the lamp that went out-第20部分

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you　from　realising　the　danger　of　the　two　peculiarly　hung　mirrors　in
Mr。　Thorne's　room。　　These　should　have　been　taken　away　at　once。　　This
morning　my　sudden　appearance　at　the　garden　gate　prevented　you　from
making　an　examination　of　the　place　of　the　murder。　　Your　swoon；　after
I　had　spoken　to　you　in　the　butler's　room；　showed　me　that　you　were
carrying　a　burden　too　heavy　for　your　strength。　　Finally；　this
afternoon；　you　drove　to　the　main　telegraph　office　in　the　city；　as
you　thought　that　it　would　be　safer　to　telegraph　Mr。　Thorne　from
there。　　Your　telegram　was　very　cleverly　written。　　But　you　might　have
spared　the　last　sentence；　the　request　that　Mr。　Thorne　should　get　the
Viennese　papers　of　these　last　days。　　Believe　me；　he　has　already　read
these　papers。　　Who　could　be　more　interested　in　what　they　have　to　tell
than　he？〃

The　housekeeper　had　sat　as　if　frozen　to　stone　during　Muller's　long
speech。　　Her　face　was　ashen　and　her　eyes　wild　with　horror。　　When　the
detective　ceased　speaking；　there　was　dead　silence　in　the　room　for
some　time。　　Finally　Muller　asked：　〃Is　this　what　happened？〃　　His　voice
was　cutting　and　the　glance　of　his　eyes　keen　and　sharp。

Mrs。　Bernauer　trembled。　　Her　head　sank　on　her　breast。　　Muller　waited
a　moment　more　and　then　he　said　quietly：　〃Then　it　is　true。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　true；〃　　came　the　answer　in　a　low　hoarse　tone。

Again　there　was　silence　for　an　appreciable　interval。

〃If　you　had　been　faithful　to　your　mistress　as　well；　if　you　had　not
spied　upon　her　and　betrayed　her　to　her　husband；　all　this　might　not
have　happened；〃　　continued　the　detective　pitilessly；　adding　with　a
bitter　smile：　〃And　it　was　not　even　a　case　of　sinful　love。　　Your
mistress　had　no　such　relations　with　this　Winkler　as　you　…　I　say
this　to　excuse　you　…　seemed　to　believe。〃

Adele　Bernauer　sprang　up。　　〃I　do　not　need　this　excuse；〃　　she　cried；
trembling　in　excitement。　　〃I　do　not　need　any　excuse。　　What　I　have
done　I　did　after　due　consideration　and　in　the　realisation　that　it
was　absolutely　necessary　to　do　it。　　Never　for　one　moment　did　I
believe　that　my　mistress　was　untrue　to　her　husband。　　Never　for　one
moment　could　I　believe　such　an　evil　thing　of　her；　for　I　knew　her　to
be　an　angel　of　goodness。　　A　woman　who　is　deceiving　her　husband　is
not　as　unhappy　as　this　poor　lady　has　been　for　months。　　A　woman　does
not　write　to　a　successful　lover　with　so　much　sorrow；　with　so　many
tears。　　I　had　long　suspected　these　meetings　before　I　discovered
them；　but　I　knew　that　these　meetings　had　nothing　whatever　to　do
with　love。　　Because　I　knew　this；　and　only　because　I　knew　it；　did　I
tell　my　master　about　them。　　I　wanted　him　to　protect　his　wife；　to
free　her　from　the　wretch　who　had　obtained　some　power　over　her；　I
knew　not　how。〃

〃Ah！　　then　that　was　it？〃　　exclaimed　Muller；　and　his　eyes　softened
as　he　looked　at　the　sobbing　woman　who　had　sunk　back　into　her　chair。
He　laid　his　hand　on　her　cold　fingers　and　continued　gently：　〃Then
you　have　really　done　right；　you　have　done　only　what　was　your　duty。
I　pity　you　deeply　that　you　…　〃

〃That　I　have　brought　suspicion　upon　my　master　by　my　own　foolishness？〃
she　finished　the　sentence　with　a　pitifully　sad　smile。　　〃If　I　could
have　controlled　myself；　could　have　kept　calm；　nobody　would　have　had
a　thought　or　a　suspicion　that　he　…　my　pet；　my　darling　…　that　it　was
he　who　was　forced；　through　some　terrible　circumstance　of　which　I　do
not　know；　to　free　his　wife；　in　this　manner；　from　the　wretch　who
persecuted　her。〃

