little novels-第72章

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Secondly：　Did　she；　or　did　her　husband；　lock　the　bedroom　door　when　they　returned　from　the　theater？　No。　Did　she　afterward　lock　the　door　herself？　No。

Thirdly：　Had　she　any　sort　of　reason　to　give　for　supposing　that　she　had　murdered　her　husband　in　a　sleep…walking　dream？　No　reason；　except　that　she　was　beside　herself　at　the　time；　and　the　book　put　the　thought　into　her　head。

After　this　the　other　witnesses　were　sent　out　of　court　The　motive　for　the　chaplain's　communication　now　appeared。　Mrs。　Zebedee　was　asked　if　anything　unpleasant　had　occurred　between　Mr。　Deluc　and　herself。

Yes。　He　had　caught　her　alone　on　the　stairs　at　the　lodging…house；　had　presumed　to　make　love　to　her；　and　had　carried　the　insult　still　farther　by　attempting　to　kiss　her。　She　had　slapped　his　face；　and　had　declared　that　her　husband　should　know　of　it；　if　his　misconduct　was　repeated。　He　was　in　a　furious　rage　at　having　his　face　slapped；　and　he　said　to　her：　〃Madam；　you　may　live　to　regret　this。〃

After　consultation；　and　at　the　request　of　our　Inspector；　it　was　decided　to　keep　Mr。　Deluc　in　ignorance　of　Mrs。　Zebedee's　statement　for　the　present。　When　the　witnesses　were　recalled；　he　gave　the　same　evidence　which　he　had　already　given　to　the　Inspectorand　he　was　then　asked　if　he　knew　anything　of　the　knife。　He　looked　at　it　without　any　guilty　signs　in　his　face；　and　swore　that　he　had　never　seen　it　until　that　moment。　The　resumed　inquiry　ended；　and　still　nothing　had　been　discovered。

But　we　kept　an　eye　on　Mr。　Deluc。　Our　next　effort　was　to　try　if　we　could　associate　him　with　the　purchase　of　the　knife。

Here　again　（there　really　did　seem　to　be　a　sort　of　fatality　in　this　case）　we　reached　no　useful　result。　It　was　easy　enough　to　find　out　the　wholesale　cutlers；　who　had　manufactured　the　knife　at　Sheffield；　by　the　mark　on　the　blade。　But　they　made　tens　of　thousands　of　such　knives；　and　disposed　of　them　to　retail　dealers　all　over　Great　Britainto　say　nothing　of　foreign　parts。　As　to　finding　out　the　person　who　had　engraved　the　imperfect　inscription　（without　knowing　where；　or　by　whom；　the　knife　had　been　purchased）　we　might　as　well　have　looked　for　the　proverbial　needle　in　the　bundle　of　hay。　Our　last　resource　was　to　have　the　knife　photographed；　with　the　inscribed　side　uppermost；　and　to　send　copies　to　every　police…station　in　the　kingdom。

At　the　same　time　we　reckoned　up　Mr。　DelucI　mean　that　we　made　investigations　into　his　past　lifeon　the　chance　that　he　and　the　murdered　man　might　have　known　each　other；　and　might　have　had　a　quarrel；　or　a　rivalry　about　a　woman；　on　some　former　occasion。　No　such　discovery　rewarded　us。

We　found　Deluc　to　have　led　a　dissipated　life；　and　to　have　mixed　with　very　bad　company。　But　he　had　kept　out　of　reach　of　the　law。　A　man　may　be　a　profligate　vagabond；　may　insult　a　lady；　may　say　threatening　things　to　her；　in　the　first　stinging　sensation　of　having　his　face　slappedbut　it　doesn't　follow　from　these　blots　on　his　character　that　he　has　murdered　her　husband　in　the　dead　of　the　night。

Once　more；　then；　when　we　were　called　upon　to　report　ourselves；　we　had　no　evidence　to　produce。　The　photographs　failed　to　discover　the　owner　of　the　knife；　and　to　explain　its　interrupted　inscription。　Poor　Mrs。　Zebedee　was　allowed　to　go　back　to　her　friends；　on　entering　into　her　own　recognizance　to　appear　again　if　called　upon。　Articles　in　the　newspapers　began　to　inquire　how　many　more　murderers　would　succeed　in　baffling　the　police。　The　authorities　at　the　Treasury　offered　a　reward　of　a　hundred　pounds　for　the　necessary　information。　And　the　weeks　passed　and　nobody　claimed　the　reward。

Our　Inspector　was　not　a　man　to　be　easily　beaten。　More　inquiries　and　examinations　followed。　It　is　needless　to　say　anything　about　them。　We　were　defeatedand　there；　so　far　as　the　police　and　the　public　were　concerned；　was　an　end　of　it。

