His attitude at this moment was rather displeasing6 to his friends. He refused to permit anyone to see the chamber7 whence the body had been stolen, and even declined to discuss the matter or accept advice as to the best thing to be done. To all who spoke8 to him--and these were many--he had but one reply.
"I know what I am doing," he would say, a trifle tartly9, "and I prefer to keep my own counsel. If the murderer of my dear boy can be found, he or she will be found by me. If the wretch10 who stole his body can be discovered, I am the man to make that discovery. How I intend to set about it is my own affair."
Of course, busybodies, who saw their well-meant but meddlesome11 advice thus rejected, were by no means pleased, and some even went so far as to say that the shock of death and disappearance had unsettled Jen's reason. They spoke to David and counseled him to look well after his guardian12, and said also that the major, if he had his senses about him, which was doubtful, should engage a smart London detective to investigate the case. But, as has been before stated, Jen had concluded to be his own detective.
It must be conceded that for an amateur, the major set about his unaccustomed task in a very methodical manner. He offered a reward of five hundred pounds for the detection of the murderer, and a further sum of the like amount to anyone who should discover the thief who had desecrated13 the chamber of death. These munificent14 rewards set everybody on the alert, and Jen, without putting down actual money, thus became possessed15 of some hundreds of spies who would bring him any information likely to assist him in his investigation2. Also, the major examined all the servants in the house. He questioned Sampson, the young policeman who had been in the kitchen on the night when the body had been stolen, and finally he paid a visit to the police office at Deanminster, where he saw Mr. Inspector16 Arkel.
"Well, Arkel," said Jen, after the first greetings were over, "have you any clew?"
"No, major," replied Arkel, rather gruffly, for disappointment was beginning to tell on his temper, "nor are we likely to find any until that servant of yours regains17 his senses. How is he now?"
"In a state of high fever, poor soul," said Jen, with a depressed18 look. "He does nothing but rave19. Yet, in all his wild talk he never lets slip a single word likely to help us."
"That's a pity, major. By the way, I questioned Dr. Etwald about the matter, and he is of opinion that the man was stunned20 by a blow on the head."
"I know that. I can only suppose that Jaggard fell asleep at his post and woke up in time to see the men getting in by the window. A struggle would then ensue, and he would be struck on the head, as Etwald supposes."
"I don't agree with that theory. There are flaws in it."
"We will proceed on the questions and answers system," said Arkel, precisely22, "and thrash out the matter in that way. You were in the library on that night?"
"Yes, I saw all was right in the house at twelve o' clock, and I slept on in my chair from that hour until three."
"Good, Then between twelve and three the body must have been stolen. You are a light sleeper23, I heard you say, major?"
"Well, yes," returned Jen, with a thought upon the rapping of Isabella upon the window. "It does not take much to waken me."
"You would have heard Jaggard call out, I suppose?"
"Certainly. The bedroom is no great distance from the library, and the door of the latter was open. But then Jaggard didn't cry out!"
"Precisely," said Arkel, laying his forefinger24 on Jen's chest with an air of triumph. "He did not cry out. Had he been asleep and woke up in time to see the robbers get in by the window, he would have called out at once for assistance."
"True enough," rejoined the major, struck by this sensible deduction25. "Still, he might not have heard them forcing the window."
"I doubt that, I doubt that. Jaggard, like yourself, is an old campaigner, and no doubt an alert sleeper; that is," explained Arkel, "he would wake up at the least sound."
"Yes, I think he would. But what does all this tend to?"
"Simply to a theory I have in my head. Jaggard was drugged, sir."
"But the wound at the back of the head which stunned him?"
"There you have it," cried Arkel, with a nod. "The wound at the back of the head was caused by his falling like a log when he was drugged."
"H'm! This is all building on sand," said Jen, doubtfully. "Even to drug him, these men must have entered by the window."
"No. Do you not remember when we examined the window that it was opened from the inside?"
