the notch on the ax and on being found out-第75章

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closing　up　every　loophole；　and　of　inventing　endless　traps　into
which　the　accused　may　fall。　　We　warn　the　accused　not　to　say
anything　that　may　be　prejudicial　to　him。　　They　entangle　him　in
contradictions　and　confessions　which　disclose　his　guilt。

Knowing　this；　I　thought　it　very　likely　that；　however　artful
Bourgonef　might　be；　a　severe　examination　might　extort　from　him
sufficient　confirmation　of　my　suspicion　to　warrant　further
procedure。　　But　knowing　also　that　THIS　resort　was　open　to　me　when
all　others　had　failed；　I　resolved　to　wait　and　watch。


IX

FINALE


Two　days　passed；　and　nothing　occurred。　　My　watching　seemed
hopeless；　and　I　resolved　to　try　the　effect　of　a　disguised
interrogatory。　　It　might　help　to　confirm　my　already　settled
conviction；　if　it　did　not　elicit　any　new　evidence。

Seated　in　Bourgonef's　room；　in　the　old　place；　each　with　a　cigar；
and　chatting　as　of　old　on　public　affairs；　I　gradually　approached
the　subject　of　the　recent　murder。

〃Is　it　not　strange；〃　I　said；　〃that　both　these　crimes　should　have
happened　while　we　were　casually　staying　in　both　places？〃

〃Perhaps　we　are　the　criminals；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　　I　shivered
slightly　at　this　audacity。　　He　laughed　as　he　spoke；　but　there　was　a
hard；　metallic；　and　almost　defiant　tone　in　his　voice　which
exasperated　me。

〃Perhaps　we　are；〃　I　answered；　quietly。　　He　looked　full　at　me；　but　I
was　prepared；　and　my　face　told　nothing。　　I　added；　as　in
explanation；　〃The　crime　being　apparently　contagious；　we　may　have
brought　the　infection　from　Nuremberg。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　that　hypothesis　of　imitation？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　believe。　　Do　you　believe　in　there　being　only
one　murderer？　　It　seems　such　a　preposterous　idea。　　We　must　suppose
him；　at　any　rate；　to　be　a　maniac。〃

〃Not　necessarily。　　Indeed　there　seems　to　have　been　too　much　artful
contrivance　in　both　affairs；　not　only　in　the　selection　of　the
victims；　but　in　the　execution　of　the　schemes。　　Cunning　as　maniacs
often　are　they　are　still　maniacs；　and　betray　themselves。〃

〃If　not　a　maniac；〃　said　I；　hoping　to　pique　him；　〃he　must　be　a　man
of　stupendous　and　pitiable　vanity；perhaps　one　of　your　constant…
minded　friends；　whom　you　refuse　to　call　bloodthirsty。〃

〃Constant…minded；　perhaps；　but　why　pitiably　vain？〃

〃Why？　　Because　only　a　diseased　atrocity　of　imagination；　stimulating
a　nature　essentially　base　and　weak　in　its　desire　to　make　itself
conspicuous；　would　or　could　suggest　such　things。　　The　silly　youth
who　'fired　the　Ephesian　dome；'　the　vain　idiot　who　set　fire　to　York
Minster；　the　miserable　Frenchmen　who　have　committed　murder　and
suicide　with　a　view　of　making　their　exit　striking　from　a　world　in
which　their　appearance　had　been　contemptible；　would　all　sink　into
insignificance　beside　the　towering　infamy　of　baseness　whichfor
the　mere　love　of　producing　an　effect　on　the　minds　of　men；　and　thus
drawing　their　attention　upon　him；　which　otherwise　would　never　have
marked　him　at　allcould　scheme　and　execute　crimes　so　horrible　and
inexcusable。　　In　common　charity　to　human　nature；　let　us　suppose　the
wretch　is　mad；　because　otherwise　his　miserable　vanity　would　be　too
loathsome。〃　　I　spoke　with　warmth　and　bitterness；　which　increased　as
I　perceived　him　wincing　under　the　degradation　of　my　contempt。

〃If　his　motive　WERE　vanity；〃　he　said；　〃no　doubt　it　would　be
horrible；　but　may　it　not　have　been　revenge？〃

〃Revenge！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃what！　on　innocent　women？〃

〃You　assume　their　innocence。〃

〃Good　God！　do　you　know　anything　to　the　contrary？〃

〃Not　I。　　But　as　we　are　conjecturing；　I　may　as　well　conjecture　it　to
have　been　the　desire　to　produce　a　startling　effect。〃

〃How　do　you　justify　your　conjecture？〃

〃Simply　enough。　　We　have　to　suppose　a　motive；　let　us　say　it　was
revenge；　and　see　whether　that　will　furnish　a　clue。〃

〃But　it　can't。　　The　two　victims　were　wholly　unconnected　with　each
other　by　any　intermediate　acquaintances；　consequently　there　can
have　been　no　common　wrong　or　common　enmity　in　existence　to　furnish
food　for　vengeance。〃

