Orville Mason could readily sympathize with a family which on sight struck him as having, perhaps, like himselfendured the whips, the scorns and contumelies of life. As he drove up in his official car from Bridgeburg at aboutfour o'clock that Saturday afternoon, there was the old tatterdemalion farmhouse1 and Titus Alden himself in hisshirt-sleeves and overalls2 coming up from a pig-pen at the foot of the hill, his face and body suggesting a manwho is constantly conscious of the fact that he has made out so poorly. And now Mason regretted that he had nottelephoned before leaving Bridgeburg, for he could see that the news of his daughter's death would shock such aman as this most terribly. At the same time, Titus, noting his approach and assuming that it might be some onewho was seeking a direction, civilly approached him.
"Is this Mr. Titus Alden?""Yes, sir, that's my name.""Mr. Alden, my name is Mason. I am from Bridgeburg, district attorney of Cataraqui County.""Yes, sir," replied Titus, wondering by what strange chance the district attorney of so distant a county should beapproaching and inquiring of him. And Mason now looked at Titus, not knowing just how to begin. Thebitterness of the news he had to impart--the crumpling3 power of it upon such an obviously feeble and inadequatesoul. They had paused under one of the large, dark fir trees that stood in front of the house. The wind in itsneedles was whispering its world-old murmur4.
"Mr. Alden," began Mason, with more solemnity and delicacy5 than ordinarily characterized him, "you are thefather of a girl by the name of Bert, or possibly Alberta, are you not? I'm not sure that I have the name right.""Roberta," corrected Titus Alden, a titillating6 sense of something untoward7 affecting his nerves as he said it.
And Mason, before making it impossible, probably, for this man to connectedly inform him concerning all thathe wished to know, now proceeded to inquire: "By the way, do you happen to know a young man around here bythe name of Clifford Golden?""I don't recall that I ever hard of any such person," replied Titus, slowly.
"Or Carl Graham?""No, sir. No one by that name either that I recall now.""I thought so," exclaimed Mason, more to himself than to Titus. "By the way," this shrewdly and commandingly,"where is your daughter now?""Why, she's in Lycurgus at present. She works there. But why do you ask? Has she done anything she shouldn't- been to see you about anything?" He achieved a wry8 smile while his gray-blue eyes were by now perturbed9 bypuzzled inquiry10.
"One moment, Mr. Alden," proceeded Mason, tenderly and yet most firmly and effectively. "I will explaineverything to you in a moment. Just now I want to ask a few necessary questions." And he gazed at Titusearnestly and sympathetically. "How long has it been since you last saw your daughter?""Why, she left here last Tuesday morning to go back to Lycurgus. She works down there for the Griffiths Collar& Shirt Company. But--?""Now, one moment," insisted the district attorney determinedly12, "I'll explain all in a moment. She was up hereover the week-end, possibly. Is that it?""She was up here on a vacation for about a month," explained Titus, slowly and meticulously13. "She wasn'tfeeling so very good and she came home to rest up a bit. But she was all right when she left. You don't mean totell me, Mr. Mason, that anything has gone wrong with her, do you?" He lifted one long, brown hand to his chinand cheek in a gesture, of nervous inquiry. "If I thought there was anything like that--?" He ran his hand throughhis thinning gray hair.
"Have you had any word from her since she left here?" Mason went on quietly, determined11 to extract as muchpractical information as possible before the great blow fell. "Any information that she was going anywhere butback there?""No, sir, we haven't. She's not hurt in any way, is she? She's not done anything that's got her into trouble? But,no, that couldn't be. But your questions! The way you talk." He was now trembling slightly, the hand that soughthis thin, pale lips, visibly and aimlessly playing about his mouth. But instead of answering, the district attorneydrew from his pocket the letter of Roberta to her mother, and displaying only the handwriting on the envelope,asked: "Is that the handwriting of your daughter?""Yes, sir, that's her handwriting," replied Titus, his voice rising slightly. "But what is this, Mr. District Attorney?
How do you come to have that? What's in there?" He clinched14 his hands in a nervous way, for in Mason's eyes henow clearly foresaw tragedy in some form. "What is this--this--what has she written in that letter? You must tellme--if anything has happened to my girl!" He began to look excitedly about as though it were his intention toreturn to the house for aid--to communicate to his wife the dread15 that was coming upon him--while Mason,seeing the agony into which he had plunged16 him, at once seized him firmly and yet kindly17 by the arms andbegan:
"Mr. Alden, this is one of those dark times in the lives of some of us when all the courage we have is mostneeded. I hesitate to tell you because I am a man who has seen something of life and I know how you willsuffer.""She is hurt. She is dead, maybe," exclaimed Titus, almost shrilly18, the pupils of his eyes dilating19.
Orville Mason nodded.
"Roberta! My first born! My God! Our Heavenly Father!" His body crumpled20 as though from a blow and heleaned to steady himself against an adjacent tree. "But how? Where? In the factory by a machine? Oh, dearGod!" He turned as though to go to his wife, while the strong, scar-nosed district attorney sought to detain him.
"One moment, Mr. Alden, one moment. You must not go to your wife yet. I know this is very hard, terrible, butlet me explain. Not in Lycurgus. Not by any machine. No! No--drowned! In Big Bittern. She was up there on anouting on Thursday, do you understand? Do you hear? Thursday. She was drowned in Big Bittern on Thursdayin a boat. It overturned."The excited gestures and words of Titus at this point so disturbed the district attorney that he found himselfunable to explain as calmly as he would have liked the process by which even an assumed accidental drowninghad come about. From the moment the word death in connection with Roberta had been used by Mason, themental state of Alden was that of one not a little demented. After his first demands he now began to vent21 a seriesof animal-like groans22 as though the breath had been knocked from his body. At the same time, he bent23 over,crumpled up as from pain--then struck his hands together and threw them to his temples.
