the darrow enigma-第36部分

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uninteresting；　or　unnecessarily　verbose。

〃Your　Honour　and　Gentlemen　of　the　Jury：　John　Darrow　was　murdered　and
the　prisoner；　M。　Gustave　Latour；　has　confessed　that　he　did　the　deed。
When　a　man　denies　the　commission　of　a　crime　we　do　not　feel　bound　to
consider　his　testimony　of　any　particular　value；　but　when；　on　the
other　hand；　a　prisoner　accused　of　so　heinous　a　crime　as　murder
responds　to　the　indictment；　'I　am　guilty；'　we　instinctively　feel
impelled　to　believe　his　testimony。　　Why　is　this？　　Why　do　we　doubt
his　word　when　he　asserts　his　innocence　and　accept　it　when　he
acknowledges　his　guilt？　　I　will　tell　you。　　It　is　all　a　question　of
motive。　　Could　we　see　as　cogent　a　motive　for　asseverating　his　guilt
as　we　find　for　his　insisting　upon　his　innocence；　we　should　lend　as
much　credence　to　the　one　as　to　the　other。　　I　propose　to　show　that　M。
Latour　has　what　seems　to　him　the　strongest　of　motives　for　confessing
to　the　murder　of　John　Darrow。　　If　I　am　able　to　do　this　to　your
satisfaction；　I　shall　practically　have　thrown　M。　Latour's　entire
testimony　out　of　court；　and　nothing　of　importance　will　then　remain
but　the　evidence　of　the　government's　witness；　M。　Godin。〃

A　great　wave　of　excitement　swept　over　the　room　at　these　remarks。
〃What！〃　each　said　to　himself；　〃is　it　possible　that　this　lawyer　will
try　to　prove　that　Latour；　despite　his　circumstantial　confession；
did　not　commit　the　murder　after　all？〃　　We　did　not　dare　let　such　a
thought　take　hold　of　us；　yet　could　not　see　what　else　could　explain
Maitland's　remarks。　　Is　it　any　wonder；　therefore；　that　we　all　waited
breathlessly　for　him　to　continue？　　M。　Godin's　face　was　dark　and
lowering。　　It　was　evident　he　did　not　propose　to　have　his　skill　as　a
detective；　…　and　with　it　the　Darrow　reward；　…　set　aside　without　a
struggle　…　at　least　so　it　seemed　to　me。　　The　room　was　as　quiet　as
the　grave　when　Maitland　continued。

〃I　shall　show　you　that　M。　Godin's　testimony　is　utterly　unreliable；
and；　moreover；　that　it　is　intentionally　so。〃

This　was　a　direct　accusation；　and　at　it　M。　Godin's　face　became　of
ashen　pallor。　　I　felt　that　he　was　striving　to　control　his　anger　and
saw　the　effort　that　it　cost　him　as　he　fastened　Maitland　with　a
stiletto…like　look　that　was　anything　but　reassuring。　　George　did
not　appear　to　notice　it　and　continued　easily：

〃I　shall　prove　to　you　beyond　a　doubt　that；　in　the　actual　murder　of
John　Darrow；　only　one　person　was　concerned；　…　by　which　I　mean；　that
only　one　person　was　outside　the　east　window　when　he　met　his　death。
I　shall　also　show　that　M。　Latour　was　not；　and　could　not　by　any
possibility　have　been；　that　person。　　＇At　this　juncture　Browne　arose
and　walked　toward　the　door。　　He　was　very　pale　and　looked　anything
but　well。　　I　thought　he　was　going　to　leave；　but　he　reseated　himself
at　the　back　of　the　room　near　the　door。＇　　I　shall　convince　you　that
M。　Latour's　description　of　the　way　the　murder　was　committed　is　false。〃

All　eyes　were　turned　toward　Latour；　but　he　made　no　sign　either　of
affirmation　or　dissent。　　With　his　eyes　closed　and　his　hands　falling
listlessly　in　front　of　him；　he　sat　in　a　half…collapsed　condition；
like　one　in　a　stupor。　　M。　Godin　shifted　uneasily　in　his　chair；　as
if　he　could　not　remain　silent　much　longer。　　Maitland　proceeded　with
calm　deliberation：

