the darrow enigma-第16部分

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engulfing　darkness。

It　was　many　minutes　before　Gwen　regained　any　considerable　command
of　her　faculties；　and　she　afterwards　told　me　that　she　was　even　then
more　than　half　inclined　to　consider　the　whole　thing　as　a　weird　dream
of　an　overwrought　mind。　　At　length；　however；　she　realised　that　she
had　had　an　actual　experience；　and　that　it　was　of　sufficient
importance　to　make　it　known　at　once。　　She　accordingly　hastened　to
lay　the　whole　matter　before　me；　and　I；　in　my　turn；　notified　the
police；　who；　at　once　instituted　as　thorough　a　search　as　Gwen's
description　made　possible。　　She　had　told　me　that　her　assailant　was
dark…skinned；　yet　with　straight　hair；　and　a　cast　of　features　that
gave　no　hint　of　any　Ethiopian　taint。　　This；　and　his　halting　gait
and　great　stature；　were　all　the　police　had　in　the　way　of　description；
and　I　may　as　well　add　that　the　information　was　insufficient；　for　they
never　found　any　trace　of　Gwen's　assailant。

I　had　had　some　hopes　of　this　clue；　but　they　were　doomed　to
disappointment。　　It　seemed　evident　to　us　that　if　anything　were　ever
done　in　bringing　Mr。　Darrow's　assassin　to　justice；　Maitland　would
have　to　do　it；　unless；　indeed；　M。　Godin　solved　the　problem。=20
Osborne；　Allen；　and　their　associates　were　simply　out　of　the　question。

We　debated　for　some　time　as　to　whether　or　not　we　should　write
Maitland　about　Gwen's　strange　experience；　and　finally　decided　that
the　knowledge　would　be　a　constant　source　of　worriment　without　being
of　the　least　assistance　to　him　while　he　was　so　far　away。　　We；
therefore；　decided　to　keep　our　own　counsel；　for　the　present　at　least。

Maitland　had　written　us　a　few　lines　from　New　York　telling　us　the
result　of　his　analysis；　and　ended　by　saying：

There　is　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Darrow　died　of　poison　injected　into　the
blood　through　the　slight　wound　in　the　throat。　　This　wound　was　not
deep；　and　seemed　to　have　been　torn　rather　than　cut　in　the　flesh。
What　sort　of　weapon　or　projectile　produced　that　wound　is　a　question
of　the　utmost　importance；　shrouded　in　the　deepest　of　mysteries。
Once　this　point　is　settled；　however；　its　very　uniqueness　will　be
greatly　in　our　favour。　　I　have　an　idea　our　friend　Ragobah　might　be
able　to　throw　some　light　upon　this　subject；　therefore　I　am　starting
on　my　way　to　visit　him　this　afternoon；　and　shall　write　you　en　route
whenever　occasion　offers。　My　kindest　regards　to　Miss　Darrow。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　sincerely；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGE　MAITLAND。

P。　S。　I　shall　have　leisure　now　on　shipboard　to　set　tie　that　question
of　atomic　pitches；　which　is　still　a　thorn　in　my　intellectual　flesh。

I　handed　this　letter　to　Gwen；　and；　after　she　had　read　it　through
very　carefully；　she　questioned　me　about　this　new　theory　of　Maitland's。
I　went　through　the　form　of　telling　her；　after　the　usual　practice　of
amiable　men　discoursing　to　women；　feeling　sure　she　would　be　no　wiser
when　I　had　finished；　and　was　dumfounded　when　she　replied：　〃It　looks
very　reasonable。　　Professor　Bjerknes；　if　I　remember　the　name；　has
produced　all　the　phenomena　of　magnetic　attraction；　repulsion；　and
polarisation；　by　air　vibrations　corresponding；　I　suppose；　to　certain
fixed　musical　notes。　　Why　might　not　something　similar　to　this　be
true　of　atomic；　as　well　as　of　larger；　bodies？〃

If　the　roof　of　my　house　had　fallen　in；　I　should　not　have　been　more
surprised　than　at　this　quiet　remark。　　How　many　times　had　I　said：
〃You　can　always　count　on　a　young　woman；　however　much　she　flutter　over
the　surface　of　things；　being　ignorant　of　all　the　great　underlying
verities　of　existence〃？　　I　promptly　decided；　on　all　future　occasions；
to　add　to　that　…　〃　　When　not　brought　up　by　her　father。〃　　I　was
convinced　that　of　the　attainments　of　a　girl　educated　by　her　father
absolutely　nothing　could　be　definitely　predicted。

