"He was forced into that position," rejoined the journalist quickly. "He accused Lovel until the discovery of the rainbow feather led him to believe that Catinka had been on the spot, and might have seen him commit the crime. Then he changed his tune3, and asked me to seek no further evidence against Lovel until he returned from seeing Catinka. I know now that the violinist saw nothing, and, reassured4 on that point, I am certain that Herne will return here tomorrow, and go on accusing Lovel."
"But, Paul," urged Iris, "he might have seen Lovel kill Milly?"
"No; if he had done so, he would have had Lovel arrested. Iris, this handkerchief shows that Herne was in the Winding5 Lane on the night and at the time of the murder. He came to Barnstead in disguise; and, see, this handkerchief is spotted6 with blood--with Milly's blood. I feel sure that Herne is the guilty man."
Iris covered her face with her hands and shuddered7. "Oh!" she moaned, "I have tried to put this frightful8 suspicion out of my mind, because I loved the man. I fancied that he might have killed Milly in a fit of rage, and it was because I was sorry for him that I asked you not to search for the assassin."
"You thought I should find Herne?"
"Yes; but I could not believe him guilty. When I heard of Mr. Lovel's false alibi9 at the inquest I truly believed that he had killed Milly."
"But, Iris," expostulated Paul, "the handkerchief is spotted with blood!"
"I know. Perhaps Mr. Herne let it fall when he found the body."
"If so, and he found the body, why did he not call in the police? Why did he sneak10 away to London in disguise, and let Mr. Chaskin bring home the corpse11? No, Iris; I believe that Herne killed Milly. Only one man can tell us the truth, and the truth he must tell to save his own neck. I shall see Lovel."
"My dear, I don't know," replied Paul, rising; "his own conduct is quite as mysterious as that of Herne. All I do know is that both of them were lurking13 about the spot at the time the shot was fired, and that one of the two must have fired it. I suspect Herne, but I shall do nothing against him at present."
"Don't say anything to Drek until you see Mr. Herne."
"No, I shall not," promised Paul; "but Herne does not return till to-morrow, and in the meantime I shall interview Lovel. His evidence may either clear or inculpate14 Herne."
"I can't believe Mr. Herne is guilty!" cried Iris in despair.
"Ah," said Paul, looking at her with a frown, "that is because you love him."
"No, no! I did love him, but now I do not care for him save as a friend; and for such friendship's sake I should be sorry to see him convicted of a crime which he may not have committed."
"Well. I'll say nothing against him until I see Lovel. This very moment I'll go to The Herne Arms and question him."
"I suspect he'll have enough to do to prove his own," said Paul grimly; and forthwith left the house on his errand. With him he carried the incriminating handkerchief, which Iris had forgotten to ask for back again.
On his way to the inn Paul wondered why he had not adopted before the very obvious course of questioning Lovel. He should have gone to him after Brent's confession16 of the false alibi and have forced the young man to explain why he and the old gipsy had perjured17 themselves at the inquest; but on further reflection Paul recollected19 that circumstances had intervened which had made it impossible to seek the interview with Lovell. But now all obstacles had been removed; he had accumulated from Brent, Miss Clyde, Catinka and others a mass of circumstantial evidence; and at the coming conversation he was fully20 prepared to encounter any further deceptions21 which Lovel might employ to evade22 discovery. Paul did not believe that Lovel was guilty, as even the passion of jealousy23 would hardly have incited24 him to slay25 the girl who loved and trusted him; but he was certain that Lovel knew the name of the assassin; and he was equally certain that such name would be Darcy Herne.
At the inn Mexton learnt that Lovel was in his sitting-room26, and at once he sent up his card with a request for an interview. He had a fancy that Lovel, for obvious reasons, would refuse to see him; but, rather to his surprise, he was requested to walk upstairs. When the servant closed the door behind him Paul found himself in a comfortable apartment, alone with the man who, as he believed, held in his hands the sole clue to the mysterious death of Milly. Lucas looked worn and ill; there were dark circles under his eyes, and he appeared listless and indifferent, as though his vitality27 was exhausted28. Without offering his hand to Mexton, he bowed and pushed forward a chair.
