THE GONG OF DOOM

by Paul Halter
Weve just received word that the British joural Boo! ad Ma"a#ie $ollector
has selected Paul Halters story %The Ni"ht o& the Wol&'( &irst )ublished i
E"lish i E*MM +see our May ,--. issue/' &or its list o& the 0- To) 1oc!ed
2oo3 4tories o& 5ll Ti3e6 5s re"ular E*MM readers !ow by ow'
Frech3a Paul Halter +who hails &ro3 5lsace71orraie/ 3ost o&te writes
about a E"lish detective' Dr8 5la Twist8 Here Twist is a"ai with aother
su)erb loc!ed7roo3 )u##le8
Traslated &ro3 the Frech by 9oh Pu"3ire
: : : :
;t was a or3al evei" i the Hades $lub ad the 3e3bers were' as usual'
ejoyi" the )eace ad <uiet o& their surroudi"s8 ; the "reat oa!7)aelled
roo3' the "etle hu3 o& discreet coversatio could barely be heard above
the crac!li" o& the &la3es i the hearth8 $rossed swords hu" above the
i3)osi" blac! 3arble 3atel)iece' o which stood a bust o& the Gree! "od
who had "ive his a3e to the club= the 3eeti"7)lace o& a select circle o&
)ros)erous 1odoers devoted to the discussio o& )u##li" 3ysteries'
cri3ial ad otherwise8 But the )eace was suddely shattered by a stra"e
oise8 8 8 8
: : : :
5s oe' the 3e3bers tured to stare re)roach&ully at Horace' the servat who
had had the 3is&ortue to dro) a lar"e silver tray ad was &ratically tryi" to
"ather u) its cotets8
%Thats stra"e'( said 4u)eritedet $harles $ulle8 The seior 4cotlad
>ard o&&icial' a strai"ht7bac!ed 3a clearly i the )ri3e o& li&e des)ite "rayi"
hair co3bed care&ully bac!' was sitti" close to the &ire i the co3)ay o& his
old &ried' the e3iet cri3iolo"ist Dr8 5la Twist8 The leared doctor'
advaced i years but still s)orti" a s)ledid "i"er 3oustache beeath a
)air o& "etle but shrewd eyes' behid a )ice7e#' had &re<uetly hel)ed the
>ard over the course o& his career8
%5d what a oise'( cotiued $ulle8 %;t souded just li!e a orietal "o"8
For a 3o3et ; thou"ht ; was bac! i ;dia ad we were bei" called to
dier8(
%4tra"e? Why do you say that?( re)lied Twist8 %Horace had just served
Pro&essor Felto his custo3ary )ort' but the' u&ortuately' he 3ust have
sli))ed o the &reshly )olished &loor ad dro))ed the tray while he was tryi"
to retai his balace8 Whe it hit the &loor the tray )roduced a dee)' resoat
soud@a )ower&ul vibratio ot uli!e a "o"' as you have correctly
observed8 The trai o& evets see3s )er&ectly lo"ical to 3e8 ; really dot see
whats odd about it8(
The )olice3a shru""ed his shoulders=
%What ; 3eat to say was' thats ot the !id o& soud oe hears every day'
you 3ust ad3it8(
$o3&ortably escoced i his ar3chair' Twist slowly too! o&& his )ice7e#
ad a))eared to cote3)late the collectio o& swords ad da""ers above the
3atel)iece8
%What would have bee stra"e was i& the tray had 3ade o soud at all8 Or i&
a "reat "o"' havi" bee struc!' reverberated o its stad but re3aied
silet8(
%Thats clearly i3)ossible'( sco&&ed $ulle8 %But' !owi" you' its obvious that
youve bee re3ided o& oe o& your &a3ous i3bro"lios= those see3i"ly
i3)ossible )roble3s that you see3 to attract li!e &lies8 Wait6 1et 3e "uess 8 8 8
