the darrow enigma-第38部分

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prefer　it　to　its　only　alternative。　　So　much　for　that。

〃I　was　horn　in　Marseilles；　and　my　right　name　is　Jean　Fouchet。　　My
father　intended　me　for　the　priesthood；　and　gave　me　a　good　college
education　in　Paris。　　His　hopes；　however；　were　destined　to
disappointment。　　In　college　I　formed　the　habit　of　gambling；　and　a
year　after　my　graduation　found　me　at　Monte　Carlo。　　While　there　I
quarrelled　with　a　gambling　accomplice　and　ended　by　killing　him。
This　made　my　stay　in　France　dangerous　for　me；　and　I　took　the　first
opportunity　which　presented　itself　to　embark　for　America。

〃Familiarity　with　criminals　had　made　me　familiar　with　crime；　and　I
added　the　occupation　of　detective　to　my　profession　of　gambling。
These　two　avocations　had　now　become　my　sole　means　of　support；　and　I
plied　my　trades　in　New　York；　Boston；　and　Philadelphia　for　several
years；　during　which　time　I　became　a　naturalised　citizen　of　the
United　States。

〃When　the　Cuban　rebellion　broke　out　I　could　not　restrain　my　longing
for　adventure；　and　joined　a　filibustering　expedition　sailing　from
New　York。　　I　did　this　from　no　love　I　bore　the　Cuban　cause；　but　merely
for　the　excitement　it　promised。　　While　handling　a　heavy　shot　during
my　first　engagement　I　accidentally　dropped　it　upon　my　left　foot；
crushing　that　member　so　badly　that　it　has　never　regained　its　shape。
This　deformity　has　rendered　it　impossible　for　me　to　conceal　my
identity。　　Three　months　after　this　accident　I　was　taken　prisoner　by
the　Spanish　and　shipped　to　Spain　as　a　political　malefactor。　　A　farce
of　a　trial　was　granted　to　me；　not　to　see　whether　or　not　I　was　guilty；
but　simply　to　determine　between　the　dungeon　and　the　garrote。　　It
would　have　been　far　better　for　me　had　I　been　sentenced　to　the　latter
instead　of　the　former。

