Coroner Heit, his official duties completed for the time being, found himself pondering, as he traveled south onthe lake train, how he was to proceed farther. What was the next step he should take in this pathetic affair? Forthe coroner, as he had looked at Roberta before he left was really deeply moved. She seemed so young andinnocent-looking and pretty. The little blue serge dress lying heavily and clinging tightly to her, her very smallhands folded across her breast, her warm, brown hair still damp from its twenty-four hours in the water, yetsomehow suggesting some of the vivacity1 and passion that had invested her in life--all seemed to indicate asweetness which had nothing to do with crime.
But deplorable as it might be, and undoubtedly2 was, there was another aspect of the case that more vitally concerned himself. Should he go to Biltz and convey to the Mrs. Alden of the letter the dreadful intelligence ofher daughter's death, at the same time inquiring about the character and whereabouts of the man who had beenwith her, or should he proceed first to District Attorney Mason's office in Bridgeburg and having imparted to himall of the details of the case, allow that gentleman to assume the painful responsibility of devastating4 a probablyutterly respectable home? For there was the political situation to be considered. And while he himself might actand so take personal credit, still there was this general party situation to be thought of. A strong man shouldundoubtedly head and so strengthen the party ticket this fall and here was the golden opportunity. The lattercourse seemed wiser. It would provide his friend, the district attorney, with his great chance. Arriving inBridgeburg in this mood, he ponderously5 invaded the office of Orville W. Mason, the district attorney, whoimmediately sat up, all attention, sensing something of import in the coroner's manner.
Mason was a short, broad-chested, broad-backed and vigorous individual physically6, but in his late youth hadbeen so unfortunate as to have an otherwise pleasant and even arresting face marred7 by a broken nose, whichgave to him a most unprepossessing, almost sinister8, look. Yet he was far from sinister. Rather, romantic andemotional. His boyhood had been one of poverty and neglect, causing him in his later and somewhat moresuccessful years to look on those with whom life had dealt more kindly9 as too favorably treated. The son of apoor farmer's widow, he had seen his mother put to such straits to make ends meet that by the time he reachedthe age of twelve he had surrendered nearly all of the pleasures of youth in order to assist her. And then, atfourteen, while skating, he had fallen and broken his nose in such a way as to forever disfigure his face.
Thereafter, feeling himself handicapped in the youthful sorting contests which gave to other boys the femalecompanions he most craved10, he had grown exceedingly sensitive to the fact of his facial handicap. And this hadeventually resulted in what the Freudians are accustomed to describe as a psychic11 sex scar.
At the age of seventeen, however, he had succeeded in interesting the publisher and editor of the BridgeburgRepublican to the extent that he was eventually installed as official local news-gatherer of the town. Later hecame to be the Cataraqui County correspondent of such papers as the Albany Times-union and the Utica Star,ending eventually at the age of nineteen with the privilege of studying law in the office of one ex-Judge DavisRichofer, of Bridgeburg. And a few years later, after having been admitted to the bar, he had been taken up byseveral county politicians and merchants who saw to it that he was sent to the lower house of the state legislaturefor some six consecutive12 years, where, by reason of a modest and at the same time shrewd and ambitiouswillingness to do as he was instructed, he attained13 favor with those at the capital while at the same time retainingthe good will of his home-town sponsors. Later, returning to Bridgeburg and possessing some gifts of oratory14, hewas given, first, the position of assistant district attorney for four years, and following that elected auditor15, andsubsequently district attorney for two terms of four years each. Having acquired so high a position locally, hewas able to marry the daughter of a local druggist of some means, and two children had been born to them.
In regard to this particular case he had already heard from Miss Saunders all she knew of the drowning, and, likethe coroner, had been immediately impressed with the fact that the probable publicity16 attendant on such a case asthis appeared to be might be just what he needed to revive a wavering political prestige and might perhaps solvethe problem of his future. At any rate he was most intensely interested. So that now, upon sight of Heit, heshowed plainly the keen interest he felt in the case.
"Well, Colonel Heit?""Well, Orville, I'm just back from Big Bittern. It looks to me as though I've got a case for you now that's going totake quite a little of your time."Heit's large eyes bulged17 and conveyed hints of much more than was implied by his non-committal openingremark.
