the lamp that went out-第4部分

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one　evidently　the　housekeeper；　the　other　possibly　the　cook。　　The
latter　was　weeping　openly　and　devoutly　kissing　the　hand　of　her
mistress。　　The　housekeeper　discovered　that　a　rug　was　missing　and
sent　the　maid　back　for　it；　while　the　old　servant　helped　the　lady
into　the　carriage。　　The　door　of　the　carriage　was　wide　open　and
Muller　had　a　good　glimpse　of　the　pale；　sweet…faced　and
delicate…looking　young　women　who　leaned　back　in　her　corner；
shivering　and　evidently　ill。　　The　servants　bustled　about；　making
her　comfortable；　while　her　husband　superintended　the　work　with
anxious　tenderness。　　He　was　a　tall；　fine…looking　man　with　deep…set
grey　eyes　and　a　rich；　sympathetic　voice。　　He　gave　his　orders　to
his　servants　with　calm　authority；　but　he　also　was　evidently
suffering　from　the　disease　of　our　century　…　nervousness；　for
Muller　saw　that　the　man's　hands　clenched　feverishly　and　that　his
lips　were　trembling　under　his　drooping　moustache。

The　maid　hastened　down　with　the　rug　and　spread　it　over　her
mistress's　knees；　as　the　gentleman　exclaimed　nervously：　〃Do
hurry　with　that！　　Do　you　want　us　to　miss　the　train？〃

The　butler　closed　the　door　of　the　carriage；　the　coachman　gathered
up　the　reins　and　raised　his　whip。　　The　housekeeper　bowed　low　and
murmured　a　few　words　in　farewell　and　the　other　servants　followed
her　example　with　tears　in　their　eyes。　　〃You'll　see　us　again　in
six　weeks；〃　　the　lady　called　out　and　her　husband　added：　〃If　all
goes　well。〃　　Then　he　motioned　to　the　waiting　driver　and　the
carriage　moved　off　swiftly；　turning　the　corner　in　a　few　moments。

The　little　group　of　servants　returned　to　the　courtyard　behind　the
high　gates。　　Muller；　whom　they　had　not　noticed；　was　about　to　resume
his　walk；　when　he　halted　again。　　The　courtyard　of　the　house　led　back
through　a　flagged　walk　to　the　park…like　garden　that　surrounded　it
on　the　sides　and　rear。　　Down　this　walk　came　a　young　woman。　　She　came
so　quickly　that　one　might　almost　call　it　running。　　She　was　evidently
excited　about　something。　　Muller　imagined　what　this　something　might
be；　and　he　remained　to　hear　what　she　had　to　say。　　He　was　not
mistaken。　　The　woman；　it　was　Mrs。　Schmiedler；　the　gardener's　wife；
began　her　story　at　once。　　〃Haven't　you　heard　yet？〃　　she　said
breathlessly。　　〃No；　you　can't　have　heard　it　yet　or　you　wouldn't
stand　there　so　quietly；　Mrs。　Bernauer。〃

〃What's　the　matter？〃　　asked　the　woman　whom　Muller　took　to　be　the
housekeeper。

〃They　killed　a　man　last　night　out　here！　　They　found　his　body　just
now　in　the　lane　back　of　our　garden。　　The　janitor　from　No。1　told　me
as　I　was　going　to　the　store；　so　I　went　right　back　to　look　at　the
place；　and　I　came　to　tell　you；　as　I　didn't　think　you'd　heard　it　yet。〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　was　evidently　a　woman　of　strong　constitution　and　of
an　equable　mind。　　The　other　three　servants　broke　out　into　an
excited　hubbub　of　talk　while　she　remained　quite　indifferent　and
calm。　　〃One　more　poor　fellow　who　had　to　leave　the　world　before　he
was　ready；〃　　she　remarked　calmly；　with　just　the　natural　touch　of
pity　in　her　voice　that　would　come　to　any　warm…hearted　human　being
upon　hearing　of　such　an　occurrence。　　She　did　not　seem　at　all
excited　or　alarmed　to　think　that　the　scene　of　the　crime　had　been
so　near。

The　other　servants　were　very　much　more　excited　and　had　already
rushed　off；　under　the　guidance　of　the　gardener's　wife；　to　look　at
the　dreadful　spot。　　Franz；　the　butler；　had　quite　forgotten　to
close　the　front　gate　in　his　excitement；　and　the　housekeeper　turned
to　do　it　now。

