the agony column-第12部分

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〃Provincial　to　the　death！〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃You　old　dear　　…　I　love　you　so！　　Some　of　our　statesmen　over　home　are　going　to　look　pretty　foolish　now　in　the　face　of　things　they　can't　understand　I　hope　you're　not　going　to　be　one　of　them。〃

〃Twaddle！〃　he　cried。　　〃I'm　going　to　the　steamship　offices　to…day　and　argue　as　I　never　argued　for　a　vote。〃

His　daughter　saw　that　he　was　determined；　and；　wise　from　long　experience；　she　did　not　try　to　dissuade　him。

London　that　hot　Monday　was　a　city　on　the　alert；　a　city　of　hearts　heavy　with　dread。　　The　rumors　in　one　special　edition　of　the　papers　were　denied　in　the　next　and　reaffirmed　in　the　next。　　Men　who　could　look　into　the　future　walked　the　streets　with　faces　far　from　happy。　Unrest　ruled　the　town。　　And　it　found　its　echo　in　the　heart　of　the　girl　from　Texas　as　she　thought　of　her　young　friend　of　the　　Agony　Column　〃in　durance　vile〃　behind　the　frowning　walls　of　Scotland　Yard。

That　afternoon　her　father　appeared；　with　the　beaming　mien　of　the　victor；　and　announced　that　for　a　stupendous　sum　he　had　bought　the　tickets　of　a　man　who　was　to　have　sailed　on　the　steamship　Saronia　three　days　hence。

〃The　boat　train　leaves　at　ten　Thursday　morning；〃　he　said。　　〃Take　your　last　look　at　Europe　and　be　ready。〃

Three　days！　　His　daughter　listened　with　sinking　heart。　　Could　she　in　three　days'　time　learn　the　end　of　that　strange　mystery；　know　the　final　fate　of　the　man　who　had　first　addressed　her　so　unconventionally　in　a　public　print？　　Why；　at　the　end　of　three　days　he　might　still　be　in　Scotland　Yard；　a　prisoner！　　She　could　not　leave　if　that　were　true　　…　she　simply　could　not。　　Almost　she　was　on　the　point　of　telling　her　father　the　story　of　the　whole　affair；　confident　that　she　could　soothe　his　anger　and　enlist　his　aid。　　She　decided　to　wait　until　the　next　morning；　and；　if　no　letter　came　then　…　

But　on　Tuesday　morning　a　letter　did　come　and　the　beginning　of　it　brought　pleasant　news。　　The　beginning　…　yes。　　But　the　end！　　This　was　the　letter：

DEAR　ANXIOUS　LADY：　Is　it　too　much　for　me　to　assume　that　you　have　been　just　that；　knowing　as　you　did　that　I　was　locked　up　for　the　murder　of　a　captain　in　the　Indian　Army；　with　the　evidence　all　against　me　and　hope　a　very　still　small　voice　indeed？

Well；　dear　lady；　be　anxious　no　longer。　　I　have　just　lived　through　the　most　astounding　day　of　all　the　astounding　days　that　have　been　my　portion　since　last　Thursday。　　And　now；　in　the　dusk；　I　sit　again　in　my　rooms；　a　free　man；　and　write　to　you　in　what　peace　and　quiet　I　can　command　after　the　startling　adventure　through　which　I　have　recently　passed。

Suspicion　no　longer　points　to　me；　constables　no　longer　eye　me；　Scotland　Yard　is　not　even　slightly　interested　in　me。　　For　the　murderer　of　Captain　Fraser~Freer　has　been　caught　at　last！

Sunday　night　I　spent　ingloriously　in　a　cell　in　Scotland　Yard。　　I　could　not　sleep。　　I　had　so　much　to　think　of　…　you；　for　example；　and　at　intervals　how　I　might　escape　from　the　folds　of　the　net　that　had　closed　so　tightly　about　me。　　My　friend　at　the　consulate；　Watson；　called　on　me　late　in　the　evening；　and　he　was　very　kind。　But　there　was　a　note　lacking　in　his　voice；　and　after；　he　was　gone　the　terrible　certainty　came　into　my　mind　…　he　believed　that　I　was　guilty　after　all。

