little novels- 第78部分

He　waited　downstairs　to　hear　my　report；　and　he　approved　of　what　I　had　done。　〃It　looks　as　if　the　murder　had　been　committed　by　somebody　in　the　house。〃　Saying　this；　he　left　the　man　below；　and　went　up　with　me　to　the　second　floor。

Before　he　had　been　a　minute　in　the　room；　he　discovered　an　object　which　had　escaped　my　observation。

It　was　the　knife　that　had　done　the　deed。

The　doctor　had　found　it　left　in　the　bodyhad　withdrawn　it　to　probe　the　woundand　had　laid　it　on　the　bedside　table。　It　was　one　of　those　useful　knives　which　contain　a　saw；　a　corkscrew；　and　other　like　implements。　The　big　blade　fastened　back；　when　open；　with　a　spring。　Except　where　the　blood　was　on　it；　it　was　as　bright　as　when　it　had　been　purchased。　A　small　metal　plate　was　fastened　to　the　horn　handle；　containing　an　inscription；　only　partly　engraved；　which　ran　thus：　〃To　John　Zebedee；　from〃　There　it　stopped；　strangely　enough。

Who　or　what　had　interrupted　the　engraver's　work？　It　was　impossible　even　to　guess。　Nevertheless；　the　Inspector　was　encouraged。

〃This　ought　to　help　us；〃　he　saidand　then　he　gave　an　attentive　ear　（looking　all　the　while　at　the　poor　creature　in　the　corner）　to　what　Mrs。　Crosscapel　had　to　tell　him。

The　landlady　having　done；　he　said　he　must　now　see　the　lodger　who　slept　in　the　next　bed…chamber。

Mr。　Deluc　made　his　appearance；　standing　at　the　door　of　the　room；　and　turning　away　his　head　with　horror　from　the　sight　inside。

He　was　wrapped　in　a　splendid　blue　dressing…gown；　with　a　golden　girdle　and　trimmings。　His　scanty　brownish　hair　curled　（whether　artificially　or　not；　I　am　unable　to　say）　in　little　ringlets。　His　complexion　was　yellow；　his　greenish…brown　eyes　were　of　the　sort　called　〃goggle〃they　looked　as　if　they　might　drop　out　of　his　face；　if　you　held　a　spoon　under　them。　His　mustache　and　goat's　beard　were　beautifully　oiled；　and；　to　complete　his　equipment；　he　had　a　long　black　cigar　in　his　mouth。

〃It　isn't　insensibility　to　this　terrible　tragedy；〃　he　explained。　〃My　nerves　have　been　shattered；　Mr。　Policeman；　and　I　can　only　repair　the　mischief　in　this　way。　Be　pleased　to　excuse　and　feel　for　me。〃

The　Inspector　questioned　this　witness　sharply　and　closely。　He　was　not　a　man　to　be　misled　by　appearances；　but　I　could　see　that　he　was　far　from　liking；　or　even　trusting；　Mr。　Deluc。　Nothing　came　of　the　examination；　except　what　Mrs。　　Crosscapel　had　in　substance　already　mentioned　to　me。　Mr。　Deluc　returned　　to　his　room。

〃How　long　has　he　been　lodging　with　you？〃　the　Inspector　asked；　as　soon　as　his　back　was　turned。

〃Nearly　a　year；〃　the　landlady　answered。

〃Did　he　give　you　a　reference？〃

〃As　good　a　reference　as　I　could　wish　for。〃　Thereupon；　she　mentioned　the　names　of　a　well…known　firm　of　cigar　merchants　in　the　city。　The　Inspector　noted　the　information　in　his　pocketbook。

I　would　rather　not　relate　in　detail　what　happened　next：　it　is　too　distressing　to　be　dwelt　on。　Let　me　only　say　that　the　poor　demented　woman　was　taken　away　in　a　cab　to　the　station…house。　The　Inspector　possessed　himself　of　the　knife；　and　of　a　book　found　on　the　floor；　called　〃The　World　of　Sleep。〃　The　portmanteau　containing　the　luggage　was　lockedand　then　the　door　of　the　room　was　secured；　the　keys　in　both　cases　being　left　in　my　charge。　My　instructions　were　to　remain　in　the　house；　and　allow　nobody　to　leave　it；　until　I　heard　again　shortly　from　the　Inspector。

