CHAPTER VI. ELIZA'S EVIDENCE.

 Before Paul could express his surprise at the strange remark of Iris¹, she left him, with a warning glance. Still, astonished both at her speech and action, he was about to follow, when Inspector² Drek made his appearance. He beckoned³ to Mexton in a peremptory⁴ manner.

 

"I am about to examine the servant in the drawing-room," he said hurriedly; "you can be present if you like."

 

"As you please," answered Mexton, with feigned⁵ indifference⁶. "She may throw some light on the subject."

 

"Has Miss Link done so?"

 

"No. I saw her for a few moments only; but she said nothing worth talking about."

 

In making this statement Paul did violence to his own opinion; for, on consideration of the last remark made by Iris, he was persuaded that she knew more about the matter than she chose to tell. She did not want him to search for the criminal, therefore it would appear that she was aware of the identity of the guilty person, and did not want him, or her--for it might be a woman--arrested. But why should she thus side with the murderer of her sister? Paul could find no feasible answer to this question.

 

Eliza made her appearance in the drawing-room in a state of hardly-controlled excitement, and took her seat before Mr. Inspector and Paul with the air of one who considers herself of the greatest importance. She was a constant reader of novels, and now fancied that she was the heroine of a story in real life. Short, red-faced and fat, Eliza wore the honours thus thrust upon her with an air of dignity. But these airs and graces were completely thrown away on Drek, who spoke⁸ to her sharply, and gave no latitude⁹ in answering. There was no romance about the inspector.

 

"Well, Eliza," said he, looking her up and down, "and what do you know about this murder?"

 

"Sir," replied the servant, with dignity, "I don't know much, but I guess a lot."

 

"That is not to the point. We want facts, not fancies. Do you know who killed this poor girl?"

 

"I 'ave my suspicions, Mr. Policeman."

 

"To whom do your suspicions point?"

 

"To my master, sir--to Dr. Lester."

 

"Nonsense!" said Drek, while Paul started up with an exclamation¹⁰ of surprise. "You do not dare to say that Dr. Lester killed his own daughter--knowingly?"

 

"That's just where it is, Mr. Policeman. He killed her, I could swear; but he didn't know what he was doin'."

 

"Perhaps you will explain?"

 

"Certainly, Mr. Policeman. Last night my master was drinking hard, and had had words with Miss Iris on the subject of the late deceased. Miss Iris went to look for the corpse¹¹ before nine o'clock----"

 

"What do you mean by that expression?" interrupted Mexton. "Miss Lester was not dead then; and if she was, Miss Link, ignorant of her fate, could not have gone to look for a 'corpse!'"

 

"I don't quite mean that, sir," said Eliza, rather confused that her attempt at eloquence¹² had proved so misleading; "what I do mean is that Miss Milly 'adn't come 'ome before nine, and Miss Iris went to look for her."

 

"I understand. But what about Dr. Lester?"

 

"He stayed in, drinking brandy, and when he was quite mad he went out with a pistol to look for his daughter."

 

"How do you know?" asked Drek, rather startled by this explicit¹³ evidence.

 

"Because I was watchin' and listenin'," said Eliza with great candour. "I thought, as he was drinking, he might smash the furniture, according to custom; and Miss Iris, she asked me always to perteck the furniture, if needs be. I watched the door of the consulting-room, gentlemen, and I seed Dr. Lester come out with a weapon in 'is 'and----"

 

"A pistol?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Policeman, a double-barril revolver. He rushed out, screeching¹⁵ that Miss Milly was a--well," said Eliza, checking herself, "I can't say what he called her, but it was somethin' bad, you may be sure. I waited in, with great 'orror, sir, and when Miss Iris came back, I was glad to see she weren't a corpse. I thought as Dr. Lester might have met 'er, and killed 'er right out."

 

Drek and the journalist glanced at one another, for this candidly-delivered evidence certainly seemed to implicate¹⁶ Lester. "What did Miss Link say when you told her that Dr. Lester had gone out?" demanded Mexton hurriedly.

 

"She seemed 'orror-struck, like me, sir; and then I went to bed, and she waited for the corpse. It arrived about midnight with Mr. Chaskin. I was woke up by a wild screech¹⁴, Mr. Policeman, and came down to find the tragedy. For the rest of the night we all sat up till morning, when the deceased was taken for the inquitch to the Herne Arms, where she now is, an' may the Lord 'ave mercy on 'er soul," finished Eliza, with clasped hands.

 

"What time did Dr. Lester return?"

