the agony column-第10节

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But　you　want；　of　course；　the　whole　story　from　the　beginning；　and　I　shall　give　it　to　you。　　At　eleven　o'clock　this　morning　a　constable　called　on　me　at　my　rooms　and　informed　me　that　I　was　wanted　at　once　by　the　Chief　Inspector　at　the　Yard。

We　climbed　…　the　constable　and　I　…　a　narrow　stone　stairway　somewhere　at　the　back　of　New　Scotland　Yard；　and　so　came　to　the　inspector's　room。　　Bray　was　waiting　for　us；　smiling　and　confident。　　I　remember　　…　silly　as　the　detail　is　…　that　he　wore　in　his　buttonhole　a　white　rose。　　His　manner　of　greeting　me　was　more　genial　than　usual。　　He　began　by　informing　me　that　the　police　had　apprehended　the　man　who；　they　believed；　was　guilty　of　the　captain's　murder。

〃There　is　one　detail　to　be　cleared　up；〃　he　said。　　〃You　told　me　the　other　night　that　it　was　shortly　after　seven　o'clock　when　you　heard　the　sounds　of　struggle　in　the　room　above　you。　　You　were　somewhat　excited　at　the　time；　and　under　similar　circumstances　men　have　been　known　to　make　mistakes。　　Have　you　considered　the　matter　since？　　Is　it　not　possible　that　you　were　in　error　in　regard　to　the　hour？〃

I　recalled　Hughes'　advice　to　humor　the　inspector；　and　I　said　that；　having　thought　it　over；　I　was　not　quite　sure。　　It　might　have　been　earlier　than　seven　…　say　six…thirty。

〃Exactly；〃　said　Bray。　　He　seemed　rather　pleased。　　〃The　natural　stress　of　the　moment　…　I　understand。　　Wilkinson　bring　in　your　prisoner。　　The　constable　addressed　turned　and　left　the　room；　coming　back　a　moment　later　with　Lieutenant　Norman　Fraser…Freer。　　The　boy　was　pale；　I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　he　had　not　slept　for　several　nights。

〃Lieutenant；〃　said　Bray　very　sharply；　〃will　you　tell　me　…　is　it　true　that　your　brother；　the　late　captain；　had　loaned　you　a　large　sum　of　money　a　year　or　so　ago？〃

〃Quite　true；〃　answered　the　lieutenant　in　a　low　voice。

〃You　and　he　had　quarreled　about　the　amount　of　money　you　spent？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃By　his　death　you　became　the　sole　heir　of　your　father；　the　general。　Your　position　with　the　money…lenders　was　quite　altered。　　Am　I　right？〃

〃I　fancy　so。〃

〃Last　Thursday　afternoon　you　went　to　the　Army　and　Navy　Stores　and　purchased　a　revolver。　　You　already　had　your　service　weapon；　but　to　shoot　a　man　with　a　bullet　from　that　would　be　to　make　the　hunt　of　the　police　for　the　murderer　absurdly　simple。〃

The　boy　made　no　answer。

〃Let　us　suppose；〃　Bray　went　on；　〃that　last　Thursday　evening　at　half　after　six　you　called　on　your　brother　in　his　rooms　at　Adelphi　Terrace。　There　was　an　argument　about　money。　　You　became　enraged。　　You　saw　him　and　him　alone　between　you　and　the　fortune　you　needed　so　badly。　　Then　　…　I　am　only　supposing　…　you　noticed　on　his　table　an　odd　knife　he　had　brought　from　India　…　safer　…　more　silent　　…　than　a　gun。　　You　seized　it　…　〃

〃Why　suppose？〃　the　boy　broke　in。　　〃I'm　not　trying　to　conceal　anything。　　You're　right　…　I　did　it！　　I　killed　my　brother！　　Now　let　us　get　the　whole　business　over　as　soon　as　may　be。〃

Into　the　face　of　Inspector　Bray　there　came　at　that　moment　a　look　that　has　puzzling　me　ever　since　…　a　look　that　has　recurred　to　my　mind　again　and　again；　…　in　the　stress　and　storm　of　this　eventful　day。　　It　was　only　too　evident　that　this　confession　came　to　him　as　a　shock。　　I　presume　so　easy　a　victory　seemed　hollow　to　him；　he　was　wishing　the　boy　had　put　up　a　fight。　　Policemen　are　probably　like　that。