its so3ethi" to do with those wea)os' ;ll bet8 Perha)s that orietal da""er
youve bee stari" at so itetly?(
The cri3iolo"ist odded s3ili"ly8
%>oure very observat' $harles8 But i &act' its 3ore li!e the o))osite8(
%The o))osite?( echoed the su)eritedet' &rowi"8 %; dot uderstad8(
%;t was ot about a silet "o"@(
%Tha! "oodess &or that8(
%@but a "o" that souded without bei" struc!8(
%;s this so3e !id o& jo!e?(
%Not at all8 The object i <uestio had the re)utatio o& soudi" by itsel&8 5d
i this case' it wast to aouce dier but so3ethi" alto"ether 3ore
siister8 ; should really tell you the whole story' $harles' so you ca
a))reciate why the detectives i char"e o& the ivesti"atio were at their wits
ed8 5&ter all' ot oly was there the Go" o& Doo3' there was also a
3urderer who could wal! o sow without leavi" a trace6(
$harles $ulles reactio was to ta!e a <uic! "ul) o& whis!y ad stare hard at
the "ri3 statue o& Hades8 5&ter a 3o3et o& silet cote3)latio' he
observed=
%>ou dot really loo! li!e hi3' but theres so3ethi"' evertheless 8 8 8 %
%What? 5re you co3)ari" 3e with the Price o& Dar!ess?(
%>es' 3y dear &ellow8 >oure every bit as diabolical i your 3ai)ulatio o&
)eo)le8(
5 3ischievous "lea3 a))eared i the e3iet detectives eyes8
%But you still wat to hear the story' it see3s8 ; thou"ht youd )laed a had
o& brid"e8(
%;t ca wait8 Oce a"ai' youve aroused 3y curiosity8(
5&ter ta!i" his ti3e to li"ht his )i)e' Dr8 Twist re)lied=
%4o be it8 ;ts a story that "oes all the way bac! to the ed o& the Great War' i
other words the early tweties' but &ortuately ; have a 3e3ory which' as
re"ards cri3ial 3atters' is )ositively ele)hatie8 ; ca re3e3ber the
s3allest detail8(
%; !ow that &ro3 all the ti3es youve bee o& assistace to us8(
%;t does hel) that Miss 2ose 4tra"e had 3a"i&icet chestut hair' e3erald
"ree eyes' ad a sleder' "race&ul &i"ure8 8 8 8 %
%No story worth its salt is co3)lete without a )retty "irl8 ; su))ose that Miss
2ose was the heroie?(
%; a 3aer o& s)ea!i"8 4he was twety at the ti3e ad was "oi" out with
Phili)' a you" 3a o& relatively hu3ble ori"is' but hoest ad hardwor!i"8
His e3)loyer had thou"ht hi"hly eou"h o& hi3 to )ro3ote hi3 to &ore3a at
the bicycle &actory where he wor!ed' which o&&ered the cou)le the )ros)ect o&
&iacial security8 But there was oe &or3idable obstacle to their ha))iess=
2oses ucle ad "uardia $oloel Hery 4tra"e8 The coloel' a co&ir3ed
bachelor' 3ay well have had a heart o& "old but' i& so' he wet to "reat
le"ths to coceal it8 5 strict disci)liaria' he treated her a&ter the death o&
her )arets as i& she were his ow dau"hter' but watched over her with a
"i3let eye &ar shar)er tha ay &athers8
%He had bee a 3edical o&&icer i the ar3y' but had le&t to ta!e u) a
i3)ortat )ost i the Miistry o& De&ece8 He lived a strictly re"i3eted li&e
ad eA)ected others to do the sa3e8 ;& his iece was "oi" to be 3arried' it
would have to be to a you" 3a o& his choosi"' such as a ar3y o&&icerB it
