the darrow enigma-第7章

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or　was　murdered；　in　all　probability　met　his　death　through　that
almost　imperceptible　wound　under　his　chin。　　This　wound；　so　far　as
I　have　yet　been　able　to　examine　it　without　a　glass；　was　made　with
a　somewhat　blunt　instrument；　able；　apparently；　to　little　more　than
puncture　the　skin　and　draw　a　drop　or　so　of　blood。　　Of　course；　on
such　a　theory；　death　must　have　resulted　from　poisoning。　　The
essential　point　is：　Where　is　the　instrument　that　inflicted　the
wound？〃

〃Might　it　not　be　buried　in　the　flesh？〃　Gwen　asked。

〃Possibly；　but　as　I　have　not　been　able　to　find　it　I　cannot　believe
it　very　likely；　though　closer　search　may　reveal　it；〃　replied
Maitland。　　〃Your　father's　right　forefinger；〃　he　continued；　〃is
slightly　stained　with　blood；　but　the　wound　is　of　a　nature　which
could　not　have　been　caused　by　a　finger　nail　previously　poisoned。
Since　we　know　he　pressed　his　hand　to　his　throat　this　blood…stain
makes　no　more　strongly　toward　the　truth　of　the　suicide　theory　than
it　does　toward　that　of　the　murder　hypothesis。　　Suppose　now；　for　we
must　look　at　all　sides　of　the　question；　the　officers　begin　to　act
upon　the　assumption　that　murder　has　been　committed。　　What　will
they　then　do？　　They　will　satisfy　themselves　that　the　east　window
was　opened　six　and　three…quarters　inches　and　securely　fastened　in
that　position；　that　the　two　south　windows　were　closed　and　fastened
and　that　the　blinds　thereof　were　also　closed。　　They　will　ascertain
the　time　when　death　occurred；　…　we　can　easily　tell　them；　…　and　this
will　show　them　that　neither　of　the　blinds　on　the　south　side　could
have　been　opened　without　so　increasing　the　light　in　the　room　as　to
be　sure　to　attract　our　attention。　　They　will　learn　also　that　the
folding　doors　were　locked；　as　they　are　now；　on　this　side　and　that
these　two　gentlemen　＇indicating　Browne　and　Herne＇　sat　against　them。
They　will　then　turn　to　the　hall　door　as　the　only　possible　means　of
entrance　and　I　shall　tell　them　that　the　Doctor　and　I　sat　directly
in　front　of　this　door　and　between　it　and　Mr。　Darrow。　　I　have　taken
the　liberty　to　cut　the　carpet　to　mark　the　positions　of　our　chairs。
In　view　of　all　these　facts　what　must　they　conclude？　　Simply　this：
no　one　entered　the　room；　did　the　deed；　and　then　left　it；　at　least
not　without　being　observed。〃　　〃But　surely；〃　I　ventured　to　suggest；
〃you　do　not　think　they　will　presume　to　question　the　testimony　of
all　of　us　that　no　one　was　observed。〃

〃That　is　all　negative　evidence；〃　he　replied；　〃and　does　not
conclusively　prove　that　another　might　not　have　observed　what　we
failed　to　detect。　　However；　it　is　all　so　self…evident　that　they
will　not　question　it。　　I　know　so　well　their　methods　of　reasoning
that　I　am　already　prepared　to　refute　their　conclusions　at　every
point；　without；　I　regret　to　say；　being　myself　able　to　solve　the
mystery；　though　I　may　say　in　passing　that　I　purposely　am　refraining
from　formulating　any　theory　whatever　until　I　have　ascertained
everything　which　it　is　possible　to　learn　in　the　matter。　　In　this　way
I　hope　to　avoid　the　error　into　which　the　detective　is　so　prone　to
fall。　　Once　you　set　up　an　hypothesis　you　unconsciously；　and　in　spite
of　yourself；　accentuate　unduly　the　importance　of　all　data　making
toward　that　hypothesis；　while；　on　the　other　hand　you　either　utterly
neglect；　misconstrue；　or　fail　to　fully　appreciate；　the　evidence
oppugnant　to　your　theory。　　In　chemical　research　I　gather　the　material
for　an　entire　series　of　experiments　before　performing　any；　so　that
the　first　few　shall　not；　either　by　satisfying　or　discouraging　me；
cause　me　to　leave　the　bush　half　beaten。

〃Let　us　see　how；　from　the　officers'　standpoint；　the　murder　hypothesis
now　stands。　　No　assassin；　it　will　be　clear　to　them；　could　have
entered　or　left　this　room　unobserved。　　If；　therefore；　a　man　did　enter
the　room　and　kill　our　friend；　we；　all　of　us；　must　be　his　accomplices。〃
This　remark　drew　some　sort　of　exclamatory　protest　from　every　other
person　in　the　room　save　Browne。

〃Ah；　that　is　probably　the　true　solution；〃　said　the　artist　with
ill…concealed　disgust。

