　case　as
coolly　and　accurately　as　if　it　were　a　problem　in　geometry。

〃Mr。　Darrow；〃　he　began；　〃has　just　died　under　peculiar　circumstances。
Three　possible　views　of　the　case　at　once　suggest　themselves。　　First：
his　death　may　have　been　due　to　natural　causes　and　his　last　expressions
the　result　of　an　hallucination　under　which　he　was　labouring。　　Second：
he　may　have　committed　suicide；　as　the　result；　perhaps；　of　a　mania
which　in　that　case　would　also　serve　to　explain　his　last　words　and
acts；　or；　…　you　will　pardon　me；　Miss　Darrow；　…　these　last　appearances
may　have　been　intentionally　assumed　with　a　view　to　deceiving　us。　　The
officers　you　have　summoned　will　not　be　slow　in　looking　for　motives
for　such　a　deception；　and　several　possible　ones　cannot　fail　at　once
to　suggest　themselves　to　them。　　　Third：　your　father　may　have　been
murdered　and　his　last　expressions　a　more　or　less　accurate　description
of　the　real　facts　of　the　case。　　It　seems　to　me　that　these　three
theories　exhaust　the　possibilities　of　the　case。　　Can　anyone　suggest
anything　further？〃　　And　he　paused　for　a　reply。

〃It　is　clear；〃　replied　Mr。　Herne　with　portly　deliberation；　〃that　all
deaths　must　be　either　natural　or　unnatural；　and　equally　clear　that
when　unnatural　the　agent；　if　human；　must　be　either　the　victim　himself；
or　some　person　external　to　him。〃

〃Precisely　so；〃　continued　Maitland。　　〃Now　our　friend；　the　Doctor；
believes　that　Mr。　Darrow's　death　resulted　from　natural　causes。　　The
official　authorities　will　at　first；　in　all　probability；　agree　with
him；　but　it　is　impossible　to　tell　what　theory　they　will　ultimately
adopt。　　If　sufficient　motive　for　the　act　can　be　found；　some　are
almost　certain　to　adopt　the　suicide　theory。　　Miss　Darrow　has
expressed　her　conviction　that　we　are　dealing　with　a　case　of　murder。
Mr。　Browne　and　Mr。　Herne　have　expressed　no　opinion　on　the　subject；
so　far　as　I　am　aware。〃

At　this　point　Gwen；　with　an　eagerness　she　had　not　before　displayed；
　…　or　possibly　it　was　nervousness；　…　exclaimed：　〃And　your　own　view
of　the　case？〃　　〃I　believe；〃　Maitland　replied　deliberately；　〃that
your