the case of the registered letter-第4部分

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should；　what　it　means　to　be　accused　of　crime。　　I　begin　to　realise
that　it　is　possible　for　every　evidence　to　point　to　a　man　who　is
absolutely　innocent　of　the　deed　in　question。　　I　begin　to　think　now
that　John　may　have　been　right；　that　possibly　he　also　may　have　been
accused　and　sentenced　on　circumstantial　evidence　alone。　　I　have
thought　much；　and　I　have　learned　much　in　these　terrible　days。〃

The　prisoner　paused　again　and　sat　brooding；　his　eyes　looking　out
into　space。　　Muller　respected　his　suffering　and　sat　in　equal
silence；　until　Graumann　raised　his　eyes　to　his　again。　　〃Then　came
the　evening　of　the　23rd　of　September？〃

〃Yes；　that　evening　…　it's　all　like　a　dream　to　me。〃　　Graumann　began
again。　　〃John　wrote　me　a　letter　asking　me　to　come　to　see　him　on　that
evening。　　I　tore　up　the　letter　and　threw　it　away　…　or　perhaps；　yes；
I　remember　now；　I　did　not　wish　Eleonora　to　see　that　he　had　written
me。　　He　asked　me　to　come　to　see　him；　as　he　had　something　to　say　to
me；　something　of　the　greatest　importance　for　us　both。　　He　asked　me
not　to　mention　to　any　one　that　I　was　to　see　him；　as　it　would　be
wiser　no　one　should　know　that　we　were　still　in　communication　with
each　other。　　There　was　a　strain　of　nervous　excitement　visible　in　his
letter。　　I　thought　it　better　to　go　and　see　him　as　he　requested；　I
felt　that　I　owed　him　some　little　reparation　for　having　denied　him
the　great　wish　of　his　heart。　　It　was　my　duty　to　make　up　to　him　in
other　ways　for　what　I　had　felt　obliged　to　do。　　I　knew　him　for　a
nervous；　high…strung　man；　overwrought　by　brooding　for　years　on　what
he　called　his　wrongs；　and　I　did　not　know　what　he　might　do　if　I
refused　his　request。　　It　was　not　of　myself　I　thought　in　this
connection；　but　of　the　girl　at　home　who　looked　to　me　for　protection。

〃I　had　no　fear　for　myself；　it　never　occurred　to　me　to　think　of
taking　a　weapon　with　me。　　How　my　revolver　…　and　it　is　undoubtedly
my　revolver；　for　there　was　a　peculiar　break　in　the　silver
ornamentation　on　the　handle　which　is　easily　recognisable　…　how　this
revolver　of　mine　got　into　his　room；　is　more　than　I　can　say。　　Until
the　Police　Commissioner　showed　it　to　me　two　or　three　days　ago；　I
had　no　idea　that　it　was　not　in　the　box　in　my　study　where　it　is
ordinarily　kept。〃　　Graumann　paused　again　and　looked　about　him　as
if　searching　for　something。　　He　rose　and　poured　himself　out　a　glass
of　water。　　〃Let　me　put　some　of　this　in　it；〃　said　Muller。　　〃It　will
do　you　good。〃　　From　a　flask　in　his　pocket　he　poured　a　few　drops　of
brandy　into　the　water。　　Graumann　drank　it　and　nodded　gratefully。
Then　he　took　up　his　story　again。

〃I　never　discovered　why　Siders　had　sent　for　me。　　When　I　arrived　at
the　appointed　time　I　found　the　door　of　the　house　closed。　　I　was
obliged　to　ring　several　times　before　an　old　servant　opened　the　door。
She　seemed　surprised　that　it　had　been　locked。　　She　said　that　the
door　was　always　unlatched；　and　that　Mr。　Siders　himself　must　have
closed　it；　contrary　to　all　custom；　for　she　had　not　done　it；　and
there　was　no　one　else　in　the　house　but　the　two　of　them。　　Siders
was　waiting　for　me　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　calling　down　a　noisy
welcome。

