the lamp that went out-第23部分

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punishment　for　killing　a　scoundrel。　　The　poor　man　whom　they　have
arrested　in　my　place　must　not　linger　in　the　fear　of　death。　　I　am
ready；　sir。

〃My　name　is　Muller　…　detective　Muller。〃

〃Joseph　Muller；　the　famous　detective　Muller？〃　asked　Thorne　with　a
sad　smile。　　〃I　have　had　little　to　do　with　the　police　but　by　chance
I　have　heard　of　your　fame。　　I　might　have　known；　they　tell　me　you
are　one　from　whom　the　truth　can　never　remain　hidden。〃

〃My　duty　is　not　always　an　easy　one；〃　　said　Muller。

〃Thank　you。　　Dispose　of　me　as　you　will。　　I　do　not　wish　any
privileges　that　others　would　not　have；　Mr。　Muller。　　Here　is　my
written　confession　and　here　am　I　myself。　　Shall　we　go。　　now？〃
Herbert　Thorne　handed　the　detective　his　notebook　with　its　important
contents　and　then　walked　slowly　back　along　the　road　he　had　come。

Muller　walked　a　little　behind　him；　while　Mrs。　Bernauer　was　at　his
side。　　As　in　days　long　past；　they　walked　hand　in　hand。

With　eyes　full　of　pity　Muller　watched　them；　and　he　heard　Thorne
give　his　old　nurse　orders　for　the　care　of　his　wife。　　She　was　to　take
Mrs。　Thorne　to　Graz　to　her　father；　then　to　return　herself　to　Vienna
and　take　care　of　the　house　as　usual；　until　his　attorney　could　settle
up　his　affairs　and　sell　the　property。　　For　Thorne　said　that　neither
he　nor　his　wife　would　ever　want　to　set　foot　in　the　house　again。　　He
spoke　calmly；　he　thought　of　everything　…　he　thought　even　of　the
possibility　that　he　might　have　to　pay　the　death　penalty　for　his　deed。

For　who　could　tell　how　the　authorities　would　judge　this　murder？

It　had　indeed　been　a　murder　by　merest　chance　only。　　Thorne　told　his
old　nurse　all　about　it。　　When　she　had　given　him　the　signal　he　had
hurried　down　into　the　garden；　and　walking　quietly　along　the　path；
he　had　found　his　wife　at　the　garden　gate　in　conversation　with　a　man
who　was　a　stranger　to　him。　　That　part　of　their　talk　which　he
overheard　told　him　that　the　man　was　a　blackmailer；　and　that　he　was
making　money　on　the　fact　that　he　had　caught　Theobald　Leining　cheating
at　cards。

This　chance　had　put　the　officer　into　Winkler's　power。　　The　clerk
knew　that　he　could　get　nothing　from　the　guilty　man　himself；　so　he
had　turned　to　the　latter's　sister；　who　was　rich；　and　had　threatened
to　bring　about　a　disgraceful　scandal　if　she　did　not　pay　for　his
silence。　　For　more　than　a　year　he　had　been　getting　money　from　her
by　means　of　these　threats。　　All　this　was　clear　from　the　conversation。
The　man　spoke　in　tones　of　impertinence；　or　sneering　obsequiousness；
the　woman　s　voice　showed　contempt　and　hatred。

Thorne's　blood　began　to　boil。　　His　fingers　tightened　about　the
revolver　which　he　had　brought　with　him　to　be　ready　for　any　emergency；
and　he　stepped　designedly　upon　a　twig　which　broke　under　his　feet
with　a　noise。　　He　wanted　to　frighten　his　wife　and　send　her　back　to
the　house。　　This　was　what　did　occur。　　But　the　blackmailer　was　alarmed
as　well　and　fled　hastily　from　the　garden　when　he　realised　that　he　was
not　alone　with　his　victim。　　Thorne　followed　the　man's　disappearing
figure；　calling　him　to　halt。　　He　did　not　call　loudly　for　he　too　wanted
to　avoid　a　scandal。　　His　intention　was　to　force　the　man　to　follow　him
into　the　house；　to　get　his　written　confession　of　blackmail　…　then　to
finish　him　off　with　a　large　sum　once　for　all　and　kick　him　out　of　the
place。