 

"In the mornin' at seven o'clock. He 'ad been wanderin' about all night, and tumbling into the mud. Miss Iris made him take off his clothes, 'cause they were all over red clay, an' he's been sitting drinkin' ever since."

 

"Red clay!" repeated Drek sharply. "And the corpse was found by Mr. Chaskin in the Winding¹⁷ Lane."

 

"What of that?" asked Paul, curiously¹⁸.

 

"Simply this: that red clay is found in the Winding Lane, and owing to the late rain there is a good deal of mud about there. Dr. Lester must have been in the Winding Lane last night."

 

"An' so was Miss Milly," cried Eliza; "they found 'er remains¹⁹ there."

 

There was silence for a few moments, and the three people looked at one another. All the evidence seemed to prove the guilt⁷ of Dr. Lester. He had gone out mad with drink and angry with the dead girl; he had taken with him a pistol, and Milly had been murdered by such a weapon; finally, his clothes were covered with red mud, which was most plentiful²⁰ in the neighbourhood where the corpse had been found. On this circumstantial evidence it would seem that Dr. Lester had killed his own daughter in a fit of drunken frenzy²¹. This discovery added to the horror of the crime.

 

"My girl," said the inspector after a pause, "have you spoken of this to any one else?"

 

"No, sir; I swear as I 'asn't breathed a word."

 

"Then don't breathe a word till I tell you," said Drek shortly. "You can go now--and hold your tongue. Wait!" he added, with an afterthought, "where are the clothes Dr. Lester wore last night?"

 

"I can get them, sir; they are in 'is bedroom."

 

"Bring them at once to the consulting-room."

 

When Eliza departed on this errand, Paul looked at Drek in a questioning manner. "Why do you wish the clothes brought to the consulting-room?" he demanded.

 

"I want to demand an explanation of Dr. Lester."

 

"He is too drunk to understand you."

 

"No, he isn't. I saw him a few minutes ago, and he was coming round. Besides, a knowledge of his position will sober him."

 

"Do you really believe he killed his own daughter?"

 

"It would seem so," said Drek in a perplexed²² tone; "but----"

 

"But what?"

 

"Well," explained the inspector sagely²³, "I have been mixed up in one or two cases of this sort before, and I always mistrust evidence that is too plain."

 

"You speak in riddles²⁴."

 

"H'm! Maybe; but I tell you I doubt this evidence. It is all dead against Lester; still----"

 

Paul interrupted. "The best thing to do is to question Lester himself," he said, "force him either into confession²⁵ or into defence."

 

"It is the most straightforward²⁶ way," assented²⁷ Drek rising. "Let us go into the consulting-room at once and look at the clothes."

 

"And look for the revolver," suggested Paul significantly.

 

The inspector nodded, and they sought the presence of Dr. Lester. The wretched creature was recovering his senses, and as they entered he was drinking long draughts²⁸ from the water-bottle to clear his head. At the sound of their footsteps he started nervously²⁹, and turned towards them a white and haggard face. Paul wondered whether his looks and manner were due to drink or to guilt; certainly to one, perhaps to both.

 

"Do you want to see me, gentlemen?" said the doctor, rising, with shaking limbs.

 

"Yes," said Drek, with a keen glance at the wreck³⁰ before him. "I wish to ask you a few questions."

 

"Relative to the murder of my poor girl?"

 

"Relative to the red mud on your clothes."

 

"Red mud!" stammered³¹ Lester, with what appeared to be genuine amazement³². "I have no red mud on my clothes!" and he looked down at his apparel.

 

"I refer to the clothes you wore last night," said Drek shortly.

 

At this moment Eliza entered with a bundle, which she threw on the floor; and to this Drek turned his attention. Coat, trousers, and waist-coat were all of light-grey cloth, and on the arms of the coat and the knees of the trousers were splashes of dried mud, red in hue³³. The inspector glanced at them, then at the startled face of Lester, and searched the pockets with a practised hand. He could not find a single article in any one of them.

 

"Where is the pistol, Dr. Lester?" he asked, rising from his knees.

 

"Pistol! What pistol?" said Lester, with a nervous tremour.

 

"The revolver which you took out last night."

 

"How--how do you know I took a revolver out last night?" asked the doctor, with a start.

 

"I saw you take it out, sir," broke in Eliza. "You took it out to kill Miss Milly!"

 

Lester gave a cry of alarm, and fell back in his chair. "Are--are you mad?" he said. "I--I--kill--kill my own daughter!"

