the darrow enigma-第32章

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believed　he　would　have　given　his　own　life　…　or　anyone　else's　for
that　matter　…　to　possess　her；　and　I　decided　to　speak　a　word　of
warning　to　George。　　After　a　short；　whispered　consultation　with
Jenkins　and　the　prosecuting　attorney；　Maitland　turned　to　the　prisoner
and　said：

〃That　will　do。　　M。　Latour　may　leave　the　stand。〃

It　seemed　to　the　spectators　that　the　affair　was　now　entirely　cleared
up；　and　they　accordingly　settled　themselves　comfortably　for　the
formal　denouement。　　They　were；　therefore；　much　taken　aback　when
Maitland　continued；　addressing　the　jury：

〃The　evidence　against　the　prisoner　would　indeed　seem　overwhelming；
even　had　we　not　his　confession。　　Apart　from　this　confession　we　have
no　incriminating　evidence　save　such　as　has　been　furnished　by　the
government's　chief　witness；　M。　Godin。　　As　it　is　through　this
gentleman's　efforts　that　Latour　was　brought　within　reach　of　justice；
it　is　but　natural　that　much　should　be　clear　to　him　which　may　be
puzzling　to　those　who　have　not　made　so　close　a　study　of　the　case。
I　think　he　will　enlighten　us　upon　a　few　points。　　M。　Godin　will
please　take　the　stand。〃

At　this　there　was　much　whispering　in　the　courtroom。。　　Maitland's
course　seemed　decidedly　anomalous。　　Everyone　wondered　why　he　should
be　at　such　pains　to　prove　that　which　had　been　already　admitted　and
which；　moreover；　since　he　was　representing　Latour；　it　would　seem　he
would　most　naturally　wish　to　disprove。　　M。　Godin；　however；　took　the
stand　and　Maitland　proceeded　to　examine　him　in　a　way　which　only
added　amazement　to　wonder。

Q。　How　long　have　you　been　at　work　on　this　case？

A。　Ever　since　the　murder。

Q。　When　did　you　first　visit　M。　Latour's　rooms？

A。　Do　you　mean　to　enter　them？

Q。　Yes。

A。　I　did　not　enter　his　rooms　until　the　day　he　was　arrested。　　I　went
to　other　rooms　of　the　same　tenement…house　on　previous　occasions。

Q。　Have　you　reason　to　believe　M。　Latour　ever　saw　you　prior　to　the
day　of　his　arrest？

A。　No。　　I　am　sure　he　did　not。　　I　was　especially　careful　to　keep　out
of　his　way。

Q。　You　are　certain　that　on　the　several　occasions　when　you　say　you
entered　his　rooms　you　were　not　observed　by　him　while　there？

A。　I　did　not　say　I　entered　his　rooms　on　several　occasions。

Q。　What　did　you　say？

A。　I　said　I　never　was　in　his　rooms　but　once；　and　that　was　upon　the
day　of　his　arrest。

Q。　I　understand。　　Were　you　not　assisted　in　your　search　for　Mr。
Darrow's　murderer　by　certain　library　books　which　you　discovered　M。
Latour　had　been　reading？

A。　I　…　I　don't　quite　understand。

Q。　M。　Latour　obtained　some　books　from　the　Public　Library　for　hall
use；　giving　his　name　as　…　as　…=20

A。　Weltz。　　Yes；　they　did　assist　me。　　There　were　some　also　taken　under
the　name　of　Rizzi。

Q。　　Exactly。　　Those　are　the　names；　I　think。　　How　was　your　attention
called　to　these　books？

A。　I　met　Latour　at　the　library　by　accident；　and　he　at　once　struck　me
as　a　man　anxious　to　avoid　observation。　　This　made　it　my　business　to
watch　him。　　I　saw　that　he　signed　his　name　as　〃Weltz〃　on　the　slips。
The　next　day　I　saw　him　there　again；　and　this　time　he　signed　the
slips　〃Rizzi。〃　　This　was　long　before　the　murder；　and　I　was　not　at
work　upon　any　case　into　which　I　could　fit　this　〃Weltz〃　or　〃Rizzi。〃
I　was　convinced　in　my　own　mind；　however；　that　he　was　guilty　of　some
crime；　and　so　put　him　down　in　my　memory　for　future　reference。　　During
my　work　upon　this　present　case　this　incident　recurred　to　me；　and　I
followed　up　the　suggestion　as　one　which　might　possibly　throw　some
light　upon　the　subject。

Q。　Did　you　peruse　the　books　M。　Latour　borrowed　under　the　names　of
Weltz　and　Rizzi？