"Egad, you are right. Then you think that someone must have been concealed26 in the room, and sprung out from hiding to drug Jaggard."
"No," said Arkel again, "no one was concealed in the room."
"Confound it, man, you don't mean to say that Jaggard opened the window?" cried Jen, starting from his seat with some show of temper.
"Ay, but I do, major. Jaggard helped to steal the body of Mr. Alymer. He opened the window to admit his accomplices27. When they fulfilled their task and got the body out of the room they turned on Jaggard and betrayed him. That is, they drugged him and knocked him down."
"I don't agree with you at all, Arkel. Jaggard is perfectly28 honest and was as devoted29 to Maurice as he is to me. Besides, even granting the possibility of such a thing, which I do not in the least, why should Jaggard's accomplices betray him?"
"I can't say," returned Arkel, shrugging his shoulders. "They may have been bribed31 to steal the body, and on accomplishing their task did not want to share the bribe30 with Jaggard."
"Rubbish!" said Jen, tartly. "They must have known that he would betray them when he recovered his senses!"
"No doubt. But in the meantime they would make themselves scarce. Jaggard has been insensible or raving32 for over a week, major. The scoundrels counted on that!"
"I say again that I believe in Jaggard's honesty, and I do not agree with you," said Jen, putting on his hat, "and after all, I do not see how you deduce this drugging theory!"
"Oh, as to that, I was once a bit of a chemist," explained Arkel; "and when you took me to see Jaggard I smelt33 a curious perfume which seemed to be hanging about him. As a servant is not likely to use perfumes, I thought it curious."
"What kind of a perfume?"
"I can't exactly describe it. A rich, heavy, deadly sort of thing, likely, I should think, to dull the sharpest senses."
"Did Etwald notice it?" asked Jen, thoughtfully.
"Yes; but he professes34 his inability to explain it. He thinks the man was stunned and not drugged. I think, on the grounds I have explained, that he was first drugged and then stunned."
"H'm; it's queer! I'll have to think it over. But when the body was taken out of the window, Arkel?"
"The thieves carried it across the lawn!"
"Then down through the bushes to that winding35 lane, I suppose?" said Jen. "I know all that; but afterward36?"
"They put it into a cart and took it away."
"How do you know that?" asked the major, all on the alert.
"Why," said Arkel, fingering his fat chin, "it was raining, as you may remember on that night."
"Not until after the body had been stolen," returned Jen, mindful that Isabella had come into the library dry-shod.
"How do you know that?" asked the inspector sharply.
Jen was rather taken aback by the quickness of this query37, and saw that if he wished to preserve the secret of Isabella, upon which depended her reputation, it behooved38 him to be careful.
"Well," said he cautiously, "I looked out at the night when the hour was twelve, and--"
"It might have rained between that time and three," said Arkel, with swift interruption; "and I believe it did rain, for you see, major, we found the mark of wheels in the lane, which would not have been left had not a considerable amount of rain fallen."
Arkel made a gesture of disappointment.
"To the high road only," said he; "and there the wheel marks became mixed up with those of other vehicles. Lord knows where they took the body to, for once on the high road they had the wide, wide world to choose from. It's the devil's own mystery," he said, biting his finger. "I never met the like of it before, and am fairly puzzled. Why should these wretches40 steal the mortal remains41 of a murdered man?"
"True," said Jen; "and why should these wretches have murdered that man?"
Arkel looked up sharply.
"As to that," he said, "we are by no means certain that they are the same."
"I don't follow you."
"No? And yet it is easy enough. If those who slew42 Mr. Alymer wanted his body, they could have stolen it on the high road, where they struck him down. It was mere43 foolishness to venture liberty and life in a raid upon the house."
"It may have been an afterthought."
"People don't have afterthoughts in grim matters of this kind," said Arkel, rising. "Well, major, good-by, good-by. Should I learn anything else I shall let you know; but depend upon it, the truth of the matter is to come from Jaggard."
"He is honest. Honest!" cried Jen. "I'll stake my existence upon that."
