the darrow enigma-第21部分

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this　acknowledgment　of　it　with　such　a　hope　of　ultimate　success　as
you　may　enjoy。　　Tell　her　I　shall　never　cease　my　efforts　to　solve
this　mystery　so　long　as　I　am　able　to　find　a　clue；　however　slight；
to　follow。　　At　present　I　am　all　at　sea；　and　it　looks　as　if　I　should
have　to　go　clear　back　and　start　all　over　again。　　Ragobah；　as　a
point　of　departure；　has　not　proved　a　success。　　With　my　kind　regards
to　you　all；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　remain；　cordially　yours；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGE　MAITLAND。

I　read　this　through　aloud；　despite　the　fact　that　I　knew　some　parts
of　it　were　intended　only　for　my　perusal。　　Gwen　did　not　speak　until
some　minutes　after　I　had　finished；　and　then　only　to　express　a　fear
that；　despite　his　caution；　harm　might　come　to　Maitland　at　his
interview　with　Ragobah。　　She　seemed　to　be　far　less　disappointed　at
Maitland's　failure　to　convict　Ragobah　than　she　was　fearful　for　her
friend's　personal　safety。　　She　was　restless　and　ill　at　ease　for　the
next　two　or　three　days　…　in　fact；　until　the　arrival　of　Maitland's
next　letter。　　This　came　during　my　absence　on　a　professional　call；
and　when　I　returned　home　she　met　me　with　it　at　the　door　with　an
expression　of　relief　upon　her　countenance　so　plain　as　not　to　be
misconstrued。　　We　went　into　the　sitting…room；　where　my　sister　was
awaiting　the　news；　and　I　read　as　follows：

MY　DEAR　DOCTOR：

I　kept　my　appointment　last　night　with　Rama　Ragobah　and；　although
nothing　transpired　at　all　likely　to　assist　me　in　locating　Mr。
Darrow's　assassin；　yet　the　interview；　though　short；　was　interesting
and　worth　narrating。　　Promptly　at　nine　o'clock　I　was　at　my　post　by
the　little　cave。　　I　am　still　staying　with　Herr　Blaschek　and；　as　I
had　but　a　few　rods　to　travel；　I　did　not　quit　the　house　until　within
five　minutes　of　the　time　appointed　for　our　meeting。　　As　I　stepped
out　into　the　darkness　I　noticed　a　tall　form　glide　behind　a　tree；
about　a　rod　away　from　the　door。　　I　could　not　be　sure　it　was　Ragobah；
yet　I　had　little　doubt　of　it。　　I　was　a　trifle　taken　aback　at　the
moment；　and　instinctively　placed　my　hand　upon　my　revolver　and
grasped　my　cane　more　firmly。　　Should　occasion　require　it；　I　counted
upon　this　cane　quite　as　much　as　upon　my　revolver；　for；　innocent　and
inoffensive　as　it　looked；　it　was　capable　of　most　deadly　execution。
I　had　chosen　it　in　preference　to　many　other　more　pretentious　weapons
which　had　suggested　themselves　to　me。　　It　consisted　of　a　small；
flexible　steel　wire　hardly　bigger　than　the　blade　of　a　foil；
surmounted　by　a　good…sized　lead　ball；　and　the　whole　covered　with　a
closely　woven　fabric。　　By　grasping　the　cane　by　its　lower　end　a
tremendously　heavy　blow　could　be　struck　with　the　ball；　and；　if　an
attempt　were　made　to　shield　the　head　by　throwing　up　the　arm；　it
was　almost　certain　to　fail　of　its　object　since　the　flexibility　of
the　wire　permitted　it　to　bend　about　an　obstruction　until　its　loaded
end　was　brought　home。　　You　will　perhaps　think　that；　since　I　did　not
make　use　of　this　weapon；　I　need　not　have　troubled　myself　to　describe
it。　　Perhaps　that　is　so；　but；　let　me　assure　you；　when　I　saw　Ragobah；
for　it　was　he；　glide　behind　that　tree；　and　reflected　how　capable　he
was　of　every　kind　of　treachery；　I　wouldn't　have　parted　with　that
cane　for　its　weight　in　gold。　　The　Indian　had　pledged　me　to　come
alone　and　had　promised　to　do　likewise；　but　I　felt　any　tree　might
conceal　one　of　his　minions；　hired　to　assassinate　me　while　he　engaged
my　attention。　　All　this；　of　course；　did　not　in　the　least　affect　my
decision。　　I　had　promised　to　go　alone；　and　Miss　Darrow's　interests
required　…　that　I　should　keep　my　covenant。　　I　should　have　done　so；
even　though　I　had　known　Ragobah　meant　to　betray　me。　　I　may　as　well；
however；　tell　you　at　once　that　my　suspicions　wronged　the　fellow。
He　had　evidently　taken　his　station　behind　a　tree　to　satisfy　himself；
without　exposure；　that　I　meant　to　keep　my　promise　and　come　alone。

