erlestanleygardner.the.caseofthesulkygirl-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


timony　could　ever　have　caused　him　even　to　entertain　the　faintest　notion　that　he　might　have　been　mistaken。
　　　　　　〃But　the　fact　that　I　managed　to　duplicate　the　conditions　in　such　a　manner　that　his　mind　was　totally　unprepared　for　what　was　taking　place；　gave　me　the　opportunity　to　approach　him　on　a　blind　side；　so　to　speak。
　　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　went　on　Perry　Mason；　〃I　had　all　of　the　facts　in　hand　at　the　moment　that　Arthur　Crinston；　in　telling　me　about　the　murder；　discussed　the　telephone　call　to　the　police　as　though　he　had　no　knowledge　of　it；　except　what　he　had　learned　through　the　police。
　　　　　　〃That　was　the　slip　that　Crinston　made；　and　the　fatal　slip；　that；　and　failing　to　report　that　telephone　conversation　in　his　testimony　to　the　jury。
　　　　　　〃You　see；　he　was　so　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　must　keep　the　authorities　from　knowing　what　had　transpired　in　that　room　when　Norton　was　murdered；　that　he　made　up　a　story　out　of　whole　cloth；　and　stuck　to　it。
　　　　　　〃That　is　not　skillful　lying。　It　is　not　the　proper　way　to　mit　perjury。　The　skillful　perjurer　is　he　who　sticks　to　so　much　of　the　truth　as　is　possible；　and　only　departs　from　it　when　it　bees　absolutely　necessary。　These　men　who　make　up　stories　out　of　whole　cloth　usually　leave　a　few　loose　threads　somewhere。
　　　　　　〃Yet　it　is　a　strange　thing　about　the　human　mind：　It　has　many　facts　constantly　thrust　upon　it；　and　it　doesn't　properly　correlate　those　facts。　I　had　the　facts　at　my　mand　for　some　time　before　I　knew　what　must　have　happened。
　　　　　　〃You　see；　Crinston　had　borrowed　heavily　on　the　partnership　credit。　The　partnership　was；　of　course；　solvent；　but　Crinston's　credit　as　an　individual　was　all　shot　to　pieces。　He　had　made　Graves　an　acplice；　and；　together；　they　were　deceiving　your　uncle；　but　when　the　bank　sent　the　notice　to　your　uncle；　then　Edward　Norton　learned　for　the　first　time　what　had　happened。
　　　　　　〃We　can　imagine　what　happened　next。　He　gave　Mr。　Crinston　a　definite　deadline；　at　which　time　Crinston　was　to　have　returned　the　money；　or　else　be　reported　to　the　police。　When　Crinston　failed　to　make　the　payment；　your　uncle；　acting　with　that　cold…blooded　efficiency　which　is　so　absolutely　merciless；　picked　up　the　telephone　and　called　Police　Headquarters。
　　　　　　〃Crinston　sat　there　behind　him；　watching　dumbly；　knowing　that　the　words　which　Norton　was　to　say　next　would　lead　to　his　confinement　in　a　penal　institution。　He　heard　Norton　say：　'Police　Headquarters；　I　have　a　criminal　matter　to　report；'　and　then　Crinston　acted　upon　a　blind；　murderous　impulse。　He　struck　Norton　down　without　warning　and　probably　without　any　great　amount　of　premeditation。
　　　　　　〃When　he　had　done　that　and　hung　up　the　receiver；　he　suddenly　realized　that　the　police　must　have　a　record　of　that　call　which　Norton　had　sent　in；　and　that　this　would　lead　to　his　detection。　So　he　did　a　very　clever　thing。　He　called　Police　Headquarters　right　back；　and　pretended　that　he　was　Norton。　He　had　to　have　something　to　report　in　the　nature　of　a　criminal　matter；　because　your　uncle　had　already　said　that　he　had　such　a　report　to　make。
