the darrow enigma-第34章

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that　sufficient　time　elapsed　to　enable　M。　Godin；　by　great　skill
and　celerity；　to　make　away　with　the　evidences　of　his　guilt　in　time
to　enable　him　to　be　present　with　Messrs。　Osborne　and　Allen　at　the
examination。　　In　short；　we　shall　unravel　before　you　a　crime　which；
for　cleverness　of　conception　and　adroitness　of　execution；　has　never
been　equalled　in　the　history　of　this　community。〃

Maitland　having　thus　concluded　his　remarks　by　dropping　into　a
courteous　plural　in　deference　to　Mr。　Jenkins；　the　court　adjourned
until　Monday；　and　I　left　Gwen　in　Maitland's　charge　while　I　hurried
home；　fearful　lest　I　should　not　be　the　first　to　bring　to　Jeannette
the　glad　news　of　her　father's　innocence；　for　I　had　not　the　slightest
doubt　of　Maitland's　ability　to　prove　conclusively　all　he　had
undertaken。

I　need　not　describe　to　you　my　interview　with　Jeannette。　　There　are
things　concerning　it　which；　even　at　this　late　day；　when　their
roseate　hue　glows　but　dimly　in　the　blue　retrospect　of　the　past；　…　it
would　seem　sacrilege　for　me　to　mention　to　another。　　Believe　me；　I　am
perfectly　aware　of　your　inquisitive　nature；　and　I　know　that　this
omission　may　nettle　you。　　Charge　it　all　up；　then；　to　the　perversity
of　a　bachelor　in　the　throes　of　his　first；　last；　and　only　love
experience。　　You　must　see　that　such　things　cannot　be　conveyed　to
another　with　anything　like　their　real　significance。　　Were　I　to　say
I　was　carried　beyond　myself　by　her　protestations　of　gratitude　until；
in　a　delirium　of　joy；　I　seized　her　in　my　arms　and　covered　her　with
kisses；　do　you　for　a　moment　fancy　you　could　appreciate　my　feelings？
Do　you　imagine　that　the　little　tingle　of　sympathy　which　you　might
experience　were　I　to　say　that；　instead　of　pushing　me　from　her；　I
felt　her　clasp　tighten　about　me；　…　would　tell　you　anything　of　the
great　torrent　of　hot　blood　that　deluged　my　heart　as　she　lay　there
in　my　arms；　quivering　ecstatically　at　every　kiss？　　No！　　a　thousand
times　no！　　Therefore　have　I　thought　best　to　say　nothing　about　it。
Our　love　can　keep　its　own　secrets。　…　But　alas！　　this　was　long　ago；
and　as　I　sit　here　alone　writing　this　to　you；　I　cannot　but　wonder；
with　a　heavy　sense　of　ever…present　longing；　where　on　this　great
earth　Jeannette　…　'my　Jeannette；'　I　have　learned　to　call　her　…　is
now。　　You　see　a　bachelor's　love…affair　is　a　serious　thing；　and　years
cannot　always　efface　it。　　But　to　return　to　the　past：

Jeannette；　I　think；　was　not　more　pleased　than　Gwen　at　the　turn
affairs　had　taken。　　Indeed；　so　exuberant　was　Gwen　in　her　quiet　way
that　I　marvelled　much　at　the　change　in　her；　so　much；　indeed；　that
finally　I　determined　to　question　Alice　about　it。

〃I　can　understand；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃why　Gwen；　on　account　of　her
sympathy　and　love　for　Jeannette；　should　be　glad　that　M。　Latour　is
likely　to　be　acquitted。　　I　can　also　appreciate　the　distaste　she　may
have　felt　at　the　prospect　of　having　to　deal　with　M。　Godin　under　the
terms　of　her　father's　will；　but　even　both　of　these　considerations
seem　to　me　insufficient　to　account　for　her　present　almost　ecstatic
condition。　　There　is　an　immediateness　to　her　joy　which　could　hardly
result　from　mere　release　from　a　future　disagreeable　possibility。
How　do　you　account　for　it；　sis？〃　　Alice's　answer　was　somewhat
enigmatical　and　didn't　give　me　the　information　I　sought。　　〃Ned；〃
she　replied；〃　I'll　pay　for　the　tickets　to　the　first　circus　that
comes　here；　just　to　see　if　you　can　find　the　trunks　on　the　elephants。〃
Do　my　best；　I　couldn't　make　her　enlighten　me　any　further；　for；　to
every　question；　she　replied　with　a　most　provoking　laugh。