〃My　boy；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　sorry　for　you。　　My　course　is　clear。　　If　you　will　go　with　one　of　my　men　…　〃

It　was　at　this　point　that　the　door　of　the　inspector's　room　opened　and　Colonel　Hughes；　cool　and　smiling；　walked　in。　　Bray　chuckled　at　sight　of　the　military　man。

〃Ah；　colonel；〃　he　cried；　〃you　make　a　good　entrance！　　This　morning；　when　I　discovered　that　I　had　the　honor　of　having　you　associated　with　me　in　the　search　for　the　captain's　murderer；　you　were　foolish　enough　to　make　a　little　wager　…　〃

〃I　remember；〃　Hughes　answered。　　〃A　scarab　pin　against　…　a　Homburg　hat。〃

〃Precisely；〃　said　Bray。　　〃You　wagered　that　you；　and　not　I；　would　discover　the　guilty　man。　　Well；　Colonel；　you　owe　me　a　scarab。　Lieutenant　Norman　Fraser…Freer　has　just　told　me　that　he　killed　his　brother；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　taking　down　his　full　confession。〃

〃Indeed！〃　replied　Hughes　calmly。　　〃Interesting　…　most　interesting！　But　before　we　consider　the　wager　lost　…　before　you　force　the　lieutenant　to　confess　in　full　…　I　should　like　the　floor。〃

〃Certainly；〃　smiled　Bray。

〃When　you　were　kind　enough　to　let　me　have　two　of　your　men　this　morning；〃　said　Hughes；　〃I　told　you　I　contemplated　the　arrest　of　a　lady。　　I　have　brought　that　lady　to　Scotland　Yard　with　me。〃　　He　stepped　to　the　door；　opened　it　and　beckoned。　　A　tall；　blonde　handsome　woman　of　about　thirty…five　entered；　and　instantly　to　my　nostrils　came　the　pronounced　odor　of　lilacs。　　〃Allow　me；　Inspector；〃　went　on　the　colonel；　〃to　introduce　to　you　the　Countess　Sophie　de　Graf；　late　of　Berlin；　late　of　Delhi　and　Rangoon；　now　of　17　Leitrim　Grove；　Battersea　Park　Road。〃

The　woman　faced　Bray；　and　there　was　a　terrified；　hunted　look　in　her　eyes。

〃You　are　the　inspector？〃　she　asked。

〃I　am；〃　said　Bray。

〃And　a　man　…　I　can　see　that；〃　she　went　on；　her　flashing　angrily　at　Hughes。　　〃I　appeal　to　you　to　protect　me　from　the　brutal　questioning　of　this　…　this　fiend。〃

〃You　are　hardly　complimentary；　Countess；〃　Hughes　smiled。　　〃But　I　am　willing　to　forgive　you　if　you　will　tell　the　inspector　the　story　that　you　have　recently　related　to　me。〃

The　woman　shut　her　lips　tightly　and　for　a　long　moment　gazed　into　the　eyes　of　Inspector　Bray。

〃He〃　…　she　said　at　last；　nodding　in　the　direction　of　Colonel　Hughes　　…　〃he　got　it　out　of　me　…　how；　I　don't　know。〃

〃Got　what　out　of　you？〃　　Bray's　little　eyes　were　blinking。

〃At　six…thirty　o'clock　last　Thursday　evening；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　went　to　the　rooms　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer；　in　Adelphi　Terrace。　　An　argument　arose。　　I　seized　from　his　table　an　Indian　dagger　that　was　lying　there　…　I　stabbed　him　just　above　the　heart！〃

In　that　room　in　Scotland　Yard　a　tense　silence　fell。　　For　the　first　time　we　were　all　conscious　of　a　tiny　clock　on　the　inspector's　desk；　for　it　ticked　now　with　a　loudness　sudden　and　startling。　　I　gazed　at　the　faces　about　me。　　Bray's　showed　a　momentary　surprise　…　then　the　mask　fell　again。　　Lieutenant　Fraser…Freer　was　plainly　amazed。　On　the　face　of　Colonel　Hughes　I　saw　what　struck　me　as　an　open　sneer。

