the clue of the twisted candle-第31部分

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lf　would　cover　every　trace　of　my　complicity。

〃Even　as　he　had　planned　my　downfall；　scheming　every　step　and　covering　his　trail；　so　did　I　plan　to　bring　about　his　death　that　no　suspicion　should　fall　on　me。

〃I　knew　his　house。　　I　knew　something　of　his　habits。　　I　knew　the　fear　in　which　he　went　when　he　was　in　England　and　away　from　the　feudal　guards　who　had　surrounded　him　in　Albania。　　I　knew　of　his　famous　door　with　its　steel　latch　and　I　was　planning　to　circumvent　all　these　precautions　and　bring　to　him　not　only　the　death　he　deserved；　but　a　full　knowledge　of　his　fate　before　he　died。

〃Gathercole　had　some　money；　…　about　140　pounds　…　　I　took　100　pounds　of　this　for　my　own　use；　knowing　that　I　should　have　sufficient　in　London　to　recompense　his　heirs；　and　the　remainder　of　the　money　with　all　such　documents　as　he　had；　save　those　which　identified　him　with　Kara；　I　handed　over　to　the　British　Consul。

〃I　was　not　unlike　the　dead　man。　　My　beard　had　grown　wild　and　I　knew　enough　of　Gathercole's　eccentricities　to　live　the　part。　　The　first　step　I　took　was　to　announce　my　arrival　by　inference。　　I　am　a　fairly　good　journalist　with　a　wide　general　knowledge　and　with　this；　corrected　by　reference　to　the　necessary　books　which　I　found　in　the　British　Museum　library；　I　was　able　to　turn　out　a　very　respectable　article　on　Patagonia。

〃This　I　sent　to　The　Times　with　one　of　Gathercole's　cards　and；　as　you　know；　it　was　printed。　　My　next　step　was　to　find　suitable　lodgings　between　Chelsea　and　Scotland　Yard。　　I　was　fortunate　in　being　able　to　hire　a　furnished　flat；　the　owner　of　which　was　going　to　the　south　of　France　for　three　months。　　I　paid　the　rent　in　advance　and　since　I　dropped　all　the　eccentricities　I　had　assumed　to　support　the　character　of　Gathercole；　I　must　have　impressed　the　owner；　who　took　me　without　references。

〃I　had　several　suits　of　new　clothes　made；　not　in　London；〃　he　smiled；　〃but　in　Manchester；　and　again　I　made　myself　as　trim　as　possible　to　avoid　after…identification。　　When　I　had　got　these　together　in　my　flat；　I　chose　my　day。　　In　the　morning　I　sent　two　trunks　with　most　of　my　personal　belongings　to　the　Great　Midland　Hotel。

〃In　the　afternoon　I　went　to　Cadogan　Square　and　hung　about　until　I　saw　Kara　drive　off。　　It　was　my　first　view　of　him　since　I　had　left　Albania　and　it　required　all　my　self…control　to　prevent　me　springing　at　him　in　the　street　and　tearing　at　him　with　my　hands。

〃Once　he　was　out　of　sight　I　went　to　the　house　adopting　all　the　style　and　all　the　mannerisms　of　poor　Gathercole。　　My　beginning　was　unfortunate　for；　with　a　shock；　I　recognised　in　the　valet　a　fellow…convict　who　had　been　with　me　in　the　warder's　cottage　on　the　morning　of　my　escape　from　Dartmoor。　　There　was　no　mistaking　him；　and　when　I　heard　his　voice　I　was　certain。　　Would　he　recognise　me　I　wondered；　in　spite　of　my　beard　and　my　eye…glasses？

〃Apparently　he　did　not。　　I　gave　him　every　chance。　　I　thrust　my　face　into　his　and　on　my　second　visit　challenged　him；　in　the　eccentric　way　which　poor　old　Gathercole　had；　to　test　the　grey　of　my　beard。　　For　the　moment　however；　I　was　satisfied　with　my　brief　experiment　and　after　a　reasonable　interval　I　went　away；　returning　to　my　place　off　Victoria　Street　and　waiting　till　the　evening。

