the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第25章
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it seems。〃 〃Yes；〃 I replied； 〃he will lose no time in getting here。 He
undoubtedly feels much chagrined at his failure and will now be more than
ever determined to see the affair through to a successful conclusion。 He
is in the position of a hound that has lost its scent； and is eager to return to
its point of departure for a fresh start。 I fancy it will be no easy task to
discover a new clue； and I shall watch Maitland's work in this direction
with a great deal of curiosity。〃 Gwen did not speak； but she listened to our
conversation with a nearer approach to a healthy interest than I had known
her to display on any other occasion since her father's death。 I regarded
this as a good omen。 Her condition； since that sad occurrence； had
worried me a good deal。 She seemed to have lost her hold on life and to
exist in a state of wearied listlessness。 Nothing seemed to impress her
and she would at times forget； in the midst of a sentence； what she had
intended to say when she began it！ Her elasticity was gone and every
effort a visible burden to her。 I knew the consciousness of her loss was
as a dull； heavy weight bearing her down； and I knew； too； that she could
not marshal her will to resist it； … that； in fact； she really didn't care； so
tired was she of it all。 Experience had taught me how the dull； heavy
ache of a great loss will press upon the consciousness with the regular；
persistent； relentless throb of a loaded wheel and eat out one's life with the
slow certainty of a cancer。 This I knew to have been Gwen's state since
her father's death； and all my attempts to bring about a healthful reaction
had hitherto been futile。 It is not to be wondered at； therefore； that even
the transient interest she had evinced was hailed by me with delight as the
beginning of that healthful reaction for which I had so long sought。
When a human bark in the full tide of life is suddenly dashed upon the
rocks of despair the wreckage is strewn far and wide； and it is with no
little difficulty that enough can be rescued to serve in the rebuilding of
even the smallest of craft。 The thought； therefore； that Gwen's
intellectual flotsam was beginning at length to swirl about a definite object
in a way to facilitate the rescue of her faculties was to me a decidedly
reassuring one； and I noted with pleasure that the state of excited
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expectancy which she had tried in vain to conceal did not wane； but waxed
stronger as the days went by。
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The Darrow Enigma
THE EPISODE OF THE
PARALLEL READERS
CHAPTER I
The events of the present are all strung upon the thread of the
past； and in telling over this chronological rosary； it not infrequently
happens that strange； unlike beads follow each other between our
questioning fingers。
It was nearly a week after his letter before Maitland arrived。 He sent
us no further word； but walked in one evening as we were talking about
him。 He came upon us so suddenly that we were all taken aback and；
for a moment； I felt somewhat alarmed about Gwen。 She had started up
quickly when the servant had mentioned Maitland's name and pressed her
hand convulsively upon her heart； while her face and neck became of a
deep crimson colour。 I was saying to myself that this was a common
effect of sudden surprise； when I saw her clutch quickly at the back of her
chair； as if to steady herself。 A moment later she sank into her seat。 Her
face was now as pale as ashes； and I felt I had good reason to be alarmed。
I think she was conscious of my scrutiny； for she turned her face from me
and remained motionless。 The movement told me she was trying to
regain command of her faculties and I forbore to interfere in the struggle；
though I watched her with some solicitude。=20 My fears were at once
dispelled； however； when Maitland entered； for Gwen was the first to
welcome him。 She extended her hand with much of her old
impulsiveness； saying： 〃I have so much for which to thank you … 〃 but
Maitland interrupted her。 〃Indeed； I regret to say；〃 he rejoined； 〃that I
have been unable thus far to be of any real service to you。 The Ragobah
clue was a miserable failure； though we may do ourselves the justice to
admit that we had no alternative but to follow it to the end。 I confess I
have never been more disappointed than in the outcome of this affair。？〃
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〃My dear fellow；〃 I said； 〃we all have much to be thankful for in your safe
return； let us not forget that。〃 Maitland laughed： 〃That reminds me；〃 he
said； 〃of the man who passed the hat at a coloured camp…meeting。 When
asked how much he had collected； he replied： 'I didn't get no money； but
I'se done got de hat back。' You've got your hat back； and that's about all。
However； with Miss Darrow's permission； I shall go back to the starting
point and begin all over again。〃
〃You are making me your debtor；〃 Gwen replied slowly； 〃beyond my
power ever to repay you。〃
〃It is in the hope that no payment may ever be demanded of you；〃 he
rejoined； 〃that I am busying myself in your affairs。〃 The colour sprang to
Gwen's cheeks； but she only replied by a grateful glance。 I knew what was
passing through her mind。 She was thinking of her promise … of her
father's last words； and of the terrible possibilities thereof from which
Maitland was seeking to rescue her。 She felt that she could safely owe him
any debt of gratitude； however great； while he； on his part； took what I
fancied； both then and afterward； were unnecessary pains to assure her that；
in the event of his finding the assassin； she need have no fear of his
making any claim whatsoever upon her。 And so the whole affair was
dropped for the time being and the rest of the evening devoted to listening
to Maitland's account of his experiences while abroad。
The next morning I called upon our detective at his laboratory and
asked him what he intended to do next。 He replied that he had no plans
as yet； but that he wished to review with me all the evidence at hand。
〃You see；〃 he said； 〃the thing that renders the solution of this mystery
so difficult is the fact that all our clues； while they would be of the utmost
service in the conviction of the assassin had we found him； are almost
destitute of any value until he has been located。 Add to this that we are
now unable to find any motive for the crime and you can see how slight
are our hopes of success。 If ever we chance to find the man； … for I feel
that such a consummation would result more from chance than from
anything else； … I think we can convict him。
〃Here； for example；〃 he said； taking up a small slip of glass which he
had cut from the eastern parlour window of the Darrow house； 〃is
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something I have never shown either you or Miss Darrow。 It is utterly
worthless； so far as assisting us to track the assassin is concerned； but； if
ever we suspect the right man； the evidence on that glass would probably
convict him； though there were ten thousand other suspects。〃
I took the glass from him and； examining it with the utmost care； I
detected a smutch of yellowish paint upon it； nothing more。 〃For Heaven's
sake； Maitland！〃 I said in astonishment； 〃of what possible use can that
formless daub of paint be； or is there something else on the glass that has
escaped me？〃 He laughed at my excitement as he replied：
〃There is nothing there hut the paint spot。 Regarding that； however；
you have come to a very natural though erroneous conclusion。 It is not
formless〃； and he passed me a jeweller's eye…glass to assist me in a closer
examination。 He was right。 The paint lay upon the glass in little
irregular furrows which arranged themselves concentrically about a central
oval groove somewhat imperfect in shape。 〃Well；〃 continued。 Maitland；
as I returned him the magnifying glass； 〃what do you make of it？〃 〃If
you hadn't already attached so much importance to the thing；〃 I said； 〃I
should pronounce it a daub of paint transferred to the glass by somebody's
thumb； but； as such a thing would be clearly useless； I am at a loss to
know what it is。〃
〃Well；〃 he rejoined； 〃you've hit the nail on the head； … that's just what it
is； but you are entirely wrong in your assumption that the thumb…mark can
have no value as evidence。 Do you not know that there are no two
thumbs in the world which are capable of making indistinguishable
marks？〃 I was not aware of this。 〃How do you know；〃 I asked； 〃that
this mark was made by the assassin？ It seems to me there can hardly be a
doubt that one of the painters； while priming the sill； accidentally pressed
his thumb against the glass。 His hands would naturally have been painty；
and this impression would as naturally have resulted。〃
〃What you say；〃 replied Maitland； 〃is very good； so far a