〃The　fools；　see　them　run；〃　　she　exclaimed　half　aloud。　　〃As　if
there　was　anything　for　them　to　do　there。〃

The　gate　closed；　Mrs。　Bernauer　turned　and　walked　slowly　to　the
house。　　Muller　walked　on　also；　going　first　to　the　police　station
to　report　what　he　had　discovered。　　Then　he　went　to　his　own　rooms
and　slept　until　nearly　noon。　　On　his　return　to　the　police　station
he　found　that　notices　of　the　occurrence　had　already　been　sent　out
to　the　papers。


　

CHAPTER　III

THE　EVENING　PAPER


The　autopsy　proved　beyond　a　doubt　that　the　murdered　man　had　been
dead　for　many　hours　before　the　discovery　of　his　body。　　The　bullet
which　had　struck　him　in　the　back　had　pierced　the　trachea　and
death　had　occurred　within　a　few　minutes。　　The　only　marks　for
identification　of　the　body　were　the　initials　L。　W。　on　his　underwear。
The　evening　paper　printed　an　exact　description　of　the　man's
appearance　and　his　clothing。

It　was　about　ten　o'clock　next　morning　when　Mrs。　Klingmayer；　a　widow
living　in　a　quiet　street　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　city　from
Hietzing；　returned　from　her　morning　marketing。　　It　was　only　a　few
little　bundles　that　she　brought　with　her　and　she　set　about　preparing
her　simple　dinner。　　Her　packages　were　wrapped　in　newspapers；　which
she　carefully　smoothed　out　and　laid　on　the　dresser。

Mrs。　Klingmayer　was　the　widow　of　a　street…car　conductor　and　the
little　pension　which　she　received　from　the　company；　as　well　as　the
money　she　could　earn　for　herself；　did　not　permit　of　the　indulgence
in　a　daily　newspaper。　　And　yet　the　reading　of　the　papers　was　the
one　luxury　for　which　the　simple　woman　longed。　　Her　grocer；　who　was
a　friend　of　years；　knew　this　and　would　wrap　up　her　purchases　in
papers　of　recent　date；　knowing　that　she　could　then　enjoy　them　in
her　few　moments　of　leisure。　　To…day　this　leisure　came　unexpectedly
early；　for　Mrs。　Klingmayer　had　less　work　than　usual　to　attend　to。

Her　little　flat　consisted　of　two　rooms　and　a　kitchen　with　a　large
closet　opening　out　from　it。　　She　lived　in　the　kitchen　and　rented
the　front　rooms。　　Her　tenants　were　a　middle…aged　man；　inspector
in　a　factory；　who　had　the　larger　room；　and　a　younger　man　who　was
bookkeeper　in　an　importing　house　in　the　city。　　But　this　young　man
had　not　been　at　home　for　forty…eight　hours；　a　fact；　however；　which
did　not　greatly　worry　his　landlady。　　The　gentleman　in　question
lived　a　rather　dissipated　life　and　it　was　not　the　first　time　that
he　had　remained　away　from　home　over　night。　　It　is　true　that　it　was
the　first　time　that　he　had　not　been　home　for　two　successive　nights。
But　as　Mrs。　Klingmayer　thought；　everything　has　to　happen　the　first
time　sometime。　　〃It's　not　likely　to　be　the　last　time；〃　　the　worthy
woman　thought。

At　all　events　she　was　rather　glad　of　it　to…day；　for　she　suffered
from　rheumatism　and　it　was　difficult　for　her　to　get　about。　　The
young　man's　absence　saved　her　the　work　of　fixing　up　his　room　that
morning　and　allowed　her　to　get　to　her　reading　earlier　than　usual。
When　she　had　put　the　pot　of　soup　on　the　fire；　she　sat　down　by　the
window；　adjusted　her　big　spectacles　and　began　to　read。　　To　her
great　delight　she　discovered　that　the　paper　she　held　in　her　hand
bore　the　date　of　the　previous　afternoon。　　In　spite　of　the　good
intentions　of　her　friend　the　grocer；　it　was　not　always　that　she
could　get　a　paper　of　so　recent　date；　and　she　began　to　read　with
doubled　anticipation　of　pleasure。

