the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第20章
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Q。 You knew Ragobah's wife？
A。 She was my cousin； Sahib。
Q。 Were your relations friendly？
A。 They were more than friendly。 I loved her dearly； and would have
tried to win her had I not been so much her senior。
Q。 Did she live happily with Ragobah？
A。 No； Sahib。
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Q。 Why？
A。 I cannot answer。 I have sworn to reveal the last experiences of my
cousin to but one person。
Q。 And that person is。？
A。 I must decline to answer that also； Sahib。
Q。 If I succeed in naming him will you acknowledge it？
A。 You will not succeed； Sahib。
Q。 But if I should？
A。 I will acknowledge it。
Q。 The person is John Hinton Darrow。
The old man started as if he had been stabbed； and looked at me in
amazement。 He seemed at first to think I had read his thoughts and
riveted his dark eyes upon me as if； by way of return； he would read my
very soul。 I think he did so； for his scrutiny seemed to satisfy him。 He
replied； somewhat reassured： 〃I can speak only to John Hinton Darrow。〃
〃John Darrow is dead；〃 I said。
〃Dead！〃 he exclaimed； springing to his feet； 〃Darrow Sahib dead！〃 and
he fell back into his chair； covering his face with his hands。 〃Ah； my
poor Lona！〃 he muttered feebly； 〃I have failed to keep my promise。 Do not
reproach me； for I have done my best。 For twenty years have I searched
in vain for this man that I might fulfil your last request； and the very first
information I receive is the news of his death。 I have been no less
vigilant than Ragobah； yet I have failed； even as he has failed。〃
I took this opportunity to again question him。
Q。 Are you sure Ragobah failed？
A。 Yes； had he found Darrow Sahib he would have killed him。 His
mission was one of revenge； mine one of love and justice； both have failed
utterly since their object is dead。 My pledge is broken！
Q。 In its letter； yes； but the chance is still left you to keep the spirit of
your covenant。
A。 I do not understand you； Sahib。
Q。 I will explain。 Lona Ragobah confided to you certain facts in
explanation of her conduct toward John Darrow。 She loved him
passionately； and it was her desire to stand acquitted in his sight。 Were she
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alive now； any wish he had expressed during his life would be fulfilled by
her as a sacred and pleasurable duty。 This； then； as one who lovingly
performs her will； should be your attitude also。 John Darrow was the
only man she ever loved； and； were she living； every drop of her loyal
blood would rise against anyone who had done him injury。 Do I not
speak the truth？
A。 Yes； she was loyal unto death and so shall I be。 My hand has ever
been against all who have done her harm； Ragobah knows that full well。
Q。 Were she alive； you certainly would aid her in bringing to justice
one who has done her the most cruel of wrongs and； at the same time；
fulfilling the dying request of the man who to her was more than life。
A。 I should do her bidding； Sahib。
Q。 How much more need； then； now that the poor woman is dead； that
you should act for her as she would； were she here。
A。 You have not told me all； speak your mind freely； Sahib。 You may
depend upon my doing whatever I believe Lona would do were she here。
Q。 I ask nothing more； and am now prepared to fully confide in you。
As you doubtless know； Rama Ragobah left Bombay for New York about
eleven weeks ago。 He went； I have been told； on an errand of revenge。
Six weeks ago John Darrow was murdered。 He left behind him a written
statement describing his wooing of Lona Scindia and his experiences with
Rama Ragobah。 He asserted； furthermore； his belief that he would die by
Ragobah's hand； … the hand which twice before had attempted his life。
Even as he loved your cousin； so he hated her husband； and； confident that
he would ultimately be killed by him； he was haunted by the fear that he
would escape the just penalty for his crime。 He bound his heir by the
most solemn of promises to use； in the event of his murder； every possible
means to bring the assassin to justice。 There can； of course； be little
doubt that the assassin and Rama Ragobah are one and the same person。
The last request John Darrow ever made … it was after he had been
attacked by the assassin … had for its object the punishment of his murderer。
Were your cousin living； do you think she would be deaf to that entreaty？
A。 No。 She would make its fulfilment the one object of her life； and；
acting in her stead； I shall do all in my power to see justice done。 If I can