　　　　　　〃The　policy　of　automobile　insurance　was　lying　on　the　desk；　and　Arthur　Crinston　plunged　blindly　into　that　lead。　Then；　when　you　heard　of　your　uncle's　murder；　and　knowing　that　Rob　Gleason　had　been　in　the　house　with　you；　and　that　there　might　be　some　possibility　you　would　either　be　implicated；　or　have　to　explain　what　Gleason　was　doing　there；　you　seized　at　what　seemed　to　be　the　best　opportunity　to　establish　an　alibi　for　yourself；　by　stating　that　you　had　been　driving　the　Buick　automobile　at　the　time　that　your　uncle　reported　it　lost。
　　　　　　〃On　the　face　of　it；　it　was　almost　mathematical。　In　other　words；　a　man　with　a　trained　mind；　sitting　down　and　concentrating　upon　the　evidence；　should　have　been　able　to　point　his　finger　to　the　murderer　at　once。　Yet　I　confess　that　the　circumstances　were　so　romantic　and　so　unusual　that　I　was　confused　for　some　little　time；　and　failed　to　realize　what　must　have　happened。
　　　　　　〃When　I　did　realize　it；　I　knew　that　I　was　up　against　a　most　serious　problem。　I　felt　certain　that　I　could　explain　my　theory　well　enough　to　raise　a　reasonable　doubt　in　the　minds　of　the　jury；　and　get　either　an　acquittal　or　a　hung　jury；　but　I　realized　also　that　unless　I　could　trap　the　murderers　into　betraying　themselves；　I　could　never　entirely　remove　the　stigma　of　doubt　from　your　names。
　　　　　　〃I　recognized　at　once　that　Judge　Purley　was　the　key　witness；　and　knew　that　the　man's　conceit　and　love　of　posture；　would　render　any　ordinary　cross…examination　futile。　Therefore；　I　had　to　devise　some　means　by　which　a　doubt　would　be　raised　in　his　own　mind　before　he　knew　that　the　doubt　was　there；　and　then　crash　it　home　to　him　with　dramatic　force。〃
　　　　　　Fran　Celane　got　to　her　feet　with　tears　showing　in　her　eyes。
　　　　　　〃I　can't　begin　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃what　it　has　meant　to　me。　It's　been　an　experience　that　will　always　leave　its　imprint。〃
　　　　　　Perry　Mason's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You're　lucky；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　tolerant　patience；　〃to　have　escaped　with　nothing　but　an　unpleasant　experience。〃
　　　　　　Frances　Celane　smiled　and　blinked　tears　back　as　she　smiled。　〃I　didn't　mean　it　that　way；　Mr。　Mason。　I　meant　that　it　has　been　an　experience　I　wouldn't　have　missed　for　anything！〃
　　　　　　He　stared　at　her。
　　　　　　〃I　mean　it；〃　she　said。　〃Not　the　murder　trial；　but　the　being　in　jail；　getting　a　glimpse　of　the　sufferings　of　other　people。　It　gave　me　a　chance　to　see　things　in　a　different　light。　I　think　it's　helped　cure　my　fiendish　temper。
　　　　　　〃And　then　it　brought　out　the　loyalty　in　Rob。　He　knew　that　I　couldn't　be　guilty；　but　he　knew　that　the　evidence　was　against　me；　and　that　I　stood　a　chance　of　being　convicted。　In　those　dark　hours　when　you　didn't　take　us　into　your　confidence　and　things　seemed　to　be　stacking　up　so　much　against　us；　he　came　forward　and　was　willing　to　give　his　life　to　save　mine。〃
