the agony column-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



DEAR　LADY　JUDGE：　This　is　by　far　the　hardest　to　write　of　all　the　letters　you　have　had　from　me。　　For　twenty…four　hours　I　have　been　planning　it。　　Last　night　I　walked　on　the　Embankment　while　the　hansoms　jogged　by　and　the　lights　of　the　tramcars　danced　on　Westminster　Bridge　just　as　the　fireflies　used　to　in　the　garden　back　of　our　house　in　Kansas。　　While　I　walked　I　planned。　　To…day；　shut　up　in　my　rooms；　I　was　also　planning。　　And　yet　now；　when　I　sit　down　to　write；　I　am　still　confused；　still　at　a　loss　where　to　begin　and　what　to　say；　once　I　have　begun。

At　the　close　of　my　last　letter　I　confessed　to　you　that　it　was　I　who　murdered　Captain　Fraser…Freer。　　That　is　the　truth。　　Soften　the　blow　as　I　may；　it　all　comes　down　to　that。　　The　bitter　truth！

Not　a　week　ago　…　last　Thursday　night　at　seven　…　I　climbed　our　dark　stairs　and　plunged　a　knife　into　the　heart　of　that　defenseless　gentleman。　　If　only　I　could　point　out　to　you　that　he　had　offended　me　in　some　way；　if　I　could　prove　to　you　that　his　death　was　necessary　to　me；　as　it　really　was　to　Inspector　Bray　…　then　there　might　be　some　hope　of　your　ultimate　pardon。　　But；　alas！　　he　had　been　most　kind　to　me　…　kinder　than　I　have　allowed　you　to　guess　from　my　letters。　　There　was　no　actual　need　to　do　away　with　him。　Where　shall　I　look　for　a　defense？

At　the　moment　the　only　defense　I　can　think　of　is　simply　this　…　the　captain　knows　I　killed　him！

Even　as　I　write　this；　I　hear　his　footsteps　above　me；　as　I　heard　them　when　I　sat　here　composing　my　first　letter　to　you。　　He　is　dressing　for　dinner。　　We　are　to　dine　together　at　Romano's。

And　there；　my　lady；　you　have　finally　the　answer　to　the　mystery　that　has　…　I　hope　…　puzzled　you。　　I　killed　my　friend　the　captain　in　my　second　letter　to　you；　and　all　the　odd　developments　that　followed　lived　only　in　my　imagination　as　I　sat　here　beside　the　green…shaded　lamp　in　my　study；　plotting　how　I　should　write　seven　letters　to　you　that　would；　as　the　novel　advertisements　say；　grip　your　attention　to　the　very　end。　　Oh；　I　am　guilty　…　there　is　no　denying　that。　　And；　though　I　do　not　wish　to　ape　old　Adam　and　imply　that　I　was　tempted　by　a　lovely　woman；　a　strict　regard　for　the　truth　forces　me　to　add　that　there　is　also　guilt　upon　your　head。　　How　so？　　Go　back　to　that　message　you　inserted　in　the　Daily　Mail：　〃The　grapefruit　lady's　great　fondness　for　mystery　and　romance　…　〃

You　did　not　know　it；　of　course；　but　in　those　words　you　passed　me　a　challenge　I　could　not　resist；　for　making　plots　is　the　business　of　life　…　more；　the　breath　of　life　…　to　me。　　I　have　made　many；　and　perhaps　you　have　followed　some　of　them；　on　Broadway。　　Perhaps　you　have　seen　a　play　of　mine　announced　for　early　production　in　London。　There　was　mention　of　it　in　the　program　at　the　Palace。　　That　was　the　business　which　kept　me　in　England。　　The　project　has　been　abandoned　now　and　I　am　free　to　go　back　home。

Thus　you　see　that　when　you　granted　me　the　privilege　of　those　seven　letters　you　played　into　my　hands。　　So；　said　I；　she　longs　for　mystery　and　romance。　　Then；　by　the　Lord　Harry；　she　shall　have　them！

And　it　was　the　tramp　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer's　boots　above　my　head　that　showed　me　the　way。　　A　fine；　stalwart；　cordial　fellow　…　the　captain　…　who　has　been　very　kind　to　me　since　I　presented　my　letter　of　introduction　from　his　cousin；　Archibald　Enwright。　　Poor　Archie！　A　meek；　correct　little　soul；　who　would　be　horrified　beyond　expression　if　he　knew　that　of　him　I　had　made　a　spy　and　a　frequenter　of　Limehouse！