When riding homeward after this interesting conversation, the major could not but admit to himself that Arkel had brightened up wonderfully in his intellects since first taking charge of the case. The man was not brilliant, not even clever; yet in the present instance he displayed more readiness of resource than Jen would have given him credit for. The theory of the drugging was worthy44 of investigation, and the major determined45 to see if anything could be discovered likely to support this view of the matter. He still held to his belief in Jaggard's honesty, for it was incredible that an old servant of thirty years' standing46 should turn traitor47 at once; but he thought it probable that someone might have taken him by surprise and drugged him. But as the window was closed the person in question must have been concealed in the room. Here Jen's train of thought became confused.
"I don't see how anybody can have been in the room," he reflected, as he entered his house. "I saw that all was safe myself at midnight. The servants were abed, Sampson keeping vigil in the kitchen, and Jaggard sentry48 in the death-room. Moreover, I left the library door open, and the sound of footsteps stealing to the door of my poor lad would have wakened me out of the deepest sleep. Isabella's raps were light enough, yet I was up on the instant. No, I can't see myself that the devil who drugged the man could have been in the house; and yet the window opened from the inside. H'm! it is strange; very strange. I wish Jaggard were able to talk sensibly."
But Jaggard was far from the condition of connected thought or coherent words. He turned and tossed upon his poor bed with bright eyes, burning skin and babbling49 tongue. His head was swathed in bandages, and the housemaid who watched beside him had frequently to replace the clothes he tossed off in his violent movements. This nurse was a sickly, dark-eyed creature, who was strongly attached to Jaggard; and it was her love for him that made her proffer50 her services to look after him, and that chained her to his bedside. She reported to her master that Dr. Etwald had been in that morning, and was coming again in the afternoon, but that there was nothing to be done until the delirium51 had expended52 itself.
"Ay," thought Jen, as he stood by the bed, "or until the man dies. If he dies without regaining53 his senses, we will never know the truth."
He bent54 down to replace the bedclothes which the sick man had thrown off, and as he did so, a faint perfume, sickly and rich, struck his nostrils55. It seemed to come from the bandages at the back of the head, and on bending down for a closer inspection56, Jen saw that one of these--it was the merest corner which peeped out--was of finer linen57 than the rest. The fabric58 was cambric, and with a start which made the blood turn to ice in his veins59, Jen realized that it was a woman's handkerchief--its delicacy60 and border-embroideries assured him of this.
"Oh, that was on the first night, sir," she hastened to explain. "It was put on his head when in the room where he fell, sir. The doctor, sir, says as it ain't safe to take it away yet."
A curtain interposed between the head of the patient and the light of the window. This Jen drew aside, and lightly removed the outside wrappings of the wound. The housemaid looked on in horror, for she did not dare to prevent her master from meddling62, yet she felt sure that he was doing wrong. But Jen was bent on making the discovery as to whom the handkerchief belonged; and in a few minutes he had the outside bandages removed, and saw the handkerchief discolored with dry blood lying over the wound. With deft63 fingers he lightly touched the four corners. In one of them were the initials "M. D."
"M. D.!" said the major to himself. "Margaret Dallas, the mother of Isabella. How did her handkerchief come into the room on that night? And the perfume?"
It struck his sense of smell with the belief that he had smelt it before. Nothing is so strong to awaken64 memory as odor, and in less than half a minute the mind of the major leaped back to where he had smelt it before. It was the perfume of the dried poison of the devil-stick.
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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displeasing
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| 不愉快的，令人发火的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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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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tartly
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| adv.辛辣地，刻薄地 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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meddlesome
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| adj.爱管闲事的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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desecrated
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| 毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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munificent
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| adj.慷慨的，大方的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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regains
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| 复得( regain的第三人称单数 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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rave
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| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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deduction
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| n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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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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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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professes
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| 声称( profess的第三人称单数 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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behooved
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| v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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waiving
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| v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等） | |
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wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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proffer
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| v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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