the lamp that went out-第21部分

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paper　as　he　turned　the　leaves。　　It　was　a　silence　so　complete　that
a　light　step　on　the　stair　outside　and　the　gentle　turning　of　the
doorknob　was　heard　distinctly　and　the　commissioner　looked　up
with　almost　a　start　to　see　who　was　coming　to　his　room　so　late。
Joseph　Muller　stood　in　the　open　door；　awaiting　his　chief's　official
recognition。

〃Oh　！　　it's　you；　Muller。　　So　late？　　Come　in。　　Anything　new？〃　　asked
the　commissioner。　　〃Have　you　succeeded　in　drawing　a　confession　from
that　stubborn　tramp　yet？　　You've　been　interviewing　him；　I　take　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　had　a　long　talk　with　Johann　Knoll　to…day。〃

〃Well；　that　ought　to　help　matters　along。　　Has　he　confessed？　　What
could　you　get　out　of　him？〃

〃Nothing；　or　almost　nothing　more　than　he　told　us　here　in　the　station；
sir。

〃The　man's　incredibly　stubborn；〃　　said　the　commissioner。　　〃If　he
could　only　be　made　to　understand　that　a　free　confession　would　benefit
him　more　than　any　one　else！　　Well；　don't　look　so　down…cast　about　it；
Muller。　　This　thing　is　going　to　take　longer　than　we　thought　at　first
for　such　a　simple　affair。　　But　it's　only　a　question　of　time　until　the
man　comes　to　his　senses。　　You'll　get　him　to　talk　soon。　　You　always
do。　　And　even　if　you　should　fail　here；　this　matter　is　not　so　very
important；　when　we　think　of　all　the　other　things　you　have　done。〃
Muller；　standing　front　of　the　desk；　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃But　I　haven't　failed　here；　sir。　　More's　the　pity；　I　had　almost
said。〃

〃What！〃　　The　commissioner　looked　up　in　surprise。　　〃I　thought　you
just　said　that　you　couldn't　get　anything　more　out　of　the　accused。〃

〃Knoll　has　told　us　all　he　knows；　sir。　　He　did　not　murder　Leopold
Winkler。〃

〃Hmph！〃　　The　commissioner's　exclamation　had　a　touch　of　acidity　in
it。　　〃Then；　if　he　didn't　murder　him；　who　did？〃

〃Herbert　Thorne；　painter；　living　in　the　Thorne　mansion　in　B。　Street；
Hietzing；　now　in　Venice；　Hotel　Danieli。　　I　ask　for　a　warrant　for
his　arrest；　sir；　and　orders　to　start　for　Venice　on　the　early　morning
express　to…morrow。〃

〃Muller！　。。。　what　the　deuce　does　all　this　mean？〃　　The　commissioner
sprang　up；　his　face　flushing　deeply　as　he　leaned　over　the　desk
staring　at　the　sad　quiet　face　of　the　little　man　opposite。　　〃What
are　you　talking　about？　　What　does　all　this　mean？〃

〃It　means；　sir；　that　we　now　know　who　committed　the　murder　in
Hietzing。　　Johann　Knoll　is　innocent　of　anything　more　than　the　theft
confessed　by　himself。　　He　took　the　purse　and　watch　from　the
senseless　form　of　the　just　murdered　man。　　The　body　was　warm　and
still　supple　and　the　tramp　supposed　the　victim　to　be　merely
intoxicated。　　His　story　was　in　every　respect　true；　sir。〃

The　commissioner　flushed　still　deeper。　　〃And　who　do　you　say　murdered
this　man？〃

〃Herbert　Thorne；　sir。

〃But　Thome！　　I　know　of　him　。。。　have　even　a　slight　personal
acquaintance　with　him。　　Thorne　is　a　rich　man；　of　excellent　family。
Why　should　he　murder　and　rob　an　obscure　clerk　like　this　Winkler？〃

〃He　did　not　rob　him　sir；　Knoll　did　that。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　But　why　should　Thorne　commit　murder　on　this　man　who
scarcely　touched　his　life　at　any　point　。。。　It's　incredible！
Muller！　　Muller！　are　you　sure　you　are　not　letting　your　imagination
run　away　with　you　again？　　It　is　a　serious　thing　to　make　such　an
accusation　against　any　man；　much　less　against　a　man　in　Thorne's
position。　　Are　you　sure　of　what　you　are　saying？〃　　The　commissioner's
excitement　rendered　him　almost　inarticulate。　　The　shock　of　the
surprise　occasioned　by　the　detective's　words　produced　a　feeling　of
irritation　。。。　a　phenomenon　not　unusual　in　the　minds　of　worthy　but
pedantic　men　of　affairs　when　confronted　by　a　startling　new　thought。

