the agony column-第6节

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athed　in　blood。　　A　nightmare　born　of　torrid　days　and　tossing　nights！

But　it　is　of　the　affair　in　Adelphi　Terrace　that　you　no　doubt　want　to　hear。　　One　sequel　of　the　tragedy；　which　adds　immeasurably　to　the　mystery　of　it　all；　has　occurred；　and　I　alone　am　responsible　for　its　discovery。　　But　to　go　back：

I　returned　from　mailing　your　letter　at　dawn　this　morning；　very　tired　from　the　tension　of　the　night。　　I　went　to　bed；　but　could　not　sleep。　　More　and　more　it　was　preying　on　my　mind　that　I　was　in　a　most　unhappy　position。　　I　had　not　liked　the　looks　cast　at　me　by　Inspector　Bray；　or　his　voice　when　he　asked　how　I　came　to　live　in　this　house。　I　told　myself　I　should　not　be　safe　until　the　real　murderer　of　the　poor　captain　was　found；　and　so　I　began　to　puzzle　over　the　few　clues　in　the　case　…　especially　over　the　asters；　the　scarab　pin　and　the　Homburg　hat。

It　was　then　I　remembered　the　four　copies　of　the　Daily　Mail　that　Bray　had　casually　thrown　into　the　waste…basket　as　of　no　interest。　I　had　glanced　over　his　shoulder　as　he　examined　these　papers；　and　had　seen　that　each　of　them　was　folded　so　that　our　favorite　department　　…　the　Agony　Column　…　was　uppermost。　　It　happened　I　had　in　my　desk　copies　of　the　Mail　for　the　past　week。　　You　will　understand　why。

I　rose；　found　those　papers；　and　began　to　read。　　It　was　then　that　I　made　the　astounding　discovery　to　which　I　have　alluded。

For　a　time　after　making　it　I　was　dumb　with　amazement；　so　that　no　course　of　action　came　readily　to　mind。　　In　the　end　I　decided　that　the　thing　for　me　to　do　was　to　wait　for　Bray's　return　in　the　morning　and　then　point　out　to　him　the　error　he　had　made　in　ignoring　the　Mail。

Bray　came　in　about　eight　o'clock　and　a　few　minutes　later　I　heard　another　man　ascend　the　stairs。　　I　was　shaving　at　the　time；　but　I　quickly　completed　the　operation　and；　slipping　on　a　bathrobe；　hurried　up　to　the　captain　s　rooms。　　The　younger　brother　had　seen　to　the　removal　of　the　unfortunate　man's　body　in　the　night；　and；　aside　from　Bray　and　the　stranger　who　had　arrived　almost　simultaneously　with　him；　there　was　no　one　but　a　sleepy…eyed　constable　there。

Bray's　greeting　was　decidedly　grouchy。　　The　stranger；　however　…　a　tall　bronzed　man　…　made　himself　known　to　me　in　the　most　cordial　manner。　　He　told　me　he　was　Colonel　Hughes；　a　close　friend　of　the　dead　man；　and　that；　unutterably　shocked　and　grieved；　he　had　come　to　inquire　whether　there　was　anything　he　might　do。　　〃Inspector；〃　said　I；　〃last　night　in　this　room　you　held　in　your　hand　four　copies　of　the　Daily　Mail。　　You　tossed　them　into　that　basket　as　of　no　account。　May　I　suggest　that　you　rescue　those　copies；　as　I　have　a　rather　startling　matter　to　make　clear　to　you？〃　　Too　grand　an　official　to　stoop　to　a　waste…basket；　he　nodded　to　the　constable。　　The　latter　brought　the　papers；　and；　selecting　one　from　the　lot；　I　spread　it　out　on　the　table。　　〃The　issue　of　July　twenty…seventh；〃　I　said。

I　pointed　to　an　item　half…way　down　the　column　of　Personal　Notices。　You　yourself；　my　lady；　may　read　it　there　if　you　happen　to　have　saved　a　copy。　　It　ran　as　follows：

