classic mystery and detective stories-第77章

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there　were　no　assignable　limits　to　the　contagion　of　imitation。　　And

this　it　was　which　so　profoundly　agitated　German　society。　　In　every

family　in　which　there　happened　to　be　a　bride；　vague　tremors　could

not　be　allayed；　and　the　absolute　powerlessness　which　resulted　from

the　utter　uncertainty　as　to　the　quarter　in　which　this　dreaded

phantom　might　next　appear；　justified　and　intensified　those　tremors。

Against　such　an　apparition　there　was　no　conceivable　safeguard。

From　a　city　stricken　with　the　plague；　from　a　district　so　stricken；

flight　is　possible；　and　there　are　the　resources　of　medical　aid。

But　from　a　moral　plague　like　this；　what　escape　was　possible？



So　passionate　and　profound　became　the　terror；　that　I　began　to　share

the　opinion　which　I　heard　expressed；　regretting　the　widespread

publicity　of　the　modern　press；　since；　with　many　undeniable

benefits；　it　carried　also　the　fatal　curse　of　distributing　through

households；　and　keeping　constantly　under　the　excitement　of

discussion；　images　of　crime　and　horror　which　would　tend　to

perpetuate　and　extend　the　excesses　of　individual　passion。　　The　mere

dwelling　long　on　such　a　topic　as　this　was　fraught　with　evil。



This　and　more　I　heard　discussed　as　I　hurried　back　to　Munich。　　To

Munich？　　Yes；　thither　I　was　posting　with　all　speed。　　Not　a　shadow

of　doubt　now　remained　in　my　mind。　　I　knew　the　assassin；　and　was

resolved　to　track　and　convict　him。　　Do　not　suppose　that　THIS　time　I

was　led　away　by　the　vagrant　activity　of　my　constructive

imagination。　　I　had　something　like　positive　proof。　　No　sooner　had　I

learned　that　the　murder　had　been　committed　at　Grosshesslohe；　than

my　thoughts　at　once　carried　me　to　a　now　memorable　visit　I　had　made

there　in　company　with　Bourgonef　and　two　young　Bavarians。　　At　the

hotel　where　we　dined；　we　were　waited　on　by　the　niece　of　the

landlord；　a　girl　of　remarkable　beauty；　who　naturally　excited　the

attention　of　four　young　men；　and　furnished　them　with　a　topic　of

conversation。　　One　of　the　Bavarians　had　told　us　that　she　would　one

day　be　perhaps　one　of　the　wealthiest　women　in　the　country；　for　she

was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　young　farmer　who　had　recently　found

