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！
strapped to my right ear； and my eyes fastened upon the screen of
the camera obscura； I would sit by the hour prying into the affairs
of the two people in the next room。 I tried for a number of days
to ease my conscience by telling myself that I was labouring in
the cause of justice； and was not a common eavesdropper。 This
permitted me to retain a sort of quasi self…respect for a day or two
till my honesty rallied itself； and forced me to realise and to
admit that I was； to all intents and purposes； a common Paul Pry；
performing a disreputable act for the gratification it gave me。 I
determined I would at least be honest with myself … and this was my
verdict。 You will； perhaps； fancy that when I arrived at this
decision I at once mended my ways and resigned my seat of observation
to Maitland's entirely professional care。 This； doubtless； I should
have done； if we fallible human beings governed our conduct by our
knowledge of what is right and proper。 Inasmuch； however； as desires
and emotions are the determining factors of human conduct； I did
nothing of the sort。 I simply watched there day after day； with
ever…increasing avidity； until at length I got to be impatient of
the duties that took me away； and more than half inclined to neglect
them。
I shall gain nothing by attempting to make you believe it was the
man in the neighbouring room that interested me； so I shall not
essay it。 I confess； with a feeling of guilt because I am not
more ashamed of it … that it was the young lady who attracted me。
You will； I trust； assume I had enough interest in her father to
palliate my conduct in a measure。 Be generous in your judgment。
How do you know you will not be in the same predicament？ Think
of it！ A young woman beautiful beyond my feeble powers of
description； her eyes of a heavenly blue； her luxuriant hair like
a mass of spun gold； her complexion matched to the tint and
transparency of the blush rose … and such a throat！ From it came
a voice as musical as the unguided waters when Winter rushes down
the hills in search of Spring。 Never you mind； that's the way I
felt about it； and； if you had been in my place； you'd have been
just as bad as I； come； now； you know you would。 Suppose I was a
bachelor； and almost old enough to be her father。 Does that help
matters any？ Is the heart less hungry because it has been starved？
Just look at your history。 When nuns have relapsed from
other…worldliness to this…worldliness how have they been？ I'll
tell you。 They have been just a round baker's dozen times worse
than they would have been if they had never undertaken to cheat
Nature。 Look at the thing fairly。 I don't expect to dodge any
blame that I deserve； yet I do want all the palliating circumstances
duly noted。 Many months have passed since then； and yet the thought
of that sweet girl sends a thrill all over me。 I wonder where she
is now？ I feel that we shall meet again some time； and perhaps you
will see her yourself。 If so； you will see that I couldn't be
expected to withstand any such temptation。
On these visits Maitland and I talked but very little； and while I
was spying nothing of interest occurred … i。 e。； nothing of interest
to him … or； if it did； things of interest to me prevented my
observing it。 On several occasions he alluded vaguely to things he
had learned which he said he should not divulge even to me until the
proper time came。
Things went on in this way for about two weeks。 I visited Maitland
daily； and daily the little lady in the next room wove her spell
around me。 If； as I am inclined to believe； thinking a great deal
of a person is much the same thing as thinking of a person a great
deal； I must have adored her。
One night； about a fortnight after Maitland's change of abode； I
found Alice in a terrible state of excitement upon my arrival home。
She met me at the door； and said Gwen needed my attention at once。
I did not stop to hear further particulars； but hastened to the
sitting…room； where Gwen lay upon the lounge。 She was in a stupor
from which it seemed impossible to arouse her。 In vain I tried to
attract her attention。 Her fixed； staring eyes looked through
me as if I had been glass。 I saw she had received a severe shock；
and so； after giving her some medicine； I took Alice aside and asked
her what had happened。 She said that Gwen and she had been sitting
sewing by the window all the afternoon； and talking about Maitland's
recent discoveries。 At about five o'clock the Evening Herald was
brought in as usual。 She； Alice； had picked it up to glance over
the news； when； in the column headed 〃Latest；〃 she had seen the
heading： 〃The Darrow Mystery Solved！〃 This she had read aloud；
without thinking of the shock the unexpected announcement might give
Gwen； when the sudden pallor that had overspread the young woman's
face had brought her to her senses； and she had paused。 Her
companion； however； had seized the paper when she had hesitated and；
in a fever of excitement； had read in a half…audible voice：
John Darrow was murdered。 … The assassin's inability to pay a
gambling debt the motive for the crime。 … Extraordinary work
of a French detective！ … The net …=20
But at this juncture the paper had dropped from Gwen's hands； and
she had fallen upon the floor before Alice could reach her。
THE EPISODE OF THE TELLTALE THUMB
CHAPTER I
When Disaster is bigger than its victim its bolt o'erlaps the
innocent。
It was some time after Gwen had fallen before Alice had succeeded
in getting her upon the lounge； and then all her efforts to revive
her had failed。 She had remained in the same nerveless stupor as
that in which I had found her。 I asked Alice if she knew why this
announcement had produced such an effect upon Gwen； and she returned
my question with a look of amazement。
〃Have you forgotten Gwen's promise to her father in this matter？〃
she replied。 〃Has she not already told you that she should keep
that promise； whatever the sacrifice cost her？ She is； therefore；
entirely at the mercy of this M。 Godin； and she is also obliged to
advise him of this fact； if she would carry out her father's wishes。
Is this nothing for a sensitive nature like hers？ If she has any
love for anyone else she must crush it out of her heart； for she is
M。 Godin's now。 Surely； Ned； you are not so stupid as your question
would indicate。〃
〃We won't discuss that；〃 I rejoined。 〃Let us go to Gwen and get
her to bed。〃
This done； and the sufferer made easy for the night； I glanced at
the article which had so upset her； and read its sensational
〃scare…head。〃 In full it ran as follows：
THE DARROW MYSTERY SOLVED！
JOHN DARROW WAS MURDERED！
The Assassin's Inability to Pay a Gambling Debt the
Motive for the Crime。
EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF A FRENCH DETECTIVE！
The Net so Completely Woven About the Alleged
Assassin That it is Thought He Will Confess。
The Arrest Entirely Due to the Unassisted Efforts of
M。 LOUIS GOD