the darrow enigma-第21章
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You can imagine how agreeably surprised I was to find that Parinama
knew Ragobah well。 I had anticipated some considerable difficulty
in learning the latter's whereabouts； and here was a man who could=20
… for a sufficient consideration … tell me much； if not all； about
him。 I secured an interpreter； paid Parinama my money； and
proceeded to catechise him。 I give you my questions and his answers
just as I jotted them down in my notebook：
Q。 What is Ragobah's full name？
A。 Rama Ragobah。 =20
Q。 How long have you known him？
A。 Thirty…five year。
Q。 Has he always lived in Bombay？
A。 No； Sahib；
Q。 Where else？
A。 For a good many year he have travel all the time。
Q。 Is he in Bombay now？
A。 No； Sahib。
Q。 Where is he？
A。 Over the sea； Sahib。
Q。 Do you know where？
A。 He sail for America； New York。
Q。 When？
A。 About eleven week ago。
Q。 Do you know for what he undertook this journey？
A。 Some personal affair of long time ago which he wish to settle … the
same which make him so many year travel through India。
Q。 Was he in search of someone？
A。 Yes； Sahib。
Q。 Some Indian woman？
A。 No； Sahib。
Q。 Some other woman； then？
A。 No； Sahib。
Q。 A man； then； an Englishman；
A。 Yes； Sahib。
Q。 What kind of a man is this Ragobah？
A。 He very big man。
Q。 What is his disposition？ Is he generally liked？
A。 No。 His temper bad。 He cruel； revengeful； overbearing； and
selfish。 He most hated by those who best know him。
Q。 He is a friend of yours； you say？
A。 I say no such thing！ Do you think I sell secret of friend？ I
have great reason for hating him； or I not now be earning your money。
Q。 Ah！ I see。 What did you say he wanted of this Englishman？
A。 I no say； Sahib。
Q。 You said some personal affair of long standing； I believe。
A。 Yes； Sahib。
Q。 Do you know its nature？
A。 No； I not know it； but I have not much doubt about it； Sahib。
Q。 What do you think； then？
A。 I think there but one passion strong enough in Ragobah to make
plain his hunt like dog for last twenty year。 Such persevere mean
strong motive； and as I have good reason to remember how quick he
forget a kindness； I know he not moved by friendship； Sahib。
Q 。His motive then is …=20
A。 Revenge。
Q。 Have you any idea why he cherishes this malice？
A。 I think it because some old love affair； some rival in his wife's
love。
Q。 Indeed！ Then he has been married？
A。 Yes； Sahib。
Q。 Where shall I find his wife？
A。 All that is left of her is in the bottomless well in the cave on
Malabar Hill。
Q。 Did Ragobah kill her？
A。 No； that is； not with his own hand。
Q。 How long ago did she die？
A。 More than twenty year； Sahib。
Q。 Are any of her relatives living？
A。 Her husband； Sahib； and a cousin； that is all。
Q。 Is there anyone else who could tell me of this woman？
A。 Moro Scindia could； but he not do it。
Q。 Why？ Is he Ragobah's friend？
A。 Ragobah has no friends； Sahib。
Q。 Why； then？
A。 He under oath to tell what was told him only to one person。 He
has keep his secret out of every year for more as twenty year； and
can no be expect to tell to you； Sahib。
Q。 Can you bring this man to me？ You will both be well paid for your
time； of course。
A。 I bring him； Sahib； but I not make him speak。
Q。 Let me see you both； then； to…night at eight； at Herr Blaschek's
villa on Malabar Hill。 Ask for Mr。 Maitland。
A。 We be there。 Anything more； Sahib？
Q。 Yes。 When is Ragobah expected to return？
A。 He write that he think he return on the Dalmatia。 She due next
day after to…morrow。
Q。 Has Ragobah any physical peculiarities？
A。 His hands and feet they very small for man so big and strong。
Q。 Anything else？
A。 His left leg been hurt。 The foot very bad shape； and the whole
leg some bad； and； … what you call … halt when he walk。
Q。 Has he the habit of biting his finger nails？
A。 I not know he has； Sahib。
This completed the list of questions which I had desired to ask him；
so； after once more receiving his assurance that he would meet me in
