the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第4章
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For my heart was crushed with longing。 What had been could never
be： It was best to leave you thus； dear； Best for you and best〃
But the line was never finished。 With a wild cry； more of fear than
of pain； Darrow sprang from his chair。 〃Gentlemen； I have been
stabbed！〃 was all he said； and fell back heavily into his seat。 Gwen was
kneeling before him in an instant； even before I could assist him。 His
right hand was pressed to his throat and his eyes seemed starting from
their sockets as he shouted hoarsely： 〃A light； a light！ For God's sake；
don't let him strike me again in the dark！〃 Maitland was already lighting
the gas and Herne and Browne； so Browne afterward told me； were
preparing to seize the assailant。 I remembered； after it all was over； a
quick movement Browne had made toward the darkest corner of the room。
The apartment was now flooded with light； and I looked for the
assassin。 He was not to be found！ The room contained only Gwen；
Darrow； and his four invited guests！ The doors were closed； the windows
had not been touched。 No one could possibly have entered or left the
room； and yet the assassin was not there。 But one solution remained；
Darrow was labouring under a delusion； and Gwen's voice would restore
him。 As she was about to speak I stepped back to note the effect of her
words upon him。 〃Do not fear； father；〃 she said in a low voice as she laid
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her face against his cheek； 〃there is nothing here to hurt you。 You are ill；
… I will get you a glass of cordial and you will be yourself again in a
moment。〃 She was about to rise when her father seized her frantically by
the arm； exclaiming in a hoarse whisper： 〃Don't leave me！ Can't you
see？ Don't leave me！〃 and for the first time he removed his hand from
his throat； and taking her head between his palms； gazed wistfully into her
face。 He tried to speak again； but could not； and glanced up at us
with=20a helpless expression which I shall never forget。 Maitland； his
eyes riveted upon the old gentleman； whose thoughts he seemed to divine；
hurriedly produced a pencil and note…book and held them toward him； but
he did not see them； for he had drawn Gwen's face down to him and was
kissing her passionately。 The next instant he was on his feet and from the
swollen veins that stood out like cords upon his neck and forehead； we
could see the terrible effort he was making to speak。 At last the words
came； … came as if they were torn hissing from his throat； for he took a full
breath between each one of them。 〃Gwen … I … knew … it！ Good…bye！
Remember … your … promise！〃 … and he fell a limp mass into his chair；
overcome； I felt sure； by the fearful struggle he had made。 Maitland
seized a glass of water and threw it in his face。 I loosened the clothing
about his neck and； in doing so； his head fell backward and his face was
turned upward toward me。 The features were drawn； … the eyes were
glazed and set。 I felt of his heart； he was dead！
CHAPTER II
Silence is the only tender Death can make to Mystery。
The look of pain and astonishment upon my face said plainly enough
to Gwen：
〃Your father is dead。〃 I could not speak。 In the presence of her
great affliction we all stood silent； and with bowed heads。 I had thought
Darrow's attack the result of an overwrought mental condition which
would speedily readjust itself； and had so counted upon his daughter's
influence as all but certain to immediately result in a temporary cure。
When； therefore； I found him dead without any apparent cause； I was； for
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the time being； too dazed to think； much less to act； and I think the other
gentlemen were quite as much incapacitated as I。 My first thought； when
I recovered so that I could think； was of Gwen。 I felt sure her reason
must give way under the strain； and I thought of going nearer to her in
case she should fall； but refrained when I noticed that Maitland had
noiselessly glided within easy reach of her。 To move seemed impossible
to me。 Such a sudden transition from warm； vigorous life to cold；
impassive death seems to chill the dynamic rivers of being into a horrible
winter； static and eternal。 Though death puts all things in the past tense；
even we physicians cannot but be strangely moved when the soul thus
hastily deserts the body without the usual farewell of an illness。
Contrary to my expectations Gwen did not faint。 For a long time； …
it may not have been more than twenty minutes； but it seemed； under the
peculiar circumstances； at least an hour； … she remained perfectly
impassive。 She neither changed colour nor exhibited any other sign of
emotion。 She stood gazing quietly； tenderly； at her father's body as if he
were asleep and she were watching for some indication of his awakening。
Then a puzzled expression came over her countenance。 There was no
trace of sorrow in it； only the look of perplexity。 I decided to break the
gruesome silence； but the thought of how my own voice would sound in
that awe…inspired stillness frightened me。 Gwen herself was the first to
speak。 She looked up with the same impassive countenance； from which
now the perplexed look had fled； and said simply：
〃Gentlemen； what is to be done？〃 Her voice was firm and sane； … that
it was pitched lower than usual and had a suggestion of intensity in it； was
perfectly natural。 I thought she did not realise her loss and said： 〃He has
gone past recall。〃 〃Yes；〃 she replied； 〃I know that； but should we not
send for an officer？〃 〃An officer！〃 I exclaimed。 〃Is it possible you
entertain a doubt that your father's death resulted from natural causes？〃
She looked at me a moment fixedly； and then said deliberately： 〃My father
was murdered！〃 I was so surprised and pained that； for a moment； I
could not reply； and no one else sought to break the silence。
Maitland； as if Gwen's last remark had given rise to a sudden
determination； glided to the body。 He examined the throat； raised the
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right hand and looked at the fingers： then he stepped back a little and
wrote something in his note…book。 This done； he tried the folding doors
and found them locked on the inside； then the two windows on the south
side of the room； which he also found fastened。 He opened the hall door
slightly and the hinges creaked noisily； of all of which he made a note。
Then taking a rule from his pocket he went to the east window； and
measured the opening； and then the distance between this window and the
chair in which the old gentleman had sat； recording his results as before。
His next act astonished me not a little and had the effect of recalling me to
my senses。 With his penknife he cut a circle in the carpet around each leg
of the chair on which the body rested。 He continued his examinations
with quiet thoroughness； but I ceased now to follow him closely； since I
had begun to feel the necessity of convincing Gwen of her error； and was
casting about for the best way to do so。
〃My dear Miss Darrow；〃 I said at length； 〃you attach too much
importance to the last words of your father； who； it is clear； was not in his
right mind。 You must know that he has； for some months； had periods of
temporary aberration； and that all his delusions have been of a sanguinary
nature。 Try to think calmly；〃 I said； perceiving from her expression that I
had not shaken her conviction in the least。 〃Your father said he had been
stabbed。 You must see that such a thing is physically impossible。 Had
all the doors and windows been open； no object so large as a man could
possibly have entered or left the room without our observing him； but the
windows were closed and fastened； with the exception of the east window；
which； as you may see for yourself； is open some six inches or so； in
which position it is secured by the spring fastening。 The folding doors
are locked on the inside and the only possible means of entrance； therefore；
would have been by the hall door。 Directly in front of that； between it
and your father； sat Mr。 Maitland and myself。 You see by my chair that I
was less than two feet from the door。 It is inconceivable that； in that half…
light； anyone could have used that entrance and escaped observation。 Do
you not see how untenable your idea is？ Had your father been stabbed
he would have bled； but I am as certain as though I had made a thorough
examination that there is not so much as a scratch anywhere upon his
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body。〃 Gwen heard me through in silence and then said wearily； in a
voice which had now neither intensity nor elasticity； 〃I understand fully
the apparent absurdity of my position； yet I know my father was murdered。
The wound which caused his death has escap
