To learn the truth, he thought it advisable to call at "The Wigwam" and interrogate4 Dido. With the evidence of Jaggard to go on, the major felt satisfied that he could by threatening her with arrest, force her into confessing the whole nefarious5 plot. Who had thieved the devil-stick? Who had slain6 Maurice? Who had stolen the body? Undoubtedly7, Etwald was the villain8 who was guilty of all three crimes, and the evidence of Dido would be sufficient to convict him of the deeds.
"Yes," said Jen to himself that night, as he retired10 to bed, "to-day I have learned sufficient to implicate11 Etwald; to-morrow I shall be able to convict him. Dido must confess or go to prison."
Angered by the selfish way in which David had acted, Jen did not communicate his discoveries to the young man. During the night he took counsel with himself, and the next morning he acted upon the plans which he had formed. These were, to see Dido and force the truth from her, to send Battersea to Deanminster to fetch both Arkel and Dr. Etwald to "Ashantee," and finally to communicate his discoveries to the inspector12 and get him to arrest Etwald. Once in prison, and the doctor, intimidated13 by a fear of death at the hands of justice, might confess his crimes, and his reasons for committing them. This straightforward14 course was the only one to pursue.
After breakfast, therefore, the major wrote two notes. One for Arkel, asking him to be at "Ashantee" by noon, as the writer had important matters to discuss; the other for Etwald, requesting him to call and see Jaggard, who, added Jen, significantly in the letter, had recovered his senses. Having thus prepared his trap for the doctor to walk into, Jen delivered the letters to Battersea, with instructions to set off at once for Deanminster. The tramp, anxious to keep in favor with Jen for cupboard reasons, lost no time in departing, and when the major had seen him safely out of the gates, he took his way toward "The Wigwam" for the all-important interview with Dido.
Before his departure he had left a message for David, who had not made his appearance at breakfast, requesting the young man to be in the library at noon.
"If I can force the truth out of Dido," thought Jen, strolling slowly along in the hot sunshine, "I may get the better of Etwald. Then, when David sees that the doctor is in the trap, and in danger of arrest for murder, he may relate what he knows. Though upon my word," considered the major, frowning, "I don't see what information he can possibly add to what I have obtained from Jaggard, or what I am likely to wring15 from the unwilling16 lips of Dido. Etwald is the guilty person. David can tell me no more than that."
On arriving at "The Wigwam," Jen presented his card, and was shown into the drawing-room, there to wait the arrival of Mrs. Dallas. Although it was nearly eleven o'clock the indolent Creole was not yet out of bed, but on hearing that the major had called to see her, she sent Dido to inform him that she would shortly accord him an interview. The negress, as gloomy and sullen17 as ever, delivered this message with folded arms and bent18 head. Then, without even a look at him, she turned to leave the room, when Jen placed himself between her and the door.
"Not yet. Dido," he said, in a cold voice. "It is true that I called to see your mistress; but I wish to speak to you also."
Dido started, and cast an inquiring look at the impassive face of the white man.
"What you wish, sah?" she said, in a grave voice, as emotionless as that of Jen's.
"To ask you a few questions about the devil-stick."
"Massa, I say all I know ob de debble-stick!"
"Indeed, you did not. Dido. You did not inform me that by Dr. Etwald's directions you filled the devil-stick with poison, or that you steeped the handkerchief found in the room of Mr. Alymer in the same poison for the purpose of drugging my servant; or again, that you concealed19 yourself under the bed, and afterward20 drugged him."
A kind of terror showed itself in the dilated21 eyes of the negress. She could not understand how Jen had become possessed22 of a knowledge of her crimes, and at first was struck with stupor23 by the recital24.
Speedily, however, she recovered herself, and with a dark smile of contempt and pity she was about to deny all, when Jen brought out his last accusation25.
"Nor," said he, fixing his eyes on the woman, "did you confess that you opened the window of Mr. Alymer's room, and aided Dr. Etwald to carry away the dead body?"
"Yes, the dead body of Mr. Alymer, which you and Dr. Etwald took to his house at Deanminster. No denial, woman," said Jen, raising his voice, as she was about to speak. "I see by your face that you are guilty."
Dido trembled all over, whether from rage or fear Jen could not determine, and opened her mouth to give the lie to her accuser. Then she shut it again, as a heavy step was heard outside the door. A moment later and Mrs. Dallas, with a face expressive28 of astonishment29, was standing30 on the threshold of the room; and Dido at her feet was making the room resound31 like a jungle with howlings like those of a wild beast. All the savage32 nature of the woman was now on the surface, and had broken through the sullen restraint of her impassive demeanor33. "What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mrs. Dallas, with an uneasy glance at the frantic34 negress.
"I shall explain when Dido stops her howling," said Jen, quite undisturbed.
"Dido! Dido!" remonstrated35 Mrs. Dallas, shaking the woman. "Rise; stop."
"Oh, missy! missy!" wept the negress, getting onto her feet. "It all am a lie, what dat massa say. Poo' ole Dido know nuffin'--do nuffin'. Lordy! Lordy! de big lie."
Major Jen took Dido by the shoulder, and giving her a good shake, commanded her to be silent. At once the negress--who was evidently acting36 a part--ceased her outcries, and after casting her eyes significantly at her mistress, stared sullenly37 at the floor. Mrs. Dallas turned pale at this rapid glance, and was obliged to take a seat to prevent herself from falling. Not a detail of this by-play was lost upon Jen, who saw in the conduct of mistress and servant a confirmation38 of his suspicions. However, he added nothing to his previous speech, but merely recapitulated--for the benefit of Mrs. Dallas--the points of his accusation against the negress. Dido heard him in silence, but this time she made neither outcry nor denial.