The　assassination　of　the　poor　young　husband　soon　passed　out　of　notice；　like　other　undiscovered　murders。　One　obscure　person　only　was　foolish　enough；　in　his　leisure　hours；　to　persist　in　trying　to　solve　the　problem　of　Who　Killed　Zebedee？　He　felt　that　he　might　rise　to　the　highest　position　in　the　police　force　if　he　succeeded　where　his　elders　and　betters　had　failedand　he　held　to　his　own　little　ambition；　though　everybody　laughed　at　him。　In　plain　English；　I　was　the　man。

V。

WITHOUT　meaning　it；　I　have　told　my　story　ungratefully。

There　were　two　persons　who　saw　nothing　ridiculous　in　my　resolution　to　continue　the　investigation；　single…handed。　One　of　them　was　Miss　Mybus；　and　the　other　was　the　cook；　Priscilla　Thurlby。

Mentioning　the　lady　first；　Miss　Mybus　was　indignant　at　the　resigned　manner　in　which　the　police　accepted　their　defeat。　She　was　a　little　bright…eyed　wiry　woman；　and　she　spoke　her　mind　freely。

〃This　comes　home　to　me；〃　she　said。　〃Just　look　back　for　a　year　or　two。　I　can　call　to　mind　two　cases　of　persons　found　murdered　in　Londonand　the　assassins　have　never　been　traced。　I　am　a　person；　too；　and　I　ask　myself　if　my　turn　is　not　coming　next。　You're　a　nice…looking　fellow　and　I　like　your　pluck　and　perseverance。　Come　here　as　often　as　you　think　right；　and　say　you　are　my　visitor；　if　they　make　any　difficulty　about　letting　you　in。　One　thing　more！　I　have　nothing　particular　to　do；　and　I　am　no　fool。　Here；　in　the　parlors；　I　see　everybody　who　comes　into　the　house　or　goes　out　of　the　house。　Leave　me　your　addressI　may　get　some　information　for　you　yet。〃

With　the　best　intentions；　Miss　Mybus　found　no　opportunity　of　helping　me。　Of　the　two；　Priscilla　Thurlby　seemed　more　likely　to　be　of　use。

In　the　first　place；　she　was　sharp　and　active；　and　（not　having　succeeded　in　getting　another　situation　as　yet）　was　mistress　of　her　own　movements。

In　the　second　place；　she　was　a　woman　I　could　trust。　Before　she　left　home　to　try　domestic　service　in　London；　the　parson　of　her　native　parish　gave　her　a　written　testimonial；　of　which　I　append　a　copy。　Thus　it　ran：


〃I　gladly　recommend　Priscilla　Thurlby　for　any　respectable　employment　which　she　may　be　competent　to　undertake。　Her　father　and　mother　are　infirm　old　people；　who　have　lately　suffered　a　diminution　of　their　income；　and　they　have　a　younger　daughter　to　maintain。　Rather　than　be　a　burden　on　her　parents；　Priscilla　goes　to　London　to　find　domestic　employment；　and　to　devote　her　earnings　to　the　assistance　of　her　father　and　mother。　This　circumstance　speaks　for　itself。　I　have　known　the　family　many　years；　and　I　only　regret　that　I　have　no　vacant　place　in　my　own　household　which　I　can　offer　to　this　good　girl；

（Signed）　〃HENRY　DEERINGTON；　Rector　of　Roth。〃


After　reading　those　words；　I　could　safely　ask　Priscilla　to　help　me　in　reopening　the　mysterious　murder　case　to　some　good　purpose。

My　notion　was　that　the　proceedings　of　the　persons　in　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　house　had　not　been　closely　enough　inquired　into　yet。　By　way　of　continuing　the　investigation；　I　asked　Priscilla　if　she　could　tell　me　anything　which　associated　the　housemaid　with　Mr。　Deluc。　She　was　unwilling　to　answer。　〃I　may　be　casting　suspicion　on　an　innocent　person；〃　she　said。　〃Besides；　I　was　for　so　short　a　time　the　housemaid's　fellow　servant〃

〃You　slept　in　the　same　room　with　her；〃　I　remarked；　〃and　you　had　opportunities　of　observing　her　conduct　toward　the　lodgers。　If　they　had　asked　you；　at　the　examination；　what　I　now　ask；　you　would　have　answered　as　an　honest　woman。〃

To　this　argument　she　yielded。　I　heard　from　her　certain　particulars；　which　threw　a　new　light　on　Mr。　Deluc；　and　on　the　case　generally。　On　that　information　I　acted。　It　was　slow　work；　owing　to　the　claims　on　me　of　my　regular　duties；　but　with　Priscilla's　help；　I　steadily　advanced　toward　the　end　I　had　in　view。