The　dim　beginnings　of　the　plot　were　in　my　mind　when　I　wrote　that　first　letter；　suggesting　that　all　was　not　regular　in　the　matter　of　Archie's　note　of　introduction。　　Before　I　wrote　my　second；　I　knew　that　nothing　but　the　death　of　Fraser…Freer　would　do　me。　　I　recalled　that　Indian　knife　I　had　seen　upon　his　desk；　and　from　that　moment　he　was　doomed。　　At　that　time　I　had　no　idea　how　I　should　solve　the　mystery。　　But　I　had　read　and　wondered　at　those　four　strange　messages　in　the　Mail；　and　I　resolved　that　they　must　figure　in　the　scheme　of　things。

The　fourth　letter　presented　difficulties　until　I　returned　from　dinner　that　night　and　saw　a　taxi　waiting　before　our　quiet　house。　Hence　the　visit　of　the　woman　with　the　lilac　perfume。　　I　am　afraid　the　Wilhelmstrasse　would　have　little　use　for　a　lady　spy　who　advertised　herself　in　so　foolish　a　manner。　　Time　for　writing　the　fifth　letter　arrived。　　I　felt　that　I　should　now　be　placed　under　arrest。　　I　had　a　faint　little　hope　that　you　would　be　sorry　about　that。　　Oh；　I'm　a　brute；　I　know！

Early　in　the　game　I　had　told　the　captain　of　the　cruel　way　in　which　I　had　disposed　of　him。　　He　was　much　amused；　but　he　insisted；　absolutely；　that　he　must　be　vindicated　before　the　close　of　the　series；　and　I　was　with　him　there。　　He　had　been　so　bully　about　it　all。　　A　chance　remark　of　his　gave　me　my　solution。　　He　said　he　had　it　on　good　authority　that　the　chief　of　the　Czar's　bureau　for　capturing　spies　in　Russia　was　himself　a　spy。　　And　so　…　why　not　a　spy　in　Scotland　Yard？

I　assure　you；　I　am　most　contrite　as　I　set　all　this　down　here。　　You　must　remember　that　when　I　began　my　story　there　was　no　idea　of　war。　Now　all　Europe　is　aflame；　and　in　the　face　of　the　great　conflict；　the　awful　suffering　to　come；　I　and　my　little　plot　begin　to　look　…　well；　I　fancy　you　know　just　how　we　look。

Forgive　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　can　never　find　the　words　to　tell　you　how　important　it　seemed　to　interest　you　in　my　letters　…　to　make　you　feel　that　I　am　an　entertaining　person　worthy　of　your　notice。　　That　morning　when　you　entered　the　Canton　breakfast　room　was　really　the　biggest　in　my　life。　　I　felt　as　though　you　had　brought　with　you　through　that　doorway　…　　But　I　have　no　right　to　say　it。　　I　have　the　right　to　say　nothing　save　that　now　…　it　is　all　left　to　you。　　If　I　have　offended；　then　I　shall　never　hear　from　you　again。

The　captain　will　be　here　in　a　moment。　　It　is　near　the　hour　set　and　he　is　never　late。　　He　is　not　to　return　to　India；　but　expects　to　be　drafted　for　the　Expeditionary　Force　that　will　be　sent　to　the　Continent。　　I　hope　the　German　Army　will　be　kinder　to　him　than　I　was！

My　name　is　Geoffrey　West。　　I　live　at　nineteen　Adelphi　Terrace　…　in　rooms　that　look　down　on　the　most　wonderful　garden　in　London。　　That；　at　least；　is　real。　　It　is　very　quiet　there　to…night；　with　the　city　and　its　continuous　hum　of　war　and　terror　seemingly　a　million　miles　away。

Shall　we　meet　at　last？　　The　answer　rests　entirely　with　you。　　But；　believe　me；　I　shall　be　anxiously　waiting　to　know；　and　if　you　decide　to　give　me　a　chance　to　explain　…　to　denounce　myself　to　you　in　person　…　then　a　happy　man　will　say　good…by　to　this　garden　and　these　dim　dusty　rooms　and　follow　you　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　…　　aye；　to　Texas　itself！

Captain　Fraser…Freer　is　coming　down　the　stairs。　　Is　this　good…by　forever；　my　lady？　　With　all　my　soul；　I　hope　not。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　YOUR　CONTRITE　STRAWBERRY　MAN。


