the lamp that went out-第19部分

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hope　he　did　not　know！〃　　murmured　Muller　between　set　teeth）　that　the
man　who　held　him　in　his　power　because　of　some　rascality；　was　being
paid　for　his　silence　by　the　Lieutenant's　sister。

It　is　easy　to　frighten　a　sensitive　woman；　so　easy　to　make　her
believe　the　worst！　　And　there　is　little　such　a　tender…hearted　woman
will　not　do　to　save　her　aging　father　from　pain　and　sorrow；　perhaps
even　disgrace！

It　must　have　been　in　this　way　that　Mrs。　Thorne　came　into　the　power
of　the　scoundrel　who　paid　with　his　life　for　his　last　attempt　at
blackmail。

When　Muller　reached　this　point　in　his　chain　of　thought；　he　closed
his　eyes　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　letting　two　pictures
stand　out　clear　before　his　mental　vision。

He　saw　the　little　anxious　group　around　the　carriage　in　front　of　the
Thorne　mansion。　　He　saw　the　pale；　frail　woman　leaning　back　on　the
cushions；　and　the　husband　bending　over　her　in　tender　care。　　And
then　he　saw　Johann　Knoll　in　his　cell；　a　man　with　little　manhood　left
in　him；　a　man　sunk　to　the　level　of　the　brutes；　a　man　who　had　already
committed　one　crime　against　society；　and　who　could　never　rise　to　the
mental　or　spiritual　standard　of　even　the　most　mediocre　of　decent
citizens。

If　Herbert　Thorne　were　to　suffer　the　just　punishment　for　his　deed
of　doubly　blind　jealousy；　then　it　was　not　only　his　own　life；　a　life
full　of　gracious　promise；　that　would　be　ruined；　but　the　happiness　of
his　delicate；　sweet…faced　wife；　who　was　doubtless　still　in　blessed
ignorance　of　what　had　happened。　　And　still　one　other　would　be　dragged
down　by　this　tragedy；　a　respected；　upright　man　would　bow　his　white
hairs　in　disgrace。　　Thorne's　father…in…law　could　not　escape　the
scandal　and　his　own　share　in　the　responsibility　for　it。　　And　to　a
veteran　officer；　bred　in　the　exaggerated　social　ethics　of　his
profession。　　such　a　disgrace　means　ruin；　sometimes　even　voluntary
death。

〃Oh；　dear；　if　it　had　only　been　Knoll　who　did　it；〃　said　Muller　with
a　sigh　that　was　almost　a　groan。

Then　he　rose　slowly　and　heavily；　and　slowly　and　heavily；　as　if　borne
down　by　the　weight　of　great　weariness；　he　reached　for　his　hat　and
coat　and　left　the　house。

Whether　he　wished　it　or　not；　he　knew　it　was　his　duty　to　go　on　to　the
bitter　end　on　this　trail　he　had　followed　up　all　day　from　the　moment
that　he　caught　that　fleeting　glimpse　of　Mrs。　Bernauer's　haggard　face
at　the　garden　gate。　　He　was　almost　angry　with　the　woman；　because　she
chanced　to　look　out　of　the　gate　at　just　that　moment；　showing　him　her
face　distorted　with　anxiety。　　For　it　was　her　face　that　had　drawn
Muller　to　the　trail；　a　trail　at　the　end　of　which　misery　awaited　those
for　whom　this　woman　had　worked　for　years；　those　whom　she　loved　and
who　treated　her　as　one　of　the　family。

Muller　knew　now　that　the　one…time　nurse　was　in　league　with　her
former　charge；　that　Thorne　and　Adele　Bernauer　were　in　each　other's
confidence；　that　the　man　sat　waiting　for　the　signal　which　she　was
to　give　him；　a　signal　bringing　so　much　disgrace　and　sorrow　in　its
train。

If　the　woman　had　not　spied　upon　and　betrayed　her　mistress；　this
terrible　event；　which　now　weighed　upon　her　own　soul；　would　not　have
happened。