Besides　this；　I　owed　another　obligation　to　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　nice…looking　cook。　The　confession　must　be　made　sooner　or　laterand　I　may　as　well　make　it　now。　I　first　knew　what　love　was；　thanks　to　Priscilla。　I　had　delicious　kisses；　thanks　to　Priscilla。　And；　when　I　asked　if　she　would　marry　me；　she　didn't　say　No。　She　looked；　I　must　own；　a　little　sadly；　and　she　said：　〃How　can　two　such　poor　people　as　we　are　ever　hope　to　marry？〃　To　this　I　answered：　〃It　won't　be　long　before　I　lay　my　hand　on　the　clew　which　my　Inspector　has　failed　to　find。　I　shall　be　in　a　position　to　marry　you；　my　dear；　when　that　time　comes。〃

At　our　next　meeting　we　spoke　of　her　parents。　I　was　now　her　promised　husband。　Judging　by　what　I　had　heard　of　the　proceedings　of　other　people　in　my　position；　it　seemed　to　be　only　right　that　I　should　be　made　known　to　her　father　and　mother。　She　entirely　agreed　with　me；　and　she　wrote　home　that　day　to　tell　them　to　expect　us　at　the　end　of　the　week。

I　took　my　turn　of　night…duty；　and　so　gained　my　liberty　for　the　greater　part　of　the　next　day。　I　dressed　myself　in　plain　clothes；　and　we　took　our　tickets　on　the　railway　for　Yateland；　being　the　nearest　station　to　the　village　in　which　Priscilla's　parents　lived。

VI。

THE　train　stopped；　as　usual；　at　the　big　town　of　Waterbank。　Supporting　herself　by　her　needle；　while　she　was　still　unprovided　with　a　situation；　Priscilla　had　been　at　work　late　in　the　nightshe　was　tired　and　thirsty。　I　left　the　carriage　to　get　her　some　soda…water。　The　stupid　girl　in　the　refreshment　room　failed　to　pull　the　cork　out　of　the　bottle；　and　refused　to　let　me　help　her。　She　took　a　corkscrew；　and　used　it　crookedly。　I　lost　all　patience；　and　snatched　the　bottle　out　of　her　hand。　Just　as　I　drew　the　cork；　the　bell　rang　on　the　platform。　I　only　waited　to　pour　the　soda…water　into　a　glassbut　the　train　was　moving　as　I　left　the　refreshment　room。　The　porters　stopped　me　when　I　tried　to　jump　on　to　the　step　of　the　carriage。　I　was　left　behind。

As　soon　as　I　had　recovered　my　temper；　I　looked　at　the　time…table。　We　had　reached　Waterbank　at　five　minutes　past　one。　By　good　luck；　the　next　train　was　due　at　forty…four　minutes　past　one；　and　arrived　at　Yateland　（the　next　station）　ten　minutes　afterward。　I　could　only　hope　that　Priscilla　would　look　at　the　time…table　too；　and　wait　for　me。　If　I　had　attempted　to　walk　the　distance　between　the　two　places；　I　should　have　lost　time　instead　of　saving　it。　The　interval　before　me　was　not　very　long；　I　occupied　it　in　looking　over　the　town。

Speaking　with　all　due　respect　to　the　inhabitants；　Waterbank　（to　other　people）　is　a　dull　place。　I　went　up　one　street　and　down　anotherand　stopped　to　look　at　a　shop　which　struck　me；　not　from　anything　in　itself；　but　because　it　was　the　only　shop　in　the　street　with　the　shutters　closed。

A　bill　was　posted　on　the　shutters；　announcing　that　the　place　was　to　let。　The　outgoing　tradesman's　name　and　business；　announced　in　the　customary　painted　letters；　ran　thus：　_James　Wycomb；　Cutler；　etc。_

For　the　first　time；　it　occurred　to　me　that　we　had　forgotten　an　obstacle　in　our　way；　when　we　distributed　our　photographs　of　the　knife。　We　had　none　of　us　remembered　that　a　certain　proportion　of　cutlers　might　be　placed；　by　circumstances；　out　of　our　reacheither　by　retiring　from　business　or　by　becoming　bankrupt。　I　always　carried　a　copy　of　the　photograph　about　me；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　〃Here　is　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of　tracing　the　knife　to　Mr。　Deluc！〃

The　shop　door　was　opened；　after　I　had　twice　rung　the　bell；　by　an　old　man；　very　dirty　and　very　deaf。　He　said　〃You　had　better　go　upstairs；　and　speak　to　Mr。　Scorriertop　of　the　house。〃

I　put　my　lips　to　the　old　fellow's　ear…trumpet；　and　asked　who　Mr。　Scorrier　was。

〃Brother…in…law　to　Mr。　Wycomb。　Mr。　W