　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Perry　Mason；　looking　thoughtfully　at　Rob　Gleason；　〃it　was　a　noble　and　magnanimous　thing　to　do；　but　if　I　hadn't　been　sure　of　my　theory　of　the　case；　he　would　have　thrown　me　entirely　off　my　stride。　His　confession　was　most　convincing；　save　for　the　fact　that　he　claimed　he　had　taken　the　thousand　dollar　bills　from　the　body。　I　knew　that　he　couldn't　have　done　that；　because　you　had　given　me　ten　of　those　bills　the　next　morning。　And　then　you；　Miss　Celane；　weren't　frank　with　me。　You　kept　certain　things　back；　trying　to　protect　yourself。〃
　　　　　　〃I　know　it；〃　she　told　him。　〃It　was　all　on　account　of　that　first　lie　about　the　Buick　automobile。　I　couldn't　tell　the　truth　after　that。　I　grabbed　at　the　story　about　being　out　in　the　automobile　as　the　best　way　to　prove　an　alibi；　and　then　I　found　I　was　trapped。　I　couldn't　even　tell　you　about　getting　the　money　from　my　uncle；　because　I　was　supposed　to　have　been　out　in　the　automobile　at　that　time。〃
　　　　　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Della　Street　entered　the　room。
　　　　　　She　looked　at　Perry　Mason　with　eyes　that　were　starry　with　pride。　When　she　spoke；　her　voice　had　something　of　caressing　tenderness　in　it。
　　　　　　〃There　is　a　telegram　for　you；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　Frances　Celane　walked　quickly　across　to　Perry　Mason　and　extended　her　hand。
　　　　　　〃Rob　and　I　will　be　going；〃　she　said；　〃and　there's　no　use　trying　to　tell　you　how　much　we　appreciate　what　you've　done。　We　can　pensate　you　financially；　but　in　addition　to　that　we　want　you　to　know。。。〃
　　　　　　Her　voice　shook；　and　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes。
　　　　　　Perry　Mason　gripped　her　hand；　then　nodded。　〃I　know；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　When　the　door　leading　from　his　private　office　to　the　corridor　had　closed　on　them；　he　turned　to　Della　Street。
　　　　　　〃Here；〃　she　said；　〃is　the　telegram。　If　you　can　make　sense　from　it；　you　can　do　more　than　I　can。〃
　　　　　　He　took　the　telegram　and　read：
　
　　　　　　SENDING　YOU　SPECIAL　DELIVERY　AIR　MAIL　PHOTOGRAPH　OF　UTMOST　IMPORTANCE　IN　CASE　I　AM　ABOUT　TO　PRESENT。　KEEP　PHOTOGRAPH　AND　AWAIT　ME　IN　YOUR　OFFICE　WITHOUT　FAIL。
　　　　　　（Signed）　EVA　LAMONT。
　
　　　　　　Perry　Mason　stared　at　the　telegram　curiously。
　　　　　　〃Did　the　photograph　e？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃a　few　minutes　ago。〃　She　opened　a　drawer　in　her　desk　and　took　out　a　photograph。　It　was　the　photograph　of　a　young　woman；　generously　displaying　a　beautiful　pair　of　legs。　Below　the　photograph　was　a　typewritten　caption　which　had　been　pasted　to　it。　The　caption　said；　simply：　〃THE　GIRL　WITH　THE　LUCKY　LEGS。〃
　　　　　　The　photograph　did　not　show　the　woman's　face；　merely　her　shoulders；　hips；　arms；　hands；　which　held　the　skirts　very；　very　high；　and　the　legs。　They　were　slim；　straight　legs；　perfectly　formed；　stockinged　and　gartered。
　　　　　　〃Now；〃　said　Perry　Mason；　his　curiosity　aroused；　〃what　the　devil　does　that　mean？〃
　　　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Della　Street；　〃but　I'm　going　to　make　a　file　…　The　Case　of　the　Girl　With　the　Lucky　Legs。〃
　　　　　　Perry　Mason　looked　at　his　watch。　The　weariness　had　dropped　from　his　face；　and　his　eyes　were　sparkling。
　　　　　　〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　〃just　what　time　Eva　Lamont　is　due　here。〃
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　1