himself；　by　a　rapid　succession　of　deaths；　sole　heir　to　a　great

brewer；　whose　wealth　was　known　to　be　enormous。



At　this　moment　Sophie　entered　bringing　wine；　and　I　saw　Bourgonef

slowly　turn　his　eyes　upon　her　with　a　look　which　then　was　mysterious

to　me；　but　which　now　spoke　too　plainly　its　dreadful　meaning。



What　is　there　in　a　look；　you　will　say？　　Perhaps　nothing；　or　it　may

be　everything。　　To　my　unsuspecting；　unenlightened　perception；

Bourgonef's　gaze　was　simply　the　melancholy　and　half…curious　gaze

which　such　a　man　might　be　supposed　to　cast　upon　a　young　woman　who

had　been　made　the　topic　of　an　interesting　discourse。　　But　to　my

mind；　enlightened　as　to　his　character；　and　instructed　as　to　his

peculiar　feelings　arising　from　his　own　story；　the　gaze　was　charged

with　horror。　　It　marked　a　victim。　　The　whole　succession　of　events

rose　before　me　in　vivid　distinctness；　the　separate　details　of

suspicion　gathered　into　unity。



Great　as　was　Bourgonef's　command　over　his　features；　he　could　not

conceal　uneasiness　as　well　as　surprise　at　my　appearance　at　the

table　d'hote　in　Munich。　　I　shook　hands　with　him；　putting　on　as

friendly　a　mask　as　I　could；　and　replied　to　his　question　about　my

sudden　return　by　attributing　it　to　unexpected　intelligence　received

at　Salzburg。



〃Nothing　serious；　I　hope？〃



〃Well；　I'm　afraid　it　will　prove　very　serious；〃　I　said。　　〃But　we

shall　see。　　Meanwhile　my　visit　to　the　Tyrol　must　be　given　up　or

postponed。〃



〃Do　you　remain　here；　then？〃



〃I　don't　know　what　my　movements　will　be。〃



Thus　I　had　prepared　him　for　any　reserve　or　strangeness　in　my

manner；　and　I　had　concealed　from　him　the　course　of　my　movements；

for　at　whatever　cost；　I　was　resolved　to　follow　him　and　bring　him　to

justice。



But　how？　　Evidence　I　had　none　that　could　satisfy　any　one　else；

however　convincing　it　might　be　to　my　own　mind。　　Nor　did　there　seem

any　evidence　forthcoming　from　Grosshesslohe。　　Sophie's　body　had

been　found　in　the　afternoon　lying　as　if　asleep　in　one　of　the　by…

paths　of　the　wood。　　No　marks　of　a　struggle；　no　traces　of　the

murderer。　　Her　affianced　lover；　who　was　at　Augsburg；　on　hearing　of

her　fate；　hurried　to　Grosshesslohe；　but　could　throw　no　light　on　the

murder；　could　give　no　hint　as　to　a　possible　motive　for　the　deed。

But　this　entire　absence　of　evidence；　or　even　ground　of　suspicion；

only　made　MY　case　the　stronger。　　It　was　the　motiveless　malignity　of

the　deed　which　fastened　it　on　Bourgonef；　or　rather；　it　was　the

absence　of　any　known　motive　elsewhere　which　assured　me　that　I　had

detected　the　motive　in　him。



Should　I　communicate　my　conviction　to　the　police？　　It　was　possible

that　I　might　impress　them　with　at　least　sufficient　suspicion　to

warrant　his　examinationand　in　that　case　the　truth　might　be

elicited；　for　among　the　many　barbarities　and　iniquities　of　the

criminal　procedure　in　Continental　States　which　often　press　heavily

on　the　innocent；　there　is　this　compensating　advantage；　that　the

pressure　on　the　guilty　is　tenfold　heavier。　　If　the　innocent　are

often　unjustly　punishedimprisoned　and　maltreated　before　their

innocence　can　be　establishedthe　guilty　seldom　escape。　　In　England

we　give　the　criminal　not　only　every　chance　of　escape；　but　many

advantages。　　The　love　of　fair…play　is　carried　to　excess。　　It　seems

at　times　as　if　the　whole　arrangements　of　our　procedure　were

established　with　a　view　to　giving　a　criminal　not　only　the　benefit

of　every　doubt；　but　of　every　loophole　through　which　he　can　slip。

Instead　of　this；　the　Continental　procedure　goes　on　the　principle　of

closing　up　every　loophole；　and　of　inventing　endless　traps　into

which　the　accused　may　fall。　　We　warn　the　accused　not　to　say

anything　that　may　be　prejudicial　to　him。　　They　entangle　him　in

contradictions　and　confessions　which　disclose　his　guilt。



Knowing　this；　I　thought　it　very　likely　that；　however　artful

Bourgonef　might　be；　a　severe　examination　might　extort　from　him

sufficient　confirmation　of　my　suspicion　to　warrant　further

procedure。　　But　knowing　also　that　THIS　resort　was　open　to　me　when

all　others　had　failed；　I　resolved　to　wait　and　watch。





IX



FINALE





Two　days　passed；　and　nothing　occurred。　　My　watching　seemed

hopeless；　and　I　resolved　to　try　the　effect　of　a　disguised

interrogatory。　　It　might　help　to　confirm　my　already　settled

conviction；　if　it　did　not　elicit　any　new　evidence。



Seated　in　Bourgonef's　room；　in　the　old　place；　each　with　a　cigar；

and　chatting　as　of　old　on　public　affairs；　I　gradually　approached

the　subject　of　the　recent　murder。



〃Is　it　not　strange；〃　I　said；　〃that　both　these　crimes　should　have

happened　while　we　were　casually　staying　in　both　places？〃



〃Perhaps　we　are　the　criminals；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　　I　shivered

slightly　at　this　audacity。　　He　laughed　as　he　spoke；　but　there　was　a

hard；　metallic；　and　almost　defiant　tone　in　his　voice　which

exasperated　me。



〃Perhaps　we　are；〃　I　answered；　quietly。　　He　looked　full　at　me；　but　I

was　prepared；　and　my　face　told　nothing。　　I　added；　as　in

explanation；　〃The　crime　being　apparently　contagious；　we　may　have

brought　the　infection　from　Nuremberg。〃



〃Do　you　believe　in　that　hypothesis　of　imitation？〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　believe。　　Do　you　believe　in　there　being　only

one　murderer？　　It　seems　such　a　preposterous　idea。　　We　must　suppose

him；　at　any　rate；　to　be　a　maniac。〃



〃Not　necessarily。　　Indeed　there　seems　to　have　been　too　much　artful

contrivance　in　both　affairs；　not　only　in　the　selection　of　the

victims；　but　in　the　execution　of　the　schemes。　　Cunning　as　maniacs

often　are　they　are　still　maniacs；　and　betray　themselves。〃



〃If　not　a　maniac；〃　said　I；　hoping　to　pique　him；　〃he　must　be　a　man

of　stupendous　and　pitiable　vanity；perhaps　one　of　your　constant…

minded　friends；　whom　you　refuse　to　call　bloodthirsty。〃



〃Constant…minded；　perhaps