"You mean that drowning up there?" returned the district attorney.
"Yes, sir. Just that," replied the coroner.
"You've some reason for thinking there's something wrong up there?""Well, the truth is, Orville, I think there's hardly a doubt that this is a case of murder." Heit's heavy eyes glowedsomberly. "Of course, it's best to be on the safe side, and I'm only telling you this in confidence, because even yetI'm not absolutely positive that that young man's body may not be in the lake. But it looks mighty18 suspicious tome, Orville. There's been at least fifteen men up there in row-boats all day yesterday and to-day, dragging thesouth part of that lake. I had a number of the boys take soundings here and there, and the water ain't more thantwenty-five feet deep at any point. But so far they haven't found any trace of him. They brought her up about oneo'clock yesterday, after they'd been only dragging a few hours, and a mighty pretty girl she is too, Orville--quiteyoung--not more than eighteen or twenty, I should say. But there are some very suspicious circumstances about itall that make me think that he ain't in there. In fact, I never saw a case that I thought looked more like a devilishcrime than this."As he said this, he began to search in the right-hand pocket of his well-worn and baggy19 linen20 suit and finallyextracted Roberta's letter, which he handed his friend, drawing up a chair and seating himself while the districtattorney proceeded to read.
"Well, this does look rather suspicious, don't it?" he announced, as he finished. "You say they haven't found himyet. Well, have you communicated with this woman to see what she knows about it?""No, Orville, I haven't," replied Heit, slowly and meditatively21. "And I'll tell you why. The fact is, I decided22 upthere last night that this was something I had better talk over with you before I did anything at all. You knowwhat the political situation here is just now. And how the proper handling of a case like this is likely to affectpublic opinion this fall. And while I certainly don't think we ought to mix politics in with crime there certainly isno reason why we shouldn't handle this in such a way as to make it count in our favor. And so I thought I hadbetter come and see you first. Of course, if you want me to, Orville, I'll go over there. Only I was thinking thatperhaps it would be better for you to go, and find out just who this fellow is and all about him. You know what acase like this might mean from a political point of view, if only we clean it up, and I know you're the one to do it,Orville.""Thanks, Fred, thanks," replied Mason, solemnly, tapping his desk with the letter and squinting23 at his friend. "I'mgrateful to you for your opinion and you've outlined the very best way to go about it, I think. You're sure no oneoutside yourself has seen this letter?""Only the envelope. And no one but Mr. Hubbard, the proprietor24 of the inn up there, has seen that, and he toldme that he found it in her pocket and took charge of it for fear it might disappear or be opened before I got there.
He said he had a feeling there might be something wrong the moment he heard of the drowning. The young manhad acted so nervous--strange-like, he said.""Very good, Fred. Then don't say anything more about it to any one for the present, will you? I'll go right overthere, of course. But what else did you find, anything?" Mr. Mason was quite alive now, interrogative, dynamic,and a bit dictatorial25 in his manner, even to his old friend.
"Plenty, plenty," replied the coroner, most sagely26 and solemnly. "There were some suspicious cuts or marksunder the girl's right eye and above the left temple, Orville, and across the lip and nose, as though the poor littlething mighta been hit by something--a stone or a stick or one of those oars27 that they found floating up there.
She's just a child yet, Orville, in looks and size, anyhow--a very pretty girl--but not as good as she might havebeen, as I'll show you presently." At this point the coroner paused to extract a large handkerchief and blow into ita very loud blast, brushing his beard afterward28 in a most orderly way. "I didn't have time to get a doctor up thereand besides I'm going to hold the inquest down here, Monday, if I can. I've ordered the Lutz boys to go up thereto-day and bring her body down. But the most suspicious of all the evidence that has come to light so far,Orville, is the testimony29 of two men and a boy who live up at Three Mile Bay and who were walking up to BigBittern on Thursday night to hunt and fish. I had Earl take down their names and subpoena30 'em for the inquestnext Monday."And the coroner proceeded to detail their testimony about their accidental meeting of Clyde.
"Well, well!" interjected the district attorney, thoroughly31 interested.