 

"Well, you said you wanted to last night," persisted Eliza.

 

"No--no--no!" cried the doctor, covering his face. "It is impossible!"

 

"Improbable, but not impossible," corrected Drek. "Where is the revolver?"

 

"I don't know; I--I lost it."

 

"Where?"

 

"I tell you I don't know; I can't remember," said the wretched man.

 

"Dr. Lester," said the inspector in a stern manner, "let me advise you to be careful, sir, for you stand in a very dangerous position. There is evidence against you that you killed your daughter."

 

"I tell you it's impossible!" shrieked³⁴ Lester, the perspiration³⁵ beading on his forehead. "I kill Milly! I loved her! I would not kill a fly! I--I--O God!--Mexton, you don't believe that I killed Milly?"

 

"I can't say," said Paul, sorry for the man, although he was doubtful of his innocence³⁶. "The servant here says you were angry with Milly last night, and went out with a revolver in search of her."

 

"No, no! I went in search of Lovel."

 

"Lovel?" cried Drek, astonished by the introduction of this new name--"what had Mr. Lovel to do with it?"

 

"He was with my daughter last night; Iris said he was."

 

"At what time?"

 

"Between eight and nine o'clock. Milly was in love with him, and as she was engaged to Herne, I was angry with Lovel. I went out to threaten him, but not to kill him, or her--no, no!"

 

"Where did you go?" asked Paul quickly.

 

"I don't know, I can't remember. I left this house with a pistol, and that is the last thing I can recall till I found myself at dawn in my own garden."

 

"There is red mud on your clothes," said Drek, "so you must have been in the Winding Lane, where the red mud is most plentiful."

 

"I might have been. What of that?"

 

"Simply this: the dead body of your daughter was found in the Winding Lane. She was shot through the head, and you went out with a pistol."

 

"O God!" Lester clasped his hands together in an angonised way. "Do you think I killed her?"

 

"I do," said Drek. "I firmly believe it--so much so that I intend to arrest you on the evidence."

 

Dr. Lester shook all over, made an attempt to speak, and fell fainting on the floor. In the minds of the three spectators there was no doubt of his guilt. He had gone out to kill Lovel; and by mistake, or mischance, he had killed his own daughter. The assassin of Milly Lester was her own father.

 

1 iris   

n.虹膜，彩虹

参考例句：

• The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。
• This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

2 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

3 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 peremptory   

adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的

参考例句：

• The officer issued peremptory commands.军官发出了不容许辩驳的命令。
• There was a peremptory note in his voice.他说话的声音里有一种不容置辩的口气。

5 feigned   

a.假装的，不真诚的

参考例句：

• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work. 他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
• He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm. 他假装热情地接受了邀请。

6 indifference   

n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎

参考例句：

• I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

7 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

10 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

11 corpse   

n.尸体，死尸

参考例句：

• What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
• The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

12 eloquence   

n.雄辩；口才，修辞

参考例句：

• I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
• The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。

13 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

14 screech   

n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音

参考例句：

• He heard a screech of brakes and then fell down. 他听到汽车刹车发出的尖锐的声音,然后就摔倒了。
• The screech of jet planes violated the peace of the afternoon. 喷射机的尖啸声侵犯了下午的平静。

15 screeching   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
• the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

16 implicate   

vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌

参考例句：

• He didn't find anything in the notebooks to implicate Stu.他在笔记本中没发现任何涉及斯图的东西。
• I do not want to implicate you in my problem of the job.我工作上的问题不想把你也牵扯进来。

17 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

18 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

19 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

20 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

21 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

22 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。

23 sagely   

adv. 贤能地，贤明地

参考例句：

• Even the ones who understand may nod sagely. 即使对方知道这一点，也会一本正经地点头同意。
• Well, that's about all of the sagely advice this old grey head can come up with. 好了，以上就是我这个满头银发的老头儿给你们的充满睿智的忠告。

24 riddles   

n.谜（语）( riddle的名词复数 )；猜不透的难题，难解之谜

参考例句：

• Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看，口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
• But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句

25 confession   

n.自白，供认，承认

参考例句：

• Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
• The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

26 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

27 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

28 draughts   

n. <英>国际跳棋

参考例句：

• Seal (up) the window to prevent draughts. 把窗户封起来以防风。
• I will play at draughts with him. 我跟他下一盘棋吧！

29 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

30 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

31 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

32 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

33 hue   

n.色度；色调；样子

参考例句：

• The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
• The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。

34 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

35 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

36 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。