The　night　passed；　and　a　goodly　portion　of　to…day　went　by　…　as　the　poets　say　…　with　lagging　feet。　　I　thought　of　London；　yellow　in　the　sun。　　I　thought　of　the　Carlton　…　I　suppose　there　are　no　more　strawberries　by　this　time。　　And　my　waiter　…　that　stiff…backed　Prussian　…　is　home　in　Deutschland　now；　I　presume；　marching　with　his　regiment。　　I　thought　of　you。

At　three　o'clock　this　afternoon　they　came　for　me　and　I　was　led　back　to　the　room　belonging　to　Inspector　Bray。　　When　I　entered；　however；　the　inspector　was　not　there　…　only　Colonel　Hughes；　immaculate　and　self…possessed；　as　usual；　gazing　out　the　window　into　the　cheerless　stone　court。　　He　turned　when　I　entered。　　I　suppose　I　must　have　had　a　most　woebegone　appearance；　for　a　look　of　regret　crossed　his　face。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　cried；　〃my　most　humble　apologies！　　I　intended　to　have　you　released　last　night。　　But；　believe　me；　I　have　been　frightfully　busy。〃

I　said　nothing。　　What　could　I　say？　　The　fact　that　he　had　been　busy　struck　me　as　an　extremely　silly　excuse。　　But　the　inference　that　my　escape　from　the　toils　of　the　law　was　imminent　set　my　heart　to　thumping。

〃I　fear　you　can　never　forgive　me　for　throwing　you　over　as　I　did　yesterday；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　can　only　say　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　…　as　you　shall　shortly　understand。〃

I　thawed　a　bit。　　After　all；　there　was　an　unmistakable　sincerity　in　his　voice　and　manner。

〃We　are　waiting　for　Inspector　Bray；〃　continued　the　colonel。　　〃I　take　it　you　wish　to　see　this　thing　through？〃

〃To　the　end；〃　I　answered。

〃Naturally。　　The　inspector　was　called　away　yesterday　immediately　after　our　interview　with　him。　　He　had　business　on　the　Continent；　I　understand。　　But　fortunately　I　managed　to　reach　him　at　Dover　and　he　has　come　back　to　London。　　I　wanted　him；　you　see；　because　I　have　found　the　murderer　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer。〃

I　thrilled　to　hear　that；　for　from　my　point　of　view　it　was　certainly　a　consummation　devoutly　to　be　wished。　　The　colonel　did　not　speak　again。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　door　opened　and　Bray　came　in。　　His　clothes　looked　as　though　he　had　slept　in　them；　his　little　eyes　were　bloodshot。　　But　in　those　eyes　there　was　a　fire　I　shall　never　forget。　Hughes　bowed。

〃Good　afternoon；　Inspector；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　really　sorry　I　had　to　interrupt　you　as　I　did；　but　I　most　awfully　wanted　you　to　know　that　you　owe　me　a　Homburg　hat。〃　　He　went　closer　to　the　detective。　　〃You　see；　I　have　won　that　wager。　　I　have　found　the　man　who　murdered　Captain　Fraser…Freer。〃

Curiously　enough；　Bray　said　nothing。　　He　sat　down　at　his　desk　and　idly　glanced　through　the　pile　of　mail　that　lay　upon　it。　　Finally　he　looked　up　and　said　in　a　weary　tone：

〃You're　very　clever；　I'm　sure；　Colonel　Hughes。〃

〃Oh　…　I　wouldn't　say　that；〃　replied　Hughes。　　〃Luck　was　with　me　　…　from　the　first。　　I　am　really　very　glad　to　have　been　of　service　in　the　matter；　for　I　am　convinced　that　if　I　had　not　taken　part　in　the　search　it　would　have　gone　hard　with　some　innocent　man。〃

