the agony column-第13节

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r　arrest　the　moment　he　made　himself　known　to　the　captain。〃

Hughes　paused。　　Bray　still　idled　with　his　pile　of　letters；　while　the　colonel　regarded　him　gravely。

〃Poor　Fraser…Freer！〃　Hughes　went　on。　　〃Unfortunately　for　him；　Von　der　Herts　knew　almost　as　soon　as　did　the　inspector　that　a　plan　was　afoot　to　trap　him。　　There　was　but　one　course　open　to　him：　He　located　the　captain's　lodgings；　went　there　at　seven　that　night；　and　killed　a　loyal　and　brave　Englishman　where　he　stood。〃

A　tense　silence　filled　the　room。　　I　sat　on　the　edge　of　my　chair；　wondering　just　where　all　this　unwinding　of　the　tangle　was　leading　us。

〃I　had　little；　indeed；　to　work　on；〃　went　on　Hughes。　　〃But　I　had　this　advantage：　the　spy　thought　the　police；　and　the　police　alone；　were　seeking　the　murderer。　　He　was　at　no　pains　to　throw　me　off　his　track；　because　he　did　not　suspect　that　I　was　on　it。　　For　weeks　my　men　had　been　watching　the　countess。　　I　had　them　continue　to　do　so。　I　figured　that　sooner　or　later　Von　der　Herts　would　get　in　touch　with　her。　　I　was　right。　　And　when　at　last　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　man　who　must；　beyond　all　question；　be　Von　der　Herts；　I　was　astounded；　my　dear　Inspector；　I　was　overwhelmed。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　Bray。

〃I　set　to　work　then　in　earnest　to　connect　him　with　that　night　in　Adelphi　Terrace。　　All　the　finger　marks　in　the　captain's　study　were　for　some　reason　destroyed；　but　I　found　others　outside；　in　the　dust　on　that　seldom…used　gate　which　leads　from　the　garden。　　Without　his　knowing；　I　secured　from　the　man　I　suspected　the　imprint　of　his　right　thumb。　　A　comparison　was　startling。　　Next　I　went　down　into　Fleet　Street　and　luckily　managed　to　get　hold　of　the　typewritten　copy　sent　to　the　Mail　bearing　those　four　messages。　　I　noticed　that　in　these　the　letter　a　was　out　of　alignment。　　I　maneuvered　to　get　a　letter　written　on　a　typewriter　belonging　to　my　man。　　The　a　was　out　of　alignment。　　Then　Archibald　Enwright；　a　renegade　and　waster　well　known　to　us　as　serving　other　countries；　came　to　England。　　My　man　and　he　met　…　at　Ye　Old　Gambrinus；　in　Regent　Street。　　And　finally；　on　a　visit　to　the　lodgings　of　this　man　who；　I　was　now　certain；　was　Von　der　Herts；　under　the　mattress　of　his　bed　I　found　this　knife。〃

And　Colonel　Hughes　threw　down　upon　the　inspector's　desk　the　knife　from　India　that　I　had　last　seen　in　the　study　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer。

〃All　these　points　of　evidence　were　in　my　hands　yesterday　morning　in　this　room；〃　Hughes　went　on。　　〃Still；　the　answer　they　gave　me　was　so　unbelievable；　so　astounding；　I　was　not　satisfied；　I　wanted　even　stronger　proof。　　That　is　why　I　directed　suspicion　to　my　American　friend　here。　　I　was　waiting。　　I　knew　that　at　last　Von　der　Herts　realized　the　danger　he　was　in。　　I　felt　that　if　opportunity　were　offered　he　would　attempt　to　escape　from　England；　and　then　our　proofs　of　his　guilt　would　be　unanswerable；　despite　his　cleverness。　　True　enough；　in　the　afternoon　he　secured　the　release　of　the　countess；　and　together　they　started　for　the　Continent。　　I　was　lucky　enough　to　get　him　at　Dover　…　　and　glad　to　let　the　lady　go　on。〃

And　now；　for　the　first　time；　the　startling　truth　struck　me　full　in　the　face　as　Hughes　smiled　down　at　his　victim。

