the darrow enigma-第12章

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〃I　do　not　understand　you。　　He　played　a　good　game；　my　father　did　not
enjoy　doing　anything　that　he　could　not　do　well。〃

〃I　mean　to　ask　if　his　positions　were　steadily　sustained　…　or　if；
on　the　other　hand；　his　manoeuvres　were　swift；　and　what　you　might
call　brilliant。〃

〃I　think　you　would　call　them　brilliant。〃

〃Hum！　　How　old　are　you？〃

〃Twenty…two。〃

〃Tell　me　your　relations　with　your　father。〃

〃We　were　most　constant　companions。　　My　mother　…　she　and　my　father
　…　they　were　not　altogether　companionable　…　in　short；　they　were
ill…mated；　and；　being　wise　enough　to　find　it　out；　and　having　no
desire　to　longer　embitter　each　other's　lives；　they　agreed　to
separate　when　I　was　only　four。　　They　parted　without　the　slightest
ill…feeling；　and　I　remained　with　father。　　He　was　very　fond　of　me；
and　would　permit　no　one　else　to　teach　me。　　At　seven　I　was　drawing
and　painting　under　his　guidance。　　At　eight　the　violin　was　put　into
my　hands　and　my　studies　in　voice　began。　　In　the　meantime　father　was
most　careful　not　to　neglect　my　physical　training；　he　taught　me　the
use　of　Indian　clubs；　and　how　to　walk　easily。　　At　eight　I　could
walk　four　miles　an　hour　without　fatigue。　　The　neighbours　used　to
urge　that　I　be　put　to　school；　but　my　father　would　reply　…　many　a
time　I　have　heard　him　say　it　…　'a　child's　brain　is　like　a　flower
that　blossoms　in　perceptions　and　goes　to　seed　in　abstractions。
Correct　concepts　are　the　raw　material　of　reason。　　Every　desk　in
your　school　is　an　intellectual　loom　which　is　expected　to　weave　a
sound　fabric　out　of　rotten　raw　material。　　While　your　children　are
wasting　their　fibre　in　memorising　the　antique　errors　of　classical
thought　my　child　is　being　fitted　to　perceive　new　truths　for　herself。'
It　is　needless　to　say　his　friends　considered　these　views　altogether
too　radical。　　But　for　all　that　I　was　never　sent　to　school。　　My
father's　library　was　always　at　my　disposal；　and　I　was　taught　how
to　use　it。　　We　were　constantly　together；　and　grew　so　into　each
other's　lives　that　〃　…　but　her　voice　failed　her；　and　her　eyes
moistened。　　Maitland；　though　he　apparently　did　not　notice　her
emotion；　so　busy　was　he　in　making　notes；　quickly　put　a　question
which　diverted　her　attention。

〃Your　father　seemed　last　night　to　have　a　presentiment　of　some
impending　calamity。　　Was　this　a　common　experience？〃

〃Of　late；　yes。　　He　has　told　me　some　six　or　seven　times　of　dreaming
the　same　dreams　…　a　dream　in　which　some　assassin　struck　him　out　of
the　darkness。〃　　〃Did　you　at　any　of　these　times　notice　anything
which　might　now　lead　you　to　believe　this　fancied　repetition　was　the
result　of　any　mental　malady？〃

〃No。〃

〃Was　his　description　of　the　dreams　always　the　same？〃

〃No；　never　were　they　twice　alike；　save　in　the　one　particular　of　the
unseen　assassin。〃

〃Hum！；　Did　the　impression　of　these　dreams　remain　long　with　him？〃

〃He　never　recovered　from　it；　and　each　dream　only　accentuated　his
assurance　that　the　experience　was　prophetic。　　When　once　I　tried　to
dissuade　him　from　this　view；　he　said　to　me：　'Gwen；　it　is　useless；
I　am　making　no　mistake。　　When　I　am　gone　you　will　know　why　I　am　now
so　sure　…　I　cannot　tell　you　now；　it　would　only　'　…　here　he　stopped
short；　and；　turning　abruptly　to　me；　said　with　a　fierceness　entirely
alien　to　his　disposition：　'Hatred　is　foreign　to　my　nature；　but　I
hate　that　man　with　a　perfect　hell　of　loathing！　　Have　I　been　a　kind
father　to　you；　Gwen？　　If　so；　promise　me　'　…　and　he　seized　me　by　the
wrist　…　'　promise　me　if　I'm　murdered　…　I　may　as　well　say　when　I'm
murdered　…　you　will　look　upon　the　man　who　brings　my　assassin　to
justice　…　the　thought　that　he　may　escape　is　damning　…　as　your　dearest
friend　on　earth！　　You　will　deny　him　nothing。　　You　will　learn　later
that　I　have　taken　care　to　reward　him。　　My　child；　you　will　owe　this
man　a　debt　you　can　never　repay；　for　he　will　have　enabled　your
father's　soul　to　find　repose。　　I　dreamed　last　night　that　I　came　back
from　the　dead；　and　heard　my　avenger　ask　you　to　be　his　wife。　　You
refused；　and　at　your　ingratitude　my　restless　soul　returned　to　torment
everlasting。　　Swear　to　me；　Gwen；　that　you'll　deny　him　nothing；
nothing；　nothing！'　　I　promised　him；　and　he　seemed　much　reassured。
'I　am　satisfied；'　he　said；　'and　now　can　die　in　peace；　for　you　are
an　anomaly；　Gwen；　…　a　woman　who　fully　knows　the　nature　of　a　covenant；'
and　he　put　his　arm　about　me；　and　drew　me　to　him。　　His　fierceness
had　subsided　as　quickly　as　it　had　appeared；　and　he　was　now　all
tenderness。〃