Bray's　big　pudgy　hands　still　played　idly　with　the　mail　on　his　desk。　Hughes　went　on：　〃Perhaps；　as　a　clever　detective；　you　will　be　interested　in　the　series　of　events　which　enabled　me　to　win　that　Homburg　hat？　　You　have　heard；　no　doubt；　that　the　man　I　have　caught　is　Von　der　Herts　…　ten　years　ago　the　best　secret…service　man　in　the　employ　of　the　Berlin　government；　but　for　the　past　few　years　mysteriously　missing　from　our　line　of　vision。　　We've　been　wondering　about　him　…　at　the　War　Office。〃

The　colonel　dropped　into　a　chair；　facing　Bray。

〃You　know　Von　der　Herts；　of　course？〃　he　remarked　casually。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Bray；　still　in　that　dead　tired　voice。

〃He　is　the　head　of　that　crowd　in　England；〃　went　on　Hughes。　　〃Rather　a　feather　in　my　cap　to　get　him　…　but　I　mustn't　boast。　　Poor　Fraser…Freer　would　have　got　him　if　I　hadn't　…　only　Von　der　Herts　had　the　luck　to　get　the　captain　first。〃

Bray　raised　his　eyes。

〃You　said　you　were　going　to　tell　me　…　〃　he　began。

〃And　so　I　am；〃　said　Hughes。　　〃Captain　Fraser…Freer　got　in　rather　a　mess　in　India　and　failed　of　promotion。　　It　was　suspected　that　he　was　discontented；　soured　on　the　Service；　and　the　Countess　Sophie　de　Graf　was　set　to　beguile　him　with　her　charms；　to　kill　his　loyalty　and　win　him　over　to　her　crowd。

〃It　was　thought　she　had　succeeded　…　the　Wilhelmstrasse　thought　so　…　we　at　the　War　Office　thought　so；　as　long　as　he　stayed　in　India。

〃But　when　the　captain　and　the　woman　came　on　to　London　we　discovered　that　we　had　done　him　a　great　injustice。　　He　let　us　know；　when　the　first　chance　offered；　that　he　was　trying　to　redeem　himself；　to　round　up　a　dangerous　band　of　spies　by　pretending　to　be　one　of　them。　　He　said　that　it　was　his　mission　in　London　to　meet　Von　der　Herts；　the　greatest　of　them　all；　and　that；　once　he　had　located　this　man；　we　would　hear　from　him　again。　　In　the　weeks　that　followed　I　continued　to　keep　a　watch　on　the　countess；　and　I　kept　track　of　the　captain；　too；　in　a　general　way；　for　I'm　　ashamed　to　say　I　was　not　quite　sure　of　him。〃

The　colonel　got　up　and　walked　to　the　window；　then　turned　and　continued：　〃Captain　Fraser…Freer　and　Von　der　Herts　were　completely　unknown　to　each　other。　　The　mails　were　barred　as　a　means　of　communication；　but　Fraser…Freer　knew　that　in　some　way　word　from　the　master　would　reach　him；　and　he　had　had　a　tip　to　watch　the　personal　column　of　the　Daily　Mail。　　Now　we　have　the　explanation　of　those　four　odd　messages。　　From　that　column　the　man　from　Rangoon　learned　that　he　was　to　wear　a　white　aster　in　his　button…hole；　a　scarab　pin　in　his　tie；　a　Homburg　hat　on　his　head；　and　meet　Von　der　Herts　at　Ye　Old　Gambrinus　Restaurant　in　Regent　Street；　last　Thursday　night　at　ten　o'clock。　　As　we　know；　he　made　all　arrangements　to　comply　with　those　directions。　　He　made　other　arrangements　as　well。　　Since　it　was　out　of　the　question　for　him　to　come　to　Scotland　Yard；　by　skillful　maneuvering　he　managed　to　interview　an　inspector　of　police　at　the　Hotel　Cecil。　　It　was　agreed　that　on　Thursday　night　Von　der　Herts　would　be　placed　under　arrest　the　moment　he　made　himself　known　to　the　captain。〃

Hughe