the darrow enigma-第39部分

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his　daughter　would　come　to　want　after　his　death；　and　you　have　before
you　the　conditions　which　determined　my　course。　　My　first　thought
was　to　influence　him　to　do　the　deed　himself；　but；　recalling　the
researches　of　M。　Charcot　in　these　matters；　I　came　to　the　conclusion
that　such　a　course　would　be　almost　certain　to　lead　to　detection；
since　a　hypnotic　subject　can　only　be　depended　upon　so　long　as　the
conditions　under　which　he　acts　are　precisely　those　which　have　been
suggested　to　him。　　Any　unforeseen　variations　in　these　conditions
and　he　fails　to　act；　exposes　everything；　and　the　whole　carefully
planned　structure　falls　to　the　ground。　　When；　therefore；　the　time
came　which　I　had　set　for　the　deed；　I　found　it　possible　to　drug　M。
Latour；　abduct　him　from　his　home；　and　to　keep　him　confined　and
unconscious　until　I　had　killed　Mr。　Darrow　in　a　manner　I　will　describe
in　due　course。　　As　soon　as　I　had　committed　the　murder　and　established
what　I　fondly　believed　would　be　a　perfect　alibi　in　my　attendance　at
the　examination；　I　secretly　conveyed　the　still　unconscious　M。　Latour
to　his　rooms　and　awaited　his　return　to　consciousness。　　I　then　asked
him　how　he　came　in　such　a　state　and　what　he　was　doing　in　Dorchester。
He　was；　of　course；　ignorant　of　everything。　　Little　by　little　I
worked　upon　him　till　he　came　to　believe　himself　guilty　of　John
Darrow's　murder。

〃I　had　availed　myself　of　his　interest　in　the　subject　of　cancer　to
get　him　to　the　library。　　It　is　one　of　my　maxims　never　to　take　an
avoidable　risk；　for　which　reason　I　made　Latour　apply　for　the　books
I　wanted；　as　well　as　for　the　medical　works　he　desired　to　peruse。
As　he　was　ambidextrous；　I　suggested　the　use　of　the　two　names　Weltz
and　Rizzi；　the　former　to　be　written　with　his　right　and　the　latter
with　his　left　hand。　　I　was　actuated　in　all　this　by　two　motives。
First；　I　was　manufacturing　evidence　which　might　stand　me　in　good
stead　later；　as　well　as　minimising　somewhat　my　own　risk　in　getting
the　information　I　needed；　and；　secondly；　I　was　getting　Latour　into
a　good　atmosphere　for　my　hypnotic　influence。　　Not　a　word　of　all
these　matters　did　he　relate　to　his　daughter；　whom　he　loves　with　a
devotion　I　have　never　seen　equalled。　　Indeed；　it　was　this　very
affection　that　made　my　plan　feasible。　　When　I　had　convinced　him　he
was　a　murderer　I　showed　him　Mr。　Darrow's　curious　advertisement
offering　a　reward；　should　he　be　assassinated；　to　anyone　bringing
about　the　conviction　of　his　assailant。

〃'In　a　year；'　I　said　to　him；　'you　will　die　of　cancer；　if　your　crime
be　not　previously　discovered　and　punished。　　Your　daughter　will　then
be　penniless。　　How　much　better　for　you　to　permit　me　in　a　few　months
to　accuse　you　of　the　murder。　　You　then　confess；　I　claim　and　secure
the　reward　and　secretly　divide　with　you；　you　are　sentenced；　but　as
considerable　time　will　transpire　between　this　and　the　date　set　for
your　execution；　you　in　the　meantime　will　die　of　cancer；　leaving
Jeannette　well　provided　for。'

〃I　think　my　influence　over　him　would　have　been　sufficient　to　have
compelled　him　to　all　this；　could　he　have　reasoned　out　no　benefit
accruing　to　himself　or　daughter　by　such　a　course；　but　with
circumstances　thus　in　my　favour　my　task　was　an　easy　one。　　The
public　knows　all　it　need　know　of　what　occurred　after　this。　　This
man；　Maitland；　was　in　the　next　room　to　Latour's；　overheard　our
conversation；　and　even　phonographed　our　words　and　photographed　our
positions。　　It　has　always　been　a　matter　of　pride　with　me　to
gracefully　acknowledge　that　three　aces　are　not　so　good　as　a　full
house；　therefore　I　confess　myself　beaten；　though　not　subdued。