〃As　a　political　offender　I　was　doomed　to　imprisonment　at　Ceuta；　an
old　Moorish　seaport　town　in　Morocco；　opposite　Gibraltar　and　upon
the　side　of　the　ancient　mountain　Abyla。　　This　mountain　forms　one
of　the　'Pillars　of　Hercules；'　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar　being　the　other。
It　is　almost　impregnable；　and　is　used　by　Spain　as　Siberia　is　used
by　Russia；　only　it　is　far；　far　more　horrible。　　The　town　was　built
by　the　Moors　in　945；　and　nowhere　else　on　earth　are　there　to　be　found
an　equal　number　of　devices　for　the　torture　of　human　beings。　　If
anyone　thinks　the　horrors　of　the　Inquisition　are　no　longer
perpetrated　let　him　get　sent　to　Ceuta：　I　have　good　cause　to　believe
that　the　Inquisition　itself　is　far　from　dead　in　Spain。　　Alas　for　the
person　who　is　sent　to　Ceuta！　　The　town　is　small；　and；　to　guard
against　possible　attack；　the　Moors　constructed　a　chain　of　fortresses
around　it。　　It　is　in　the　black　cellars　of　these　disintegrating
fortresses　that　the　dungeons　are　located。　　They　are　in　tiers　to　the
depth　of　fifty　or　sixty　feet；　and　are　hewn　out　of　the　solid　rock。
They　are　reached　through　narrow　openings　in　the　stone　floors　of　the
fortresses；　and　when　one　of　these　horrible　holes　is　opened　the　foul
odor　of　filth　and　decomposition　is　utterly　overpowering。　　Some　of
these　dungeons　contain　as　many　as　thirty　or　forty　men。　　I　was　placed
in　a　cell　reserved　for　solitary　confinement。　　I　have　never　been　a
man　who　regarded　life　seriously；　or　feared　to　risk　it　upon　sufficient
occasion；　but　my　heart　froze　within　me　when　the　horror　of　my
situation　was　revealed　to　me。　　A　stone　box　perhaps　eight　feet　square
…　as　I　lay　upon　the　floor　I　could　touch　its　opposite　sides　with　my
hands　and　feet　…　had　been　prepared　for　my　entrance　by　cutting　a　slit
in　one　of　its　walls　just　large　enough　for　the　passage　of　my　body。
Through　this　narrow　opening　I　was　dropped　into　the　total　darkness
within。　　A　blacksmith　followed　and　welded　my　fetters；　for　locks　and
keys　are　never　used。　　A　chain　having　a　heavy　weight　pendant　from　it
was　riveted　to　my　ankle；　and　an　iron　band　was　similarly　fastened　to
my　waist。　　This　band　was　fastened　by　a　chain　to　an　iron　ring　deeply
sunk　in　the　solid　rock。　　When　these　horrible　preparations　were
completed　the　blacksmith　left　me　and　a　mason　bricked　up　the　slit
through　which　I　had　entered；　leaving　only　a　hand…breadth　of　space
for　air　and　the　thrusting　through　of　such　scraps　of　food　as　were　to
be　allowed　me。　　Language　is　powerless　to　describe　the　feelings　of　a
man　in　such　a　position。　　He　realises　that　his　only　hope　is　in　disease
…　disease　bred　of　the　darkness；　the　dampness；　the　starvation；　and
the　horrible　filth。　　He　says　to　himself：　'How　long；　0　God！　　how
long？'　…　For　hours　I　remained　prone　and　inert　…　how　long　I　do　not
know；　night　and　day　are　all　one　in　the　dungeons　of　Ceuta。　　Then　I
began　to　think。　　Could　I　escape？　　I　felt　that　all　power　of　thought；
all　cleverness　would　soon　desert　me；　and　I　said　to　myself：　'If
anything　is　to　be　done；　it　must　be　done　at　once。'　　I　knew　not　then
what　long…drawn　horrors　a　mortal　could　endure。　　Whenever　I　attempted
to　walk　the　iron　mass　fastened　to　my　leg　would　'bring　me　up　short；'
often；　in　my　early　forgetfulness　of　it；　throwing　me　prone　upon　my
face。　　After　a　little　I　learned　to　move　with　a　halting　gait；
striding　out　with　the　free　limb　and　pausing　to　pull　my　burden　after
me　with　the　other。　　This　habit；　learned　in　the　squalor　and　darkness
of　the　dungeon　hells　of　Ceuta；　I　have　never　been　able　to　unlearn。

〃It　was　many　days　before　I　could　see　how　anything　short　of　a　miracle
could　enable　me　to　escape。　　I　tried　to　calmly　reason　it　all　out；　and
every　time　came　to　the　same　horrible　conclusion；　viz。：　I　must　rot
there　unless　help　came　to　me　from　without。　　This　seemed　impossible；
and　all　the　horrors　of　a　lingering　death　stared　me　in　the　face。
Every　two　or　three　days　one　of　the　jailers　would　come　to　the　slit
in　the　masonry　and　leave　there　a　dish　of　water　and　a　few　crusts　of
bread。　　I　tried　on　one　occasion　to　speak　with　him；　but　he　only
laughed　in　my　face　and　turned　away。　　Finally　I　hit　upon　a　plan　which
seemed　to　offer　the　only　possible　means　of　escape。　　In　my　college
days　I　was　well　acquainted　with　M。　Charcot；　and　even　assisted　in
some　of　his　earlier　hypnotic　experiments。　　The　subject　interested
me；　and　I　followed　it　closely　till　I　became　something　of　an　adept
myself。　　There　were　in　those　days　but　few　people　I　could　not
mesmerise；　provided　sufficient　opportunity　were　allowed　me　for
hypnotic　suggestion。　　I　determined　to　see　if　any　of　this　old　power
still　remained　with　me；　and；　if　so；　to　strive　to　render　my　jailer
subservient　to　my　will。　　But　how　should　I　keep　him　within　ear…shot
long　enough　to　work　upon　him？　　Clearly　all　appeals　to　pity　were
useless。　　I　must　excite　his　greed；　nothing　else　would　reach　him。
This　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　do　without　a　sou　in　my　possession；
yet　I　did　it。　　When　I　heard　his　step　I　crawled　to　the　opening　in
the　wall　and　mumbled　in　a　crazy　sort　of　a　way　about　a　hidden
treasure。　　At　the　word　'treasure'　I　saw　him　pause　and　listen；　but
I　pretended　not　to　be　aware　of　his　presence　and　rambled　on；　in　a
loose；　disjointed　fashion；　about　piracies　committed　by　me　and　the
great　amount　of　booty　I　had　secreted。　　My　plan　worked　perfectly。
The　jailer　came　to　the　aperture　in　the　wall　and　called　me　to　him。
Muttering　incoherently；　I　obeyed。　　He　asked　me　what　offence　brought
me　there；　and　I；　with　a　good　deal　of　intentional　misunderstanding；
told　him　I　was　a　pirate　and　a　smuggler。　　He　asked　me　where　the
treasure　I　had　been　talking　about　was　hidden。　　My　reply；　…　I
remember　the　exact　words　in　which　I　couched　it；　…　made　him　mine
completely。　　I　said：　'We　buried　it　near　Fez　…　　Treasure？　　I　don't
know　anything　about　any　treasure。'

