the lamp that went out-第10部分

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himself　for　his　nap；　he　heard　the　clock　on　a　near…by　church　strike
nine。　　The　various　drinks　he　had　had　for　supper　put　him　in　a　mood
that　would　not　allow　him　to　get　to　sleep　at　once。　　The　bench　in
the　old　shed　was　decidedly　rickety　and　very　uncomfortable；　and　as
he　was　tossing　about　to　find　a　good　position；　a　thought　came　into
his　mind　which　he　acknowledged　was　not　a　commendable　one。　　It
occurred　to　him　that　if　he　pursued　his　investigations　in　the
neighbourhood　a　little　further；　he　might　be　able　to　pick　up
something　that　would　be　of　advantage　to　him　on　his　wanderings。
His　eyes　and　his　thoughts　were　directed　towards　the　handsome　house
which　he　could　see　beyond　the　trees　of　the　old　garden。

The　moon　was　now　well　up　in　the　sky　and　it　shone　brightly　on　the
mansard　roof　of　the　fine　old　mansion。　　The　windows　of　the　long
wing　which　stretched　out　towards　the　garden　glistened　in　the
moonbeams；　and　the　light　coloured　wall　of　the　house　made　a　bright
background　for　the　dark　mask　of　trees　waving　gently　in　the　night
breeze。　　Knoll's　little　shed　was　sufficiently　raised　on　its
hillock　for　him　to　have　a　good　view　of　the　garden。　　There　was　no
door　to　the　shed　and　he　could　see　the　neighbouring　property　clearly
from　where　he　lay　on　his　bench。　　While　he　lay　there　watching；　he
saw　a　woman　walking　through　the　garden。　　He　could　see　her　only
when　she　passed　back　of　or　between　the　lower　shrubs　and　bushes。　　As
far　as　he　could　see；　she　came　from　the　main　building　and　was　walking
towards　a　pretty　little　house　which　lay　in　the　centre　of　the　garden。
Knoll　had　imagined　this　house　to　be　the　gardener's　dwelling　and　as
it　lay　quite　dark　he　supposed　the　inmates　were　either　asleep　or　out
for　the　evening。　　It　had　been　this　house　which　he　was　intending　to
honour　by　a　visit。　　But　seeing　the　woman　walking　towards　it；　he
decided　it　would　not　be　safe　to　carry　out　his　plan　just　yet　awhile。

A　few　moments　later　he　was　certain　that　this　last　decision　had　been
a　wise　one；　for　he　saw　a　man　come　from　the　main　building　and　walk
along　the　path　the　woman　had　taken。　　〃No；　nothing　doing　there；〃
thought　Knoll；　and　concluded　he　had　better　go　to　sleep。　　He　could
not　remember　just　how　long　he　may　have　dozed　but　it　seemed　to　him
that　during　that　time　he　had　heard　a　shot。　　It　did　not　interest　him
much。　　He　supposed　some　one　was　shooting　at　a　thieving　cat　or　at
some　small　night　animal。　　He　did　not　even　remember　whether　he　had
been　really　sound　asleep；　before　he　was　aroused　by　the　breaking
down　of　the　bench　on　which　he　lay。　　The　noise　of　it　more　than　the
shock　of　the　short　fall；　awoke　him　and　he　sprang　tip　in　alarm　and
listened　intently　to　hear　whether　any　one　had　been　attracted　by　it。
His　first　glance　was　towards　the　building　behind　the　garden。　　There
was　no　sound　nor　no　light　in　the　garden　house　but　there　was　a　light
in　the　main　building。　　While　the　tramp　was　wondering　what　hour　it
might　be；　the　church　clock　answered　him　by　ten　loud　strokes。

