the darrow enigma-第35章

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for　air　and　the　thrusting　through　of　such　scraps　of　food　as　were　to
be　allowed　me。　　Language　is　powerless　to　describe　the　feelings　of　a
man　in　such　a　position。　　He　realises　that　his　only　hope　is　in　disease
…　disease　bred　of　the　darkness；　the　dampness；　the　starvation；　and
the　horrible　filth。　　He　says　to　himself：　'How　long；　0　God！　　how
long？'　…　For　hours　I　remained　prone　and　inert　…　how　long　I　do　not
know；　night　and　day　are　all　one　in　the　dungeons　of　Ceuta。　　Then　I
began　to　think。　　Could　I　escape？　　I　felt　that　all　power　of　thought；
all　cleverness　would　soon　desert　me；　and　I　said　to　myself：　'If
anything　is　to　be　done；　it　must　be　done　at　once。'　　I　knew　not　then
what　long…drawn　horrors　a　mortal　could　endure。　　Whenever　I　attempted
to　walk　the　iron　mass　fastened　to　my　leg　would　'bring　me　up　short；'
often；　in　my　early　forgetfulness　of　it；　throwing　me　prone　upon　my
face。　　After　a　little　I　learned　to　move　with　a　halting　gait；
striding　out　with　the　free　limb　and　pausing　to　pull　my　burden　after
me　with　the　other。　　This　habit；　learned　in　the　squalor　and　darkness
of　the　dungeon　hells　of　Ceuta；　I　have　never　been　able　to　unlearn。

〃It　was　many　days　before　I　could　see　how　anything　short　of　a　miracle
could　enable　me　to　escape。　　I　tried　to　calmly　reason　it　all　out；　and
every　time　came　to　the　same　horrible　conclusion；　viz。：　I　must　rot
there　unless　help　came　to　me　from　without。　　This　seemed　impossible；
and　all　the　horrors　of　a　lingering　death　stared　me　in　the　face。
Every　two　or　three　days　one　of　the　jailers　would　come　to　the　slit
in　the　masonry　and　leave　there　a　dish　of　water　and　a　few　crusts　of
bread。　　I　tried　on　one　occasion　to　speak　with　him；　but　he　only
laughed　in　my　face　and　turned　away。　　Finally　I　hit　upon　a　plan　which
seemed　to　offer　the　only　possible　means　of　escape。　　In　my　college
days　I　was　well　acquainted　with　M。　Charcot；　and　even　assisted　in
some　of　his　earlier　hypnotic　experiments。　　The　subject　interested
me；　and　I　followed　it　closely　till　I　became　something　of　an　adept
myself。　　There　were　in　those　days　but　few　people　I　could　not
mesmerise；　provided　sufficient　opportunity　were　allowed　me　for
hypnotic　suggestion。　　I　determined　to　see　if　any　of　this　old　power
still　remained　with　me；　and；　if　so；　to　strive　to　render　my　jailer
subservient　to　my　will。　　But　how　should　I　keep　him　within　ear…shot
long　enough　to　work　upon　him？　　Clearly　all　appeals　to　pity　were
useless。　　I　must　excite　his　greed；　nothing　else　would　reach　him。
This　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　do　without　a　sou　in　my　possession；
yet　I　did　it。　　When　I　heard　his　step　I　crawled　to　the　opening　in
the　wall　and　mumbled　in　a　crazy　sort　of　a　way　about　a　hidden
treasure。　　At　the　word　'treasure'　I　saw　him　pause　and　listen；　but
I　pretended　not　to　be　aware　of　his　presence　and　rambled　on；　in　a
loose；　disjointed　fashion；　about　piracies　committed　by　me　and　the
great　amount　of　booty　I　had　secreted。　　My　plan　worked　perfectly。
The　jailer　came　to　the　aperture　in　the　wall　and　called　me　to　him。
Muttering　incoherently；　I　obeyed。　　He　asked　me　what　offence　brought
me　there；　and　I；　with　a　good　deal　of　intentional　misunderstanding；
told　him　I　was　a　pirate　and　a　smuggler。　　He　asked　me　where　the
treasure　I　had　been　talking　about　was　hidden。　　My　reply；　…　I
remember　the　exact　words　in　which　I　couched　it；　…　made　him　mine
completely。　　I　said：　'We　buried　it　near　Fez　…　　Treasure？　　I　don't
know　anything　about　any　treasure。'