〃Go　on；　Countess；〃　he　smiled。

She　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　turned　toward　him　a　disdainful　back。　Her　eyes　were　all　for　Bray。

〃It's　very　brief；　the　story；〃　she　said　hastily　…　I　thought　almost　apologetically。　　〃I　had　known　the　captain　in　Rangoon。　　My　husband　was　in　business　there　…　an　exporter　of　rice　…　and　Captain　Fraser…Freer　came　often　to　our　house。　　We　…　he　was　a　charming　man；　the　captain　…　〃Go　on！〃　ordered　Hughes。

〃We　fell　desperately　in　love；〃　said　the　countess。　　〃When　he　returned　to　England；　though　supposedly　on　a　furlough；　he　told　me　he　would　never　return　to　Rangoon。　　He　expected　a　transfer　to　Egypt。　　So　it　was　arranged　that　I　should　desert　my　husband　and　follow　on　the　next　boat。　　I　did　so　…　believing　in　the　captain　…　thinking　he　really　cared　for　me　…　I　gave　up　everything　for　him。　　And　then　…　〃

Her　voice　broke　and　she　took　out　a　handkerchief。　　Again　that　odor　of　lilacs　in　the　room。

〃For　a　time　I　saw　the　captain　often　in　London；　and　then　I　began　to　notice　a　change。　　Back　among　his　own　kind；　with　the　lonely　days　in　India　a　mere　memory　…　he　seemed　no　longer　to　…　to　care　for　me。　Then　…　last　Thursday　morning　…　he　called　on　me　to　tell　me　that　he　was　through；　that　he　would　never　see　me　again　…　in　fact；　that　he　was　to　marry　a　girl　of　his　own　people　who　had　been　waiting　…　〃

The　woman　looked　piteously　about　at　us。

〃I　was　desperate；〃　she　pleaded。　　〃I　had　given　up　all　that　life　held　for　me　…　given　it　up　for　a　man　who　now　looked　at　me　coldly　and　spoke　of　marrying　another。　　Can　you　wonder　that　I　went　in　the　evening　to　his　rooms　…　went　to　plead　with　him　…　to　beg；　almost　on　my　knees？　It　was　no　use。　　He　was　done　with　me　…　he　said　that　over　and　over。　Overwhelmed　with　blind　rage　and　despair；　I　snatched　up　that　knife　from　the　table　and　plunged　it　into　his　heart。　　At　once　I　was　filled　with　remorse。　　I　…　〃

〃One　moment；〃　broke　in　Hughes。　　〃You　may　keep　the　details　of　your　subsequent　actions　until　later。　　I　should　like　to　compliment　you；　Countess。　　You　tell　it　better　each　time。〃

He　came　over　and　faced　Bray。　　I　thought　there　was　a　distinct　note　of　hostility　in　his　voice。

〃Checkmate；　Inspector！〃　he　said。　　Bray　made　no　reply。　　He　sat　there　staring　up　at　the　colonel；　his　face　turned　to　stone。

〃The　scarab　pin；〃　went　on　Hughes；　〃is　not　yet　forthcoming。　　We　are　tied　for　honors；　my　friend。　　You　have　your　confession；　but　I　have　one　to　match　it。〃

〃All　this　is　beyond　me；〃　snapped　Bray。

〃A　bit　beyond　me；　too；〃　the　colonel　answered。　　〃Here　are　two　people　who　wish　us　to　believe　that　on　the　evening　of　Thursday　last；　at　half　after　six　of　the　clock；　each　sought　out　Captain　Fraser…Freer　in　his　rooms　and　murdered　him。〃

He　walked　to　the　window　and　then　wheeled　dramatically。

〃The　strangest　part　of　it　all　is；〃　he　added；　〃that　at　six…thirty　o'clock　last　Thursday　evening；　at　an　obscure　restaurant　in　Soho　　…　Frigacci's　…　these　two　people　were　having　tea　together　！〃

I　must　admit　that；　as　the　colonel