His　head　was　already　aching　from　the　wine　and　he　did　not　feel
comfortable　in　the　drafty　old　building。　　He　came　out　from　it；　crept
along　to　the　spot　where　he　had　climbed　the　fence　before；　and　after
listening　carefully　and　hearing　nothing　on　either　side；　he　climbed
back　to　the　road。　　The　Street　lay　silent　and　empty；　which　was　just
what　he　was　hoping　for。　　He　held　carefully　to　the　shadow　thrown　by
the　high　board　fence　over　which　he　had　climbed　until　he　came　to　its
end。　　Then　he　remembered　that　he　hadn't　done　anything　wrong　and
stepped　out　boldly　into　the　moonlight。　　The　moon　was　well　up　now
and　the　street　was　almost　as　light　as　day。　　Knoll　was　attracted　by
the　queer　shadows　thrown　by　a　big　elder　tree；　waving　its　long
branches　in　the　wind。　　As　he　came　nearer　he　saw　that　part　of　the
shadow　was　no　shadow　at　all　but　was　the　body　of　a　man　lying　in
the　street　near　the　bush。　　〃I　thought　sure　he　was　drunk〃　　was　the
way　Knoll　described　it。　　〃I've　been　like　that　myself　often　until
somebody　came　along　and　found　me。〃

When　he　came　to　this　spot　in　his　story；　he　halted　and　drew　a　long
breath。　　Commissioner　von　Riedau　had　begun　to　make　some　figures　on
the　paper　in　front　of　him；　then　changed　the　lines　until　the　head
of　a　pretty　woman　in　a　fur　hat　took　shape　under　his　fingers。

〃Well；　go　on；〃　　he　said；　looking　with　interest　at　his　drawing　and
improving　it　with　several　quick　strokes。

Johann　Knoll　continued：

〃Then　the　devil　came　over　me　and　I　thought　I　better　take　this　good
opportunity　…　well　…　I　did。　　The　man　was　lying　on　his　back　and　I
saw　a　watch　chain　on　his　dark　vest。　　I　bent　over　him　and　took　his
watch　and　chain。　　Then　I　felt　around　in　his　pocket　and　found　his
purse。　　And　then　…　well　then　I　felt　sorry　for　him　lying　out　in　the
open　road　like　that；　and　I　thought　I'd　lift　him　up　and　put　him
somewhere　where　he　could　sleep　it　off　more　convenient。　　But　I　didn't
see　there　was　a　little　ditch　there　and　I　stumbled　over　it　and
dropped　him。　　'It's　a　good　thing　he's　so　drunk　that　even　this　don't
wake　him　up；'　I　thought；　and　ran　off。　　Then　I　thought　I　heard
something　moving　and　I　was　scared　stiff；　but　there　was　nothing　in
the　street　at　all。　　I　thought　I　had　better　take　to　the　fields　though
and　I　crossed　through　some　corn　and　then　out　onto　another　street。
Finally　I　walked　into　the　city；　stayed　there　till　this　morning；　sold
the　watch；　then　went　to　Pressburg。〃

〃So　that　was　the　way　it　was；〃　　said　the　commissioner；　pushing　his
drawing　away　from　him　and　motioning　to　the　policemen　at　the　door。
〃You　may　take　this　man　away　now；〃　　he　added　in　a　voice　of　cool
indifference；　without　looking　at　the　prisoner。

Knoll's　head　drooped　and　he　walked　out　quietly　between　his　two
guards。　　The　clock　on　the　office　wall　struck　eleven。

〃Dear　me！　　what　a　lot　of　time　the　man　wasted；〃　said　the　commissioner；
putting　the　report　of　the　proceedings；　the　watch　and　the　purse　in　a
drawer　of　his　desk。　　〃When　anybody　has　been　almost　convicted　of　a
crime；　it's　really　quite　unnecessary　to　invent　such　a　long　story。

A　few　minutes　later；　the　room　was　empty　and　Muller；　as　the　last　of
the　group；　walked　slowly　down　the　stairs。　　He　was　in　such　a　brown
study　that　he　scarcely　heard　the　commissioner's　friendly　〃goodnight；〃
nor　did　he　notice　that　he　was　walking　down　the　quiet　street　under　a
star…gilded　sky。　　〃Almost　convicted　…　almost。　　Almost？〃　　Muller's
lips　murmured　while　his　head　was　full　of　a　chaotic　rush　of　thought；
dim　pictures　that　came　and　went；　something　that　seemed　to　be　on　the
point　of　bringing　light　into　the　darkness；　then　vanishing　again。
〃Almost　…　but　not　quite。　　There　is　something　here　I　must　find　out
first。　　What　is　it？　　I　must　know　…〃