Maitland　called　and　spent　most　of　the　next　day；　which　was　Sunday；
with　us；　and　we　all　talked　matters　over。　　He　did　not　seem　either
to　share　or　understand　Gwen's　exuberance　of　spirits；　albeit　one
could　easily　observe　that　he　had　a　measure　of　that　satisfaction
which　always　comes　from　success。　　More　than　once　I　saw　him　glance
questioningly　at　Gwen　with　a　look　which　said　plainly　enough：　〃What
is　the　meaning　of　this　remarkable　change？　　Why　should　it　so　matter
to　her　whether　M。　Latour's　or　M。　Godin's　death　avenges　her　father's
murder？〃　　When　he　left　us　at　night　I　could　see　he　had　not　answered
that　question　to　his　own　satisfaction。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　　The　Devil　throws　double　sixes　when　he　turns　genius　heliward。

The　next　morning　after　the　events　last　narrated　I　was　utterly
dumfounded　by　an　article　which　met　my　gaze　the　instant　I　took　up
my　paper。　　It　was　several　moments　before　I　sufficiently　recovered
my　faculties　to　read　it　aloud　to　Gwen；　Alice；　and　Jeannette；　all
of　whom　had　noticed　my　excitement；　and　were　waiting　with　such
patience　as　they　could　command。　　I　read　the　following　article
through　from　beginning　to　end　without　pause　or　comment：


　　　M。　Godin　Anticipates　the　Law。　…　The　Real　Murderer　of　John　Darrow
　　　Writes　His　Confession　and　Then　Suicides　in　His　Cell。　…　Contrived
　　　to　Mix　His　Own　Poison　Under　the　Very　Nose　of　His　Jailer！　　…=20
　　　The　Dorchester　Mystery　Solved　at　Last。　…　Full　Description　of　the
　　　Life　of　One　of　the　Cleverest　Criminals　of　the　Century。

At　4。30　this　morning　M。　Godin　was　found　dead　in　his　cell；　No。　26；　at
Charles　Street　Jail。　　The　manner　of　his　death　might　still　be　a
mystery　had　he　not　left　a　written　confession　of　his　crime　and　the
summary　manner　of　his　taking　off。　　This　was　written　yesterday
afternoon　and　evening；　M。　Godin　being　permitted　to　have　a　light　on
the　ground　that　he　had　important　legal　documents　to　prepare　for　use
on　the　morrow。　　We　give　below　the　confession　in　full。

〃I　am　beaten　at　a　game　in　which　I　did　my　own　shuffling。　　I　never
believe　in　trying　to　bluff　a　full　hand。　　Had　I　had　but　ordinary
detectives　with　whom　to　deal；　I　make　bold　to　say　I　should　have　come
off　rich　and　triumphant。　　'I　had　no　means　of　knowing　that　I　was　to
play　with　a　chemist　who　would　use　against　me　the　latest　scientific
implements　of　criminal　warfare。　　It　is；　therefore；　to　the
extraordinary　means　used　for　my　detection　that　I　impute　my　defeat；
rather　than　to　any　bungling　of　my　own。　　This　is　a　grim　consolation；
but　it　is　still　a　consolation；　for　I　have　always　prided　myself　upon
being　an　artist　in　my　line。　　As　I　propose　to　put　myself　beyond　the
reach　of　further　cross…examination；　I　take　this　opportunity　to　make
a　last　statement　of　such　things　as　I　care　to　have　known。　　After　this
is　finished　I　shall　sup　on　acetate　of　lead　and　bid　good…night　to　the
expectant　public。

〃Lest　some　may　marvel　how　I　came　by　this　poison；　and　even　lay
suspicions　upon　my　jailers；　let　me　explain　that　there　is　a　small
piece　of　lead　water…pipe　crossing　the　west　angle　of　my　room。　　This
being　Sunday；　I　was　permitted　to　have　beans　and　brown　bread　for
breakfast。　　I　asked　for　a　little　vinegar　for　my　beans；　and　a　small
cruet　was　brought　to　me。　　I　had　no　difficulty　in　secreting　a
considerable　quantity　of　the　vinegar　in　order　that　I　might；　when
occasion　served；　apply　it　to　the　lead　pipe。　　This　I　have　done；　and
have　now　by　me　enough　acetate　of　lead　to　kill　a　dozen　men。　　This
form　of　death　will　not　be　particularly　pleasant；　I　am　aware；　but　I
prefer　it　to　its　only　alternative。　　So　much　for　that。

〃I　was　horn　in　Marseilles；　and　my　right　name　is　Jean　Fouchet。　　My
father　intended　me　for　the　priesthood；　and　gave　me　a　good　college
education　in　Paris。　　His　hopes；　however；　were　destined　to
disappointment。　　In　college　I　formed　the　habit　of　gambling；　and　a
year　after　my　graduation　found　me　at　Monte　Carlo。　　While　there　I
quarrelled　with　a　gambling　accomplice　and　ended　by　killing　him。
This　made　my　stay　in　France　dangerous　for　me；　and　I　took　the　first
opportunity　which　presented　itself　to　embark　for　America。

