the case of the pocket diary found in the snow-第4部分

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railway　station。　　What　could　there　have　been　in　that　tea？　　I　suppose
I　should　have　noticed　how　anxious　my　travelling　companion　was　to　have
me　drink　it。

〃Who　could　the　man　have　been？　　He　was　so　polite；　so　fatherly　in　his
anxiety　about　me。　　I　have　not　seen　him　since　then。　　And　yet　I　feel
that　it　is　he　who　has　brought　me　into　this　trap；　a　trap　from　which
I　may　never　escape　alive。　　I　will　describe　him。　　He　is　very　tall；
stout　and　blond；　and　wears　a　long　heavy　beard；　which　is　slightly
mixed　with　grey。　　On　his　right　cheek　his　beard　only　partly　hides　a
long　scar。　　His　eyes　are　hidden　by　large　smoked　glasses。　　His　voice
is　low　and　gentle；　his　manners　most　correct　…　except　for　his　giving
people　poison　or　whatever　else　it　was　in　that　tea。

〃I　did　not　suffer　any　…　at　least　I　do　not　remember　anything　except
becoming　unconscious。　　And　I　seem　to　have　felt　a　pain　like　an　iron
ring　around　my　head。　　But　I　am　not　insane；　and　this　fear　that　I　feel
does　not　spring　from　my　imagination；　but　from　the　real　danger　by
which　I　am　surrounded。　　I　am　very　hungry；　but　I　do　not　dare　to　eat
anything　except　eggs；　which　cannot　be　tampered　with。　　I　tasted　some
soup　yesterday；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　it　had　a　queer　taste。　　I
will　eat　nothing　that　is　at　all　suspicious。　　I　will　be　in　my　full
senses　when　my　murderers　come；　they　shall　not　kill　me　by　poison　at
least。

〃When　I　came　to　my　senses　again　…　it　was　the　evening　of　the　day
before　yesterday　…　I　found　a　letter　on　the　little　table　beside　my
bed。　　It　was　written　in　French；　in　a　handwriting　that　I　had　never
seen　before；　and　there　was　no　signature。

〃This　strange　letter　demanded　of　me　that　I　should　write　to　my
guardian；　calmly　and　clearly；　to　say　that　for　reasons　which　I　did
not　intend　to　reveal；　I　had　taken　my　own　life。　　If　I　did　this　my
present　place　of　sojourn　would　be　exchanged　for　a　far　more　agreeable
one；　and　I　would　soon　be　quite　free。　　But　if　I　did　not　do　it；　I
would　actually　be　put　to　death。　　A　pen；　ink　and　paper　were　ready
there　for　the　answer。

Never；　I　wrote。　　And　then　despair　came　over　me；　and　I　may　have
indeed　appeared　insane。　　The　old　woman　came　in。　　I　entreated　and
implored　her　to　tell　me　why　this　dreadful　fate　should　have　overtaken
me。　　She　remained　quite　indifferent　and　I　sank　back；　almost　fainting；
on　the　bed。　　She　laid　a　moist　cloth　over　my　face；　a　cloth　that　had
a　peculiar　odour。　　I　soon　fell　asleep。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　there
was　some　one　else　besides　the　woman　in　the　room　with　me。　　Or　was
she　talking　to　herself？　　Next　morning　the　letter　and　my　answer　had
disappeared。　　〃It　was　as　I　thought；　there　was　some　one　else　in　my
room。　　Some　one　who　had　come　on　the　tramway。　　I　found　the　ticket　on
the　carpet　beside　my　bed。　　I　took　it　and　put　it　in　my　notebook　…

〃I　believe　that　it　is　Sunday　to…day。　　It　is　four　days　now　since　I
have　been　conscious。　　The　first　sound　that　I　remember　hearing　was
the　blast　of　a　horn。　　It　must　come　from　a　factory　very　near　me。
The　old　windows　in　my　room　rattle　at　the　sound。　　I　hear　it　mornings
and　evenings　and　at　noon；　on　week　days。　　I　did　not　hear　it　to…day；
so　it　must　be　Sunday。　　It　was　Monday；　the　18th　of　November；　that
I　set　out　on　my　trip；　and　reached　here　in　the　evening　…　（here？
I　do　not　know　where　I　am）；　that　is；　I　set　out　for　Vienna；　and　I　know
that　I　reached　the　Northern　Railway　station　there　in　safety。

