the lamp that went out-第6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！


my　pliers　and　he　bent　the　two　links　together　with　them。　　It　didn't
look　very　nice　after　that；　but　it　was　strong　again。　　You　could　see
the　mark　of　the　pliers　easily。〃

〃Why　didn't　he　take　the　chain　to　the　jeweler's　to　be　fixed？〃　　asked
the　commissioner。

The　woman　smiled。　　〃It　wouldn't　have　been　worth　the　money；　sir；　the
chain　wasn't　real　gold。〃

〃But　the　watch　was　real；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　sir；　that　was　real　gold。　　I　pawned　it　once　for　Mr。　Winkler
and　they　gave　me　24　gulden　for　it。〃

〃One　question　more；　did　he　have　a　purse？　　And　did　he　have　it　with
him　on　the　day　of　the　murder？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　he　had　a　purse；　and　he　must　have　taken　it　with　him
because　he　didn't　leave　it　in　his　room。〃

〃What　sort　of　a　purse　was　it？〃

〃A　brown　leather　purse；　sir。〃

〃Was　it　a　new　one？〃

〃Oh；　no；　sir；　it　was　well　worn。〃

〃How　big　was　it？　　About　like　mine？〃　　Riedau　took　out　his　own
pocketbook。

〃No；　sir；　it　was　a　little　smaller。　　It　had　three　pockets　in　it。
I　mended　it　for　him　once；　so　I　know　it　well。　　I　didn't　have　any
brown　thread　so　I　mended　it　with　yellow。〃

Dr。　von　Riedau　nodded　to　Muller。　　The　latter　had　been　sitting　at　a
little　side…table　writing　down　the　questions　and　answers。　　When
Riedau　saw　this　he　did　not　send　for　a　clerk　to　do　the　work；　for
Muller　preferred　to　attend　to　such　matters　himself　as　much　as
possible。　　The　facts　gained　in　the　examination　were　impressed　upon
his　mind　while　he　was　writing　them；　and　he　did　not　have　to　wade
through　pages　of　manuscript　to　get　at　what　he　needed。　　Now　he　handed
his　superior　officer　the　paper。

〃Thank　you；〃　　said　Riedau；　〃I'll　send　it　out　to　the　other　police
stations。　　I　will　attend　to　this　myself。　　You　go　on　with　these
people　to　see。　　whether　they　can　identify　the　corpse。〃

Fifteen　minutes　later　the　three　stood　before　the　body　in　the　morgue
and　both　the　bookkeeper　and　his　companion　identified　the　dead　man
positively　as　Leopold　Winkler。

When　the　identification　was　made；　a　notice　was　sent　out　to　all
Austrian　police　stations　and　to　all　pawnshops　with　an　exact
description　of　the　stolen　watch　and　purse。

Muller　led　his　companions　back　to　the　commissioner's　office　and　they
made　their　report　to　Dr。　von　Riedau。　　Upon　being　questioned　further；
Pokorny　stated：　〃I　had　very　little　to　do　with　Winkler。　　We　met　only
when　he　had　a　report　to　make　to　me　or　to　show　me　his　books；　and　we
never　met　outside　the　office。　　The　clerks　who　worked　in　the　same
room　with　him；　may　know　him　better。。　　I　know　only　that　he　was　a　very
reserved　man　and　very　little　liked。〃

〃Then　I　do　not　need　to　detain　you　any　longer；　nor　to　trouble　you
further　in　this　affair。　　I　thank　you　for　coming　to　us　so　promptly。
It　has　been　of　great　assistance。〃

The　bookkeeper　left　the　station；　but　Mrs。　Klingmayer；　who　was　now
quite　reassured　as　to　the　harmlessness　of　the　police；　was　asked　to
remain　and　to　tell　what　she　knew　of　the　private　life　of　the　murdered
man。　　Her　answers　to　the　various　questions　put　to　her　proved　that
she　knew　very　little　about　her　tenant。　　But　this　much　was　learned
from　her：　that　he　was　very　close　with　his　money　at　times；　but　that
again　at　other　times　he　seemed　to　have　all　he　wanted　to　spend。　　At
such　times　he　paid　all　his　debts；　and　when　he　stayed　home　for　supper；
he　would　send　her　out　for　all　sorts　of　expensive　delicacies。　　These
extravagant　days　seemed　to　have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　Winkler's
business　pay　day；　but　came　at　odd　times。

