the illustrious prince- 第3部分

Smoothly　the　huge　engine　came　gliding　into　the　stationa　dumb；　silent　creature　now；　drawing　slowly　to　a　standstill　as　though　exhausted　after　its　great　effort。　Through　the　windows　of　the　saloon　the　station…master　could　see　the　train　attendant　bending　over　this　mysterious　passenger；　who　did　not　seem；　as　yet；　to　have　made　any　preparations　for　leaving　his　place。　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　was　seated　at　a　table　covered　with　papers；　but　he　was　leaning　back　as　though　he　had　been　or　was　still　asleep。　The　station…master　stepped　forward；　and　as　he　did　so　the　attendant　came　hurrying　out　to　the　platform；　and；　pushing　back　the　porters；　called　to　him　by　name。

〃Mr。　Rice；〃　he　said；　〃If　you　please；　sir；　will　you　come　this　way？〃

The　station…master　acceded　at　once　to　the　man's　request　and　entered　the　saloon。　The　attendant　clutched　at　his　arm　nervously。　He　was　a　pale；　anaemic…looking　little　person　at　any　time；　but　his　face　just　now　was　positively　ghastly。

〃What　on　earth　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　the　station…master　asked　brusquely。

〃There's　something　wrong　with　my　passenger；　sir；〃　the　man　declared　in　a　shaking　voice。　〃I　can't　make　him　answer　me。　He　won't　look　up；　and　I　don'tI　don't　think　he's　asleep。　An　hour　ago　I　took　him　some　whiskey。　He　told　me　not　to　disturb　him　againhe　had　some　papers　to　go　through。〃

The　station…master　leaned　over　the　table。　The　eyes　of　the　man　who　sat　there　were　perfectly　wide…open；　but　there　was　something　unnatural　in　their　fixed　stare；something　unnatural；　too；　in　the　drawn　grayness　of　his　face。

〃This　is　Euston；　sir；〃　the　station…master　began；〃the　terminus〃

Then　he　broke　off　in　the　middle　of　his　sentence。　A　cold　shiver　was　creeping　through　his　veins。　He；　too；　began　to　stare；　he　felt　the　color　leaving　his　own　cheeks。　With　an　effort　he　turned　to　the　attendant。

〃Pull　down　the　blinds；〃　he　ordered；　in　a　voice　which　he　should　never　have　recognized　as　his　own。　〃Quick！　Now　turn　out　those　porters；　and　tell　the　inspector　to　stop　anyone　from　coming　into　the　car。〃

The　attendant；　who　was　shaking　like　a　leaf；　obeyed。　The　station…master　turned　away　and　drew　a　long　breath。　He　himself　was　conscious　of　a　sense　of　nausea；　a　giddiness　which　was　almost　overmastering。　This　was　a　terrible　thing　to　face　without　a　second's　warning。　He　had　not　the　slightest　doubt　but　that　the　man　who　was　seated　at　the　table　was　dead！

At　such　an　hour　there　were　only　a　few　people　upon　the　platform；　and　two　stalwart　station　policemen　easily　kept　back　the　loiterers　whose　curiosity　had　been　excited　by　the　arrival　of　the　special。　A　third　took　up　his　position　with　his　back　to　the　entrance　of　the　saloon；　and　allowed　no　one　to　enter　it　till　the　return　of　the　station…master；　who　had　gone　for　a　doctor。　The　little　crowd　was　completely　mystified。　No　one　had　the　slightest　idea　of　what　had　happened。　The　attendant　was　besieged　by　questions；　but　he　was　sitting　on　the　step　of　the　car；　in　the　shadow　of　a　policeman；　with　his　head　buried　in　his　hands；　and　he　did　not　once　look　up。　Some　of　the　more　adventurous　tried　to　peer　through　the　windows　at　the　lower　end　of　the　saloon。　Others　rushed　off　to　interview　the　guard。　In　a　very　few　minutes；　however；　the　station…master　reappeared　upon　the　scene；　accompanied　by　the　doctor。　The　little　crowd　stood　on　one　side　and　the　two　men　stepped　into　the　car。

The　doctor　proceeded　at　once　with　his　examination。　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes；　this　mysterious　person　who　had　succeeded；　indeed；　in　making　a　record　journey；　was　leaning　back　in　the　corner　of　his　seat；　his　arms　folded；　his　head　drooping　a　little；　but　his　eyes　still　fixed　in　that　unseeing　stare。　His　body　yielded　itself　unnaturally　to　the　touch。　For　the　main　truth　the　doctor　needed　scarcely　a　glance　at　him。

〃Is　he　dead？〃　the　station…master　asked。

〃Stone…dead！〃　was　the　brief　answer。

〃Good　God！〃　the　station…master　muttered。　〃Good　God！〃

The　doctor　had　thrown　his　handkerchief　over　the　dead　man's　face。　He　was　standing　now　looking　at　him　thoughtfully。

〃Did　he　die　in　his　sleep；　I　wonder？〃　the　station…master　asked。　〃It　must　have　been　horribly　sudden！　Was　it　heart　disease？〃

The　doctor　did　not　reply　for　a　moment。　He　seemed　to　be　thinking　out　some　problem。

〃The　body　had　better　be　removed　to　the　station　mortuary；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Then；　if　I　were　you；　I　should　have　the　saloon　shunted　on　to　a　siding　and　left　absolutely　untouched。　You　had　better　place　two　of　your　station　police　in　charge　while　you　telephone　to　Scotland　Yard。〃

〃To　Scotland　Yard？〃　the　station…master　exclaimed。

The　doctor　nodded。　He　looked　around　as　though　to　be　sure　that　none　of　that　anxious　crowd　outside　could　overhear。

