the darrow enigma-第25章

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deputy；　unknown　to　him。　　　All　my　endeavours　to　find　the　Sahib　were；
as　you　are　already　aware；　fruitless；　and；　until　I　met　you；　I　had
no　doubt　Ragobah's　efforts　were　equally　unproductive。　　You　have　now
all　the　information　I　can　offer　upon　the　subject。　　If　I　can　be　of
any　further　service　to　you；　you　need　not　hesitate　to　command　me。

As　he　said　this　he　rose　to　depart　and　I　promised　to　keep　him
informed　of　what　occurred。　　I　have　nothing　now　to　do　but　to　await；
with　such　patience　as　I　can　command；　the　arrival　of　the　Dalmatia。
It　does　not　seem　to　me　altogether　probable　that　Ragobah　will　return
upon　this　boat；　but　if　he　should　I　shall　have　him　arrested　the
moment　he　sets　foot　on　shore。　　If　he　escape　the　net　that　has　been
woven　about　him；　I　shall　be　a　convert　to　Eastern　occultism　and　no
mistake。　　I　trust　Miss　Darrow　is　well　and　hopeful。　　I　know　she
will　religiously　keep　the　promise　she　made；　for　she　is　one　of　those
women　who　fully　understand　the　nature　of　a　covenant；　and　I　am
easier；　therefore；　than　I　otherwise　could　be　regarding　her　condition。
Give　her　my　kind　regards　and　tell　her　that　she　may　expect　news　of
importance　by　my　next　communication。　　It　is　very　late；　so　good…bye；
until　the　arrival　of　the　Dalmatia。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGE　MAITLAND。

This　letter　was　delivered　one　morning　when　Gwen；　my　sister　Alice；
and　I　were　at　breakfast。　　As　I　broke　the　seal　I　noticed　that　both
ladies　put　down　their　knives　and　forks　and　ceased　to　eat。　　A　glance
at　Gwen's　eager　face　convinced　me　that　she　had　no　appetite　for
anything　but　my　letter；　and　I　accordingly　read　it　aloud。　　When　I
came　to　the　last　part　of　it；　where　Maitland　referred　to　her；　a　flush；
of　pride　I　thought　at　the　time；　overspread　her　face；　and　when　I　had
finished　she　said　with　some　show　of　excitement；　〃If　Mr。　Maitland
succeed　in　bringing　Ragobah　to　justice　I　…　I　shall　owe　him　a　debt
of　gratitude　I　can　never　repay！　　It　all　seems　like　a　romance；　only　so
frightfully　real。　　We　may　expect　another　letter　in　a　few　days；　may
we　not？　　And　Mr。　Maitland；　when　may　we　expect　him？〃

I　replied　that　I　thought　we　might　reasonably　expect　news　of
importance　within　five　or　six　days；　and　that；　so　far　as　Maitland's
return　was　concerned；　I　did　not　look　for　it　for　as　many　weeks；　as
he　would　doubtless　have　to　cope　with　the　law's　delay　there；　as　he
would　if　here；　and　to　comply　with　many　tedious　formalities　before
the　government　would　allow　Ragobah　to　be　brought　to　this　country　for
trial。　　The　only　reply　Gwen　vouchsafed　to　this　statement　was　a
long…drawn　unconscious　sigh；　which　I　interpreted　as　meaning；　〃Will
it　never　end！〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II


　　　He　who　shakes　the　tree　of　Vengeance　but　harvests　apples　of　Sodom
　　　in　whose　fruit　of　ashes　he　becomes　buried；　for　the　wage　of　the
　　　sinner　is　death。

There　was　no　doubt　of　Ragobah's　guilt　in　any　of　our　minds；　so　that
action　at　our　end　of　the　line　seemed　entirely　useless；　and　nothing
was　left　us　but　to　quietly　await　whatever　developments　Maitland
should　disclose。　　We　were　not　kept　long　in　suspense；　for　in　less　than
a　week　his　next　letter　arrived。　　I　broke　its　seal　in　the　presence　of
Gwen　and　my　sister　who；　if　possible；　were　even　more　excited　than　I
myself。　　Is　it　to　be　wondered　at？　　Here　was　the　letter　which　was　to
tell　us　whether　or　not　the　murderer　of　John　Darrow　had　been　caught。
We　felt　that　if　Ragobah　had　returned　to　India；　according　to　his
expressed　intention；　there　could　be　no　doubt　upon　this　point。　　But
had　he　so　returned？　　I　read　as　follows：

