the lamp that went out-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


money　which　had　not　yet　come。　　Did　he；　however；　tell　any　one　later
that　he　expected　a　certain　sum？　　Do　you　think　he　would　have　been
likely　to　tell　any　one？〃

〃No；　I　do　not　think　that　he　would　tell　any　one。　　He　never　mentioned
to　any　of　us　that　he　had　received　money；　or　even　that　he　expected
to　receive　it。　　None　of　us　knew　what　outside　resources　he　might　have；
or　whence　they　came。　　If　it　had　not　been　that　the　money　was　paid　him
by　the　carrier　in　the　office　two　or　three　times　…　so；　that　we　could
see　it　…　we　would　none　of　us　have　known　of　this　income；　except　for
the　fact　that　he　was　freer　in　spending　after　the　money　came。　　He
would　dine　at　expensive　restaurants；　and　this　fact　he　would　mention
to　us；　whereas　at　other　times　he　would　go　to　the　cheap　caf？〃

〃Do　you　know　anything　about　the　people　he　was　acquainted　with
outside　the　office？〃

〃No；　sir。　　I　seldom　met　him　outside　of　the　office。　　One　evening　it
did　happen　that　I　saw　him　at　Ronacher's。　　He　was　there　with　a
lady　…　that　is；　a　so…called　'lady　'…and　it　must　have　been　one　of
the　times　that　he　had　money；　for　they　were　enjoying　an　expensive
supper。　　At　other　times；　some　of　the　other　clerks　met　him　at　various
resorts；　always　with　the　same　sort　of　woman。　　But　not　always　with
the　same　woman；　for　they　were　different　in　appearance。〃

〃He　was　never　seen　anywhere　with　other　men？〃

〃No；　sir；　at　least　not　by　any　of　us。〃

〃He　was　not　liked　in　the　office？〃

〃No。〃　　Bormann's　answer　was　sharp。　

〃For　what　reason？〃

〃I　don't　know；　we　just　didn't　like　him。　　We　had　very　little　to　do
with　him　at　first　because　of　this；　and　soon　we　noticed　that　he
seemed　just　as　anxious　to　avoid　us　as　we　were　to　avoid　him。〃

The　commissioner　rose　and　Bormann　followed　his　example。　　〃I　am　very
sorry；　sir；　if　I　have　taken　up　your　time　to　no　purpose；〃　　said　the
latter　modestly；　as　he　took　up　his　hat。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　that　what　you　have　said　may　not　be　of　great　value
to　us；〃　　said　a　voice　behind　them。　　Muller　stood　there；　looking　at
Riedau　with　a　glance　almost　of　defiance。　　His　eyes　were　again　lit
up　with　the　strange　fire　that　shone　in　them　when　he　was　on　the　trail。
The　commissioner　shrugged　his　shoulders；　bowed　to　the　departing
visitor；　and　then　turned　without　an　answer　to　some　documents　on　his
desk。　　There　was　silence　in　the　room　for　a　few　moments。　　Finally　a
gentle　voice　came　from　Muller's　corner　again：　〃Dr。　von　Riedau？〃

The　commissioner　raised　his　head　and　looked　around。　　〃Oh；　are　you
still　there？〃　he　asked　with　a　drawl。

Muller　knew　what　this　drawl　meant。　　It　was　the　manner　adopted　by
the　amiable　commissioner　when　he　was　in　a　mood　which　was　not　amiable。
And　Muller　knew　also　the　cause　of　the　mood。　　It　was　his　own　last
remark；　the　words　he　addressed　to　Bormann。　　Muller　himself　recognised
the　fact　that　this　remark　was　out　of　place；　that　it　was　almost　an
impertinence；　because　it　was　in　direct　contradiction　to　a　statement
made　a　few　moments　before　by　his　superior　officer。　　Also　he　realised
that　his　remark　had　been　quite　unnecessary；　because　it　was　a　matter
of　indifference　to　the　young　man；　who　was　only　obeying　his　employer's
orders　in　reporting　what　he　had　seen；　whether　his　report　was　of
value　or　not。　　Muller　had　simply　uttered　aloud　the　thought　that　came
into　his　mind；　a　habit　of　his　which　years　of　official　training　had
not　yet　succeeded　in　breaking。　　It　was　annoying　to　himself　sometimes；
for　these　half…formed　thoughts　were　mere　instinct　…　they　were　the
workings　of　his　own　genius　that　made　him　catch　a　suspicion　of　the
truth　long　before　his　conscious　mind　could　reason　it　out　or
appreciate　its　value。　　But　that　sort　of　thing　was　not　popular　in
official　police　life。

