"My dear boy, that is just where the danger comes in," Ravenspur replied. "I haven't the remotest idea whether Vera is like or unlike her mother, but I fear that she must be, otherwise that man Silva would never have got on my track, as I have felt quite sure lately that he has done. Doubtless in some of his wanderings he has seen the girl, he has recognised the likeness1, and made up his mind that he has found the object of his search at last. You see, he has only to make a few inquiries2 amongst the servants, who would tell him that Vera is my ward3, and that, as to the rest, she is more or less of a beautiful mystery. One can understand now why he should come to my studio and steal that portrait."
"I think I can see a better theory than that," Walter said. "Wasn't the portrait exhibited before it came back to the studio again? I seem to remember something of the kind."
"Of course it was," Ravenspur exclaimed. "I had quite forgotten that. Silva must have got his inspiration from the picture. I suppose that is why he made that murderous attack upon Sir James Seton the other night, taking him, of course, for me. But that is not the first warning I have had of the impending4 danger, and I am afraid it won't be the last."
Walter listened to this desponding view with impatience5.
"But, surely, you are not going to take it like this, sir?" he expostulated. "By greatest good fortune we have discovered who your mysterious foe6 is. I think it has been a wonderful slice of luck, and we ought to take advantage of it. Surely you couldn't do any less than place the matter in the hands of the police, telling them all that has happened. At any rate, you can do nothing else. They can drive this man Silva out of the country. If I may be allowed a suggestion, you will let Inspector7 Dallas know without delay. If you don't care to tell him yourself, let me broach8 the matter. Indeed, it seems my imperative9 duty to do so. If you fell by the hand of this man now I should feel morally responsible for your death. And, besides, if anything happens to you, what are we going to do about Vera? She is not yet of age. She might at any moment be claimed by her mother, who you say is a perfect fiend. And, besides, though this is a minor10 matter, I am deeply attached to Vera myself----"
"Oh, I know, I know," Ravenspur groaned11. "The thing is hedged round with troubles and difficulties. You know why I was against your marriage with Vera, and how greatly distressed12 I was when I found everything out. If there had been nothing in the way, nobody would have been more delighted at a match like that than myself. But you see the danger, though you little know how deep and far-reaching those Corsican vengeances are. How do I know that if you marry Vera you would not be marked down for the same fate as myself?"
"I am prepared to risk that," Walter said grimly. "Still, at the present moment, we have far more important things to talk about. And Vera must know nothing of this."
"My dear boy, of course not. I should never dream of telling her. But sooner or later she must discover everything for herself, I am afraid. I have been thinking over what you said just now, and perhaps it would be as well to let the police know."
"You will do it at once?" asked Walter eagerly.
"Well, no, I don't propose to do it at all. You have been so clever and cool-headed in this matter that I have decided13 to leave everything to you. The whole problem is so complicated that I am utterly14 unable to grasp it. I can see no connection between the two, but I am perfectly15 certain that the death of poor Delahay is all part of the coil."
"I feel that, too," Walter said. "But we need not concern ourselves about that at present. By the way, have you seen anything of Mrs. Delahay to-day?"
"She won't see me," Ravenspur replied. "She obstinately16 refuses to see anybody. She remains17 wilfully18 blind to the fact that she is in a serious position. You see, she declared in her evidence in chief that she had not been outside the hotel on the night of the murder, and yet on the testimony19 of three independent witnesses we have it that she was away upwards20 of three hours. Of course, that man Stevens is a very suspicious character, but he could have nothing to gain by swearing that he saw Mrs. Delahay with her husband very early in the morning in Fitzjohn Square. Moreover, the man's evidence was not in the least shaken. What to make of it I don't know. I wish you would try and see her. You know her far better than I do, because you were a deal in Italy before Delahay's marriage, and I think she likes you. Of course, she might have some strong reasons for leaving the hotel and for keeping the thing a secret, and she may be utterly and entirely21 innocent. But, really she ought to tell her best friends what is the meaning of this mystery."