"Then, another thing, Orville," continued the coroner, "I had Earl telephone the Three Mile Bay people, theowner of the hotel there as well as the postmaster and the town marshal, but the only person who appears to haveseen the young man is the captain of that little steamboat that runs from Three Mile Bay to Sharon. You knowthe man, I guess, Captain Mooney. I left word with Earl to subpoena him too. According to him, about eight-thirty, Friday morning, or just before his boat started for Sharon on its first trip, this same young man, or someone very much like the description furnished, carrying a suitcase and wearing a cap--he had on a straw hat whenthose three men met him--came on board and paid his way to Sharon and got off there. Good-looking youngchap, the captain says. Very spry and well-dressed, more like a young society man than anything else, and verystand-offish.""Yes, yes," commented Mason.
"I also had Earl telephone the people at Sharon--whoever he could reach--to see if he had been seen there gettingoff, but up to the time I left last night no one seemed to remember him. But I left word for Earl to telegraph adescription of him to all the resort hotels and stations hereabouts so that if he's anywhere around, they'll be on thelookout for him. I thought you'd want me to do that. But I think you'd better give me a writ32 for that bag at GunLodge station. That may contain something we ought to know. I'll go up and get it myself. Then I want to go toGrass Lake and Three Mile Bay and Sharon yet to-day, if I can, and see what else I can find. But I'm afraid,Orville, it's a plain case of murder. The way he took that young girl to that hotel up there at Grass Lake and then registered under another name at Big Bittern, and the way he had her leave her bag and took his own with him!"He shook his head most solemnly. "Those are not the actions of an honest young man, Orville, and you know it.
What I can't understand is how her parents could let her go off like that anywhere with a man without knowingabout him in the first place.""That's true," replied Mason, tactfully, but made intensely curious by the fact that it had at least been partiallyestablished that the girl in the case was not as good as she should have been. Adultery! And with some youth ofmeans, no doubt, from some one of the big cities to the south. The prominence33 and publicity with which his ownactivities in connection with this were very likely to be laden34! At once he got up, energetically stirred. If he couldonly catch such a reptilian35 criminal, and that in the face of all the sentiment that such a brutal36 murder was likelyto inspire! The August convention and nominations37. The fall election.
"Well, I'll be switched," he exclaimed, the presence of Heit, a religious and conservative man, suppressinganything more emphatic38. "I do believe we're on the trail of something important, Fred. I really think so. It looksvery black to me--a most damnable outrage39. I suppose the first thing to do, really, is to telephone over there andsee if there is such a family as Alden and exactly where they live. It's not more than fifty miles direct by car, ifthat much. Poor roads, though," he added. Then: "That poor woman. I dread3 that scene. It will be a painful one, Iknow."Then he called Zillah and asked her to ascertain40 if there was such a person as Titus Alden living near Biltz. Also,exactly how to get there. Next he added: "The first thing to do will be to get Burton back here" (Burton beingBurton Burleigh, his legal assistant, who had gone away for a week-end vacation) "and put him in charge so as tofurnish you whatever you need in the way of writs41 and so on, Fred, while I go right over to see this poor woman.
And then, if you'll have Earl go back up there and get that suitcase, I'll be most obliged to you. I'll bring thefather back with me, too, to identify the body. But don't say anything at all about this letter now or my going overthere until I see you later, see." He grasped the hand of his friend. "In the meantime," he went on, a littlegrandiosely, now feeling the tang of great affairs upon him, "I want to thank you, Fred. I certainly do, and I won'tforget it, either. You know that, don't you?" He looked his old friend squarely in the eye. "This may turn outbetter than we think. It looks to be the biggest and most important case in all my term of office, and if we canonly clean it up satisfactorily and quickly, before things break here this fall, it may do us all some good, eh?""Quite so, Orville, quite so," commented Fred Heit. "Not, as I said before, that I think we ought to mix politics inwith a thing like this, but since it has come about so--" he paused, meditatively.
"And in the meantime," continued the district attorney "if you'll have Earl have some pictures made of the exactposition where the boat, oars, and hat were found, as well as mark the spot where the body was found, andsubpoena as many witnesses as you can, I'll have vouchers42 for it all put through with the auditor. And to- morrowor Monday I'll pitch in and help myself."And here he gripped Heit's right hand--then patted him on the shoulder. And Heit, much gratified by his variousmoves so far--and in consequence hopeful for the future--now took up his weird43 straw hat and buttoning histhin, loose coat, returned to his office to get his faithful Earl on the long distance telephone to instruct him and tosay that he was returning to the scene of the crime himself.
