第 40 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2022-04-12 11:59      字数:9321
  testimony out of court; and nothing of importance will then remain
  but the evidence of the government's witness; M。 Godin。〃
  A great wave of excitement swept over the room at these remarks。
  〃What!〃 each said to himself; 〃is it possible that this lawyer will
  try to prove that Latour; despite his circumstantial confession;
  did not commit the murder after all?〃  We did not dare let such a
  thought take hold of us; yet could not see what else could explain
  Maitland's remarks。  Is it any wonder; therefore; that we all waited
  breathlessly for him to continue?  M。 Godin's face was dark and
  lowering。  It was evident he did not propose to have his skill as a
  detective; … and with it the Darrow reward; … set aside without a
  struggle … at least so it seemed to me。  The room was as quiet as
  the grave when Maitland continued。
  〃I shall show you that M。 Godin's testimony is utterly unreliable;
  and; moreover; that it is intentionally so。〃
  This was a direct accusation; and at it M。 Godin's face became of
  ashen pallor。  I felt that he was striving to control his anger and
  saw the effort that it cost him as he fastened Maitland with a
  stiletto…like look that was anything but reassuring。  George did
  not appear to notice it and continued easily:
  〃I shall prove to you beyond a doubt that; in the actual murder of
  John Darrow; only one person was concerned; … by which I mean; that
  only one person was outside the east window when he met his death。
  I shall also show that M。 Latour was not; and could not by any
  possibility have been; that person。  'At this juncture Browne arose
  and walked toward the door。  He was very pale and looked anything
  but well。  I thought he was going to leave; but he reseated himself
  at the back of the room near the door。'  I shall convince you that
  M。 Latour's description of the way the murder was committed is false。〃
  All eyes were turned toward Latour; but he made no sign either of
  affirmation or dissent。  With his eyes closed and his hands falling
  listlessly in front of him; he sat in a half…collapsed condition;
  like one in a stupor。  M。 Godin shifted uneasily in his chair; as
  if he could not remain silent much longer。  Maitland proceeded with
  calm deliberation:
  〃Mr。 Clinton Browne … 〃
  But he did not finish the sentence。  At the name 〃Mr。 Clinton Browne〃
  he was interrupted by a sudden commotion at the rear of the room;
  followed by a heavy fall which shook the whole apartment。  We all
  turned and looked toward the door。  Several men had gathered about
  someone lying upon the floor; and one of them was throwing water in
  the face of the prostrate man。  Presently he revived a little; and
  they bore him out into the cooler air of the corridor。  It was
  Clinton Browne。  The great tension of the trial; his own strong
  emotions; and the closeness of the room had doubtless been too much
  for him。   I could not but marvel at it; however。  Here were delicate
  women with apparently little or no staying power; and yet this
  athlete; with the form of a Mars and the fibre of a Hercules; must
  be the first to succumb。  Verily; even physicians are subject to
  surprises!
  When quiet had been fully restored Maitland continued:
  〃I was about to say when the interruption occurred that Mr。 Clinton
  Browne and Mr。 Charles Herne would both testify to the fact that a
  very sensible time elapsed between the delivery of the blow and the
  death of the victim。  You will see; therefore; that I shall prove to
  your satisfaction that Mr。 Darrow's death did not result from prussic
  acid; as stated by the prisoner。  I shall show you that a chemical
  analysis of the wound made in my laboratory shortly after the murder
  gave none of the well…known prussic…acid reactions。  I shall prove
  to you that John Darrow sprang to his feet after receiving the blow
  which caused his death。  That he clutched at his throat; and that;
  after an effort consuming several seconds; he spoke disjointedly。
  I shall convince you that if he had been poisoned in the manner
  described he would have been dead before he could have so much as
  raised his hand to his throat。  We have been very particular to
  make sure the exact nature of the poison which it is claimed was
  used; so there can be no possible doubt upon this point。  I shall
  show you further that the little Capucin monkey which M。 Latour says
  he killed is still alive; and I will produce him; if necessary; and
  will challenge M。 Latour; or anyone else for that matter; to put him
  through the drill which it is claimed he has been taught。  I shall
