the darrow enigma-第26章

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in　the　nature　of　a　projectile　could　have　been　employed；　since　the
wound　was　upon　a　part　of　the　victim's　throat　known　to　have　been
turned　away　from　the　window　and　to　have　been　completely　shielded
upon　that　side　by　the　high　and　massive　back　of　the　chair　in　which
the　victim　sat。

〃He　was　fully　eight　feet　from　the　casement；　so　that　the　assassin
could　not　have　reached　in　and　struck　him。　　　There　were　no　footprints
by　the　window；　as　the　assassin　had　strapped　small　boards　upon　his
feet。　　It　is　most　likely；　therefore；　that　he　has　some　peculiarity
about　his　feet　which　he　thought　best　to　conceal。　　He　is　about　five
feet　five　inches　tall；　weighs　about　one　hundred　and　thirty…five
pounds；　and　steps　three　or　four　inches　longer　when　the　right　foot
is　thrown　forward　than　he　does　when　the　left　foot　leads。　　We　have　a
cast　of　the　assassin's　hand　showing　unmistakable　evidence　of　the
habit　of　biting　the　nails；　with　the　exception　of　that　of　the　little
finger；　which　nail；　by　the　way；　is　abnormally　long；　and　could　only
have　been　spared　for　some　special　reason。　　The　murderer　is　most
likely　a　foreigner。　　His　handwriting　would　indicate　this　even　if　we
did　not　know；　from　the　books　he　read；　how　conversant　he　is　with　at
least　one　foreign　tongue。　　Again；　he　has　some　decided　interest　in
the　subject　of　cancers　and；　perhaps；　some　interest　in　legerdemain；
if　we　may　judge　from　his　perusal　of　Robert　Houdin's　book。

〃There　are　one　or　two　other　things　I　have　learned；　but　this；　so　far
as　any　present　effect　is　concerned；　is　about　all　we　know；　and　it
doesn't　seem　to　make　the　conduct　of　our　search　a　very　easy　matter。
We　have　clearly　to　deal　with　a　man　who　is　possessed　not　merely　of
low　criminal　cunning；　but；　I　have　reason　to　believe；　with　one　who
has　education　and　culture；　and；　if　anything　can　be　judged　from
handwriting；　rare　strength　of　character　as　well。　　If　we　could　only
find　some　motive！　　No　one　but　a　maniac　would　do　such　a　deed　without
a　motive；　yet　we　can't　find　one。　　A　maniac！　　By　Jove！　　I　hadn't
thought　of　that。　　What　do　you　think　of　the　idea？　　'Though　this　be
madness；　yet　there　is　method　in't；'　eh？〃

I　told　him　that　the　maniac　theory　did　not　appeal　to　me　very　strongly。
〃Madness；　to　be　sure；　is　often　exceedingly　cunning；〃　I　said；　〃but
it　is　hardly　capable　of　such　sustained　masterfulness　as　our　criminal
has　evinced。〃

〃Look　here；　Doc；〃　Maitland　said；　breaking　out　suddenly；　〃I've　an
idea。　　Might　not　this　fellow's　interest　in　cancers　be　due　to　his
having　one　himself？　　Suppose　you　make　a　canvass　of　the　specialists
on　cancer　in　Boston　and　vicinity；　and　see　if　any　of　them　remember
being　consulted　by　a　patient　answering　the　description　with　which　I
will　provide　you。　　In　addition　to　this　I　will　insert　an　ad　in　the
papers　calling　attention　to　a　new　method　for　the　cure　of　cancer；
and　asking　all　interested　to　call　at　your　office　for　further
particulars。　　The　plan　does　not　promise　much；　still　it　may　bring
him。　　　What　do　you　say？〃

I　expressed　my　willingness　to　do　all　in　my　power　to　aid　him；　and　he
left　me。　　The　next　morning's　papers　contained　the　advertisement　and
I　had　several　calls　in　answer　to　it。　　These　would　have　caused　me
much　inconvenience　had　I　not　explained　the　whole　ruse　in　confidence
to　a　medical　friend　who　made　a　specialty　of　the　treatment　of　cancers；
and　persuaded　him　to　come　to　my　office　during　the　hours　specified
in　the　advertisement。　　When　a　patient　would　call　I　would　satisfy
myself　that　it　was　neither　the　person　we　were　searching　for；　nor
anyone　sent　by　him　to　make　inquiries；　and　then　turn　him　over　to　my
colleague；　Dr。　Rhodes。　　It　would　never　have　occurred　to　me　to
interest　myself　in　any　patient　who　did　not　answer　the　description
given　me　by　Maitland；　had　he　not　especially　cautioned　me　in　this
regard。