"oes without sayi" that he was less tha echated with his ieces choice8
He didt disli!e the you" 3a )ersoally' but there was o <uestio o& hi3
beco3i" 2oses husbad8 For his )art' Phili) was &ully aware o& the coloels
views ad had decided to co&rot hi3 that very evei"' to i&or3 hi3 that'
oce his iece reached her 3ajority' oly death could )revet the 3arria"e
&ro3 ta!i" )lace8(
%5d death is )recisely what ha))eed' ; i3a"ie'( co33eted the
su)eritedet wryly' ta!i" aother swi" o& whis!y8
%>es' death iterveed brutally ad i a al3ost su)eratural 3aer' as i& a
deity had iterveed8 The study' where $oloel 4tra"e had received Phili)'
was the scee o& a seseless ad ieA)licable 3urder which de&ied the 3ost
ele3etary laws o& lo"ic@at least &or those who believed i the iocece o&
the accused' li!e 2ose8 4he was the oly oe who did at the ti3e' ad &ra!ly
the char"es a))eared to be )retty da3i"8 Phili) a))eared to be the oly
oe who could have co33itted the cri3e8 To 3a!e 3atters worse' his
eA)laatio see3ed scarcely credible 8 8 8 ad he was also the oly oe with a
3otive &or the 3urder8(
$harles $ulle rubbed his chi thou"ht&ully=
%1et 3e "uess8 They were closeted to"ether i the study ad <uarrelled' a&ter
which Phili) was &oud aloe with the coloels body8(
%EAactly8(
%5d he deied havi" !illed hi38(
%Precisely8(
%5 classic detective7story situatio8(
%Perha)s' but this wast a story8(
%Where was the 3urderer' the?( as!ed $ulle' obviously itri"ued8
%Nowhere8(
%Nowhere? ;3 a&raid ; dot &ollow8 $oloel 4tra"e was !illed i &rot o& his
visitor' who didt see aythi"? ;s that what youre sayi"?(
Dr8 Twist odded i a"ree3et8
%>es8(
%5 )hato3 assassi' i other words?(
%That was certaily the oly )lausible eA)laatio i& oe assu3ed Phili) was
iocet8 But let 3e be"i at the be"ii"8 8 8 8 ;t ha))eed i 1odo' o a
evei" a &ew days be&ore $hrist3as8 ;t had bee sowi" all day ad the city
lay uder a thic! bla!et o& sow8 2ose ad her ucle lived i Bloo3sbury' i
a house at the ed o& a dead7ed street8 5 hi"h wall ra the le"th o& the
o))osite side o& the street' behid which stood a abadoed warehouse8
Phili) arrived aroud ei"ht ocloc!' while it was still sowi"8 2ose was i a
state o& a"itatio' ot oly because o& what Phili) was )lai" to say to her
ucle' but also because he had &oud her i the co3)ay o& a o&&icer' 9oh
Bures&ord' who3 4tra"e had ivited8 The &air7haired you" 3a was
)leasat eou"h ad rather shy' but what had struc! 2ose i33ediately was
the sti&&ess o& his "loved ri"ht had8 With a s3ile' he eA)laied to her that it
was a souveir o& the battle o& >)res= CDot worry' ;3 used to it8 Peo)le
see3 e3barrassed by it but' to be absolutely &ra!' ;ve al3ost &or"otte
about it8 Over the last &ive years' ;ve beco3e accusto3ed to the thi"8 5ll ;
have to do is to thi! about the &rieds that didt 3a!e it bac! to realise how
luc!y ; was to "et out o& there at all8 5d ayway' ;ve still "ot oe le&t8
%4o sayi"' he held out his "ood had ad 2ose aturally held out hers8 5d
at that 3o3et Phili) ca3e ito the roo38