验尸官海特的公务暂告结束后，便搭乘湖区南行的列车回去。一路上，他心中琢磨接下来该如何办才好。对于这一惨案，他下一步究竟应该怎么办?
验尸官动身前，又向罗伯达看了一眼，说真的，他心里难过极了。看来她是那么年轻。天真。漂亮。素朴的蓝哔叽衣裙泡胀以后，仍然紧紧地贴住她的躯体，她的那双纤手，交叉按在胸前，一头浓艳的棕色头发，在水里浸泡了一昼夜，这时还没干透，却能看得出她生前热情。活泼的性格……这一切好象富有一种温柔的魅力，而与罪恶压根儿不相干。
这个案件，也许毫无疑问非常悲惨，可是还有另外一面，跟他验尸官关系更大。他该不该去比尔茨，把女儿惨死这一骇人消息告知奥尔登太太(那封信就是写给她的)，同时，再打听一下死者那个男伴是谁，现在何处?
还是他首先应该到布里奇伯格地方检察官梅森办公室去，向他详细汇报有关本案的全部情况，让这位先生亲自接办这一苦差使，使那个也许很有身份的家庭遭受毁灭性的打击?
因为这里涉及到一个政治局势的问题，必须加以考虑。虽然他可以独自采取行动，从而给自己赢得一点声誉，可他还是不能不考虑到全党目前形势。今秋选举，毫无疑问，应由一位强有力的人物领衔，以便增强党的实力地位;而现在这个湖上惨案……乃是千金难买的好机会。这就是说，第二个方案好象更为高明。因为，这对海特的朋友地方检察官来说，不管是一个难得的机会。海特就是怀着这样一种心态，来到了布里奇伯格，心事重重地闯进了地方检察官奥维尔。Ｗ。梅森的办公室。梅森从验尸官的举止神态，觉察到了严重性，因此也就马上正襟危坐，全神贯注了。
梅森这个人身材矮小，肩膀宽阔，长得结实有力。他在年轻时不幸碰破了鼻子，使他本来招人喜欢。甚至惹人注目的脸儿，变得令人憎恶，乃至于露出满脸凶相。其实，梅森这个人一点儿也不凶恶。还不如说他是个感情丰富。相当罗曼蒂克的人。他在幼年时饱尝过穷困的况味，所以，在他后来比较顺心的岁月里，就使他常常把那些生活际遇较为优厚的人看成是命运的宠儿。他母亲是个贫穷的自耕农遗孀，他亲眼看到她如何煞费苦心，才勉强使一家收入相抵。
因此，他在十二岁时，为了帮助他母亲，自己对年轻人常有的种种欢乐几乎全都不染指了。后来，在十四岁那年，他在溜冰时不慎摔倒，把鼻子撞坏了，脸儿就永远破了相。从此以后，在年轻人竞找对象中，他总觉得自己低人一头;他心中最渴望的一些女友，却常常垂青于其他一些年轻人了。久而久之，他对自己脸儿丑就特别敏感了，结果产生了弗洛伊德学派常说的性心理创伤。
不料，他在十七岁上终于引起了布里奇伯格《共和党人报》的注意，该报发行人兼总编辑后来派他正式担任地方新闻采访编辑。随后，他又担任了诸如奥尔巴尼《时代联合报》。尤蒂卡《星报》派驻卡塔拉基县的通讯员。十九岁那年，他终于有幸在布里奇伯格前任法官戴维斯。里科弗事务所研修法律。过了几年后，他当上了律师，获得本县一些政客。厂商青睐，才被送往本州众议院，一连当了六年众议员。在那里，因为他能不瘟不火，而又富于远见，同时抱负不凡地悉照上司旨意办事，既受到本州首府那些政要的赏识，同时又能获得他在本乡的那些庇护人的好感。后来，他回到了布里奇伯格，由于颇有演讲才赋，先是被举荐为任期四年的地方检察官助理，继而又当选为审计长。不久，他又两次当选为地方检察官，每届任期为四年。他在社会上身居这样的高位以后，这才娶了本地一家相当富裕的杂货铺老板的女儿，成为两个孩子的父亲。
关于大比腾湖上惨案，桑德斯小姐早已把自己了解的有关情况通通讲给梅森听了。梅森正如验尸官一样，马上就心领神会了:
这个案件说不定会引起公众议论纷纭，看来对他极为有利。他可以借此重振自己正在动摇中的政治威望，说不定甚至还可以解决本人前途这一问题。不管怎么说，反正他对此是极为关注的。现在，梅森一见到海特，便没遮拦地对这个案件露出热切的兴趣。
"哦，这事怎么样，海特?