〃I　consider　this　the　very　best　tribute　I　can　pay　to　the　genius　of
the　man　who　has　undone　me。　　I　take　my　punishment；　however；　into　my
own　hands。

〃In　my　haste　to　have　done　with　all　this　and　to　start　on　my　long　and
chartless　journey；　I　had　well…nigh　forgotten　to　tell　just　how　I
killed　Mr。　Darrow。　　No　hypodermic　syringe　had　anything　to　do　with
it。　　The　while　plan　came　to　me　while　reading　that　fatal　page　upon
which　I　left　my　telltale　thumb…signature　in　my　search　for　some
feasible　plan　of　making　away　with　my　victim。　　I　need　not　go　into
particulars；　for　I　know　perfectly　well　that　this　Maitland　knows　to
a　nicety　how　the　thing　was　done。　　The　Daboia　Russellii；　or　Russell's
viper；　is　one　of　the　best　known　and　most　deadly　of　Indian　vipers。
I　procured　one　of　these　reptiles　at　the　cost　of　great　delay　and　some
slight　risk。　　That　is　the　whole　story。　　On　the　night　of　the　murder
I　took　the　viper　in　a　box　and　went　down　to　the　water…front；　near　the
Darrow　estate。　　Here　I　cut　a　small　pole　from　a　clump　of　alders；　made
a　split　in　one　end　of　it；　and　thrust　it　over　the　tail　of　the　viper。
It　pinched　him　severely　and　held　him　fast　despite　his　angry　struggles
to　free　himself　and　to　attack　anything　within　his　reach。　　All　that
remained　to　be　done　was　to　thrust　this　through　the　window　into　the
darkened　room　and　to　bring　the　viper　within　reach　of　Mr。　Darrow。
This　I　did；　being　careful　to　crouch　so　as　not　to　obstruct　the　light
of　the　window。　　When　I　heard　my　victim's　outcry　I　withdrew　the　pole；
and　with　it；　of　course；　the　viper；　and　made　good　my　escape。　　That
the　reptile　bit　Mr。　Darrow　under　the　chin　while　his　back　was　toward
the　window　was　mere　chance；　though　I　regarded　it　as　a　very　lucky
occurrence；　since　it　seemed　to　render　the　suicide　theory　at　first
inevitable。

〃I　had　had　some　fear　lest　the　hissing　of　the　viper　might　have　been
heard；　for　which　reason　I　hazarded　the　only　question　I　asked　at　the
examination；　and　was　completely　reassured　by　its　answer。　　I　should
perhaps　state　that　my　purpose　in　keeping　in　the　background　at　this
examination　was　my　desire　to　avoid　attracting　attention　to　my
deformed　foot　and　my　halting　gait。　　This　latter　I　had　taken　pains　to
conceal　at　my　entrance；　but　I　knew　that　the　first　step　I　took　in
forgetfulness　would　expose　my　halting　habit。　　I　had　no　fear　of　either
Osborne　or　Allen；　but　there　was　something　about　this　Maitland　that
bade　me　at　once　be　on　my　guard；　and；　as　I　have　said　before；　I　never
take　an　avoidable　risk。　　For　this　reason　I　sat　at　once　in　the　darkest
corner　I　could　find　and　remained　there　throughout　the　examination。　　I
thought　it　extremely　unlikely；　though　possible；　that　an　attempt　might
be　made　to　track　the　assassin　with　dogs；　yet；　since　that　is　precisely
the　first　thing　I　myself　would　have　done；　I　decided　that　the　risk　was
worth　avoiding。　　I　accordingly　set　the　boat　adrift　to　indicate　an
escape　by　water；　and　then　waded　along　the　beach　for　half　a　mile　or
so；　carrying　the　pole；　boards；　etc。；　with　me。　　As　I　kept　where　the
water　was　at　least　six　inches　deep　I　knew　no　dog　could　follow　my
trail。　　At　the　point　where　I　left　the　water　I　sat　down　upon　a　rock
and　put　on　my　stockings　and　shoes；　thoroughly　saturating　them　at　the
same　time　with　turpentine；　and　pouring　the　remainder　of　the　bottle
upon　the　rock　where　I　had　sat。　　As　I　had　known　prisoners　escaped
from　Libby　Prison　to　pass　in　this　way　undetected　within　twenty　feet
of　bloodhounds　upon　their　trail；　I　felt　that　my　tracks　had　been　well
covered；　and　made　all　possible　haste　to　get　ready　to　attend　the
examination　with　the　special　detail。