A。　I　did　not。

Q。　Did　you　not　look　at　any　of　them？

A。　No。　　It　did　not　occur　to　me　to　examine　their　names。

Q。　You　probably　noticed　that　there　were　several　of　them。　　　Among　the
pile　was　one　by　Alexander　Wynter　Blyth　entitled；　〃Poisons；　Their
Effects　and　Detection。〃　　Did　you　notice　that？

A。　No。　　I　did　not　notice　any　of　them。

Q。　But　after　you　became　suspicious　of　M。　Latour；　did　you　not　then
look　up　the　slips；　find　this　work；　and　read　it？

A。　No。　　I　have　never　seen　the　book　in　my　life　and　did　not　even　know
such　a　work　existed。

Q。　Oh！　　Then　the　perusal　of　the　books　had　no　part　in　the　tracking　of
M。　Latour。

A。　None　whatever。

Q。　Do　you　ever　play　cards？

A。　Yes；　sometimes；　to　pass　the　time。

Q。　Do　you　play　for　money？

A。　Sometimes　for　a　small　stake　…　just　enough　to　make　it　interesting。

Q。　Are　you　familiar　with　the　house　in　which　Mr。　Darrow　was　murdered？

A。　I　have　only　such　knowledge　of　it　as　I　acquired　at　the　examination
immediately　after　the　murder。　　You　will　remember　I　entered　but　the
one　room。

Q。　And　the　grounds　about　the　house？　　Surely　you　examined　them？

A。　On　the　contrary；　I　did　not。

Q。　Did　you　not　even　examine　the　eastern　side　of　the　house？

A。　I　did　not。　　I　have　never　been　within　the　gate　save　on　the　night　in
question；　and　then　only　to　traverse　the　front　walk　to　and　from　the
house　in　company　with　Messieurs　Osborne　and　Allen。　　I　was　convinced
that　the　solution　of　the　problem　was　to　be　found　within　the　room　in
which　the　murder　was　committed；　and　that　my　notes　taken　the　night
of　the　tragedy　contained　all　the　data　I　could　hope　to　get。

Q。　Was　not　this　rather　a　singular　assumption？

A。　For　many　doubtless　it　would　be；　but　I　have　my　own　methods；　and　I
think　I　may　say　they　have　been　measurably　successful　in　most　cases。
＇This　last　was　said　with　a　good…natured　smile　and　a　modest　dignity
that　completely　won　the　audience。＇

At　this　point　Maitland　dismissed　M。　Godin　and　the　court　adjourned
for　the　day。　　That　night　M。　Godin　made　his　first　call　upon　Gwen。
Their　interview　was　private；　and　Gwen　had　nothing　to　say　about　it
further　than　that　her　caller　had　not　hesitated　to　inform　her　that
he　was　aware　a　reward　had　been　offered　and　that　he　considered　he
had　earned　it。　　Maitland　questioned　her　as　to　what　he　had　claimed
as　his　due；　but　Gwen；　with　her　face　alternately　flushed　and　ashen；
begged　to　be　permitted　to　keep　silence。

This　attitude　was；　of　course；　not　without　its　significance　to
Maitland；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　M。　Godin's　visit　had　much
displeased　him。　　　But　he　was　not　the　only　one　who　was　displeased
that　night。　　I　regret　that　my　promise　of　utter　candour　compels　me
to　bear　witness　to　my　own　foolishness；　for　when　Maitland　found　it
necessary　to　take　Jeannette　into　the　back　parlour　and　to　remain
there　alone　with　her　in　earnest　conversation　one　hour　and　twelve
minutes　…　I　happened　to　notice　the　exact　time　…　it　seemed　to　me　he
was　getting　unpleasantly　confidential；　and　it　nettled　me。　　You　may
fancy　that　I　was　jealous；　but　it　was；　most　likely；　only　pique；　or；
at　the　worst；　envy。　　I　was　provoked　at　the　nonchalant　ease　with
which　this　fellow　did　offhand　a　thing　I　had　been　trying　to　work
myself　up　to　for　several　days；　and　had　finally　abandoned　from　sheer
lack　of　courage。　　Why　couldn't　I　carelessly　say　to　her；　〃Miss
Jeannette；　a　word　with　you　if　you　please；〃　and　then　take　her　into
the　parlour　and　talk　a　〃whole　history。〃　　Oh；　it　was　envy；　that's
what　it　was！　　And　then　the　change　in　Jeannette！　　If　he　had　not　been
making　love　to　her　…　well；　I　have　often　wondered　since　if　it　were
all　envy；　after　all

The　next　morning　M。　Latour's　trial　was　resumed；　and　Maitland　again
put　M。　Godin　upon　the　stand。　　The　object　of　this　did　not　appear　at
the　time；　though　I　think　the　Judge　fully　understood　it。　　Maitland's
first　act　was　to　show　the　Judge　and　Jury　a　glass　negative　and　a
letter；　which　he　asked　them　to　examine　carefully　as　he　held　the
articles　before　them。　　　He　then　passed　the　negative　to　M。　Godin；
saying：