We　had　a　short　note　from　Maitland　written　at　Trieste。　　He　excused
its　brevity　by　saying　he　had　been　obliged　to　travel　night　and　day
in　order　to　reach　this　port　in　time　to　catch　the　Austrian　Lloyd
steamer　Helois；　bound　for　Aden；　Bombay；　Ceylon；　Singapore；　and　Hong
Kong。　　From　Aden　I　received　the　following：

MY　DEAR　DOCTOR：

We　have　just　been　through　the　Red　Sea；　and　I　know　now　the　real　origin
of　the　Calvinistic　hell。　　Imagine　it！　　A　cloudless　sky；　the　sun
beating　down　with　an　intolerable　fierceness；　not　a　breath　stirring；
and　the　thermometer　registering　120　degrees　F。　in　the　shade！　　It
seemed　as　though　reason　must　desert　us。　　The　constant　motion　of　the
punkas　in　the　saloons；　and　an　unlimited　supply　of　ice…water　was　all
that　saved　us。　　Sleep　was　hardly　to　be　thought　of；　for　at　no　time
during　the　night　did　the　mercury　drop　below　100=B0　F。　　Apart　from　the
oppressive　heat　referred　to；　the　entire　voyage　has　been　exceedingly
pleasant。　　I　have　not　solved　the　atomic…pitch　problems；　as　attendance
at　meals　has　left　me　little　time　for　anything　else。　　They　seem　to
eat　all　the　time　on　these　boats。　　At　8　A。　M。　coffee　and　bread；　at
ten　a　hearty　breakfast　of　meat；　eggs；　curry　and　rice；　vegetables　and
fruit；　at　1　P。　M。　a　luncheon；　called　〃tiffin；〃　of　cold　meats；　bread
and　butter；　potatoes；　and　tea；　at　five　o'clock　a　regular　dinner　of
soups；　meats　with　relishes；　farinaceous　dishes；　dessert；　fruits；　and
coffee；　and　lastly；　at　8　P。　M。；　the　evening　meal　of　tea；　bread　and
butter；　and　other　light　dishes。　　Five　meals　a　day；　and　there　are　some
English　people　who　fill　up　the　gaps　between　them　by　constantly
munching　nuts　and　sweets！　　Verily；　if　specialisation　of　function
means　anything；　some　of　these　people　will　soon　become　huge　gastric
balloons　with　a　little　wart　on　top　representing　the　atrophied　brain
structure。　　They　run　their　engines　of　digestion　wholly　on　the
high…pressure　system。

After　eight　days'　voyage　on　the　Indian　Ocean　we　shall　be　in　Bombay。
I　must　close　now；　for　there　is　really　nothing　to　say；　and；　besides；
I　am　wanted　on　deck。　　My　engagement　is　with　a　Rev。　Mr。　Barrows；
who　is　bound　as　missionary　to　Hong　Kong。　　This　worthy　Methodist
gentleman　is　very　much　exercised　because　I　insist　that　potentiality
is　necessity　and　rebut　his　arguments　on　free…will。　　He　got　quite
excited　yesterday；　and　said　to　me　severely：　〃Do　you　mean　to　say；
young　man；　that　I　can't　do　as　I　please？〃　　I　must　say　I　don't　think
his　warmth　was　much　allayed　by　my　replying：　〃I　certainly　mean　to
say　you　can't　please　as　you　please。　　You　may　eat　sugar　because
you　prefer　it　to　vinegar；　but　you　can't　prefer　it　just　because　you
will　to　do　so。〃　　He　has　probably　got　some　new　arguments　now　and　is
anxious　to　try　their　effect；　so；　with　kind　regards　to　Miss　Darrow
…　I　trust　she　is　well　…　I　remain；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cordially　your　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGE　MAITLAND。

P。　　S。　　（Like　a　woman　I　always　write　a　postscript。）　You　shall　hear
again　from　me　as　soon　as　I　reach　Bombay。

