"You must be mistaken, Lady Meg," he said in a quiet voice. "Whosoever may be guilty, Battersea, for physical and mental reasons, must be innocent."
"That you must prove," replied Lady Meg, dryly.
"And in accusing Battersea I go only on your own premises6. You said that the man who stole the devil-stick, who had it in his possession, must be the guilty person. You see the devil-stick there." She pointed7 to the table. "Well, I obtained that from Battersea."
"How did you obtain it?"
"Knowing that I collected curiosities, he came to sell it to me."
"If the man had been guilty, he certainly would not offer the evidence of his guilt5 for sale. Where did he obtain this devil-stick?"
"Out of your smoking-room, I presume," said Lady Meg, "But I have not questioned him, as I thought it best that you should examine him yourself."
"Certainly, when I can find him. Where is he now?"
"Thank you, Lady Meg," said Jen, cordially. "I congratulate you on your presence of mind, and on your courage."
"There is no necessity to congratulate me at all," replied the other, coloring. "I knew that it would not be wise to let him out of sight after I saw the devil-stick in his possession. And as to my courage," she added carelessly, "the poor old creature is so feeble that even I, a woman, could overpower him. But ring the bell, major, and have him in. I may be wrong. He may be innocent, but if you force him to confess how he obtained possession of the devil-stick you may get at the truth, and perhaps at the name of the murderer."
"It won't be the name of Battersea," said Jen, touching10 the button of the bell. "He had no motive11 to steal my devil-stick or to kill Maurice, nor could he have any reason to take possession of a dead body. Besides," added Jen, returning to his seat, "if this tramp were guilty, he would scarcely put his neck in danger by offering you the devil-stick for sale."
At this moment the footman appeared in answer to the bell, and in obedience12 to his master's peremptory13 order left the room again for the purpose of bringing in old Battersea for examination. While waiting, neither Lady Meg nor the major spoke14, as they both considered, and truly, that nothing further could be said until the truth was forced from the tramp. Then the present aspect of the case might change, and an important step might be taken toward the solution of the mystery.
As dirty and disreputable as ever, Battersea, rolling his cap in his dirty hands, made his appearance on the threshold of the library, conducted by the disgusted footman. When the door was closed behind him, and he stood alone before those who were about to examine him, he shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, blinked his bleared eyes, and blushed as with the shame of guilt through the sallow darkness of his skin. Jen, with the military instinct of command fully16 awakened17 within him, looked sternly at the feeble old creature, and questioned him sharply, as though he were talking to a soldier who had done wrong. On her part, Lady Meg left the most part of the examination to the major; but she listened with anxious looks and parted lips to every word which fell from the tramp's lips. The death of the man whom she had loved so deeply had inflicted18 terrible anguish19 upon her loving heart, and, as a tribute to his memory, she was anxious to punish his assassin. But at present, influenced by the views of the major, she began to waver in her opinion regarding the guilt of the weak-brained creature who stood trembling nervously20 at the doorway21.
"What is your name, man?" demanded Jen, commencing in the orthodox manner.
"Battersea, sir."
"What else?"
"Nothin' else," retorted the tramp sullenly22. "My father was black, an' my mother she was white; an' they weren't married. I was brought up in Battersea parish, so I took that name, I did, not havin' any right to another name."
"How do you get your living?"
"I am sure of that," remarked Jen, taking the devil-stick off the table. "And you stole this, I'll be bound."
"I didn't. I found it."
"Oh!" said the major, in a satirical tone. "You found it? Where?"
"At Missus Dallas' place."
Jen started, and looked sharply at the old man, who, to all appearances, was answering his questions with all possible candor24.
"Be more explicit25, man," he said sternly. "What do you mean by Mrs. Dallas' place? The house or the grounds?"
"The groun's, near the gate."
"When did you find it?"
"The day arter th' young gen'man was killed."
"And why didn't you give it up to the police?"
"I wanted money for it, I did," he said huskily, "an' they wouldn't give no tin to me fur findin' it. She," pointing to Lady Meg, "is fond of pretty things, so I guv it her for five shillin'; but she didn't pay me for it."
"No," said Lady Meg, speaking for the first time, "because I did not know if you had come by it honestly."
"I tell 'ee I found it, I did," growled27 Battersea, becoming restive28 under the constant questioning. "Found it near the gate of Missus Dallas' place."
"Inside the gate," asked Jen, "or outside, on the road?"
"Inside; jus' among the grass. I was comin' up to get some food from missy, and I sowr that 'andle shinin' in the sun. I goes an' I looks, an' I fin's it. I knowed as the perlice wanted it, 'cause I 'eard talk of it doin' murder; but as perlice wouldn't give me tin, I wouldn't guv it to they," added Battersea, cunningly, "so I keeps it for 'er, but she ain't paid me yit," he concluded, with the whine29 of a mendicant30.
