Instantly his responsibilities returned upon him in full force. He did not wait for the expected report, but questioned the detective at once.
“You have been to the hotel,” he said, pointing out a chair into which the old man dropped with a sigh as eloquent4 of anxiety as of fatigue5. “What more did you learn there?”
“Very little. No message has come; no persons called. For them and for us these two women, Madame Duclos and Miss Willetts, are still an unknown quantity. Their baggage, which arrived while I was there, supplied the only information I was able to obtain.”
“Their baggage! But that should tell us everything.”
“It may if you think best to go through it. It is not heavy — a trunk for each, besides the one they brought with them from the steamer. From the pasters to be seen on them, they have come from the Continental7 Hotel, Paris, by way of the Ritz, London. At this latter place their stay was short. This is proved by the fact that only the steamer-trunk is pasted with the Ritz label. And this trunk was the one I found in their room at the Universal. From it Miss Willetts had taken the dress she wore to the museum. Her other clothes — I mean those she wore on arriving — lay in disorder8 on the bed and chairs. I should say that they had been tossed about by a careless if not hasty hand, while the trunk ——”
“Well?”
“Stood open on the floor.”
“Stood open?”
“Yes, I went through it, of course.”
“And found nothing?”
“Nothing to help us to-day. No letters — no cards. Some clothing — some little trifles (bought in Paris, by the way) and one little book.”
“A name in it?”
“Yes —Angeline; and one line of writing from some poem, I judge. I put it back where I found it. When we know more, it may help us to find her friends.”
“And is that all?”
“Almost, but not quite. The young girl had a bag too. It stood on a table ——”
“Well?”
“Empty. Everything had been tumbled out — turned upside down and the contents scattered9. I looked them carefully over. Nothing, positively10 nothing, but what you would be likely to find in any young girl’s traveling-bag. There’s but one conclusion to be drawn11.”
“And what is that?”
“That all these things, such as they were, had been pushed hastily about after being emptied out on the table. That was not the young girl’s work.”
“Madame Duclos’!”
“You’ve hit it. She was in search of some one thing she wanted, and she took the quickest way of finding it. And ——”
“Yes, Gryce?”
“She was in a desperate hurry, or she wouldn’t have left the trunk open or all those dainty things lying about. Frenchwomen are methodical and very careful of their belongings12. One other thing I noted13. There was a loose nail in the lock of the trunk. Sticking to this nail was a raveling of brown wool. Here it is, sir. The woman — Madame Duclos — wore a dress of brown serge. If my calculations are not wrong and we succeed in getting a glimpse of that dress, we shall find a tear in the skirt — and what is more, one very near the hem6.”
“Made to-day?”
“Yes — another token of haste. She probably jerked at the skirt when she found herself caught. She could not have been herself to have done this — for which we may be glad.”
“You mean that by this thoughtless action she has left a clue in our hands?”
“That and something more. That tear in her decent skirt will bother her. She will either make an immediate14 attempt to mend it, or else do the other obvious thing — buy a new one. In either case it gives us something by which to trace her. I have put Sweetwater on that job. He never tires, never wearies, never lets go. No report in yet from the terminals?”
“Not a word. But she will not get far. Sooner or later we shall find her if she does not come forward herself after reading the evening papers.”
“She will never come forward.”
“I am not so sure. Something not a little peculiar15 happened at the museum after you left. We had Reynolds up, and he made a most careful examination of that bow for finger-prints. He did not find any. But fortune favored us in another way almost as good.”
“Now you interest me.”
“We had brought the bow into the Curator’s office, and it lay on the long table in the middle of the room. I had been looking it over (this was after Reynolds had gone, of course) and had already noted a certain defect in it, when on chancing to look up, my eyes fell on a mirror hanging in a closet the door of which stood wide open. A face was visible in it — a very white face which altered under my scrutiny16 into a semblance17 more natural. It was that of Correy — you remember Correy, one of the assistants, and an honest fellow enough, but more troubled at this moment than I had ever seen him. What could have happened?