Mrs。　Klingmayer　remembered　two　separate　times　when　he　had　received
a　postal　money　order。　　But　she　did　not　know　from　whom　the　letters
came；　nor　even　whether　they　were　sent　from　the　city　or　from　some
other　town。　　Winkler　received　other　letters　now　and　then；　but　his
landlady　was　not　of　the　prying　kind；　and　she　had　paid　very　little
attention　to　them。

He　seemed　to　have　few　friends　or　even　acquaintances。　　She　did　not
know　of　any　love　affair；　at　least　of　nothing　〃regular。〃　　He　had
remained　away　over　night　two　or　three　times　during　the　year　that
he　had　been　her　tenant。　　This　was　about　all　that　Mrs。　Klingmayer
could　say；　and　she　returned　to　her　home　in　a　cab　furnished　her　by
the　kind　commissioner。

About　two　hours　later；　a　police　attendant　announced　that　a　gentleman
would　like　to　see　Dr。　von　Riedan　on　business　concerning　the　murder　in
Hietzing。　　〃Friedrich　Bormann〃　　was　the　name　on　the　card。

〃Ask　him　to　step　in　here；〃　　said　the　commissioner。　　〃And　please　ask
Mr。　Muller　to　join　us。〃

The　good…looking　young　clerk　entered　the　office　bashfully　and　Muller
slipped　in　behind　him；　seating　himself　inconspicuously　by　the　door。
At　a　sign　from　the　commissioner　the　visitor　began。　　〃I　am　an
employee　of　Braun　&　Co。　　I　have　the　desk　next　to　Leopold　Winkler；
during　the　year　that　he　has　been　with　us　…　the　year　and　a　quarter　to
be　exact　…〃

〃Ah；　then　you　know　him　rather　well？〃

〃Why；　yes。　　At　least　we　were　together　all　day；　although　I　never　met
him　outside　the　office。〃

〃Then　you　cannot　tell　us　much　about　his　private　life？〃

〃No；　sir；　but　there　was　something　happened　on　Monday；　and　in　talking
it　over　with　Mr。　Braun；　he　suggested　that　I　should　come　to　you　and
tell　you　about　it。　　It　wasn't　really　very　important；　and　it　doesn't
seem　as　if　it　could　have　anything　to　do　with　this　murder　and　robbery；
still　it　may　be　of　some　use。〃

〃Everything　that　would　throw　light　on　the　dead　man's　life　could　be
of　use；〃　　said　Dr。　von　Riedau。　　〃Please　tell　us　what　it　is　you　know。〃

Fritz　Bormann　began：　〃Winkler　came　to　the　office　as　usual　on　Monday
morning　and　worked　steadily　at　his　desk。　　But　I　happened　to　notice
that　he　spoiled　several　letters　and　had　to　rewrite　them；　which
showed　me　that　his　thoughts　were　not　on　his　work；　a　frequent
occurrence　with　him。　　However；　everything　went　along　as　usual　until
11　o'clock。　　Then　Winkler　became　very　uneasy。　　He　looked　constantly
toward　the　door；　compared　his　watch　with　the　office　clock；　and
sprang　up　impatiently　as　the　special　letter　carrier；　who　usually
comes　about　11　with　money　orders；　finally　appeared。〃

〃Then　he　was　expecting　money　you　think？〃

〃It　must　have　been　so。　　For　as　the　letter　carrier　passed　him；　he
called　out：　'Haven't　you　anything　for　me？'　and　as　the　man　shook　his
head　Winkler　seemed　greatly　disappointed　and　depressed。　　Before　he
left　to　go　to　lunch；　he　wrote　a　hasty　letter；　which　he　put　in　his
pocket。

〃He　came　in　half　an　hour　later　than　the　rest　of　us。　　He　had　often
been　reprimanded　for　his　lack　of　punctuality；　but　it　seemed　to　do
no　good。　　He　was　almost　always　late。　　Monday　was　no　exception；
although　he　was　later　than　usual　that　day。〃

