the darrow enigma-第43章
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substantially correct in all this？
A。 You are quite correct。
Q。 Very good。 Did John Darrow's death result from a poisoned wound
made by the instrument you have described？
A。 It did。
This reply seemed to nonplus us all with the exception of Maitland
and Godin。 These two seemed proof against all surprises。 The rest
of us looked helplessly each at his neighbour as if to say； 〃What
next？〃 and we all felt； … at least I did and the others certainly
looked it； … as if the solution of the enigma were farther away
than ever。
Maitland proceeded in the same methodical strain。
Q。 A blow was given； yet neither you nor any person acting as your
accomplice gave it。 Did Mr。 Darrow himself give the blow？
A。 No； sir。
Q。 I thought not。 Did any person give it？
A。 No； sir。
The audience drew a deep inspiration； as if with one accord！ They
had ceased to reason。 Again and again had we been brought； as we
all felt sure； within a single syllable of the truth； only to find
ourselves at the next word more mystified than ever。 It would
hardly have surprised us more if the prisoner had informed us that
Mr。 Darrow still lived。 The excitement was so intense that thought
was impossible； so we could only listen with bated breath for someone
else to solve the thing for our beleaguered and discouraged minds。
After a word with his colleague； Maitland resumed。
Q。 A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was it given by anything
which is alive？
A。 It was not。
You could have heard a pin drop； so silent was the room during the
pause which preceded Maitland's next question。
Q。 Did you arrange some inanimate object or objects outside the
eastern window； or elsewhere； on the Darrow estate so that it or
they might wound Mr。 Darrow？
A。 No； … no inanimate object other than the hypodermic syringe
already referred to。
Q。 To my question： 〃A blow was given； yet no person gave it。 Was
it given by anything which is alive？〃 you have answered： 〃It was
not。〃 Let me now ask： Was it given by anything which was at that
time alive？
A。 It was。
There was a stir all over the court…room。 Here at last was a
suggestive admission。 The examination was approaching a crisis！
Q。 And you have said it was not a person。 Was it not an animal？
A。 It was。
〃An animal！〃 we all ejaculated with the unanimity of a Greek chorus。
So audible were the exclamations of incredulity which arose from the
spellbound audience that the crier's gavel had to be brought into
requisition before Maitland could proceed。
Q。 Did you train a little Capucin monkey to strike this blow？
A。 I did。
A great sigh； the result of suddenly relieved tension； liberally
interlarded with unconscious exclamations； swept over the court…room
and would not be gavelled into silence until it had duly spent itself。
Even the Judge so far forgot his dignity as to give vent to a
half…stifled exclamation。
Maitland proceeded：
Q。 In order that this monkey might not attack the wrong man after you
had armed him； you taught him to obey certain signals given by little
twitches upon the cord by which you held him。 A certain signal was
to creep stealthily forward； another to strike； and still another to
crawl quickly back with the weapon。 When circumstances seemed most
favourable to the success of your designs； … that is； when Miss
Darrow's voice and the piano prevented any slight sound from
attracting attention； … you gently dropped the monkey in at the
window and signalled him what to do。 When Mr。 Darrow sprang to his
feet you recalled the monkey and hastened away。 Is not this a fairly
correct description of what occurred？
A。 It is true to the letter。
Q。 And subsequently you killed the monkey lest he should betray you
by exhibiting his little tricks； at an inopportune moment in a way
to compromise you。 Is it not so？
A。 It is。 I killed him； though he was my daughter's pet。
We were stricken aghast at Maitland's sudden grasp of the case。
Even Godin was surprised。 What could it all mean？ Had Maitland
known the facts all along？ Had he simply been playing with the
witness for reasons which we could not divine？ M。 Godin's face
was a study。 He ceased boring holes in Latour with his eyes and
turned those wonderful orbs full upon Maitland； in whom they
seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul。 Clearly M。 Godin
was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland's power。
Browne； who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone； now
lowered blacker than ever； it seemed to me。 I wondered what could
have occurred to still further displease him； and finally concluded
it must either be some transient thought which had come uncalled
into his mind； or else a feeling of envy at his rival's prominence
in the case； and the deservedly good reputation he was making。 His
general ill…feeling I； of course； charged to jealousy； for I could
not but note his uncontrollable admiration for Gwen。 I fully
believed he would have given his own life … or anyone else's for
that matter … to possess her； and I decided to speak a word of
warning to George。 After a short； whispered consultation with
Jenkins and the prosecuting attorney； Maitland turned to the prisoner
and said：
〃That will do。 M。 Latour may leave the stand。〃
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared
up； and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the
formal denouement。 They were； therefore； much taken aback when
Maitland continued； addressing the jury：
〃The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming；
even had we not his confession。 Apart from this confession we have
no incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government's chief witness； M。 Godin。 As it is through this
gentleman's efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice；
it is but natural that much should be clear to him which may be
puzzling to those who have not made so close a study of the case。
I think he will enlighten us upon a few points。 M。 Godin will
please take the stand。〃
At this there was much whispering in the courtroom。。 Maitland's
course seemed decidedly anomalous。 Everyone wondered why he should
be at such pains to prove that which had been already admitted and
which； moreover； since he was representing Latour； it would seem he
would most naturally wish to disprove。 M。 Godin； however； took the
stand and Maitland proceeded to examine him in a way which only
added amazement to wonder。
Q。 How long have you been at work on this case？
A。 Ever since the murder。
Q。 When did you first visit M。 Latour's rooms？
A。 Do you mean to enter them？
Q。 Yes。
A。 I did not enter his rooms until the day he was arrested。 I went
to other rooms of the same tenement…house on previous occasions。
Q。 Have you reason to believe M。 Latour ever saw you prior to the
day of his arrest？
A。 No。 I am sure he did not。 I was especially careful to keep out
of his way。
Q。 You are certain that on the several occasions when you say you
entered his rooms you were not observed by him while there？
A。 I did not say I entered his rooms on several occasions。
Q。 What did you say？
A。 I said I never was in his rooms but once； and that was upon the
day of his arrest。
Q。 I understand。 Were you not assisted in your search for Mr。
Darrow's murderer by certain library books which you discovered M。
Latour had been reading？
A。 I … I don't quite understand。
Q。 M。 Latour obtained some books from the Public Library for hall
use； giving his name as … as …=20
A。 Weltz。 Yes； they did assist me。 There were some also taken under
the name of Rizzi。
Q。 Exactly。 Those are the names； I think。 How was your attention
called to these books？
A。 I met Latour at the library by accident； and he at once struck me
as a man anxious to avoid observation。 This made it my business to
watch him。 I saw that he signed his name as 〃Weltz〃 on the slips。
The next day I saw him there again； and this time he signed the
slips 〃Rizzi。〃 This was long before the murder； and I was not at
work upon any case into whi