For the moment Major Jen did not ask any more questions, for the very simple reason that he did not exactly know what course to take. Undoubtedly31 the tramp was telling the truth. He had no reason to conceal32 it; for in his own mind Jen quite acquitted33 him of any complicity in the crime. That so feeble and elderly a creature, debauched by intemperance34, weak from insufficient35 food, should attack a vigorous young athlete like Maurice, was out of the question, even though he had the advantage of possessing the devil-stick. But here the question of the dried-up poison occurred to Jen. If the poison had evaporated by the lapse36 of time, the devil-stick must have been innocuous and incapable37 of inflicting38 death. Therefore, upon the evidence of the saturated39 handkerchief, the bag concealed40 in the turquoise41-studded handle must have been refilled by Dido!--Dido, for the significant reason that she, inheriting the traditions of her Ashantee grandmother, alone must have been capable of manufacturing the deadly drug. To prove this assumption, a feasible one, the devil-stick was close at hand.
Jen picked it up and slightly pressed the handle. At once the turquoise gems42 indented43 the concealed bag; at once the iron fang44 protruded45 from the end of the stick, and on looking closely the major at the end of the spike46 observed an oblong drop of greenish hue47.
The evidence of his own eyes was enough, and Jen replaced the devil-stick upon the table, with the full conviction that the bag had been filled with a fresh preparation of its original venom48. This discovery, to the major's mind, confirmed the guilt of the negress.
"What is the matter?" asked Lady Meg, as she saw the major's face grow dark with his thought. "Is anything wrong?"
"Yes, Dido is wrong," he said. "I always thought that black witch was at the bottom of everything. I am sure of it now."
"Dido!" repeated Lady Meg, thoughtfully. "I have heard Mr. Alymer and Mr. Sarby talking about her. A negress, is she not?"
"Yes, and a murderess!"
"Major! Do you think--"
"Certainly I do. I believe she killed Maurice; but the evidence is as yet too slight upon which to accuse her. If I thought that she--" here the major checked himself and resumed in an altered tone--"but I must think of these things later on. In the meantime I must conclude my examination of this man."
"Do you think he knows anything?"
"No. I believe he found the devil-stick as he says. Within the grounds of Mrs. Dallas, mind you!"
"Well, and what does that prove?"
"Prove!" retorted Jen sharply, "simply that it was dropped there by that black fiend after she had killed Maurice."
"Do you really think she killed him?" asked Lady Meg, her face growing pale with the intensity49 of her excitement.
"I do," replied Jen, decisively. "But the evidence--ah, the evidence. Well," he added, after a pause, "I have something to go on, in this refilled devil-stick, and the saturated handkerchief."
"But I don't understand--"
"Never mind, my dear lady, you will later on," retorted Jen, with a nod. Then turning to Battersea, he resumed his examination. "You know the negress. Dido, who is in the employment of Mrs. Dallas?" he asked, mildly.
"Yes, sir, an' hawful female she is!"
"How so?"
"Well, sir." Battersea scratched his shock head. "She knows things as ain't good for 'er. 'Bout15 that devil-stick es you talks of."
"Oh," cried Jen, recalling Dido's denial, "she knows of that, does she?"
"Yes, sir, she do. Arsked me 'bout it, but I knowed nuffin, I didn't."
"What did she say to you concerning it?"
"Well, sir, when I brought a message from Dr. Etwald 'bout that devil-stick--"
"What!" cried Jen, interrupting sharply. "Did Dr. Etwald know about it also?"
"He did, sir. Leastways he arsked me to arsk Dido 'bout it."
"I thought as much," said Jen, in an excited tone. Then after a pause, he added: "Battersea, would you like free quarters and plenty of food and drink for a week?"
"I ain't a fool, sir," said the tramp, with a sheepish grin. "I should, you bet."
"In that case go down to the kitchen and tell my servants from me that you are to stay there. Later on I'll see you."
"Thankee, sir. I'll get free quarters and grub for a week," cried Battersea, rubbing his grimy hands. "My eye, 'ere's oppolance. Can I go now, sir?"
"At once," replied Jen, and pointed to the door. Battersea bowed awkwardly to Lady Meg and his benefactor50; then he went out of the room and left the major alone with his visitor.
"What does all this mean?" asked Meg, quite surprised at Jen's excitement.
"Mean!" cried Jen, in a tone of conviction. "Why! that Etwald is mixed up in this business also!"
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1
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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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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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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7
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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8
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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14
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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15
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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16
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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18
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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candidly
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| adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地 | |
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candor
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| n.坦白，率真 | |
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explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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30
mendicant
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| n.乞丐；adj.行乞的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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32
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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33
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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34
intemperance
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| n.放纵 | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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36
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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37
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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38
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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39
saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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40
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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41
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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42
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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43
indented
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| adj.锯齿状的，高低不平的；缩进排版 | |
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44
fang
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| n.尖牙，犬牙 | |
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45
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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47
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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48
venom
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| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
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49
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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50
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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