the lamp that went out-第11部分

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more　noiseless　by　the　fact　that　he　wore　wide　soft　shoes。　　Years
before　he　had　acquired　a　bad　case　of　chilblains；　in　fact　had　been
in　imminent　danger　of　having　his　feet　frozen　by　standing　for　five
hours　in　the　snow　in　front　of　a　house；　to　intercept　several
aristocratic　gentlemen　who　sooner　or　later　would　be　obliged　to
leave　that　house。　　The　police　had　long　suspected　the　existence　of
this　high…class　gambling　den；　but　it　was　not　until　they　had　put
Muller　in　charge　of　the　case；　that　there　were　any　results　attained。
The　arrests　were　made　at　the　risk　of　permanent　injury　to　the
celebrated　detective。　　Since　then；　Muller's　step　was　more　noiseless
than　usual；　and　now　the　woman　who　opened　the　gate　and　peered　out
cautiously　did　not　hear　his　approach　nor　did　she　see　him　standing
in　the　shadow　of　the　fence。　　She　looked　towards　the　other　end　of
the　street；　then　turned　and　spoke　to　somebody　behind　her。　　〃There's
nobody　coming　from　that　direction；〃　　he　said。　　Then　she　turned　her
head　the　other　way　and　saw　Muller。　　She　looked　at　him　for　a　moment
and　slammed　the　gate　shut；　disappearing　behind　it。　　Muller　heard
the　lock　click　and　heard　the　beat　of　running　feet　hastening　rapidly
over　the　gravel　path　through　the　garden。

The　detective　stood　immediately　in　front　of　the　gate；　shaking　his
head。　　〃What　was　the　matter　with　the　woman？　　What　was　it　that　she
wanted　to　see　or　do　in　the　street？　　Why　should　she　run　away　when
she　saw　me？〃　　These　were　his　thoughts。　　But　he　didn't　waste　time
in　merely　thinking。　　Muller　never　did。　　Action　followed　thought
with　him　very　quickly。　　He　saw　a　knot…hole　in　the　fence　just
beside　the　gate　and　he　applied　his　eyes　to　this　knot…hole。　　And
through　the　knot…hole　he　saw　something　that　interested　and
surprised　him。

The　woman　whose　face　had　appeared　so　suddenly　at　the　gate；　and
disappeared　still　more　suddenly；　was　the　same　woman　whom　he　had
seen　bidding　farewell　to　Mr。　Thorne　and　his　wife　on　the　Tuesday
morning　previous；　the　woman　whom　he　took　to　be　the　housekeeper。
The　old　butler　stood　beside　her。　　It　was　undoubtedly　the　same　man；
although　he　had　worn　a　livery　then　and　was　now　dressed　in　a
comfortable　old　house　coat。　　He　stood　beside　the　woman；　shaking
his　head　and　asking　her　just　the　questions　that　Muller　was　asking
himself　at　the　moment。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　you；　Mrs。　Bernaner？　　You're　so
nervous　since　yesterday。　　Are　you　ill？　　Everything　seems　to
frighten　you？　　Why　did　you　run　away　from　that　gate　so　suddenly？　　I
thought　you　wanted　me　to　show　you　the　place？〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　raised　her　head　and　Muller　saw　that　her　face　looked
pale　and　haggard　and　that　her　eyes　shone　with　an　uneasy　feverish
light。　　She　did　not　answer　the　old　man's　questions；　but　made　a
gesture　of　farewell　and　then　turned　and　walked　slowly　towards　the
house。　　She　realised；　apparently；　and　feared；　perhaps；　that　the
man　who　was　passing　the　gate　might　have；　noticed　her　sudden　change
of　demeanour　and　that　he　was　listening　to　what　she　might　say。　　She
did　not　think　of　the　knot…hole　in　the　board　fence；　or　she　might
have　been　more　careful　in　hiding　her　distraught　face　from　possible
observers。