“Wheeling quickly about, I caught him just as he started to go. He had openly declared that he did not know this bow; but it was evident that he did, and I did not hesitate to say so. Taken unawares, he could not hide his distress18, which he proceeded to explain thus: He did remember the bow, now that he had the opportunity of seeing it closer. He pointed19 to the nick I had myself noticed and said that owing to this defect the bow had been cast aside, and the last time he had handled it —— Here he caught his breath and stopped. Another memory had evidently returned to embarrass him.”
“Did you succeed in getting him to acknowledge what it was?”
“Yes, after I had worked with him for some time. He didn’t want to talk. In a moment you will see why. Going back to the time he had seen it before, he said that he had found it in the cellar in an old box, the contents of which he had been pulling over in a search for something very different. Amazed to find it there, he had taken it out, examined it carefully, noted the nick I mentioned and tossed it back again into the box. This he told, but reluctantly.
“Why reluctantly, I was soon to find out. He was not alone in the cellar. The shadow of some person at his back had fallen across the lid of the box as he was closing it. He did not recognize the shadow and had not given it at the time a second thought, but the remembrance of it came back vividly21 when he saw the bow lying before him and realized the part it had played in the morning’s tragedy. Was it because he knew that only a person actively22 connected with the museum would have access to that part of the cellar? I asked. I did not expect an answer, and I did not get it. We looked at each other for a moment, then I let him go.”
A momentary23 silence, which the Inspector broke by saying:
“Later I called the Curator in, and he also recognized the bow as belonging to the museum. But he volunteered no explanations and in fact had little to say on the subject. He was evidently too much startled by the direct connection which had thus been made between the crime (or accident, if you will) and the personnel of the museum.”
“That was natural. He should be the first to see that the bow which shot the arrow must of necessity have been brought into the building by some other door than those at which the doormen stood guard. I had a talk with those men, and they both declared that no sticks or umbrellas or anything of that nature ever went by them or would be allowed to go by them, no matter how concealed24 or wrapped up. But to revert25 to the matter in hand. So Correy made absolutely no attempt to explain how this weapon had been carried from cellar to gallery without his knowledge?”
“No. He for one will have a sleepless26 night.”
“Not he alone. I must and will see a way through this maze20. To-morrow may bring luck. Ah, I forgot to say that I spent an hour of the three you allowed me with the captain of the steamer which brought over these two women. As might be expected, he had no information of any significance to give me; nor could I obtain much from such members of the crew as I could get hold of. One steward27 remembered the Englishman, chiefly because he never showed himself unless the young lady was on deck. But he never saw them speak.”
“Which bears out Travis’ story to the last detail.”
“Exactly. I think we can depend upon him; otherwise we should be at sea.”
“Yet his story is a very strange one.”
“The whole affair is strange — the strangest I ever knew. But that isn’t against it. It’s the commonplace case which baffles. We shall get the key to the whole mystery yet.”
“I’ve no doubt. Is Mr. Travis to be detained?”
“Yes, as witness.”
“Does he object?”
“Not at all. Having spoken — told his whole story, as he says — he is rather glad than otherwise to be relieved from the common curiosity of strangers. He’s a rare bird, Gryce. If he stops to think, he must see that he stands in a more or less ticklish29 position. But he does not betray by look or action any doubt of our entire belief in the truth of all his statements. His only trouble seems to be that he has lost, by these inhuman30 means, the girl upon whom he had set his heart. To-morrow we will confront him with Mrs. Taylor. She should be able to say whether he did or did not stand out in the open gallery at the moment Miss Willetts fell.”
But Mr. Gryce had no encouragement to give him on this head.