〃We　have；〃　he　said；　〃to　deal　with　a　man　possessed　of　ability　of　no
common　order。　　We　have　already　seen　that　he　never　runs　a　risk；
however　slight；　which　he　can　avoid。　　It　is　more　than　likely；
therefore；　if　our　advertisement　meets　his　eye　and　interests　him；　he
will　inquire　into　it　through　some　second　party。　　Again；　we　are　by
no　means　certain　that　his　interest　in　cancers　is　a　purely　personal
one。　　Perhaps　it　is　a　wife；　a　sister；　or　some　other　relative　who　is
afflicted。　　In　this　case　we　could　hardly　expect　him　to　come　himself。
Let　me　caution　you；　therefore；　to　closely　scrutinise　all　applicants
and　question　them　until　you　are　satisfied　they　are　in　nowise
connected　with　the　man　for　whom　we　are　searching。〃

I　followed　this　advice　most　carefully　and　had　no　difficulty　in
convincing　myself　that　none　of　my　callers　had　any　relation　whatsoever
with　the　murderer　of　John　Darrow。　　This　order　of　things　was
continued　for　several　days　with　the　same　result。　　In　the　meantime
Maitland　was　working　upon　a　new　clue　he　had　discovered。　　He　would
tell　me　all　about　it；　he　said；　when　he　had　followed　it　to　the　end。
This　was　on　Tuesday。　　On　Friday　he　came　to　the　house　and　informed　us
that　he　had　met　a　man　who　had　known　a　M。　Henri　Cazot；　a　Frenchman
whose　description　seemed　to　tally　perfectly　with　nearly　all　we　knew
of　Mr。　Darrow's　murderer。

〃It　came　about　in　this　way；〃　Maitland　began　in　response　to　Gwen's
request　that　he　should　tell　us　all　about　it：　〃I　determined　to
thoroughly　search　every　book　on　the　'Weltz…Rizzi'　list；　to　see　if　I
might　not　get　some　additional　clue。　　In　the　work　by　Robert　Houdin
entitled　'The　Sharper　Detected　and　Exposed'　I　found　the　statement
that　gamblers　often　neutralised　a　cut　in　a　pack　of　cards　by　a　rapid
and　dexterous　sleight。　　This；　the　book　went　on　to　say；　was
accomplished　in　the　following　manner：　When　the　cards　are　cut　and
left　in　two　packets　upon　the　table；　the　sharper　picks　up　with　his
right　hand　the　parcel　of　cards　which　was　originally　at　the　bottom
of　the　pack。　　This　is　brought　above　the　other　packet；　as　in　an=20
onest　cut；　but；　just　before　releasing　the　cards；　the　lower　parcel
is　deftly　tilted　up　by　inserting　the　right　little　finger　under　it；
and　the　upper　packet　quickly　slid　beneath　it；　leaving　the　cards　in
precisely　the　position　they　occupied　before　cutting；　For　this
purpose；　the　book　continued；　the　nail　of　the　right　little　finger　is
worn　very　long；　so　as　to　facilitate　its　being　thrust　beneath　a
packet　of　cards。　　Here；　I　said　to　myself；　is　a　possible　explanation
of　one　of　the　peculiarities　of　my　plaster　cast。　　The　long　nail　on
the　left　little　finger　may　have　served　its　function　at　the　gaming
table。　　If　so；　however；　it　would　seem　to　indicate　that　our　man　is
left…handed；　while；　as　we　have　already　seen；　the　writing　upon　the
library　slips　would　indicate　that　he　is　ambidextrous。　　We　need　not；
therefore；　I　reasoned；　be　surprised　if　we　find　that　both　little
fingers　have　long　nails。　　I　at　once　acted　upon　these　thoughts　and
began　a　search　of　the　gambling　resorts　of　this　city。　　In　order　not
to　excite　suspicion　I　played　a　little　in　each　place；　watching　my
opportunity　to　engage　the　proprietor　in　conversation。　　In　every　case
I　followed　the　same　formula。　　Did　he　remember　the　gentleman　who　used
to　come　there？　　Foreigner；　…　spoke　French；　a　little　under　medium
height；　had　a　sort　of　halt　in　his　walk；　bit　his　finger　nails；　etc。；
etc。　　I　met　with　no　encouragement　in　the　down…town　places；　though
the　proprietor　of　one　of　the　Hayward　Place　'dives'　had　an　idea　such
a　man　had　been　there；　but　only　once　or　twice　and　he　was　not　sure　he
could　place　him。　　　I　then　went　up　to　the　South　End　and　on　Decatur
Street　found　a　man　who　promptly　responded　to　my　inquiries：　'Gad！
that's　Henri　Cazot　fast　enough；　in　all　but　the　height　and　gait。
Dick　there；　he'll　tell　you　all　about　him。　　　He　owes　him　a　little
debt　of　honour　of　about　a　hundred　plunks。　　He　gave　him　his　note　for
it；　and　Dick　carries　it　around　with　him；　not　because　he　thinks　he'll
ever　get　it；　but　he　likes　the　writing。　　M。　Henri　Cazot！　　eh；　Dick？'
and　he　burst　into　a　coarse　laugh。　　I　turned　to　Dick　for　further
information。　　He　had　already　produced　a　much…crumpled　paper　and　was
smoothing　it　out　upon　the　table。