〃I　was　cold　and　felt　a　little　faint　…　and　then　he　offered　me　the
tea　…　and　what　happened　after　that？　　Where　am　I？　　The　paper　that
they　gave　me　may　have　been　a　day　or　two　old　or　more。　　And　to…day　is
Sunday　…　is　it　the　first　Sunday　since　my　departure　from　home？　　I　do
not　know。　　I　know　only　this；　that　I　set　out　on　the　18th　of　November
to　visit　my　kind　old　guardian；　and　to　have　a　last　consultation　with
him　before　my　coming　of　age。　　And　I　know　also　that　I　have　fallen
into　the　hands　of　some　one　who　has　an　interest　in　my　disappearance。

〃There　is　some　one　in　the　next　room　with　the　old　woman。　　I　hear　a
man　s　voice　and　they　are　quarrelling。　　They　are　talking　of　me。　　He
wants　her　to　do　something　which　she　will　not　do。　　He　commands　her
to　go　away；　but　she　refuses。　　What　does　he　mean　to　do？　　I　do　not
want　her　to　leave　me　alone。　　I　do　not　hate　her　any　more；　I　know
that　she　is　not　bad。　　When　I　listened　I　heard　her　speaking　of　me　as
of　an　insane　person。　　She　really　believes　that　I　am　ill。　　When　the
man　went　away　he　must　have　been　angry。　　He　stamped　down　the　stairs
until　the　steps　creaked　under　his　tread：　I　know　it　is　a　wooden
staircase　therefore。

〃I　am　safe　from　him　to…day；　but　I　am　really　ill　of　fright。　　Am　I
really　insane？　　There　is　one　thing　that　I　have　forgotten　to　write
down。　　When　I　first　came　to　myself　I　found　a　bit　of　paper　beside　me
on　which　was　written；　'Beware　of　calling　in　help　from　outside。　　One
scream　will　mean　death　to　you。'　　It　was　written　in　French　like　the
letter。　　Why？　　Was　it　because　the　old　woman　could　not　read　it？　　She
knew　of　the　piece　of　paper；　for　she　took　it　away　from　me。　　It
frightens　me　that　I　should　have　forgotten　to　write　this　down。　　Am
I　really　ill？　　If　I　am　not　yet　ill；　this　terrible　solitude　will　make
me　so。

〃What　a　gloomy　room　this　is；　this　prison　of　mine。　　And　such　a　strange
ugly　wall…paper。　　I　tore　off　a　tiny　bit　of　it　and　hid　it　in　this
little　book。　　Some　one　may　find　it　some　day　and　may　discover　from　it
this　place　where　I　am　suffering；　and　where　I　shall　die；　perhaps。
There　cannot　be　many　who　would　buy　such　a　pattern；　and　it　must　be
possible　to　find　the　factory　where　it　was　made。　　And　I　will　also
write　down　here　what　I　can　see　from　my　barred　window。　　Far　down
below　me　there　is　a　rusty　tin　roof；　it　looks　like　as　if　it　might
belong　to　a　sort　of　shed。　　In　front　and　to　the　right　there　are
windowless　walls；　to　the　left；　at　a　little　distance；　I　can　see　a
slender　church　spire；　greenish　in　colour；　probably　covered　with
copper；　and　before　the　church　there　are　two　poplar　trees　of
different　heights。

〃Another　day　has　passed；　a　day　of　torturing　fear！　　Am　I　really
insane？　　I　know　that　I　see　queer　things。　　This　morning　I　looked
towards　the　window　and　I　saw　a　parrot　sitting　there！　　I　saw　it　quite
plainly。　　It　ruffled　up　its　red　and　green　feathers　and　stared　at　me。
I　stared　back　at　it　and　suddenly　it　was　gone。　　I　shivered。　　Finally
I　pulled　myself　together　and　went　to　the　window。　　There　was　no　bird
outside　nor　was　there　a　trace　of　any　in　the　snow　on　the　window　sill。
Could　the　wind　have　blown　away　the　tracks　so　soon；　or　was　it　really
my　sick　brain　that　appeared　to　see　this　tropical　bird　in　the　midst
of　the　snow？　　It　is　Tuesday　to…day；　from　now　on　I　will　carefully
count　the　days　…　the　days　that　still　remain　to　me。

