the darrow enigma-第13章

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blow　was　well　placed；　and　desperation　lent　me　phenomenal　strength。
It　raised　him　bodily　off　his　feet；　and　hurled　him　backward　out
of　the　cave；　where　he　lay　motionless。　　He　was　now　in　my　power。　　I
seized　his　knife　and　bent　over　him。　　Words　cannot　express　the　hatred；
the　loathing　I　felt　for　him　then　and　always。　　Between　me　and　the
light　of　my　happiness　he　had　ever　stood；　an　impenetrable　black　mass。
Twice　had　he　sought　my　life；　yet　now；　when　he　was　in　my　power；　I
could　not　plunge　his　weapon　into　his　heart。　　Would　it　not　be　just；
I　thought；　to　drag　him　into　the　cave；　and　hurl　him　down　the　abyss
he　had　intended　for　me？　　Yes；　he　certainly　merited　it；　yet　I　could
not　do　that　either。　　I　wished　the　snake　a　thousand　times　dead；　yet
I　could　not　stamp　it　into　the　earth。

He　was　beginning　to　slightly　move　now；　and　something　must　be　done。
It　was　useless　to　run；　for　the　way　was　long；　and　he　could　easily
overtake　me。　　You　may　wonder　why　I　did　not　take　to　the　thicket；
but　if　you　had　ever　had　any　experience　with　Indian　jungles　you
would　know　that；　without　the　use　of　fire　and　axe；　they　are
practically　impenetrable。　　Professor　Haeckel；　botanising　near　that
same　spot；　spent　an　hour　in　an　endeavour　to　force　his　way　into
one　of　these　jungles；　but　only　succeeded　in　advancing　a　few　steps
into　the　thicket；　when；　stung　by　mosquitoes；　bitten　by　ants；　his
clothing　torn　from　his　bleeding　arms　and　legs；　wounded　by　the
thousands　of　sharp　thorns　of　the　calamus；　hibiscus；　euphorbias；
lantanas；　and　myriad　other　jungle　plants；　he　was　obliged；　utterly
discomfited；　to　desist。　　If　this　were　the　result　of　his　efforts；
made　in　broad　daylight；　and　with　deliberation；　what　might　I　expect
rushing　into　the　thicket　at　night；　as　a　refuge　from　a　pursuer　far
my　superior　in　physical　strength　and　fleetness　of　foot；　and　who；
moreover；　had　known　the　jungle　from　his　boyhood？　　Once　overtaken
by　my　enemy；　the　long　knife　in　my　hands　would　be　of　no　avail
against　a　stick　in　his。　　I　saw　all　this　clearly；　and　realised　that
he　must　be　prevented　from　following　me。

There　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　for　he　was　rapidly　recovering
possession　of　his　powers。　　I　seized　a　large　rock　and　hurled　it　with
all　the　force　I　could　command　upon　his　left　foot　and　ankle。
Notwithstanding　his　immense　strength　his　hands　and　feet　were　scarcely
larger　than　a　woman's；　and　the　small　bones　cracked　like　pipe…stems。
Though　I　had　not　the　will　to　kill　him；　my　own　safety　demanded　that
I　should　maim　him　as　the　only　other　means　of　making　good　my　escape。
As　the　rock　crushed　his　foot　the　pain　seemed　to　bring　him　immediately
into　full　possession　of　his　faculties；　and　he　roared　like　an　enraged
bull。　　I　turned　and　looked　back　as　I　beat　a　hasty　retreat　down　the
hill。　　He　had　seized　one　of　the　air…roots　of　the　banyan　tree；　and
raised　himself　upon　his　right　leg。　　The　expression　of　his　face　as
the　moonlight　fell　upon　it　was　something　never　to　be　forgotten。　　It
riveted　me　to　the　spot　with　the　fascination　of　horror。　　He　shook　his
fist　at　me　fiercely；　as　he　shrieked　from　the　back　of　his　throat：

〃You　infidel　cur！　　You　may　as　well　try　to　brush　away　the　Himalyas
with　a　silk　handkerchief　as　to　escape　the　wrath　of　Rama　Ragobah。
Go！　　Bury　yourself　in　seclusion　at　the　farthermost　corner　of　the
earth；　and　on　one　night　Ragobah　and　the　darkness　shall　be　with　you！〃

These　were　the　last　words　this　fiend　incarnate　ever　spoke　to　me；　but
I　know　they　are　prophetic；　and　that　he　will　keep　his　oath。

