the lamp that went out-第15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！


help　you。〃

Knoll　raised　his　head；　looking　up　at　Muller　with　a　glance　of
unspeakable　gratitude。　　With　trembling　lips　he　kissed　the　hand
which　a　moment　before　had　pressed　kindly　on　his　shoulder；　clinging
fast　to　it　as　if　he　could　not　bear　to　let　it　go。　　Muller　was　almost
embarrassed。　　〃Oh；　come　now；　Knoll；　don't　be　foolish。　　Pull　yourself
together　and　answer　my　questions　carefully；　for　I　am　asking　you
these　questions　more　for　your　own　sake　than　for　anything　else。〃

The　tramp　nodded　and　wiped　the　tears　from　his　face。　　He　looked
almost　happy　again；　and　there　was　a　softness　in　his　eyes　that
showed　there　was　something　in　the　man　which　might　be　saved　and
which　was　worth　saving。

Muller　sat　beside　him　on　the　cot　and　began：　〃There　was　one　mistake
in　your　story　yesterday。　　I　want　you　to　think　it　over　carefully。
You　said　that　you　saw　first　a　woman　and　then　a　man　going　through
the　neighbouring　garden。　　I　believe　that　one　or　both　of　these
people　is　the　criminal　for　whom　we　are　looking。　　Therefore；　I　want
you　to　try　and　remember　everything　that　you　can　connect　with　them；
every　slightest　detail。　　Anything　that　you　can　tell　us　may　be　of
the　greatest　importance。　　Therefore；　think　very　carefully。〃

Knoll　sat　still　a　few　moments；　evidently　trying　hard　to　put　his
hazy　recollections　into　useful　form　and　shape。　　But　it　was　also
evident　that　orderly　thinking　was　an　unusual　work　for　him；　and　he
found　it　almost　too　difficult。　　〃I　guess　you　'better　ask　me
questions；　maybe　that'll　go；〃　　he　said　after　a　pause。

Then　Muller　began　to　question。　　With　his　usual　thoroughness　he
began　at　the　very　beginning：　〃When　was　it　that　you　climbed　the
fence　to　get　into　the　shed？〃

〃It　just　struck　nine　o'clock　when　I　put　my　foot　on　the　lowest　bar。〃

〃Are　you　sure　of　that？〃

〃Quite　sure。　　I　counted　every　stroke。　　You　see；　I　wanted　to　know
how　long　the　night　was　going　to　be；　seein'　I'd　have　to　sleep　in
that　shed。　　I　was　in　the　garden　just　exactly　an　hour。　　I　came　out
of　the　shed　as　it　struck　ten　and　it　wasn't　but　a　few　minutes　before
I　was　in　the　street　again。〃

〃And　when　was　it　that　you　saw　the　woman　in　the　garden　next　door？〃

〃H'm；　I　don't　just　know　when　that　was。　　I'd　been　in　on　the　bench
quite　a　while。〃

〃And　the　man？　　When　did　you　see　the　man？〃

〃He　came　past　a　few　minutes　after　the　woman　had　gone　towards　the
little　house　in　the　garden。〃

〃Ah！　　there　you　see；　that's　where　you　made　your　mistake。　　It　is
more　than　likely　that　these　two　did　not　go　to　the　little　house；　but
that　they　went　somewhere　else。　　Did　they　walk　slowly　and　quietly？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　　They　ran　almost　。。。　Went　past　as　quick　as　a　bat
in　the　night。〃

〃Then　they　both　appeared　to　be　in　a　hurry？〃

〃Yes　indeed　they　did。〃

〃Ah；　ha；　you　see！　　Now　when　any　one's　in　a　hurry　he　doesn't　go　the
longest　way　round；　as　a　rule。　　And　it　would　have　been　the　longest
way　round　for　these　two　people　to　go　from　the　big　house　to　the
gardener's　cottage　…　for　the　little　house　you　saw　was　the　gardener's
cottage。　　There　is　tall　thick　hedge　that　starts　from　the　main
building　and　goes　right　down　through　the　garden；　quite　a　distance
past　the　gardener's　cottage。　　The　vegetable　garden　is　on　the　left
side　of　this　hedge　and　in　the　middle　of　the　vegetable　garden　is　the
gardener's　cottage。　　But　you　could　have　seen　the　man　and　the　woman
only　because　they　passed　down　the　right　side　of　the　hedge；　and　this
would　have　given　them　a　detour　of　fifty　paces　or　more　to　reach
the　gardener's　house。　　Nov　do　you　think　that　two　people　who　were
very　much　in　a　hurry　would　have　gone　down　the　right　side　of　the
hedge；　to　reach　a　place　which　they　could　have　gotten　to　much　quicker
on　the　left　side？〃