the evening with his friend Scindia； I left him。 As you know； I am
not wont to draw conclusions until all the evidence is in； but I must
confess that； looking at the whole matter from start to finish； there
seems to have fallen upon Ragobah a net of circumstantial evidence
so strong； and with a mesh of detail so minute； that it does not seem
possible a mosquito could escape from it。 Look at it a moment from
this standpoint。 Ragobah alone； so far as we know； has a motive for
the murder。 His victim has related the feud existing between them
and foretold； with an air of the utmost assurance； just such an
outcome thereof。 Add to this that this man leaves India on a mission
which those about him do not hesitate to pronounce one of vengeance；
at just such a time as would enable him to reach Boston just a little
before the commission of the murder； that this mission is the
culmination of twenty years of unremitting search for revenge； that
this malignity is supposed to be directed against some rival in his
wife's affections； and the chain of circumstantial evidence
possesses； so far as it extends； no weak link。 Then； too； Ragobah
has very small hands； a deformed left foot； and a limping gait； …=20
everything almost which we had already predicted of the assassin。
So sure am I that Ragobah is the guilty man that I shall ask for his
arrest upon his arrival day after to…morrow should he return then；
a thing which； I regret to say； does not impress me as altogether
likely。 Should he not come I shall cable you to institute a search
for your end of the line。 The next thing in order which I have to
relate is my interview with Moro Scindia。 I had engaged an
interpreter； but was able to dismiss him as my guest spoke English
with more ease and fluency than he； being an intelligent and
well…to…do member of the Vaisya caste。 I thought it wise to see the
venerable Scindia alone； and accordingly sent Parinama out of the
room with the interpreter。 As before； I give you what passed between
us as I jotted it down in my notebook。
Q。 You are a friend of Rama Ragobah； are you not？
A。 No； Sahib； he has no friends。
Q。 You speak as if you disliked him。
A。 It is not Mono Scindia's habit to play the hypocrite。 I have good
reason to hate him。
Q。 You would not； then； had he committed a crime； assist him to escape
justice？
A。 I would track him like a bloodhound to the ends of the earth。
Q。 You knew Ragobah's wife？
A。 She was my cousin； Sahib。
Q。 Were your relations friendly？
A。 They were more than friendly。 I loved her dearly； and would have
tried to win her had I not been so much her senior。
Q。 Did she live happily with Ragobah？
A。 No； Sahib。
Q。 Why？
A。 I cannot answer。 I have sworn to reveal the last experiences of
my cousin to but one person。
Q。 And that person is。？
A。 I must decline to answer that also； Sahib。
Q。 If I succeed in naming him will you acknowledge it？
A。 You will not succeed； Sahib。
Q。 But if I should？
A。 I will acknowledge it。
Q。 The person is John Hinton Darrow。
The old man started as if he had been stabbed； and looked at me in
amazement。 He seemed at first to think I had read his thoughts and
riveted his dark eyes upon me as if； by way of return； he would read
my very soul。 I think he did so； for his scrutiny seemed to satisfy
him。 He replied； somewhat reassured： 〃I can speak only to John
Hinton Darrow。〃
〃John Darrow is dead；〃 I said。
〃Dead！〃 he exclaimed； springing to his feet； 〃Darrow Sahib dead！〃 and
he fell back into his chair； covering his face with his hands。 〃Ah；
my poor Lona！〃 he muttered feebly； 〃I have failed to keep my promise。
Do not reproach me； for I have done my best。 For twenty years have I
searched in vain for this man that I might fulfil your last request；
and the very first information I receive is the news of his death。 I
have been no less vigilant than Ragobah； yet I have failed； even as
he has failed。〃
I took this opportunity to again question him。
Q。 Are you sure Ragobah failed？
A。 Yes； had he found Darrow Sahib h