Mrs。　Bernauer　wrung　her　hands　and　gazed　with　despairing　eyes　at　the
man　who　sat　before　her；　himself　deeply　moved。

Again　there　was　a　long　silence。　　Muller　could　not　find　a　word　to
comfort　the　weeping　woman。　　There　was　no　longer　anger　in　his　heart；
nothing　but　the　deepest　pity。　　He　took　out　his　handkerchief　and
wiped　away　the　drops　that　were　dimming　his　own　eyes。

〃You　know　that　I　will　have　to　go　to　Venice？〃　he　asked。

Mrs。　Bernauer　sprang　up。　　〃Officially？〃　　she　gasped；　pale　to　her
lips。

He　nodded。　　〃Yes；　officially　of　course。　　I　must　make　a　report　at
once　to　headquarters　about　what　I　have　learned。　　You　can　imagine
yourself　what　the　next　steps　will　be。〃

Her　deep　sigh　showed　him　that　she　knew　as　well　as　he。　　In　the　same
second；　however；　a　thought　shot　through　her　brain；　changing　her
whole　king。　　Her　pale　face　glowed；　her　dulled　eyes　shot　fire；　and
the　fingers　with　which　she　held　Muller's　hand　tightly　clasped；　were
suddenly　feverishly　hot。

〃And　you　…　you　are　still　the　only　person　who　knows　the　truth？〃　　she
gasped　in　his　ear。

The　detective　nodded。　　〃And　you　thought　you　might　silence　me？〃　　he
asked　calmly。　　〃That　will　not　be　easy　…　for　you　can　imagine　that　I
did　not　come　unarmed。〃

Adele　Bernauer　smiled　sadly。　　〃I　would　take　even　this　way　to　save
Herbert　Thorne　from　disgrace；　if　I　thought　that　it　could　be
successful；　and　if　I　had　not　thought　of　a　milder　way　to　silence　a
man　who　cannot　be　a　millionaire。　　I　have　served　in　this　house　for
thirty…two　years；　I　have　been　treated　with　such　generosity　that　I
have　been　able　to　save　almost　every　cent　of　my　wages　for　my　old
age。　　With　the　interest　that　has　rolled　up；　my　little　fortune　must
amount　to　nearly　eight　thousand　gulden。　　I　will　gladly　give　it　to
you；　if　you　will　but　keep　silence；　if　you　will　not　tell　what　you
have　discovered。〃　　She　spoke　gaspingly　and　sank　down　on　her　knees
before　she　had　finished。

〃And　Mr。　Thorne　also　…　〃　　she　continued　hastily；　as　she　saw　no　sign
of　interest　in　Muller's　calm　face。　　Then　her　voice　failed　her。

The　detective　looked　down　kindly　on　her　grey　hairs　and　answered：
〃No；　no；　my　good　woman；　that　won't　do。　　One　cannot　conceal　one
crime　by　committing　another。　　I　myself　would　naturally　not　listen
to　your　suggestion　for　a　moment；　but　I　am　also　convinced　that　Mr。
Thorne；　to　whom　you　are　so　devoted；　and　who；　I　acknowledge；　pleased
me　the　very　first　sight　I　had　of　him　…　I　am　convinced　that　he　would
not　agree　for　a　moment　to　any　such　solution　of　the　problem。〃

〃Then　I　can　only　hope　that　you　will　not　find　him　in　Venice；〃
replied　Mrs。　Bernauer；　with　utter　despair　in　her　voice　and　eyes。

〃I　am　not　at　all　certain　that　I　will　find　him　in　Venice　when　I
leave　here　to…morrow　morning；〃　　said　Muller　calmly。

〃Oh！　　then　you　don't　want　to　find　him！　　Oh　God！　how　good；　how
inexpressibly　good　you　are；〃　　stammered　the　woman；　seizing　at　some
vague　hope　in　her　distraught　heart。

〃No；　you　are　mistaken　again；　Mrs。　Bernauer。　　I　will　find　Mr。　Thorne
wherever　he　may　be。　　But　I　may　arrive　in　Venice　too　late　to　meet
him　there。　　He　may　already　be　on　his　way　home。〃