CHAPTER　IX

Words　are　futile　things　with　which　to　attempt　a　description　of　the　feelings　of　the　girl　at　the　Canton　as　she　read　this；　the　last　letter　of　seven　written　to　her　through　the　medium　of　her　maid；　Sadie　Haight。　Turning　the　pages　of　the　dictionary　casually；　one　might　enlist　a　few　…　for　example；　amazement；　anger；　unbelief；　wonder。　　Perhaps；　to　go　back　to　the　letter　a；　even　amusement。　　We　may　leave　her　with　the　solution　to　the　puzzle　in　her　hand；　the　Saronia　a　little　more　than　a　day　away；　and　a　weirdly　mixed　company　of　emotions　struggling　in　her　soul。

And　leaving　her　thus；　let　us　go　back　to　Adelphi　Terrace　and　a　young　man　exceedingly　worried。

Once　he　knew　that　his　letter　was　delivered；　Mr。　Geoffrey　West　took　his　place　most　humbly　on　the　anxious　seat。　　There　he　writhed　through　the　long　hours　of　Wednesday　morning。　　Not　to　prolong　this　painful　picture；　let　us　hasten　to　add　that　at　three　o'clock　that　same　afternoon　came　a　telegram　that　was　to　end　suspense。　　He　tore　it　open　and　read：

STRAWBERRY　MAN：　I　shall　never；　never　forgive；　you。　　But　we　are　sailing　tomorrow　on　the　Saronia。　　Were　you　thinking　of　going　home　soon？　MARIAN　A。　　LARNED。

Thus　it　happened　that；　a　few　minutes　later；　to　the　crowd　of　troubled　Americans　in　a　certain　steamship　booking　office　there　was　added　a　wild…eyed　young　man　who　further　upset　all　who　saw　him。　　To　weary　clerks　he　proclaimed　in　fiery　tones　that　he　must　sail　on　the　Saronia。　There　seemed　to　be　no　way　of　appeasing　him。　　The　offer　　of　a　private　liner　would　not　have　interested　him。

He　raved　and　tore　his　hair。　　He　ranted。　　All　to　no　avail。　　There　was；　in　plain　American；　〃nothing　doing！〃

Damp　but　determined；　he　sought　among　the　crowd　for　one　who　had　bookings　on　the　Saronia。　　He　could　find；　at　first；　no　one　so　lucky；　but　finally　he　ran　across　Tommy　Gray。　　Gray；　an　old　friend；　admitted　when　pressed　that　he　had　a　passage　on　that　most　desirable　boat。　　But　the　offer　of　all　the　king's　horses　and　all　the　king's　gold　left　him　unmoved。　　Much；　he　said；　as　he　would　have　liked　to　oblige；　he　and　his　wife　were　determined。　　They　would　sail。

It　was　then　that　Geoffrey　West　made　a　compact　with　his　friend。　　He　secured　from　him　the　necessary　steamer　labels　and　it　was　arranged　that　his　baggage　was　to　go　aboard　the　Saronia　as　the　property　of　Gray。

〃But；〃　protested　Gray；　〃even　suppose　you　do　put　this　through；　suppose　you　do　manage　to　sail　without　a　ticket　…　where　will　you　sleep？　　In　chains　somewhere　below；　I　fancy。〃

〃No　matter！〃　bubbled　West。　　〃I'll　sleep　in　the　dining　saloon；　in　a　lifeboat；　on　the　lee　scuppers　…　whatever　they　are。　　I'll　sleep　in　the　air；　without　any　visible　support！　　I'll　sleep　anywhere　…　nowhere　　…　but　I'll　sail！　　And　as　for　irons　…　they　don't　make　'em　strong　enough　to　hold　me。〃

At　five　o'clock　on　Thursday　afternoon　the　Saronia　slipped　smoothly　away　from　a　Liverpool　dock。　　Twenty…five　hundred　Americans　…　about　twice　the　number　the　boat　could　comfortably　carry　…　stood　on　her　decks　and　cheered。　　Some　of　those　in　that　crowd　who　had　millions　of　money　were　booked　for　the　steerage。　　All　of　them　were　destined　to　experience　during　that　crossing　hunger；　annoyance；　discomfort。　　They　were　to　be　stepped　on；　sat　on；　crowded　and　jostled。　　They　suspected　as　much　when　the　boat　left　the　dock。　　Yet　they　cheered！

Gayest　among　them　was　Geoffrey　West；　triumphant　amid　the　confusion。　He　was　safely　aboard；　the　boat　was　on　its　way！　　Little　did　it　trouble　him　that　he　went　as　a　st