〃In　my　observation　of　the　house；　whilst　I　was　waiting　for　Kara　to　depart；　I　had　noticed　that　there　were　two　distinct　telephone　wires　running　down　to　the　roof。　　I　guessed；　rather　than　knew；　that　one　of　these　telephones　was　a　private　wire　and；　knowing　something　of　Kara's　fear；　I　presumed　that　that　wire　would　lead　to　a　police　office；　or　at　any　rate　to　a　guardian　of　some　kind　or　other。　　Kara　had　the　same　arrangement　in　Albania；　connecting　the　palazzo　with　the　gendarme　posts　at　Alesso。　　This　much　Hussein　told　me。

〃That　night　I　made　a　reconnaissance　of　the　house　and　saw　Kara's　window　was　lit　and　at　ten　minutes　past　ten　I　rang　the　bell　and　I　think　it　was　then　that　I　applied　the　test　of　the　beard。　　Kara　was　in　his　room；　the　valet　told　me；　and　led　the　way　upstairs。　　I　had　come　prepared　to　deal　with　this　valet　for　I　had　an　especial　reason　for　wishing　that　he　should　not　be　interrogated　by　the　police。　　On　a　plain　card　I　had　written　the　number　he　bore　in　Dartmoor　and　had　added　the　words；　'I　know　you；　get　out　of　here　quick。'

〃As　he　turned　to　lead　the　way　upstairs　I　flung　the　envelope　containing　the　card　on　the　table　in　the　hall。　　In　an　inside　pocket；　as　near　to　my　body　as　I　could　put　them；　I　had　the　two　candles。　　How　I　should　use　them　both　I　had　already　decided。　　The　valet　ushered　me　into　Kara's　room　and　once　more　I　stood　ins　the　presence　of　the　man　who　had　killed　my　girl　and　blotted　out　all　that　was　beautiful　in　life　for　me。〃

There　was　a　breathless　silence　when　he　paused。　　T。　X。　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　his　head　upon　his　breast；　his　arms　folded；　his　eyes　watching　the　other　intently。

The　Chief　Commissioner；　with　a　heavy　frown　and　pursed　lips；　sat　stroking　his　moustache　and　looking　under　his　shaggy　eyebrows　at　the　speaker。　　The　French　police　officer；　his　hands　thrust　deep　in　his　pockets；　his　head　on　one　side；　was　taking　in　every　word　eagerly。　　The　sallow…faced　Russian；　impassive　of　face；　might　have　been　a　carved　ivory　mask。　　O'Grady；　the　American；　the　stump　of　a　dead　cigar　between　his　teeth；　shifted　impatiently　with　every　pause　as　though　he　would　hurry　forward　the　denouement。

Presently　John　Lexman　went　on。

〃He　slipped　from　the　bed　and　came　across　to　meet　me　as　I　closed　the　door　behind　me。

〃'Ah；　Mr。　　Gathercole；'　he　said；　in　that　silky　tone　of　his；　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　did　not　speak。　　I　just　looked　at　him　with　a　sort　of　fierce　joy　in　my　heart　the　like　of　which　I　had　never　before　experienced。

〃'And　then　he　saw　in　my　eyes　the　truth　and　half　reached　for　the　telephone。

〃But　at　that　moment　I　was　on　him。　　He　was　a　child　in　my　hands。　All　the　bitter　anguish　he　had　brought　upon　me；　all　the　hardships　of　starved　days　and　freezing　nights　had　strengthened　and　hardened　me。　　I　had　come　back　to　London　disguised　with　a　false　arm　and　this　I　shook　free。　　It　was　merely　a　gauntlet　of　thin　wood　which　I　had　had　made　for　me　in　Paris。

〃I　flung　him　back　on　the　bed　and　half　knelt；　half　laid　on　him。

〃'Kara；'　I　said；　'you　are　going　to　die；　a　more　merciful　death　than　my　wife　died。'

〃He　tried　to　speak。　　His　soft　hands　gesticulated　wildly；　but　I　was　half　lying　on　one　arm　and　held　the　other。

〃I　whispered　in　his　ear：

〃'Nobody　will　know　who　killed　you；　Kara；　think　of　that！　　I　shall　go　scot　free　…　and　you　will　be　the　centre　of　a　fine　mystery！　　All　your　letters　will　be　read；　all　your　life　will　be　examined　and　the　world　will　know　you　for　what　you　are！'

〃I　released　his　arm　for　just　as　long　as　it　took　to　draw　my　knife　and　strike。　　I　think　he　died　instantly；〃　John　Lexman　said　simply。

〃I　left　him　where　he　was　and　went　to　the　door。　　I　had　not　much　time　to　spare。　　I　took　the　candles　from　my　pocket。　　They　were　already　ductile　from　the　heat　of　my　body。