%He was covered i sow ad had &or"otte to ri" the doorbell i his haste to
esca)e the weather8 With his collar tured u) ad his hat ja33ed dow o
his head' his eyes were barely visible' but he evertheless shot a &urious
"lace at the cou)le ad loo!ed Bures&ord u) ad dow as i& he were a
itruder8 5t that )oit Hery 4tra"e arrived ad' o doubt sesi" the tese
at3os)here' )ro&&ered so3e dri!s ad )ro)osed a "a3e o& brid"e' which
lasted two hours8 5t hal&7)ast te 9oh Bures&ord eAcused hi3sel& ad le&t' at
which )oit Phili) as!ed to s)ea! )rivately to the coloel ad they wet ito
the study to"ether ad shut the door8
%Hery 4tra"e !ew very well what it was all about8 Duri" the brid"e
sessio' 2ose had observed hi3 loo!i" out o& the corer o& his eye at Phili)
ad hersel&' but had bee too &lustered to dwell u)o it8 Des)ite Phili)s
isistece' she had ever )luc!ed u) the coura"e to co&rot her ucle about
her 3arria"e itetios ad so' !owi" the characters o& both 3e' she ow
&eared the worst8 Her ucle was i&leAible' ad Phili) was as stubbor as a
3ule8 Thi"s did ot bode well8 8 8 8
%4he wet ito the !itche to await evets ad i less tha &ive 3iutes could
hear voices raised i a"erB hardly a sur)rise' but disturbi" evertheless8
Eve thou"h two doors se)arated her &ro3 the two 3e@the !itche door
o)ei" oto the corridor with the study door o))osite@she could still hear
the3' as could 9as)er' her ucles 3aservat' who lived o the &loor above8
5s the <uarrel showed o si"s o& abati"' 9as)er ca3e dow to joi 2ose i
the !itche8 4he eA)laied what she !ew o& the situatio ad to"ether they
wet ito the corridor to stad outside the study door8 4uddely there was a
boo3i"' resoat soud ad the voices sto))ed abru)tly8 9as)er ad 2ose
loo!ed at each other ad stood there' straii" to hear i& the dis)ute was
about to start a"ai8 But to o avail= There was ot the sli"htest soud8 8 8 8
%Now' be&ore ; "o ay &urther' ; eed to tell you about the "o" ad the
da""er8(
: : : :
Dr8 Twist tured towards the 3atel)iece ad' idicati" oe o& the orietal
ar3s' as!ed his &ried=
%>ou "uessed <uite correctly a &ew 3iutes a"o= That was oe o& the objects
that re3ided 3e o& this busiess8 >ou !ow what it is' ; su))ose?(
%O& course'( re)lied $ulle8 %;ts a !adjar' a traditioal ;dia da""er8(
%Well' as it ha))eed' there was a !adjar i $oloel 4tra"es study' ad
there was also a "o"8 5 very re3ar!able "o"8 4u)er&icially' there was
othi" to disti"uish it &ro3 ay other' but the ;dia who sold it to hi3
clai3ed that it )ossessed su)eratural )owers8
%1et 3e "uess'( eAclai3ed $ulle8 %5 "o" which would soud without
ayoe havi" struc! it6(
%Precisely8 5d wheever that occurred' it was best ot to liste' &or it was a
ill o3e8 ;t aouced so3eoes i33iet death' or so it was said8 $oloel
4tra"e used to tal! &re<uetly about the le"ed' althou"h obody i the
house had ever heard it e3it a soud8 Or' at least' without hu3a
itervetio= &or 2ose' as a child' loved to "ive it a little ta) &ro3 ti3e to ti3e8
;ts very soud e3)hasi#ed the orietal ature o& the roo3' with the thic!