""哦，奥维尔，我刚从大比腾回来。我觉得自己好象给您寻摸到一个案子，可得让您多花一点时间啦。"海特凸起大眼睛，这可比他刚才含糊其词的开场白要意味深长得多了。
"您是说那儿湖上淹死人的事吗?
"地方检察官回答说。
"是的，先生。就是这件事，"验尸官回话说。
"您自然有理由认定那里头有鬼，可不是吗?
""哦，说真的，奥维尔，我认为，毫无疑问，这是一起凶杀案，"海特阴沉的眼睛露出忧郁的闪光。"当然，最好还得谨小慎微，这我只是跟您一个人说的。
因为，哪怕是现在，我还不能绝对肯定说:
那个年轻人的尸体可能并不在湖底。
不过，我总觉得非常可疑，奥维尔。昨天和今天，至少有十五个人用划子整天价在那个湖的南面一带来回打捞。我关照几个小伙子到各处测量湖水的深度，哪儿都没有超过二十五英尺的。但到现在为止，连此人的影儿他们也没有找到。
昨天，他们才打捞了一两个钟头，大约在下午一点左右，倒是把女尸给打捞上来了。她还真是一个非常俊的姑娘呀，奥维尔……很年轻……依我看，不会超过十八或二十岁。不过，这事有些细节令人非常可疑，让我不得不想到她的同伴并没有溺死在湖里。说实话，我觉得，过去我从没有见过哪个案子比这更万恶不赦了。"他一面说，一面开始在他那破旧的。鼓鼓囊囊的衣服右边口袋里掏摸东西，终于把罗伯达那封信掏出来，递给他的朋友，随后拉过一把椅子坐了下来，这时地方检察官正在看信。
"是啊，看来这一切确是相当可疑，可不是?
"他一看完信就这么说。"您说男尸至今还没找到。不过，您有没有见过这个女人，看她对这件事能提供什么线索?
""没有，奥维尔，我还没有见过哩，"海特慢条斯理。若有所思地回答说。"我这就把原因给您说说。事实上是，昨儿晚上我在那儿就决定，最好还得先跟您谈谈，然后我再采取什么行动。目前我们这儿政治局势您是了解的。这么一个案子，如果处理得恰当，很可能对今年秋天的舆论产生影响。我当然不认为我们非要把这一刑事案件跟政治掺和在一块不可，但话又说回来，为什么我们就不能设法把这个案件处理得对我们更为有利呢。因此，我觉得还是最好先来看看您再说。当然罗，如果说您要我去，奥维尔，那我就去那儿走一趟。只不过，依我看，说不定最好还是您自己去，调查清楚，这个家伙到底是何许人也，再了解一下此人的各方面情况。象这一类的案子，我们要是能弄它个水落石出，那末，从政治视角来看，可能会有什么意义，这一点您自己是明白的。而我认为您亲自出马去办这个案子，才是最适当也没有了，奥维尔。""谢谢您，弗雷德，谢谢您，"梅森得意扬扬地回答说，又用那封信轻叩着桌子，向他的朋友乜了一眼。"刚才您这意见，我可非常感激。而且，我想，最正确的处理办法，大概您心里已有了谱。您能肯定说，除了您自己，再没有别人看过那封信吗?
""只见过那个信封呗。而且，就是那信封也只有那儿客栈老板哈伯德先生一个人看过。他告诉我，说他是在她衣袋里发现这封信，便一直把它保管好，深怕在我到达那儿以前会丢失了，或是被人拆看了。他说，他一听见溺死的消息，觉得这里头也许有鬼。用他的话来说，那个年轻人神色那么慌张……真是怪得很。""敢情好，弗雷德。那末，这件事暂时对谁也不再说什么，好吗?