This　last　promise　was　religiously　kept；　though　his　letter　was　short
and　merely　announced　his　safe　arrival　early　that　morning。　　He　closed
by　saying：　〃I　have　not　yet　breakfasted；　preferring　to　do　so　on　land；
and　I　feel　that　I　can　do　justice　to　whatever　is　set　before　me。　　I
intend；　as　soon　as　I　have　taken　the　edge　off　my　appetite；　to　set　out
immediately　for　Malabar　Hill；　as　I　believe　that　to　be　our　proper
starting…point。　　I　inclose　a　little　sketch　I　made　of　Bombay　as　we
came　up　its　harbour；　thinking　it　may　interest　Miss　Darrow。　　Kindly
give　it　to　her　with　my　regards。　　You　will　note　that　there　are　two
tongues　of　land　in　the　picture。　　On　the　eastern　side　is　the　suburb
of　Calaba；　and　on　the　western　our　Malabar　Hill。　　Good…bye　until　I
have　something　of　interest　to　report。〃

I　gave　the　sketch　to　Gwen；　and　she　seemed　greatly　pleased　with　it。

〃Are　you　aware；〃　she　said　to　me　that　Mr。　Maitland　draws　with　rare
precision？〃

〃I　am　fully　persuaded；〃　I　rejoined；　〃that　he　does　not　do　anything
which　he　cannot　do　well。〃

〃I　believe　there　is　nothing；〃　she　continued；　〃which　so　conduces　to
the　habit　of　thoroughness　as　the　experiments　of　chemistry。　　When　one
learns　that　even　a　grain　of　dust　will；　in　some　cases；　vitiate
everything；　he　acquires　a　new　conception　of　the　term　'clean'　and　is
likely　to　be　thorough　in　washing　his　apparatus。　　From　this　the　habit
grows　upon　him　and　widens　its　application　until　it　embraces　all　his
actions。〃

This　remark　did　not　surprise　me　as　it　would　have　a　few　weeks　before；
for　I　had　come　to　learn　that　Gwen　was　liable　at　any　time　to　suddenly
evince　a　very　unfeminine　depth　of　observation　and　firmness　of
philosophical　grasp。

Maitland　had　been　gone　just　six　weeks　to　a　day　when　we　received　from
him　the　first　news　having　any　particular　bearing　upon　the　matter
which　had　taken　him　abroad。　　I　give　this　communication　in　his　own
words；　omitting　only　a　few　personal　observations　which　I　do　not　feel
justified　in　disclosing；　and　which；　moreover；　are　not　necessary　to
the　completeness　of　this　narrative：

MY　DEAR　DOCTOR：

I　have　at　last　something　to　report　bearing　upon　the　case　that　brought
me　here；　and　perhaps　I　can　best　relate　it　by　simply　telling　you　what
my　movements　have　been　since　my　arrival。　　My　first　errand　was　to
Malabar　Hill。　　I　thought　it　wise　to　possess　myself；　so　far　as
possible；　of　facts　proving　the　authenticity　of　Mr。　Darrow's　narrative。
I　found　without　difficulty　the　banyan　tree　which　had　been　the
trysting…place；　and　close　by　it　the　little　cave　with　its　mysterious
well；　…　everything　in　fact　precisely　as　related；　even　to　the
〃Farsees'〃　garden　or　cemetery；　with　its　〃Tower　of　Silence；〃　or
〃Dakhma；〃　as　it　is　called　by　the　natives。　　The　cave　and　the　banyan
are　among　the　many　attractions　of　what　is　now　Herr　Blaschek's　villa。
This　gentleman；　with　true　German　hospitality；　asked　me　to　spend　a
few　days　with　him；　and　I　was　only　too　glad　to　accept　his　invitation；
as　I　believed　his　knowledge　of　Bombay　might　be　of　great　service　to
me。　　In　this　I　did　not　mistake。　　I　told　him　I　wished　to　ascertain　the
whereabouts　of　a　Rama　Ragobah；　who　had　been　something　between　a　rishi
and　a　fakir；　and　he　directed　me　at　once　to　a　fakir　named　Parinama
who；　he　said；　would　be　able　to　locate　my　man；　if　he　were　still　alive
and　in　Bombay。

You　can　imagine　how　agreeably　surprised　I　was　to　find　that　Parinama
knew　Ragobah　well。　　I　ha