〃A　faithful　servant；　indeed；〃　　said　Muller；　with　a　harsh　laugh。

Then　maturer　consideration　came　and　forced　him　to　acknowledge　that
it　was　indeed　devotion　that　had　swayed　Adele　Bernauer；　devotion　to
her　master　more　than　to　her　mistress。　　This　was　hardly　to　be
wondered　at。　　But　she　had　not　thought　what　might　come　from　her
revelations；　what　had　come　of　them。　　For　now　her　pet；　the　baby　who
had　once　lain　in　her　arms；　the　handsome；　gifted　man　whom　she　adored
with　more　than　the　love　of　many　a　mother　for　the　child　of　her　own
blood；　was　under　the　shadow　of　hideous　disgrace　and　doom；　was　the
just　prey　of　the　law　for　open　trial　and　condemnation　as　a　murderer。

Muller　sighed　deeply　once　more　and　then　came　one　of　those　moments
which　he　had　spoken　of　to　the　unhappy　woman　that　very　day。　　He　felt
like　cursing　the　fatal　gift　that　was　his；　the　gift　to　see　what　was
hidden　from　others；　this　something　within　him　that　forced　him
relentlessly　onward　until　he　had　uncovered　the　truth；　and　brought
misery　to　many。

Muller　need　not　do　anything；　he　need　simply　do　nothing。　　Not　a　soul
besides　himself　suspected　the　dwellers　in　the　Thorne　mansion　of　any
connection　with　the　murder。　　If　he　were　silent；　nothing　could　be
proven　against　Knoll　after　all；　except　the　robbery　which　he　himself
had　confessed。　　Then　the　memory　of　the　terror　in　the　tramp's　little
reddened　eyes　came　back　to　the　detective's　mind。

〃A　human　soul　after　all；　and　a　soul　trembling　in　the　shadow　of　a
great　fear。　　And　even　he's　a　better　man　than　the　blackmailer　who
was　killed。　　A　miscarriage　of　justice　will　often　make　a　criminal
of　a　poor　fellow　whose　worst　fault　is　idleness。〃　　Muller's　face
darkened　as　the　things　of　the　past；　shut　down　in　the　depths　of　his
own　soul；　rose　up　again。　　〃No；　that's　why　I　took　up　this　work。
Justice　must　be　done　…　but　it's　bitter　hard　sometimes。　　I　could
almost　wish　now　that　I　hadn't　seen　that　face　at　the　gate。〃


　

CHAPTER　X

MULLER　RETURNS　TO　THE　THORNE　MANSION


It　was　striking　eight　as　Muller　came　out　of　a　caf？in　the　heart　of
the　city。　　He　had　been　in　there　but　a　few　moments；　for　his　purpose
was　merely　to　look　through　the　Army　lists　of　the　current　year。　　The
result　of　his　search　proved　the　correctness　of　his　conclusions。

There　was　a　Lieutenant　Theobald　Leining　in　the　single　infantry
regiment　stationed　at　Marburg。

Muller　took　a　cab　and　drove　to　the　main　telegraph　office。　　He　asked
for　the　original　of　the　telegram　which　had　been　sent　that　afternoon
to　the　address；　〃Herbert　Thorne；　Hotel　Danieli；　Venice。〃　　This
closed　the　circle　of　the　chain。

The　detective　re…entered　his　waiting　cab　and　drove　back　to　Hietzing。
He　told　the　driver　to　halt　at　the　corner　of　the　street　on　which
fronted　the　Thorne　mansion　and　to　wait　for　him　there。　　He　himself
walked　slowly　down　the　quiet　Street　and　rang　the　bell　at　the　iron
gate。

〃You　come　to　this　house　again？〃　　asked　Franz；　starting　back　in
alarm　when　he　saw　who　it　was　that　had　called　him　to　the　door。

〃Yes；　my　good　friend；　I　want　to　get　into　this　house　again。　　But　not
on　false　pretenses　this　time。　　And　before　you　let　me　in　you　can　go
upstairs　and　ask　Mrs。　Bernauer　if　she　will　receive　me　in　her　own
room　…　in　her　own　room；　mind。　　But　make　haste；　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃
The　detective's　tone　was　calm　and　he　strolled　slowly　up　and　down　in
front　of　the　gate　when　he　had　finished　speaking。

The　old　butler　hesitated　a　moment；　then　walked　into　the　house。
When　he　returned；　rather　more　quickly；　he　looked　alarmed　and　his
tone　was　very　humble　as　he　asked　Muller　to　follow　him。

