the lamp that went out-第14部分

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whispered　to　him　that　he　had　done　right；　and　that　he　must　follow
up　the　trail　he　had　found。　　That　gave　him　back　his　usual　calm。

He　took　up　his　hat；　and　standing　before　the　pale…faced　woman；
looking　her　firmly　in　the　eyes；　he　said：　〃It　is　true　that　I　have
no　right　as　yet　to　force　my　way　into　your　house；　therefore　I　have
been　obliged　to　enter　it　as　best　I　could。　　I　have　done　this　often
in　my　work；　but　I　do　it　for　the　safety　of　society。　　And　those　who
reproach　me　for　doing　it　are　generally　those　whom　I　have　been
obliged　to　persecute　in　the　name　of　the　law。　　Mrs。　Bernauer；　I
will　confess　that　there　are　moments　in　which　I　feel　ashamed　that　I
have　chosen　this　profession　that　compels　me　to　hunt　down　human
beings。　　But　I　do　not　believe　that　this　is　one　of　those　moments。
You　have　read　this　morning's　papers；　you　must　know；　therefore；　that
a　man　has　been　arrested　and　accused　of　the　murder　which　interests
you　so　much；　you　must　be　able　to　realise　the　terror　and　anxiety
which　are　now　filling　this　man's　heart。　　For　to…day's　papers　…　I
have　read　them　myself　…　expressed　the　public　sentiment　that　the
police　may　succeed　in　convicting　this　man　of　the　crime；　that　the
death　may　be　avenged　and　justice　have　her　due。　　Several　of　these
papers；　the　papers　I　know　you　have　bought　and　presumably　read；　do
not　doubt　that　Johann　Knoll　is　the　murderer　of　Leopold　Winkler。

〃Now　there　are　at　least　two　people　who　do　not　believe　that　Knoll　is
the　murderer。　　I　am　one　of　them；　and　you；　Mrs。　Bernauer；　you　are
the　other。　　I　am　going　now　and　when　I　come　again；　as　I　doubtless
will　come　again；　I　will　come　with　full　right　to　enter　this　house。
I　acknowledge　frankly　that　I　have　no　justification　in　causing　your
arrest　as　yet；　but　you　are　quite　clever　enough　to　know　that　if　I
had　the　faintest　justification　I　would　not　leave　here　alone。　　And
one　thing　more　I　have　to　say。　　You　may　not　know　that　I　have　had　the
most　extraordinary　luck　in　my　profession；　that　in　more　than　a
hundred　cases　there　have　been　but　two　where　the　criminal　I　was
hunting　escaped　me。　　And　now；　Mrs。　Bernauer；　I　will　bid　you　good
day。〃

Muller　stepped　towards　the　window　and　motioned　to　Franz；　who　was
walking　up　and　down　outside。　　The　old　man　ran　to　the　door　and　met
the　detective　in　the　hall。

〃You'd　better　go　in　and　look　after　Mrs。　Bernauer；〃　　said　the
latter；　〃I　can　find　my　way　out　alone。〃

Franz　looked　after　him；　shaking　his　head　in　bewilderment　and　then
entered　his　own　room。　　〃Merciful　God！〃　　he　exclaimed；　bending　down
in　terror　over　the　housekeeper；　who　lay　on　the　floor。　　In　his　shock
and　bewilderment　he　imagined　that　she　too　had　been　murdered；　until
he　realised　that　it　was　only　a　swoon　from　which　she　recovered　in
a　moment。　　He　helped　her　regain　her　feet　and　she　looked　about　as
if　still　dazed；　stammering：　〃Has　he　gone？〃

〃The　strange　man？　　。。。　Yes；　he　went　some　time　ago。　　But　what
happened　to　you？　　Did　he　give　you　something　to　make　you　faint？　　Do
you　think　he　was　a　thief？〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　shook　her　head　and　murmured：　〃Oh；　no；　quite　the
contrary。〃　　A　remark　which　did　not　enlighten　Franz　particularly
as　to　the　status　of　the　man　who　had　just　left　them。　　There　was　a
note　of　fear　in　the　housekeepers　s　voice　and　she　added　hastily：
〃Does　any　one　besides　ourselves　know　that　he　was　here？〃

No。　　Lizzie　and　the　cook　are　in　the　kitchen　talking　about　the
murder。〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　shivered　again　and　went　slowly　out　of　the　room　and
up　the　stairs。