〃RANGOON：　The　asters　are　in　full　bloom　in　the　garden　at　Canterbury。　They　are　very　beautiful　…　especially　the　white　ones。〃

Bray　grunted；　and　opened　his　little　eyes。　　I　took　up　the　issue　of　the　following　day　…　the　twenty…eighth：

〃RANGOON：　We　have　been　forced　to　sell　father's　stick…pin　…　the　emerald　scarab　he　brought　home　from　Cairo。〃

I　had　Bray's　interest　now。　　He　leaned　heavily　toward　me；　puffing。　Greatly　excited；　I　held　before　his　eyes　the　issue　of　the　twenty…ninth：

〃RANGOON：　Homburg　hat　gone　forever　…　caught　by　a　breeze　…　into　the　river。〃

〃And　finally；〃　said　I　to　the　inspector；　〃the　last　message　of　all；　in　the　issue　of　the　thirtieth　of　July　…　on　sale　in　the　streets　some　twelve　hours　before　Fraser…Freer　was　murdered。　　See！〃

〃RANGOON：　To…night　at　ten。　　Regent　Street。　　…　Y。0。G。〃

Bray　was　silent。

〃I　take　it　you　are　aware；　Inspector；〃　I　said；　〃that　for　the　past　two　years　Captain　Fraser…Freer　was　stationed　at　Rangoon。〃

Still　he　said　nothing；　just　looked　at　me　with　those　foxy　little　eyes　that　I　was　coming　to　detest。　　At　last　he　spoke　sharply：

〃Just　how；〃　he　demanded；　〃did　you　happen　to　discover　those　messages？　You　were　not　in　this　room　last　night　after　I　left？〃　　He　turned　angrily　to　the　constable。　　〃I　gave　orders　…　〃

〃No；〃　I　put　in；　〃I　was　not　in　this　room。　　I　happened　to　have　on　file　in　my　rooms　copies　of　the　Mail；　and　by　the　merest　chance　…　〃

I　saw　that　I　had　blundered。　　Undoubtedly　my　discovery　of　those　messages　was　too　pat。　　Once　again　suspicion　looked　my　way。

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　said　Bray。　　〃I'll　keep　this　in　mind。〃

〃Have　you　communicated　with　my　friend　at　the　consulate？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes。　　That's　all。　　Good　morning。〃

So　I　went。

I　had　been　back　in　my　room　some　twenty　minutes　when　there　came　a　knock　on　the　door；　and　Colonel　Hughes　entered。　　He　was　a　genial　man；　in　the　early　forties　I　should　say；　tanned　by　some　sun　not　English；　and　gray　at　the　temples。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said　without　preamble；　〃this　is　a　most　appalling　business！〃

〃Decidedly；〃　I　answered。　　〃Will　you　sit　down？〃

〃Thank　you。〃　He　sat　and　gazed　frankly　into　my　eyes。　　〃Policemen；〃　he　added　meaningly；　〃are　a　most　suspicious　tribe　…　often　without　reason。　　I　am　sorry　you　happen　to　be　involved　in　this　affair；　for　I　may　say　that　I　fancy　you　to　be　exactly　what　you　seem。　　May　I　add　that；　if　you　should　ever　need　a　friend；　I　am　at　your　service？〃

I　was　touched；　I　thanked　him　as　best　I　could。　　His　tone　was　so　sympathetic　and　before　I　realized　it　I　was　telling　him　the　whole　story　…　of　Archie　and　his　letter；　of　my　falling　in　love　with　a　garden；　of　the　startling　discovery　that　the　captain　had　never　heard　of　his　cousin；　and　of　my　subsequent　unpleasant　position。　　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　closed　his　eyes。

〃I　suppose；〃　he　said；　〃that　no　man　ever　carries　an　unsealed　letter　of　introduction　without　opening　it　to　read　just　what　praises　have　been　lavished　upon　him。　　It　is　human　nature　…　I　have　done　it　often。　May　I　make　so　bold　as　to　inquire　…　〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I。　　〃It　was　unsealed　and　I　did　read　it。　　Considering　its　purpose；　it　struck　me　as　rather　long。　　There　were　many　warm　words　for　me　…　words　beyond　all　reason　in　view　of　my　brief　acquaintance　with　Enwright。　　I　also　recall　that　he　mentioned　how　long　he　had　been　in　Interlaken；　and　that　he　said　he　expected　to　reach　London　about　the　first　of　August。〃

