Этюд в багровых тонах
The Conclusion.
“Onenteringthehousethislastinferencewasconfirmed. Mywell-bootedmanlaybeforeme. Thetallone,then,haddonethemurder,ifmurdertherewas. Therewasnowounduponthedeadman’sperson,buttheagitatedexpressionuponhisfaceassuredmethathehadforeseenhisfatebeforeitcameuponhim. Menwhodiefromheartdisease,oranysuddennaturalcause,neverbyanychanceexhibitagitationupontheirfeatures. Havingsniffedthedeadman’slipsIdetectedaslightlysoursmell,andIcametotheconclusionthathehadhadpoisonforceduponhim. Again,Iarguedthatithadbeenforceduponhimfromthehatredandfearexpresseduponhisface. Bythemethodofexclusion,Ihadarrivedatthisresult,fornootherhypothesiswouldmeetthefacts. Donotimaginethatitwasaveryunheardofidea. Theforcibleadministrationofpoisonisbynomeansanewthingincriminalannals. ThecasesofDolskyinOdessa,andofLeturierinMontpellier,willoccuratoncetoanytoxicologist.
“Andnowcamethegreatquestionastothereasonwhy. Robberyhadnotbeentheobjectofthemurder,fornothingwastaken. Wasitpolitics,then,orwasitawoman? Thatwasthequestionwhichconfrontedme. Iwasinclinedfromthefirsttothelattersupposition. Politicalassassinsareonlytoogladtodotheirworkandtofly. Thismurderhad,onthecontrary,beendonemostdeliberately,andtheperpetratorhadlefthistracksallovertheroom,showingthathehadbeenthereallthetime. Itmusthavebeenaprivatewrong,andnotapoliticalone,whichcalledforsuchamethodicalrevenge.
