the darrow enigma-第44章
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slips 〃Rizzi。〃 This was long before the murder； and I was not at
work upon any case into which I could fit this 〃Weltz〃 or 〃Rizzi。〃
I was convinced in my own mind； however； that he was guilty of some
crime； and so put him down in my memory for future reference。 During
my work upon this present case this incident recurred to me； and I
followed up the suggestion as one which might possibly throw some
light upon the subject。
Q。 Did you peruse the books M。 Latour borrowed under the names of
Weltz and Rizzi？
A。 I did not。
Q。 Did you not look at any of them？
A。 No。 It did not occur to me to examine their names。
Q。 You probably noticed that there were several of them。 Among the
pile was one by Alexander Wynter Blyth entitled； 〃Poisons； Their
Effects and Detection。〃 Did you notice that？
A。 No。 I did not notice any of them。
Q。 But after you became suspicious of M。 Latour； did you not then
look up the slips； find this work； and read it？
A。 No。 I have never seen the book in my life and did not even know
such a work existed。
Q。 Oh！ Then the perusal of the books had no part in the tracking of
M。 Latour。
A。 None whatever。
Q。 Do you ever play cards？
A。 Yes； sometimes； to pass the time。
Q。 Do you play for money？
A。 Sometimes for a small stake … just enough to make it interesting。
Q。 Are you familiar with the house in which Mr。 Darrow was murdered？
A。 I have only such knowledge of it as I acquired at the examination
immediately after the murder。 You will remember I entered but the
one room。
Q。 And the grounds about the house？ Surely you examined them？
A。 On the contrary； I did not。
Q。 Did you not even examine the eastern side of the house？
A。 I did not。 I have never been within the gate save on the night in
question； and then only to traverse the front walk to and from the
house in company with Messieurs Osborne and Allen。 I was convinced
that the solution of the problem was to be found within the room in
which the murder was committed； and that my notes taken the night
of the tragedy contained all the data I could hope to get。
Q。 Was not this rather a singular assumption？
A。 For many doubtless it would be； but I have my own methods； and I
think I may say they have been measurably successful in most cases。
＇This last was said with a good…natured smile and a modest dignity
that completely won the audience。＇
At this point Maitland dismissed M。 Godin and the court adjourned
for the day。 That night M。 Godin made his first call upon Gwen。
Their interview was private； and Gwen had nothing to say about it
further than that her caller had not hesitated to inform her that
he was aware a reward had been offered and that he considered he
had earned it。 Maitland questioned her as to what he had claimed
as his due； but Gwen； with her face alternately flushed and ashen；
begged to be permitted to keep silence。
This attitude was； of course； not without its significance to
Maitland； and it was easy to see that M。 Godin's visit had much
displeased him。 But he was not the only one who was displeased
that night。 I regret that my promise of utter candour compels me
to bear witness to my own foolishness； for when Maitland found it
necessary to take Jeannette into the back parlour and to remain
there alone with her in earnest conversation one hour and twelve
minutes … I happened to notice the exact time … it seemed to me he
was getting unpleasantly confidential； and it nettled me。 You may
fancy that I was jealous； but it was； most likely； only pique； or；
at the worst； envy。 I was provoked at the nonchalant ease with
which this fellow did offhand a thing I had been trying to work
myself up to for several days； and had finally abandoned from sheer
lack of courage。 Why couldn't I carelessly say to her； 〃Miss
Jeannette； a word with you if you please；〃 and then take her into
the parlour and talk a 〃whole history。〃 Oh； it was envy； that's
what it was！ And then the change in Jeannette！ If he had not been
making love to her … well； I have often wondered since if it were
all envy； after all
The next morning M。 Latour's trial was resumed； and Maitland again
put M。 Godin upon the stand。 The object of this did not appear at
the time； though I think the Judge fully understood it。 Maitland's
first act was to show the Judge and Jury a glass negative and a
letter； which he asked them to examine carefully as he held the
articles before them。 He then passed the negative to M。 Godin；
saying：
〃Please take this by the lower corner； between your thumb and
forefinger； so that you may be sure not to touch the sight of the
picture； hold it to the light； and tell me if you recognise the
face。〃 M。 Godin did as directed and replied without hesitancy： 〃It
is a picture of M。 Latour。〃 〃Good；〃 rejoined Maitland； taking back
the negative and passing him the letter； 〃now tell me if you
recognise that signature。〃 M。 Godin looked sharply at the letter；
holding it open between the thumb and forefinger of each hand； and
read the signature； 〃'Carl Cazenove。' I should say that was M。
Latour's hand。〃
〃Good again；〃 replied Maitland； reaching for the paper and appearing
somewhat disconcerted as he glanced at it。 〃You have smutched the
signature； … however； it doesn't matter；〃 and he exhibited the paper
to the Judge and Jury。 〃The negative must have been oily … yes；
that's where it came from；〃 and he quietly examined it with a
magnifying glass； to the wonderment of us all。 〃That is all； M。
Godin； thank you。〃
As the celebrated detective left the stand we were all doing our best
to fathom what possible bearing all this could have upon Latour's
confession。 M。 Godin for once seemed equally at a loss to comprehend
the trend of affairs； if I may judge by the deep furrows which
gathered between his eyes。
Maitland then proceeded to address the Court and to sum up his case；
the gist of which I shall give you as nearly as possible in his own
words； omitting only such portions as were purely formal；
uninteresting； or unnecessarily verbose。
〃Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury： John Darrow was murdered and
the prisoner； M。 Gustave Latour； has confessed that he did the deed。
When a man denies the commission of a crime we do not feel bound to
consider his testimony of any particular value； but when； on the
other hand； a prisoner accused of so heinous a crime as murder
responds to the indictment； 'I am guilty；' we instinctively feel
impelled to believe his testimony。 Why is this？ Why do we doubt
his word when he asserts his innocence and accept it when he
acknowledges his guilt？ I will tell you。 It is all a question of
motive。 Could we see as cogent a motive for asseverating his guilt
as we find for his insisting upon his innocence； we should lend as
much credence to the one as to the other。 I propose to show that M。
Latour has what seems to him the strongest of motives for confessing
to the murder of John Darrow。 If I am able to do this to your
satisfaction； I shall practically have thrown M。 Latour's entire
testimony out of court； and nothing of importance will then remain
but the evidence of the government's witness； M。 Godin。〃
A great wave of excitement swept over the room at these remarks。
〃What！〃 each said to himself； 〃is it possible that this lawyer will
try to prove that Latour； despite his circumstantial confession；
did not commit the murder after all？〃 We did not dare let such a
thought take hold of us； yet could not see what else could explain
Maitland's remarks。 Is it any wonder； therefore； that we all waited
breathlessly for him to continue？ M。 Godin's face was dark and
lowering。 It was evident he did not propose to have his skill as a
detective； … and with it the Darrow reward； … set aside without a
struggle … at least so it seemed to me。 The room was as quiet as
the grave when Maitland continued。
〃I shall show you that M。 Godin's testimony is utterly unreliable；
and； moreover； that it is intentionally so。〃
This was a direct accusation； and at it M。 Godin's face became of
ashen pallor。 I felt that he was striving to control his anger and
saw the effort that it cost him