Walter glanced at his watch. It still wanted some minutes to eleven o'clock, and it was no far cry to the Grand Hotel. A hansom took him there in ten minutes. Mrs. Delahay had not yet retired22 for the night, and Walter sent up his card, with a few urgent words pencilled on it. A maid came down presently with the information that Mrs. Delahay would see him for a moment.
She came into her sitting-room23 perfectly calm and self-possessed, though the deadly whiteness of her face and the scintillating24 of her eyes told of the torture that was going on within.
"I wish you would let me help you," Walter said as they shook hands. "I wish you would be advised by me. My uncle tells me that you refused to see him altogether."
"I was bound to," Mrs. Delahay said in a low voice. "Oh, I know exactly what you want. I am the victim of a set of extraordinary circumstances. My innocent lie may get me into serious trouble. I am not blind to that knowledge, but at the same time I cannot speak. I must allow people to think the worst. But I swear to you if it is the last word I ever utter, that I was not with my husband. I was not the woman the witness identified as the person he had seen with Louis Delahay in Fitzjohn Square that terrible morning."
The words were quietly, almost coldly, uttered, but Walter believed them as he would perhaps have refused to believe a passionate25 outburst on the speaker's part.
"But surely," he argued, "you can give some account of your movements. You can say why you went out and what for?"
"I cannot," Maria Delahay went on in the same even tones. "There are the most pressing reasons why I should keep silent. My dear Mr. Lance, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for all your sympathy and kindness, but nothing can move me from my determination. After all said and done, the police can prove nothing against me. For the rest of my life I shall be a person to be shunned26 and avoided, but I shall know how to bear my punishment uncomplainingly. And in conclusion, I am quite convinced of this--if I told you everything, you would say that I was perfectly justified27 in the course I am taking. Further argument is useless."
Walter saw the futility28 of it, too. He saw in the woman's averted29 head and outstretched hand, the sign that he was no longer needed, and that the interview was at an end. By no means satisfied he made his way down to the vestibule intent upon seeing Inspector Dallas without further delay. He was not surprised to find the object of his search engaged in discussion with the clerk.
"You are the very man I want to see," he said. "If you have ten minutes to spare, I think I can give you some useful information. I have just been having a long conversation with Lord Ravenspur, and he has asked me to lay certain facts before you."
"I can come with you now," Dallas said. "We can talk as we go along the road. Now, sir."
"It is rather a long story," Walter said. "I suppose you Scotland Yard people keep yourselves au fait with most of the sensational30 crimes which take place on the Continent? I suppose, for instance, you remember the death by poisoning of Count Boris Flavio, and how his wife was charged no fewer than five times with the crime?"
Dallas fairly started.
"That is a most extraordinary thing," he said. "I don't mind telling you that within the last day or two, or rather within the last few hours, we have blundered upon a startling light on that crime. It so happens that an Italian detective, who has come here to take a prisoner back to Rome, has interested himself in the Fitzjohn business, more or less because Mrs. Delahay is Italian herself. This detective Berti was not in court during the inquest, but he came round here an hour or two ago and expressed a casual wish to see Mrs. Delahay. He managed to do so for a moment, and then he made a statement that fairly took my breath away. But come with me as far as Scotland Yard and you shall hear him tell the story himself. I won't spoil it for him."
A little while later Walter found himself in the presence of a slim, diminutive31 man, with a fierce moustache and an exceedingly mild, insinuating32 manner.
"This is my friend Berti," Dallas explained. "And this, Berti, is Mr. Walter Lance, nephew of Lord Ravenspur. He mentioned the Flavio case to me just now with a view to getting a little information. I told him that you had had the whole business in hand, and you had better let him know that you are in a position to place your finger upon the Countess Flavio at any moment."
"Oh, that is an easy matter," Berti said. "I had the privilege of seeing the Countess this evening; but she does not call herself countess now. She is Mrs. Louis Delahay."
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1
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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11
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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12
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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14
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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16
obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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17
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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wilfully
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| adv.任性固执地；蓄意地 | |
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19
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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scintillating
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| adj．才气横溢的,闪闪发光的; 闪烁的 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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futility
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| n.无用 | |
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29
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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32
insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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