Decision.
Who dares
To say that he alone has found the truth.
Longfellow.
THE next morning Mr. Ferris was startled by the appearance in his office of Mr. Byrd, looking wretchedly anxious and ill.
“I have come,” said the detective, “to ask you what you think of Mr. Hildreth’s prospects1. Have you made up your mind to have him arrested for this crime?”
“Yes,” was the reply. “The evidence against him is purely2 circumstantial, but it is very strong; and if no fresh developments occur, I think there can be no doubt about my duty. Each and every fact that comes to light only strengthens the case against him. When he came to be examined last night, a ring was found on his person, which he acknowledged to having worn on the day of the murder.”
“He took it off during the inquest,” murmured Mr. Byrd; “I saw him.”
“It is said by Hickory — the somewhat questionable3 cognomen4 of your fellow-detective from New York — that the young man manifested the most intense uneasiness during the whole inquiry5. That in fact his attention was first drawn6 to him by the many tokens which he gave of suppressed agitation7 and alarm. Indeed, Mr. Hickory at one time thought he should be obliged to speak to this stranger in order to prevent a scene. Once Mr. Hildreth got up as if to go, and, indeed, if he had been less hemmed8 in by the crowd, there is every reason to believe he would have attempted an escape.”
“Is this Hickory a man of good judgment9?” inquired Mr. Byrd, anxiously.
“Why, yes, I should say so. He seems to understand his business. The way he procured10 us the testimony11 of Mr. Hildreth was certainly satisfactory.”
“I wish that, without his knowing it, I could hear him give his opinion of this matter,” intimated the other.
“Well, you can,” rejoined Mr. Ferris, after a quick and comprehensive survey of Mr. Byrd’s countenance12. “I am expecting him here any moment, and if you see fit to sit down behind that screen, you can, without the least difficulty to yourself or him, hear all he has to impart.”
“I will, then,” the detective declared, a gloomy frown suddenly corrugating13 his brow; and he stepped across to the screen which had been indicated to him, and quietly withdrew from view.
He had scarcely done this, when a short, quick step was heard at the door, and a wide-awake voice called out, cheerily:
“Are you alone, sir?”
“Ah!” ejaculated Mr. Ferris, “come in, come in. I have been awaiting you for some minutes,” he declared, ignoring the look which the man threw hastily around the room. “Any news this morning?”
“No,” returned the other, in a tone of complete self-satisfaction. “We’ve caged the bird and mustn’t expect much more in the way of news. I’m on my way to Albany now, to pick up such facts about him as may be lying around there loose, and shall be ready to start for Toledo any day next week that you may think proper.”
“You are, then, convinced that Mr. Hildreth is undeniably the guilty party in this case?” exclaimed the District Attorney, taking a whiff at his cigar.
“Convinced? That is a strong word, sir. A detective is never convinced,” protested the man. “He leaves that for the judge and jury. But if you ask me if there is any doubt about the direction in which all the circumstantial evidence in this case points, I must retort by asking you for a clue, or the tag-end of a clue, guiding me elsewhere. I know,” he went on, with the volubility of a man whose work is done, and who feels he has the right to a momentary14 indulgence in conversation, “that it is not an agreeable thing to subject a gentleman like Mr. Hildreth to the shame of a public arrest. But facts are not partial, sir; and the gentleman has no more rights in law than the coarsest fellow that we take up for butchering his mother. But you know all this without my telling you, and I only mention it to excuse any obstinacy15 I may have manifested on the subject. He is mightily16 cut up about it,” he again proceeded, as he found Mr. Ferris forebore to reply. “I am told he didn’t sleep a wink17 all night, but spent his time alternately in pacing the floor like a caged lion, and in a wild sort of stupor18 that had something of the hint of madness in it. ‘If my grandfather had only known!’ was the burden of his song; and when any one approached him he either told them to keep their eyes off him, or else buried his face in his hands with an entreaty19 for them not to disturb the last hours of a dying man. He evidently has no hope of escaping the indignity20 of arrest, and as soon as it was light enough for him to see, he asked for paper and pencil. They were brought him, and a man stood over him while he wrote. It proved to be a letter to his sisters enjoining21 them to believe in his innocence22, and wound up with what was very much like an attempt at a will. Altogether, it looks as if he meditated23 suicide, and we have been careful to take from him every possible means for his effecting his release in this way, as well as set a strict though secret watch upon him.”
A slight noise took place behind the screen, which at any other time Mr. Hickory would have been the first to notice and inquire into. As it was, it had only the effect of unconsciously severing24 his train of thought and starting him alertly to his feet.
“Well,” said he, facing the District Attorney with cheerful vivacity25, “any orders?”
“No,” responded Mr. Ferris. “A run down to Albany seems to be the best thing for you at present. On your return we will consult again.”
“Very well, sir. I shall not be absent more than two days, and, in the meantime, you will let me know if any thing important occurs?” And, handing over his new address, Hickory speedily took his leave.
“Well, Byrd, what do you think of him?”
For reply, Mr. Byrd stepped forth26 and took his stand before the District Attorney.
“Has Coroner Tredwell informed you,” said he, “that the superintendent27 has left it to my discretion28 to interfere29 in this matter if I thought that by so doing I could further the ends of justice?”
“Yes,” was the language of the quick, short nod he received.
“Very well,” continued the other, “you will pardon me, then, if I ask you to convey to Mr. Hildreth the following message: That if he is guiltless of this crime he need have no fear of the results of the arrest to which he may be subjected; that a man has interested himself in this matter who pledges his word not to rest till he has discovered the guilty party and freed the innocent from suspicion.”
“What!” cried Mr. Ferris, astonished at the severe but determined30 bearing of the young man who, up to this time, he had only seen under his lighter31 and more indifferent aspect. “You don’t agree with this fellow, then, in his conclusions regarding Mr. Hildreth?”
“No, sir. Hickory, as I judge, is an egotist. He discovered Mr. Hildreth and brought him to the notice of the jury, therefore Mr. Hildreth is guilty.”
“And you?”
“I am open to doubt about it. Not that I would acknowledge it to any one but you, sir.”
“Why?”
“Because if I work in this case at all, or make any efforts to follow up the clue which I believe myself to have received, it must be done secretly, and without raising the suspicion of any one in this town. I am not in a position, as you know, to work openly, even if it were advisable to do so, which it certainly is not. What I do must be accomplished32 under cover, and I ask you to help me in my self-imposed and by no means agreeable task, by trusting me to pursue my inquiries33 alone, until such time as I assure myself beyond a doubt that my own convictions are just, and that the man who murdered Mrs. Clemmens is some one entirely34 separated from Mr. Hildreth and any interests that he represents.”
“You are, then, going to take up this case?”
The answer given was short, but it meant the deliberate shivering of the fairest dream of love that had ever visited Mr. Byrd’s imagination.
“I am.”
收听单词发音 |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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cognomen
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| n.姓；绰号 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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corrugating
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| n.压制波纹，波纹[瓦垅]板加工，瓦楞纸v.（使某物）起皱褶，起皱纹，起波纹( corrugate的现在分词 ) | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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17
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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enjoining
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| v.命令( enjoin的现在分词 ) | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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severing
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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30
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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31
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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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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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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