Persia car)et ad eAotic wea)ory' ad the shelves &ull o& tri!ets' 3iiature
ele)hats ad other statuettes i ivory8 But util that 3o3et' at least sice
the coloels retur &ro3 ;dia' it had ever souded by itsel&8
%Bac! to 9as)er ad 2ose= Followi" the boo3i" soud' they had heard
othi"' eve thou"h they had bee listei" attetively8 Now' worried about
the )rolo"ed silece' they 3ade their way to the study' !oc!ed "etly' ad
tried the door8 ;t was loc!ed &ro3 the iside' but Phili) uloc!ed ad o)eed it
i33ediately8 He loo!ed very )ale as he let the3 i8 Oce iside' they could
see that the widow o))osite the door was wide o)e8 O the wall to their
ri"ht' ear the widow' hu" the "o" ad the !adjar8 The body o& the
coloel lay o the &loor al3ost beeath the !adjar8 There was a arrow
)ierci" the coloels ec! ad Phili) told the3 there was othi" they could
do' &or the coloel was <uite dead8 2ose stood there i stued silece while
9as)er' who had !e)t his head' as!ed Phili) to describe what had ha))eed8
D&ortuately' the you" 3as eA)laatio see3ed so )re)osterous they
&eared he had lost his reaso ad 3i"ht eve have !illed $oloel 4tra"e
hi3sel& i a &it o& ucotrollable a"er8
%Needless to say' the <uestio o& 3arria"e was at the root o& the <uarrel8 5s
the coloel rejected his ar"u3ets with a cold authority' Phili) had tried to
!ee) his co3)osure while )aci" to ad &ro8 Evetually he couldt ta!e ay
3ore o& the biti" co33ets ad' recociled to de&eat but sha!i" with a"er'
was about to leave the study whe it ha))eed8 He was &aci" the door ad
the coloel was stadi" at the other ed o& the roo3 with his bac! to the
widow' see3i"ly studyi" the !adjar ad the &ate&ul "o" o the side wall8
4uddely Phili) heard a curious soud' li!e a boo3i" vibratio8 He thou"ht
i33ediately o& the "o" because o& the le"ed 2ose had recetly told hi3
about8 He tured aroud ad saw Hery 4tra"e sta""eri" ad tryi" to
clutch at the wall &or su))ort' i a vai atte3)t to re3ai u)ri"ht8 But' be&ore
Phili) could reach hi3' he colla)sed o the car)et8 ;t was oly the that Phili)
oticed the arrow i Herys ec!8 Because the widow was o)e' he
i33ediately thou"ht that the shot had co3e &ro3 outside ad wet over to
ta!e a loo!8 There was othi"' ot so 3uch as a cat8 The street was silet
ad deserted8 5 solitary bro#e street la3) illu3iated the scee ad created
a shee o the sur&ace o& the sow' which he could see was u3arred by
&oot)rits or 3ar!s o& ay !id8 O))osite hi3 was a ubro!e bric! wall
without a si"le oo! or cray8 Where could ay 3ysterious archer have
hidde to &ire the deadly shot? There was owhere8 ;t slowly dawed o Phili)
that all the evidece )oited to hi3 bei" the oly oe who could have
co33itted the 3urder8(
The e3iet cri3iolo"ist )aused &or dra3atic e&&ect8 5&ter &avouri" hi3 with
a rather cyical loo!' the su)eritedet co33eted=
%5 itri"ui" )roble3' ; 3ust say8 ;& Phili) was ideed iocet' which you
see3 to be i3)lyi"' there are a cou)le o& ueA)laied )heo3ea8 First'
obviously' theres the "o" that reverberated all o& its ow accord by way o&
aouci" a i33iet death8 4ecodly' theres $oloel 4tra"es abru)t
de3ise i see3i"ly i3)ossible circu3staces8 Perha)s you could elaborate
o the latter?(
%O& course'( a"reed Twist with a iroic s3ile8 %5d ;ll try to be objective eve
thou"h ; already !ow the solutio8 First' ; 3ust tell you about the sow3a at
the ed o& the cul7de7sac' 3ade by so3e schoolboys duri" that sa3e
a&teroo8 They had decorated it with whatever had co3e to had= a old
broo3B the traditioal carrot &or its oseB a battered old hat o its headB ad a
ora"e o to) o& the hat8 With re"ard to the layout o& the street= 4tarti" &ro3
the T juctio &or3ed by the cul7de7sac ad the 3ai road to the south' it was
a "ood thirty yards orth to the wall at the ed where the sow3a stood
"uard8 The hi"h wall ra the &ull le"th o& the west side ad o the east there
were three houses eAt to oe aother side by side' that o& the 4tra"es
bei" the last8 ;ts &rot door was there&ore so3e twety yards &ro3 the T
juctio' with the street la3) al3ost o))osite )rovidi" bri"ht illu3iatio &or
the whole street8 There were three widows loo!i" oto the cul7de7sac= that
o& the study' adjacet to the &rot door' ad two others belo"i" to a lar"er
roo3@the dii" roo3' ; believe8 ;& you leat out o& the study widow you
would see' sli"htly to the le&t' the street la3) ad' &ive or siA yards to the ri"ht'
