the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第8部分
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Lambert。 〃Yes； I'm glad you're here。〃
The captain was on the point of asking why； when Dr。 Lambert
motioned to him to step into a little reception room off the main hall。
Somewhat wonderingly； Captain Poland obeyed； and when the door had
closed； shutting him in with the two doctors； he turned to the older
physician and asked：
〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Well； we have completed the autopsy；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。
〃That's good。 Then you are ready to sign a certificate； or at least get
Dr。 Rowland to； so that we can proceed with the arrangements。 Miss
Mary Carwell is anxious to have … 〃
〃Well； I suppose the funeral will have to be held；〃 said Dr。 Lambert
slowly。 〃That can't be held up very long； even if it was worse than it is；〃
〃Worse than it is！ What do you mean？〃 cried Captain Poland sharply。
〃Is there any suspicion … 〃
〃There is more than suspicion； my dear sir；〃 went on Dr。 Lambert； as
he sank into a chair as though very； very tired。 〃There is； I regret to say；
certainty。〃
〃Certainty of what？〃
〃Certainty that my old friend； Horace Carwell； committed suicide！〃
〃Suicide！〃
〃By poisoning；〃 added Dr。 Baird； who had been anxious to get in a
word。 〃We found very plain evidences of it when we examined the
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stomach and viscera。〃
〃Poison！〃 cried Captain Poland。 〃A suicide？ I don't believe it！
Why should Horace Carwell kill himself？ He hadn't a reason in the
world for it！ There must be some mistake！ Why did he do it？ Why？
Why？〃
And then suddenly he became strangely thoughtful。
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CHAPTER IV
VIOLA'S DECISION
〃That is the very question we have been asking ourselves； my dear
Captain；〃 said Dr。 Lambert wearily。 〃And we are no nearer an answer
now than； apparently； you are。 Why did he do it？〃
The three men； two gravely professional； one； the younger； more so
than his elder colleague； and the third plainly upset over the surprising
news； looked at one another behind the closed door of the little room off
the imposing reception hall at The Haven。 They were in the house of
death； and they had to do with more than death； for there was； in the
reputed action of Horace Carwell； the hint of disgrace which suicide
always engenders。
〃I suppose；〃 began Captain Poland； rather weakly； 〃that there can be
no chance of error He looked from one medical man to the other。
〃Not the least in the world ！〃 quickly exclaimed Baird。 〃We made a
most careful examinaof the deceased's organs。 They plainly show traces
of a violent poison； though whether it was irritant or one of the neurotics；
we are not yet prepared to say。〃
〃It couldn't have been an irritant；〃 said Dr。 Lambert gently。 It was as
though he had corrected a too zealous student reciting in class。 Dr。 Baird
was painfully young； though much in earnest。
〃Perhaps not an irritant；〃 he agreed。 〃Though I know of no neurotic
that would produce such effects as we saw。
〃You are right there；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。 〃Whatever poison was used
it was one the effects of which I have never seen before。 But we have
not yet finished our analysis。 We have only reached a certain conclusion
that may ultimately be changed。〃
〃You mean as to whether or not it was suicide？〃 asked Captain Poland
eagerly。
〃No；I don't see how we can get away from that；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。
〃That fact remains。 But if we establish the kind of poison used it may
lead us to the motive。 That is what we must find。〃
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〃And we will find the kind of poison！〃 declared Dr。 Baird。
The older medical man shook his head。
〃There are some animal and vegetable poisons for which there is no
known test；〃 he said gently。 〃It may turn out to be one of these。〃
〃Then may it not develop that Mr。 Carwell； assuming that he did take
poison； did it by mistake ？〃 asked the captain。
〃I hope so；〃 murmured Dr。 Lambert。
〃But from the action of the poison； as shown by the condition of the
mucous coat of the alimentary canal； I hardly see how Mr。 Carwell could
not have known that he took poison；〃 declared Dr。 Baird。
〃Yet he seemed all right except for a little pardonable exhilaration
during the game of golf；〃 remarked Captain Poland。 〃He was feeling
'pretty good' as we say。 I don't see how he could have taken poison
knowingly or unknowingly。〃
〃There are some poisons which； taken in combination； might mix and
form a comparatively harmless mixture；〃 said Dr。 Lambert。 〃Though I
confess this is a very remote possibility。 Some poisons are neutralized by
an alcoholic condition。 And some persons； who may have been habitual
users of a drug； may take a dose of it that would kill several persons not
so addicted。〃
〃Do you mean that Mr。 Carwell was a drug user？〃 demanded the
captain。
〃I would hesitate very long before saying so；〃 answered Dr。 Lambert；
〃and I have known him many years。〃
〃Then what was it？ What in the world does it all mean？〃 asked
Captain Poland。 〃What's the answers in other words？〃
〃I wish I knew；〃 replied Dr。 Lambert； and he shook his head。
Something more than the weight of years seemed bowing him down。 Dr。
Baird seemed duly impressed by the circumstances that had brought him …
a young and as yet unestablished physician … to a connection with such a
startling case in the well known and wealthy Carwell family。
As for Captain Gerry Poland； he was clearly startled by the news the
physicians had brought。 He looked toward the closed door as though
seeking to see beyond it … into the room where Viola was waiting。 To her；
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sooner or later； the tragic verdict must be told。
〃Can't you say anything？〃 he asked； a bit sharply； looking from one
physician to the other 〃Is this all you came to tell … that Mr。 Carwell was a
suicide？ Isn't there any mitigating circumstance？〃
〃I believe he poisoned himself before he began his championship
game；〃 said Dr。 Baird； with startling frankness … almost brutal it seemed。
〃But why should he do such a thing？〃 demanded the captain； rather
petulantly。
〃He may have taken some dope； thinking would brace him up；〃 went
on the young medical man； 〃and it had the opposite effect … a depressing
action on the heart。 Or； he may have taken a overdose of his favorite
drug。 That is what shall have to find out by making suitable inquiries of
members of the family。〃
〃Oh； must we tell…them 〃 exclaimed Captain Poland in startled tones。
And it was easy to determine by his voice that by 〃them〃 he meant Viola。
〃Must we tell？〃 he repeated。
〃I must do my duty as a physician both to the public and to the
family；〃 said Dr。 Lambert； and he straightened up as though ready to
assume the burden he knew would faIl heavily on his shoulders。 〃I must
also think of Viola。 I feel like another father to her now。 I have always；
more or less； regarded her as my little girl； though she is a young lady now。
But the facts must come out。 Even if I were disposed to aid in a
concealment … which I am far from doing…Dr。 Rowland； the county
physician； was present at the autopsy。 He knows。〃
〃Does he know the poison used？〃 asked Captain Poland quickly； and
then； almost as soon as the words had left his lips； he seemed sorry he had
uttered them。
〃No； no more than we；〃 said Dr。 Baird。 〃It will require some nice
work in medical jurisprudence； and also a very delicate analysis； to
determine that。 I am inclined to think … 〃
But what he thought no one heard or cared to hear at that moment； for；
even as he spoke； the door of the little room was thrown hastily and
somewhat violently open； and Viola Carwell confronted the three men。
Her face showed traces of grief； but it had lost little of the beauty for
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which she was noted。
Tall and dark； with hair of that blue … black sheen so rarely observed；
with violet eyes and a poise and grace that made her much observed； Viola
Carwell