Muller　stood　watching　through　this　knot…hole　for　some　little　time。
He　took　a　careful　observation　of　the　garden；　and　from　his　point　of
vantage　he　could　easily　see　the　little　house　which　was　apparently
the　dwelling　of　the　gardener；　as　well　as　the　mansard　roof　of　the
main　building。　　There　was　considerable　distance　between　the　two
houses。　　The　detective　decided　that　it　might　interest　him　to　know
something　more　about　this　garden；　this　house　and　the　people　who
lived　there。　　And　when　Muller　made　such　a　decision　it　was　usually
not　very　long　before　he　carried　it　out。

The　other　street；　upon　which　the　main　front　of　the　mansard　house
opened；　contained　a　few　isolated　dwellings　surrounded　by　gardens
and　a　number　of　newly　built　apartment　houses。　　On　the　ground　floor
of　these　latter　houses　were　a　number　of　stores　and　immediately
opposite　the　Thorne　mansion　was　a　little　caf？　　This　suited　Muller
exactly；　for　he　had　been　there　before　and　he　remembered　that　from
one　of　the　windows　there　was　an　excellent　view　of　the　gate　and　the
front　entrance　of　the　mansion　opposite。　　It　was　a　very　modest　little
caf？　but　there　was　a　fairly　good　wine　to　be　had　there　and　the
detective　made　it　an　excuse　to　sit　down　by　the　window；　as　if
enjoying　his　bottle　while　admiring　the　changing　colours　of　the
foliage　in　the　gardens　opposite。

Another　rather　good　chance；　he　discovered；　was　the　fact　that　the
landlord　belonged　to　the　talkative　sort；　and　believed　that　the
refreshments　he　had　to　sell　were　rendered　doubly　agreeable　when
spiced　by　conversation。　　In　this　case　the　good　man　was　not　mistaken。
It　was　scarcely　ten　o'clock　in　the　forenoon　and　there　were　very
few　people　in　the　caf？　　The　landlord　was　quite　at　leisure　to
devote　himself　to　this　stranger　in　the　window　seat；　whom　he　did　not
remember　to　have　seen　before；　and　who　was　therefore　doubly
interesting　to　him。　　Several　subjects　of　conversation　usual　in　such
cases；　such　as　politics　and　the　weather；　seemed　to　arouse　no
particular　enthusiasm　in　his　patron's　manner。　　Finally　the　portly
landlord　decided　that　he　would　touch　upon　the　theme　which　was　still
absorbing　all　Hietzing。

〃Oh；　by　the　way；　sir；　do　you　know　that　you　are　in　the　immediate
vicinity　of　the　place　where　the　murder　of　Monday　evening　was
committed？　　People　are　still　talking　about　it　around　here。　　And　I
see　by　the　papers　that　the　murderer　was　arrested　in　Pressburg
yesterday　and　brought　to　Vienna　last　night。〃

〃Indeed；　is　that　so？　　I　haven't　seen　a　paper　to…day；〃　　replied
Muller；　awakening　from　his　apparent　indifference。

The　landlord　was　flattered　by　the　success　of　the　new　subject；　and
stood　ready　to　unloose　the　floodgates　of　his　eloquence。　　His　customer
sat　up　and　asked　the　question　for　which　the　landlord　was　waiting。

〃So　it　was　around　here　that　the　man　was　shot？〃

〃Yes。　　His　name　was　Leopold　Winkler；　that　was　in　the　papers　to…day
too。　　You　see　that　pretty　house　opposite？　　Well；　right　behind　this
house　is　the　garden　that　belongs　to　it　and　back　of　that；　an　old
garden　which　has　been　neglected　for　some　time。　　It　was　at　the　end
of　this　garden　where　it　touches　the　other　street；　that　they　found
the　man　under　a　big　elder…tree；　early　Tuesday　morning；　day　before
yesterday。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！〃　　said。　　Muller；　greatly　interested；　as　if　this　was
the　first　he　had　heard　of　it。　　The　landlord　took　a　deep　breath　and
was　about　to　begin　again　when　his　customer；　who　decided　to　keep　the
talkative　man　to　a　certain　phase　of　the　subject；　now　took　command
of　the　conversation　himself。

〃I　should　think　that　the　people　opposite；　who　live　so　near　the
place　where　the　murder　was　committed；　wouldn't　be　very　much　pleased；〃
he　said。　　〃I　shouldn't　care　to　look　out　on　such　a　spot　every　time
I　went　to　my　window。〃