〃To　all　the　many　questions　he　then　asked　me　I　returned　only
incoherent　replies；　but　I　was　careful　to　be　again　raving　about
buried　riches　upon　the　next　visit。　　In　this　way　I　kept　him　by　me
long　enough　to　influence　him；　and　in　less　than　a　month　he　was
completely　subject　to　my　will。　　I　tested　my　power　over　him　in　divers
ways。　　Any　delicacy　I　wished　I　compelled　him　to　bring　me。　　In　this
way　I　was　enabled　to　regain　a　portion　of　my　lost　strength。　　When　I
concluded　the　time　had　come　for　me　to　make　good　my　escape；　I　caused
him　to　come　to　my　cell　at　midnight　and　remove　the　bricks　from　the
slit　while　I　put　on　the　disguise　he　had　brought　me。　　Once　out　of　my
stone　tomb　we　carefully　walled　it　up　again　and　then　departed　to　find
my　imaginary　hidden　treasure。　　We　made　our　way　without　trouble　to
Algiers；　for　my　companion　had　money；　and　sailed　thence　via　Gibraltar
for　England。　　During　the　trip　my　companion　jumped　overboard　and　was
drowned　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。　　Thus　I　was　completely　freed　from　Ceuta
and　its　terrible　pest…hole。

〃From　England　I　sailed　to　New　York；　reaching　America　penniless　and
in　ill　health。　　Things　not　going　to　my　liking　in　New　York；　I　came
to　Boston　and　took　up　my　old　callings　of　gambler　and　detective。　　It
was　at　this　time　that　I　saw　John　Darrow's　curious　notice　in　the
newspaper；　offering；　in　the　event　of　his　murder；　a　most　liberal
reward　to　anyone　who　would　bring　the　assassin　to　justice。

〃Mon　Dieu！　　How　I　needed　money。　　I　would　have　bartered　my　soul　for
a　tithe　of　that　amount。　　It　was　the　old；　old　story；　only　new　in　Eden。
Ah！　　but　how　I　loved　her！　　She　must　have　money；　money；　always　money！
That　was　ever　her　cry。　　When　I　could　not　supply　it　she　sought　it　of
others；　and　this　drove　me　mad。　　If；　I　said　to　myself；　I　could　only
get　this　reward！　　This　was　something　really　worth　working　for；　and　if
I　could　but　get　it；　she　should　be　mine　only。　　I　at　once　set　to　work
upon　the　problem。

〃It　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　solve。　　I　might　be　able　to　hire　a　man
to　do　the　deed　for　me；　but　he　would　hardly　be　willing　to　hang　for
it　without　disclosing　my　part　in　the　transaction。　　It　was　at　this
time　that　I　first　met　M。　Latour　on　Decatur　Street。　　He　at　once
impressed　me　as　being　just　the　man　I　wanted；　and　I　began　to　gradually
subdue　his　will。　　In　this　circumstances　greatly　aided　me。　　When　I
found　him　he　was　in　very　poor　health　and　without　any　means　of
sustenance。　　His　daughter　was　able　to　earn　a　little；　but　not　nearly
enough　to　keep　the　wolf　from　the　door。　　Add　to　this　that　he　had　a
cancer；　which　several　physicians　had　assured　him　would　prove　fatal
within　a　year；　that　he　was　afflicted　with　an　almost　insane　fear　that
his　daughter　would　come　to　want　after　his　death；　and　you　have　before