〃And　what　sort　of　a　mood　was　he　in　when　he　came　back？〃

〃He　was　irritable　and　depressed。　　He　seemed　to　be　awaiting　a　message
which　did　not　come。　　His　excitement　hindered　him　from　working；　he
scarcely　did　anything　the　entire　afternoon。　　Finally　at　five　o'clock
a　messenger　boy　came　with　a　letter　for　him。　　I　saw　that　Winkler
turned　pale　as　he　took　the　note　in　his　hand。　　It　seemed　to　be　only
a　few　words　written　hastily　on　a　card；　thrust　into　an　envelope。
Winkler's　teeth　were　set　as　he　opened　the　letter。　　The　messenger　had
already　gone　away。〃

〃Did　you　notice　his　number？〃　　asked　Dr。　von　Riedau。

〃No；　I　scarcely　noticed　the　man　at　all。　　I　was　looking　at　Winkler；
whose　behaviour　was　so　peculiar。　　When　he　read　the　card　his　face
brightened。　　He　read　it　through　once　more；　then　he　tore　both　card
and　envelope　into　little　bits　and　threw　the　pieces　out　of　the　open
window。

〃Then　he　evidently　did　not　want　anybody　to　see　the　contents　of　this
note；〃　　said　a　voice　from　the　corner　of　the　room。

Fritz　Bormann　looked　around　astonished　and　rather　doubtful　at　the
little　man　who　had　risen　from　his　chair　and　now　came　forward。
Without　waiting　for　an　answer　from　the　clerk；　the　other　continued：
〃Did　Winkler　have　money　sent　him　frequently？〃

Bormann　looked　inquiringly　at　the　commissioner；　who　replied　with　a
smile：　〃You　may　answer。　　Answer　anything　that　Mr。　Muller　has　to　ask
of　you；　as　he　is　in　charge　of　this　case。〃

〃As　far　as　I　can　remember；　it　happened　three　times；〃　　was　Bormann's
answer。

〃How　close　together？〃

〃Why　…　about　once　in　every　three　or　four　months；　I　think。〃

〃That　looks　almost　like　a　regular　income；〃　　exclaimed　Riedau。　　His
eyes　met　Muller's；　which　were　lit　up　in　sudden　fire。　　〃Well；　what
are　you　thinking　of？〃　　asked　the　commissioner。

〃A　woman；〃　　answered　Muller；　and　continued　more　as　if　thinking
aloud　than　as　if　addressing　the　others：　〃Winkler　was　a　good…looking
man。　　Might　he　not　have　had　a　rich　love　somewhere？　　Might　not　the
money　have　come　from　her；　the　money　that　was　found　in　his　pocket？〃
Muller's　voice　trailed　off　into　indistinctness　at　the　last　words；
and　the　fire　died　out　of　his　eyes。　　Then　he　laughed　aloud。

The　commissioner　smiled　also；　a　good…natured　smile；　such　as　one
would　give　to　a　child　who　has　been　over…eager。　　〃It　doesn't　matter
to　us　where　the　money　came　from。　　All　that　matters　here　is　where
the　bullet　came　from　…　the　bullet　which　prevented　his　enjoying　this
money。　　And　it　is　of　more　interest　to　us　to　find　out　who　robbed　him
of　his　life　and　his　property；　rather　than　the　source　from　which　this
property　came。

The　commissioner's　tone　was　friendly；　but　Muller's　face　flushed　red；
and　his；　head　dropped。　　Riedau　turned　to　Bormann　and　continued：　〃And
because　it　is　of　no　interest　to　us　where　his　money　came　from　…　for
it　can　have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　his　murder　and　the　subsequent
robbery　…　therefore　what　you　noticed　of　his　behaviour　cannot　be　of
any　importance　or　bearing　in　the　case　in　any　way。　　Unless；　indeed；
you　should　find　out　anything　more。　　But　we　appreciate　the
thoughtfulness　of　yourself　and　your　employer　and　your　readiness　to
help　us。〃

Bormann　rose　to　leave；　but　the　commissioner　put　out　a　hand　to　stop
him。　　〃A　few　moments　more；　please；　you　may　know　of　something　else
that　will　be　of　assistance　to　us。　　We　have　heard　that　Winkler
boasted　of　his　belongings…did　he　talk　about　his　private　affairs　in
any　way？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　do　not　think　he　did。〃

〃You　say　that　he　destroyed　the　note　at　once；　evidently　realising
that　no　one　must　see　it　…　this　note　may　have　been　a　promise　for　the
money　which　had　not　yet　come。　　Did　he；　however；　tell　any　one　later
that　h