Maitland；　who　appeared　somewhat　agitated　by　her　recital；　said　to
her：　〃After　the　exaction　of　such　a　promise　you　have；　of　course；　no
doubt　that　your　father　was　the　victim　of　a　mental　malady　…　at　least；
at　such　times　as　those　of　which　you　speak？〃

Gwen　replied　deliberately：　〃Indeed；　I　have　grave　doubts。　　My　father
was　possessed　by　a　strange　conviction；　but　I　never　saw　anything
which　impressed　me　as　indicating　an　unsound　mind。　　　I　am；　of　course；
scarcely　fitted　to　judge　in　such　matters。〃

Maitland's　face　darkened　as　he　asked：　〃You　would　not　have　me　infer
that　you　would　consider　your　promise　in　any　sense　binding？〃

〃And　why　not？〃　she　ejaculated　in　astonishment。

〃Because；〃　he　continued；　〃the　request　is　so　unnatural　as　to　be　in
itself　sufficient　evidence　that　it　was　not　made　by　a　man　in　his
right　mind。〃

〃I　cannot　agree　with　you　as　to　my　father's　condition；〃　Gwen　replied
firmly；　〃　yet　you　may　be　right；　I　only　know　that　I；　at　least；　was
in　my　right　mind；　and　that　I　promised。　　If　it　cost　me　my　life　to
keep　that　pledge；　I　shall　not　hesitate　a　moment。　　Have　you　forgotten
that　my　father's　last　words　were；　'remember　your　promise'？〃　　She
glanced　up　at　Maitland　as　she　said　this；　and　started　a　little　as　she
saw　the　expression　of　pain　upon　his　face。　　〃I　seem　to　you　foolishly
deluded；〃　she　said　apologetically；　〃and　you　are　displeased　to　see
that　my　purpose　is　not　shaken。　　Think　of　all　my　father　was　to　me；
and　then　ask　yourself　if　I　could　betray　his　faith。　　The　contemplation
of　the　subject　is　painful　at　best；　its　realisation　may；　from　the
standpoint　of　a　sensitive　woman；　be　fraught　with　unspeakable　horror；
　…　I　dare　not　think　of　it！　　May　we　not　change　the　subject？〃

For　a　long　time　Maitland　did　not　speak；　and　I　forbore　to　break　the
silence。　　At　last　he　said：　〃Let　us　hope；　if　the　supposed　assassin
be　taken；　the　discovery　may　be　made　by　someone　worthy　the　name　of
man　…　someone　who　will　not　permit　you　to　sacrifice　either　yourself
or　your　money。〃　　Gwen　glanced　at　him　quickly；　for　his　voice　was
strangely　heavy　and　inelastic；　and　an　unmistakable　gloom　had　settled
upon　him。　　I　thought　she　was　a　little　startled；　and　I　was　considering
if　I　had　not　better　call　her　aside　and　explain　that　he　was　subject
to　these　moods；　when　he　continued；　apparently　unaware　of　the
impression　he　had　made：　〃Do　you　realise　how　strong　a　case　of　suicide
the　authorities　have　made　out？　　Like　all　of　their　work　it　has　weak
places。　　We　must　search　these　in　order　to　overthrow　their　conclusion。
The　insurance　policies　they　were　'too　busy'　to　read　we　must　peruse。
Then；　judging　from　your　story；　there　seems　little　doubt　that　your
father　has　left　some　explanation　of　affairs　hitherto　not　confided　to
you　…　some　document　which　he　has　reserved　for　your　perusal　after　his
death。　　No　time　should　be　lost　in　settling　this　question。　　The　papers
may　be　here；　or　in　the　hands　of　his　attorney。　　Let　us　search　here
first。〃

〃His　private　papers；〃　Gwen　said；　rising　to　lead　the　way；　〃are　in　his
desk　in　the　study。〃

〃One　moment；　please；〃　Maitland　interrupted；　calling　her　back；　〃I
have　something　I　have　been　trying　to　ask　you　for　the　last　hour；　but
have　repeatedly　put　off。　　I　believe　your　father's　death　to　have
resulted　from　poisoning。　　You　know　the　result　of　the　post…mortem
inquest。　　It　is　necessary　to　make　an　analysis　of　the　poison；　if
there　be　any；　and　an　absolutely　thorough　microscopic　examination　of
the　wound。　　I　…　I　regret　to　pain　you　…　but　to　do　this　properly　it
will　be　necessary　to　cut　away　the　wounded　portion。　　Have　we　your
permission　to　do　so？〃

For　a　moment　Gwen　did　not　answer。　　She　fell　upon　her　knees　before
her　father's　body；　and　kissed　the　cold　face　passionately。　　For　the
first　time　since　the　tragedy　she　found　relief　in　tears