〃On　his　way　home？〃　　cried　the　housekeeper　in　terror；　staggering
where　she　stood。

Muller　led　her　gently　to　a　chair。　　〃Sit　down　here　and　listen　to　me
calmly。　　This　is　what　I　mean。　　If　Mr。　Thorne　has　seen　in　the　papers
that　a　man　has　been　arrested　and　accused　of　the　murder　of　Leopold
Winkler；　then　he　will　take　the　next　train　back　and　give　himself　up
to　the　authorities。　　That　he　makes　no　such　move　as　long　as　he　thinks
there　is　no　suspicion　on　any　one　else；　no　possibility　that　any　one
else　could　suffer　the　consequences　of　his　deed　…　is　quite
comprehensible　…　it　is　only　natural　and　human。〃

Adele　Bernauer　sighed　deeply　again　and　heavy　tears　ran　down　her
cheeks；　in　strange　contrast　to　the　ghost　of　a　smile　that　parted
her　lips　and　shone　in　her　dimmed　eyes。

〃You　know　him　better　than　I　do；〃　　she　murmured　almost　inaudibly；
〃you　know　him　better　than　I　do；　and　I　have　known　him　for　so　long。〃

A　moment　later　Muller　had　parted　from　the　housekeeper　with　a　warm；
sincere　pressure　of　the　hand。

〃Lieutenant　Theobald　Leining　was　here　on　a　visit　to　his　sister　last
March；　wasn't　he？〃　　the　detective　asked　as　Franz　led　him　out　of　the
gate。

〃Yes；　sir；　the　Lieutenant　was　here　just　about　that　time；〃　　answered
the　old　man。

And　he　left　here　on　the　16th　of　March？〃

〃On　the　16th？　　Why；　it　may　have　been　…　yes；　it　was　the　16th　…　that
is　our　lady's　birthday。　　He　went　away　that　day。〃　　Franz　bowed　a
farewell　to　this　stranger　who　began　to　appear　uncanny　in　his　eyes；
and　shutting　the　gate　carefully　he　returned　to　the　house。

〃What　does　the　man　want　anyway？〃　　he　murmured　to　himself；　shivering
involuntarily。　　Without　knowing　why　he　turned　his　steps　towards　Mrs。
Bernauer　s　room。　　He　opened　the　door　hesitatingly　as　if　afraid　of
what　he　might　see　there。　　He　would　not　have　been　at　all　surprised　if
he　had　found　the　housekeeper　fainting　on　the　floor　as　before。

But　she　was　not　fainting　this　time。　　She　was　very　much　alive；　for；
to　Franz's　great　astonishment；　she　was　busied　at　the　packing　of　a
valise。

〃Are　you　going　away　too？〃　　asked　Franz。　　Mrs。　Bernauer　answered　in
a　voice　that　was　dull　with　weariness：　〃Yes；　Franz；　I　am　going　away。
Will　you　please　look　up　the　time…tables　of　the　Southern　railroad
and　let　me　know　when　the　morning　express　leaves？　　And　please　order
a　cab　in　time　for　it。　　I　will　depend　upon　you　to　look　after　the
house　in　my　absence。　　You　can　imagine　that　it　must　be　something
very　important　that　takes　me　to　Venice。〃

〃To　Venice？　　Why；　what　are　you　going　to　Venice　for？〃

〃Never　mind　about　that；　Franz；　but　help　me　to　pray　that　I　may　get
there　in　time。〃

She　almost　pushed　the　old　man　out　of　the　door　with　these　last
words　and　shut　and　locked　it　behind　him。

She　wanted　to　be　alone　with　this　hideous　fear　that　was　clutching
at　her　heart。　　For　it　was　not　to　Franz　that　she　could　tell　the
thoughts　that　came　to　her　lips　now　as　she　sank　down；　wringing　her
hands；　before　a　picture　of　the　Madonna：　〃Oh　Holy　Virgin；　Mother
of　our　Lord；　plead　for　me！　　let　me　be　with　my　dear　mistress　when
the　terrible　time　comes　and　they　take　her　husband　away　from　her；
or；　if　preferring　death　to　disgrace；　he　ends　his　life　by　his　own
hand！〃




CHAPTER　XI

IN　THE　POLICE　COURT


Commissioner　Von　Riedau　sat　at　his　desk　late　that　evening；
finishing　up　some　important　papers。　　The　quiet　of　an　undisturbed
night　watch　had　settled　down　on　the　busy　police　station。　　An
occasional　low　murmur　of　whispering　voices　floated　up　from　the
guardroom　below；　but　otherwise　the　stillness　was　broken　only　by
the　scratching　of　the　commissioner's　pen　and　the　rustle　of　the
paper　as　he　turned　the　leaves。　　It　was　a　silence　so　complete　that
a　light　step　on　the　stair　outside