〃Well；〃　　asked　the　commissioner；　as　Muller　did　not　continue；　〃your
tongue　is　not　usually　so　slow　…　as　you　have　proved　just　a　few
moments　back　…　what　were　you　going　to　say　now？〃

〃I　was　about　to　ask　your　pardon　for　my　interruption。　　It　was
unnecessary；　I　should　not　have　said　it。〃

〃Well；　I　realise　that　you　know　better　yourself；〃　said　Riedau；　now
quite　friendly　again；　〃and　now　what　else　have　you　to　say？　　Do　you
really　think　that　what　the　young　man　has　just　told　us　is　of　any
value　at　all　for　this　case？〃

〃It　seems　to　me　as　if　it　might　be　of　value　to　us。〃

〃Oh；　it　seems　to　you；　eh？　　Your　imagination　is　working　overtime
again；　Muller；〃　　said　the　commissioner　with　a　laugh。　　But　the　laugh
turned　to　seriousness　as　he　realised　how　many　times　Muller's
imagination　had　helped　the　clumsy　official　mind　to　its　proudest
triumphs。　　The　commissioner　was　an　intelligent　man；　as　far　as　his
lights　went；　and　he　was　a　good…hearted　man。　　He　rose　from　his　chair
and　walked　over　to　where　the　detective　stood。　　〃You　needn't　look　so
embarrassed；　Muller；〃　　he　said。　　〃There　is　no　cause　for　you　to　feel
bad　about　it。　　And　…　I　am　quite　willing　to　admit　that　my　remark
just　now　was　unnecessary。　　You　may　give　your　imagination　full　rein；
we　can　trust　to　your　intelligence　and　your　devotion　to　duty　to　keep
it　from　unnecessary　flights。　　So　curbed；　I　know　it　will　be　of　as
much　assistance　to　us　this　time　as　it　always　has　been。〃

Muller's　quiet　face　lit　up；　and　his　eyes　shone　in　a　happiness　that
made　him　appear　ten　years　younger。　　That　was　one　of　the　strange
things　about　Joseph　Muller。　　This　genius　in　his　profession　was　in
all　other　ways　a　man　of　such　simplicity　of　heart　and　bearing；　that
the　slightest　word　of　approval　from　one　of　the　officials　for　whom
he　worked　could　make　him　as　happy　as　praise　from　the　teacher　will
make　a　schoolboy。　　The　moments　when　he　was　in　command　of　any
difficult　case；　when　these　same　superiors　would　wait　for　a　word　from
him；　when　high　officials　would　take　his　orders　or　would　be　obliged
to　acknowledge　that　without　him　they　were　helpless；　these　moments
were　forgotten　as　soon　as　the　problem　was　solved　and　Muller　became
again　the　simple　subordinate　and　the　obscure　member　of　the　Imperial
police　force。

When　Muller　left　the　commissioner's　room　and　walked　through　the
outer　office；　one　of　the　clerks　looked　after　him　and　whispered　to
his　companion：　〃Do　you　think　he's　found　the　Hietzing　murderer　yet？〃
The　other　answered：　〃I　don't　think　so；　but　he　looks　as　if　he　had
found　a　clue。　　He'll　find　him　sooner　or　later。　　He　always　does。〃

Muller　did　not　hear　these　words；　although　they　also　would　have
pleased　him。　　He　walked　slowly　down　the　stairs　murmuring　to　himself：
〃I　think　I　was　right　just　the　same。　　We　are　following　a　false　trail。〃




CHAPTER　V

BY　A　THREAD


It　was　on　Monday；　the　27th　of　September；　that　Leopold　Winkler　was
murdered　and　robbed；　and　early　on　Tuesday；　the　28th；　his　body　was
found。　　That　day　the　evening　papers　printed　the　report　of　the　murder
and　the　description　of　the　dead　man；　and　on　Wednesday；　the　29th；
Mrs。　Klingmayer　read　the　news　and　went　to　see　Winkler's　employer。
By　noon　of　that　day　the　body　was　identified　and　a　description　of
the　stolen　purse　and　watch　telegraphed　to　police　headquarters　in
various　cities。　　A　few　hours　later；　these　police　stations　had　sent
out　notices　by　messenger　to　all　pawnshops　and　dealers　in
second…hand　clothing；　and　now　the　machinery　of　the　law　sat　waiting
for　some　news　of　an　attempt　on　the　part　of　the　robber…and…murderer
to　get　rid　of　his　plunder。