〃When　I　asked　him　finally　what　it　was　so　important　that　he　wanted
to　say　to　me；　he　evaded　me　and　continued　to　chatter　on　about
commonplace　things。　　Finally　I　insisted　upon　knowing　why　he　had
wanted　me　to　come；　and　he　replied　that　the　reason　for　it　had　already
been　fulfilled；　that　he　had　nothing　more　to　say；　and　that　I　could　go
as　soon　as　I　wanted　to。　　He　appeared　quite　calm；　but　he　must　have
been　very　nervous。　　For　as　I　stood　by　the　desk；　telling　him　what　I
thought　of　his　actions；　he　moved　his　hand　hastily　among　the　papers
there　and　upset　the　ink　stand。　　I　jumped　back；　but　not　before　I　had
received　several　large　spots　of　ink　on　my　trousers。　　He　was　profuse
in　his　apologies　for　the　accident；　and　tried　to　take　out　the　spots
with　blotting　paper。　　Then　at　last；　when　I　insisted　upon　going；　he
looked　out　to　see　whether　there　was　still　a　light　on　the　stairs；　and
led　me　down　to　the　door　himself；　standing　there　for　some　time
looking　after　me。

〃I　was　slightly　alarmed　as　well　as　angry　at　his　actions。　　I　believe
that　he　could　not　have　been　quite　in　his　right　mind；　that　the　strain
of　nervousness　which　was　apparent　in　his　nature　had　really　made　him
ill。　　For　I　remember　several　peculiar　incidents　of　my　visit　to　him。
One　of　these　was　that　he　almost　insisted　upon　my　taking　away　with　me；
ostensibly　to　take　care　of　them；　several　valuable　pieces　of　jewelry
which　he　possessed。　　He　seemed　almost　offended　when　I　refused　to　do
anything　of　the　kind。　　Then；　as　I　parted　from　him　at　the　door；　not
in　a　very　good　humour　I　will　acknowledge；　he　said　to　me：　'You　will
think　of　me　very　often　in　the　future…more　often　than　you　would
believe　now！'

〃This　is　all　the　truth；　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　about　my　visit
to　John　Siders　on　the　evening　of　September　23rd。　　As　it　had　been
his　wish　I　said　nothing　to　the　ladies　at　home；　or　to　any　one　else
about　the　occurrence。　　And　as　I　have　told　you；　I　destroyed　his
letter　asking　me　to　come　to　him。

〃The　following　day　about　noon；　the　Commissioner　of　Police　from
G…　called　at　my　office　in　the　factory；　and　informed　me　bluntly　that
John　Siders　had　been　found　shot　dead　in　his　lodgings　that　morning。
I　was　naturally　shocked；　as　one　would　be　at　such　news；　in　spite　of
the　fact　that　I　had　parted　from　the　man　in　anger；　and　that　I　had　no
reason　to　be　particularly　fond　of　him。　　What　shocked　me　most　of　all
was　the　sudden　thought　that　John　had　taken　his　own　life。　　It　was　a
perfectly　natural　thought　when　I　considered　his　nervousness；　and　his
peculiar　actions　of　the　evening　before。　　I　believe　I　exclaimed；
'It　was　a　suicide！'　almost　without　realising　that　I　was　doing　so。
The　commissioner　looked　at　me　sharply　and　said　that　suicide　was　out
of　the　question；　that　it　was　an　evident　case　of　murder。　　He
questioned　me　as　to　Siders'　affairs；　of　which　I　told　only　what　every
one　here　in　the　village　knew。　　I　did　not　consider　it　incumbent　upon
me　to　disclose　to　the　police　the　disgrace　of　the　man's　early　life。
I　had　been　obliged　to　hurt　him　cruelly　enough　because　of　that；　and
I　saw　no　necessity　for　blackening　his　name；　now　that　he　was　dead。
Also；　as　according　to　what　the　commissioner　said；　it　was　a　case　of
murder　for　robbery；　I　did　not　wish　to　go　into　any　details　of　our
connection　with　Siders　that　would　cause　the　name　of　my　ward　to　be
mentioned。　　After　a　few　more　questions　the　commissioner　left　me。
I　was　busy　all　the　afternoon；　and　did　not　return　to　my　home　until
later　than　usual。　　I　found　my　aunt　somewhat　worried　because　Miss
Roemer　had　left　the　house　immediately　after　our　early　dinner；　and
had　not　yet　returned。　　We　both　knew　the　girl　to　be　still　grieving
over　her　broken　engagement；　and　we　dreaded　the　effect　this　last
dreadful　news　might　have　on　her。　　We　supposed；　however；　that　she
had　gone　to　spend　the　afternoon　with　a　friend；　and　were　rather
glad　to　be　spared　the　necessity　of　telling　her　at　once　what　had
happened。　　I　had　scarcely　finished　my　supper；　when　the　door　bell
rang；　and　to　my　astonishment　the　Mayor　of　Grunau　was　announced；
accompanied　by　the　same　Police　Commissioner　who　had　visited　me
in　my　office　that　morning。　　The　Mayor　was　an　old　friend　of　mine
and　his　deeply　grave　face　showed　me　that　something　serious　had
occurred。　　It　was　indeed　serious！　　and　for　some　minutes　I　could
not　grasp　the　meaning　of　the　commissioner's　questions。　　Finally　I
realised　with　a　tremendous　shock　that　I　…　I　myself　was　under
suspicion　of　the　murder　of　John　Siders。　　The　description　given　by
the　old　servant　of　the　man　who　had　visited　Siders　the　evening
before；　the　very　clothes　that　I　wore；　my　hat　and　the　trousers
spotted　by　the　purple　ink；　led　to　my　identification　as　this
mysterious　visitor。　　The　servant　had　let　me　in　but　she　had　not
seen　me　go　out。