〃'There's　the　article；'　he　said；　bringing　his　hand　down　emphatically
upon　it。　　'The　cuss　was　hard　up。　　Luck　had　gone　agin　him　and　he　had
lost　every　cent　he　had。　　Jem　Macey　was　a…dealin'　and　Cazot　didn't
seem　to　grasp　that　fact；　but　kept　bettin'　heavy。　　You　see；　young
feller；　ye　ain't　over　likely　to　win　at　cards　when　yer　playin'　agin
the　dealer。　　Cazot　didn't　know　this　and　I　wouldn't　tell　him；　for　he
was　rather　fly　with　the　cards　himself　when　he　wan't　watched　too
close。　　Well；　he　struck　me　for　a　loan；　said　his　little　girl　was
hungry　and　he　hadn't　a　cent　to　buy　bread。　　Gad；　but　he　looked　wild
though！　　I　always　thought　he　was　more'n　half　loony。　　Well；　as　I　had
helped　to　fleece　him　I　lent　him　a　hundred　and　took　this　here　note。
That's　the　last　I　ever　see　of　M。　Henri　Cazot；'　and　he　handed　the
paper　to　me。　　I　glanced　at　the　signature。　　It　was　the　same　hand　that
had　written　'Weltz'　and　'Rizzi'　upon　the　library　slips。　　There　was
that　unmistakable　z　and　the　peculiar　r　which　had　just　attracted　my
attention！　　It　required　considerable　effort　on　my　part　to　so　restrain
my　feelings　as　not　to　appear　especially　interested　in　what　I　had
learned。　　I　think；　however；　I　succeeded；　as　they　freely　answered　my
questions　regarding　Cazot　and　the　daughter　of　whom　he　had　spoken。
They　knew　nothing　further；　they　said；　than　what　they　had　told　me。

〃'It　was　a　year　ago　come　next　month　that　I　lent　him　the　money；'　my
informant　continued。　　He　pocketed　it；　hurried　out；　and　that　is　the
last　I　have　ever　seen　or　heard　of　him。　　　Shouldn't　wonder　if　he'd
blown　his　brains　out　long　ago。　　He　used　to　have　a　mighty　desperate
look　at　times。　　He　was　one　of　them　Monte　Carlo　fellers；　I　reckon。'

〃That's　all　I　have　been　able　to　learn　thus　far。　　It　isn't　very　much；
but　it　shows　we　are　on　the　right　track。　　By　the　way；　Doc；　I'm　going
to　change　that　ad　to…morrow；　offering　treatment　by　letter。　　Perhaps
our　man　is　too　shy　to　apply　in　person。　　At　all　events　we'll　give　the
other　method　a　trial。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III


　　When　we　least　expect　it　the　Ideal　meets　us　in　the　street　of　the
　　Commonplace　and　locks　arms　with　us。　　Nevermore　shall　we　choose
　　our　paths　uninfluenced。　　A　new　leaven　has　entered　our　personality
　　to　dominate　and　direct　it。

The　new　advertisement　duly　appeared　and　on　the　next　day；　which　was
Wednesday　…　I　remember　it　because　it　was　my　hospital　day　…　I　received
several　written　answers；　and　among　them；　one　in　which　I　felt　confident
I　recognised　the　peculiar　z*'s　and　r*'s　of　Weltz　and　Rizzi。

I　took　it　at　once　to　Maitland。　　He　glanced　at　it　a　moment　and　then
impulsively　grasped　my　hand。　　〃By　Jove；　Doc！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃if　this
crafty　fox　doesn't　scent　the　hound；　we　shall　soon　run　him　to　earth。
You　see　he　has　given　no　address　and　signs　a　new　name。　　We　are　to　write
to　Carl　Cazenove；　General　Delivery；　Boston。　　Good！　　we　will　do　so　at
once；　and　I　will　then　arrange　with　the　postal　authorities　to　notify
me　when　they　deliver　the　letter。　　Of　course　this　will　necessitate　a
continuous　watch；　perhaps　for　several　days；　of　the　general　delivery
window。　　It　is　hardly　likely　our　crafty　friend　will　himself　call　for
the　letter；　so　it　will　be　imperative　that　someone　be　constantly　on
hand　to　shadow　whomsoever　he　may　send　as　a