the darrow enigma(达罗之迷)-第43章
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confession in full。
〃I am beaten at a game in which I did my own shuffling。 I never
believe in trying to bluff a full hand。 Had I had but ordinary detectives
with whom to deal； I make bold to say I should have come off rich and
triumphant。 'I had no means of knowing that I was to play with a chemist
who would use against me the latest scientific implements of criminal
warfare。 It is； therefore； to the extraordinary means used for my
detection that I impute my defeat； rather than to any bungling of my own。
This is a grim consolation； but it is still a consolation； for I have always
prided myself upon being an artist in my line。 As I propose to put myself
beyond the reach of further cross…examination； I take this opportunity to
make a last statement of such things as I care to have known。 After this
is finished I shall sup on acetate of lead and bid good…night to the
expectant public。
〃Lest some may marvel how I came by this poison； and even lay
suspicions upon my jailers； let me explain that there is a small piece of
lead water…pipe crossing the west angle of my room。 This being Sunday；
I was permitted to have beans and brown bread for breakfast。 I asked for
a little vinegar for my beans； and a small cruet was brought to me。 I had
no difficulty in secreting a considerable quantity of the vinegar in order
that I might； when occasion served； apply it to the lead pipe。 This I have
done； and have now by me enough acetate of lead to kill a dozen men。
This form of death will not be particularly pleasant； I am aware； but I
prefer it to its only alternative。 So much for that。
〃I was horn in Marseilles； and my right name is Jean Fouchet。 My
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father intended me for the priesthood； and gave me a good college
education in Paris。 His hopes； however； were destined to disappointment。
In college I formed the habit of gambling； and a year after my graduation
found me at Monte Carlo。 While there I quarrelled with a gambling
accomplice and ended by killing him。 This made my stay in France
dangerous for me； and I took the first opportunity which presented itself to
embark for America。
〃Familiarity with criminals had made me familiar with crime； and I
added the occupation of detective to my profession of gambling。 These
two avocations had now become my sole means of support； and I plied my
trades in New York； Boston； and Philadelphia for several years； during
which time I became a naturalised citizen of the United States。
〃When the Cuban rebellion broke out I could not restrain my longing
for adventure； and joined a filibustering expedition sailing from New York。
I did this from no love I bore the Cuban cause； but merely for the
excitement it promised。 While handling a heavy shot during my first
engagement I accidentally dropped it upon my left foot； crushing that
member so badly that it has never regained its shape。 This deformity has
rendered it impossible for me to conceal my identity。 Three months after
this accident I was taken prisoner by the Spanish and shipped to Spain as a
political malefactor。 A farce of a trial was granted to me； not to see
whether or not I was guilty； but simply to determine between the dungeon
and the garrote。 It would have been far better for me had I been
sentenced to the latter instead of the former。
〃As a political offender I was doomed to imprisonment at Ceuta； an
old Moorish seaport town in Morocco； opposite Gibraltar and upon the
side of the ancient mountain Abyla。 This mountain forms one of the
'Pillars of Hercules；' the Rock of Gibraltar being the other。 It is almost
impregnable； and is used by Spain as Siberia is used by Russia； only it is
far； far more horrible。 The town was built by the Moors in 945； and
nowhere else on earth are there to be found an equal number of devices for
the torture of human beings。 If anyone thinks the horrors of the
Inquisition are no longer perpetrated let him get sent to Ceuta： I have good
cause to believe that the Inquisition itself is far from dead in Spain。 Alas
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for the person who is sent to Ceuta！ The town is small； and； to guard
against possible attack； the Moors constructed a chain of fortresses around
it。 It is in the black cellars of these disintegrating fortresses that the
dungeons are located。 They are in tiers to the depth of fifty or sixty feet；
and are hewn out of the solid rock。 They are reached through narrow
openings in the stone floors of the fortresses； and when one of these
horrible holes is opened the foul odor of filth and decomposition is utterly
overpowering。 Some of these dungeons contain as many as thirty or
forty men。 I was placed in a cell reserved for solitary confinement。 I
have never been a man who regarded life seriously； or feared to risk it
upon sufficient occasion； but my heart froze within me when the horror of
my situation was revealed to me。 A stone box perhaps eight feet square …
as I lay upon the floor I could touch its opposite sides with my hands and
feet … had been prepared for my entrance by cutting a slit in one of its
walls just large enough for the passage of my body。 Through this narrow
opening I was dropped into the total darkness within。 A blacksmith
followed and welded my fetters； for locks and keys are never used。 A
chain having a heavy weight pendant from it was riveted to my ankle； and
an iron band was similarly fastened to my waist。 This band was fastened
by a chain to an iron ring deeply sunk in the solid rock。 When these
horrible preparations were completed the blacksmith left me and a mason
bricked up the slit through which I had entered； leaving only a hand…
breadth of space for air and the thrusting through of such scraps of food as
were to be allowed me。 Language is powerless to describe the feelings of
a man in such a position。 He realises that his only hope is in disease …
disease bred of the darkness； the dampness； the starvation； and the horrible
filth。 He says to himself： 'How long； 0 God！ how long？' … For hours I
remained prone and inert … how long I do not know； night and day are all
one in the dungeons of Ceuta。 Then I began to think。 Could I escape？
I felt that all power of thought； all cleverness would soon desert me； and I
said to myself： 'If anything is to be done； it must be done at once。' I knew
not then what long…drawn horrors a mortal could endure。 Whenever I
attempted to walk the iron mass fastened to my leg would 'bring me up
short；' often； in my early forgetfulness of it； throwing me prone upon my
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face。 After a little I learned to move with a halting gait； striding out with
the free limb and pausing to pull my burden after me with the other。 This
habit； learned in the squalor and darkness of the dungeon hells of Ceuta； I
have never been able to unlearn。
〃It was many days before I could see how anything short of a miracle
could enable me to escape。 I tried to calmly reason it all out； and every
time came to the same horrible conclusion； viz。： I must rot there unless
help came to me from without。 This seemed impossible； and all the
horrors of a lingering death stared me in the face。 Every two or three days
one of the jailers would come to the slit in the masonry and leave there a
dish of water and a few crusts of bread。 I tried on one occasion to speak
with him； but he only laughed in my face and turned away。 Finally I hit
upon a plan which seemed to offer the only possible means of escape。 In
my college days I was well acquainted with M。 Charcot； and even assisted
in some of his earlier hypnotic experiments。 The subject interested me；
and I followed it closely till I became something of an adept myself。
There were in those days but few people I could not mesmerise； provided
sufficient opportunity were allowed me for hypnotic suggestion。 I
determined to see if any of this old power still remained with me； and； if
so； to strive to render my jailer subservient to my will。 But how should I
keep him within ear…shot long enough to work upon him？ Clearly all
appeals to pity were useless。 I must excite his greed； nothing else would
reach him。 This was not an easy thing to do without a sou in my
possession； yet I did it。 When I heard his step I crawled to the opening in
the wall and mumbled in a crazy sort of a way about a hidden treasure。
At the word 'treasure' I saw him pause and listen； but I pretended not to be
aware of his presence and rambled on； in a loose； disjointed fashion； about
piracies committed by me and the great amount of booty I had secreted。
My plan worked perfectly。 The jailer came to the aperture in the wall and
called me to him。 Muttering incoherently； I obeyed。 He asked me what
offence brought me there； and I； with a good deal of intentional
misunderstanding； told him I was a pirate and a smuggler。 He asked me
where the treasure
