little novels-第86部分

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ont　parlor　window。　There；　again；　the　barred　shutters　answered　for　the　security　of　that　room。　A　cracked　voice　spoke　through　the　door　of　the　back　parlor。　〃The　policeman　can　come　in；〃　it　said；　〃if　he　will　promise　not　to　look　at　me。〃　I　turned　to　the　landlady　for　information。　〃It's　my　parlor　lodger；　Miss　Mybus；〃　she　said；　〃a　most　respectable　lady。〃　Going　into　the　room；　I　saw　something　rolled　up　perpendicularly　in　the　bed　curtains。　Miss　Mybus　had　made　herself　modestly　invisible　in　that　way。　Having　now　satisfied　my　mind　about　the　security　of　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　and　having　the　keys　safe　in　my　pocket；　I　was　ready　to　go　upstairs。

On　our　way　to　the　upper　regions　I　asked　if　there　had　been　any　visitors　on　the　previous　day。　There　had　been　only　two　visitors；　friends　of　the　lodgersand　Mrs。　Crosscapel　herself　had　let　them　both　out。　My　next　inquiry　related　to　the　lodgers　themselves。　On　the　ground　floor　there　was　Miss　Mybus。　On　the　first　floor　（occupying　both　rooms）　Mr。　Barfield；　an　old　bachelor；　employed　in　a　merchant's　office。　On　the　second　floor；　in　the　front　room；　Mr。　John　Zebedee；　the　murdered　man；　and　his　wife。　In　the　back　room；　Mr。　Deluc；　described　as　a　cigar　agent；　and　supposed　to　be　a　Creole　gentleman　from　Martinique。　In　the　front　garret；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Crosscapel。　In　the　back　garret；　the　cook　and　the　housemaid。　These　were　the　inhabitants；　regularly　accounted　for。　I　asked　about　the　servants。　〃Both　excellent　characters；〃　says　the　landlady；　〃or　they　would　not　be　in　my　service。〃

We　reached　the　second　floor；　and　found　the　housemaid　on　the　watch　outside　the　door　of　the　front　room。　Not　as　nice　a　woman；　personally；　as　the　cook；　and　sadly　frightened　of　course。　Her　mistress　had　posted　her；　to　give　the　alarm　in　the　case　of　an　outbreak　on　the　part　of　Mrs。　Zebedee；　kept　locked　up　in　the　room。　My　arrival　relieved　the　housemaid　of　further　responsibility。　She　ran　downstairs　to　her　fellow…servant　in　the　kitchen。

I　asked　Mrs。　Crosscapel　how　and　when　the　alarm　of　the　murder　had　been　given。

〃Soon　after　three　this　morning；〃　says　she；　〃I　was　woke　by　the　screams　of　Mrs。　Zebedee。　I　found　her　out　here　on　the　landing；　and　Mr。　Deluc；　in　great　alarm；　trying　to　quiet　her。　Sleeping　in　the　next　room　he　had　only　to　open　his　door；　when　her　screams　woke　him。　'My　dear　John's　murdered！　I　am　the　miserable　wretchI　did　it　in　my　sleep！'　She　repeated　these　frantic　words　over　and　over　again；　until　she　dropped　in　a　swoon。　Mr。　Deluc　and　I　carried　her　back　into　the　bedroom。　We　both　thought　the　poor　creature　had　been　driven　distracted　by　some　dreadful　dream。　But　when　we　got　to　the　bedsidedon't　ask　me　what　we　saw；　the　doctor　has　told　you　about　it　already。　I　was　once　a　nurse　in　a　hospital；　and　accustomed；　as　such；　to　horrid　sights。　It　turned　me　cold　and　giddy；　notwithstanding。　As　for　Mr。　Deluc；　I　thought　_he_　would　have　had　a　fainting　fit　next。〃

Hearing　this；　I　inquired　if　Mrs。　Zebedee　had　said　or　done　any　strange　things　since　she　had　been　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　lodger。

