第 41 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2022-04-12 11:59      字数:9322
  detective。
  〃The morning after the murder was committed I made a most careful
  examination of the premises; particularly of the grounds near the
  eastern window。  As the result of my observations; I informed Miss
  Darrow that I had reason to believe that her father had been murdered
  by a person who had some good motive for concealing his footprints;
  and who also had a halting gait。  The weight of this person I was
  able to estimate at not far from one hundred and thirty…five pounds;
  and his height as about five feet and five inches。  I also stated it
  as my opinion that the person who did the deed had the habit of
  biting his finger nails; and a particular reason for sparing the
  nail of the little finger and permitting it to grow to an abnormal
  length。  This was not guesswork on my part; for in the soft soil
  beneath the eastern window I found a perfect impression of a closed
  hand。  Here is the cast of that hand。  Look well at it。  Notice the
  wart upon the upper joint of the thumb; and the crook in the third
  finger where it has evidently been broken。  M。 Godin says he never
  entered the yard of the Darrow estate; except on the night of the
  murder in company with Messrs。 Osborne and Allen; and that then he
  merely passed up and down the front walk on his way to and from the
  house; yet the paint…mark on this slip of glass was made by his
  thumb; and the glass itself was cut by me from the eastern window
  of the Darrow house … the window through which the murder was
  committed。  This plaster cast was taken from an impression in the
  soil beneath the same window on the morning after the murder。  The
  hand is the hand of M。 Godin。  You will note that one of this
  gentleman's feet is deformed and that he habitually halts in his
  walk。〃
  We all glanced at M。 Godin to verify these assertions; but that
  gentleman folded his arms in a way to conceal his hands and thrust
  his feet out of sight beneath the chair in front of him; while he
  smiled at us with the utmost apparent good nature。  He would be
  game to the last; there was no doubt of that。
  Maitland recalled our attention by saying:
  〃Officer; you will please arrest M。 Godin!〃
  An excited whisper was heard from every corner; and many were the
  half…audible comments that were broken off by the imperative fall
  of the crier's gavel。  So tense had been the strain that it was some
  time before complete order could be restored。  When it was again
  quiet Maitland continued:
  〃Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury: We will rest our case here
  for to…day。  To…morrow; or rather on Monday; we shall show the
  strange influence which M。 Godin exercised over M。 Latour; as well
  as M。 Latour's reasons for his confession。  We shall endeavour to
  make clear to you how M。 Latour was actually led to believe he had
  murdered John Darrow; and how he was bribed to confess a crime=20
  committed by another。  Of the hypnotic power of M。 Godin over M。
  Latour I have indisputable proof; though we shall see that M。 Godin
  by no means relied wholly upon this power。  We shall show you also
  that sufficient time elapsed to enable M。 Godin; by great skill
  and celerity; to make away with the evidences of his guilt in time
  to enable him to be present with Messrs。 Osborne and Allen at the
  examination。  In short; we shall unravel before you a crime which;
  for cleverness of conception and adroitness of execution; has never
  been equalled in the history of this community。〃
  Maitland having thus concluded his remarks by dropping into a
  courteous plural in deference to Mr。 Jenkins; the court adjourned
  until Monday; and I left Gwen in Maitland's charge while I hurried
  home; fearful lest I should not be the first to bring to Jeannette
  the glad news of her father's innocence; for I had not the slightest
  doubt of Maitland's ability to prove conclusively all he had
  undertaken。
  I need not describe to you my interview with Jeannette。  There are
  things concerning it which; even at this late day; when their
  roseate hue glows but dimly in the blue retrospect of the past; … it
  would seem sacrilege for me to mention to another。  Believe me; I am
  perfectly aware of your inquisitive nature; and I know that this
  omission may nettle you。  Charge it all up; then; to the perversity
  of a bachelor in the throes of his first; last; and only love
  experience。  You must see that such things cannot be conveyed to
  another with anything like their real significance。  Were I to say
  I was carried beyond myself by her protestations of gratitude until;
  in a delirium of joy; I seized her in my arms and covered her with
  kisses; do you for a moment fancy you could appreciate my feelings?