"Hast thou found me out, O my enemy?" he said softly.
Mexton stared, as well he might, for the Biblical quotation29 was a strange one for Lovel to use. Paul thought it rather theatrical30. "I am not your enemy, Mr. Lovel," he said, taking his seat. "I think you know that very well."
"How should I know, when Brent tells me that you go to him to worm out my secrets?"
"As to that," replied Paul coldly, "I have a right to discover any secrets which are likely to lead to the detection of Milly's assassin."
"No; I do not think you killed the poor girl. I will give you the credit that you loved her too well to take her young life. But I think also," said Paul with energy, "that you know who fired the shot."
"No; I am as doubtful of that as you are."
"I decline to believe that. Herne killed the girl, and you know it."
"So far as I do know, Herne did not kill the girl," replied Lovel emphatically.
"Then, if he is innocent, and you also, who is the murderer?"
"I don't know, I cannot say," said Lucas wearily. "I have asked myself that question fifty times a day, but to it I can find no answer."
"The police might find an answer."
Lovel laughed. "The police might arrest me, and find their answer by getting me hanged," he said coolly.
"Well, Drek may arrest you yet," said Paul, raising his eyebrows32. "You must be aware, Mr. Lovel, that your actions are very suspicious."
"Because I told a lie to screen myself from possible danger?"
"Yes; and because you induced Gran Jimboy to lie also. Though how you induced her to perjure18 herself I can't guess."
"I'll explain if you like," said Lovel coldly. "I see that I must tell the truth sooner or later, and I would rather make you my father confessor than Drek. I run less risk of arrest, you see."
"I don't know, Lovel. If I think you guilty I shall certainly have you arrested."
"My good, sir," cried Lovel with irony33, "if I were guilty of murder I should have left this neighbourhood long ago! My staying here proves my innocence."
"I'll wait to hear your story before agreeing to that."
"Very good, Mexton. You shall hear my story, and in addition I will tell you all that took place in the Winding Lane on the night poor, dear Milly was killed. Then," added Lovel with emphasis, "you will be as puzzled as I am."
"Puzzled by what?"
"By the mystery of the case. Who killed Milly I can't tell you; and if I cannot no one else can."
"I don't understand--" began Paul, when Lovel cut him short.
"Do not let us waste any more time," he said impatiently. "Hear my confession, as you may call it, and judge for yourself." He paused, passed his hand across his forehead, and in a moment or so continued, "My name is Lucas Lovel, as you know, and I came down here some eight or ten months ago to sketch34 and paint. Who I am I knew no more than yourself until three weeks ago."
"About the time of the murder?" interjected Mexton.
"Yes," assented35 Lovel, bending his head. "There was a mystery about my birth. I did not know where I was born, or who were my father and mother. I was brought up by an old maiden36 aunt in London, and she resolutely37 refused to tell me about my parentage. I was educated at an excellent school, and as I wished to be an artist I was sent to the studio of a celebrated38 painter to study. Afterwards I went abroad, to Paris and Rome, whence I was recalled two years ago by the death of my guardian39. By her will I inherited her house in Clapham, and some two hundred pounds a year--enough to keep me from starving, but not enough to give me the luxuries of life. About a year ago I became acquainted with Catinka and her mad schemes for freeing Poland. At her house I met Herne."
"You met Herne?" echoed Paul, much interested.
"I did; and I thought he was as mad in his own way as Catinka was in hers. However, we became friends, and he asked me down to Barnstead. As you are aware, I stayed with him for some time; but we quarrelled because I admired Miss Lester too much, and I left his house to take up my abode40 in these rooms, where I have been since. It was my love for Milly which kept me here, in this dull neighbourhood."
"I know; but it would have been more honourable41 had you gone," said Mexton, reprovingly.
"Why--because the girl I loved was engaged to a religious lunatic?" cried Lovel, his pale face growing red with anger. "It was for that very reason I stayed. I was determined42 that beautiful Milly should not be sacrificed to that cold-blooded fanatic43. Besides, she loved me, and but for the attraction of Herne's money she would have become my wife. I met her often, as you know; and some wretch44 sent tales of these meetings to Herne."