〃I　am　quite　sure　of　what　I　am　saying；　sir。　　I　have　just　heard　the
confession　of　one　who　might　be　called　an　accomplice　of　the　murderer。〃

〃It　is　incredible　。。。　incredible！　　An　accomplice　you　say？　。。。　who
is　this　accomplice？　　Might　it　not　be　some　one　who　has　a　grudge
against　Thorne　…　some　one　who　is　trying　to　purposely　mislead　you　？〃

〃I　am　not　so　easily　deceived　or　misled；　sir。　　Every　evidence　points
to　Thorne；　and　the　confession　I　have　just　heard　was　made　by　a　woman
who　loves　him；　who　has　loved　and　cared　for　him　from　his　babyhood。
There　is　not　the　slightest　doubt　of　it；　sir。〃

Muller　moved　a　step　nearer　the　desk；　gazing　firmly　in　the　eyes　of
the　excited　commissioner。　　The　sadness　on　the　detective's　face　had
given　way　to　a　gleam　of　pride　that　flushed　his　sallow　cheek　and
brightened　his　grey　eyes。　　It　was　one　of　those　rare　moments　when
Muller　allowed　himself　a　feeling　of　triumph　in　his　own　power；　in
spite　of　official　subordination　and　years　of　habit。　　His　slight
frame　seemed　to　grow　taller　and　broader　as　he　faced　the　Chief　with
an　air　of　quiet　determination　that　made　him　at　once　master　of　the
situation。　　His　voice　was　as　low　as　ever　but　it　took　on　a　keen
incisive　note　that　compelled　attention；　as　he　continued：　〃Herbert
Thorne　is　the　murderer　of　Leopold　Winkler。　　Now　that　he　knows　an
innocent　man　is　under　accusation　for　his　deed　it　is　only　a　question
of　time　before　he　will　come　himself　to　confess。　　He　will　doubtless
make　this　confession　to　me；　if　I　go　to　Venice　to　see　him；　and　to
bring　him　back　to　trial。〃

The　commissioner　could　doubt　no　longer。　　Pedantic　though　he　was；
Commissioner　von　Riedau　possessed　sufficient　insight　to　know　the
truth　when　it　was　presented　to　him　with　such　conviction；　and　also
sufficient　insight　to　have　recognised　the　gifts　of　the　man　before
him。　　〃But　why　。。。　why？〃　　he　murmured；　sinking　back　into　his　chair；
and　shaking　his
head　in　bewilderment。

〃Winkler　was　a　miserable　scoundrel；　sir；　a　blackmailer。　　Thorne　did
only　what　any　decent　man　would　have　felt　like　doing　in　his　place。
But　justice　must　be　done。〃

Muller's　elation　vanished　and　a　deep　sigh　welled　up　from　his　heart。
The　commissioner　nodded　slowly；　and　glanced　across　the　desk　almost
timidly。　　This　case　had　appeared　to　be　so　simple；　and　suddenly　the
hidden　deeps　of　a　dark　mystery　had　opened　before　him；　deeps　already
sounded　by　the　little　man　here　who　had　gone　so　quietly　about　his
work　while　the　official　police；　represented　in　this　case　by
Commissioner　von　Riedau　himself；　had　sat　calmly　waiting　for　an
innocent　man　to　confess　to　a　crime　he　had　not　committed！　　It　was
humiliating。　　The　commissioner　flushed　again　and　his　eyes　sank　to
the　floor。

〃Tell　me　what　you　know；　Muller；〃　　he　said　finally。

Muller　told　the　story　of　his　experiences　in　the　Thorne　mansion；
told　of　the　slight　clues　which　led　him　to　take　an　interest　in　the
house　and　its　inmates；　until　finally　the　truth　began　to　glimmer　up
out　of　the　depths。　　The　commissioner　listened　with　eager　interest。
〃Then　you　believed　this　elaborate　yarn　told　by　the　tramp？〃　　he
interrupted　once；　at　the　beginning　of　the　narrative。

〃Why；　yes；　sir；　just　because　it　was　so　elaborate。　　A　man　like　Knoll
would　not　have　had　the　mind　to　invent　such　a　story。　　It　must　have
been　true；　on　the　face　of　it。〃