〃I　lifted　up　the　steel　latch　of　the　door　and　propped　up　the　latch　with　the　smaller　of　the　two　candles；　one　end　of　which　was　on　the　middle　socket　and　the　other　beneath　the　latch。　　The　heat　of　the　room　I　knew　would　still　further　soften　the　candle　and　let　the　latch　down　in　a　short　time。

〃I　was　prepared　for　the　telephone　by　his　bedside　though　I　did　not　know　to　whither　it　led。　　The　presence　of　the　paper…knife　decided　me。　　I　balanced　it　across　the　silver　cigarette　box　so　that　one　end　came　under　the　telephone　receiver；　under　the　other　end　I　put　the　second　candle　which　I　had　to　cut　to　fit。　　On　top　of　the　paper…knife　at　the　candle　end　I　balanced　the　only　two　books　I　could　find　in　the　room；　and　fortunately　they　were　heavy。

〃I　had　no　means　of　knowing　how　long　it　would　take　to　melt　the　candle　to　a　state　of　flexion　which　would　allow　the　full　weight　of　the　books　to　bear　upon　the　candle　end　of　the　paper…knife　and　fling　off　the　receiver。　　I　was　hoping　that　Fisher　had　taken　my　warning　and　had　gone。　　When　I　opened　the　door　softly；　I　heard　his　footsteps　in　the　hall　below。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　finish　the　play。

〃I　turned　and　addressed　an　imaginary　conversation　to　Kara。　　It　was　horrible；　but　there　was　something　about　it　which　aroused　in　me　a　curious　sense　of　humour　and　I　wanted　to　laugh　and　laugh　and　laugh！


〃I　heard　the　man　coming　up　the　stairs　and　closed　the　door　gingerly。　　What　length　of　time　would　it　take　for　the　candle　to　bend！

〃To　completely　establish　the　alibi　I　determined　to　hold　Fisher　in　conversation　and　this　was　all　the　easier　since　apparently　he　had　not　seen　the　envelope　I　had　left　on　the　table　downstairs。　　I　had　not　long　to　wait　for　suddenly　with　a　crash　I　heard　the　steel　latch　fall　in　its　place。　　Under　the　effect　of　the　heat　the　candle　had　bent　sooner　than　I　had　expected。　　I　asked　Fisher　what　was　the　meaning　of　the　sound　and　he　explained。　　I　passed　down　the　stairs　talking　all　the　time。　　I　found　a　cab　at　Sloane　Square　and　drove　to　my　lodgings。　　Underneath　my　overcoat　I　was　partly　dressed　in　evening　kit。

〃Ten　minutes　after　I　entered　the　door　of　my　flat　I　came　out　a　beardless　man　about　town；　not　to　be　distinguished　from　the　thousand　others　who　would　be　found　that　night　walking　the　promenade　of　any　of　the　great　music…halls。　　From　Victoria　Street　I　drove　straight　to　Scotland　Yard。　　It　was　no　more　than　a　coincidence　that　whilst　I　should　have　been　speaking　with　you　all；　the　second　candle　should　have　bent　and　the　alarm　be　given　in　the　very　office　in　which　I　was　sitting。

〃I　assure　you　all　in　all　earnestness　that　I　did　not　suspect　the　cause　of　that　ringing　until　Mr。　Mansus　spoke。

〃There；　gentlemen；　is　my　story！〃　　He　threw　out　his　arms。

〃You　may　do　with　me　as　you　will。　　Kara　was　a　murderer；　dyed　a　hundred　times　in　innocent　blood。　　I　have　done　all　that　I　set　myself　to　do　…　that　and　no　more　…　that　and　no　less。　　I　had　thought　to　go　away　to　America；　but　the　nearer　the　day　of　my　departure　approached；　the　more　vivid　became　the　memory　of　the　plans　which　she　and　I　had　formed；　my　girl　。　。　。　my　poor　martyred　girl！〃

He　sat　at　the　little　table；　his　hands　clasped　before　him；　his　face　lined　and　white。

〃And　that　is　the　end！〃　he　said　suddenly；　with　a　wry　smile。

〃Not　quite！〃　T。　X。　swung　round　with　a　gasp。　　It　was　Belinda　Mary　who　spoke。

〃I　can　carry　it　on；〃　she　said。

She　was　wonderfully　self…possessed；　thought　T。　X。；　bu