the wall at the ed o& the cul7de7sac8 5re you with 3e so &ar?(
%5bsolutely'( re)lied $harles $ulle' who had bee cocetrati" with his
eyes closed8
%9as)er had had the )resece o& 3id to call the )olice ad they arrived
<uic!ly8 5t &irst they cocetrated o the vir"i sow i the street' ho)i" to
&id icri3iati" &oot)rits8 Phili)s state3ets were so absurd that they
believed he 3ust be iocet@at least at &irst8 The oly &oot)rits they could
&id were 3ade by 9oh Bures&ord' which wet &ro3 the &rot door o& the
house to the T juctio8 They were very clear because the sow had sto))ed
aroud the ti3e he had le&t8 There was othi" sus)icious about the3= Their
"eeral directio' de)th' ad@above all@their a"le relative to the study
widow ruled out the )ossibility o& a shot &ro3 that )articular )ath8 Whe the
coloels body had bee &oud' it was several &eet &ro3 the widow8
Further3ore' Phili)@who had othi" to "ai by )oiti" it out@isisted that
$oloel 4tra"e was ot at the widow at the &atal 3o3et8 He was stadi"
by the "o" just be&ore Phili) brie&ly tured his bac! o hi38
%The )olice eAa3ied various )otetial lies o& &ire &ro3 outside the house'
but i all cases the 3ar!s3a would have to have bee )ositioed close to
the wall o))osite the widow' ad withi a area less tha thirty &eet wide8
Further3ore' &ro3 the a"le o& the arrow i the victi3s ec!' the shot 3ust
have bee )retty well hori#otal8 Now' &ro3 a care&ul eAa3iatio withi the
desi"ated thirty7&oot li3it' there wast the 3iutest a)erture i the wall@ot
eve a loose bric!@ad' as ;ve already oted' ot a si"le icri3iati" 3ar!
i the sow o the street or o the widow sill8 ;t was see3i"ly i3)ossible &or
the crossbow3a@&or the iitial theory was that the arrow had bee &ired
&ro3 a crossbow@to have ta!e his shot &ro3 outside the house8
%That le&t oly the study itsel&' which arrowed the )ossibilities to just two=
Either the coloel had bee !illed by the oly other )erso i the roo3 at the
ti3e' or by a cui"ly cocealed 3echaical tra)8 Give the absece o& ay
evidece o& the latter' it see3ed iesca)able that Phili) was the "uilty )arty8(
%How did he do it' the?( as!ed $ulle8 %Did they &id a crossbow i the
study?(
%No8(
%4o where the devil did he hide it a&ter hed &ired it?(
5 3ischievous "lea3 a))eared behid the )ice7e# o& the &a3ous detective8
%; &act' at this )oit the authorities were by o 3eas totally coviced that
the arrow had bee &ired &ro3 a crossbow8 5&ter eAa3ii" the body' the
3edical eAa3ier had so3e <uestios about the woud8 ;t see3ed to be
cosistet with the cause o& death' yet didt see3 to be a clea eou"h
woud to be co3)letely atural8 The s!i a))eared to have bee tor8 O
<uestioi"' Phili) recalled havi" tried i vai to )ull the arrow out o& the
&alle victi3' but <uic!ly reali#ed his host was dead8 He ow reali#ed it was a
3ista!e' but it was a re&leA actio' doe i a 3o3et o& )aic8 The
eA)laatio was )lausible' accordi" to the eAa3ier' but it was oly oe o&
several )ossibilities ad still didt eA)lai how the shot was &ired8
%The )olice is)ector had aother theory which' i &act' eA)laied the 3ystery
co3)letely8 The &atal woud was i&licted by the sus)ect ot with a crossbow
arrow at all' but with a da""er8 5t the hei"ht o& their <uarrel' Phili) "rabbed
the &irst wea)o to had= the !adjar8 5&ter stabbi" the coloel' ad otici"
a crossbow arrow i the roo3' he tried to 3a!e it a))ear as thou"h the shot
ca3e &ro3 outside8 5ll he had to do was re3ove the !adjar' wi)e it dow
ad )ut it bac! o the wall' drive the arrow all the way ito the woud' ad
the o)e the widow8 There was just oe s3all detail that tri))ed hi3 u)=
There were o icri3iati" &oot)rits aywhere i the cul7de7sac8 Everythi"
thus )oited to Phili)' ad he was arrested the &ollowi" day8 ;t )roved a
devastati" shoc! to 2ose' eve thou"h she had bee hal& eA)ecti" it8(
%They could scarcely have doe otherwise'( observed the su)eritedet8
%Peo)le have bee ha"ed &or a lot less8 But weret there ay other
witesses?(
%There were ideed8 Fortuately &or Phili)' the is)ector wast etirely
satis&ied with his ow theoriesB everythi" see3ed too )at8 Besides' ot a
si"le trace o& blood had bee &oud o the !adjar8 Would Phili) really have
had ti3e to clea it so thorou"hly ad co3e u) with a eA)laatio' o 3atter
how i3)lausible? There had barely bee a cou)le o& 3iutes betwee the
ed o& the <uarrel ad the discovery o& the tra"edy8 Would that have bee
eou"h?