〃Inspector　Bray；〃　he　said；　〃or　Von　der　Herts；　as　you　choose；　I　arrest　you　on　two　counts：　First；　as　the　head　of　the　Wilhelmstrasse　spy　system　in　England；　second；　as　the　murderer　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer。　　And；　if　you　will　allow　me；　I　wish　to　compliment　you　on　your　efficiency。〃

Bray　did　not　reply　for　a　moment。　　I　sat　numb　in　my　chair。　　Finally　the　inspector　looked　up。　　He　actually　tried　to　smile。　

〃You　win　the　hat；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　must　go　to　Homburg　for　it。　　I　will　gladly　pay　all　expenses。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　answered　Hughes。　　〃I　hope　to　visit　your　country　before　long；　but　I　shall　not　be　occupied　with　hats。　　Again　I　congratulate　you。　　You　were　a　bit　careless；　but　your　position　justified　that。　　As　head　of　the　department　at　Scotland　Yard　given　over　to　the　hunt　for　spies；　precaution　doubtless　struck　you　as　unnecessary。　　How　unlucky　for　poor　Fraser…Freer　that　it　was　to　you　he　went　to　arrange　or　your　own　arrest！　　I　got　that　information　from　a　clerk　at　the　Cecil。　　You　were　quite　right；　from　your　point　of　view；　to　kill　him。　　And；　as　I　say；　you　could　afford　to　be　rather　reckless。　　You　had　arranged　that　when　the　news　of　his　murder　came　to　Scotland　Yard　you　yourself　would　be　on　hand　to　conduct　the　search　for　the　guilty　man。　　A　happy　situation；　was　it　not？〃

〃It　seemed　so　at　the　time；〃　admitted　Bray；　and　at　last　I　thought　I　detected　a　note　of　bitterness　in　his　voice。

〃I'm　very　sorry　…　really；〃　said　Hughes。　　〃To…day；　or　to…morrow　at　the　latest；　England　will　enter　the　war。　　You　know　what　that　means；　Von　der　Herts。　　The　Tower　of　London　…　and　a　firing　squad！〃

Deliberately　he　walked　away　from　the　inspector；　and　stood　facing　the　window。　　Von　der　Herts　was　fingering　idly　that　Indian　knife　which　lay　on　his　desk。　　With　a　quick　hunted　look　about　the　room；　he　raised　his　hand；　and　before　I　could　leap　forward　to　stop　him　he　had　plunged　the　knife　into　his　heart。

Colonel　Hughes　turned　round　at　my　cry；　but　even　at　what　met　his　eyes　now　that　Englishman　was　imperturbable。

〃Too　bad！〃　he　said。　　〃Really　too　bad！　　The　man　had　courage　and；　beyond　all　doubt；　brains。　　But　…　this　is　most　considerate　of　him。　He　has　saved　me　such　a　lot　of　trouble。〃

The　colonel　effected　my　release　at　once；　and　he　and　I　walked　down　Whitehall　together　in　the　bright　sun　that　seemed　so　good　to　me　after　the　bleak　walls　of　the　Yard。　　Again　he　apologized　for　turning　suspicion　my　way　the　previous　day；　but　I　assured　him　I　held　no　grudge　for　that。

〃One　or　two　things　I　do　not　understand；〃　I　said。　　〃That　letter　I　brought　from　Interlaken　…　〃

〃Simple　enough；〃　he　replied。　　〃Enwright　…　who；　by　the　way；　is　now　in　the　Tower　…　wanted　to　communicate　with　Fraser…Freer；　who　he　supposed　was　a　loyal　member　of　the　band。　　Letters　sent　by　post　seemed　dangerous。　　With　your　kind　assistance　he　informed　the　captain　of　his　whereabouts　and　the　date　of　his　imminent　arrival　in　London。　Fraser…Freer；　not　wanting　you　entangled　in　his　plans；　eliminated　you　by　denying　the　existence　of　this　cousin　…　the　truth；　of　course。〃