"My Roberta dead! My daughter! Oh, no, no, Roberta! Oh, my God! Not drowned! It can't be. And her motherspeaking of her only an hour ago. This will be the death of her when she hears it. It will kill me, too. Yes, it will.
Oh, my poor, dear, dear girl. My darling! I'm not strong enough to stand anything like this, Mr. DistrictAttorney."He leaned heavily and wearily upon Mason's arms while the latter sustained him as best he could. Then, after amoment, he turned questioningly and erratically24 toward the front door of the house at which he gazed as onemight who was wholly demented. "Who's to tell her?" he demanded. "How is any one to tell her?""But, Mr. Alden," consoled Mason, "for your own sake, for your wife's sake, I must ask you now to calmyourself and help me consider this matter as seriously as you would if it were not your daughter. There is muchmore to this than I have been able to tell you. But you must be calm. You must allow me to explain. This is allvery terrible and I sympathize with you wholly. I know what it means. But there are some dreadful and painfulfacts that you will have to know about. Listen. Listen."And then, still holding Titus by the arm he proceeded to explain as swiftly and forcefully as possible, the variousadditional facts and suspicions in connection with the death of Roberta, finally giving him her letter to read, andwinding up with: "A crime! A crime, Mr. Alden! That's what we think over in Bridgeburg, or at least that's whatwe're afraid of--plain murder, Mr. Alden, to use a hard, cold word in connection with it." He paused while Alden,struck by this--the element of crime--gazed as one not quite able to comprehend. And, as he gazed, Mason wenton: "And as much as I respect your feelings, still as the chief representative of the law in my county, I felt it to bemy personal duty to come here to-day in order to find out whether there is anything that you or your wife or anyof your family know about this Clifford Golden, or Carl Graham, or whoever he is who lured26 your daughter tothat lonely lake up there. And while I know that the blackest of suffering is yours right now, Mr. Alden, Imaintain that it should be your wish, as well as your duty, to do whatever you can to help us clear up this matter.
This letter here seems to indicate that your wife at least knows something concerning this individual--his name,anyhow." And he tapped the letter significantly and urgently.
The moment the suggested element of violence and wrong against his daughter had been injected into this bitterloss, there was sufficient animal instinct, as well as curiosity, resentment27 and love of the chase inherent in Titusto cause him to recover his balance sufficiently28 to give silent and solemn ear to what the district attorney wassaying. His daughter not only drowned, but murdered, and that by some youth who according to this letter shewas intending to marry! And he, her father, not even aware of his existence! Strange that his wife should knowand he not. And that Roberta should not want him to know.
And at once, born for the most part of religion, convention and a general rural suspicion of all urban life and themystery and involuteness of its ungodly ways, there sprang into his mind the thought of a city seducer30 andbetrayer--some youth of means, probably, whom Roberta had met since going to Lycurgus and who had beenable to seduce29 her by a promise of marriage which he was not willing to fulfil. And forthwith there flared31 up inhis mind a terrible and quite uncontrollable desire for revenge upon any one who could plot so horrible a crimeas this against his daughter. The scoundrel! The raper32! The murderer!
Here he and his wife had been thinking that Roberta was quietly and earnestly and happily pursuing her hard,honest way in Lycurgus in order to help them and herself. And from Thursday afternoon until Friday her bodyhad lain beneath the waters of that lake. And they asleep in their comfortable beds, or walking about, totallyunaware of her dread state. And now her body in a strange room or morgue somewhere, unseen and unattendedby any of all those who loved her so--and to-morrow to be removed by cold, indifferent public officials toBridgeburg.
"If there is a God," he exclaimed excitedly, "He will not let such a scoundrel as this go unpunished! Oh, no, Hewill not! 'I have yet to see,'" he suddenly quoted, "'the children of the righteous forsaken33 or their seed begging forbread.'" At the same time, a quivering compulsion for action dominating him, he added: "I must talk to my wifeabout this right away. Oh, yes, I must. No, no, you wait here. I must tell her first, and alone. I'll be back. I'll beback. You just wait here. I know it will kill her. But she must know about this. Maybe she can tell us who this isand then we can catch him before he manages to get too far away. But, oh, my poor girl! My poor, dear Roberta!
My good, kind, faithful daughter!"And so, talking in a maundering manner, his eyes and face betraying an only half-sane misery34, he turned, theshambling, automaton-like motions of his angular figure now directing him to a lean-to, where, as he knew, Mrs.
Alden was preparing some extra dishes for the next day, which was Sunday. But once there he paused in thedoorway without the courage to approach further, a man expressing in himself all the pathos35 of helplesshumanity in the face of the relentless36 and inexplicable37 and indifferent forces of Life!
Mrs. Alden turned, and at the sight of his strained expression, dropped her own hands lifelessly, the message ofhis eyes as instantly putting to flight the simple, weary and yet peaceful contemplation in her own.
"Titus! For goodness' sake! Whatever IS the matter?"Lifted hands, half-open mouth, an eerie38, eccentric and uncalculated tensing and then widening of the eyelids39, andthen the word: "Roberta!""What about her? What about her? Titus--what about her?"Silence. More of those nervous twitchings of the mouth eyes, hands. Then . . . "Dead! She's been--beendrowned!" followed by his complete collapse40 on a bench that stood just inside the door. And Mrs. Alden, staringfor a moment, at first not quite comprehending, then fully25 realizing, sinking heavily and without a word to thefloor. And Titus, looking at her and nodding his head as if to say: "Quite right. So should it be. Momentaryescape for her from the contemplation of this horrible fact." And then slowly rising, going to her and kneelingbeside her, straightening her out. Then as slowly going out to the door and around to the front of the house whereOrville Mason was seated on the broken front steps, contemplating41 speculatively42 along with the afternoon sun inthe west the misery that this lorn and incompetent43 farmer was conveying to his wife. And wishing for themoment that it might be otherwise--that no such case, however profitable to himself, had arisen.