%The is)ector )ursued his e<uiries ad evetually &oud two witesses who'
accordi" to a local i!ee)er' had le&t his establish3et aroud the ti3e o&
the cri3e8 O their way ho3e they had )assed by the to) ed o& the cul7de7
sac' where the )olice had i &act &oud two sets o& 3uddled &oot)rits i the
sow at the T juctio8 This was <uite uderstadable' "ive that they had le&t
the )ub i a hi"hly iebriated state' havi" )assed the evei" i a
celebratio o& so3e sort8 5))aretly they were si3)ly )assi" throu"h8 They
weret locals' ad oe o& the3 was carryi" a suitcase8 This hel)ed the
is)ector to trace the3 ad bri" the3 i &or <uestioi"8 They both clai3ed
to have see othi"' but the is)ector detected a certai ervousess i
their de3eaour8 Had they oticed so3ethi" they were a&raid to tal! about?
Had the alcohol a&&ected the3 to the )oit o& seei" "hosts?(
%Maybe they saw the sow3a at the other ed o& the street8(
%5d you thi! he 3i"ht have bee the )hato3 archer?( as!ed Dr8 Twist
scor&ully8 %Well' why ot? 5t least that would be a 3urderer out o& the
ordiary8(
$harles $ulle shru""ed his shoulders8 %No' o& course ot' but ; thi! theres
a "li33er o& a clue there8(
%>oure very war3' but thats ot the aswer8 4till' ; thi! ;ve "ive you
eou"h i&or3atio to solve the )u##le8 5y thou"hts?(
$ulle e3)tied his "lass be&ore asweri"=
%4orry to disa))oit you' but des)ite all the iteresti" si))ets' ; still &eel it
was the chie& sus)ect8 Maily because o& the widow8 >ou havet told 3e
why it was o)e li!e that o a witer evei"8 ;t doest 3a!e sese8 Dless
Phili) hi3sel& had a eA)laatio?(
%5s a 3atter o& &act' the is)ector did as! hi3 ad its very si3)le8 5&ter
$oloel 4tra"e had &low o&& the hadle' he o)eed the widow wide so as
to "et so3e &resh air ad try to cool dow8(
%5d what about the study door bei" loc!ed? Did he have a eA)laatio &or
that? Did the coloel also do that?(
%>es8 5s soo as Phili) had eA)laied the subject o& the 3eeti"' $oloel
4tra"e 3ade a show o& loc!i" the door ad declari" that obody would
leave util the 3atter was settled8 5ccordi" to 2ose' that was co3)letely i
character8(
The su)eritedet shoo! his head i de&eat8
%Well' i that case' ; "ive u)8 9as)er' the servat' has a cast7iro alibi because
he was with 2ose at the ti3e o& the cri3e8 5d that' o& course' eli3iates her
as well8 That leaves the you" o&&icer who lost a had o the Bel"ia &rot8
Oe ca readily i3a"ie hi3 &alli" &or the "irl eve o the very &irst i"ht' but
its <uite a stretch to i3a"ie that he i33ediately set about tryi" to rid
hi3sel& o& her &iacE by !illi" the coloel ad &ra3i" his rival8 5d how could
he have shot the &ellow as he was leavi"? Fro3 your ow accout' the a"le
o& &li"ht rules out the arrow havi" bee &ired &ro3 aywhere ear the &rot
door8 5d ayway' how could he have 3ai)ulated a crossbow with just oe
had? ;ts co3)letely i3)ossible' just li!e everythi" else i this da3ed story