When　the　detective　entered　Mrs。　Bernauer's　room　the　housekeeper
rose　slowly　from　the　large　armchair　in　front　of　her　table。　　She　was
very　pale　and　her　eyes　were　full　of　terror。　　She　made　no　move　to
speak；　so　Muller　began　the　conversation。　　He　put　down　his　hat；
brought　up　a　chair　and　placed　it　near　the　window　at　which　the
housekeeper　had　been　sitting。　　Then　he　sat　down　and　motioned　to
her　to　do　the　same。

〃You　are　a　faithful　servant；　all　too　faithful；〃　　he　began。　　〃But
you　are　faithful　only　to　your　master。　　You　have　no　devotion　for
his　wife。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　　replied　the　woman　in　a　low　tone。

〃Perhaps；　but　I　do　not　think　so。　　One　does　not　betray　the　people
to　whom　one　is　devoted。〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　looked　up　in　surprise。　　〃What　…　what　do　you　know？〃
she　stammered。

Muller　did　not　answer　the　question　directly；　but　continued：　〃Mrs。
Thorne　had　a　meeting　recently　with　a　strange　man。　　It　was　not　their
first　meeting；　and　somehow　you　discovered　it。　　But　before　this　last
meeting　occurred　you　spoke　to　the　lady's　husband　about　it；　and　it
was　arranged　between　you　that　you　should　give　him　a　signal　which
would　mean　to　him；　'Your　wife　is　going　to　the　meeting。'　Mrs。　Thorne
did　go　to　the　meeting。　　This　happened　on　Monday　evening　at　about
quarter　past　nine。　　Some　one；　who　was　in　the　neighbourhood　by
chance；　saw　a　woman's　figure　hurrying　through　the　garden；　down　to
the　other　street；　and　a　moment　after　this；　the　light　of　this　lamp
in　your　window　was　seen　to　go　out。　　A　hand　had　turned　down　the
wick　…　it　was　your　hand。

〃This　was　the　signal　to　Mr。　Thorne。　　The　mirrors　over　his　desk
reflected　in　his　eyes　the　light　he　could　not　otherwise　have　seen
as　he　sat　by　his　own　window。　　The　signal；　therefore；　told　him　that
the　time　had　come　to　act。　　This　same　chance　watcher；　who　had　seen
the　woman　going　through　the　garden；　had　seen　the　lamp　go　out；　and
now　saw　a　man's　figure　hurrying　down　the　path　the　woman　had　taken。
The　man　as　well　as　the　woman　came　from　this　house　and　went　in　the
direction　of　the　lower　end　of　the　garden。

〃A　little　while　later　a　shot　was　heard；　and　the　next　morning　Leopold
Winkler　was　found　with　a　bullet　in　his　back。　　The　crime　was
generally　taken　to　be　a　murder　for　the　sake　of　robbery。　　But　you　and
I；　and　Mr。　Herbert　Thorne；　know　very　well　that　it　was　not。

〃You　know　this　since　Wednesday　noon。　　Then　it　was　that　the　idea
suddenly　came　to　you；　falling　like　a　heavy　weight　on　your　soul；　the
idea　that　Winkler　might　not　have　been　killed　for　the　sake　of　robbery；
but　because　of　the　hatred　that　some　one　bore　him。　　Then　it　was　that
you　lost　your　appetite　suddenly；　that　you　drove　into　the　city　with
the　excuse　of　errands　to　do；　in　order　to　read　the　papers　without
being　seen　by　any　one　who　knew　you。　　When　you　came　home　you　searched
everywhere　in　your　master's　room：　you　made　an　excuse　for　this　search；
but　what　you　wanted　to　find　out　was　whether　he　had　left　anything
that　could　betray　him。　　Your　fright　had　already　confused　your　mind。
You　were　searching　probably　for　the　weapon　from　which　he　had　fired
the　bullet。　　You　did　not　realise　that　he　would　naturally　have　taken
it　with　him　and　thrown　it　somewhere　into　a　ravine　or　river　beside
the　railway　track　between　here　and　Venice。　　How　could　you　think　for
a　moment　that　he　would　leave　it　behind　him；　here　in　his　room；　or
dropped　in　the　garden？　　But　this　was　doubtless　due　to　the　confusion
owing　to　your　sudden　alarm　and　anxiety　…　a　confusion　which　prevented
you　from　realising　the　danger　of　the　two　peculiarly　hung　m