But now, at sight of Titus Alden, he jumped up and preceded the skeleton-like figure into the lean-to. Andfinding Mrs. Alden, as small as her daughter nearly, and limp and still, he gathered her into his strong arms andcarried her through the dining-room into the living-room, where stood an antiquated44 lounge, on which he laidher. And there, feeling for her pulse, and then hurrying for some water, while he looked for some one--a son,daughter, neighbor, any one. But not seeing any one, hurrying back with the water to dash a little of it on her faceand hands.
"Is there a doctor anywhere near here?" He was addressing Titus, who was now kneeling by his wife.
"In Biltz--yes--Dr. Crane.""Have you--has any one around here a telephone?""Mr. Wilcox." He pointed45 in the direction of the Wilcox's, whose telephone Roberta had so recently used.
"Just watch her. I'll be back."Forthwith he was out of the house and away to call Crane or any other doctor, and then as swiftly returning withMrs. Wilcox and her daughter. And then waiting, waiting, until first neighbors arrived and then eventually Dr.
Crane, with whom he consulted as to the advisability of discussing with Mrs. Alden yet this day the unescapablemystery which had brought him here. And Dr. Crane, very much impressed by Mr. Mason's solemn, legalmanner, admitting that it might even be best.
And at last Mrs. Alden treated with heroin46 and crooned and mourned over by all present, being brought to thestage where it was possible, slowly and with much encouragement, to hear in the first place what the extenuatingcircumstances were; next being questioned concerning the identity of the cryptic47 individual referred to inRoberta's letter. The only person whom Mrs. Alden could recall as ever having been mentioned by Roberta aspaying particular attention to her, and that but once the Christmas before, was Clyde Griffiths, the nephew of thewealthy Samuel Griffiths, of Lycurgus, and the manager of the department in which Roberta worked.
But this in itself, as Mason and the Aldens themselves at once felt, was something which assuredly could not betaken to mean that the nephew of so great a man could be accused of the murder of Roberta. Wealth! Position!
Indeed, in the face of such an accusation48 Mason was inclined to pause and consider. For the social differencebetween this man and this girl from his point of view seemed great. At that, it might be so. Why not? Was it notlikely that a youth of such a secure position would possibly more than another, since she was so attractive as Heithad said, be the one to be paying casual and secret attention to a girl like Roberta? Did she not work in hisuncle's factory? And was she not poor? Besides, as Fred Heit had already explained, whoever it was that this girlwas with at the time of her death, she had not hesitated to cohabit with him before marriage. And was that notpart and parcel of a rich and sophisticated youth's attitude toward a poor girl? By reason of his own earlybuffetings at the mood of chance and established prosperity the idea appealed to him intensely. The wretchedrich! The indifferent rich! And here were her mother and father obviously believing most firmly in her innocenceand virtue49.
Further questioning of Mrs. Alden only brought out the fact that she had never seen this particular youth, and hadnever even heard of any other. The only additional data that either she or her husband could furnish was thatduring her last home-coming of a month Roberta had not been feeling at all well--drooped about the house andrested a good deal. Also that she had written a number of letters which she had given to the postman or placed inthe delivery box at the road-crossing below. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Alden knew to whom they were addressed,although the postman would be likely to know, as Mason quickly thought. Also, during this period, she had beenbusy making some dresses, at least four. And during the latter part of her stay, she had been the recipient50 of anumber of telephone calls--from a certain Mr. Baker51, as Titus had heard Mr. Wilcox say. Also, on departing, shehad taken only such baggage as she had brought with her--her small trunk and her bag. The trunk she hadchecked herself at the station, but just where, other than Lycurgus, Titus could not say.
But now, suddenly, since he was attaching considerable importance to the name Baker, there popped intoMason's mind:
"Clifford Golden! Carl Graham! Clyde Griffiths!" and at once the identity of the intitials as well as the relatedeuphony of the names gave him pause. An astounding52 coincidence truly, if this same Clyde Griffiths had nothingto do with this crime! Immediately he was anxious to go direct to the mailman and question him.
But since Titus Alden was important not only as a witness in identifying Roberta's body and the contents of thesuitcase left by her at Gun Lodge53 but also to persuade the postman to talk freely, he now asked him to dress andaccompany him, assuring him that he would allow him to return to-morrow.
After cautioning Mrs. Alden to talk to no one in regard to this, he now proceeded to the post office to questionthe mailman. That individual when found, recalled, upon inquiry, and in the presence of Titus who stood like agalvanized corpse54 by the side of the district attorney, that not only had there been a few letters--no less thantwelve or fifteen even--handed him by Roberta, during her recent stay here, but that all of them had beenaddressed to some one in Lycurgus by the name of--let him see--Clyde Griffiths--no less--care of GeneralDelivery there. Forthwith, the district attorney proceeded with him to a local notary's office where a depositionwas made, after which he called his office, and learning that Roberta's body had been brought to Bridgeburg, hedrove there with as much speed as he could attain55. And once there and in the presence of the body along withTitus, Burton Burleigh, Heit and Earl Newcomb, he was able to decide for himself, even while Titus, halfdemented, gazed upon the features of his child, first that she truly was Roberta Alden and next as to whether heconsidered her of the type who would wantonly yield herself to such a liaison56 as the registration57 at Grass Lake seemed to indicate. He decided58 he did not. This was a case of sly, evil seduction as well as murder. Oh, thescoundrel! And still at large. Almost the political value of all this was obscured by an angry social resentfulnessagainst men of means in general.
But this particular contact with the dead, made at ten o'clock at night in the receiving parlors59 of the LutzBrothers, Undertakers, and with Titus Alden falling on his knees by the side of his daughter and emotionallycarrying her small, cold hands to his lips while he gazed feverishly60 and protestingly upon her waxy61 face, framedby her long brown hair, was scarcely such as to promise an unbiased or even legal opinion. The eyes of all thosepresent were wet with tears.