The　next　day　I　learned　that　Lona　was　dead。　　She　had　died　with　my
name　upon　her　lips；　and　her　secret　…　the　explanation　of　her　strange
conduct　on　that　night　…　died　with　her。　　I　shall　never　know　it。
Bitterly　did　I　repent　my　inability　to　reach　her。　　The　thought　that
she　had　waited　in　vain　for　me；　that　with　her　last　breath　she　had
called　upon　me；　and　I　had　answered　not；　was　unendurable　torture；
and　I　fled　India　and　came　to　America　in　the　futile　endeavour　to
forget　it　all。　　Out　of　my　black　past　there　shone　but　one　bright　star
　…　her　love！　　All　these　long　years　have　I　oriented　my　soul　by　that
sweet；　unforgettable　radiance；　prizing　it　above　a　galaxy　of　lesser
joys。

There　is　little　more　to　be　said。　　I　shall　meet　death　as　I　have
stated　…　I　am　sure　of　it　…　and　no　man　will　see　the　blow　given。
Remember；　as　I　loved　that　Indian　maiden　with　a　passion　which　death
has　not　chilled；　so　I　loathe　my　rival　with　a　hatred　infinite　and
all…consuming；　for；　somehow；　I　know　that　demon　crushed　out　the　life
of　my　fragile　lotus…flower。　　He　will　work　his　will　upon　me；　but　if
his　cunning　enable　him　to　escape　the　gallows；　my　soul；　if　there　be
a　conscious　hereafter；　will　never　rest　in　peace。　　Remember　this；　my
dear　child；　and　your　promise；　that　God　may　bless　you　even　as　I
bless　you。

It　was　some　time　after　Gwen　had　finished　this　interesting　document
before　any　of　us　spoke。　　The　narrative；　and　the　peculiar
circumstances　under　which　it　had　been　read；　deeply　impressed　us。
At　length　Maitland　said　in　a　subdued　voice；　as　if　he　feared　to
break　some　spell：

〃The　Indian　girl's　letter；　let　us　find　that；　and　also　the　will。〃

Gwen　went　to　the　drawer　in　which　her　father　kept　his　private　papers；
and　soon　produced　them　both。　　Maitland　glanced　hastily　at　the
letter；　and　said：　〃You　have　already　heard　its　contents〃；　then　turning
to　Gwen；　he　said：　〃I　will　keep　it　with　your　permission。　　Now　for　the
will。〃　　It　was　handed　to　him；　and　his　face　fell　as　he　read　it。　　In　a
moment　he　turned　to　us；　and　said：　〃The　interest　on　the　insurance
money　is　to　go　to　Miss　Darrow；　the　entire　principal　to　be　held　in
trust　and　paid　to　the　person　bringing　the　assassin　to　justice；　unless
said　person　shall　wed　Miss　Darrow；　in　which　case　half　of　the　fund
shall　go　to　the　husband；　and　the　other　half　to　the　wife　in　her　own
right。　　The　balance　of　the　estate；　which；　by　the　way；　is　considerable；
despite　the　reports　given　to　Osborne；　is　to　go　to　Miss　Darrow。　　This
is　all　the　will　contains　having　any　bearing　upon　the　case　in　hand。
Let　us　proceed　with　the　rest　of　the　papers。〃　　We　made　a　long　and
diligent　search；　but　nothing　of　importance　came　to　light。　　When　we
had　finished　Maitland　said：

〃Our　friend　Osborne　would　say　the　document　we　have　just　perused　made
strongly　for　his　theory；　and　was　simply　another　fabrication　to　blind
the　eyes　of　the　insurance　company。　　That's　what　comes　of　wedding
one's　self　to　a　theory　founded　on　imperfect　data。〃

〃And　what　do　you　think？〃　Gwen　inquired。

〃That　Rama　Ragobah　has　small　hands　and　feet；〃　he　replied。　　〃That　his
left　foot　has　met　with　an　injury；　and　is　probably　deformed；　that　most
likely　he　is　lame　in　the　left　leg；　that　he　had　the　motive　for　which
we　have　been　looking；　that　he　may　or　may　not　have　the　habit　of　biting
his　nails；　that　he　is　crafty；　and　that　if　he　were　to　do　murder　it　is
almost　certain　his　methods　would　be　novel　and　surprising；　as　well　as
extremely　difficult　to　fathom　…　in　short；　that　suspicion　points
unmistakably　to　Rama　Ragobah。　　That　is　easily　said；　but　to　bring　the
deed　home　to　him　is　quite　another　thing。　　I　shall　analyse　the　poison
of　the　wound　and　microscopically　examine　the　nature　of　the　abrasion
this　afternoon。　　To…night　I　take　the　midnight　train　for　New　York。
To…morrow　I　shall　sail　for　Bombay；　via　London　and　the　Continent。　　I
will　keep　you　informed　of　my　address。　While　I　am　away　I　would　ask
that　you　close　the　house　here；　leaving　everything　just　as　it　is　now
dismiss　the　servants；　and　take　up　your　abode　with　the　Doctor　and　his
sister。〃　　He　rose　to　go　as　he　said　this；　and　then　continued；　as　he
turned　to　me：　〃I　shall　depend　upon　you　to　look　after　Miss　Darrow's
immediate　interests　in　my　absence。〃　　I　knew　this　meant　that　I　was
to　guard　her　health；　not　permitting　her　to　be　much　by　herself；　and
I　readily　acquiesced。