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render you any aid in that direction you may command me； Sahib。
Q。 You can assist me by telling me all you know of your cousin's
married life； and； more especially； the message she confided to you。
A。 In doing this I shall break the letter of my oath； but； were I not to do
it； I should break the spirit thereof； therefore listen：
You have； I suppose； already learned from the statement of Darrow
Sahib what occurred at his last meeting with my cousin on Malabar Hill。
Her act； in throwing a venomous serpent in his face； was one which
doubtless led him to believe she wished to kill him； although it must have
puzzled him to assign any reason for such a desire。 Not long after this
incident my cousin married Ragobah； a man for whom she had always
cherished an ill…concealed hatred。 I saw but little of her at this time； yet；
for all that； I could not but observe that she was greatly changed。 But
one solution suggested itself to me； and that was that she had discovered
her lover false to her and had； out of spite as it is called； hastily married
Ragobah。 I confess that when this conclusion forced itself home upon
me； I felt much dissatisfied with Lona； for I thought such a course
unworthy of her。 As I saw more of her I noted still greater changes in her
character。 As I had known her from childhood； she had been most
uniform in her temper and her conduct； now all this was changed。 To…
day； perhaps； she would be like her old self； …=20 only weaker and more
fragile； … to…morrow a new being entirely； stronger and more restless； with
a demoniac light in her eyes； and a sort of feverish malignancy dominating
her whole personality。 When I noticed this I studied to avoid her。 If the
Lona I had known were merely an ideal of which no actual prototype
existed； I wished to be allowed to cherish that ideal rather than to have it
cruelly shattered to make room for the real Lona。 I had not seen her for
many weeks when one day； to my surprise； I received a note from her。 It
was short； and so impressed me that I can remember every word of it。
〃My DEAR COUSIN：
〃I send this note to you by Kandia that you may get it before it is too
late for you to do what I wish。 I am a caged bird in my husband's house。
My every movement is watched； and they would not let you come to me
were my husband at home； so； I beseech you； come at once lest he should
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return before I have had time to intrust to you my last request。 I am
dying； Moro； and it is within your power to say whether my spirit shall
rest in peace； or be torn forever and ever by the fangs of a horrible regret。
My secret is as lead upon my soul and to you only can I tell it。 Come …
come at once！
〃LONA。〃
You can imagine the effect of this revelation upon me better than I can
describe it。 I did not even know she was seriously ill； and with her
urgent request for an interview came the sad tidings that she was dying；
and the confirmation of my fear … that she had adopted the religion of her
English lover。 I lost no time in going to her。 I found her in a state of
feverish expectation； fearful lest I should either not be able to come at all；
or her husband would return before my arrival。 She was worn to a
shadow of her former self； and I realised with a pang that she was indeed
dying。
〃I knew I could depend upon you； Moro；〃 she said as I entered； 〃even
though you think I have lost all claim upon your regard。 I said to myself；
'He will come because of the respect he once had for me；' and I was right。
Yes；〃 she continued； noticing my astonishment at the change in her
condition； 〃I am almost gone。 I should not have lasted so long； were it
not that I could not die till I had spoken。 Now I shall be free to go； and the
horrible struggle will be over。 You have been much among the English；
Moro； both here and in England； and know they believe they will meet
again in heaven those they have loved on earth。〃
She sank back exhausted from excitement and effort； as she said this；
and I feared for a moment she would be unable to proceed。 I told her
what I knew about the Christian's hope of heaven； and suggested to her
that； as her husband might return at any moment； she had best confide to
me at once any trust with which she wished to charge me。 For a moment
she made no reply； but said at length：
〃Yes； you are right。 It is not a very long story； and I suppose I had
better begin at the beginning。 You remember well my being rescued by
an English gentleman； a Mr。 J