〃Mr。　Clinton　Browne　…　〃

But　he　did　not　finish　the　sentence。　　At　the　name　〃Mr。　Clinton　Browne〃
he　was　interrupted　by　a　sudden　commotion　at　the　rear　of　the　room；
followed　by　a　heavy　fall　which　shook　the　whole　apartment。　　We　all
turned　and　looked　toward　the　door。　　Several　men　had　gathered　about
someone　lying　upon　the　floor；　and　one　of　them　was　throwing　water　in
the　face　of　the　prostrate　man。　　Presently　he　revived　a　little；　and
they　bore　him　out　into　the　cooler　air　of　the　corridor。　　It　was
Clinton　Browne。　　The　great　tension　of　the　trial；　his　own　strong
emotions；　and　the　closeness　of　the　room　had　doubtless　been　too　much
for　him。　　　I　could　not　but　marvel　at　it；　however。　　Here　were　delicate
women　with　apparently　little　or　no　staying　power；　and　yet　this
athlete；　with　the　form　of　a　Mars　and　the　fibre　of　a　Hercules；　must
be　the　first　to　succumb。　　Verily；　even　physicians　are　subject　to
surprises！

When　quiet　had　been　fully　restored　Maitland　continued：

〃I　was　about　to　say　when　the　interruption　occurred　that　Mr。　Clinton
Browne　and　Mr。　Charles　Herne　would　both　testify　to　the　fact　that　a
very　sensible　time　elapsed　between　the　delivery　of　the　blow　and　the
death　of　the　victim。　　You　will　see；　therefore；　that　I　shall　prove　to
your　satisfaction　that　Mr。　Darrow's　death　did　not　result　from　prussic
acid；　as　stated　by　the　prisoner。　　I　shall　show　you　that　a　chemical
analysis　of　the　wound　made　in　my　laboratory　shortly　after　the　murder
gave　none　of　the　well…known　prussic…acid　reactions。　　I　shall　prove
to　you　that　John　Darrow　sprang　to　his　feet　after　receiving　the　blow
which　caused　his　death。　　That　he　clutched　at　his　throat；　and　that；
after　an　effort　consuming　several　seconds；　he　spoke　disjointedly。
I　shall　convince　you　that　if　he　had　been　poisoned　in　the　manner
described　he　would　have　been　dead　before　he　could　have　so　much　as
raised　his　hand　to　his　throat。　　We　have　been　very　particular　to
make　sure　the　exact　nature　of　the　poison　which　it　is　claimed　was
used；　so　there　can　be　no　possible　doubt　upon　this　point。　　I　shall
show　you　further　that　the　little　Capucin　monkey　which　M。　Latour　says
he　killed　is　still　alive；　and　I　will　produce　him；　if　necessary；　and
will　challenge　M。　Latour；　or　anyone　else　for　that　matter；　to　put　him
through　the　drill　which　it　is　claimed　he　has　been　taught。　　I　shall
inform　you　that；　since　I　claim　the　monkey　had　no　part　in　Mr。　Darrow's
death；　I　could　not；　during　my　examination　of　the　prisoner；　have　been
stating　anything　from　knowledge　when　I　spoke　of　the　manner　in　which
he　had　trained　the　animal；　and　gave　details　which　M。　Latour　accepted
as　those　of　the　murder。　　My　sole　effort　was　to　state　a　plausible　way；
in　order　to　see　if　the　prisoner　would　not　adopt　it　as　the　actual
course　pursued。　　I　also　coupled　with　this　the　killing　of　the　monkey
（though　I　knew　the　animal　was　still　alive）；　that　I　might　see　if　M。
Latour　would　follow　my　lead　in　this　also。　　You　have　seen　that　he　did
so；　that　he　indorsed　my　guesses　where　they　were　purely　guesses；　and
that　he　also　accepted　the　one　statement　I　knew　to　be　false。　　I　shall
therefore　ask　you　to　consider　about　what　the　chances　are　that　a
series　of　guesses　like　those　which　I　made　would　represent　the　exact
facts　as　M。　Latour　has　claimed；　while　at　the　same　time　you　do　not
lose　sight　of　the　undeniable　fact　that　upon　the　only　detail　regarding
which　I　had　positive　information；　M。　Latour　bore　false　testimony。〃

