the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第39章
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What do you mean； sir？ Answer me！〃
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A sudden change came over M。 Latour。 All his timidity seemed to
vanish in a moment； as he drew himself up to his full height and faced the
Judge。 It seemed to me as if till now he had cherished a hope that he
might not be forced to give the details of his awful crime； but that he had
at last concluded he would be obliged to disclose all the particulars； and
had decided to manfully face the issue。
Every eye was fixed upon him； and every ear strained to its utmost as
he turned slowly toward the Judge and said with a calm dignity which
surprised us all：
A。 Your Honour is in error。 I said that I made use of a specially
constructed hypodermic syringe。 I have not said that I struck Mr。 Darrow
with it。 There is； therefore； nothing contradictory in my statements。
Again the prisoner had scored； and again the audience exchanged
approving glances which plainly said： 〃He's clever enough for them all！〃
Then the Court continued the examination。
Q。 Were you upon the Darrow estate when Mr。 Darrow met his death？
A。 Yes； your Honour。
Q。 Where？
A。 Just outside the eastern parlour…window； your Honour。
Q。 Did you strike the blow which caused Mr。 Darrow's death？
A。 No； your Honour。 =20
Q。 What！ Have you not said you are responsible for his murder？
A。 Yes； your Honour。
Q。 Ah； I see！ You had some other person for an accomplice？
A。 No； your Honour。
Q。 Look here； sir！ Do you propose to tell us anything of your own
accord； or must we drag it out of you piecemeal？
A。 No power can make me speak if I do not elect to； and I only elect to
answer questions。 Commission for contempt will hardly discipline a
man in my position； and may lead me to hold my peace entirely。
The Court turned away with an expression of disgust and engaged
Jenkins and Maitland in a whispered conversation。 The prisoner had
again scored。 There is enough of the bully in many judges to cause the
public to secretly rejoice when they are worsted。 It was plain to be seen
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that the audience was pleased with Latour's defiance。
Maitland now resumed the examination with his accustomed ease。
One would have thought he was addressing a church sociable； … if he
judged by his manner。
Q。 You have testified to being responsible for the death of John
Darrow。 The instrument with which he was killed was directly or
indirectly your handiwork； yet you did not strike the blow； and you have
said you had no other person for an accomplice。 Am I substantially
correct in all this？
A。 You are quite correct。
Q。 Very good。 Did John Darrow's death result from a poisoned
wound made by the instrument you have described？
A。 It did。
This reply seemed to nonplus us all with the exception of Maitland and
Godin。 These two seemed proof against all surprises。 The rest of us
looked helplessly each at his neighbour as if to say； 〃What next？〃 and we
all felt； … at least I did and the others certainly looked it； … as if the solution
of the enigma were farther away than ever。
Maitland proceeded in the same methodical strain。
Q。 A blow was given； yet neither you nor any person acting as your
accomplice gave it。 Did Mr。 Darrow himself give the blow？
A。 No； sir。
Q。 I thought not。 Did any person give it？
A。 No； sir。
The audience drew a deep inspiration； as if with one accord！ They
had ceased to reason。 Again and again had we been brought； as we all
felt sure； within a single syllable of the truth； only to find ourselves at the
next word more mystified than ever。 It would hardly have surprised us
more if the prisoner had informed us that Mr。 Darrow still lived。 The
excitement was so intense that thought was impossible； so we could only
listen with bated breath for someone else to solve the thing for our
beleaguered and discouraged minds。 After a word with his colleague；
Maitland resumed。
Q。 A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was it given by anything
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which is alive？
A。 It was not。
You could have heard a pin drop； so silent was the room during the
pause which preceded Maitland's next question。
Q。 Did you arrange some inanimate object or objects outside the
eastern window； or elsewhere； on the Darrow estate so that it or they might
wound Mr。 Darrow？
A。 No； … no inanimate object other than the hypodermic syringe
already referred to。
Q。 To my question： 〃A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was
it given by anything which is alive？〃 you have answered： 〃It was not。〃
Let me now ask： Was it given by anything which was at that time alive？
A。 It was。 There was a stir all over the court…room。 Here at last was
a suggestive admission。 The examination was approaching a crisis！
Q。 And you have said it was not a person。 Was it not an animal？
A。 It was。
〃An animal！〃 we all ejaculated with the unanimity of a Greek chorus。
So audible were the exclamations of incredulity which arose from the
spellbound audience that the crier's gavel had to be brought into
requisition before Maitland could proceed。
Q。 Did you train a little Capucin monkey to strike this blow？
A。 I did。
A great sigh； the result of suddenly relieved tension； liberally
interlarded with unconscious exclamations； swept over the court…room and
would not be gavelled into silence until it had duly spent itself。
Even the Judge so far forgot his dignity as to give vent to a half…stifled
exclamation。
Maitland proceeded：
Q。 In order that this monkey might not attack the wrong man after you
had armed him； you taught him to obey certain signals given by little
twitches upon the cord by which you held him。 A certain signal was to
creep stealthily forward； another to strike； and still another to crawl
quickly back with the weapon。 When circumstances seemed most
favourable to the success of your designs； … that is； when Miss Darrow's
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voice and the piano prevented any slight sound from attracting attention； …
you gently dropped the monkey in at the window and signalled him what
to do。 When Mr。 Darrow sprang to his feet you recalled the monkey and
hastened away。 Is not this a fairly correct description of what occurred？
A。 It is true to the letter。
Q。 And subsequently you killed the monkey lest he should betray you
by exhibiting his little tricks； at an inopportune moment in a way to
compromise you。 Is it not so？
A。 It is。 I killed him； though he was my daughter's pet。
We were stricken aghast at Maitland's sudden grasp of the case。 Even
Godin was surprised。 What could it all mean？ Had Maitland known the
facts all along？ Had he simply been playing with the witness for reasons
which we could not divine？ M。 Godin's face was a study。 He ceased
boring holes in Latour with his eyes and turned those wonderful orbs full
upon Maitland； in whom they seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul。
Clearly M。 Godin was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland's power。
Browne； who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone； now lowered
blacker than ever； it seemed to me。 I wondered what could have occurred
to still further displease him； and finally concluded it must either be some
transient thought which had come uncalled into his mind； or else a feeling
of envy at his rival's prominence in the case； and the deservedly good
reputation he was making。 His general ill…feeling I； of course； charged to
jealousy； for I could not but note his uncontrollable admiration for Gwen。
I fully believed he would have given his own life … or anyone else's for that
matter … to possess her； and I decided to speak a word of warning to
George。 After a short； whispered consultation with Jenkins and the
prosecuting attorney； Maitland turned to the prisoner and said：
〃That will do。 M。 Latour may leave the stand。〃
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared up；
and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the formal
denouement。 They were； therefore； much taken aback when Maitland
continued； addressing the jury：
〃The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming；
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even had we not his confession。 Apart from this confession we have no
incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government's chief witness； M。 Godin。 As it is through this gentleman's
efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice； it is but natural that
much should be clear to him which may be puzzling to those who have not
made so close a study of the case。 I think he will enlighten us upon a few
points。 M。 Godin will please take the stand。〃
At this there was much whispering in the courtroom。。 Maitland's
course seemed decidedly anomalous。 Everyone wondered why he should
be at such pains to prove t
