the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第34章
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does not flourish at the North End； … but had been content to leave all the
dirt for the next occupant。
When we had finished reconnoitering we returned to the room we first
entered； which apparently was the kitchen。 We could still hear the voices；
but not distinctly。 〃Do you stay here； Doc；〃 whispered Maitland； 〃while I
get into some old clothes and hunt up the landlord of this place。 I'm
going to rent these rooms long enough to acquaint myself with my
neighbours on the other side of the wall。 I'll be back soon。 Don't let any
man leave that room without your knowing where he goes。〃 With this he
left me and I soon found a way to busy myself in his absence。 In the wall
above the stove； where the pipe passed through the partition into our
neighbour's apartment； there was a chink large enough to permit me； when
mounted upon the stove； to overlook the greater part of the adjacent room。
I availed myself of this privilege； though not without those same twinges
of conscience which I had felt some minutes before when following the
young lady。 The apartment was poorly furnished； and yet； despite this
scantiness of appointment； there was unmistakable evidence of refinement。
Everything visible in the room was scrupulously neat and the few pictures
that adorned the walls； while they were inexpensive half…tones； were yet
reproductions of masterpieces。 In the centre of the room stood a small；
deal table； on the opposite side of which sat the man who had answered
my letter。
At one end of the table； poised upon the back of a chair； sat a small
Capucin monkey of the Weeper or Sai species。 He watched the man with
that sober； judicial air which is by no means confined exclusively to
supreme benches。 I； too； observed the man carefully。 He was tall and
spare。 He must have measured nearly six feet in height and could not； I
think； have weighed over one hundred and fifty pounds。 His face was
pinched and careworn； but this effect was more than redeemed by a pair of
full； black eyes having a depth and penetration I have never seen equalled；
albeit there was； ever and anon； a suggestion of wildness which somewhat
marred their deep； contemplative beauty。 The brows and the carriage of
the head at once bespoke the scholar。 While thus I watched him； the
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young girl came from a corner of the room I could not overlook and laid
my letter before him。 She stood behind his chair as he opened it；
smoothing his hair caressingly and； every now and then； kissing him
gently。 He paused with the open letter before him； reached up both arms；
drew her down to him； kissed her passionately； sighed； and picked up the
letter again。 I took pains that no act； word； or look should escape me。
This show of affection surprised me； and I remember the thought flashed
through my mind； 〃What inconsistent beings we all are！ Here is a man
apparently capable of a causeless and cold…blooded assassination of a
harmless old man。 You would say such a murderer must be hopelessly
selfish and brutal； amenable to none of the better sentiments of mankind；
and yet it needs but a casual glance to see how his whole life is bound up
in the young girl before him。〃
While this was passing through my mind the man had glanced through
my letter and thrown it upon the table with an exclamation of disgust。
〃Bah！ he has had the effrontery；〃 he said petulantly； 〃to send me what he
calls a new mode of treatment and it is in every essential that of Broadbent；
well known for more than a quarter of a century。 New indeed！ I shall
never find a doctor who has any scientific acumen。 I may as well
abandon the search now。 Mon Dieu！ and they call medicine a science！
Bah！〃 and with a frown he dropped his head despondently upon his hand。
The young girl passed her hand gently； soothingly； over his forehead and
did not speak for nearly a minute。
〃You are not feeling well to…night； father；〃 she said at length。 〃M。
Godin has been here during my absence。〃
〃M。 Godin！〃 I exclaimed half aloud； catching at the stovepipe lest I
should fall from the stove。 〃So our rival is hot upon the scent； … probably
even ahead of us。 How on earth … 〃 But I did not finish the exclamation。
My seizure of the pipe upon my side of the partition had produced an
audible vibration of that portion extending over the heads of my
neighbours。 The young girl's quick ear had detected the sound and she
had ceased speaking and fastened her eyes suspiciously upon the aperture