Here　Maitland　whispered　to　Jenkins；　who　in　turn　spoke　to　the　sheriff
or　some　other　officer　of　the　court。　　I　would　have　given　a　good　deal
just　then　to　have　been　able　to　translate　M。　Godin's　thoughts。　　His
face　was　a　study。　　Maitland　immediately　resumed：

〃It　has　been　positively　stated　by　M。　Latour　that　he　gambled　with　Mr。
Darrow　on　Decatur　Street　between　the　1st　and　15th　day　of　March。　　This
is　false。　　In　the　first　place　it　can　be　shown　that　while　Mr。　Darrow
occasionally　played　cards　at　his　own　home；　he　never　gambled；
uniformly　refusing　to　play　for　even　the　smallest　stake。　　Furthermore；
Mr。　Darrow's　physician　will　testify　that　Mr。　Darrow　was　confined
to　his　bed　from　the　25th　day　of　February　to　the　18th　day　of　March；
and　that　he　visited　him　during　that　time　at　least　once；　and　oftener
twice；　every　day。

〃Again；　M。　Latour　asserts　that　he　never　saw　M。　Godin　till　the　day
of　his　arrest；　and　M。　Godin　asserts　that　he　never　entered　M。　Latour's
rooms　until　that　day。　　I　have　a　photograph　and　here　a　phonographic
record。　　The　picture　shows　M。　Latour's　rooms　with　that　gentleman　and
M。　Godin　sitting　at　a　table　and　evidently　engaged　in　earnest
conversation。　　This　cylinder　is　a　record　of　a　very　interesting
portion　of　that　conversation　…　M。　Godin　will　please　not　leave　the
room！〃

This　last　was　said　as　M。　Godin　started　toward　the　door。　　The　officer
to　whom　Jenkins　had　recently　spoken　laid　his　hand　upon　the　detective
and　detained　him。　　　〃We　may　need　M。　Godin；〃　Maitland　continued；　〃to
explain　things　to　us。

〃I　invite　your　attention　to　the　fact　that　M。　Godin　has　testified
that　he　was　assisted　in　his　search　for　Mr。　Darrow's　murderer　by
certain　library　slips　which　he　saw　M。　Latour　make　out　in　two
different　names。　　He　has　also　testified　that　he　did　not　know　even
the　names　of　any　of　the　books　procured　on　these　slips；　and　that
one　of　them；　entitled　'Poisons；　Their　Effects　and　Detection；'　he
not　only　never　read；　but　never　even　heard　of。　　I　shall　show　you
that　all　of　these　books　were　procured　with　M。　Godin's　knowledge；
and　that　most　of　them　were　read　by　him。　　　I　shall　prove　to　you
beyond　a　doubt　that　he　has　not　only　heard　of　this　particular　work
on　poisons；　but　that　he　has　read　it　and　placed　his　unmistakable
signature　on　page　469　thereof　beside　the　identical　paragraph　which
suggested　to　Mr。　Darrow's　murderer　the　manner　of　his　assassination！〃
M。　Godin　started　as　if　he　had　been　stabbed；　but　quickly　regained
his　self…control　as　Maitland　continued：　〃Here　is　the　volume　in
question。　　You　will　please　note　the　thumb…mark　in　the　margin　of　page
469。　　There　is　but　one　thumb　in　the　world　that　could　have　made　that
mark；　and　that　is　the　thumb　you　have　seen　register　itself　upon　this
letter。　　It　is　also　the　thumb　that　made　this　paint　smutch　upon　this
slip　of　glass。〃

All　eyes　were　turned　upon　M。　Godin。　　He　was　very　pale；　yet　his　jaw
was　firmly　set　and　something　akin　to　a　defiant　smile　played　about
his　handsome　mouth。　　To　say　that　the　audience　was　amazed　is　to　convey
no　adequate　idea　of　their　real　condition。　　We　felt　prepared　for
anything。　　I　almost　feared　lest　some　sudden　turn　in　the　case　might
cast　suspicion　upon　myself；　or　even　Maitland。　　Without　apparently
noticing　M。　Godin's　discomfiture；　George　continued：

〃M。　Godin　has　testified　that　he　sometimes　plays　cards；　but　only　for
a　small　stake　…　just　enough；　he　says；　to　make　it　interesting。　　I
shall　show　you　that　he　is　a　professional　gambler　as　well　as　a
detective。

〃The　morning　after　the　murder　was　committed　I　made　a　most　careful
examination　of　the　premises；　part