the darrow enigma-第39章
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！
expected to withstand any such temptation。
On these visits Maitland and I talked but very little； and while I
was spying nothing of interest occurred … i。 e。； nothing of interest
to him … or； if it did； things of interest to me prevented my
observing it。 On several occasions he alluded vaguely to things he
had learned which he said he should not divulge even to me until the
proper time came。
Things went on in this way for about two weeks。 I visited Maitland
daily； and daily the little lady in the next room wove her spell
around me。 If； as I am inclined to believe； thinking a great deal
of a person is much the same thing as thinking of a person a great
deal； I must have adored her。
One night； about a fortnight after Maitland's change of abode； I
found Alice in a terrible state of excitement upon my arrival home。
She met me at the door； and said Gwen needed my attention at once。
I did not stop to hear further particulars； but hastened to the
sitting…room； where Gwen lay upon the lounge。 She was in a stupor
from which it seemed impossible to arouse her。 In vain I tried to
attract her attention。 Her fixed； staring eyes looked through
me as if I had been glass。 I saw she had received a severe shock；
and so； after giving her some medicine； I took Alice aside and asked
her what had happened。 She said that Gwen and she had been sitting
sewing by the window all the afternoon； and talking about Maitland's
recent discoveries。 At about five o'clock the Evening Herald was
brought in as usual。 She； Alice； had picked it up to glance over
the news； when； in the column headed 〃Latest；〃 she had seen the
heading： 〃The Darrow Mystery Solved！〃 This she had read aloud；
without thinking of the shock the unexpected announcement might give
Gwen； when the sudden pallor that had overspread the young woman's
face had brought her to her senses； and she had paused。 Her
companion； however； had seized the paper when she had hesitated and；
in a fever of excitement； had read in a half…audible voice：
John Darrow was murdered。 … The assassin's inability to pay a
gambling debt the motive for the crime。 … Extraordinary work
of a French detective！ … The net …=20
But at this juncture the paper had dropped from Gwen's hands； and
she had fallen upon the floor before Alice could reach her。
THE EPISODE OF THE TELLTALE THUMB
CHAPTER I
When Disaster is bigger than its victim its bolt o'erlaps the
innocent。
It was some time after Gwen had fallen before Alice had succeeded
in getting her upon the lounge； and then all her efforts to revive
her had failed。 She had remained in the same nerveless stupor as
that in which I had found her。 I asked Alice if she knew why this
announcement had produced such an effect upon Gwen； and she returned
my question with a look of amazement。
〃Have you forgotten Gwen's promise to her father in this matter？〃
she replied。 〃Has she not already told you that she should keep
that promise； whatever the sacrifice cost her？ She is； therefore；
entirely at the mercy of this M。 Godin； and she is also obliged to
advise him of this fact； if she would carry out her father's wishes。
Is this nothing for a sensitive nature like hers？ If she has any
love for anyone else she must crush it out of her heart； for she is
M。 Godin's now。 Surely； Ned； you are not so stupid as your question
would indicate。〃
〃We won't discuss that；〃 I rejoined。 〃Let us go to Gwen and get
her to bed。〃
This done； and the sufferer made easy for the night； I glanced at
the article which had so upset her； and read its sensational
〃scare…head。〃 In full it ran as follows：
THE DARROW MYSTERY SOLVED！
JOHN DARROW WAS MURDERED！
The Assassin's Inability to Pay a Gambling Debt the
Motive for the Crime。
EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF A FRENCH DETECTIVE！
The Net so Completely Woven About the Alleged
Assassin That it is Thought He Will Confess。
The Arrest Entirely Due to the Unassisted Efforts of
M。 LOUIS GODIN！
I did not stop to read the article； but seized my hat and hastened
at once to Maitland。
A copy of the Herald lay upon his table； advising me that he was
already acquainted with the strange turn affairs had taken。 He
told me that he had heard the newsboys in the street calling out
〃The Darrow Mystery Solved！〃 and had at once rushed out and bought
a paper。
I informed him of Gwen's condition and he wished to go to her at
once； but I told him he must wait until the morrow； as she had
already retired； and was； I had reason to hope； fast asleep。 I
reassured him with the information that a night's sleep and the
medicine I had given her would probably put Gwen in full possession
of her faculties。 Having thus satisfied his fears； I thought it
fitting he should satisfy mine。 I asked him what had become of the
young woman in the next room。 He did not reply； but quietly led me
into his camera obscura that I might see for myself。 She was
sitting at the table in the centre of the room； with her face buried
in her hands。 I watched her for a long time； and the only movement
I could discern was that occasioned ever and anon by a convulsive
catching of her breath。 The pet monkey was nowhere to be seen。
〃They took her father away early this morning；〃 Maitland said； 〃and；
after the first shock； she sank into this condition。 She has not
moved since。 When I see the despair her father's arrest has
occasioned I am almost tempted to rejoice that I had no hand in it；
and yet … well； there's no great harm without some small good … no
one will say now that John Darrow took his own life； eh？ What do
you think our friends； Osborne and Allen； will say now？ They were
so sure their theory was the only tenable one。 Ah； well！ we should
ever hold ourselves in readiness=20
for surprises。〃
〃And for emergencies too；〃 I continued； 〃and this strikes me as
being very like one。 That young woman needs attention； if I am any
judge of appearances； and I'm going in there。〃 〃No use； Doc；〃
Maitland replied； 〃the door is locked； and she either cannot or
will not open it。 I knocked there for an hour； hoping to be able
to comfort her。 It's no use for you to try； she won't open the
door。〃 〃Won't； eh！ then I'll go through it！〃 I exclaimed； in a
tone that so amazed Maitland that he seized me by the shoulders and
gazed fixedly into my face。 〃It's all right； George；〃 I said；
answering his look。 〃I'm going in there； and I'm not going to be
at all delicate about my entrance either。〃
He looked at me a little doubtfully； but I could see that； on the
whole； he was pleased with my decision。 I went into the hall and
knocked loudly on the door。 There was no response。 I kicked it
till I must have been heard all over the house； but still there
was no response。 It was now clear I should not enter by invitation；
so I went up four or five stairs of the flight opposite the door and
from that position sprang against it。 I am not； if you remember； a
heavy man； but momentum is MV and I made up in the 'V' what I lacked
in the 'M。' The door opened inwardly； and I tore it from its hinges
and precipitated both myself and it into the centre of the apartment。
As I look back upon this incident I regard it as the most precipitous
thing I ever did in the way of a professional visit。 If the young
lady started at all； she did so before I had gathered myself together
sufficiently to notice it。 I spoke to her； but she gave no evidence
of hearing me。 I raised her head。 Her eyes were wide open and
stared full at me； yet in such a blank way that I knew she did not
hear me。 The contraction of the brows； the knotted appearance of
the forehead； and the rigor of the face told me she was under an
all…but…breaking tension。 There were tear…stains from tears which
long since had ceased to flow。 The fire of fever had dried them up。
I regarded her case as far more desperate than Gwen's and determined
to lose no time in taking charge of it。 It seemed to me so like
sacrilege to touch her without an expla