〃This　morning　I　asked　the　old　woman　about　the　parrot。　　She　only
smiled　and　her　smile　made　me　terribly　afraid。　　The　thought　that　this
thing　which　is　happening　to　me；　this　thing　that　I　took　to　be　a　crime；
may　be　only　a　necessity　…　the　thought　fills　me　with　horror！　　Am　I　in
a　prison？　　or　is　this　the　cell　of　an　insane　asylum？　　Am　I　the　victim
of　a　villain？　　or　am　I　really　mad？　　My　pulse　is　quickening；　but　my
memory　is　quite　clear；　I　can　look　back　over　every　incident　in　my　life。

〃She　has　just　taken　away　my　food。　　I　asked　her　to　bring　me　only　eggs
as　I　was　afraid　of　everything　else。　　She　promised　that　she　would　do　it。

〃Are　they　looking　for　me？　　My　guardian　is　Theodore　Fellner；　Cathedral
Lane；　14。　　My　own　name　is　Asta　Langen。

〃They　took　away　my　travelling　bag；　but　they　did　not　find　this　little
book　and　the　tiny　bottle　of　perfume　which　I　had　in　the　pocket　of　my
dress。　　And　I　found　this　old　pen　and　a　little　ink　in　a　drawer　of　the
writing　table　in　my　room。

〃Wednesday。　　The　stranger　was　here　again　to…day。　　I　recognised　his
soft　voice。　　He　spoke　to　the　woman　in　the　hall　outside　my　room。　　I
listened；　but　I　could　catch　only　a　few　words。　　'To…morrow　evening
…　I　will　come　myself　…　no　responsibility　for　you。'　　Were　these　words
meant　for　me？　　Are　they　going　to　take　me　away？　　Where　will　they　take
me？　　Then　they　do　not　dare　to　kill　me　here？　　My　head　is　burning　hot。
I　have　not　dared　to　drink　a　drop　of　liquid　for　four　days。　　I　dare
not　take　anything　into　which　they　might　have　put　some　drug　or　some
poison。

〃Who　could　have　such　an　interest　in　my　death？　　It　cannot　be　because
of　the　fortune　which　is　to　be　mine　when　I　come　of　age；　for　if　I　die；
my　father　has　willed　it　to　various　charitable　institutions。　　I　have
no　relatives；　at　least　none　who　could　inherit　my　money。　　I　had　never
harmed　any　one；　who　can　wish　for　my　death？

〃There　is　somebody　with　her；　somebody　was　listening　at　the　door。
I　have　a　feeling　as　if　I　was　being　watched。　　And　yet　…　I　examined
the　door；　but　there　is　no　crack　anywhere　and　the　key　is　in　the　lock。
Still　I　seem　to　feel　a　burning　glance　resting　on　me。　　Ah！　the
parrot！　is　this　another　delusion？　　Oh　God；　let　it　end　soon！　I　am
not　yet　quite　insane；　but　all　these　unknown　dangers　around　me　will
drive　me　mad。　I　must　fight　against　them。

〃Thursday。　　They　brought　me　back　my　travelling　bag。　　My　attendant
is　uneasy。　　She　was　longer　in　cleaning　up　the　room　than　usual　to…day。
She　seemed　to　want　to　say　something　to　me；　and　yet　she　did　not　dare
to　speak。　　Is　something　to　happen　to…day　then？　　I　did　not　close　my
eyes　all　night。　　Can　one　be　made　insane　from　a　distance？　　hypnotised
into　it；　as　it　were？　　I　will　not　allow　fear　alone　to　make　me　mad。
My　enemy　shall　not　find　it　too　easy。　　He　may　kill　my　body；　but　that
is　all　…　〃

These　were　the　last　words　which　Asta　Langen　had　written　in　her
notebook；　the　little　book　which　was　the　only　confidant　of　her
terrible　need。　　When　the　detective　had　finished　reading　it；　he　closed
his　eyes　for　a　few　minutes　to　let　the　impression　made　by　the　story
sink　into　his　mind。

Then　he　rose　and　put　on　his　overcoat。　　He　entered　the　commissioner's
room　and　took　up　his　hat　and　cane。

〃Where　are　you　going；　Muller？〃　asked　Herr　Von　Mayringen。

〃To　Cathedral　Lane；　if　you　will　permit　it。〃

〃At　this　hour？　　it　is　quarter　past　eleven！　Is　there　any　such　hurry；
do　you　think？　　There　is　no　train　from　any　of　our　stations　until
morning。　　And　I　have　already　sent　a　policeman　to　watch　the　house。
Besides；　I　know　that　Fellner　is　a　highly　respected　man。

〃There　is　many　a　man　who　is　highly　respected　u