The　look　of　amazement　which　had　at　first　overspread　Gwen's　face　at
the　mention　of　this　precipitate　departure　gave　place　to　one　of
modest　concern；　as　she　said　softly　to　Maitland：　〃Is　it　necessary
that　you　should　encounter　the　dangers　of　such　a　journey；　to　say
nothing；　of　the　time　and　inconvenience　it　will　cost？〃　　He　looked
down　at　her　quickly；　and　then　said　reassuringly：　〃Do　you　know　one
is；　by　actual　statistics；　safer　in　an　English　railway　carriage　than
when　walking　the　crowded　streets　of　London？　　I　am　daily　subjecting
myself　to　laboratory　dangers　which；　I　believe；　are　graver　than　any
I　am　likely　to　meet　between　here　and　Bombay；　or；　for　that　matter；
even　at　Bombay　in　the　presence　of　our　recent　acquaintance　Ragobah。〃

〃I　deeply　appreciate；〃　she　replied；　〃the　generous　sacrifice　you
would　make　in　my　interests　…　hut　Bombay　is　such　a　long　way　…　and　〃

〃If　suspicion　directed　me　to　the　North　Pole；〃　he　interrupted；　〃I
should　start　with　equal　alacrity；〃　and　he　held　out　his　hand　to　her
to　bid　her　farewell。　　She　took　it　in　a　way　that　bespoke　a　world　of
gratitude；　if　nothing　more。　　He　retained　the　small　hand；　while　he
said：　〃Have　you　forgotten；　my　friend；　your　promise　to　your　father？
Do　you　not　see　in　what　terrible　relations　it　may　place　you？　　How
important；　then；　that　no　effort　should　be　spared　to　prevent　you
from　becoming　indebted　to　one　unmanly　enough　to　take　advantage　of
your　position。　　I　shall　use　every　means　within　my　power　to　myself
discover　your　father's　murderer；　and　you　may　comfort　yourself　with
the　assurance　that；　if　successful；　I　shall　make　no　demand　of　any
kind　whatsoever　upon　your　gratitude。　　I　think　you　understand　me。〃

As　he　said　this　Gwen　looked　him　full　in　the　face。　　A　little　nervous
tremor　seized　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　and　the　tears　sprang　to　her
eyes。　　〃Good…bye〃　was　all　she　could　say　before　she　was　compelled
to　turn　aside　to　conceal　her　emotion。

Maitland；　observing　her　agitation；　said　to　her　tenderly：　〃Your
gratitude　for　the　little　that　I　have　already　done　is　reward；　more
than　ample；　for　all　I　shall　ever　be　able　to　do。　　Good…bye；〃　and　he
left　the　room。

Oh；　man　with　your　microscope！　　How　is　it　that　you　find　the　smallest
speck　of　dust；　yet　miss　the　mountain？　　Does　the　time　seem　too　short？
It　would　not　if　you　realised　that　events；　not　clocks；　were　the　real
measure　thereof。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　EPISODE　OF　RAMA　RAGOBAH


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I

　　　Life　is　but　a　poor　accountant　when　it　leaves　the　Future　to
　　　balance　its　entries　long　years　after　the　parties　to　the
　　　transactions　are　　but　a　handful　of　insolvent　dust。　　When；　in　such
　　　wise；　the　chiefest　item　of　one　side　of　the　sheet　fails　to　explain
　　　itself　to　the　other；　the　tragic　is　attained。

On　the　day　following　Maitland's　departure　On　for　New　York；　Mr。　Darrow
was　buried。　　The　Osborne　theory　seemed　to　be　universally　accepted；
and　many　women　who　had　never　seen　Mr。　Darrow　during　his　life　attended
his　funeral；　curious　to　see　what　sort　of　a　person　this　suicide　might
be。　　Gwen　bore　the　ordeal　with　a　fortitude　which　spoke　volumes　for
her　strength　of　character；　and　I　took　good　care；　when　it　was　all
over；　that　she　should　not　be　left　alone。　　In　compliance　with
Maitland's　request；　whose　will；　since　her　promise　to　him；　was　law　to
her；　she　prepared　to　close　the　house　and　take　up　her　abode　with　us。

It　was　on　the　night　of　the　funeral；　just　after　the　lamps　were
lighted；　that　an　event　occurred　which　made　a　deep　impression　upon
Gwen；　though　n