And now Titus Alden injected a new and most dramatic note into the situation. For while the Lutz Brothers, withthree of their friends who kept an automobile62 shop next door, Everett Beeker, the present representative of theBridgeburg Republican, and Sam Tacksun, the editor and publisher of the Democrat63, awesomely64 gazed over orbetween the heads of each other from without a side door which gave into the Lutzs' garage, he suddenly roseand moving wildly toward Mason, exclaimed: "I want you to find the scoundrel who did this, Mr. DistrictAttorney. I want him to be made to suffer as this pure, good girl has been made to suffer. She's been murdered-that'sall. No one but a murderer would take a girl out on a lake like that and strike her as any one can see she hasbeen struck." He gestured toward his dead child. "I have no money to help prosecute65 a scoundrel like that. But Iwill work. I will sell my farm."His voice broke and seemingly he was in danger of falling as he turned toward Roberta again. And now, OrvilleMason, swept into this father's stricken and yet retaliatory66 mood, pressed forward to exclaim: "Come away, Mr.
Alden. We know this is your daughter. I swear all you gentlemen as witnesses to this identification. And if itshall be proved that this little girl of yours was murdered, as it now seems, I promise you, Mr. Alden, faithfullyand dutifully as the district attorney of this county, that no time or money or energy on my part will be spared totrack down this scoundrel and hale him before the proper authorities! And if the justice of Cataraqui County iswhat I think it is, you can leave him to any jury which our local court will summon. And you won't need to sellyour farm, either."Mr. Mason, because of his deep, if easily aroused, emotion, as well as the presence of the thrilled audience, wasin his most forceful as well as his very best oratorical67 mood.
And one of the Lutz Brothers--Ed--the recipient of all of the county coroner's business--was moved to exclaim:
"That's the ticket, Orville. You're the kind of a district attorney we like." And Everett Beeker now called out: "Goto it, Mr. Mason. We're with you to a man when it comes to that." And Fred Heit, as well as his assistant,touched by Mason's dramatic stand, his very picturesque68 and even heroic appearance at the moment, nowcrowded closer, Heit to take his friend by the hand, Earl to exclaim: "More power to you, Mr. Mason. We'll doall we can, you bet. And don't forget that bag that she left at Gun Lodge is over at your office. I gave it to Burtontwo hours ago.""That's right, too. I was almost forgetting that," exclaimed Mason, most calmly and practically at the moment,the previous burst of oratory69 and emotion having by now been somehow merged70 in his own mind with theexceptional burst of approval which up to this hour he had never experienced in any case with which previously71 he had been identified.
奥维尔梅森一见到这户人家，就觉得他们也许如同他本人一样，挨过生活的鞭笞。嘲弄和磨难，不由得深表同情。早期六下午，约莫四点钟光景，他从布里奇伯格乘坐公车来到了这里。他看到了这座破旧不堪的农舍，又看见泰特斯。奥尔登本人穿着短袖衬衫和工装裤，从山脚下猪圈走上来，他的脸孔和形体在在说明:
他一生穷愁潦倒，经常意识到自己赤贫如洗。这时梅森后悔自己在布里奇伯格动身前没有先来个电话，因为他一望可知，女儿惨死的消息对这么一个人来说将是一种最骇人的打击。这时，泰特斯看见他走过来，还以为是问路的行人，便彬彬有礼地走到他跟前。
"是泰特斯。奥尔登先生吗?
""是的，先生，那是我的姓名。""奥尔登先生，我叫梅森。我是从布里奇伯格来的，是卡塔拉基县地方检察官。""嗯，先生，"泰特斯回答说，心里暗自纳闷:
地方检察官从那么遥远的县城特地跑来找他干什么。梅森只是一个劲儿瞅着他，真不知道该怎么开口才好。
他不得不转告的那个消息，该有多惨呀……让这么一个显然软弱无能的人听了，备不住会突然昏厥过去。他们伫立在屋子前那棵高大。乌黑的枞树底下。从针状叶中间穿过的风儿，沙沙作响，仿佛不断在唱那天长地久的歌儿。
"奥尔登先生，"梅森带着一种异乎寻常的严肃而又委婉的神情开始说话了。
"您有个女儿叫伯特，或是艾伯达，是不是?
我不敢说我把她的名字一点儿没说错。
""罗伯达，"泰特斯。奥尔登马上更正说。他说这话时，心中因有一种不祥的预感而突然抽搐着。
梅森担心了一会儿，他想了解的问题，这个人恐怕不能有条有理地说给他听了，所以便抢先问道:
"再说，您认不认得这儿附近有一个名叫克利福德。戈尔登的年轻人?
""这个人我好象没听说过，"泰特斯慢悠悠地回答说。
"还有一个名叫卡尔。格雷厄姆的?
""不知道，先生。我也记不得有谁叫这个名姓的。""我也这么想，"梅森嚷了起来，好象这是对他自个儿说的，而不是对泰特斯说的。"再说，"他接着用一种严厉而又带点命令的口吻问道，"现在您女儿在哪儿?
""怎么啦，现在她在莱柯格斯呀。她在那儿工作。不过，您干吗要问这个?
难道说她做了什么要不得的事……或是她来求过您什么事来着?
"他勉强笑了一下，同时，被梅森这一问感到困惑不解，因此，他那对灰蓝色眼睛露出了窘色。
"等一会儿，奥尔登先生，"梅森语气温和，可又坚决有力地继续说下去。"等一会儿，我就把一切都讲给您听。不过，现在我还得问您几个必要的问题，"他诚恳而同情地直瞅着泰特斯。"您最近一次看到您女儿，到现在可有多久了?
""怎么啦，她是上星期二早上从这儿动身回莱柯格斯去的。她是在那儿格里菲思领子衬衫公司做工。可是……?