〃Please　take　this　by　the　lower　corner；　between　your　thumb　and
forefinger；　so　that　you　may　be　sure　not　to　touch　the　sight　of　the
picture；　hold　it　to　the　light；　and　tell　me　if　you　recognise　the
face。〃　　M。　Godin　did　as　directed　and　replied　without　hesitancy：　〃It
is　a　picture　of　M。　Latour。〃　　〃Good；〃　rejoined　Maitland；　taking　back
the　negative　and　passing　him　the　letter；　〃now　tell　me　if　you
recognise　that　signature。〃　　M。　Godin　looked　sharply　at　the　letter；
holding　it　open　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　each　hand；　and
read　the　signature；　〃'Carl　Cazenove。'　I　should　say　that　was　M。
Latour's　hand。〃

〃Good　again；〃　replied　Maitland；　reaching　for　the　paper　and　appearing
somewhat　disconcerted　as　he　glanced　at　it。　　〃You　have　smutched　the
signature；　…　however；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　and　he　exhibited　the　paper
to　the　Judge　and　Jury。　　〃The　negative　must　have　been　oily　…　yes；
that's　where　it　came　from；〃　and　he　quietly　examined　it　with　a
magnifying　glass；　to　the　wonderment　of　us　all。　　〃That　is　all；　M。
Godin；　thank　you。〃

As　the　celebrated　detective　left　the　stand　we　were　all　doing　our　best
to　fathom　what　possible　bearing　all　this　could　have　upon　Latour's
confession。　　M。　Godin　for　once　seemed　equally　at　a　loss　to　comprehend
the　trend　of　affairs；　if　I　may　judge　by　the　deep　furrows　which
gathered　between　his　eyes。

Maitland　then　proceeded　to　address　the　Court　and　to　sum　up　his　case；
the　gist　of　which　I　shall　give　you　as　nearly　as　possible　in　his　own
words；　omitting　only　such　portions　as　were　purely　formal；
uninteresting；　or　unnecessarily　verbose。

〃Your　Honour　and　Gentlemen　of　the　Jury：　John　Darrow　was　murdered　and
the　prisoner；　M。　Gustave　Latour；　has　confessed　that　he　did　the　deed。
When　a　man　denies　the　commission　of　a　crime　we　do　not　feel　bound　to
consider　his　testimony　of　any　particular　value；　but　when；　on　the
other　hand；　a　prisoner　accused　of　so　heinous　a　crime　as　murder
responds　to　the　indictment；　'I　am　guilty；'　we　instinctively　feel
impelled　to　believe　his　testimony。　　Why　is　this？　　Why　do　we　doubt
his　word　when　he　asserts　his　innocence　and　accept　it　when　he
acknowledges　his　guilt？　　I　will　tell　you。　　It　is　all　a　question　of
motive。　　Could　we　see　as　cogent　a　motive　for　asseverating　his　guilt
as　we　find　for　his　insisting　upon　his　innocence；　we　should　lend　as
much　credence　to　the　one　as　to　the　other。　　I　propose　to　show　that　M。
Latour　has　what　seems　to　him　the　strongest　of　motives　for　confessing
to　the　murder　of　John　Darrow。　　If　I　am　able　to　do　this　to　your
satisfaction；　I　shall　practically　have　thrown　M。　Latour's　entire
testimony　out　of　court；　and　nothing　of　importance　will　then　remain
but　the　evidence　of　the　government's　witness；　M。　Godin。〃

A　great　wave　of　excitement　swept　over　the　room　at　these　remarks。
〃What！〃　each　said　to　himself；　〃is　it　possible　that　this　lawyer　will
try　to　prove　that　Latour；　despite　his　circumstantial　confession；
did　not　commit　the　murder　after　all？〃　　We　did　not　dare　let　such　a
thought　take　hold　of　us；　yet　could　not　see　what　else　could　explain
Maitland's　remarks。　　Is　it　any　wonder；　therefore；　that　we　all　waited
breathlessly　for　him　to　continue？　　M。　Godin's　face　was　dark　and
lowering。　　It　was　evident　he　did　not　propose　to　have　his　skill　as　a
detective；　…　and　with　it　the　Darrow　reward；　…　set　aside　without　a
struggle　…　at　least　so　it　seemed　to　me。　　The　room　was　as　quiet　as
the　grave　when　Maitland　continued。

〃I　shall　show　you　that　M。　Godin's　testimony　is　utterly　unreliable；
and；　moreover；　that　it　is　intentionally　so。〃

This　was　a　direct　accusation；　and　at　it　M。　Godin's　face　became　of
ashen　pallor。　　I　felt　that　he　was　striving　to　control　hi