〃There's　no　question　of　heart　disease　here；〃　he　explained。　〃The　man　has　been　murdered！〃

The　station…master　was　horrified；horrified　and　blankly　incredulous。

〃Murdered！〃　he　repeated。　〃Why；　it's　impossible！　There　was　no　one　else　on　the　train　except　the　attendantnot　a　single　other　person。　All　my　advices　said　one　passenger　only。〃

The　doctor　touched　the　man's　coat　with　his　finger；　and　the　station…master　saw　what　he　had　not　seen　before；saw　what　made　him　turn　away；　a　little　sick。　He　was　a　strong　man；　but　he　was　not　used　to　this　sort　of　thing；　and　he　had　barely　recovered　yet　from　the　first　shock　of　finding　himself　face　to　face　with　a　dead　man。　Outside；　the　crowd　upon　the　platform　was　growing　larger。　White　faces　were　being　pressed　against　the　windows　at　the　lower　end　of　the　saloon。

〃There　is　no　question　about　the　man　having　been　murdered；〃　the　doctor　said；　and　even　his　voice　shook　a　little。　〃His　own　hand　could　never　have　driven　that　knife　home。　I　can　tell　you；　even；　how　it　was　done。　The　man　who　stabbed　him　was　in　the　compartment　behind　there；　leaned　over；　and　drove　this　thing　down；　just　missing　the　shoulder。　There　was　no　struggle　or　fight　of　any　sort。　It　was　a　diabolical　deed！〃

〃Diabolical　indeed！〃　the　station…master　echoed　hoarsely。

〃You　had　better　give　orders　for　us　to　be　shunted　down　on　to　a　siding　just　as　we　are；〃　the　doctor　continued；　〃and　send　one　of　your　men　to　telephone　to　Scotland　Yard。　Perhaps　it　would　be　as　well；　too；　not　to　touch　those　papers　until　some　one　comes。　See　that　the　attendant　does　not　go　home；　or　the　guard。　They　will　probably　be　wanted　to　answer　questions。〃

The　station…master　stepped　out　to　the　platform；　summoned　an　inspector；　and　gave　a　few　brief　orders。　Slowly　the　saloon　was　backed　out　of　the　station　again　on　to　a　neglected　siding；　a　sort　of　backwater　for　spare　carriages　and　empty　trucks；an　ignominious　resting　place；　indeed；　after　its　splendid　journey　thought　the　night。　The　doors　at　both　ends　were　closed　and　two　policemen　placed　on　duty　to　guard　them。　The　doctor　and　the　station…master　seated　themselves　out　of　sight　of　their　gruesome　companion；　and　the　station…master　told　all　that　he　knew　about　the　despatch　of　the　special　and　the　man　who　had　ordered　it。　The　attendant；　who　still　moved　about　like　a　man　in　a　dream；　brought　them　some　brandy　and　soda　and　served　them　with　shaking　hand。　They　all　three　talked　together　in　whispers；　the　attendant　telling　them　the　few　incidents　of　the　journey　down；　which；　except　for　the　dead　man's　nervous　desire　for　solitude；　seemed　to　possess　very　little　significance。　Then　at　last　there　was　a　sharp　tap　at　the　window。　A　tall；　quietly　dressed　man；　with　reddish　skin　and　clear　gray　eyes；　was　helped　up　into　the　car。　He　saluted　the　doctor　mechanically。　His　eyes　were　already　travelling　around　the　saloon。

〃Inspector　Jacks　from　Scotland　Yard；　sir；〃　he　announced。　〃I　have　another　man　outside。　If　you　don't　mind；　we'll　have　him　in。〃

〃By　all　means；〃　the　station…master　answered。　〃I　am　afraid　that　you　will　find　this　rather　a　serious　affair。　We　have　left　everything　untouched　so　far　as　we　could。〃

The　second　detective　was　assisted　to　clamber　up　into　the　car。　It　seemed；　however；　as　though　the　whole　force　of　Scotland　Yard　could　scarcely　do　much　towards　elucidating　an　affair　which；　with　every　question　which　was　asked　and　answered；　grew　more　mysterious。　The　papers　upon　the　table　before　the　dead　man　were　simply　circulars　and　prospectuses　of　no　possible　importance。　His　suitcase　contained　merely　a　few　toilet　necessaries　and　some　clean　linen。　There　was　not　a　scrap　of　paper　or　even　an　envelope　of　any　sort　in　his　pockets。　In　a　small　leather　case　they　found　a　thousand　dollars　in　American　notes；　five　ten…pound　Bank　of　England　notes；　and　a　single　visiting　card　on　which　was　engraved　the　name　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes。　In　his　trousers　pocket　was　a　handful　of　gold。　He　had　no　other　personal　belongings　of　any　sort。　The　space　between　the　lining　of　his　coat　and　the　material　itself　was　duly　noticed；　but　it　was　empty。　His　watch　was　a　cheap　one；　his　linen　unmarked；　and　his　clothes　bore　only　the　name　of　a　great　New　York　retail　establishment。　He　had　certainly　entered　the　train　alone；　and　both　the　guard　and　attendant　were　ready　to　declare　positively　that　no　person　could　have　been　concealed　in　it。　The　engine…driver；　on　his　part；　was　equally　ready　to　swear　that　not　once　from　the　moment　when　they　had　steamed　out　of　Liverpool　Station　until　they　had　arrived　within　twenty　miles　of　London；　had　they　travelled　at　less　than　forty　miles　an　hour。　At　Willington　he　had　found　a　signal　against　him　which　had　brought　him　nearly　to　a　standstill；　and　under　the　regulations　he　had　passed　through　the　stati