CHAPTER　VII

THE　FACE　AT　THE　GATE


The　second　examination　of　the　prisoner　brought　nothing　new。　　Johann
Knoll　refused　to　speak　at　all；　or　else　simply　repeated　what　he　had
said　before。　　This　second　examination　took　place　early　the　next
morning；　but　Muller　was　not　present。　　He　was　taking　a　walk　in
Hietzing。

When　they　took　Johann　Knoll　in　the　police　wagon　to　the　City　Prison；
Muller　was　just　sauntering　slowly　through　the　street　where　the
murder　had　been　committed。　　And　as　the　door　of　the　cell　shut
clangingly　behind　the　man　whose　face　was　distorted　in　impotent　rage
and　despair；　Joseph　Muller　was　standing　in　deep　thought　before　the
broken　willow　twig；　which　now　hung　brown　and　dry　across　the　planks
of　the　fence。　　He　looked　at　it　for　a　long　time。　　That　is；　he　seemed
to　be　looking　at　it；　but　in　reality　his　eyes　were　looking　out　and
beyond　the　willow　twig；　out　into　the　unknown；　where　the　unknown
murderer　was　still　at　large。　　Leopold　Winkler's　body　had　already
been　committed　to　the　earth。　　How　long　will　it　be　before　his　death
is　avenged？　　Or　perhaps　how　long　may　it　even　be　before　it　is
discovered　from　what　motive　this　murder　was　committed。　　Was　it　a
murder　for　robbery；　or　a　murder　for　personal　revenge　perhaps？　　Were
the　two　crimes　committed　here　by　one　and　the　same　person；　or　were
there　two　people　concerned？　　And　if　two；　did　they　work　as
accomplices？　　Or　is　it　possible　that　Knoll's　story　was　true？　　Did
he　really　only　rob　the　body；　not　realising　that　it　was　a　dead　man
and　not　merely　an　intoxicated　sleeper　as　he　had　supposed？　　These
and　many　more　thoughts　rushed　tumultuously　through　Muller's　brain
until　he　sighed　despairingly　under　the　pressure。　　Then　he　smiled
in　amusement　at　the　wish　that　had　crossed　his　brain；　the　wish　that
this　case　might　seem　as　simple　to　him　as　it　apparently　did　to　the
commissioner。　　It　would　certainly　have　saved　him　a　lot　of　work　and
trouble　if　he　could　believe　the　obvious　as　most　people　did。　　What
was　this　devil　that　rode　him　and　spurred　him　on　to　delve　into　the
hidden　facts　concerning　matters　that　seemed　so　simple　on　the
surface？　　The　devil　that　spurred　him　on　to　understand　that　there
always　was　some　hidden　side　to　every　case？　　Then　the　sigh　and　the
smile　passed；　and　Muller　raised　his　head　in　one　of　the　rare　moments
of　pride　in　his　own　gifts　that　this　shy　unassuming　little　man　ever
allowed　himself。　　This　was　the　work　that　he　was　intended　by
Providence　to　do　or　he　wouldn't　have　been　fitted　for　it；　and　it　was
work　for　the　common　good；　for　the　public　safety。　　Thinking　back　over
the　troubles　of　his　early　youth；　Muller's　heart　rejoiced　and　he
was　glad　in　his　own　genius。　　Then　the　moment　of　unwonted　elation
passed　and　he　bent　his　mind　again　to　the　problem　before　him。

He　sauntered　slowly　through　the　quiet　street　in　the　direction　of
the　four　houses。　　To　reach　them　he　passed　the　fence　that　enclosed
this　end　of　the　Thorne　property。　　Muller　had　already　known；　for
the　last　twenty…four　hours　at　least；　that　the　owner　of　the　fine
old　estate　was　an　artist　by　the　name　of　Herbert　Thorne。　　His　own
landlady　had　informed　him　of　this。　　He　himself　was　new　to　the
neighbourhood；　having　moved　out　there　recently；　and　he　had　verified
her　statements　by　the　city　directory。　　As　he　was　now　passing　the
Thorne　property；　in　his　slow；　sauntering　walk；　he　had　just　come
within　a　dozen　paces　of　the　little　wooden　gate　in　the　fence　when
this　gate　opened。　　Muller's　naturally　soft　tread　was　made　still
more　noiseless　by　the　fact　that　he　wore　wide　soft　shoes。　　Years
before　he　had　acquired　a　bad　case　of　chilblains；　in　fact　had　been
in　immin