The　commissioner's　eyes　sank　again；　and　he　did　not　speak　until　the
detective　had　reached　the　end　of　his　story。　　Then　he　opened　a　drawer
in　his　desk　and　took　out　a　bundle　of　official　blank…forms。

〃It　is　wonderful！　　Wonderful！　　Muller；　this　case　will　go　on　record
as　one　of　your　finest　achievements　…　and　we　thought　it　was　so　simple

〃Oh；　indeed；　sir；　chance　favoured　me　at　every　turn；〃　replied　Muller
modestly。

〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　chance；〃　　said　the　commissioner。　　〃We
might　as　well　be　honest　with　ourselves。　　Any　one　might　have　seen；
doubtless　did　see；　all　the　things　you　saw；　but　no　one　else　had　the
insight　to　recognise　their　value；　nor　the　skill　to　follow　them　up
to　such　a　conclusion。　　But　it's　a　sad　case；　a　sad　case。　　I　never
wrote　a　warrant　with　a　heavier　heart。　　Thorne　is　a　true…hearted
gentleman；　while　the　scoundrel　he　killed。。。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　feel　that　way　about　it　myself。　　I　can　confess　now　that
there　was　one　moment　when　I　was　ready　to…well；　just　to　say　nothing。

〃And　let　us　blunder　on　in　our　official　stupidity　and　blindness？〃　
interrupted　the　commissioner；　a　faint　smile　breaking　the　gravity　of
his　face。　　〃We　certainly　gave　you　every　opportunity。〃

〃But　there's　an　innocent　man　accused　…　suffering　fear　of　death
…　justice　must　be　done。　　But；　sir；〃　　Muller　took　the　warrant　the
commissioner　handed　across　the　table　to　him。　　〃May　I　not　make　it
as　easy　as　I　can　for　Mr。　Thorne　…　I　mean；　bring　him　here　with　as
little　publicity　as　possible？　　His　wife　is　with　him　in　Venice。〃

〃Poor　little　woman；　it's　terrible！　　Do　whatever　you　think　best；
Muller。　　You're　a　queer　mixture。　　Here　you've　hounded　this　man　down；
followed　hot　on　his　trail　when　not　a　soul　but　yourself　connected
him　in　any　way　with　the　murder。　　And　now　you're　sorry　for　him！　　A
soft　heart　like　yours　is　a　dangerous　possession　for　a　police
detective；　Muller。　　It's　no　aid　to　our　business。〃

〃No；　sir；　I　know　that。〃

〃Well　take　care　it　doesn't　run　away　with　you　this　time。　　Don't　let
Herbert　Thorne　escape；　however　much　pity　you　may　feel　for　him。〃

〃I　doubt　if　he'll　want　to　sir；　as　long　as　another　is　in　prison　for
his　crime。

〃But　he　may　make　his　confession　and　then　try　to　escape　the　disgrace。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I've　thought　of　that。　　That's　why　I　want　to　go　to　Venice
myself。　　And　then；　there's　the　poor　young　wife；　he　must　think　of　her
when　the　desire　comes　to　end　his　own　life。。。〃

〃Yes！　　Yes！　　This　terrible　thing　has　shaken　us　both　up　more　than　a
little。　　I　feel　exhausted。　　You　look　tired　yourself；　Muller。　　Go　home
now；　and　get　some　rest　for　your　early　start。　　Good…night。〃

〃Good…night；　sir。〃




CHAPTER　XII

ON　THE　LIDO


A　Wonderfully　beautiful　night　lay　over　the　fair　old　city　of　Venice
when　the　Northern　Express　thundered　over　the　long　bridge　to　the
railway　station。　　A　passenger　who　was　alone　in　a　second…class
compartment　stood　up　to　collect　his　few　belongings。　　Suddenly　he
looked　up　as　he　heard　a　voice；　a　voice　which　he　had　learned　to　know
only　very　recently；　calling　to　him　from　the　door　of　the　compartment。

〃Why！　　you　were　in　the　train　too？　　You　have　come　to　Venice？〃
exclaimed　Joseph　Muller　in　astonishment　as　he　saw　Mrs。　Bernauer
standing　there　before　him。

〃Yes；　I　have　come　to　Venice　too。　　I　must　be　with　my　dear　lady　…　when
…　when　Herbert　…　〃　　She　had　begun