When　I　reached　the　cave　I　found　him　awaiting　me。　　How　he　was　able
to　get　there　before　me　passes　my　comprehension；　but　there　he　was。
He　did　not　waste　time；　but　addressed　me　at　once；　and；　as　my　memory
is　excellent　and　our　interview　was　short；　I　am　able　to　give　you　an
accurate　report　of　what　passed　between　us。　　I　copy　it　here　just　as
I　entered　it　in　my　notebook；　immediately　upon　my　return　to　the　house。

〃You　naturally　wish　to　know；〃　Ragobah　began；　〃why　I　have　sought　this
interview。　　That　is　easily　explained。　　You　have　done　me　the　honour；
Sahib；　for　I　feel　it　is　such；　to　suspect　me　of　the　murder　of　John
Darrow。　　You　have　come　here　from　America　to　fasten　the　crime　upon
me；　and；　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　I　regret　your　failure　to　do
so。　　I　would　give　everything　I　possess　on　earth；　and　would　gladly
suffer　a　life　of　torment；　to　be　able　truthfully　to　say：　'I；　Rama
Ragobah；　killed　John　Darrow。'　But　despite　all　my　efforts；　I；　wretch
that　I　am；　am　innocent！　　For　more　than　twenty　years　I　have　had　but
one　purpose；　…　one　thought；　…　and　that　was　to　track　down　and　slay
John　Darrow。　　This　desire　consumed　me。　　It　led　me　all　over　India
in　vain　search　for　him。　　　For　nineteen　years…　I　laboured　incessantly；
without　discovering　so　much　as　a　trace　of　him。　　　When　he　fled　Bombay
his　belongings　went　inland；　so　I　was　told。　　I　believed　the　story
and　felt　sure　I　should　one　day　find　him　on　Indian　soil。　　Years
passed　and　I　did　not　find　him。　　　It　was　but　a　few　months　ago　that
I　discovered　his　ruse　and　learned　his　whereabouts。　　I　could　scarcely
contain　myself　for　joy。　　My　life…work　was　at　last　to　be　completed。
Nothing　now　remained　but　to　plan　his　destruction。　　This；　however；
was　not　so　easy　a　thing　to　do；　since；　in　order　to　make　my　revenge
complete；　I　must　disclose　my　identity　before　killing　him。　　　At
length　I　decided　upon　a　plan。　　I　would　come　upon　him　at　night；　when
asleep；　gag　him　and　bind　him　to　his　bed。　　Then　he　should　learn　the
name　of　his　doomsman；　and　the　horrible　nature　of　the　death　that
awaited　him。〃

Ragobah　paused　here　as　if　overcome　by　his　disappointment；　and　I
said；　〃And　how　did　you　intend　to　kill　him？〃　He　gave　a　throaty
chuckle；　as　he　replied：　〃It　was　all　so　very　pretty！　　I　had　only　to
saturate　the　bedclothes　with　oil　and　set　fire　to　them。　　I　should
have　lighted　them　at　his　feet　and　watched　the　flames　creep　upward
toward　his　head　till　safety　compelled　my　retreat。　　It　was　for　this
purpose　I　went　to　New　York。　　You　already　know　the　fatal　delay　I
incurred。　　When　I　landed　I　made　all　haste　to　the　home　of　Darrow
Sahib；　in　Dorchester；　only　to　learn　that　he　had　killed　himself　a
few　days　before　my　arrival。　　The　morsel　for　which　I　had　striven　and
hungered　for　twenty　long　years　was　whipped　from　my　hand；　even　as　I
raised　it　to　my　mouth。　　My　enemy　was　dead；　beyond　the　power　of
injury；　and　my　hands　were　unstained　by　his　blood。