〃And　now　I　have　finished。　　Before　this　meets　any　other　eye　than　mine
I　shall　be　dead　…　beyond　the　punishment　of　this　world　and　awaiting
the　punishment　of　the　next。　　Lest　some　may　fancy　I　do　not　believe
this；　…　thinking　that　if　I　did　I　could　not　so　have　acted；　…　let　me
say　there　is　no　moral　restraining　power　in　fear。　　Fear　is　essentially
selfish；　and　selfishness　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　crimes；　my　own　among
the　rest。　　I　leave　behind　me　none　who　will　mourn　me；　and　have　but　one
satisfaction；　viz。：　the　knowledge　that　I　shall　be　regarded　as　an
artist　in　crime。　　I　take　this　occasion　to　bid　the　public　an　adieu
not　altogether；　I　confess；　unmixed　with　regrets。　　I　am　now　on　that
eminence　called　'Life'；　in　a　few　minutes　I　shall　have　jumped　off　into
the　darkness；　and　then　　…　all　is　mystery。〃

When　I　had　finished　reading　this　article　we　all　remained　silent　for
a　long　time。　　Gwen　was　the　first　to　speak；　and　then　only　to　say
slowly；　as　if　thinking　aloud：　〃　And　so　it　is　all　over。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV


　　It　often　happens　that　two　souls　who　love　are；　like　the　parts　of
　　a　Mexican　gemel…ring；　the　more　difficult　to　intertwine　the　better
　　they　fit　each　other。

You　may　be　assured　that；　after　reading　M。　Godin's　confession；　we
looked　forward　to　seeing　Maitland　with　a　good　deal　of　interest。　　We
knew　this　new　turn　of　affairs　would　cause　him　to　call　at　once；　so
we　all　strove　to　possess　our　souls　in　patience　while　we　awaited　his
coming。　　In　less　than　half　an　hour　he　was　with　us。　　〃The　news　of　your
success　has　preceded　you；〃　said　Gwen　as　soon　as　he　was　seated。　　〃I
wish　to　he　the　first　to　offer　you　my　congratulations。　　You　have　done
for　me　what　none　other　could　have　done　and　I　owe　you　a　debt　of
gratitude　I　can　never　repay。　　The　thought　that　I　was　unable　to　carry
out　my　father's　wishes；　…　that　I　could　do　nothing　to　free　his　name
from　the　reproaches　which　had　been　cast　upon　it；　was　crushing　my
heart　like　a　leaden　weight。　　You　have　removed　this　burden；　and；
believe　me；　words　fail　to　express　the　gratitude　I　feel。　　I　shall
beg　of　you　to　permit　me　to　pay　you　the　sum　my　father　mentioned　and
to　…　to　…　〃　　She　hesitated　and　Maitland　did　not　permit　her　to
finish　her　sentence。

〃You　must　pardon　me；　Miss　Darrow；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　can　accept　no
further　payment　for　the　little　I　have　done。　　It　has　been　a　pleasure
to　do　it　and　the　knowledge　that　you　are　now　released　from　the
disagreeable　possibilities　of　your　father's　will　is　more　than
sufficient　remuneration。　　If　you　still　feel　that　you　owe　me　anything；
perhaps　you　will　be　willing　to　grant　me　a　favour。〃

〃There　is　nothing；〃　she　said　earnestly；　〃within　my　power　to　grant
for　which　you　shall　ask　in　vain。〃

〃Let　me　beg　of　you　then；〃　he　replied；　〃never　again　to　seek　to　repay
me　for　any　services　you　may　fancy　I　have　rendered。　　There　is　nothing
you　could　bestow　upon　me　which　I　would　accept。〃　　She　gave　him　a
quick；　searching　glance　and　I　noticed　a　look　of　pain　upon　her　face；
but　Maitland　gave　it　no　heed；　for；　indeed；　he　seemed　to　have　much
ado　either　to　know　what