〃You　think　she's　mad？〃　says　the　landlady。　〃And　anybody　would　be　of　your　mind；　when　a　woman　accuses　herself　of　murdering　her　husband　in　her　sleep。　All　I　can　say　is　that；　up　to　this　morning；　a　more　quiet；　sensible；　well…behaved　little　person　than　Mrs。　Zebedee　I　never　met　with。　Only　just　married；　mind；　and　as　fond　of　her　unfortunate　husband　as　a　woman　could　be。　I　should　have　called　them　a　pattern　couple；　in　their　own　line　of　life。〃

There　was　no　more　to　be　said　on　the　landing。　We　unlocked　the　door　and　went　into　the　room。

II。

HE　lay　in　bed　on　his　back　as　the　doctor　had　described　him。　On　the　left　side　of　his　nightgown；　just　over　his　heart；　the　blood　on　the　linen　told　its　terrible　tale。　As　well　as　one　could　judge；　looking　unwillingly　at　a　dead　face；　he　must　have　been　a　handsome　young　man　in　his　lifetime。　It　was　a　sight　to　sadden　anybodybut　I　think　the　most　painful　sensation　was　when　my　eyes　fell　next　on　his　miserable　wife。

She　was　down　on　the　floor；　crouched　up　in　a　cornera　dark　little　woman；　smartly　dressed　in　gay　colors。　Her　black　hair　and　her　big　brown　eyes　made　the　horrid　paleness　of　her　face　look　even　more　deadly　white　than　perhaps　it　really　was。　She　stared　straight　at　us　without　appearing　to　see　us。　We　spoke　to　her；　and　she　never　answered　a　word。　She　might　have　been　deadlike　her　husbandexcept　that　she　perpetually　picked　at　her　fingers；　and　shuddered　every　now　and　then　as　if　she　was　cold。　I　went　to　her　and　tried　to　lift　her　up。　She　shrank　back　with　a　cry　that　well…nigh　frightened　menot　because　it　was　loud；　but　because　it　was　more　like　the　cry　of　some　animal　than　of　a　human　being。　However　quietly　she　might　have　behaved　in　the　landlady's　previous　experience　of　her；　she　was　beside　herself　now。　I　might　have　been　moved　by　a　natural　pity　for　her；　or　I　might　have　been　completely　upset　in　my　mindI　only　know　this；　I　could　not　persuade　myself　that　she　was　guilty。　I　even　said　to　Mrs。　Crosscapel；　〃I　don't　believe　she　did　it。〃

While　I　spoke　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　I　went　downstairs　at　once；　and　admitted　（to　my　great　relief）　the　Inspector；　accompanied　by　one　of　our　men。

He　waited　downstairs　to　hear　my　report；　and　he　approved　of　what　I　had　done。　〃It　looks　as　if　the　murder　had　been　committed　by　somebody　in　the　house。〃　Saying　this；　he　left　the　man　below；　and　went　up　with　me　to　the　second　floor。

Before　he　had　been　a　minute　in　the　room；　he　discovered　an　object　which　had　escaped　my　observation。

It　was　the　knife　that　had　done　the　deed。

The　doctor　had　found　it　left　in　the　bodyhad　withdrawn　it　to　probe　the　woundand　had　laid　it　on　the　bedside　table。　It　was　one　of　those　useful　knives　which　contain　a　saw；　a　corkscrew；　and　other　like　implements。　The　big　blade　fastened　back；　when　open；　with　a　spring。　Except　where　the　blood　was　on　it；　it　was　as　bright　as　when　it　had　been　purchased。　A　small　metal　plate　was　fastened　to　the　horn　handle；　containing　an　inscription；　only　partly　engraved；　which　ran　thus：　〃To　John　Zebedee；　from〃　There　it　stopped；　strangely　enough。

Who　or　what　had　interrupted　the　engraver's　work？　It　was　impossible　even　to　guess。　Nevertheless；　the　Inspector　was　encouraged。