〃To　all　the　many　questions　he　then　asked　me　I　returned　only
incoherent　replies；　but　I　was　careful　to　be　again　raving　about
buried　riches　upon　the　next　visit。　　In　this　way　I　kept　him　by　me
long　enough　to　influence　him；　and　in　less　than　a　month　he　was
completely　subject　to　my　will。　　I　tested　my　power　over　him　in　divers
ways。　　Any　delicacy　I　wished　I　compelled　him　to　bring　me。　　In　this
way　I　was　enabled　to　regain　a　portion　of　my　lost　strength。　　When　I
concluded　the　time　had　come　for　me　to　make　good　my　escape；　I　caused
him　to　come　to　my　cell　at　midnight　and　remove　the　bricks　from　the
slit　while　I　put　on　the　disguise　he　had　brought　me。　　Once　out　of　my
stone　tomb　we　carefully　walled　it　up　again　and　then　departed　to　find
my　imaginary　hidden　treasure。　　We　made　our　way　without　trouble　to
Algiers；　for　my　companion　had　money；　and　sailed　thence　via　Gibraltar
for　England。　　During　the　trip　my　companion　jumped　overboard　and　was
drowned　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。　　Thus　I　was　completely　freed　from　Ceuta
and　its　terrible　pest…hole。

〃From　England　I　sailed　to　New　York；　reaching　America　penniless　and
in　ill　health。　　Things　not　going　to　my　liking　in　New　York；　I　came
to　Boston　and　took　up　my　old　callings　of　gambler　and　detective。　　It
was　at　this　time　that　I　saw　John　Darrow's　curious　notice　in　the
newspaper；　offering；　in　the　event　of　his　murder；　a　most　liberal
reward　to　anyone　who　would　bring　the　assassin　to　justice。

〃Mon　Dieu！　　How　I　needed　money。　　I　would　have　bartered　my　soul　for
a　tithe　of　that　amount。　　It　was　the　old；　old　story；　only　new　in　Eden。
Ah！　　but　how　I　loved　her！　　She　must　have　money；　money；　always　money！
That　was　ever　her　cry。　　When　I　could　not　supply　it　she　sought　it　of
others；　and　this　drove　me　mad。　　If；　I　said　to　myself；　I　could　only
get　this　reward！　　This　was　something　really　worth　working　for；　and　if
I　could　but　get　it；　she　should　be　mine　only。　　I　at　once　set　to　work
upon　the　problem。

〃It　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　solve。　　I　might　be　able　to　hire　a　man
to　do　the　deed　for　me；　but　he　would　hardly　be　willing　to　hang　for
it　without　disclosing　my　part　in　the　transaction。　　It　was　at　this
time　that　I　first　met　M。　Latour　on　Decatur　Street。　　He　at　once
impressed　me　as　being　just　the　man　I　wanted；　and　I　began　to　gradually
subdue　his　will。　　In　this　circumstances　greatly　aided　me。　　When　I
found　him　he　was　in　very　poor　health　and　without　any　means　of
sustenance。　　His　daughter　was　able　to　earn　a　little；　but　not　nearly
enough　to　keep　the　wolf　from　the　door。　　Add　to　this　that　he　had　a
cancer；　which　several　physicians　had　assured　him　would　prove　fatal
within　a　year；　that　he　was　afflicted　with　an　almost　insane　fear　that
his　daughter　would　come　to　want　after　his　death；　and　you　have　before
you　the　conditions　which　determined　my　course。　　My　first　thought
was　to　influence　him　to　do　the　deed　himself；　but；　recalling　the
researches　of　M。　Charcot　in　these　matters；　I　came　to　the　conclusion
that　such　a　course　would　be　almost　certain　to　lead　to　detection；
since　a　hypnotic　subject　can　only　be　depended　upon　so　long　as　the
conditions　under　which　he　acts　are　precisely　those　which　have　been
suggested　to　him。　　Any　unforeseen　variations　in　these　conditions
and　he　fails　to　act；　exposes　everything；　and　the　whole　carefully
planned　structure　falls　to　the　ground。　　When；　therefore；　the　time
came　which　I　had　set　for　the　deed；　I　found　it　possible　to　drug　M。
Latour；　abduct　him　from　his　home；　and　to　keep　him　confined　and
unconscious　until　I　had　killed　Mr。　Darrow　in　a　manner　I　will　describe
in　due　course。　　As　soon　as　I　had　committed　the　murder　and　established
what　I　fondly　believed　would　be　a　perfect　alibi　in　my　attendance　at
the　examination；　I　secretly　conveyed　the　still　unconscious　M。　Latour
to　his　rooms　and　awaited　his　return　to　consciousness。　　I　then　asked
him　how　he　came　in　such　a　state　and　what　he　was　doing　in　Dorchester。
He　was；　of　course；　ignorant　of　everything。　　Little　by　little　I
worked　upon　him　till　he　came　to　believe　himself　guilty　of　John
Darrow's　murder。