If　Franz　believed　that　the　stranger　had　left　the　house　by　the
front　entrance　he　was　very　much　mistaken。　　When　Muller　found
himself　alone　in　the　corridor　he　turned　quickly　and　hurried　out
into　the　garden。　　None　of　the　servants　had　seen　him。　　Lizzie　and
the　cook　were　engaged　in　an　earnest　conversation　in　the　kitchen
and　Franz　was　fully　occupied　with　Mrs。　Bernauer。　　The　gardener
was　away　and　his　wife　busy　at　her　wash　tubs。　　No　one　was　aware；
therefore；　that　Muller　spent　about　ten　minutes　wandering　about　the
garden；　and　ten　minutes　were　quite　sufficient　for　him　to　become　so
well　acquainted　with　the　place　that　he　could　have　drawn　a　map　of
it。　　He　left　the　garden　through　the　rear　gate；　the　latch　of　which
he　was　obliged　to　leave　open。　　The　gardener's　wife　found　it　that
way　several　hours　later　and　was　rather　surprised　thereat。　　Muller
walked　down　the　street　rapidly　and　caught　a　passing　tramway。　　His
mood　was　not　of　the　best；　for　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　whether
or　no　this　morning　had　been　a　lost　one。　　His　mind　sorted　and
rearranged　all　that　he　knew　or　could　imagine　concerning　Mrs。
Bernaner。　　But　there　was　hardly　enough　of　these　facts　to　reassure
him　that　he　was　not　on　a　false　trail；　that　he　had　not　allowed
himself　to　waste　precious　hours　all　because　he　had　seen　a　woman's
haggard　face　appear　for　a　moment　at　the　little　gate　in　the　quiet　street。




CHAPTER　VIII

JOHANN　KNOLL　REMEMBERS　SOMETHING　ELSE


Muller's　goal　was　the　prison　where　Johann　Knoll　was　awaiting　his
fate。　　The　detective　had　permission　to　see　the　man　as　often　as
he　wished　to。　　Knoll　had　been　proven　a　thief；　but　the　accusation
of　murder　against　him　had　not　been　strengthened　by　anything　but
the　most　superficial　circumstantial　evidence；　therefore　it　was
necessary　that　Muller　should　talk　with　him　in　the　hope　of
discovering　something　more　definite。

Knoll　lay　asleep　on　his　cot　as　the　detective　and　the　warder　entered
the　cell。　　Muller　motioned　the　attendant　to　leave　him　alone　with
the　prisoner　and　he　stood　beside　the　cot　looking　down　at　the　man。
The　face　on　the　hard　pillow　was　not　a　very　pleasant　one　to　look　at。
The　skin　was　roughened　and　swollen　and　had　that　brown…purple　tinge
which　comes　from　being　constantly　in　the　open　air；　and　from　habitual
drinking。　　The　weather…beaten　look　may　be　seen　often　in　the　faces　of
men　whose　honest　work　keeps　them　out　of　doors；　but　this　man　had　not
earned　his　colouring　honestly；　for　he　was　one　of　the　sort　who　worked
only　from　time　to　time　when　it　was　absolutely　necessary　and　there
was　no　other　way　of　getting　a　penny。　　His　hands　proved　this；　for
although　soiled　and　grimy　they　had　soft；　slender　fingers　which
showed　no　signs　of　a　life　of　toil。　　But　even　a　man　who　has　spent
forty　years　in　useless　idling　need　not　be　all　bad。　　There　must　have
been　some　good　left　in　this　man　or　he　could　not　have　lain　there　so
quietly；　breathing　easily；　wrapped　in　a　slumber　as　undisturbed　as
that　of　a　child。　　It　did　not　seem　possible　that　any　man　could　lie
there　like　that　with　the　guilt　of　murder　on　his　conscience；　or　even
with　the　knowledge　in　his　soul　that　he　had　plundered　a　corpse。