〃I　then　determined　to　kill　his　daughter。　　It　was　the　night　of　my
enemy's　burial。　　The　Sahibah　was　alone　in　the　house　and　was　intending
to　leave　it　that　night。　　I　knew　she　would　see　that　everything　was
securely　fastened　before　she　went　away；　and　so；　when　I　opened　one
of　the　windows；　I　was　sure　she　would　come　to　close　it。　　Crouching
down　outside　I　awaited　her　approach；　intending　to　spring　up　and　stab
her　while　she　was　pulling　the　window　down。　　Everything　happened　as
I　planned　…　what　ails　the　Sahib？　　I　did　not　kill　her！　　No；　at　the
last　moment　something　…　never　mind　what　…　stayed　my　arm！　　The　death
of　an　innocent　girl　did　not　promise　me　any　lasting　satisfaction　and
I　gave　up　the　idea；　returned　to　New　York；　and　re…embarked　for　Bombay
as　innocent　in　act　as　when　I　left　it。　　My　life　had　been　a　failure
and　I　had　no　desire　to　prolong　it。　　When　you　arrested　me　on　the
charge　of　murder；　nothing　would　have　given　me　greater　pleasure　than
to　have　been　able　to　plead　guilty。

〃You　already　know　why　I　so　hated　Darrow。　　He　robbed　me　of　the　only
woman　I　ever　loved。　　Maddened　by　jealousy；　I　told　her　I　had　thrown
him　into　the　well　in　the　cave　here。　　It　was　a　lie；　but　she　believed
it；　and　fled　from　me；　and　in　a　few　minutes　had　thrown　herself　into
that　bottomless　hole。　　See；　Sahib；〃　he　said；　entering　the　cave　and
pointing　down　the　dark　shaft；　…　〃that　is　the　road　she　took　in　order
that　her　bones　might　rest　with　his；　and；　after　all；　they　are
thousands　of　miles　apart。　　It's　not　the　triumph　I　planned；　but　it's
all　I　have！　　And　this　is　why　I　brought　you　here；　that　you　may　take
back　to　my　enemy's　family　the　knowledge　that　in　death　I　am　triumphant。
Tell　them；〃　he　said；　rising　to　his　full　height；　〃that　while　the
carcass　of　the　English　cur　rots　in　a　foreign　land；　Rama　Ragobah's
bones　lie　mingled　with　those　of　his　beautiful　Lona！〃　…　My　blood
was　up；　and　I　rushed　fiercely　at　him。　　　With　the　quickness　of　a　cat
he　dodged　me；　spat　in　my　face　as　I　turned；　and；　with　a　horrible
laugh；　sprang　headlong　into　the　well。　　Down　deeper　and　deeper　sank
the　laugh　…　then　it　died　away　…　then　a　faint　plash　…　and　all　was
silent。　　　Rama　Ragobah　was　gone！　　For　fully　ten　minutes　I　stood
dazed　and　irresolute　and　then　returned　mechanically　to　the　house。
I　at　first　thought　of　informing　the　authorities　of　the　whole
affair；　but；　when　I　realised　how　hard　it　would　be　for　me　to　prove
my　innocence　were　I　charged　with　Ragobah's　murder；　I　decided　to　keep
the　secret　of　the　well。

I　shudder　when　I　think　of　Miss　Darrow's　narrow　escape。　　Did　you
suspect　who　her　assailant　really　was？　　I　wonder　you　have　written　me
nothing　about　it；　but　suppose　you　thought　it　would　only　needlessly
alarm　me。　　If　you　had　known　it　was　our　friend　Ragobah；　you　would
doubtless　have　felt　it　imperative　that　I　should　know　of　it；　…　so　I
conclude　from　your　silence　that　you　did　not　discover　his　identity。

I　need　not；　of　course；　tell　you；　my　dear　Doctor；　that　we　have
reached　the　end　of　our　Indian　clue；　and　that　I　deem　it　wise；　all
things　considered；　for　me　to　get　out　of　India　just　as　soon　as
possible。　　If　this　letter　is　in　any　way　delayed；　you　need　not　be
surprised　if　I　have　the　pleasure　of　relating　its　contents　in　person。
Remember　me　to　Miss　Darrow　and　tell　her　how　sorry　I　am　that；　thus
far；　I　have　been　unable　to　be　of　any　real　service　to　her。　　As　I
shall　see　you　so　soon　I　need　write　nothing　further。　　Kind　regards
to　Miss　Alice。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ever