〃That　may　be　so；　it　may　also　be　that　the　avenger　made　them
vicarious　victims。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃It　is　human　nature。　　Did　you　ever　observe　a　thwarted　child
striking　in　its　anger　the　unoffending　nurse；　destroying　its　toys　to
discharge　its　wrath？　　Did　you　ever　see　a　schoolboy；　unable　to　wreak
his　anger　on　the　bigger　boy　who　has　just　struck　him；　turn　against
the　nearest　smaller　boy　and　beat　him？　　Did　you　ever　know　a
schoolmaster；　angered　by　one　of　the　boy's　parents；　vent　his　pent…up
spleen　upon　the　unoffending　class？　　Did　you　ever　see　a　subaltern
punished　because　an　officer　had　been　reprimanded？　　These　are
familiar　examples　of　vicarious　vengeance。　　When　the　soul　is　stung
to　fury；　it　must　solace　itself　by　the　discharge　of　that　furyit
must　relieve　its　pain　by　the　sight　of　pain　in　others。　　We　are　so
constituted。　　We　need　sympathy　above　all　things。　　In　joy　we　cannot
bear　to　see　others　in　distress；　in　distress　we　see　the　joy　of
others　with　dismal　envy　which　sharpens　our　pain。　　That　is　human
nature。〃

〃And；〃　I　exclaimed；　carried　away　by　my　indignation；　〃you　suppose
that　the　sight　of　these　two　happy　girls；　beaming　with　the　quiet　joy
of　brides；　was　torture　to　some　miserable　wretch　who　had　lost　his
bride。〃

I　had　gone　too　far。　　His　eyes　looked　into　mine。　　I　read　in　his　that
he　divined　the　whole　drift　of　my　suspicionthe　allusion　made　to
himself。　　There　often　passes　into　a　look　more　than　words　can
venture　to　express。　　In　that　look　he　read　that　he　was　discovered；
and　I　read　that　he　had　recognized　it。　　With　perfect　calmness；　but
with　a　metallic　ring　in　his　voice　which　was　like　the　clash　of
swords；　he　said：

〃I　did　not　say　that　I　supposed　this；　but　as　we　were　on　the　wide
field　of　conjectureutterly　without　evidence　one　way　or　the　other；
having　no　clue　either　to　the　man　or　his　motivesI　drew　from　the
general　principles　of　human　nature　a　conclusion　which　was　just　as
plausibleor　absurd　if　you　likeas　the　conclusion　that　the　motive
must　have　been　vanity。〃

〃As　you　say；　we　are　utterly　without　evidence；　and　conjecture　drifts
aimlessly　from　one　thing　to　another。　　After　all；　the　most　plausible
explanation　is　that　of　a　contagion　of　imitation。〃

I　said　this　in　order　to　cover　my　previous　imprudence。　　He　was　not
deceivedthough　for　a　few　moments　I　fancied　he　wasbut　replied：

〃I　am　not　persuaded　of　that　either。　　The　whole　thing　is　a　mystery；
and　I　shall　stay　here　some　time　in　the　hope　of　seeing　it　cleared
up。　　Meanwhile；　for　a　subject　of　conjecture；　let　me　show　you
something　on　which　your　ingenuity　may　profitably　be　employed。〃

He　rose　and　passed　into　his　bedroom。　　I　heard　him　unlocking　and
rummaging　the　drawers；　and　was　silently　reproaching　myself　for　my
want　of　caution　in　having　spoken　as　I　had　done；　though　it　was　now
beyond　all　doubt　that　he　was　the　murderer；　and　that　his　motive　had
been　rightly　guessed；　but　with　this　self…reproach　there　was　mingled
a　self…gratulation　at　the　way　I　had　got　out　of　the　difficulty；　as　I
fancied。

He　returned；　and　as　he　sat　down　I　noticed　that　the　lower　part　of
his　surtout　was　open。　　He　always　wore　a　long　frogged　and　braided
coat　reaching　to　the　kneesas　I　now　know；　for　the　purpose　of
concealing　the　arm　which　hung　（as　he　said；　withered）　at　his　side。
The　two　last　fastenings　were　now　undone。

He　held　in　his　hand　a　tiny　chain　made　of　very　delicate　wire。　　This
he　gave　me；　saying：

〃Now　what　would　you　conjecture　that　to　be？〃

〃Had　it　come　into　my　hands　without　any　remark；　I　should　have　said
it　was　simply　a　very　exquisite　bit　of　ironwork；　but　your　question
points　to　something　more　out　of　the　way。〃

〃It　IS　iron…work；〃　he　said。

Could　I　be　deceived？　　A　third　fastening　of　his　surtout　was　undone！
I　had　seen　but　two　a　moment　ago。

〃And　what　am　I　to　conjecture？〃　I　asked。

〃Where　that　iron　came　from？　　It　was　NOT　from　a　mine。〃　　I　looked　at
it　again；　and　examined　it　attentively。　　On　raising　my　eyes　in
inquiryfortunately　with　an　expression　of　surprise；　since　what　met
my　eyes　would　have　startled　a　cooler　manI　saw　the　fourth
fastening　undone！

〃You　look　surprised；〃　he　continued；　〃and　will　be　more　surprised
when　I　tell　you　that　the　iron　in　your　hands　once　floated　in　the
circulation　of　a　man。　　It　is　made