""听我说，等一会儿，"地方检察官语调坚决地说。"等一会儿，我会把什么都讲给您听的。也许她是在家里过周末的。是吧?
""她利用假期，在家里待了约莫一个月，"泰特斯慢悠悠地。丝毫不错地作了说明。"她身体不太好，才来家稍微休息一下。不过，她动身时差不多已经好了。
我希望，梅森先生，您不是想说，她出了什么事，可不是?
"他抬起一只黝黑的长手，捋自己下巴颏儿和脸颊，露出极其紧张不安的神色。"要是我脑子里头早想到有这类事……"他用手捋了一下他那日益稀疏的灰头发。
"她从这儿走了以后，您得到过她的消息吗?
"梅森心平气和地继续说，决心要在他尚未受到那沉重的打击以前，尽可能攫取到更多符合实际的情况。"她没有提到自己不是去莱柯格斯，而是去别的地方吗?
""没有，先生，我们什么消息都没有。我想，她不会受了伤，是吧?
她也不会惹了什么麻烦，是吧?
可是，不，这压根儿不可能。可是您干吗提这些问题，说话时您又是这么一副神气。"这时，泰特斯身子有点儿发抖，一只手本想捋捋自己煞白的薄嘴唇，却无意识地在捋下巴颏儿了。地方检察官并没有回话，却把罗伯达写给母亲的那封信从口袋里掏出来，只给他看了一下信封上的字迹，这才问他:
"这是您女儿的笔迹吗?
""是的，先生，这是她的笔迹，"泰特斯稍微提高了一下嗓门，回答说。"可是，这是怎么一回事，地方检察官先生?
那封信怎么会落到您手里?
里头写些什么呀?
"他忐忑不安地搓着双手，因为这时他从梅森的眼神里，已清楚地看出某种骇人的悲惨的消息。"这……这……是什么，她在那封信里是怎么说的?
您非得告诉我不可……是不是我女儿出了什么事!
"他紧张地朝四下里张望着，好象想进屋去求救似的……想告诉他妻子大难临头了……可是梅森一发觉是自己使他深感痛苦，马上就坚强有力，但又很友好地抓住了他的胳臂，开始说:
"奥尔登先生，我们每个人在一生中常会碰上这样不幸的时刻，特别需要把我们的全部勇气都拿出来。说实话，我压根儿不想告诉您，因为我本人也懂得人生的况味，我知道您该有多么难过。""她受伤了。也许，她是死了?
"泰特斯几乎是尖声叫了起来，他的瞳孔一下子也变大了。
奥维尔。梅森点点头。
"罗伯达!
我的大闺女呀!
我的天哪!
老天哪!
"他的身子好象挨了一拳，摇摇晃晃靠到附近一棵树干上，这才算站稳了。"可是怎么样?
在哪儿?
是在厂里机器旁边?
啊，老天哪!
"他转过身来，仿佛要去他妻子那儿，但被身强力壮和因鼻子而破了相的地方检察官使劲儿拉住了。
"等一会儿，奥尔登先生，等一会儿。现在您万万不能去找您太太。我知道这是非常难受和可怕的，不过，还是让我先跟您解释一下。不是在莱柯格斯。
也不是在什么机器旁边。不是!
不是……她是淹死的!
在大比腾湖。星期四，她去那儿郊游，您明白了吧?
您听见了没有?
星期四。星期四，在大比腾湖，她在一条船上给淹死了。船儿底朝天了。"泰特斯姿式和说话都无比激动，简直使地方检察官心里慌了神。他发现自己无法保持应有的镇静态度，把这一切经过……即便假定说那是意外溺死的案件……讲清楚了。只要一听到梅森讲到死这个字眼同罗伯达连在一块时，奥尔登心态几乎就要发狂。开头他还提过一些问题，随后只是一个劲儿发出一阵阵有如野兽那样的呻吟，仿佛他快要咽了气似的。同时，他的身子往前俯冲，仿佛剧痛得浑身抽搐着……随后两手使劲儿一举一拍，用手掌捶打自己太阳穴。
"我的罗伯达死了!
我的闺女呀!
啊，不，不，罗伯达!
啊，我的老天哪!
她可没有淹死呀!
这是不可能的!
一个钟头前她妈还在念叨她哩。她妈一听到这消息，就会一命呜呼了。它也会送我上西天呀。是的，一定会这样的。啊，我这可怜。
可爱。可爱的闺女呀!
我的宝贝女儿呀!
这个我可受不了呀，地方检察官先生!
"他沉重。疲惫地靠在梅森的胳臂上，梅森尽量使劲儿托住他。过了一会儿，他象是在发问似地。古怪地回头望着屋子的前门，那直勾勾地望着的神态，完全象个疯子似的。"谁去告诉她妈?
"他一个劲儿问。"有哪一位去告诉她妈呀?
""可是，奥尔登先生，"梅森安慰他说。"为了您自己，也为了您的太太，现在我非得要求您镇静下来不可。帮助我尽可能认真地来考虑这个问题，就象那不是您的女儿那样。除了我刚给您讲的那些以外，还有许许多多别的事情呢。
不过，您非得镇静下来不可。您还得让我讲下去才行。这一切都是令人发指的，可我打心眼儿里同情您。我知道您该有多么难过。不过，有一些可怕而又痛心的事，想必您一定想知道。那就听我说，听我说吧。"随后，梅森一面还用手托住泰特斯，一面尽可能快疾有力地把有关罗伯达之死的各补充事实和可疑的地方作了说明，最后把她的信交给他看，并且下了这样的结论:
"这是犯了大罪!
犯了大罪，奥尔登先生!