〃No；　that　would　have　been　a　fool　thing　to　do。〃

〃And　you　are　quite　sun　that　these　people　were　in　a　hurry？〃

〃That's　dead　sure。　　I　scarcely　saw　them　before　they'd　gone　again。〃

〃And　you　didn't　see　then　come　hack？〃

〃No；　at　least　I　didn't　pay　any　further　attention　to　them。　　When　I
thought　it　wouldn't　be　any　good　to　look　about　in　there　I　turned
around　and　dozed　off。〃

〃And　it　was　during　this　dozing　that　you　thought　you　heard　the　shot？〃

Yes；　sir；　that's　right。〃

〃And　you　didn't　notice　anything　else？　　You　didn't　hear　anything
else。〃

〃No；　nothin'　at　all；　there　was　so　much　noise　anyway。　　There　was　a
high　wind　that　night　and　the　trees　were　rattling　and　creaking。〃

〃And　you　didn't　see　anything　else；　anything　that　attracted　your
attention？〃

〃No；　nothing　…　〃　　Knoll　did　not　finish　his　sentence；　but　began
another　instead。　　He　had　suddenly　remembered　something　which　had
seemed　to　him　of　no　importance　before。　　〃There　was　a　light　that
went　out　suddenly。〃

〃Where？〃

〃In　the　side　of　the　house　that　I　could　see　from　my　place。　　There
was　a　lamp　in　the　last　window　of　the　second　story；　a　lamp　with　a
red　shade。　　That　lamp　went　out　all　at　once。〃

〃Was　the　window　open？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃There　was　a　strong　wind　that　night；　might　not　the　wind　have　blown
the　lamp　out？〃

〃No；　that　wasn't　it；〃　　said　Knoll；　rising　hastily。

〃Well；　how　was　it？〃　　asked　Muller　calmly。

〃A　hand　put　out　the　lamp。〃

〃Whose　hand？〃

〃I　couldn't　see　that。　　The　light　was　so　low　on　account　of　the　shade
that　I　couldn't　see　the　person　who　stood　there。〃

〃And　you　don't　know　whether　it　was　a　man　or　a　woman？〃

〃No；　I　just　saw　a　hand；　more　like　a　shadow　it　was。〃

〃Well；　it　doesn't　matter　much　anyway。　　It　was　after　nine　o'clock
and　many　people　go　to　bed　about　that　time；〃　　said　Muller；　who　did
not　see　much　value　in　this　incident。

But　Knoll　shook　his　head。　　〃The　person　who　put　out　that　light　didn't
go　to　bed；　at　least　not　right　away；〃　　he　said　eagerly。　　〃I　looked
over　after　a　while　to　the　place　where　the　red　light　was　and　I　saw
something　else。〃

〃Well；　what　was　it　you　saw？〃

〃The　window　had　been　closed。〃

〃Who　closed　it？　　Didn't　you　see　the　person　that　time？　　The　moonlight
lay　full　on　the　house。〃

〃Yes；　when　there　weren't　any　clouds。　　But　there　was　a　heavy　cloud
over　the　moon　just　then　and　when　it　came　out　again　the　window　was
shut　and　there　was　a　white　curtain　drawn　in　front　of　it。〃

〃How　could　you　see　that？〃

〃I　could　see　it　when　the　lamp　was　lit　again。〃

〃Then　the　lamp　was　lit　again？〃

〃Yes；　I　could　see　the　red　light　behind　the　curtain。〃

〃And　what　happened　then？〃

〃Nothing　more　then；　except　that　the　man　went　through　the　garden。〃

Muller　rose　now　and　took　up　his　hat。　　He　was　evidently　excited　and
Knoll　looked　at　him　uneasily。　　〃You're　goin'　already？〃　　he　asked。

〃Yes；　I　have　a　great　deal　to　do　to…day；〃　　replied　the　detective　and
nodded　to　the　prisoner　as　he　knocked　on　the　door。　　〃I　am　glad　you
remembered　that；〃　　he　added；　〃it　will　be　of　use　to　us；　I　think。〃

