按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
own anotherand stopped to look at a shop which struck me； not from anything in itself； but because it was the only shop in the street with the shutters closed。
A bill was posted on the shutters； announcing that the place was to let。 The outgoing tradesman's name and business； announced in the customary painted letters； ran thus： _James Wycomb； Cutler； etc。_
For the first time； it occurred to me that we had forgotten an obstacle in our way； when we distributed our photographs of the knife。 We had none of us remembered that a certain proportion of cutlers might be placed； by circumstances； out of our reacheither by retiring from business or by becoming bankrupt。 I always carried a copy of the photograph about me； and I thought to myself； 〃Here is the ghost of a chance of tracing the knife to Mr。 Deluc！〃
The shop door was opened； after I had twice rung the bell； by an old man； very dirty and very deaf。 He said 〃You had better go upstairs； and speak to Mr。 Scorriertop of the house。〃
I put my lips to the old fellow's ear…trumpet； and asked who Mr。 Scorrier was。
〃Brother…in…law to Mr。 Wycomb。 Mr。 Wycomb's dead。 If you want to buy the business apply to Mr。 Scorrier。〃
Receiving that reply； I went upstairs； and found Mr。 Scorrier engaged in engraving a brass door…plate。 He was a middle…aged man； with a cadaverous face and dim eyes After the necessary apologies； I produced my photograph。
〃May I ask； sir； if you know anything of the inscription on that knife？〃 I said。
He took his magnifying glass to look at it。
〃This is curious；〃 he remarked quietly。 〃I remember the queer nameZebedee。 Yes； sir； I did the engraving； as far as it goes。 I wonder what prevented me from finishing it？〃
The name of Zebedee； and the unfinished inscription on the knife； had appeared in every English newspaper。 He took the matter so coolly that I was doubtful how to interpret his answer。 Was it possible that he had not seen the account of the murder？ Or was he an accomplice with prodigious powers of self…control？
〃Excuse me；〃 I said； 〃do you read the newspapers？〃
〃Never！ My eyesight is failing me。 I abstain from reading； in the interests of my occupation。〃
〃Have you not heard the name of Zebedee mentionedparticularly by people who do read the newspapers？〃
〃Very likely； but I didn't attend to it。 When the day's work is done； I take my walk。 Then I have my supper； my drop of grog； and my pipe。 Then I go to bed。 A dull existence you think； I daresay！ I had a miserable life； sir； when I was young。 A bare subsistence； and a little rest； before the last perfect rest in the gravethat is all I want。 The world has gone by me long ago。 So much the better。〃
The poor man spoke honestly。 I was ashamed of having doubted him。 I returned to the subject of the knife。
〃Do you know where it was purchased； and by whom？〃 I asked。
〃My memory is not so good as it was；〃 he said； 〃but I have got something by me that helps it。〃
He took from a cupboard a dirty old scrapbook。 Strips of paper； with writing on them； were pasted on the pages； as well as I could see。 He turned to an index； or table of contents； and opened a page。 Something like a flash of life showed itself on his dismal face。
〃Ha！ now I remember；〃 he said。 〃The knife was bought of my late brother…in…law； in the shop downstairs。 It all comes back to me； sir。 A person in a state of frenzy burst into this very room； and snatched the knife away from me； when I was only half way through the inscription！〃
I felt that I was now close on discovery。 〃May I see what it is that has assisted your memory？〃 I asked。
〃Oh yes。 You must know； sir； I live by engraving inscriptions and addresses； and I paste in this book the manuscript instructions which I receive； with marks of my own on the margin。 For one thing； they serve as a reference to new customers。 And for another thing； they do certainly help my memory。〃
He turned the book toward me； and pointed to a slip of paper which occupied the lower half of a page。
I read the complete inscription； intended for the knife that killed Zebedee； and written as follows：
〃To John Zebedee。 From Priscilla Thurlby。〃
VII。
I DECLARE that it is impossible for me to describe what I felt when Priscilla's name confronted me like a written confession of guilt。 How long it was before I recovered myself in some degree； I cannot say。 The only thing I can clearly call to mind is； that I frightened the poor engraver。
My first desire was to get possession of the manuscript inscription。 I told him I was a policeman； and summoned him to assist me in the discovery of a crime。 I even offered him money。 He drew back from my hand。 〃You shall have it for nothing；〃 he said； 〃if you will only go away and never come here again。〃 He tried to cut it out of the pagebut his trembling hands were helpless。 I cut it out myself； and attempted to thank him。 He wouldn't hear me。 〃Go away！〃 he said； 〃I don't like the look of you。〃
It may be here objected that I ought not to have felt so sure as I did of the woman's guilt； until I had got more evidence against her。 The knife might have been stolen from her； supposing she was the person who had snatched it out of the engraver's hands； and might have been afterward used by the thief to commit the murder。 All very true。 But I never had a moment's doubt in my own mind； from the time when I read the damnable line in the engraver's book。
I went back to the railway without any plan in my head。 The train by which I had proposed to follow her had left Waterbank。 The next train that arrived was for London。 I took my place in itstill without any plan in my head。
At Charing Cross a friend met me。 He said； 〃You're looking miserably ill。 Come and have a drink。〃
I went with him。 The liquor was what I really wanted； it strung me up； and cleared my head。 He went his way； and I went mine。 In a little while more； I determined what I would do。
In the first place； I decided to resign my situation in the police； from a motive which will presently appear。 In the second place； I took a bed at a public…house。 She would no doubt return to London； and she would go to my lodgings to find out why I had broken my appointment。 To bring to justice the one woman whom I had dearly loved was too cruel a duty for a poor creature like me。 I preferred leaving the police force。 On the other hand； if she and I met before time had helped me to control myself； I had a horrid fear that I might turn murderer next； and kill her then and there。 The wretch had not only all but misled me into marrying her； but also into charging the innocent housemaid with being concerned in the murder。
The same night I hit on a way of clearing up such doubts as still harassed my mind。 I wrote to the rector of Roth； informing him that I was engaged to marry her； and asking if he would tell me （in consideration of my position） what her former relations might have been with the person named John Zebedee。
By return of post I got this reply：
〃SIRUnder the circumstances； I think I am bound to tell you confidentially what the friends and well…wishers of Priscilla have kept secret； for her sake。
〃Zebedee was in service in this neighborhood。 I am sorry to s