〃There　aren't　any　windows　there；〃　　exclaimed　the　landlord；　〃for
there　aren't　any　houses　there。　　There's　only　the　old　garden；　and
then　the　large　garden　and　the　park　belonging　to　Mr。　Thorne's　house；
that　fine　old　house　you　see　just　opposite　here。　　It's　a　good　thing
that　Mr。　Thorne　and　his　wife　went　away　before　the　murder　became
known。　　The　lady　hasn't　been　well　for　some　weeks；　she's　very　nervous
and　frail；　and　it　probably　would　have　frightened　her　to　think　that
such　things　were　happening　right　close　to　her　home。〃

〃The　lady　is　sick？　　What's　the　matter　with　her？〃

〃Goodness　knows；　nerves；　heart　trouble；　something　like　that。　　The
things　these　fine　ladies　are　always　having。　　But　she　wasn't　always
that　way；　not　until　about　a　year　ago。　　She　was　fresh　and　blooming
and　very　pretty　to　look　at　before　that。〃

〃She　is　a　young　lady　then？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　sir；　she's　very　young　still　and　very　pretty。　　It　makes
you　feel　sorry　to　see　her　so　miserable；　and　you　feel　sorry　for　her
husband。　　Now　there's　a　young　couple　with　everything　in　the　world
to　make　them　happy　and　so　fond　of　each　other；　and　the　poor　little
lady　has　to　be　so　sick。〃

〃They　are　very　happy；　you　say？〃　　asked　Muller　carelessly。　　He　had
no　particular　set　purpose　in　following　up　this　inquiry；　none　but
his　usual　understanding　of　the　fact　that　a　man　in　his　business　can
never　amass　too　much　knowledge；　and　that　it　will　sometimes　happen
that　a　chance　bit　of　information　comes　in　very　handy。

The　landlord　was　pleased　at　the　encouragement　and　continued：　〃Indeed
they　are　very　happy。　　They've　only　been　married　two　years。　　The　lady
comes　from　a　distance；　from　Graz。　　Her　father　is　an　army　officer　I
believe；　and　I　don't　think　she　was　over…rich。　　But　she's　a　very
sweet…looking　lady　and　her　rich　husband　is　very　fond　of　her；　any　one
can　see　that。〃

〃You　said　just　now　that　they　had　gone　away；　where　have　they　gone　to？〃

〃They've　gone　to　Italy；　sir。　　Mrs。　Thorne　was　one　of　the　few　people
who　do　not　know　Venice。　　Franz；　that's　the　butler；　sir；　told　me
yesterday　evening　that　he　had　received　a　telegram　saying　that　the
lady　and　gentleman　had　arrived　safely　and　were　very　comfortably
fixed　in　the　Hotel　Danieli。　　You　know　Danieli's？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　I　also　was　one　of　the　few　people　who　did　not　know
Venice；　that　is　I　was　until　two　years　ago。　　Then；　however；　I　had
the　pleasure　of　riding　over　the　Bridge　of　Mestre；〃　　answered　Muller。
He　did　not　add　that　he　was　not　alone　at　the　time；　but　had　ridden
across　the　long　bridge　in　company　with　a　pale　haggard…faced　man　who
did　not　dare　to　look　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　because　of　the
revolver　which　he　knew　was　held　in　the　detective's　hand　under　his
loose　overcoat。　　Muller's　visit　to　Venice；　like　most　of　his
journeyings；　had　been　one　of　business。　　This　time　to　capture　and
bring　home　a　notorious　and　long　sought　embezzler。　　He　did　not
volunteer　any　of　this　information；　however；　but　merely　asked　in　a
politely　interested　manner　whether　the　landlord　himself　had　been
to　Venice。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　　replied　the　latter　proudly。　　〃I　was　head　waiter　at
Baner's　for　two　years。〃

〃Then　you　must　make　me　some　Italian　dishes　soon；〃　　said　Muller。
Further　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Franz；　the
old　butler　of　the　house　opposite。

〃Excuse　me；　sir；　I　must　get　him　his　glass　of　wine；〃　said　the
landlord；　hurrying　away　t