〃The　first　of　August；〃　repeated　the　colonel。　　〃That　is　to…morrow。　Now　…　if　you'll　be　so　kind　…　just　what　happened　last　night？〃

Again　I　ran　over　the　events　of　that　tragic　evening　…　the　quarrel；　the　heavy　figure　in　the　hall；　the　escape　by　way　of　the　seldom…used　gate。

〃My　boy；〃　said　Colonel　Hughes　as　he　rose　to　go；　〃the　threads　of　this　tragedy　stretch　far　…　some　of　them　to　India；　some　to　a　country　I　will　not　name。　　I　may　say　frankly　that　I　have　other　and　greater　interest　in　the　matter　than　that　of　the　captain's　friend。　　For　the　present　that　is　in　strict　confidence　between　us；　the　police　are　well…meaning；　but　they　sometimes　blunder。　　Did　I　understand　you　to　say　that　you　have　copies　of　the　Mail　containing　those　odd　messages？〃

〃Right　here　in　my　desk；〃　said　I。　　I　got　them　for　him。

〃I　think　I　shall　take　them　…　if　I　may；〃　he　said。　　〃You　will；　of　course；　not　mention　this　little　visit　of　mine。　　We　shall　meet　again。　Good　morning。〃

And　he　went　away；　carrying　those　papers　with　their　strange　signals　to　Rangoon。

Somehow　I　feel　wonderfully　cheered　by　his　call。　　For　the　first　time　since　seven　last　evening　I　begin　to　breathe　freely　again。

And　so；　lady　who　likes　mystery；　the　matter　stands　on　the　afternoon　of　the　last　day　of　July；　nineteen　hundred　and　fourteen。

I　shall　mail　you　this　letter　to…night。　　It　is　my　third　to　you；　and　it　carries　with　it　three　times　the　dreams　that　went　with　the　first；　for　they　are　dreams　that　live　not　only　at　night；　when　the　moon　is　on　the　courtyard；　but　also　in　the　bright　light　of　day。

Yes　…　I　am　remarkably　cheered。　　I　realize　that　I　have　not　eaten　at　all　…　save　a　cup　of　coffee　from　the　trembling　hand　of　Walters　　…　since　last　night；　at　Simpson's。　　I　am　going　now　to　dine。　　I　shall　begin　with　grapefruit。　　I　realize　that　I　am　suddenly　very　fond　of　grapefruit。

How　bromidic　to　note　it　…　we　have　many　tastes　in　common！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　EX…STRAWBERRY　MAN。

The　third　letter　from　her　correspondent　of　the　Agony　Column　increased　in　the　mind　of　the　lovely　young　woman　at　the　Carlton　the　excitement　and　tension　the　second　had　created。　　For　a　long　time；　on　the　Saturday　morning　of　its　receipt；　she　sat　in　her　room　puzzling　over　the　mystery　of　the　house　in　Adelphi　Terrace。　　When　first　she　had　heard　that　Captain　Fraser…Freer；　of　the　Indian　Army；　was　dead　of　a　knife　wound　over　the　heart；　the　news　had　shocked　her　like　that　of　the　loss　of　some　old　and　dear　friend。　　She　had　desired　passionately　the　apprehension　of　his　murderer；　and　had　turned　over　and　over　in　her　mind　the　possibilities　of　white　asters；　a　scarab　pin　and　a　Homburg　hat。

Perhaps　the　girl　longed　for　the　arrest　of　the　guilty　man　thus　keenly　because　this　jaunty　young　friend　of　hers　…　a　friend　whose　name　she　did　not　know　…　to　whom；　indeed；　she　had　never　spoken　…　was　so　dangerously　entangled　in　the　affair。　　For　from　what　she　kne