the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第19节
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by some quiet and intensive thinking； that Viola spoke to him in the library。
The colonel laid aside a paper he had been reading； and looked up。
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In lieu of other news one of the reporters had written an interview with
Dr。 Baird； in which that physician discoursed learnedly on various poisons
and the tests for them； such as might be made to determine what caused
the death of Mr。 Carwell。 The young doctor went very much into details；
even so far as giving the various chemical symbols of poison； dwelling
long on arsenious acid； whose symbol； he told the reporter； was As2O5；
while if one desired to test the organs for traces of strychnine； it would be
necessary to use 〃sodium and potassium hydroxide； ammonia and alkaline
carbonate； to precipitate the free base strychnine from aqueous solutions
of its salts as a white； crystalline solid；〃 while this imposing formula was
given：
〃C21H22 ＋ NaOH C21H22 ＋ H20 ＋ NaNO3。〃
And so on for a column and a half。
〃Oh； Colonel！ Have you found out anything yet？〃 the girl besought。
〃Nothing of importance； I am sorry to say。〃
〃But you are working on it？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Have you anything to tell me？〃
〃No； except that I am perfectly miserable。 It is all so terrible。 And
we can't even put poor father's body in the grave； where he might rest。〃
〃No； the coroner is waiting for permission from the prosecutor。 It
seems they are trying to find some one who knows about the quarrel
between Harry and your father。〃
〃I don't believe there was a quarrel … at least not a serious one。 Harry
isn't that kind。 I'm sure he is not guilty。 Harry Bartlett had nothing to
do with his death。 If my father was not a suicide … 〃
〃But if he was not a suicide； for the sake of justice and to prove Harry
Bartlett innocent； we must find out who did kill your father；〃 said the
colonel。
〃You don't believe Harry did it； do you？〃 Viola asked appealingly。
Colonel Ashley did not answer for a moment。 Then he said slowly：
〃My dear Viola； if some one were ill of a desperate disease； in which
the crisis had not yet been passed； you would not expect a physician to say
for certainty that such a person was to recover； would you？〃
〃No。〃
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〃Well； I am in much the same predicament。 I am a sort of physician
in this mystery case。 It has only begun。 The crisis is still far off； and
nothing can be said with certainty。 I prefer not to express an opinion。〃
〃I'm not afraid！〃 cried Viola。 〃I know Harry Bartlett is not guilty！〃
〃If he is not … who then？〃 asked the colonel。
〃Oh； I don't know！ I don't know what to think！ I suspect … No； I
mustn't say that … Oh； I'm almost distracted！〃 And； with sobs shaking her
frame； Viola Carwell rushed from the room。
Colonel Ashley looked after her for a moment； as though half of a
mind to follow； and then； slowly shaking his head； he again picked up the
paper he had been reading； delving through a maze of technical poisoning
detection formulae； from Vortmann's nitroprusside test to a consideration
of the best method of estimating the toxicity of chemical compounds by
blood hemolysis。 The reporter and young Dr。 Baird certainly left little to
the imagination。
Colonel Ashley read until rather late that evening； and his reading was
not altogether from Izaak Walton's 〃Compleat Angler。〃 He delved into
several books； and again read； very carefully； the artide on the effects of
various poisons as it appeared in the paper he had been glancing over
when Viola talked with him。
As the colonel was getting ready to retire a servant brought him a note。
It was damp； as though it had been splashed with water； and when the
detective had read it and had noted Viola's signature； he knew that her
tears had blurred the writing。
〃Please excuse my impulsiveness；〃 she penned。 〃I am distracted。 I
know Harry is not guilty。 Please do something！〃
〃I am trying to；〃 mused the colonel as he got into bed； and turned his
thoughts to a passage he had read in Walton just before switching off his
light。 It was an old rhyme； the source of which was not given； but which
seemed wonderfully comforting under the circumstances。 It was a bit of
advice given by our friend Izaak； and as part of what a good fisherman
should provide specified： 〃My rod and my line； my float and my lead；
My hook and my plummet； my whetstone and knife。 My basket； my
baits； both living and dead； My net and my meat （for that is the chief）：
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Then I must have thread； and hairs green and small； With mine
angling purse … and so you have all。〃
〃And；〃 reflected Colonel Ashley； as he dozed off； 〃I guess I'll need all
that and more to solve this mystery。〃
The detective was up betimes the next morning； as he would have said
had he been discoursing in the talk of Mr。 Walton； and on going to the
window to fill his lungs with fresh air； he saw a letter slipped under his
door。
〃From Viola； I imagine；〃 he mused； as he picked it up。 〃Unless it's
from Shag； telling me the fish are biting unusually well。 I hope they're
not； for I must do considerable to…day； and I don't want to be tempted to
stray to the fields。
〃It isn't from Shag； though。 He never could muster as neat a pen as
this。 Nor yet is it from Viola。 Printed； too！ The old device to prevent
detection of the handwriting。 Well； mysterious missive； what have you to
say this fine morning？〃
He opened the envelope carefully； preserving it and not tearing the
address； which； as he had said； was printed； not written。 It bore his name；
and nothing else。
Within the envelope was a small piece of paper on which was printed
this：
〃Ask Miss Viola what this means。 58 C。 H。 … 161*。〃
Colonel Ashley read the message through three times without saying a
word。 Then he held the paper and envelope up to the light to see if they
bore a water mark。 Neither did； and the paper was of a cheap； common
variety which might be come upon in almost any stationery store。 The
colonel read the message again； looked at the back and front of the
envelope； and then； placing both in his pocket； went down to breakfast； the
bell for which he heard just as he finished his simple breathing exercises。
The morning papers were at his place； which was the only one at the
table。 Either Viola and her aunt had already breakfasted； or would do so
later。 The colonel ate and read。
There was not much new in the papers。 Harry Bartlett was still held
as a witness； and the prosecutor's detectives were still working on the case。
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As yet no one had connected Colonel Ashley officially with the matter。
The reporters seemed to have missed noting that a celebrated … not to
say successful … detective was the guest of Viola Carwell。 It was an hour
after the morning meal； and the colonel was in the library； rather idly
glancing over the titles of the books； which included a goodly number on
yachting and golfing； when Viola entered。
〃Oh； I didn't know you were here ！〃 she exclaimed； drawing back。
〃Oh； come in！ Come in ！〃 invited the colonel。 〃I am just going out。
I was wondering if there happened to be a book on chemistry here … or one
on poisons。〃
〃Poisons！〃 exclaimed the girl； half drawing back。
〃Yes。 I have one； but I left it in New York。 If there happened to be
one … Or perhaps you can tell me。 Did you ever study chemistry？〃
〃As a girl in school； yes。 But I'm afraid I've forgotten all I ever
knew。〃
〃My case