The　warder　opened　the　door；　let　Muller　out；　and　the　heavy　iron
portal　clanged　again　between　Knoll　and　freedom。

Muller　was　quite　satisfied　with　the　result　of　his　visit　to　the
accused。　　He　hurried　to　the　nearest　cab　stand　and　entered　one　of
the　carriages　waiting　there。　　He　gave　the　driver　Mrs。　Klingmayer's
address。　　It　was　about　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　now　and　Muller
had　had　nothing　to　eat　yet。　　But　he　was　quite　unaware　of　the　fact
as　his　mind　was　so　busy　that　no　mere　physical　sensation　could
divert　his　attention　for　a　moment。　　Muller　never　seemed　to　need
sleep　or　food　when　he　was　on　the　trail；　particularly　not　in　the
fascinating　first　stages　of　the　case　when　it　was　his　imagination
alone；　catching　at　trifles　unnoticed　by　others；　combining　them　in
masterly　fashion　to　an　ordered　whole；　that　first　led　the　seekers
to　the　truth。　　Now　he　went　over　once　more　all　the　little　apparently
trivial　incidents　that　had　caused　him　first　to　watch　the　Thorne
household　and　then　had　drawn　his　attention；　and　his　suspicion；
to　Adele　Bernauer。　　It　was　the　broken　willow　twig　that　had　first
drawn　his　attention　to　the　old　garden　next　the　Thorne　property。
This　twig；　this　garden；　and　perhaps　some　one　who　could　reach　his
home　again；　unseen　and　unendangered　through　this　garden　…　might
not　this　have　something　to　do　with　the　murder？

The　breaking　of　the　twig　was　already　explained。　　It　was　Johann
Knoll　who　had　stepped　on　it。　　But　he　had　not　climbed　the　wall　at
all；　had　only　crept　along　it　looking　for　a　night's　shelter。　　And
there　was　no　connection　between　Knoll　and　the　people　who　lived
in　the　Thorne　house。　　Muller　had　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　the
tramp　had　told　the　entire　truth　that　day　and　the　day　preceding。

Then　the　detective's　mind　went　back　to　the　happenings　of　Tuesday
morning。　　The　little　twig　had　first　drawn　his　attention　to　the
Thorne　estate　and　the　people　who　lived　there。　　He　had　seen　the
departure　of　the　young　couple　and　had　passed　the　house　again　that
afternoon　and　the　following　day；　drawn　to　it　as　if　by　a　magnet。
He　had　not　been　able　then　to　explain　what　it　was　that　attracted
him；　there　had　been　nothing　definite　in　his　mind　as　he　strolled
past　the　old　mansion。　　But　his　repeated　appearance　had　been　noticed
by　some　one　…　by　one　person　only　…　the　housekeeper。　　Why　should　she
have　noticed　it？　　Had　she　any　reason　for　believing　that　she　might
be　watched？　　People　with　an　uneasy　conscience　are　very　apt　to
connect　even　perfectly　natural　trivial　circumstances　with　their　own
doings。　　Adele　Bernauer　had　evidently　connected　Muller's　repeated
passing　with　something　that　concerned　herself　even　before　the
detective　had　thought　of　her　at　all。

Muller　had　not　noticed　her　until　he　had　seen　her　peculiar　conduct
that　very　morning。　　When　he　heard　Franz's　words　and　saw　how
disturbed　the　woman　was；　he　asked　himself：　〃Why　did　this　woman
want　to　be　shown　the　spot　of　the　murder？　　Didn't　she　know　that
place；　living　so　near　it；　as　well　as　any　of　the　many　who　stood
there　staring　in　morbid　curiosity？　　Did　she　ask　to　have　it　shown
her　that　the　others　might　believe　she　had　nothing　whatever　to　do
with　the　occurrences　that　had　happened　there？　　Or　was　she　drawn
thither　by　that　queer　attraction　that　brings　the　criminal　back　to
the　scene　of　his　crime？〃

The　sudden　vision　of　Mrs。　Bernauer's　head　at　the　garden　gate；　and
its　equally　sudden　disappearance　had　attracted　Muller's　attention
and　his　thoughts　to　the　woman。　　What　he　had　been　able　to　learn
about　her　had　increased　his　suspicions　and　her　involuntary
exclama