In　this　manner　Herbert　Thorne　thought　to　free　himself　and　his　wife
from　the　persecutions　of　the　rascal。　　His　heart　was　filled　with
hatred　towards　the　man。　　For　since　Mrs。　Bernauer　had　told　him　what
she　had　discovered；　he　knew　that　it　was　because　of　this　wretch　that
his　once　so　happy　wife　was　losing　her　strength；　her　health　and　her
peace　of　mind。

He　followed　the　fleeing　man　and　called　to　him　several　times　to　halt。
Finally　Winkler　half　turned　and　called　out　over　his　shoulder：　〃You'd
better　leave　me　alone！　　Do　you　want　all　Vienna　to　know　that　your
brother…in…law　ought　to　be　in　jail？〃

These　words　robbed　Thorne　of　all　control。　　He　pressed　the　trigger
under　his　finger　and　the　bullet　struck　the　man　before　him；　who　had
turned　to　continue　his　flight；　full　in　the　back。　　〃And　that　is　how
I　became　a　murderer。〃　　With　these　words　Herbert　Thorne　concluded　his
narrative。　　He　appeared　quite　calm　now。　　He　was　really　calmer；　for
the　strain　of　the　deed；　which　was　justified　in　his　eyes；　was　not　so
great　upon　his　conscience　as　had　been　the　strain　of　the　secret　of　it。

In　his　own　eyes　he　had　only　killed　a　beast　who　chanced　to　bear　the
form　of　a　man。　　But　of　course　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　this　was　a
murder　like　any　other；　and　the　man　who　had　committed　it　knew　that
he　was　under　the　ban　of　the　law；　that　it　was　only　a　chance　that　the
arm　of　justice　had　not　yet　reached　out　for　him。　　And　now　this　arm
had　reached　out　for　him；　although　it　was　no　longer　necessary。　　For
Herbert　Thorne　was　not　the　man　to　allow　another　to　suffer　in　his
stead。

As　soon　as　he　knew　that　another　had　been　arrested　and　was　under
suspicion　of　the　murder；　he　knew　that　there　was　nothing　more　for
him　but　open　confession。　　But　he　wished　to　avoid　a　scandal　even　now。
If　he　died　by　his　own　hand；　then　the　first　cause　of　all　this　trouble；
his　brother…in…law's　rascality；　could　still　be　hidden。

But　now　his　care　was　all　in　vain　and　Herbert　Thorne　knew　that　he
must　submit　to　the　inevitable。　　Side　by　side　with　his　old　friend
he　sat　on　the　deck　of　the　boat　that　took　them　back　to　the　Riva　dei
Schiavoni。　　Muller　sat　at　some　distance　from　them。　　The　pale
sad…faced　woman；　and　the　pale　sad…faced　man　had　much　to　say　to　each
other　that　a　stranger　might　not　hear。

When　the　little　boat　reached　the　landing　stage；　there　were　but　a
few　steps　more　to　the　door　of　the　Hotel　Danieli。　　From　a　balcony　on
the　first　floor　a　young　woman　stood　looking　down　onto　the　canal。
She　too　was　pale　and　her　eyes　were　heavy　with　anxiety。　　She　had　been
pale　and　anxious　even　then；　the　day　when　she　left　the　beautiful　old
house　in　the　quiet　street；　to　start　on　this　pleasure　trip　to　Venice。

It　had　been　no　pleasure　trip　to　her。　　She　had　seen　the　change　in　her
husband；　a　change　that　struck　deep　into　his　very　being　and　altered
him　in　everything　except　in　his　love　and　tender　care　for　her。　　〃Oh；
why　is　it？　　what　is　the　matter？〃　　she　asked　her　self　a　thousand　times
a　day。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　he　had　discovered　the　secret　which
tortured　her；　the　only　secret　she　had　ever　had　from　him；　the　secret
she　had　longed　to　confess　to　him　a　hundred　times　but　had　lacked
courage　to　do　it。