MY　DEAR　DOCTOR：

The　Dalmatia　arrived　as　expected　on　Thursday；　and　on　her　came　Ragobah。
I　had　him　arrested　as　he　stepped　from　the　boat。　　When　examined　he
did　not　seem　in　the　least　disconcerted　at　the　charges　I　preferred
against　him。　　　This　did　not　surprise　me；　however；　as　I　had　expected
that　a　man　who　could　roll　his　naked　body　over　the　burning　sands　from
Mabaj　an　to　the　Ganges；　and　who　could　rise　from　the　Vaisyan　to　the
Brahman　caste；　…　albeit　he　fell　again；　…　would　not　be　likely　to　betray
his　cause　by　exhibiting　either　fear　or　excitement。　　He　acknowledged
his　acquaintance　with　Mr。　Darrow　and　the　ill…feeling　existing　between
them。　　　When　charged　with　his　murder　at　Dorchester　on　the　night　of　the
22d　of　April　he　coolly　asked　if　I　were　aware　when　and　how　he　had　left
India。　　I　had　not　neglected　to　look　this　matter　up　and　told　him　he　had
left　on　the　same　steamer　which　had　brought　him　back　…　the　Dalmatia　…=20
which　should　have　arrived　at　New　York　on　the　21st　of　April；　thus
leaving　him　ample　time　to　get　to　Boston　before　the　night　of　the　22d。
To　this　he　replied　with　the　utmost　assurance。　　（I　give　you　the　exact
gist　of　what　he　said。　　Since　I　was　not　able　to　immediately　commit　his
language　to　writing；　you　will；　of　course；　hardiy　expect　me　to　remember
those　peculiar　Oriental　idioms　which　an　Indian；　however　great　his
command　of　English；　never　drops。　　What　I　say　here　is；　of　course；　true
of　all　conversations　I　put　before　you　except　such　as　I　practically
reported。）　…　But　to　return　to　our　muttons。　　As　I　was　saying；　he
replied　with　the　utmost　assurance：


〃The　Sahib　is　right。　　I　did　sail　upon　the　Dalmatia；　due　at　New　York
on　the　21st　of　April。　　This　steamer；　as　you　are　perhaps　aware；　is
propelled　by　twin　screws。　　On　the　trip　in　question　she　broke　one
of　her　propellers　in　mid…Atlantic　and　in　consequence；　arrived　in　New
York　on　the　24th　of　April；　three　days　late；　without　the　transference
of　any　of　her　passengers　to　other　boats。　　If　you　will　take　the
trouble　to　at　once　verify　this　statement　at　the　steamship　office；
you　will　be　able　to　relieve　me　of　the　annoyance　of　　further　detention。〃

All　this　was　said　with　a　rare　command　of　language　and　a　cold；　cynical
politeness　which　cut　like　a　knife。　　I　at　first　thought　it　was　merely
a　ruse　to　gain　time；　but　the　steamship　officials　substantiated　every
word　uttered　by　Ragobah　relative　to　their　vessel。　　The　Dalmatia　had
steamed　into　New　York　at　eleven　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　24th
day　of　April　with　a　broken　screw！

Imagine　my　amazement！　　The　net　of　circumstantial　evidence　wound
around　Ragobah　seemed　to　be　such　as　to　leave　no　possibility　of
escape；　and　yet；　the　very　first　effort　made　to　draw　it　tighter　about
him　had　resulted　in　his　walking；　with　the　utmost　ease；　right　through
its　meshes！　　There　is　no　gainsaying　such　an　alibi；　and　I　am；
therefore；　forced　to　acknowledge　that　Rama　Ragobah　could　not；　by　any
possibility；　have　murdered　John　Darrow。　　That　he　may　have　planned
the　deed　and　that　he　may　have　intended　to　be　present　at　its　execution
is　quite　possible；　but　we　may　at　once　dismiss　the　idea　of　his　having
personally　committed　the　act。　　You　will　immediately　appreciate　that
nearly　all　of　the　evidence　which　we　secured　against　Ragobah　was
directed　against　him　as　the　assassin；　and　is　of　little　or　no　use　to
prove　his　complicity　in　an　affair　committed　by　another。　　In　his
hatred　of　Mr。　Darrow　we　have；　I　believe；　a　sufficient　motive　for
the　act；　but　what　evidence　have　we　to　support　the　theory　that　the
murder　was　committed　by　anyone　acting　in　his　interests？　　I　must
confess　my　inability　to　detect；　at　present　writing；　the　slightest
evidence　that　Ragobah　acted　through　an　accomplice。　　So；　here　the
matter　rests。

I　may　state　in　closing　that　Ragobah　has　requested　the　〃pleasure〃
（sic）　of　a　private　interview　with　me　on　Malabar　Hill　to…morrow
night。　　As　there　is　a　bare　possibility　he　may　let　fall　something
which　may　shed　some　light　upon　the　accomplice　hypothesis；　I　have
agreed　to　meet　him　at　the　entrance　to　the　little　cave　at　nine
o'clock。　　He　has　requested　that　I　come　（alone　and　I　shall　do　so；
but；　lest　you　fear　for　my　safety；　let　me　assure　you　that　I　know
very　well　the　unscrupulous　nature　of　the　man　with　whom　I　am　to
deal　and　that　I　shall　take　good　care　not　to　afford　him　any
opportunity　to　catch　me　unawares。　　You　will　hear　from　me　again
after　I　meet　Ragobah。

Remember　me　kindly　to　Miss　Darrow。　　The　failure　of　my　enterprise
will；　I　know；　be　a　bitter　disappointment　to　her；　and　you　must　temper
this　acknowledgment　of　it　with　such　a　hope　of　ultimate　success　as
you　may　enjoy。