〃Why；〃　I　asked；　〃did　the　countess　call　on　me　to　demand　that　I　alter　my　testimony？〃

〃Bray　sent　her。　　He　had　rifled　Fraser…Freer's　desk　and　he　held　that　letter　from　Enwright。　　He　was　most　anxious　to　fix　the　guilt　upon　the　young　lieutenant's　head。　　You　and　your　testimony　as　to　the　hour　of　the　crime　stood　in　the　way。　　He　sought　to　intimidate　you　with　threats　…　〃

〃But　…　〃

〃I　know　…　you　are　wondering　why　the　countess　confessed　to　me　next　day。　　I　had　the　woman　in　rather　a　funk。　　In　the　meshes　of　my　rapid…fire　questioning　she　became　hopelessly　involved。　　This　was　because　she　was　suddenly　terrified　she　realized　I　must　have　been　watching　her　for　weeks；　and　that　perhaps　Von　der　Herts　was　not　so　immune　from　suspicion　as　he　supposed。　　At　the　proper　moment　I　suggested　that　I　might　have　to　take　her　to　Inspector　Bray。　　This　gave　her　an　idea。　　She　made　her　fake　confession　to　reach　his　side；　once　there；　she　warned　him　of　his　danger　and　they　fled　together。〃

We　walked　along　a　moment　in　silence。　　All　about　us　the　lurid　special　editions　of　the　afternoon　were　flaunting　their　predictions　of　the　horror　to　come。　　The　face　of　the　colonel　was　grave。

〃How　long　had　Von　der　Herts　held　his　position　at　the　Yard？〃　I　asked。

〃For　nearly　five　years；〃　Hughes　answered。

〃It　seems　incredible；〃　I　murmured。

〃So　it　does；〃　he　answered；　〃but　it　is　only　the　first　of　many　incredible　things　that　this　war　will　reveal。　　Two　months　from　now　we　shall　all　have　forgotten　it　in　the　face　of　new　revelations　far　more　unbelievable。〃　He　sighed。　　〃If　these　men　about　us　realized　the　terrible　ordeal　that　lies　ahead！　　Misgoverned；　unprepared　…　I　shudder　at　the　thought　of　the　sacrifices　we　must　make；　many　of　them　in　vain。　　But　I　suppose　that　somehow；　some　day；　we　shall　muddle　through。〃

He　bade　me　good…by　in　Trafalgar　Square；　saying　that　he　must　at　once　seek　out　the　father　and　brother　of　the　late　captain；　and　tell　them　the　news　…　that　their　kinsman　was　really　loyal　to　his　country。

〃It　will　come　to　them　as　a　ray　of　light　in　the　dark　…　my　news；〃　he　said。　　〃And　now；　thank　you　once　again。〃

We　parted　and　I　came　back　here　to　my　lodgings。　　The　mystery　is　finally　solved；　though　in　such　a　way　it　is　difficult　to　believe　that　it　was　anything　but　a　nightmare　at　any　time。　　But　solved　none　the　less；　and　I　should　be　at　peace；　except　for　one　great　black　fact　that　haunts　me；　will　not　let　me　rest。　　I　must　tell　you；　dear　lady　　…　　And　yet　I　fear　it　means　the　end　of　everything。　　If　only　I　can　make　you　understand！

I　have　walked　my　floor；　deep　in　thought；　in　puzzlement；　in　indecision。　　Now　I　have　made　up　my　mind。　　There　is　no　other　way　　…　I　must　tell　you　the　truth。

Despite　the　fact　that　Bray　was　Von　der　Herts；　despite　the　fact　that　he　killed　himself　at　the　discovery　…　despite　this　and　that；　and　everything　…　Bray　did　not　kill　Captain　Fraser…Freer！

On　last　Thursday　evening；　at　a　little　after　seven　o'clock；　I　myself　climbed　the　stairs；　entered　the　captain's　rooms；　picked　up　that　knife　from　his　desk；　and　stabbed　him　just　above　the　heart！

What　provocation　I　was　under；　what　stern　necessity　moved　me　…　all　this　you　must　w