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opinion about the Saint…Cloud mystery。 For a month this in explicable
crime had been the talk of Paris。 Nobody could make head or tail of it。
M。 Bermutier； standing with his back to the fireplace； was talking；
citing the evidence； discussing the various theories； but arriving at no
conclusion。
Some women had risen； in order to get nearer to him； and were standing
with their eyes fastened on the clean…shaven face of the judge； who was
saying such weighty things。 They； were shaking and trembling； moved by
fear and curiosity； and by the eager and insatiable desire for the
horrible； which haunts the soul of every woman。 One of them； paler than
the others； said during a pause：
〃It's terrible。 It verges on the supernatural。 The truth will never be
known。〃
The judge turned to her：
〃True； madame； it is likely that the actual facts will never be
discovered。 As for the word 'supernatural' which you have just used； it
has nothing to do with the matter。 We are in the presence of a very
cleverly conceived and executed crime； so well enshrouded in mystery that
we cannot disentangle it from the involved circumstances which surround
it。 But once I had to take charge of an affair in which the uncanny
seemed to play a part。 In fact； the case became so confused that it had
to be given up。〃
Several women exclaimed at once：
〃Oh！ Tell us about it！〃
M。 Bermutier smiled in a dignified manner； as a judge should； and went
on：
〃Do not think； however； that I； for one minute； ascribed anything in the
case to supernatural influences。 I believe only in normal causes。 But
if； instead of using the word 'supernatural' to express what we do not
understand； we were simply to make use of the word 'inexplicable；' it
would be much better。 At any rate； in the affair of which I am about to
tell you； it is especially the surrounding； preliminary circumstances
which impressed me。 Here are the facts：
〃I was； at that time； a judge at Ajaccio； a little white city on the edge
of a bay which is surrounded by high mountains。
〃The majority of the cases which came up before me concerned vendettas。
There are some that are superb； dramatic； ferocious； heroic。 We find
there the most beautiful causes for revenge of which one could dream；
enmities hundreds of years old； quieted for a time but never
extinguished； abominable stratagems； murders becoming massacres and
almost deeds of glory。 For two years I heard of nothing but the price of
blood； of this terrible Corsican prejudice which compels revenge for
insults meted out to the offending person and all his descendants and
relatives。 I had seen old men； children； cousins murdered； my head was
full of these stories。
〃One day I learned that an Englishman had just hired a little villa at
the end of the bay for several years。 He had brought with him a French
servant； whom he had engaged on the way at Marseilles。
〃Soon this peculiar person； living alone； only going out to hunt and
fish； aroused a widespread interest。 He never spoke to any one； never
went to the town； and every morning he would practice for an hour or so
with his revolver and rifle。
〃Legends were built up around him。 It was said that he was some high
personage； fleeing from his fatherland for political reasons； then it was
affirmed that he was in hiding after having committed some abominable
crime。 Some particularly horrible circumstances were even mentioned。
〃In my judicial position I thought it necessary to get some information
about this man； but it was impossible to learn anything。 He called
himself Sir John Rowell。
〃I therefore had to be satisfied with watching him as closely as I could；
but I could see nothing suspicious about his actions。
〃However； as rumors about him were growing and becoming more widespread；
I decided to try to see this stranger myself； and I began to hunt
regularly in the neighborhood of his grounds。
〃For a long time I watched without finding an opportunity。 At last it
came to me in the shape of a partridge which I shot and killed right in
front of the Englishman。 My dog fetched it for me； but； taking the bird；
I went at once to Sir John Rowell and； begging his pardon； asked him to
accept it。
〃He was a big man； with red hair and beard； very tall； very broad； a kind
of calm and polite Hercules。 He had nothing of the so…called British
stiffness； and in a broad English accent he thanked me warmly for my
attention。 At the end of a month we had had five or six conversations。
〃One night； at last； as I was passing before his door； I saw him in the
garden； seated astride a chair； smoking his pipe。 I bowed and he invited
me to come in and have a glass of beer。 I needed no urging。
〃He received me with the most punctilious English courtesy； sang the
praises of France and of Corsica； and declared that he was quite in love
with this country。
〃Then； with great caution and under the guise of a vivid interest； I
asked him a few questions about his life and his plans。 He answered
without embarrassment； telling me that he had travelled a great deal in
Africa； in the Indies； in America。 He added； laughing：
〃'I have had many adventures。'
〃Then I turned the conversation on hunting； and he gave me the most
curious details on hunting the hippopotamus； the tiger； the elephant and
even the gorilla。
〃I said：
〃'Are all these animals dangerous？'
〃He smiled：
〃'Oh； no！ Man is the worst。'
〃And he laughed a good broad laugh； the wholesome laugh of a contented
Englishman。
〃'I have also frequently been man…hunting。'
〃Then he began to talk about weapons； and he invited me to come in and
see different makes of guns。
〃His parlor was draped in black； black silk embroidered in gold。 Big
yellow flowers； as brilliant as fire； were worked on the dark material。
〃He said：
〃'It is a Japanese material。'
〃But in the middle of the widest panel a strange thing attracted my
attention。 A black object stood out against a square of red velvet。 I
went up to it； it was a hand； a human hand。 Not the clean white hand of
a skeleton； but a dried black hand； with yellow nails； the muscles
exposed and traces of old blood on the bones； which were cut off as clean
as though it had been chopped off with an axe； near the middle of the
forearm。
〃Around the wrist； an enormous iron chain； riveted and soldered to this
unclean member； fastened it to the wall by a ring； strong enough to hold
an elephant in leash。
〃I asked：
〃'What is that？'
〃The Englishman answered quietly：
〃'That is my best enemy。 It comes from America； too。 The bones were
severed by a sword and the skin cut off with a sharp stone and dried in
the sun for a week。'
〃I touched these human remains； which must have belonged to a giant。 The
uncommonly long fingers were attached by enormous tendons which still had
pieces of skin hanging to them in places。 This hand was terrible to see；
it made one think of some savage vengeance。
〃I said：
〃'This man must have been very strong。'
〃The Englishman answered quietly：
〃'Yes； but I was stronger than he。 I put on this chain to hold him。'
〃I thought that he was joki