  Do you imagine that the little tingle of sympathy which you might
  experience were I to say that; instead of pushing me from her; I
  felt her clasp tighten about me; … would tell you anything of the
  great torrent of hot blood that deluged my heart as she lay there
  in my arms; quivering ecstatically at every kiss?  No!  a thousand
  times no!  Therefore have I thought best to say nothing about it。
  Our love can keep its own secrets。 … But alas!  this was long ago;
  and as I sit here alone writing this to you; I cannot but wonder;
  with a heavy sense of ever…present longing; where on this great
  earth Jeannette … 'my Jeannette;' I have learned to call her … is
  now。  You see a bachelor's love…affair is a serious thing; and years
  cannot always efface it。  But to return to the past:
  Jeannette; I think; was not more pleased than Gwen at the turn
  affairs had taken。  Indeed; so exuberant was Gwen in her quiet way
  that I marvelled much at the change in her; so much; indeed; that
  finally I determined to question Alice about it。
  〃I can understand;〃 I said to her; 〃why Gwen; on account of her
  sympathy and love for Jeannette; should be glad that M。 Latour is
  likely to be acquitted。  I can also appreciate the distaste she may
  have felt at the prospect of having to deal with M。 Godin under the
  terms of her father's will; but even both of these considerations
  seem to me insufficient to account for her present almost ecstatic
  condition。  There is an immediateness to her joy which could hardly
  result from mere release from a future disagreeable possibility。
  How do you account for it; sis?〃  Alice's answer was somewhat
  enigmatical and didn't give me the information I sought。  〃Ned;〃
  she replied;〃 I'll pay for the tickets to the first circus that
  comes here; just to see if you can find the trunks on the elephants。〃
  Do my best; I couldn't make her enlighten me any further; for; to
  every question; she replied with a most provoking laugh。
  Maitland called and spent most of the next day; which was Sunday;
  with us; and we all talked matters over。  He did not seem either
  to share or understand Gwen's exuberance of spirits; albeit one
  could easily observe that he had a measure of that satisfaction
  which always comes from success。  More than once I saw him glance
  questioningly at Gwen with a look which said plainly enough: 〃What
  is the meaning of this remarkable change?  Why should it so matter
  to her whether M。 Latour's or M。 Godin's death avenges her father's
  murder?〃  When he left us at night I could see he had not answered
  that question to his own satisfaction。
  CHAPTER III
  The Devil throws double sixes when he turns genius heliward。
  The next morning after the events last narrated I was utterly
  dumfounded by an article which met my gaze the instant I took up
  my paper。  It was several moments before I sufficiently recovered
  my faculties to read it aloud to Gwen; Alice; and Jeannette; all
  of whom had noticed my excitement; and were waiting with such
  patience as they could command。  I read the following article
  through from beginning to end without pause or comment:
  M。 Godin Anticipates the Law。 … The Real Murderer of John Darrow
  Writes His Confession and Then Suicides in His Cell。 … Contrived
  to Mix His Own Poison Under the Very Nose of His Jailer!  …=20
  The Dorchester Mystery Solved at Last。 … Full Description of the
  Life of One of the Cleverest Criminals of the Century。
  At 4。30 this morning M。 Godin was found dead in his cell; No。 26; at
  Charles Street Jail。  The manner of his death might still be a
  mystery had he not left a written confession of his crime and the
  summary manner of his taking off。  This was written yesterday
  afternoon and evening; M。 Godin being permitted to have a light on
  the ground that he had important legal documents to prepare for use
  on the morrow。  We give below the confession in full。
  〃I am beaten at a game in which I did my own shuffling。  I never
  believe in trying to bluff a full hand。  Had I had but ordinary
  detectives with whom to deal; I make bold to say I should have come
  off rich and triumphant。  'I had no means of knowing that I was to
  play with a chemist who would use against me the latest scientific
  implements of criminal warfare。  It is; therefore; to the
  extraordinary means used for my detection that I impute my defeat;
  rather than to any bungling of my own。  This is a grim consolation;
  but it is still a consolation; for I have always prided myself upon
  being an artist in my line。  As I propos