我们在布里奇伯格就是这样考虑过的;要不然，至少我们担心……奥尔登先生，如果用一个难听而又冷酷的字眼儿来说，那显然就是谋杀。"他顿住了一会儿，奥尔登一听到犯了大罪这个字眼儿，就惊呆了，他两眼直勾勾地瞅着，好象压根儿还没闹清楚是怎么回事。
就在这时，梅森接下去说:
"尽管我多么尊重您的感情，但是，作为我县司法的主要负责人，我觉得自己有责任今天来到府上，向您或是您的太太，或是您府上其他成员调查一下，对于这个克利福德。戈尔登，或是卡尔。格雷厄姆，或是不管此人姓啥名谁，反正是诱骗您女儿到荒凉的湖区去的那个人，你们可了解些什么。尽管我知道，此时此刻，您心里该有多么悲痛，奥尔登先生，但我还是坚信，您有责任……而且一定也是您的心愿……应该尽您一切力量，帮助我们把这件事弄个水落石出。眼前这封信，似乎足以说明:
您的太太至少知道有关这个人的一些事……哪怕只知道他的名字。"他意味深长地用手指头轻轻地叩着那封信。
泰特斯刚懂得地方检察官话里有话，看来他女儿就是被人用残暴手段害死的，这时他身上那种动物本能与好奇心。激愤，以及追根究底的癖好，都搀杂在一起，使他神志清醒过来，于是便洗耳恭听地方检察官一一道来。他的女儿不仅仅是溺水而死，而且是被人谋杀的，被一个年轻人谋害致死的，据这封信上说，她还想跟他结婚哩!
可是，作为她的父亲，他甚至还不知道有他这么一个人!
真怪，他妻子倒是知道的，可他却一点儿都不知道!
而且罗伯达压根儿还不让他知道。
他这个乡巴佬，由于笃信教规和旧习俗，对于所有一切城市生活，以及城市里有违天意的种种神秘。错综复杂的世态，历来持怀疑态度。这时，他心里立时想到这么一个先是诱奸后来又把他女儿遗弃了的城里人……也许还是一个有钱的年轻人，是罗伯达到了莱柯格斯以后才结识的。这个人诱奸她时答应过要跟她结婚的，可是后来，当然，他说话就不算数了。于是，他心里一下子萌发了一个惊人强烈。几乎抑制不住的渴望，要向竟敢对他女儿犯下滔天大罪的任何人，不管他是谁，进行报复。这恶棍!
这强奸犯!
这杀人犯!
他们夫妇俩还一直以为:
罗伯达为的是养活她自己，同时也帮助他们老人家，在莱柯格斯平静地。认真地。快活地过着艰苦而又体面的生活，殊不知从星期四下午起一直到星期五，她的遗体却已沉入湖底。可他们俩却睡在舒适的眠床上，或是照常走来走去，压根儿没想到她这可怕的命运。如今，她的尸体停放在一个陌生的房间里，也许是在哪儿的"陈尸所"……所有疼爱她的亲人，连一个都见不到在那儿守护她……到了明天将被那些冷酷无情的官员运往布里奇伯格去了。
"要是真的有上帝的话，"奥尔登激忿地嚷了起来，"他决不会让这样一个恶棍不受惩罚!
啊，不，他决不会的!
'
''''我却未见过，，，"他突然援引《圣经》上的话说，"义人被弃，也未见过他的后裔讨饭。"(引自《圣经。旧约。诗篇》第３７篇第２５节。)同时，他心中突然激起了立即行动的炽烈渴望，就找补着说:
"我可非得马上告诉我太太不可。啊，是的，我这就去得了。不，不，您在这儿等着。
先让我单独把这事告诉她。我一会儿就回来。您就在这儿等着得了。我知道她一听这消息就会一命呜呼的。不过这件事不让她知道可不行。说不定她能告诉我们此人是谁，好让我们在他准备逃往远方以前逮住他。可是，啊，我这可怜的闺女呀!
我这可怜的。亲爱的罗伯达呀!
我这可爱。善良。诚实的闺女呀!
"他就这样有一搭。没一搭地嘟囔着，他眼里和脸上都露出如疯似狂的剧痛。
这时，他侧过身来，他那骨瘦嶙峋的身子，步履蹒跚，有如机器人一般朝那间披屋走去……他知道，奥尔登太太正在那儿为明天……星期天……特为准备添加几道菜。不料一到那儿，他却停驻在门坎上，没有胆量再敢往前挪动一步了。
孤苦无告的人在那残忍的。神秘的。冷漠的"生活"的力量跟前露出所有动人哀怜的神情，这时照例在他奥尔登身上显露无遗!
奥尔登太太扭过头来，一见他那脸上紧张的神色，她自己那双手也就无力地耷拉下来了。他眼里不祥的预兆，一下子把她眼里单纯。厌烦。困倦，而又宁静的沉思驱散得无影无踪了。
"泰特斯!
老天哪!
到底出了什么事?
"他两手举向半空，嘴巴半张开着，上下眼皮奇形怪状地紧闭着，但一下子又猛地睁大，终于喊出了"罗伯达"这个名字!
"她怎么啦?
她怎么啦?
泰特斯……她到底怎么啦?
"他一声不吭。只是嘴巴。眼睛和双手，还在慌乱地抽搐着。随后才说……"死了!
她给……给淹死了!