当然罗，我马上就去那儿。不过，除此以外，也许你还发现了其他什么情况?
"这时，梅森先生精神抖擞，充满活力，象在不断提问似的，甚至同他的老朋友说话时，仿佛也有点儿颐指气使的口吻。
"反正不算少吧，"验尸官仿佛经过深思熟虑，而又一本正经地回答说，"那姑娘右眼底下和左边太阳穴上，有好几处可疑的伤口或是伤痕，奥维尔;嘴唇和鼻子上也有，好象那个可怜的小姑娘可能被什么东西……比方说，一块石头，一根手杖，或是他们发现漂浮在那儿湖面上的一支划桨……砸过似的。她几乎还是个小伢儿呀，奥维尔，至少从模样儿和身段来看……是个非常俊的姑娘……不过也许并不太规矩呗，这我就马上说给你听。"验尸官说到这儿，沉吟不语，掏出一块大手绢，大声地擤了一下鼻涕，跟着细模细样地捋了捋胡子。"我还没有时间请医生上那儿去;此外，要是来得及，我打算星期一在这儿亲自验尸。我已关照卢兹兄弟殡仪馆的人今天就去那儿，把她的尸体拉来。不过，迄今所有已经掌握的证据里头，奥维尔，最可疑的就数住在三英里湾的两个男人和一个孩子所作的证。他们是在星期四那一夜步行去大比腾打猎。捕鱼的。我已关照厄尔把他们的姓名记下来，发传票，下星期一传讯他们。"接着，验尸官把他们就同克莱德邂逅一事作证时所说的话源源本本说了一遍。
"要得!
要得!
"地方检察官时不时嚷了起来。显然，他对此深感兴趣了。
"还有一件事，奥维尔，"验尸官继续说道。"我关照厄尔跟三英里湾那儿一些有关人员，比方说，那儿的客栈掌柜。邮政局长。那边镇上的执法官，通了电话。不过，唯一见过那个年轻人的，好象就是往返于三英里湾与沙隆之间的那条小汽船的船长:
穆尼船长，说不定您也认识这个人吧。我已给厄尔留了话，也得发传票传讯他。据他说，早期五早上大约八点半左右，要不然正当他的天鹅号头一个航次即将开往沙隆之前，就是这个年轻人(或者是一个模样儿酷肖他的人)手里拎着提箱，头上戴着一顶便帽(那三个猎人碰上他时，他头上戴的是一顶草帽)……登上汽船，买了去沙隆的船票，后来在沙隆上了岸。据船长说，还是个很漂亮的年轻小伙子。很活泼，衣着也很讲究，看来很象来自上流社会的一个年轻人，而且还非常傲慢。""是啊，是啊，"梅森附和着说。
"我也关照厄尔同沙隆那儿的人……不管他找什么人都行……通了电话，看有没有见过这样的客人在那儿上岸，可是到昨儿晚上我离开那儿为止，好象没有一个人能记得起来。不过，反正我已留话给厄尔，要他把此人的外貌特征打电报通知避暑胜地所有的旅馆和附近各火车站，因此，只要此人在这儿附近某某地方，很快会找到他的。我想，您一定也会按我的意图去做。不过，我说，现在您最好给我一张许可证，让我去提留在冈洛奇车站那只手提箱。也许里头就有什么我们应该了解的东西。我打算亲自去提。然后，要是来得及，我想今天到草湖。三英里湾。沙隆走一趟，看看还能发现什么其他情况。不过，我担心，奥维尔，这显然是一起凶杀案。您只要想一想:
此人带那个姑娘先是到了草湖旅馆，后来在大比腾客栈登记时又换了另一个名字;还有，他让她把她的手提包留在火车站，他自己的手提箱却带在身边!
"海特意味深长地摇了摇脑袋。"这些都不是一个诚实的年轻人干的事，奥维尔，这您也明白。现在我闹不明白的是，她父母怎么会让她跟这么一个男人出走，首先他们压根儿还不认识他哩。
""这倒是实话，"梅森很委婉地回答说，不过，他心里又非常好奇地在想:
现在至少部分已经肯定，这个姑娘可不那么规矩，竟然与人私通!