This　remark　and　the　tone　in　which　it　was　uttered　would　have　been
discourteous　under　any　circumstances；　at　this　particular　time　and　in
the　painful　situation　in　which　we　all　found　ourselves　it　was　boorish
almost　beyond　endurance。

There　was　nothing　in　Maitland's　manner　to　indicate　that　he　had　heard
Browne's　remark；　as　he　quietly　continued：

〃You　see　this　cold…blooded　view；　the　mere　statement　of　which　causes
you　all　to　shudder；　…　the　more　so　because　one　of　our　number　is　the
daughter　of　the　dead　man；　…　is　not　to　be　entertained　a　moment　and
is　only　mentioned　to　show　the　logical　chain　which　will　force　the
officers　into　the　certain　conviction　that　no　assassin　did　enter　or
leave　this　room。　What；　then；　remains　of　their　theory？　　Two
possibilities。　　First；　the　murderer　may　have　done　the　deed　without
entering。　　If　so；　it　is　clear　that　he　must　have　made　use　of　the
partly…opened　window。　　This　seems　so　likely　that　they　will　seize
upon　it　with　avidity。　　At　first　they　will　suggest　that　the　assassin
reached　in　at　the　window　and　struck　his　victim　as　he　sat　by　it。
This；　they　will　urge；　accounts　for　our　not　finding　the　weapon；　and
they　will　be　so　sure　that　this　is　the　correct　solution　of　the
problem　that　I　shall　probably　have　to　point　out　to　them　its　patent
absurdity。　　This　illustrates　the　danger　of　forming　an　hypothesis
from　imperfect　data。　　Remind　them　that　Mr。　Darrow　did　not　sit　by
the　window；　but　eight　feet　three　and　one…half　inches　from　it；　in
almost　the　exact　centre　of　the　room；　and　their　theory　falls　to　the
ground；　only　to　be　hastily　replaced；　as　a　drowning　man　catches　at　a
straw；　by　a　slightly　varied　theory。　　If　the　victim　sat　that　distance
from　the　window；　they　will　inform　us；　it　is　clear　the　murderous
implement　must　have　been　thrown　or　shot　at　him　by　the　assassin。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Herne；　〃though　I　had　not　thought　of　that　theory
it　seems　to　me　so　plausible；　now　that　you　mention　it；　that　I　think
the　officers　will　show　rare　acumen　if　they　adopt　it。　　Very　properly
may　they　hold　that　some　projectile　might　have　been　shot　through　the
partly　opened　window　and　none　of　us　have　detected　the　act。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　rejoined　Maitland；　〃but　when　I　ask　them　where　this
implement　is　under　this　assumption；　and　remind　them　of　what　I　shall
already　have　told　them；　viz。；　that　Mr。　Darrow　sat　back　to　the　window
as　well　as　over　eight　feet　from　it；　and　sat　in　a　chair；　the　solid
back　of　which　extended；　like　a　protecting　shield；　fully　six　inches
above　the　top　of　his　head；　they　will　find　it　difficult　to　show　how；
unless　projectiles　travel　in　sharp　curves　or　angles；　a　man　in　this
position　could　thus　receive　a　wound　directly　beneath　his　chin；　a
wound　so　slight　as　not　to　penetrate　the　thyroid　cartilage　immediately
under　it。

〃The　abandonment　of　this　hypothesis　will　force　them　to　relinquish
the　idea　that　the　murder　was　committed　from　without。　　What　then
remains？　　Only　the　second　alternative。　　They　must　either　give　up
altogether　the　idea　of　murder；　or　have　recourse　to　what　is　known　as
the　theory　of　exclusive　opportunity。〃

〃Theory　of　exclusive　opportunity；〃　repeated　Gwen；　as　a　puzzled　look
overspread　her　countenance。　　〃I　…　I　fear　I　do　not　quite　understand
what　you　mean。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Miss　Darrow；　for　not　making　my　meaning　clearer　to　you；〃
said　Maitland　with　a　deferential　inclination　of　the　head。　　〃The
theory　of　exclusive　opportunity；　to　state　it　plainly　in　this　case；
means　simply　this：　if　Mr。　Darrow　were　murdered；　some　one　of　us　five；
we　being　the　only　ones　having　an　opportunity　to　do　the　deed；　must
be　the　assassin。　　Whether　this　view　be　taken；　or　that　of　suicide；　it
becomes　of　paramount　importance　to　find　the　weapon。　　Do　you　not　now
see　why　I　objected　to　having　anyone　leave　the　room？　　If；　as　appears
likely　from　my　search；　the　weapon　is　not　to　be　found；　and　if；　as　I
feel　reasonably　certain；　either　the　suicide　or　the　murder　theory　be
substantiated；　then；　anyone　who　left　the　room　before　official　search
was　made　would　be　held　to　have　taken　the　weapon　with　him　and　disposed
of　it；　because　his　would　have　been　the　exclusive　opportunity　of　so
doing。　　Someone　must　have　disposed　of　it；　and　no　one　else　had　a
chance　to　do