"说罢，他就整个儿瘫倒在房门旁边一条长凳上。奥尔登太太一时间傻了眼，开头不明白，过后才完全清楚了，连一句话都没有说，就陡然摔倒在地板上。泰特斯两眼直望着她，点点头，仿佛在说:
"得了，得了。
也只好这样了。反正她暂时可以不去想这件可怕的事了。"稍后，他慢慢地站了起来，朝她走去，下跪在她身边，竭力使她身子抬高些。随后，他慢慢地走出灶间，来到屋子门廊跟前。奥维尔。梅森正坐在倾圮殆尽的石阶上，眼望西边夕照，暗自琢磨着:
这个孤苦伶仃。软弱无能的乡巴佬，是怎样把这场灾难说给他妻子听的。他心里甚至真的巴不得这一切完全不是现在这样……哪怕这么一个案子对他，梅森本人是有利的，也宁可它压根儿没有发生。
不料，梅森一见到那个骷髅一般的泰特斯。奥尔登，就马上一跃而起，抢在他前头，奔进了披屋。只见奥尔登太太躺在地板上，几乎跟女儿一样小巧纤细。柔弱无力，一点儿声息也没有。他就把她搁在自己结实的臂弯里，穿过吃饭间，来到了起坐间，那儿有一张破旧的睡椅，让她躺卧在上面。他号了一下她的脉搏，随后连忙去找水，一面还想去找人……找儿子。女儿。邻居，不管是哪一个都行。可是什么人都看不到。他就急匆匆拿了水回来，往她脸上和手上泼洒了一些水。
"附近哪儿有医生吗?
"他这是跟下跪在妻子身边的泰特斯说话。
"比尔茨……有……克兰大夫。""您这儿有没有……或是附近哪个邻居有电话吗?
""威尔科克斯先生，"他指着威尔科克斯家那个方向，不久前罗伯达还使用过他家的电话哩。
"看好她。我马上就回来。"梅森马上奔出去，打电话找克兰大夫或是别的医生。不一会儿，他便跟着威尔科克斯先生和他的女儿一块回来了。随后，等啊，等啊，一直等到头一批邻居赶来了，最后克兰大夫也来了。梅森便跟克兰大夫商量:
今天能不能跟奥尔登太太谈一谈他专程而来的那个非谈不可的神秘案件。克兰大夫对梅森先生那种一本正经办案的神态印象很深，便认为也许最好还是不妨跟她谈吧。
后来，奥尔登太太经过服用海洛因后，所有在场的人又对她低声哼唱，她的知觉终于慢慢恢复过来，再加上受到很大鼓舞和劝慰，梅森就可以把一些显得不太严重的情况先讲给她听，接下来再问她罗伯达信中所说的那个神秘人物的名字。奥尔登太太只记得有一个人，罗伯达提到过此人曾向她大献殷勤。仅仅是在圣诞节前提过那么一次。此人就是克莱德。格里菲思，莱柯格斯的富翁塞缪尔。格里菲思的侄子，罗伯达工作的那个部门的经理。
但是，单凭这一些，梅森和奥尔登夫妇顿时感到，当然罗，决不能说明:
这么一个大人物的侄子，将被指控为谋杀罗伯达的罪犯。金钱!
地位!
说实话，梅森在接办这样一个案子前，也不由得煞费踌躇。按照他的观点来看，这样一个男子跟这样一个姑娘，社会地位似乎太悬殊了。不过，这事还是有可能的。为什么就不可能呢?
既然她象海特所说的长得非常漂亮，那末，象这么一个有稳固地位的年轻人，不是会比别人更有可能对罗伯达这样的姑娘偶尔也偷偷地献殷勤吗?
她不就是在他伯父厂里做工吗?
何况她不是很穷吗?
再说，正象弗雷德。海特早已指出过，这个姑娘临死时与之在一块的那个人，不管他到底是谁，反正她没有结婚先跟他同居了。这不正是深谙世故的年轻阔少，对待贫苦少女的典型手法吗?
由于他自己早年受过许多屈辱和打击，也和那些早已发迹的幸运儿较量过，他觉得上面这个想法就非常令人信服。那些卑鄙下流的有钱人!
那些冷若冰霜的有钱人!
可是她的父母亲，当然罗，还坚信自己女儿的率真和贞洁哩。
进一步向奥尔登太太探询的结果，仅仅是证实:
她从来没见过这个年轻人，甚至也没听说过其他年轻人的名字。她和她丈夫能够补充的，仅仅是说罗伯达最后一次回家的一个月里，身体一直不舒服……在家里精神萎顿，动不动躺下休息。还有，她写过不少信，由她交给邮递员，或是投在下面交岔路口的邮箱里。奥尔登先生也好，奥尔登太太也好，都不知道她这些信是写给谁的。不过，梅森马上想到，备不住邮递员会知道的。还有，在这段时间里，她一直忙着给自己做衣服，至少做了四件。还有，她在家里最后几天里，接到过好几次电话……泰特斯听威尔科克斯说起过，是一个名叫贝克的先生打来的。还有，她动身时，只带了她来时所带的那些行李……她的那只小箱子和她的手提包。那只箱子她在火车站打了行李票。可是泰特斯却说不上，她究竟是把它托运到莱柯格斯，还是托运到别地去。
梅森认为贝克这个名字非常重要，他突然计上心来:
"克利福德。戈尔登!
卡尔。格雷厄姆!
克莱德。格里菲思!
"这些名字的头一个英文字母都是相同的;而且，这些名字念起来都是谐音，也很相近，他不由得迟疑了一会儿。如果说这一个克莱德。格里菲思跟这一刑事案件毫无牵连的话，这真是惊人的相似!
他恨不得马上径直去找那个邮递员，好好盘问他。
不过，泰特斯。奥尔登这个人同样很重要，不仅能以见证人的身份去认明罗伯达的尸体和她寄存在冈洛奇火车站的那只手提箱里的东西，并且还可以去劝说那个邮递员说话不要有任何顾虑。所以，现在梅森便要求泰特斯穿戴齐整跟自己一块走，并保证说让他明天就回来。
梅森关照奥尔登太太千万别跟任何人说这件事以后，就往邮局找那个邮递员询问去了。那个邮递员果然找到了，经过盘问以后，就面对着泰特斯(这时，他站在地方检察官身边，活象一具镀锌的僵尸)说:
罗伯达最近在这儿小住期间，不但交给过他好几封信……至少有十二封，也许多至十五封，而且，所有这些信，都是写给莱柯格斯的某某人，名字叫做……让他想一想……克莱德。格里菲思……准没错，正是这个名字……在那儿留局待领。于是，地方检察官马上跟邮递员一块到当地公证处，就邮递员的口供，办了公证证书。随后，他跟自己办公室通了电话，得知罗伯达的尸体已运到布里奇伯格;于是，他就尽快驱车赶到了布里奇伯格。他一到那儿，就跟泰特斯。伯顿。伯利。海特。厄尔。纽科姆一起，来到了尸体跟前。几乎疯了的泰特斯两眼直盯住他女儿的遗容时，地方检察官心里就断定:
第一，她确实就是罗伯达。奥尔登;第二，据他看来，她究竟是不是象在草湖旅馆登记时所表明，就是那种轻率跟人发生关系的淫荡女人呢?