“Mrs. Taylor is ill — very ill, as I take it. I stopped at her hotel to inquire. I was anxious about her for more than one reason and the report I got of her condition was far from favorable. She is suffering cruelly from shock. How occasioned, whether by the peculiar and startling death to which she was a witness or by the strangely coincident fancy to which she herself attributes her deep emotion, will have to be decided31 by further developments. Nothing which I was able to learn from doctor or nurse settled this interesting question. Meanwhile, no one is allowed to see her — or will be till she is on the direct road to recovery. Let us hope that this may be soon, or the inquest may be delayed indefinitely.”
“I don’t know as that is to be deplored32. I imagine we shall find enough to fill in our time. . . . Any communications made by her before she collapsed33? Did she send out or receive messages of any kind since her return from the museum?”
“She received none; but it is impossible to say whether or not she sent any out. There is a letter-chute very near her door. She may have dropped a letter in that any time before a watch was put upon her. You are thinking, of course, of the anxiety she expressed about her husband, and whether she took any measures for ascertaining34 if her fears for him had any foundation in fact?”
“I was, yes; but I presume this fancy had passed, or else she is too ill to remember her own aberrations35. Were you able to effect an understanding with her nurse?”
“Yes; that’s fixed36. I had a short talk, too, with the proprietor37 of the hotel. He thinks very highly of Mrs. Taylor. She has lived in the one apartment for years, and he cannot say enough of her discreet38 and uniform life. Though she made no secret of the fact that she does not live with her husband, her conduct has always been such as to insure universal respect. He did not even make mention of eccentricities39. If she is crazy, it is a late development. She seemed to have been all right up to this morning. Whichever way you turn, you encounter mystery and a closed door.”
“The papers may spring the lock of that door at any moment. Publication does much in a case of this kind. To-morrow we may be in a much more favorable position. Meantime, let us recount the facts it is our business to clear up.”
“On what hypothesis?”
“On all hypotheses. We are not sure enough of our premises40, as yet, to confine ourselves to one.”
“Very good, these are the ones which seem to me to be of the greatest importance:
“Whose hand carried the bow from cellar to gallery?
“Was it the same which carried the arrow from one gallery to the other?
“Is it possible for an arrow, shot through the loophole made by the curving-in of the vase, to reach the mark set for it by Mr. Travis’ testimony41?
“Which one of the men or women known to be in the museum when this arrow was released has enough knowledge of archery to string a bow? A mark can be reached by chance; but only an accustomed hand can string a bow as unyielding as this one.
“Who telephoned to Madame Duclos; and of what nature was the message which sent her from the hotel so precipitately42 that she not only left the most important part of her baggage behind but went away without making adequate provision for the young girl confided43 to her charge?
“Does this mean that she had been made acquainted with the fate of the young girl; and if so, by whom?”
“Business enough for us all,” was the Inspector’s comment as Gryce paused in this enumeration44. “As you put it, I am more and more convinced that the key you spoke28 of a short time ago will be found in this missing woman’s tightly shut hand.”
“Which brings us round full-circle to our first conclusion: that Miss Willetts’ death is not only a crime, but a premeditated one.”
“Carried out, not by the one benefited, but by an agent selected for the purpose.”
“An agent, moreover, who knew the ways and possibilities of the place.”
“A logical conclusion; but still too incredible for belief. I find it hard to trust to appearances in this case.”
“And I also. But as we have both said, time may clear away some of its incongruities45. Meanwhile I have an experiment to propose.” And leaning close to the Inspector, notwithstanding the fact that there was nobody within hearing and he knew it, he whispered a few words in his ear.
The Inspector stared.
“To-night?” he asked.
The detective nodded.
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1
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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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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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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hem
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| n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制 | |
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continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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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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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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revert
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| v.恢复，复归，回到 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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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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ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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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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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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aberrations
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| n.偏差( aberration的名词复数 )；差错；脱离常规；心理失常 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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42
precipitately
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| adv.猛进地 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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44
enumeration
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| n.计数，列举；细目；详表；点查 | |
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45
incongruities
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| n.不协调( incongruity的名词复数 )；不一致；不适合；不协调的东西 | |
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