little novels-第96章

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Our　Inspector　（otherwise　an　excellent　officer）　had；　by　some　perversity　of　nature；　a　hot　temper　in　his　chilly　constitution。　〃Why；　bless　the　woman；　can't　you　see　it　is？〃　he　says。　〃What's　the　matter　now？〃

〃Murder's　the　matter！〃　she　burst　out。　〃For　God's　sake；　come　back　with　me。　It's　at　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　lodging…house；　number　14　Lehigh　Street。　A　young　woman　has　murdered　her　husband　in　the　night！　With　a　knife；　sir。　She　says　she　thinks　she　did　it　in　her　sleep。〃

I　confess　I　was　startled　by　this；　and　the　third　man　on　duty　（a　sergeant）　seemed　to　feel　it　too。　She　was　a　nice…looking　young　woman；　even　in　her　terrified　condition；　just　out　of　bed；　with　her　clothes　huddled　on　anyhow。　I　was　partial　in　those　days　to　a　tall　figureand　she　was；　as　they　say；　my　style。　I　put　a　chair　for　her；　and　the　sergeant　poked　the　fire。　As　for　the　Inspector；　nothing　ever　upset　_him_。　He　questioned　her　as　coolly　as　if　it　had　been　a　case　of　petty　larceny。

〃Have　you　seen　the　murdered　man？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Or　the　wife？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　didn't　dare　go　into　the　room；　I　only　heard　about　it！〃

〃Oh？　And　who　are　You？　One　of　the　lodgers？〃

〃No；　sir。　I'm　the　cook。〃

〃Isn't　there　a　master　in　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　He's　frightened　out　of　his　wits。　And　the　housemaid's　gone　for　the　doctor。　It　all　falls　on　the　poor　servants；　of　course。　Oh；　why　did　I　ever　set　foot　in　that　horrible　house？〃

The　poor　soul　burst　out　crying；　and　shivered　from　head　to　foot。　The　Inspector　made　a　note　of　her　statement；　and　then　asked　her　to　read　it；　and　sign　it　with　her　name。　The　object　of　this　proceeding　was　to　get　her　to　come　near　enough　to　give　him　the　opportunity　of　smelling　her　breath。　〃When　people　make　extraordinary　statements；〃　he　afterward　said　to　me；　〃it　sometimes　saves　trouble　to　satisfy　yourself　that　they　are　not　drunk。　I've　known　them　to　be　madbut　not　often。　You　will　generally　find　_that_　in　their　eyes。〃

She　roused　herself　and　signed　her　name〃Priscilla　Thurlby。〃　The　Inspector's　own　test　proved　her　to　be　sober；　and　her　eyesa　nice　light　blue　color；　mild　and　pleasant；　no　doubt；　when　they　were　not　staring　with　fear；　and　red　with　cryingsatisfied　him　（as　I　supposed）　that　she　was　not　mad。　He　turned　the　case　over　to　me；　in　the　first　instance。　I　saw　that　he　didn't　believe　in　it；　even　yet。

〃Go　back　with　her　to　the　house；〃　he　says。　〃This　may　be　a　stupid　hoax；　or　a　quarrel　exaggerated。　See　to　it　yourself；　and　hear　what　the　doctor　says。　If　it　is　serious；　send　word　back　here　directly；　and　let　nobody　enter　the　place　or　leave　it　till　we　come。　Stop！　You　know　the　form　if　any　statement　is　volunteered？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　I　am　to　caution　the　persons　that　whatever　they　say　will　be　taken　down；　and　may　be　used　against　them。〃

〃Quite　right。　You'll　be　an　Inspector　yourself　one　of　these　days。　Now；　miss！〃　With　that　he　dismissed　her；　under　my　care。

Lehigh　Street　was　not　very　far　offabout　twenty　minutes'　walk　from　the　station。　I　confess　I　thought　the　Inspector　had　been　rather　hard　on　Priscilla。　She　was　herself　naturally　angry　with　him。　〃What　does　he　mean；〃　she　says；　〃by　talking　of　a　hoax？　I　wish　he　was　as　frightened　as　I　am。　This　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　out　at　service；　sirand　I　did　think　I　had　found　a　respectable　place。〃

I　said　very　little　to　herfeeling；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　rather　anxious　about　the　duty　committed　to　me。　On　reaching　the　house　the　door　was　opened　from　within；　before　I　could　knock。　A　gentleman　stepped　out；　who　proved　to　be　the　doctor。　He　stopped　the　moment　he　saw　me。

〃You　must　be　careful；　policeman；〃　he　says。　〃I　found　the　man　lying　on　his　back；　in　bed；　deadwith　the　knife　that　had　killed　him　left　sticking　in　the　wound。〃

Hearing　this；　I　felt　the　necessity　of　sending　at　once　to　the　station。　Where　could　I　find　a　trustworthy　messenger？　I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　the　doctor　if　he　would　repeat　to　the　police　what　he　had　already　said　to　me。　The　station　was　not　much　out　of　his　way　home。　He　kindly　granted　my　request。