不，他断定自己对她并没有这么样的看法。这是一起狡猾。恶毒的诱奸谋杀案。咳，这个恶棍!
居然至今还逍遥法外。这件事的政治意义在梅森心目中几乎已被对所有富人的愤怒和憎恨所取代了。
这次见到死者，是晚上十点钟，在卢兹兄弟殡仪馆大厅里。泰特斯。奥尔登下跪在女儿身边，无比激动地抓起她那双冰冷的小手，捂住他的嘴，两眼饱含强烈抗议地直瞅着她那棕色长发衬托下仿佛涂了蜡的脸蛋儿。对当时的情景很难作出不带感情色彩的或则甚至是合法的论断。所有在场的人，无不潸然泪下。
泰特斯。奥尔登给这个场面又增添了戏剧性的气氛。正当卢兹兄弟殡仪馆里的人和他们相邻汽车行里的三个朋友，还有布里奇伯格《共和党人报》派往现场的代表埃弗雷特。比克尔。《民主党人报》的编辑兼发行人萨姆。塔克森，站在通往卢兹兄弟殡仪馆汽车间的边门外，从人群头上或是挤在人堆里吃惊地张望时，泰特斯猛地站了起来，疯狂地冲向梅森，大声嚷道:
"地方检察官先生，您可要把这凶犯恶棍找出来，让他也得吃苦头才是。要知道我这个纯洁。善良的姑娘吃过多大苦头呀。明摆着她就是给人杀死的……除了这凶手以外，谁也不会带她到那么一个湖上去，并且还砸了她。她确是给砸过了的，这谁都看得出来。"他面对他那死去的姑娘打着手势。"我没有钱去控告这么一个恶棍。不过，我会扛活的。我会把我的庄稼地卖掉。"他说话时声音也嘶哑了。他又想回到罗伯达身旁时，差点儿要摔倒。奥维尔。梅森被这位父亲矢志报仇的悲壮心情所激动，便走上前去，大声说道:
"走吧，奥尔登先生。现在我们才知道这死者就是您的女儿。我在这里郑重宣告，你们全体先生都是这次验尸的见证人。将来要是证明您那不幸的女儿确实是被人杀害的，那末，奥尔登先生，我，作为本县地方检察官，将忠实负责地向您保证:
我决不会吝惜自己的时间。金钱，或是精力，一定要把这个恶棍抓住法办!
要是卡塔拉基县法院深孚众望，对此，我是深信无疑，那末，您尽管放心把他交给我们本地法院选定的陪审团就得了。而您也就用不着把您的庄稼地卖掉了。
"由于他感情深挚(尽管有些过于激动)以及无比震惊的观众也在现场，梅森先生就充分发挥了他那最富有雄辩力的演说才能。
承包本县验尸所业务的卢兹兄弟殡仪馆掌柜之一……埃特，也被感动得大声嚷了起来:
"敢情好，奥维尔。我们最需要象您这样的地方检察官。"埃弗雷特。
比克尔也大叫大喊:
"好好干吧，梅森先生。到时候，我们大家齐心一致支持您。
"还有弗雷德。海特和他的助手，也被梅森那种戏剧性的言词及其绘声绘色，甚至富有英雄气概的动人表现深为感动，好不容易挨挤了过来。海特抓住了他朋友的手，厄尔大声嚷道:
"我们也支持您，梅森先生。请放心，我们一定尽力干。
还有，别忘了她寄放在冈洛奇火车站的手提箱，此刻已在您办公室了。两个钟头前，是我交给了伯顿。""是的，您说得不错。我差点儿把那忘了。"梅森大声喊道。这时，他已经很镇静，也很实际;刚才那一阵子滔滔雄辩的热情，不知怎的已经消融在一片异乎寻常的赞扬声里了。要知道过去那么多年来他在办案时，还从没有受到过象这样的赞扬哩。
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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overalls
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| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
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crumpling
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| 压皱，弄皱( crumple的现在分词 )； 变皱 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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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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titillating
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| adj.使人痒痒的； 使人激动的，令人兴奋的v.使觉得痒( titillate的现在分词 )；逗引；激发；使高兴 | |
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untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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meticulously
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| adv.过细地，异常细致地；无微不至；精心 | |
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clinched
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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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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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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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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shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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dilating
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| v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的现在分词 ) | |
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crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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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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erratically
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| adv.不规律地，不定地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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seduce
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| vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱 | |
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seducer
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| n.诱惑者,骗子,玩弄女性的人 | |
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Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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raper
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| [法] 强奸犯 | |
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Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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speculatively
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| adv.思考地，思索地；投机地 | |
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incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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heroin
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| n.海洛因 | |
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cryptic
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| adj.秘密的，神秘的，含义模糊的 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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liaison
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| n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通 | |
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registration
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| n.登记，注册，挂号 | |
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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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parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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waxy
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| adj.苍白的；光滑的 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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democrat
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| n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员 | |
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awesomely
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| 赫然 | |
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prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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retaliatory
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| adj.报复的 | |
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oratorical
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| adj.演说的，雄辩的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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