through which I was gazing。 It seemed to me as if she must see me； yet I
dared not move。 After a little she seemed reassured and continued： 〃I
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knew he had been here。 You are always this way after his visits。 Why；
of late； does he always come when I am away？〃 The question seemed
innocent enough； yet the man to whom it was addressed turned crimson
and then as pale as ashes。 When he spoke the effort his self…control cost
him was terribly apparent。
〃We have private business； dear；〃 he said； 〃private business。〃 He
hesitated a moment and again his eyes wore the wild look I had first
noticed。 〃I am selling him something；〃 he continued； 〃very dear to me …
as dear as my heart's blood； and I expect to get enough for it to guard you
from want。〃
〃And you； father？〃 the young girl questioned fervently。 I thought I
noticed a tremor run through his frame； as drawing her face down to his；
he said； kissing her； 〃Me？ Never mind me； Puss； this cancer here will
take care of me。〃
She made no reply； but turned away to hide the tears that sprang to her
eyes。 As she did so she raised her face toward me。 I have never been
considered particularly sympathetic； … that is； no more than the average； …
but there was something in the expression of her face that went to my
heart like a knife。 I felt as if I were about to sob with her。 I do not
know what it was that so aroused my sympathies。 We are； I fancy； more
apt to feel for those whose beauty is like to the ideals we have learned to
love； than we are to be moved by the suffering of those whose looks repel
us； … and this may have had something to do with my condition； … for the
young girl was radiantly beautiful； … yet it could hardly have been the real
cause of it。
So rapt was I in the sympathetic contemplation of her that I did not see
Maitland's entrance or realise I was observed till he plucked me by the
coat and motioned me to get down。 I did so and he told me he had rented
the rooms； and laid before me the plan he meant to pursue。
As soon as he had ceased speaking I said to him： 〃George； you are
undoubtedly on the right track。 The man in there is the one we are
looking for； fast enough； but I am afraid we are a bit too late。〃
〃Too late！〃 he exclaimed in a tone that I feared might be overheard。
〃What the mischief do you mean？〃
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〃I mean；〃 I replied； 〃that M。 Godin is already upon the scene。〃
In the next ten seconds Maitland turned all colours and I edged nearer
to him； expecting him to fall； but he did not。
〃M。 Godin！〃 he ejaculated at length。 〃How in the name of all the
gods at once … Doc； he's all they claim for him； and as fascinating as he is
clever；〃 at which last remark a heavy cloud passed over Maitland's face。
〃Come；〃 he continued listlessly； 〃you may as well tell me all you know
about it。〃
I then confided to him what I had heard and ended by asking him what
he proposed to do。
〃Do？〃 he replied。 〃There is but one thing I can do； which makes the
choice decidedly easy；〃 and he set his jaws together with a determined
expression； the meaning of which I knew full well。
〃I shall camp right here；〃 he said； 〃 till I learn all I wish to know of our
neighbours yonder。 I have already provided myself with instruments
which will enable me to note every movement they make； indeed to
photograph them； if necessary； and to hear and record every word they
utter。 You look surprised； but it is easily done。 I will place my lenses
there at the chink through which you were gazing and bring the image
down into my camera obscura by a prism arranged for total internal
reflection。 As for the hearing； that is easier yet。 I will carefully work
away the plaster on this side to…night till I get through to the paper
covering their wall。 This I will leave intact to use as a diaphragm。 I have
then only to fasten my carbon to it； and； behold； we have a microphone or
telephone … whichever you choose to call it。 All I have to look out for is
that I get it high enough to avoid the danger of the paper being
accidentally broken from the other side； and that I work quietly while
removing the plaster。 I shall； of course； cover it with a bit of black felt to
prevent our light from showing； and to deaden any sounds from this side。
This will enable us to hear all that goes on in the other room； but this may
not be enough。 We may need a phonographic record of what transpires。
〃The device whereby I secure this at such a distance is an invention of
my own which； for