Muller　had　never　believed　the　first　to　be　the　case；　but　he　had
thought　it　possible　that　Knoll　knew　perfectly　well　that　it　was　a
lifeless　body　he　was　robbing。　　He　had　believed　it　at　least　until
the　moment　when　he　stood　looking　down　at　the　sleeping　tramp。　　Now；
with　the　deep　knowledge　of　the　human　heart　which　was　his　by
instinct　and　which　his　profession　had　increased　a　thousand…fold；
Muller　knew　that　this　man　before　him　had　no　heavy　crime　upon　his
conscience　…　that　it　was　really　as　he　had　said　…　that　he　had　taken
the　watch　and　purse　from　one　whom　he　believed　to　be　intoxicated
only。　　Of　course　it　was　not　a　very　commendable　deed　for　which　the
tramp　was　now　in　prison；　but　it　was　slight　in　comparison　to　the
crimes　of　which　he　was　suspected。

Muller　bent　lower　over　the　unconscious　form　and　was　surprised　to
see　a　gentle　smile　spread　over　the　face　before　him。　　It　brightened
and　changed　the　coarse　rough　face　and　gave　it　for　a　moment　a　look
of　almost　child…like　innocence。　　Somewhere　within　the　coarsened
soul　there　must　be　a　spot　of　brightness　from　which　such　a　smile
could　come。

But　the　face　grew　ugly　again　as　Knoll　opened　his　eyes　and　looked
up。　　He　shook　off　the　clouds　of　slumber　as　he　felt　Muller's　hand
on　his　shoulder　and　raised　himself　to　a　sitting　position；　grumbling：
〃Can't　I　have　any　rest？　　Are　they　going　to　question　me　again？　　I'm
getting　tired　of　this。　　I've　said　everything　I　know　anyhow。〃

〃Perhaps　not　everything。　　Perhaps　you　will　answer　a　few　of　my
questions　when　I　tell　you　that　I　believe　the　story　you　told　us
yesterday；　and　that　I　want　to　be　your　friend　and　help　you。〃

Knoll's　little　eyes　glanced　up　without　embarrassment　at　the　man
who　spoke　to　him。　　They　were　sharp　eyes　and　had　a　certain　spark　of
intelligence　in　them。　　Muller　had　noticed　that　yesterday；　and　he
saw　it　again　now。　　But　he　saw　also　the　gleam　of　distrust　in　these
eyes；　a　distrust　which　found　expression　in　Knoll's　next　words。
〃You　think　you　can　catch　me　with　your　good　words；　but　you're　makin'
a　mistake。　　I've　got　nothin'　new　to　say。　　And　you　needn't　think
that　you　can　blind　me；　I　know　you're　one　of　the　police；　and　I'm
not　going　to　say　anything　at　all。〃

〃Just　as　you　like。　　I　was　trying　to　help　you；　I　believe　I　really
could　help　you。　　I　have　just　come　from　Hietzing　…　but　of　course　if
you　don't　want　to　talk　to　me　…　〃　　Muller　shrugged　his　shoulders　and
turned　toward　the　door。

But　before　he　reached　it　Knoll　stood　at　his　side。　　〃You　really　mean
to　help　me？〃　　he　gasped。

〃I　do；〃　said　the　detective　calmly。

〃Then　swear；　on　your　mother's　soul　…　or　is　your　mother　still　alive？〃

〃No；　she　has　been　dead　some　time。〃

〃Well；　then；　will　you　swear　it？〃

〃Would　you　believe　an　oath　like　that？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃

〃With　the　life　you've　been　leading？〃

〃My　life's　no　worse　than　a　lot　of　others。　　Stealing　those　things　on
Monday　was　the　worst　thing　I've　done　yet。　　Will　you　swear？〃

〃Is　it　something　so　very　important　you　have　to　tell　me？〃

〃No；　I　ain't　got　nothin'　at　all　new　to　tell　you。　　But　I'd　just　like
to　know　…　in　this　black　hole　I've　got　into　…　I'd　just　like　to　know
that　there's　one　human　being　who　means　well　with　me　…　I'd　like　to
know　that　there's　one　man　in　the　world　who　don't　think　I'm　quite
good…for…nothin'。〃

The　tramp　covered　his　face　with　his　hands　and　gave　a　heart…rending
sob。　　Deep　pity　moved　the　detective's　breast。　　He　led　Knoll　back　to
his　cot；　and　put　both　hands　on　his　shoulders；　saying　gravely：　〃I
believe　that　this　theft　was　the　worst　thing　you　have　done。　　By　my
mother's　salvation；　Knoll；　I　believe　your　words　and　I　will　try　to
help　you。〃

Knoll　raised　his　head；　looking　up　at　Muller　with　a　gla