而且，毫无疑问，是跟南边哪个大城市有钱的年轻人私通。他经办这个案子，也许就会出人头地，扬名四海!
他立时站起身来，激动得浑身都是劲儿。只要他能把这个衣冠禽兽抓住，这残暴的凶杀案会激起一片舆论哗然就好了!
八月间的代表大会，候选人的提名。还有今秋大选。
"唉，我真该死，"他嚷了起来。但因海特这个笃信宗教。墨守陈规的人在场，他这才使更激烈的话儿收敛一些。"我坚决相信，我们要追查的这一案子至关重要，弗雷德。我对此确实深信不疑。依我看，这事太卑鄙下流了……乃是罪不容诛的暴行。我想，真的，首先应该跟比尔茨通个电话，看看有没有奥尔登这么一户人家，他们是不是确实住在那儿。坐车直接去，最多不超过五十英里，也许还不到哩，"他找补着说。"那个可怜的女人哪!
我真怕跟她见面。当然，我也知道，这种场面多么使人难过。"稍后，他把泽拉叫来，要她查明究竟有没有泰特斯。奥尔登这么一个人住在比尔茨附近。还要闹清楚去那儿该怎么个走法。后来，他又找补着说:
"首先应该是把伯顿找回来，"(伯顿的全名是伯顿。伯利，是他的司法助手，周末旅行去了)"并且委托他，凡是您需要的，诸如许可证之类，他都可以给您，弗雷德，而我马上去看这个可怜的女人。还有，要是您打发厄尔回到那儿去，把那只手提包取来，我将对您感激不尽。我也会把那个姑娘的父亲领来这儿认尸的。不过，在我下一次跟您见面以前，不管这封信也好，还是我去比尔茨一事也好，暂先对任何人都得只字不提，您明白了吧。"他抓住朋友的双手。"同时，"他又接下去说。这时，他仿佛预感到自己将在一些大事中大显身手，说话时就不免有些沾沾自喜了。"我可要谢谢您，弗雷德。当然罗，我应该谢谢您，而且我将永远不会忘怀。这您会明白，是吧?
"他两眼直瞅着朋友的眼睛。"这件事的结果说不定要比我们原先想象的还好。在我全部任职期间，看来这好象是最大。最重要的一个案件了。我们要是能够在今年秋天这儿盛会召开以前，赶快把它加以妥善解决，那说不定对我们大家都有好处，嗯?
""完全正确，奥维尔，完全正确，"弗雷德。海特连忙附和说。"反正我刚才对您说过的，我并不认为我们应该把这一类事跟政治掺和在一起，不过，既然事情已发生了……"他若有所思地就此打住。
"同时，"地方检察官接下去说，"要是您让厄尔用照相机把当时发现船只。
划桨。帽子等物的确切地点拍下几张照片，并将发现女尸的地点标出来，尽可能把所有的见证人全都传来，那末，所有一切费用单据，我可以跟审计长商量予以报销。明天或是星期一，我就得开始抓紧，亲自来办理这件事。
"说到这儿，他紧紧地握住海特的右手……稍后又轻轻地拍拍他的肩膀。海特听了这位地方检察官的种种恭维，心里可以说非常美滋滋的……因此对自己的前途也满怀希望……于是拿起他那顶古里古怪的草帽，扣好自己那件单薄宽松的外套，回到自己办公室，跟他那个忠实的厄尔通长途电话，向他发出指示，还说，他，海特本人又将回到肇事地点去。
收听单词发音 |
1
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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ponderously
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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psychic
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| n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的 | |
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consecutive
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| adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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auditor
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| n.审计员，旁听着 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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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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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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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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squinting
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| 斜视( squint的现在分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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dictatorial
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| adj. 独裁的，专断的 | |
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sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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subpoena
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| n.（法律）传票；v.传讯 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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prominence
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| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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reptilian
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| adj.（像）爬行动物的；（像）爬虫的；卑躬屈节的；卑鄙的n.两栖动物；卑劣的人 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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nominations
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| n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 ) | |
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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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writs
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| n.书面命令，令状( writ的名词复数 ) | |
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vouchers
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| n.凭证( voucher的名词复数 )；证人；证件；收据 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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