III。

THE　coroner's　inquest　was　adjourned；　and　the　examination　before　the　magistrate　ended　in　a　remandMrs。　Zebedee　being　in　no　condition　to　understand　the　proceedings　in　either　case。　The　surgeon　reported　her　to　be　completely　prostrated　by　a　terrible　nervous　shock。　When　he　was　asked　if　he　considered　her　to　have　been　a　sane　woman　before　the　murder　took　place；　he　refused　to　answer　positively　at　that　time。

A　week　passed。　The　murdered　man　was　buried；　his　old　father　attending　the　funeral。　I　occasionally　saw　Mrs。　Crosscapel；　and　the　two　servants；　for　the　purpose　of　getting　such　further　information　as　was　thought　desirable。　Both　the　cook　and　the　housemaid　had　given　their　month's　notice　to　quit；　declining；　in　the　interest　of　their　characters；　to　remain　in　a　house　which　had　been　the　scene　of　a　murder。　Mr。　Deluc's　nerves　led　also　to　his　removal；　his　rest　was　now　disturbed　by　frightful　dreams。　He　paid　the　necessary　forfeit…money；　and　left　without　notice。　The　first…floor　lodger；　Mr。　Barfield；　kept　his　rooms；　but　obtained　leave　of　absence　from　his　employers；　and　took　refuge　with　some　friends　in　the　country。　Miss　Mybus　alone　remained　in　the　parlors。　〃When　I　am　comfortable；〃　the　old　lady　said；　〃nothing　moves　me；　at　my　age。　A　murder　up　two　pairs　of　stairs　is　nearly　the　same　thing　as　a　murder　in　the　next　house。　Distance；　you　see；　makes　all　the　difference。〃

It　mattered　little　to　the　police　what　the　lodgers　did。　We　had　men　in　plain　clothes　watching　the　house　night　and　day。　Everybody　who　went　away　was　privately　followed；　and　the　police　in　the　district　to　which　they　retired　were　warned　to　keep　an　eye　on　them；　after　that。　As　long　as　we　failed　to　put　Mrs。　Zebedee's　extraordinary　statement　to　any　sort　of　testto　say　nothing　of　having　proved　unsuccessful；　thus　far；　in　tracing　the　knife　to　its　purchaserwe　were　bound　to　let　no　person　living　under　Mr。　Crosscapel's　roof；　on　the　night　of　the　murder；　slip　through　our　fingers。

IV。

IN　a　fortnight　more；　Mrs。　Zebedee　had　sufficiently　recovered　to　make　the　necessary　statementafter　the　preliminary　caution　addressed　to　persons　in　such　cases。　The　surgeon　had　no　hesitation；　now；　in　reporting　her　to　be　a　sane　woman。

Her　station　in　life　had　been　domestic　service。　She　had　lived　for　four　years　in　her　last　place　as　lady's…maid；　with　a　family　residing　in　Dorsetshire。　The　one　objection　to　her　had　been　the　occasional　infirmity　of　sleep…walking；　which　made　it　necessary　that　one　of　the　other　female　servants　should　sleep　in　the　same　room；　with　the　door　locked　and　the　key　under　her　pillow。　In　all　other　respects　the　lady's…maid　was　described　by　her　mistress　as　〃a　perfect　treasure。〃

In　the　last　six　months　of　her　service；　a　young　man　named　John　Zebedee　entered　the　house　（with　a　written　character）　as　a　footman。　He　soon　fell　in　love　with　the　nice　little　lady's…maid；　and　she　heartily　returned　the　feeling。　They　might　have　waited　for　years　before　they　were　in　a　pecuniary　position　to　marry；　but　for　the　death　of　Zebedee's　uncle；　who　left　him　a　little　fortune　of　two　thousand　pounds。　They　were　now；　for　persons　in　their　station；　rich　enough　to　please　themselves；　and　they　were　married　from　the　house　in　which　they　had　served　together；　the　little　daughters　of　the　family　showing　their　affection　for　Mrs。　Zebedee　by　acting　as　her　bridesmaids。

The　young　husband　was　a　careful　man。　He　decided　to　employ　his　small　capital　to　the　best　advantage；　by　sheep…farming　in　Australia。　His　wife　made　no　objection；　she　was　ready　to　go　wherever　John　went。