〃I　had　availed　myself　of　his　interest　in　the　subject　of　cancer　to
get　him　to　the　library。　　It　is　one　of　my　maxims　never　to　take　an
avoidable　risk；　for　which　reason　I　made　Latour　apply　for　the　books
I　wanted；　as　well　as　for　the　medical　works　he　desired　to　peruse。
As　he　was　ambidextrous；　I　suggested　the　use　of　the　two　names　Weltz
and　Rizzi；　the　former　to　be　written　with　his　right　and　the　latter
with　his　left　hand。　　I　was　actuated　in　all　this　by　two　motives。
First；　I　was　manufacturing　evidence　which　might　stand　me　in　good
stead　later；　as　well　as　minimising　somewhat　my　own　risk　in　getting
the　information　I　needed；　and；　secondly；　I　was　getting　Latour　into
a　good　atmosphere　for　my　hypnotic　influence。　　Not　a　word　of　all
these　matters　did　he　relate　to　his　daughter；　whom　he　loves　with　a
devotion　I　have　never　seen　equalled。　　Indeed；　it　was　this　very
affection　that　made　my　plan　feasible。　　When　I　had　convinced　him　he
was　a　murderer　I　showed　him　Mr。　Darrow's　curious　advertisement
offering　a　reward；　should　he　be　assassinated；　to　anyone　bringing
about　the　conviction　of　his　assailant。

〃'In　a　year；'　I　said　to　him；　'you　will　die　of　cancer；　if　your　crime
be　not　previously　discovered　and　punished。　　Your　daughter　will　then
be　penniless。　　How　much　better　for　you　to　permit　me　in　a　few　months
to　accuse　you　of　the　murder。　　You　then　confess；　I　claim　and　secure
the　reward　and　secretly　divide　with　you；　you　are　sentenced；　but　as
considerable　time　will　transpire　between　this　and　the　date　set　for
your　execution；　you　in　the　meantime　will　die　of　cancer；　leaving
Jeannette　well　provided　for。'

〃I　think　my　influence　over　him　would　have　been　sufficient　to　have
compelled　him　to　all　this；　could　he　have　reasoned　out　no　benefit
accruing　to　himself　or　daughter　by　such　a　course；　but　with
circumstances　thus　in　my　favour　my　task　was　an　easy　one。　　The
public　knows　all　it　need　know　of　what　occurred　after　this。　　This
man；　Maitland；　was　in　the　next　room　to　Latour's；　overheard　our
conversation；　and　even　phonographed　our　words　and　photographed　our
positions。　　It　has　always　been　a　matter　of　pride　with　me　to
gracefully　acknowledge　that　three　aces　are　not　so　good　as　a　full
house；　therefore　I　confess　myself　beaten；　though　not　subdued。

〃I　consider　this　the　very　best　tribute　I　can　pay　to　the　genius　of
the　man　who　has　undone　me。　　I　take　my　punishment；　however；　into　my
own　hands。

〃In　my　haste　to　have　done　with　all　this　and　to　start　on　my　long　and
chartless　journey；　I　had　well…nigh　forgotten　to　tell　just　how　I
killed　Mr。　Darrow。　　No　hypodermic　syringe　had　anything　to　do　with
it。　　The　while　plan　came　to　me　while　reading　that　fatal　page　upon
which　I　left　my　telltale　thumb…signature　in　my　search　for　some
feasible　plan　of　making　away　with　my　victim。　　I　need　not　go　into
particulars；　for　I　know　perfectly　well　that　this　Maitland　knows　to
a　nicety　how　the　thing　was　done。　　The　Daboia　Russellii；　or　Russell's
viper；　is　one　of　the　best　known　and　most　deadly　of　Indian　vipers。
I　procured　one　of　these　reptiles　at　the　cost　of　great　delay　and　some
slight　risk。　　That　is　the　whole　story。　　On　the　night　of　the　murder
I　took　the　viper　in　a　box　and　went　down　to　the　water…front；　near　the
Darrow　estate。　　Here　I　cut　a　small　pole　from　a　clump　of　alders；　made
a　split　in　one　end　of　it；　and　thrust　it　over　the　tail　of　the　viper。
It　pinched　him　severely　and　held　him　fast　despite　his　angry　struggles
to　free　himself　and　to　attack　anything　within　his　reach。　　All　that
remained　to　be　done　was　to　thrust　this　through　the　window　into　the
darkened　room　and　to　bring　the　viper　within　reach　of　Mr。　Darrow。
This　I　did；　being　careful　to　crouch　so　as　not　to　obstruct　the　light
of　the　window。　　When　I　heard　my　victim's　outcry　I　withdrew　the　pole；
and　with　it；　of　course；　the　viper；　and　made　good　my　escape。　　That
the　reptile　bit　Mr。　Dar