〃This　ought　to　help　us；〃　he　saidand　then　he　gave　an　attentive　ear　（looking　all　the　while　at　the　poor　creature　in　the　corner）　to　what　Mrs。　Crosscapel　had　to　tell　him。

The　landlady　having　done；　he　said　he　must　now　see　the　lodger　who　slept　in　the　next　bed…chamber。

Mr。　Deluc　made　his　appearance；　standing　at　the　door　of　the　room；　and　turning　away　his　head　with　horror　from　the　sight　inside。

He　was　wrapped　in　a　splendid　blue　dressing…gown；　with　a　golden　girdle　and　trimmings。　His　scanty　brownish　hair　curled　（whether　artificially　or　not；　I　am　unable　to　say）　in　little　ringlets。　His　complexion　was　yellow；　his　greenish…brown　eyes　were　of　the　sort　called　〃goggle〃they　looked　as　if　they　might　drop　out　of　his　face；　if　you　held　a　spoon　under　them。　His　mustache　and　goat's　beard　were　beautifully　oiled；　and；　to　complete　his　equipment；　he　had　a　long　black　cigar　in　his　mouth。

〃It　isn't　insensibility　to　this　terrible　tragedy；〃　he　explained。　〃My　nerves　have　been　shattered；　Mr。　Policeman；　and　I　can　only　repair　the　mischief　in　this　way。　Be　pleased　to　excuse　and　feel　for　me。〃

The　Inspector　questioned　this　witness　sharply　and　closely。　He　was　not　a　man　to　be　misled　by　appearances；　but　I　could　see　that　he　was　far　from　liking；　or　even　trusting；　Mr。　Deluc。　Nothing　came　of　the　examination；　except　what　Mrs。　　Crosscapel　had　in　substance　already　mentioned　to　me。　Mr。　Deluc　returned　　to　his　room。

〃How　long　has　he　been　lodging　with　you？〃　the　Inspector　asked；　as　soon　as　his　back　was　turned。

〃Nearly　a　year；〃　the　landlady　answered。

〃Did　he　give　you　a　reference？〃

〃As　good　a　reference　as　I　could　wish　for。〃　Thereupon；　she　mentioned　the　names　of　a　well…known　firm　of　cigar　merchants　in　the　city。　The　Inspector　noted　the　information　in　his　pocketbook。

I　would　rather　not　relate　in　detail　what　happened　next：　it　is　too　distressing　to　be　dwelt　on。　Let　me　only　say　that　the　poor　demented　woman　was　taken　away　in　a　cab　to　the　station…house。　The　Inspector　possessed　himself　of　the　knife；　and　of　a　book　found　on　the　floor；　called　〃The　World　of　Sleep。〃　The　portmanteau　containing　the　luggage　was　lockedand　then　the　door　of　the　room　was　secured；　the　keys　in　both　cases　being　left　in　my　charge。　My　instructions　were　to　remain　in　the　house；　and　allow　nobody　to　leave　it；　until　I　heard　again　shortly　from　the　Inspector。

III。

THE　coroner's　inquest　was　adjourned；　and　the　examination　before　the　magistrate　ended　in　a　remandMrs。　Zebedee　being　in　no　condition　to　understand　the　proceedings　in　either　case。　The　surgeon　reported　her　to　be　completely　prostrated　by　a　terrible　nervous　shock。　When　he　was　asked　if　he　considered　her　to　have　been　a　sane　woman　before　the　murder　took　place；　he　refused　to　answer　positively　at　that　time。

A　week　passed。　The　murdered　man　was　buried；　his　old　father　attending　the　funeral。　I　occasionally　saw　Mrs。　Crosscapel；　and　the　two　servants；　for　the　purpose　of　getting　such　further　information　as　was　thought　desirable。　Both　the　cook　and　the　housemaid　had　given　their　month's　notice　to　quit；　declining；　in　the　interest　of　their　characters；　to　remain　in　a　house　which　had　been　the　scene　of　a　murder。　Mr。　Deluc's　nerves　led　also　to　his　removal；　his　res