"Do you know who wrote Herne those letters?" asked Paul eagerly.
"No; if I did, I'd kick the person who sent them," said Lovel viciously. "I have no idea who was so cruel. Well, Mexton, while paying court to Milly, and urging her to break off the engagement with Herne, I met with old Mother Jimboy, the gipsy. She positively45 haunted my steps, and never saw me without speaking to me. I found her a great nuisance."
"Perhaps she wrote the anonymous46 letters," suggested Mexton, thinking of the dirty paper and the illegible47 handwriting as described by Catinka.
Lovel shook his head very decidedly. "No, my friend," he said, gravely. "Mother Jimboy did not write those letters, for a reason which you shall hear. She would do nothing to injure me; but, on the contrary, she would protect me as the apple of her eye. For my sake she told a lie at the inquest, so that I should not be suspected of a crime which I did not commit."
"She must have strong reason for this guardianship," said Mexton, surprised.
"A strong one," assented Lovel, nodding. "The reason of kinship, Mr. Mexton." He paused to give effect to his words. "That old gipsy is my grandmother."
"On my father's side I am--half a Romany, half a Gorgio; but my looks are of the gipsy race. Can you not see for yourself?" he said, turning his face to the light.
It was as he stated, for on looking at him keenly Paul beheld50 unmistakable traces of Romany blood--the oval face, swart and Oriental, the thin nose, the full red lips, and above all the peaked eyes, with the glazed51 look which reveals the true gipsy. Lovel looked like an Arab astray in the West; and would have suited the rich robes of the Oriental rather than the plain garb52 of an English gentleman. Paul instinctively53 felt that the young man spoke54 the truth. He was no Englishman; he was not even kin1 to the dark Spaniard or the swart Italian; he was of the gentle Romany, undeniably a gipsy.
"When did you discover that you were of gipsy blood?" asked Paul.
"I have told you," said Lovel quietly. "About three weeks ago. On the day before that fatal Sunday night I met Milly on the common, and she promised to meet me in the Winding Lane the next night, after service. Shortly before, Gran Jimboy had read Milly's hand, and prophesied55 that she would come by a violent death. I was angry with the old woman, and when Milly left me I went in search of Mother Jimboy to reprove her."
"By telling me that she was my grandmother. It appeared that her son, my father, who was a pureblooded gipsy, had been a fine singer, and left the Romany tents for the stage. He sang also at private houses in London, and in one of them he met with my mother, who was an heiress in a small way. She fell in love with the gipsy tenor57, and ran off with him. They were married, and when I was born my mother died, and asked her husband to take me back to her sister; my father died also, and it was by my aunt--the old maid I spoke of--that I was brought up. Before I was six years of age my father was drowned while going to America; and as he had squandered58 all the money his wife brought him, I was left penniless. My aunt, who was angered by her sister's marriage, decided48 to tell me nothing, but gave me my father's name--Lovel is a gipsy name, you know--and left me her little money. So you see, Mr. Mexton, I am a gipsy."
"I see," said Paul, rather bored. "But what has all this family history to do with the murder?"
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1
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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2
iris
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| n.虹膜，彩虹 | |
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3
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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4
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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7
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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10
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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11
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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12
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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13
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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14
inculpate
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| v.使负罪；控告；使连累 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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16
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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17
perjured
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| adj.伪证的，犯伪证罪的v.发假誓，作伪证( perjure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
perjure
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| v.作伪证；使发假誓 | |
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19
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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21
deceptions
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| 欺骗( deception的名词复数 )； 骗术，诡计 | |
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evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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24
incited
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| 刺激，激励，煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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26
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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27
vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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29
quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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30
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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31
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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32
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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33
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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34
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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35
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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38
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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39
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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40
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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41
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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42
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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43
fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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44
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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45
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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46
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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47
illegible
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| adj.难以辨认的，字迹模糊的 | |
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48
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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49
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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50
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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51
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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52
garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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53
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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54
spoke
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| 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 | |
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55
prophesied
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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57
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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58
squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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