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classic mystery and detective stories-第59部分

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evidence went。



Wild and vague were the conjectures。  All were baffled in the

attempt to give them a definite direction。  The crime was

apparently prompted by revengecertainly not by lust; or desire of

money。  But she was not known to stand in any one's way。  In this

utter blank as to the assignable motive; I; perhaps alone among the

furious crowd; had a distinct suspicion of the assassin。  No sooner

had the news reached me; than with the specification of the theater

of the crime there at once flashed upon me the intellectual vision

of the criminal: the stranger with the dark beard and startled eyes

stood confessed before me!  I held my breath for a few moments; and

then there came a tide of objections rushing over my mind;

revealing the inadequacy of the grounds on which rested my

suspicions。  What were the grounds?  I had seen a man in a

particular spot; not an unfrequented spot; on the evening of the

night when the crime had been committed there; that man had seemed

to recognize me; and wished to avoid being recognized。  Obviously

these grounds were too slender to bear any weight of construction

such as I had based on them。  Mere presence on the spot could no

more inculpate him than it could inculpate me; if I had met him

there; equally had he met me there。  Nor even if my suspicion were

correct that he knew me; and refused to recognize me; could that be

any argument tending to criminate him in an affair wholly

disconnected with me。  Besides; he was walking peaceably; openly;

and he looked like a gentleman。  All these objections pressed

themselves upon me; and kept me silent。  But in spite of their

force I could not prevent the suspicion from continually arising。

Ashamed to mention it; because it may have sounded too absurd; I

could not prevent my constructive imagination indulging in its

vagaries; and with this secret conviction I resolved to await

events; and in case suspicion from other quarters should ever

designate the probable assassin; I might then come forward with my

bit of corroborative evidence; should the suspected assassin be the

stranger of the archway。



By twelve o'clock a new direction was given to rumor。  Hitherto the

stories; when carefully sifted of all exaggerations of flying

conjecture; had settled themselves into something like this:  The

Lehfeldts had retired to rest at a quarter before ten; as was their

custom。  They had seen Lieschen go into her bedroom for the night;

and had themselves gone to sleep with unclouded minds。  From this

peaceful security they were startled early in the morning by the

appalling news of the calamity which had fallen on them。

Incredulous at first; as well they might be; and incapable of

believing in a ruin so unexpected and so overwhelming; they

imagined some mistake; asserting that Lieschen was in her own room。

Into that room they rushed; and there the undisturbed bed; and the

open window; but a few feet from the garden; silently and

pathetically disclosed the fatal truth。  The bereaved parents

turned a revealing look upon each other's whitened faces; and then

slowly retired from the room; followed in affecting silence by the

others。  Back into their own room they went。  The father knelt

beside the bed; and; sobbing; prayed。  The mother sat staring with

a stupefied stare; her lips faintly moving。  In a short while the

flood of grief; awakened to a thorough consciousness; burst from

their laboring hearts。  When the first paroxysms were over they

questioned others; and gave incoherent replies to the questions

addressed to them。  From all which it resulted that Lieschen's

absence; though obviously voluntary; was wholly inexplicable to

them; and no clew whatever could be given as to the motives of the

crime。  When these details became known; conjecture naturally

interpreted Lieschen's absence at night as an assignation。  But

with whom?  She was not known to have a lover。  Her father; on

being questioned; passionately affirmed that she had none; she

loved no one but her parents; poor child!  Her mother; on being

questioned; told the same storyadding; however; that about

seventeen months before; she had fancied that Lieschen was a little

disposed to favor Franz Kerkel; their shopman; but on being spoken

to on the subject with some seriousness; and warned of the distance

between them; she had laughed heartily at the idea; and since then

had treated Franz with so much indifference that only a week ago

she had drawn from her mother a reproof on the subject。



〃I told her Franz was a good lad; though not good enough for her;

and that she ought to treat him kindly。  But she said my lecture

had given her an alarm; lest Franz should have got the same maggot

into his head。〃



This was the story now passing through the curious crowds in every

street。  After hearing it I had turned into a tobacconist's in the

Adlergrasse; to restock my cigar…case; and found there; as

everywhere; a group discussing the one topic of the hour。  Herr

Fischer; the tobacconist; with a long porcelain pipe pendent from

his screwed…up lips; was solemnly listening to the particulars

volubly communicated by a stout Bavarian priest; while behind the

counter; in a corner; swiftly knitting; sat his wife; her black

bead…like eyes also fixed on the orator。  Of course I was dragged

into the conversation。  Instead of attending to commercial

interests; they looked upon me as the possible bearer of fresh

news。  Nor was it without a secret satisfaction that I found I

could gratify them in that respect。  They had not heard of Franz

Kerkel in the matter。  No sooner had I told what I had heard than

the knitting…needles of the vivacious little woman were at once

suspended。



〃Ach Je!〃 she exclaimed; 〃I see it all。  He's the wretch!〃



〃Who?〃 we all simultaneously inquired。



〃Who?  Why; Kerkel; of course。  If she changed; and treated him

with indifference; it was because she loved him; and he has

murdered the poor thing。〃



〃How you run on; wife!〃 remonstrated Fischer; while the priest

shook a dubious head。



〃I tell you it is so。  I'm positive。〃



〃If she loved him。〃



〃She did; I tell you。  Trust a woman for seeing through such

things。〃



〃Well; say she did;〃 continued Fischer; 〃and I won't deny that it

may be so; but then that makes against the idea of his having done

her any harm。〃



〃Don't tell me;〃 retorted the convinced woman。  〃She loved him。

She went out to meet him in secret; and he murdered herthe

villain did。  I'm as sure of it as if these eyes had seen him do

it。〃



The husband winked at us; as much as to say; 〃You hear these

women!〃 and the priest and I endeavored to reason her out of her

illogical position。  But she was immovable。  Kerkel had murdered

her; she knew it; she couldn't tell why; but she knew it。  Perhaps

he was jealous; who knows?  At any rate; he ought to be arrested。



And by twelve o'clock; as I said; a new rumor ran through the

crowd; which seemed to confirm the little woman in her rash logic。

Kerkel had been arrested; and a waistcoat stained with blood had

been found in his room!  By half…past twelve the rumor ran that he

had confessed the crime。  This; however; proved on inquiry to be

the hasty anticipation of public indignation。  He had been

arrested; the waistcoat had been found: so much was authentic; and

the suspicions gathered ominously over him。



When first Frau Fischer had started the suggestion it flew like

wildfire。  Then people suddenly noticed; as very surprising; that

Kerkel had not that day made his appearance at the shop。  His

absence had not been noticed in the tumult of grief and inquiry;

but it became suddenly invested with a dreadful significance; now

that it was rumored that he had been Lieschen's lover。  Of all men

he would be the most affected by the tragic news; of all men he

would have been the first to tender sympathy and aid to the

afflicted parents; and the most clamorous in the search for the

undiscovered culprit。  Yet; while all Nuremberg was crowding round

the house of sorrow; which was also his house of business; he alone

remained away。  This naturally pointed suspicion at him。  When the

messengers had gone to seek him; his mother refused them admission;

declaring in incoherent phrases; betraying great agitation; that

her son was gone distracted with grief and could see no one。  On

this it was determined to order his arrest。  The police went; the

house was searched; and the waistcoat found。



The testimony of the girl who lived as servant in Kerkel's house

was also criminatory。  She deposed that on the night in question

she awoke about half…past eleven with a violent toothache; she was

certain as to the hour; because she heard the clock afterwards

strike twelve。  She felt some alarm at hearing voices in the rooms

at an hour when her mistress and young master must long ago have

gone to bed; but as the voices were se
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