Accordingly　they　spent　their　short　honeymoon　in　London；　so　as　to　see　for　themselves　the　vessel　in　which　their　passage　was　to　be　taken。　They　went　to　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　lodging…house　because　Zebedee's　uncle　had　always　stayed　there　when　in　London。　Ten　days　were　to　pass　before　the　day　of　embarkation　arrived。　This　gave　the　young　couple　a　welcome　holiday；　and　a　prospect　of　amusing　themselves　to　their　heart's　content　among　the　sights　and　shows　of　the　great　city。

On　their　first　evening　in　London　they　went　to　the　theater。　They　were　both　accustomed　to　the　fresh　air　of　the　country；　and　they　felt　half　stifled　by　the　heat　and　the　gas。　However；　they　were　so　pleased　with　an　amusement　which　was　new　to　them　that　they　went　to　another　theater　on　the　next　evening。　On　this　second　occasion；　John　Zebedee　found　the　heat　unendurable。　They　left　the　theater；　and　got　back　to　their　lodgings　toward　ten　o'clock。

Let　the　rest　be　told　in　the　words　used　by　Mrs。　Zebedee　herself。　She　said：

〃We　sat　talking　for　a　little　while　in　our　room；　and　John's　headache　got　worse　and　worse。　I　persuaded　him　to　go　to　bed；　and　I　put　out　the　candle　（the　fire　giving　sufficient　light　to　undress　by）；　so　that　he　might　the　sooner　fall　asleep。　But　he　was　too　restless　to　sleep。　He　asked　me　to　read　him　something。　Books　always　made　him　drowsy　at　the　best　of　times。

〃I　had　not　myself　begun　to　undress。　So　I　lit　the　candle　again；　and　I　opened　the　only　book　I　had。　John　had　noticed　it　at　the　railway　bookstall　by　the　name　of　'The　World　of　Sleep。'　He　used　to　joke　with　me　about　my　being　a　sleepwalker；　and　he　said；　'Here's　something　that's　sure　to　interest　you'and　he　made　me　a　present　of　the　book。

〃Before　I　had　read　to　him　for　more　than　half　an　hour　he　was　fast　asleep。　Not　feeling　that　way　inclined；　I　went　on　reading　to　myself。

〃The　book　did　indeed　interest　me。　There　was　one　terrible　story　which　took　a　hold　on　my　mindthe　story　of　a　man　who　stabbed　his　own　wife　in　a　sleep…walking　dream。　I　thought　of　putting　down　my　book　after　that；　and　then　changed　my　mind　again　and　went　on。　The　next　chapters　were　not　so　interesting；　they　were　full　of　learned　accounts　of　why　we　fall　asleep；　and　what　our　brains　do　in　that　state；　and　such　like。　It　ended　in　my　falling　asleep；　too；　in　my　armchair　by　the　fireside。

〃I　don't　know　what　o'clock　it　was　when　I　went　to　sleep。　I　don't　know　how　long　I　slept；　or　whether　I　dreamed　or　not。　The　candle　and　the　fire　had　both　burned　out；　and　it　was　pitch　dark　when　I　woke。　I　can't　even　say　why　I　wokeunless　it　was　the　coldness　of　the　room。

〃There　was　a　spare　candle　on　the　chimney…　piece。　I　found　the　matchbox；　and　got　a　light。　Then　for　the　first　time；　I　turned　round　toward　the　bed；　and　I　saw〃

She　had　seen　the　dead　body　of　her　husband；　murdered　while　she　was　unconsciously　at　his　sideand　she　fainted；　poor　creature；　at　the　bare　remembrance　of　it。

The　proceedings　were　adjourned。　She　received　every　possible　care　and　attention；　the　chaplain　looking　after　her　welfare　as　well　as　the　surgeon。

I　have　said　nothing　of　the　evidence　of　the　landlady　and　servants。　It　was　taken　as　a　mere　formality。　What　little　they　knew　proved　nothing　against　Mrs。　Zebedee。　The　police　made　no　discoveries　that　supported　her　first　frantic　accusation　of　herself。　Her　master　and　mistress；　where　she　had　been　last　in　service；　spoke　of　her　in　the　highest　terms。　We　were　at　a　complete　deadlock。

It　had　been　thought　best　not　to　surprise　Mr。　Deluc；　as　yet；　by　citing　him　as　a　witness。　The　acti