〃Then　I　discovered　…　when　confronted　suddenly　with　my　own　revolver
which　had　been　found　on　the　floor　of　the　room；　some　distance　from
the　body　of　the　dead　man；　that　this　same　revolver　had　been　identified
as　mine　by　my　ward；　Eleonora　Roemer；　who　had　been　to　the　police
station　at　G…　in　the　early　afternoon　hours。　　Some　impulse　of　loyalty
to　her　dead　lover；　some　foolish　feminine　fear　that　I　might　have
spoken　against　him　in　my　earlier　interviews　with　the　commissioner
had　driven　the　girl　to　this　step。　　A　few　questions　sufficed　to　draw
from　her　the　story　of　her　secret　engagement；　of　its　ending；　and　of
my　quarrel　with　John。　　I　will　say　for　her　that　I　am　certain　she　did
not　realise　that　all　these　things　were　calculated　to　cast　suspicion
on　me。　　The　poor　girl　is　too　unused　to　the　ways　of　police　courts；　to
the　devious　ways　of　the　law；　to　realise　what　she　was　doing。　　The
sight　of　my　revolver　broke　her　down　completely　and　she　acknowledged
that　it　was　mine。　　That　is　all。　　Except　that　I　was　arrested　and
brought　here　as　you　see。　　I　told　the　commissioner　the　story　of　my
visit　to　John　Siders　exactly　as　I　told　it　to　you；　but　it　was　plain
to　be　seen　that　he　did　not　believe　me。　　It　is　plain　to　be　seen　also；
that　he　is　firmly　convinced　of　my　guilt　and　that　he　is　greatly
satisfied　with　himself　at　having　traced　the　criminal　so　soon。〃

〃And　yet　he　was　not　quite　satisfied；〃　said　Muller　gently。　　〃You　see
that　he　has　sent　to　the　Capital　for　assistance　on　the　case。〃　　Muller
felt　this　little　untruth　to　be　justified　for　the　sake　of　the　honour
of　the　police　force。

〃Yes；　I'm　surprised　at　that；〃　said　Graumann　in　his　former　tone　of
weariness。　　〃What　do　you　think　you　will　be　able　to　do　about　it？〃

〃I　must　ask　questions　here　and　there　before　I　can　form　a　plan　of
campaign；〃　replied　Muller。　　〃What　do　you　think　about　it　yourself？
Who　do　you　think　killed　Siders？〃

〃How　can　I　know　who　it　was？　　I　only　know　it　is　not　I；〃　answered
Graumann。

〃Did　he　have　any　enemies？〃

〃No；　none　that　I　knew　of；　and　he　had　few　friends　either。〃

〃You　knew　there　was　a　sum　of　money　missing　from　his　rooms？〃

〃Yes；　the　sum　they　named　to　me　was　just　about　the　price　that　he
had　received　for　the　sale　of　his　property　here。　　They　did　me　the
honour　to　believe　that　if　I　had　taken　the　money　at　all；　I　had　done
so　merely　as　a　blind。　　At　least　they　did　not　take　me　for　a　thief
as　well　as　a　murderer。　　If　the　m