She　did　not　waste　time　on　the　leading　articles；　for　she　understood
little　about　politics。　　The　serial　stories　were　a　great　delight　to
her；　or　would　have　been；　if　she　had　ever　been　able　to　follow　them
consecutively。　　But　her　principal　joy　were　the　everyday　happenings
of　varied　interest　which　she　found　in　the　news　columns。　　To…day　she
was　so　absorbed　in　the　reading　of　them　that　the　soup　pot　began　to
boil　over　and　send　out　rivulets　down　onto　the　stove。　　Ordinarily
this　would　have　shocked　Mrs。　Klingmayer；　for　the　neatness　of　her
pots　and　pans　was　the　one　great　care　of　her　life。　　But　now；　strange
to　relate；　she　paid　no　attention　to　the　soup；　nor　to　the　smell　and
the　smoke　that　arose　from　the　stove。　　She　had　just　come　upon　a
notice　in　the　paper　which　took　her　entire　attention。　　She　read　it
through　three　times；　and　each　time　with　growing　excitement。　　This
is　what　she　read：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MURDER　IN　HIETZING

　　This　morning　at　six　o'clock　the　body　of　a　man　about　30　years
　　old　was　discovered　in　a　lane　in　Hietzing。　　The　man　must　have
　　been　dead　many　hours。　　He　had　been　shot　from　behind。　　The　dead
　　man　was　tall　and　thin；　with　brown　eyes；　brown　hair　and　moustache。
　　The　letters　L。　W。　were　embroidered　in　his　underwear。　　There　was
　　nothing　else　discovered　on　him　that　could　reveal…　his　identity。
　　His　watch　and　purse　were　not　in　his　pockets：　presumably　they　had
　　been　taken　by　the　murderer。　　A　strange　fact　is　that　in　one　of
　　his　pockets　…　a　hidden　pocket　it　is　true　…　there　was　the　sum　of
　　300　guldens　in　bills。


This　was　the　notice　which　made　Mrs。　Klingmayer　neglect　the　soup　pot。

Finally　the　old　woman　stood　up　very　slowly；　threw　a　glance　at　the
stove　and　opened　the　window　mechanically。　　Then　she　lifted　the　pots
from　the　fire　and　set　them　on　the　outer　edge　of　the　range。　　And
then　she　did　something　that　ordinarily　would　have　shocked　her
economical　soul　…　she　poured　water　on　the　fire　to　put　it　out。

When　she　saw　that　there　was　not　a　spark　left　in　the　stove；　she　went
into　her　own　little　room　and　prepared　to　go　out。　　Her　excitement
caused　her　to　forget　her　rheumatism　entirely。　　One　more　look　around
her　little　kitchen；　then　she　locked　it　up　and　set　out　for　the　centre
of　the　city。

She　went　to　the　office　of　the　importing　house　where　her　tenant；
Leopold　Winkler；　was　employed　as　bookkeeper。　　The　clerk　at　the　door
noticed　the　woman's　excitement　and　asked　her　kindly　what　the　trouble
was。

〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　Mr。　Winkler；〃　　she　said　eagerly。

〃Mr。　Winkler　hasn't　come　in　yet；〃　　answered　the　young　man。　　〃Is
anything　the　matter？　　You　look　so　white！　　Winkler　will　probably
show　up　soon；　he's　never　very　punctual。　　But　it's　after　eleven
o'clock　now　and　he's　never　been　as　late　as　this　before。〃

〃I　'don't　believe　he'll　ever　come　again；〃　　said　the　old　woman；
sinking　down　on　a　bench　beside　the　'door。

〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃　　asked　the　clerk。　　〃Why　shouldn't　he　come
again？〃

〃Is　the　head　of　the　firm　here？〃　　asked　Mrs。　Klingmayer；　wiping　her
forehead　with　her　handkerchief。　　The　clerk　nodded　and　hurried　away
to　tell　his　employer　about　the　woman　with　the　white　face　who　came
to　ask　for　a　man　who；　as　she　expressed　it；　〃would　never　come　there
again。〃

〃I　don't　think　she's　quite　right　in　the　head；〃　　he　volunteered。　　The
head　of　the　firm　told　him　to　bring　the　woman　into　the　in