For　she　had　sinned　deeply　against　her　husband；　she　knew。　　Her　fear
and　her　confusion　had　driven　her　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　waters
of　deceit　until　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　find　the　words　that
would　have　brought　help　and　comfort　from　the　man　whom　she　loved　more
than　anything　else　in　the　world。　　In　the　very　earliest　stages　of
Winkler's　persecution　she　had　lost　her　head　completely　and　instead
of　confessing　to　her　husband　and　asking　for　his　aid　and　protection；
she　had　pawned　the　rich　jewels　which　had　been　his　wedding　present　to
get　the　money　demanded　by　the　blackmailer。　　In　her　ignorance　she　had
thought　that　this　one　sum　would　satisfy　him。

But　he　came　again　and　again；　demanding　money　which　she　saved　from
her　pin　money；　from　her　household　allowance；　thus　taking　what　she
had　intended　to　use　to　redeem　her　jewels。　　The　pledge　was　lost；　and
her　jewels　gone　forever。　　From　now　on；　Mrs。　Thorne　lived　in　a　terror
which　sapped　her　strength　and　drank　her　life　blood　drop　by　drop。　　Any
hour　might　bring　discovery；　a　discovery　which　she　feared　would　shake
her　husband's　love　for　her。　　The　poor　weak　little　woman　grew　pale　and
ill。　　She　wrote　finally　to　her　step…brother；　but　he　could　think　of　no
way　out；　he　wrote　only　that　if　the　matter　came　to　a　scandal　there
would　be　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　to　kill　himself。　　This　was　one
reason　more　for　her　silence；　and　Mrs。　Thome　faded　to　a　wan　shadow　of
her　former　sunny　self。

As　she　looked　down　from　the　balcony；　she　was　like　a　woman　suffering
from　a　deathly　illness。　　A　new　terror　had　come　to　her　heart　because
her　husband　had　gone　away　so　early　without　telling　her　why　or　whither
he　had　gone。　　When　she　saw　him　coming　towards　the　door　of　the　hotel；
pale　and　drooping；　and　when　she　saw　Mrs。　Bernauer　beside　him；　her
heart　seemed　to　stand　still。　　She　crept　back　from　the　window　and　
stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　as　Herbert　Thorne　and　his　former
nurse　entered。

〃What　has　happened？〃　　This　was　all　she　could　say　as　she　looked　into
the　distraught　face　of　the　housekeeper；　into　her　husband's　sad　eyes。

He　led　her　to　a　chair；　then　knelt　beside　her　and　told　her　all。

〃Outside　the　door　stands　the　man　who　will　take　me　back　to　Vienna
…　and　you；　my　dearest；　you　must　go　to　your　father。〃　　He　concluded　his
story　with　these　words。

She　bent　down　over　him　and　kissed　him。　　〃'No；　I　am　going　with　you；〃
　she　said　softly；　strangely　calm；　〃why　should　I　leave　you　now？　　Is
it　not　I　who　am　the　cause　of　this　dreadful　thing？〃

And　then　she　made　her　confession；　much　too　late。　　And　she　went　with
him；　back　to　the　city　of　their　home。　　It　seemed　to　them　both　quite
natural　that　she　should　do　so。

When　the　Northern　Express　rolled　out　of　Venice　that　afternoon；　three
people　sat　together　in　a　compartment；　the　curtains　of　which　were
drawn　close。　　They　were　the　unhappy　couple　and　their　faithful
servant。　　And　outside　in　the　corridor　of　the　railway　carriage；　a
small；　slight　man　walked　up　and　down　…　up　and　down。　　He　had　pressed
a　gold　coin　into　the　conductor's　hand；　with　the　words：　〃The　party
in　there　do　not　wish　to　be　disturbed；　the　lady　is　ill。〃

Herbert　Thorne's　trial　took　place　several　weeks　later。　　Every
possible　extenuating　circumstance　was　brought　to　bear　upon　his
sentence。　　Five　years　only　was　to　be　the　term　of　his　imprisonment；
his　punishment　for　the　crime　of　a　single　moment　of　anger。

His　wife　waited　for　him　in　patient　love。　　She　did　not　go　to　Graz；
but　continued　to　live　in　the　old　mansion　with　the　mansard　roof。
Her　father　was　with　her。　　The　brother　Theobald；　the　cause　of　all
this　suffering　to　those　who　had　shielded　him　at　the　expense　of
their　own　happiness；　had　at　last　done　the　only　good　deed　of　his
life　…　had　put　an　end　to　his　useless　existence　with　his　own　hand。

Father　and　daugh