  inform you that; since I claim the monkey had no part in Mr。 Darrow's
  death; I could not; during my examination of the prisoner; have been
  stating anything from knowledge when I spoke of the manner in which
  he had trained the animal; and gave details which M。 Latour accepted
  as those of the murder。  My sole effort was to state a plausible way;
  in order to see if the prisoner would not adopt it as the actual
  course pursued。  I also coupled with this the killing of the monkey
  (though I knew the animal was still alive); that I might see if M。
  Latour would follow my lead in this also。  You have seen that he did
  so; that he indorsed my guesses where they were purely guesses; and
  that he also accepted the one statement I knew to be false。  I shall
  therefore ask you to consider about what the chances are that a
  series of guesses like those which I made would represent the exact
  facts as M。 Latour has claimed; while at the same time you do not
  lose sight of the undeniable fact that upon the only detail regarding
  which I had positive information; M。 Latour bore false testimony。〃
  Here Maitland whispered to Jenkins; who in turn spoke to the sheriff
  or some other officer of the court。  I would have given a good deal
  just then to have been able to translate M。 Godin's thoughts。  His
  face was a study。  Maitland immediately resumed:
  〃It has been positively stated by M。 Latour that he gambled with Mr。
  Darrow on Decatur Street between the 1st and 15th day of March。  This
  is false。  In the first place it can be shown that while Mr。 Darrow
  occasionally played cards at his own home; he never gambled;
  uniformly refusing to play for even the smallest stake。  Furthermore;
  Mr。 Darrow's physician will testify that Mr。 Darrow was confined
  to his bed from the 25th day of February to the 18th day of March;
  and that he visited him during that time at least once; and oftener
  twice; every day。
  〃Again; M。 Latour asserts that he never saw M。 Godin till the day
  of his arrest; and M。 Godin asserts that he never entered M。 Latour's
  rooms until that day。  I have a photograph and here a phonographic
  record。  The picture shows M。 Latour's rooms with that gentleman and
  M。 Godin sitting at a table and evidently engaged in earnest
  conversation。  This cylinder is a record of a very interesting
  portion of that conversation … M。 Godin will please not leave the
  room!〃
  This last was said as M。 Godin started toward the door。  The officer
  to whom Jenkins had recently spoken laid his hand upon the detective
  and detained him。   〃We may need M。 Godin;〃 Maitland continued; 〃to
  explain things to us。
  〃I invite your attention to the fact that M。 Godin has testified
  that he was assisted in his search for Mr。 Darrow's murderer by
  certain library slips which he saw M。 Latour make out in two
  different names。  He has also testified that he did not know even
  the names of any of the books procured on these slips; and that
  one of them; entitled 'Poisons; Their Effects and Detection;' he
  not only never read; but never even heard of。  I shall show you
  that all of these books were procured with M。 Godin's knowledge;
  and that most of them were read by him。   I shall prove to you
  beyond a doubt that he has not only heard of this particular work
  on poisons; but that he has read it and placed his unmistakable
  signature on page 469 thereof beside the identical paragraph which
  suggested to Mr。 Darrow's murderer the manner of his assassination!〃
  M。 Godin started as if he had been stabbed; but quickly regained
  his self…control as Maitland continued: 〃Here is the volume in
  question。  You will please note the thumb…mark in the margin of page
  469。  There is but one thumb in the world that could have made that
  mark; and that is the thumb you have seen register itself upon this
  letter。  It is also the thumb that made this paint smutch upon this
  slip of glass。〃
  All eyes were turned upon M。 Godin。  He was very pale; yet his jaw
  was firmly set and something akin to a defiant smile played about
  his handsome mouth。  To say that the audience was amazed is to convey
  no adequate idea of their real condition。  We felt prepared for
  anything。  I almost feared lest some sudden turn in the case might
  cast suspicion upon myself; or even Maitland。  Without apparently
  noticing M。 Godin's discomfiture; George continued:
  〃M。 Godin has testified that he sometimes plays cards; but only for
  a small stake … just enough; he says; to make it interesting。  I
  shall show you that he is a professional gambler as well as a
  detective。
  〃The morning after the murder was committed I made a most careful
  examination of the premises; particularly of the grounds near