The　landlady　（Mrs。　Crosscapel）　joined　us　while　we　were　talking。　She　was　still　a　young　woman；　not　easily　frightened；　as　far　as　I　could　see；　even　by　a　murder　in　the　house。　Her　husband　was　in　the　passage　behind　her。　He　looked　old　enough　to　be　her　father；　and　he　so　trembled　with　terror　that　some　people　might　have　taken　him　for　the　guilty　person。　I　removed　the　key　from　the　street　door；　after　locking　it；　and　I　said　to　the　landlady：　〃Nobody　must　leave　the　house；　or　enter　the　house；　　till　the　Inspector　comes。　I　must　examine　the　premises　to　see　if　any　on　e　has　broken　in。〃

〃There　is　the　key　of　the　area　gate；〃　she　said；　in　answer　to　me。　〃It's　always　kept　locked。　Come　downstairs　and　see　for　yourself。〃　Priscilla　went　with　us。　Her　mistress　set　her　to　work　to　light　the　kitchen　fire。　〃Some　of　us；〃　says　Mrs。　Crosscapel；　〃may　be　the　better　for　a　cup　of　tea。〃　I　remarked　that　she　took　things　easy；　under　the　circumstances。　She　answered　that　the　landlady　of　a　London　lodging…house　could　not　afford　to　lose　her　wits；　no　matter　what　might　happen。

I　found　the　gate　locked；　and　the　shutters　of　the　kitchen　window　fastened。　The　back　kitchen　and　back　door　were　secured　in　the　same　way。　No　person　was　concealed　anywhere。　Returning　upstairs；　I　examined　the　front　parlor　window。　There；　again；　the　barred　shutters　answered　for　the　security　of　that　room。　A　cracked　voice　spoke　through　the　door　of　the　back　parlor。　〃The　policeman　can　come　in；〃　it　said；　〃if　he　will　promise　not　to　look　at　me。〃　I　turned　to　the　landlady　for　information。　〃It's　my　parlor　lodger；　Miss　Mybus；〃　she　said；　〃a　most　respectable　lady。〃　Going　into　the　room；　I　saw　something　rolled　up　perpendicularly　in　the　bed　curtains。　Miss　Mybus　had　made　herself　modestly　invisible　in　that　way。　Having　now　satisfied　my　mind　about　the　security　of　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　and　having　the　keys　safe　in　my　pocket；　I　was　ready　to　go　upstairs。

On　our　way　to　the　upper　regions　I　asked　if　there　had　been　any　visitors　on　the　previous　day。　There　had　been　only　two　visitors；　friends　of　the　lodgersand　Mrs。　Crosscapel　herself　had　let　them　both　out。　My　next　inquiry　related　to　the　lodgers　themselves。　On　the　ground　floor　there　was　Miss　Mybus。　On　the　first　floor　（occupying　both　rooms）　Mr。　Barfield；　an　old　bachelor；　employed　in　a　merchant's　office。　On　the　second　floor；　in　the　front　room；　Mr。　John　Zebedee；　the　murdered　man；　and　his　wife。　In　the　back　room；　Mr。　Deluc；　described　as　a　cigar　agent；　and　supposed　to　be　a　Creole　gentleman　from　Martinique。　In　the　front　garret；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Crosscapel。　In　the　back　garret；　the　cook　and　the　housemaid。　These　were　the　inhabitants；　regularly　accounted　for。　I　asked　about　the　servants。　〃Both　excellent　characters；〃　says　the　landlady；　〃or　they　would　not　be　in　my　service。〃

We　reached　the　second　floor；　and　found　the　housemaid　on　the　watch　outside　the　door　of　the　front　room。　Not　as　nice　a　woman；　personally；　as　the　cook；　and　sadly　frightened　of　course。　Her　mistress　had　posted　her；　to　give　the　alarm　in　the　case　of　an　outbreak　on　the　part　of　Mrs。　Zebedee；　kept　locked　up　in　the　room。　My　arrival　relieved　the　housemaid　of　further　responsibility。　She　ran　downstairs　to　her　fellow…servant　in　the　kitchen。

I　asked　Mrs。　Crosscapel　how　and　when　the　alarm　of　the　murder　had　been　given。

〃Soon　after　three　this　morning；〃　says　she；　〃I　was　woke　by　the　screams　of　Mrs。　Zebedee。　I　found　her　out　here　on　the　landing；　and　Mr。　Deluc；　in　great　alarm；　trying　to　quiet　her。　Sleeping　in　the　next　room　he　had　only　to　open　his　door；　when　her　screams　woke　him。　'My　dear　John's　murdered！　I　am　the　miserable　wretchI　did　it　in　my　sleep！'　She　repeated　these　frantic　words　over　and　over　again；　until　she　dropped　in　a　swoon。　Mr。　Deluc　and　I　carried　her　back　into　the　bedroom。　We　both　thought　the　poor　creature　had　been　driven　distracted　by　some　dreadful　dream。　But　when　we　got　to　the　bedsidedon't　ask　me　what　we　saw；　the　doctor　has　told　you　about　it　already。　I　was　once　a　nurse　in　a　hospital；　and　accustomed；　as　such；　to　horrid　sights。　It　turned　me　cold　and　giddy；　notwithstanding。　As　for　Mr。　Deluc；　I　thought　_he_　would　have　had　a　fainting　fit　next。〃

Hearing　this；　I　inquired　if　Mrs。　Zebedee　had　said　or　done　any　strange　things　since　she　had　been　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　lodger。

〃You　think　she's　mad？〃　says　the　landlady。　〃And　anybody　would　be　of　your　mind；　when　a　woma