Mrs. Dallas appeared to be horrified39 by the recital. Every now and then she cast a look of terror at Dido, while passing her handkerchief over her white lips. When the major concluded she could only shake her head and stammer27 a few words.
"It can not be true," she murmured. "It is impossible."
"It is a fact," insisted Jen. "I have the evidence of Jaggard to prove that Dido was in the room on that night."
"Dido," cried Mrs. Dallas, in a trembling voice, "is this true?"
The negress raised her wild eyes slowly to the face of her mistress. What she saw therein evidently determined40 her reply. Without a word she bent her head.
"No," said Dido, bluntly, "I say dat I in de room, but I no kill dat man."
"But you filled the devil-stick with fresh poison?"
"No," said Dido again. "I saw no debble-stick."
"It was found in these grounds."
"Dat so; but I not see dat debble-stick."
"Woman," cried Jen, with energy, "no one but you could manufacture the poison with which the devil-stick was filled."
"Dat I know; but I no fill de debble-stick."
"Then who did?"
Dido hesitated, looked at Mrs. Dallas, and came out with a lie.
Her mistress rose to her feet and approached the major.
"No; but she supplied the means to the man who did."
"The man who did!"
"Yes; Dr. Etwald."
"Dr. Etwald!" repeated Mrs. Dallas, in what seemed to Jen to be a tone of relief. "Why do you think he killed Mr. Alymer?"
"Because Maurice was engaged to your daughter, whom he wished to marry. Etwald killed my poor lad, so as to remove a dangerous rival from his path."
"Impossible."
"By no means; and Dido manufactured the poison which was used."
Mrs. Dallas considered.
"I know to what you allude," she said, after a pause. "Dido does manufacture the drug, but only for the cure of nervous headaches."
"Or to kill men with," rejoined Jen, ironically; "or to drug the watchers of the dead."
"The watchers of the dead!" echoed Mrs. Dallas, with a start.
"Well, let us say my servant, Jaggard. He was drugged by Dido, and she stole the body, or rather she aided Etwald to do so."
"Dido, is this true?"
"Yis," said the negress, coldly; "de great massa told me to do dat."
"The great master," repeated Jen; "you mean Dr. Etwald?"
"Yis. Dat so."
"He took away the body of Mr. Alymer, and you helped him?"
"Yis."
"Why did you steal the body?"
"Ask de great massa."
"Where did you take it to?" demanded Jen, baffled in one direction and trying another.
"Ask de great massa," said Dido once more.
"The law will do that."
"The law, Major Jen?" said Mrs. Dallas, alarmed.
"Yes. I intend to have Dr. Etwald arrested."
"You dare not. Why?"
"On three charges. First, that he thieved the devil-stick; second, that he killed Maurice; and third, that he stole the lad's body."
Mrs. Dallas fell back on the sofa, with a white face. Dido laughed in a guttural fashion, and shrugged her shoulders contemptuously.
"Voodoo!" she said, and laughed again.
The major guessed that she meant that African witchcraft44 would avert45 disaster from Etwald, and at once flung the word back in her face.
"Voodoo will not help the doctor," said he, quietly. "This is a civilized46 country, and we who inhabit it are above being influenced by such degrading superstitions47. You believe in Voodoo; in Obi; let us see if such things will protect you."
"Do you mean that Dido is in danger of arrest?" cried Mrs. Dallas, in a terrified tone.
"Certainly, as the accomplice48 of Etwald."
"But she did not kill Mr. Alymer."
"She filled the devil-stick with the poison which was used to kill him," retorted the major, coldly, "and she confesses to having aided him in stealing the body."
"Ah!" murmured Mrs. Dallas, casting a haggard look around. "All is lost."
Mrs. Dallas was about to speak, when the negress silenced her with a look, and raised her head proudly.
"Yis. It ole Dido," she said. "But ole Dido not lost. Dat great massa, he look after ole Dido."
"If you mean Dr. Etwald, he will have enough to do to look after himself. Well, Mrs. Dallas, as I have learned what I wished to know, I shall now take my leave."
"You go to ruin us," wept Mrs. Dallas.
"No," said Jen, in an inflexible50 voice. "I go to punish the man who killed my boy."
Without another word he left the room. His last glance showed that Dido had gathered her sobbing51 mistress in her arms, and was staring after him in a defiant52 manner. At the front door Jen heard his name called softly, and Isabella, with a rich color in her usually pale cheeks, came flying after him.
"Major, major, I have heard all! I have been listening at the window."
"Yes. I did not speak truly," stammered Isabella, "but I could not act otherwise. It was to save a certain person."
"Dr. Etwald?"
"No, not Dr. Etwald, but the person who stole the devil-stick."
"Ah! you know who committed the first of the crimes," cried Jen, seizing the young girl's arm. "Confess. It was Dr. Etwald who stole the wand of sleep."
"No! no! It was--it was--"
"Dido?"
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1
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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treacherously
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| 背信弃义地； 背叛地； 靠不住地； 危险地 | |
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3
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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4
interrogate
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| vt.讯问，审问，盘问 | |
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nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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6
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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7
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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8
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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9
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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10
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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11
implicate
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| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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intimidated
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| v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的 | |
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14
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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15
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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16
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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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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19
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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24
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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26
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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28
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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29
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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30
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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31
resound
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| v.回响 | |
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32
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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33
demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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34
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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35
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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36
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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37
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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38
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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39
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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40
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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41
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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42
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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43
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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44
witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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45
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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46
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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47
superstitions
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| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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48
accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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49
alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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50
inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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51
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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52
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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53
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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54
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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