the case of the pocket diary found in the snow-第9部分

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of　this　when　my　father　turned　me　out。　　He　probably　would　have　heard
of　it　later；　for　Berner　was　the　witness。　　I　did　not　care　for　the
remaining　ten　thousand　because　I　would　have　the　entire　fortune　after
Asta's　death。　　I　would　have　seen　the　official　notice　and　the　call
for　heirs　in　Australia；　and　would　have　written　from　there；　announcing
that　I　was　still　alive。　　If　you　had　come　several　days　later　I　should
have　been　a　rich　man　within　a　year。〃

His　clenched　fist　resting　on　his　knee；　the　rascal　stared　out　ahead
of　him　when　he　ended　his　shameless　confession。　　In　his　rage　and
disappointment　he　had　not　noticed　that　Muller's　hand　dropped　gently
to　the　desk　and　softly　took　a　little　bottle　from　under　the
handkerchief。　　Langen　came　out　of　his　dark　thoughts　only　when
Muller's　voice　broke　the　silence。　　〃But　you　miscalculated；　if　you
expected　to　inherit　from　your　sister。　　She　is　still　a　minor　and
your　father's　will　would　have　given　you　only　ten　thousand　guldens。

〃But　you　forget　that　Asta　will　be　twenty…four　on　the　third　of
December。〃

〃Ah；　then　you　would　have　kept　her　alive　until　then。〃

〃You　understand　quickly；〃　said　Langen　with　a　mocking　smile。

〃But　she　disappeared　on　the　eighteenth　of　November。　　How　could　you
prove　that　she　died　after　her　birthday；　therefore　in　full　possession
of　her　fortune　and　without　leaving　any　will？〃

〃That　is　very　simple。　　I　buy　several　newspapers　every　day。　　I　would
have　taken　them　up　to　the　fourth　and　fifth　of　December　and　left　them
here　with　the　body。〃

〃You　are　more　clever　even　than　I　thought；〃　said　the　detective　dryly
as　he　heard　the　commissioner's　steps　behind　him。　　Muller　put　a
whistle　to　his　lips　and　its　shrill　tone　ran　through　the　house；
calling　up　the　policeman　who　stood　by　the　door。

Egon　Langen's　face　was　grey　with　pallor；　his　features　were
distorted；　and　yet　there　was　the　ghost　of　a　smile　on　his　lips　as
he　saw　his　captors　enter　the　door。　　He　put　his　hand　out；　raised
his　handkerchief　hastily　and　then　a　wild　scream　echoed　through　the
room；　a　scream　that　ended　in　a　ghastly　groan。

〃I　have　taken　your　bottle；　you　might　as　well　give　yourself　up
quietly；〃　said　Muller　calmly；　holding　his　revolver　near　Langen's
face。　　The　prisoner　threw　himself　at　the　detective　but　was　caught
and　overpowered　by　Amster　and　the　policeman。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　cabs　drove　back　toward　the　city。
Inside　one　cowered　Egon　Langen；　watched　by　the　policeman　and　Amster。
Berner　was　on　the　box　beside　the　driver；　telling　the　now　interested
man　the　story　of　what　had　happened　to　his　dear　young　lady。　　In　the
other　cab　sat　Asta　Langen　with　Kurt　von　Mayringen　and　Muller。

〃Do　you　feel　better　now？〃　asked　the　young　commissioner　in　sincere
sympathy　that　was　mingled　with　admiration　for　the　delicate　beauty
of　the　girl　beside　him；　an　admiration　heightened　by　her　romantic
story　and　marvelous　escape。

Asta　nodded　and　answered　gently：　〃I　feel　as　if　some　terrible　weight
were　lifted　from　my　heart　and　brain。　　But　I　doubt　if　I　will　ever
forget　these　horrible　days；　when　I　had　already　come　to　accept　it　as
a　fact　that　…　that　I　was　to　be　murdered。〃

〃This　is　the　man　to　whom　you　owe　your　escape；〃　said　the　commissioner；
laying　his　hand　on　Muller's　knee。　　Asta　did　not　speak；　but　she
reached　out　in　the　darkness　of　the　cab；　caught　Muller's　hand　and
would　have　raised　it　to　her　lips；　had　not　the　little　man　drawn　it
away　hastily。〃　　It　was　only　my　duty；　dear　young　lady；〃　he　said。
〃A　duty　that　is　not　onerous　when　it　means　the　rescue　of　innocence
and　the　preventing　of　crime。　　It　is　not　always　so；　unfortunately
…　nor　am　I　always　so　fortunate　as　in　this　case。〃

This　indeed　is　what　Muller　calls　a　〃case　with　a　happy　ending；〃　for
scarcely　a　year　later；　to　his　own　great　embarrassment；　he　found
himself　the　most　honoured　guest；　and　a　centre　of　attraction　equally
with　the　bridal　couple；　at　the　marriage　of　Kurt　von　Mayringen　and
Asta　Langen。　　Muller　asserts；　however；　that　he　is　not　a　success　in
society；　and　that　he　would　rather　unravel　fifty　difficult　cases
than　again　be　the　〃lion〃　at　a　fashionable　function。







End