On　this　same　Wednesday；　about　the　twilight　hour；　David　Goldstamm；
dealer　in　second…hand　clothing；　stood　before　the　door　of　his　shop
in　a　side　street　of　the　old　Hungarian　city　of　Pressburg　and　watched
his　assistant　take　down　the　clothes　which　were　hanging　outside　and
carry　them　into　the　store。　　The　old　man's　eyes　glanced　carelessly
up　and　down　the　street　and　caught　sight　of　a　man　who　turned　the
corner　and　came　hurrying　towards　him。　　This　man　was　a　very
seedy…looking　individual。　　An　old　faded　overcoat　hung　about　his
thin　figure；　and　a　torn　and　dusty　hat　fell　over　his　left　eye。　　He
seemed　also　to　be　much　the　worse　for　liquor　and　very　wobbly　on　his
feet。　　And　yet　he　seemed　anxious　to　hurry　onward　in　spite　of　the
unevenness　of　his　walk。

Then　he　slowed　up　suddenly；　glanced　across　the　street　to　Goldstamm's
store；　and　crossed　over。

〃Have　you　any　boots　for　me？〃　　he　asked；　sticking　out　his　right　foot
that　the　dealer　might　see　whether　he　had　anything　the　requisite　size。

〃I　think　there's　something　there；〃　　answered　the　old　man　in　his
usual　businesslike　tone；　leading　the　way　into　the　store。

The　stranger　followed。　　Goldstamm　lit　the　one　light　in　the　little
place　and　groped　about　in　an　untidy　heap　of　shoes　of　all　kinds　and
sizes　until　he　found　several　pairs　that　he　thought　might　fit。　　These
he　brought　out　and　put　them　in　front　of　his　customer。　　But　in　spite
of　his　bleary　eyes；　the　man　caught　sight　of　some　patches　on　the
uppers　of　one　pair；　and　pushed　them　away　from　him。

〃Give　me　something　better　than　that。　　I　can　pay　for　it。　　I　don't
have　to　wear　patched　shoes；〃　　he　grunted。

Goldstamm　didn't　like　the　looks　of　the　man；　but　he　felt　that　he
had　better　be　careful　and　not　make　him　angry。　　〃Have　patience；　sir；
I'll　find　you　something　better；〃　　he　said　gently；　tossing　the　heap
about　again；　but　now　keeping　his　face　turned　towards　his　customer。

〃I　want　a　coat　also　and　a　warm　pair　of　trousers；〃　said　the　stranger
in　a　rough　voice。　　He　bent　down　to　loosen　the　shabby　boot　from　his
right　foot；　and　as　he　did　so　something　fell　out　of　the　pocket　of
his　coat。　　An　unconscious　motion　of　his　own　raised　foot　struck
this　small　object　and　tossed　it　into　the　middle　of　the　heap　of
shoes　close　by　Goldstamm's　hand。　　The　old　man　reached　out　after　it
and　caught　it。　　It　was　just　an　ordinary　brown　leather　pocketbook；
of　medium　size；　old　and　shabby；　like　a　thousand　others。　　But　the
eyes　of　the　little　old　man　widened　as　if　in　terror；　his　face　turned
pale　and　his　hands　trembled。　　For　he　had　seen；　hanging　from　one
side　of　this　worn　brown　leather　pocketbook；　the　end　of　a　yellow
thread；　the　loosened　end　of　the　thread　with　which　one　side　of　the
purse　was　mended。　　The　thread　told　David　Goldstamm　who　it　was　that
had　come　into　his　shop。

He　regained　his　control　with　a　desperate　effort　of　the　will。　　It
took　him　but　a　few　seconds　to　do　so；　and；　thanks　to　his　partial
intoxication；　the　customer　had　not　noticed　the　shopkeeper's　start
of　alarm。　　But　he　appeared　anxious　and　i