〃Familiarity　with　criminals　had　made　me　familiar　with　crime；　and　I
added　the　occupation　of　detective　to　my　profession　of　gambling。
These　two　avocations　had　now　become　my　sole　means　of　support；　and　I
plied　my　trades　in　New　York；　Boston；　and　Philadelphia　for　several
years；　during　which　time　I　became　a　naturalised　citizen　of　the
United　States。

〃When　the　Cuban　rebellion　broke　out　I　could　not　restrain　my　longing
for　adventure；　and　joined　a　filibustering　expedition　sailing　from
New　York。　　I　did　this　from　no　love　I　bore　the　Cuban　cause；　but　merely
for　the　excitement　it　promised。　　While　handling　a　heavy　shot　during
my　first　engagement　I　accidentally　dropped　it　upon　my　left　foot；
crushing　that　member　so　badly　that　it　has　never　regained　its　shape。
This　deformity　has　rendered　it　impossible　for　me　to　conceal　my
identity。　　Three　months　after　this　accident　I　was　taken　prisoner　by
the　Spanish　and　shipped　to　Spain　as　a　political　malefactor。　　A　farce
of　a　trial　was　granted　to　me；　not　to　see　whether　or　not　I　was　guilty；
but　simply　to　determine　between　the　dungeon　and　the　garrote。　　It
would　have　been　far　better　for　me　had　I　been　sentenced　to　the　latter
instead　of　the　former。

〃As　a　political　offender　I　was　doomed　to　imprisonment　at　Ceuta；　an
old　Moorish　seaport　town　in　Morocco；　opposite　Gibraltar　and　upon
the　side　of　the　ancient　mountain　Abyla。　　This　mountain　forms　one
of　the　'Pillars　of　Hercules；'　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar　being　the　other。
It　is　almost　impregnable；　and　is　used　by　Spain　as　Siberia　is　used
by　Russia；　only　it　is　far；　far　more　horrible。　　The　town　was　built
by　the　Moors　in　945；　and　nowhere　else　on　earth　are　there　to　be　found
an　equal　number　of　devices　for　the　torture　of　human　beings。　　If
anyone　thinks　the　horrors　of　the　Inquisition　are　no　longer
perpetrated　let　him　get　sent　to　Ceuta：　I　have　good　cause　to　believe
that　the　Inquisition　itself　is　far　from　dead　in　Spain。　　Alas　for　the
person　who　is　sent　to　Ceuta！　　The　town　is　small；　and；　to　guard
against　possible　attack；　the　Moors　constructed　a　chain　of　fortresses
around　it。　　It　is　in　the　black　cellars　of　these　disintegrating
fortresses　that　the　dungeons　are　located。　　They　are　in　tiers　to　the
depth　of　fifty　or　sixty　feet；　and　are　hewn　out　of　the　solid　rock。
They　are　reached　through　narrow　openings　in　the　stone　floors　of　the
fortresses；　and　when　one　of　these　horrible　holes　is　opened　the　foul
odor　of　filth　and　decomposition　is　utterly　overpowering。　　Some　of
these　dungeons　contain　as　many　as　thirty　or　forty　men。　　I　was　placed
in　a　cell　reserved　for　solitary　confinement。　　I　have　never　been　a
man　who　regarded　life　seriously；　or　feared　to　risk　it　upon　sufficient
occasion；　but　my　heart　froze　within　me　when　the　horror　of　my
situation　was　revealed　to　me。　　A　stone　box　perhaps　eight　feet　square
…　as　I　lay　upon　the　floor　I　could　touch　its　opposite　sides　with　my
hands　and　feet　…　had　been　prepared　for　my　entrance　by　cutting　a　slit
in　one　of　its　walls　just　large　enough　for　the　passage　of　my　body。
Through　this　narrow　opening　I　was　dropped　into　the　total　darkness
within。　　A　blacksmith　followed　and　welded　my　fetters；　for　locks　and
keys　are　never　used。　　A　chain　having　a　heavy　weight　pendant　from　it
was　riveted　to　my　ankle；　and　an　iron　band　was　similarly　fastened　to
my　waist。　　This　band　was　fastened　by　a　chain　to　an　iron　ring　deeply
sunk　in　the　solid　rock。　　When　these　horrible　preparations　were
completed　the　blacksmith　left　me　and　a　mason　bricked　up　the　slit
through　which　I　had　entered；　leaving　only　a　hand…breadth　of　space
for　air　and　the　thrusting　through　of　such　scraps　of　food　as　were　to
be　allowed