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crystallises slowly； but with an unconquerable persistence。 Instead of her
forgetting her bereavement； or the sense thereof waxing weaker by time；
she seemed to be drifting toward that ever…present consciousness of loss in
which the soul feels itself gradually； but surely； sinking under an
insupportable burden … a burden so long borne； so well known； that the
mind no longer thinks of it。 The heart beats stolidly under its load； and
seems to forget the time when it was not so oppressed。 No one knows
better than we physicians the danger of this autocracy of grief； and I
watched Gwen with a solicitude at times almost bordering on despair。
But； as I said before； she always seemed to show more interest in affairs
when Maitland was present； and； on the night in question； his abrupt and
unexpected entrance surprised her into the betrayal of more pleasure than
she would have wished us to note； and； indeed； so quickly did she conceal
her confusion that I was the only one who noticed it。 Maitland was too
busy with the news he brought。
〃Well； Miss Darrow；〃 he began at once； 〃at last your detective has got
a clue … not much of a one … but still a clue。 I can pick the man for whom
we are looking from among a million of his fellows … if I am ever fortunate
enough to get the chance。〃
Somebody has already called attention to the fact that women are more
or less curious； and there are well…authenticated cases on record where this
inquisitiveness has even extended to things which did not immediately
concern themselves； so I have little doubt I shall be believed when I say
the women folk were in a fever of expectancy； and besought Maitland with
an earnestness quite unnecessary … （it would have required a great deal to
have prevented his telling it） … to begin at the beginning； and relate the
whole thing。 He readily acceded to this request； and began by telling
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them the experiences which I have just narrated。 It was； he said； during
the last act of Sardou's 〃Cleopatra〃 that the idea had suddenly come to him
to change the plan of search from the analytical to the synthetical。
〃You see；〃 he continued； 〃I had from the first been trying to find the
assassin without knowing the exact way in which the crime was
committed。 I now determined to ascertain how； under the same
circumstances； I could commit such a crime； and leave behind no other
evidences of the deed than those which are in our possession。 I began to
read detective stories； with all the avidity of a Western Union Telegraph
messenger； and； of course； read those by Conan Doyle。 The assertion of
'Sherlock Holmes' that there is no novelty in crime； that crimes； like
history； repeat themselves； and that criminals read and copy each other's
methods； deeply impressed me； and I at once said to myself： 'If our
assassin was not original； whom did he copy？'
〃It was while reading 'The Sign of the Four；' which I had procured at
the Public Library； that I made the first discovery。 The crime therein
narrated had been committed in such a singular manner that it at once
attracted my attention。 The victim had apparently been murdered
without anyone having either entered or left the room。 In this respect it
was like the problem we are trying to solve。 Might not this book； I said
to myself； have suggested to your father's assassin the course he pursued。
I concluded to go to the library and ask for a list of the names of persons
who had taken out this book for a few months prior to your father's death。
I was fully aware that the chance of my learning anything in this way was
very slight； In the first place； I reasoned that it was not especially likely
your father's murderer had read 'The Sign of the Four；' and； in the second
place； even if he had； what assurance had I that he had read this particular
copy of it？ Notwithstanding this； however； I felt impelled to give my
synthetical theory a fair experimental trial。 I was informed by the
Library attendants that the book had been much read； and given the list of
some twenty names of persons who had borrowed the book during the
time I had specified。 With these twenty…odd names before me； I sat down
to think what my next step should be。 I went carefully over this chain of
reasoning link by link。 'I wish to find a certain murderer； and have
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The Darrow Enigma
adopted this method in the hope that it may help me。 If I derive any
assistance at all from it； it will be because my man has read this particular
copy of this work； therefore； I may as well assume at the start that among
these twenty…odd names is that of the man I want。 Is there any possibility
of this crime having been committed by a woman？' was my next question；
and my answer was； 'Yes； a possibility； but it is so decidedly improbable
that I may count it out for the time being。' Accordingly； I set aside all the
female names； which cut my list down to eighteen。 Several of the
applicants had only signed the initials of their given names； and the
attendant； copying them from the slips； had done likewise； so I was
obliged to go to the registration clerk to determine this question of sex；
and； while there； I also ascertained the age of each applicant … that is； of all
but two。 The registrar could give me no information regarding J。 Z。
Weltz； or B。 W。 Rizzi。 When I told him that one of the clerks had copied
the names for me from application slips； he informed me that if I would go
back to her I would undoubtedly find she had taken the two last…mentioned
names from the green slips used in applying for books for hall use； as
neither J。 Z。 Weltz nor B。 W。 Rizzi was a card…holder。
〃I decided to let these two names rest a while； and to give my attention
to the others。 After careful deliberation I felt reasonably sure your
father's assassin could not fail to be a man of mature judgment and
extraordinary cunning； probably a man past middle life … at all events； I
could safely say he was over twenty…one years of age。 Proceeding upon
this assumption my list was reduced to ten names。 But how should I
further continue this process of exclusion？ This was the question which
now confronted me。 I could think of but one way； apart from personally
making the gentlemen's acquaintance； which I did not then wish to do； and
that was to ascertain what other books they had borrowed immediately
before and after they had read 'The Sign of the Four。' This was the
course I determined to pursue。
〃If you ask me why I so persistently followed an investigation； a
successful outcome of which anyone must recognise would be little short
of miraculous；