8 8 8 arrows a))eari" &ro3 owhere ad "o"s soudi" all by the3selves6(
Dr8 Twist s3iled !owi"ly8 %But i &act' the solutio to the whole 3ystery lies
i those two ele3ets8 2e3e3ber the circu3staces= ;t was just a&ter heari"
the soud that Phili) saw the coloel colla)se' 3ortally wouded by a
crossbow arrow8 Thi! care&ully' that wast a coicidece= There was a clear
coectio betwee the stra"e oise ad the arrow8(
$harles $ulle loo!ed )er)leAed8
%*uite &ra!ly' ; dot see it8 ;& aythi"' the )roble3 is 3ore co3)licated tha
ever8 53 ; su))osed to believe the le"ed whereby the soud o& the "o"
)resa"es death ad disaster? Or that so3eoe &a3iliar with the "o"s deadly
)owers succeeded i ivo!i" the3?(
The celebrated detective shoo! his head8 %No' o& course ot8 >oure ot
loo!i" at this the ri"ht way8 ;3 a&raid youre allowi" the le"ed to i&luece
your thi!i"8 Oce a"ai' thi! how short a ti3e ela)sed betwee the soud
ad the &atal woudi" o& the coloel8(
%Put 3e out o& 3y 3isery'( aouced $ulle' wi)i" his brow with the bac!
o& his had8 %9ust tell 3e what ha))eed8(
%Phili) was eAoerated'( re)lied Twist re&lectively8 %He esca)ed the ro)e' but
ot his &ate8 Oe 3oth a&ter his release' he was !illed i a accidet at the
&actory8(
%Well' thats all very sad'( observed the su)eritedet8 %But what about the
solutio to the )u##le?(
%; hate to disa))oit you' 3y dear &ellow' but its si3)licity itsel&8 Whe you
hear it' youre "oi" to !ic! yoursel&8(
%Well the' "ive 3e a clue' &or heaves sa!e8(
%Fery well8 >ouve heard o& Willia3 Tell' o doubt8 The 4wiss archer who had
to shoot a a))le &ro3 the to) o& his sos head or die hi3sel&8(
With di&&iculty' the )olice3a cotrolled hi3sel&8 %O& course' everyoe !ows
the story8 Get o with it6(
%Well' its the !ey to the whole 3ystery8 EAce)t i this case it was a ora"e'
ot a a))le8 5 ora"e )erched o the hat o& the sow3a at the botto3 o&
the cul7de7sac8 ;t was re3iiscet o& Willia3 Tell ad his so' wast it? 5d it
was too te3)ti"8 Oe o& the revellers throw out o& the )ub couldt resist
tryi" out the crossbow hed just bou"ht' which was i the suitcase he was
carryi"8 O the way to the )ub' hed oticed the sow3a ad' i )articular'
the ora"e stuc! o his head8 O the way bac!' a&ter he ad his &ried had
su! a &ew' he recalled that the seller had challe"ed hi3 to be worthy o&
Willia3 Tell ad s)ear the &ruit8 Whe eAt they saw the sow3a' they were
at the to) o& the cul7de7sac' about iety &eet &ro3 it@ot a "reat distace &or
a crossbow8 The ora"e o to) o& its head was illu3iated by the li"ht o& the
street la3)8 5d thats the solutio to the 3ystery' because the two jo!ers
co&essed to the is)ector8 5 si3)le accidet' the result o& a dru!e bet8(
%; still dot uderstad'( aouced the su)eritedet' ow at the li3it o& his
)atiece8 %;& thi"s ha))eed the way you describe' the archer was well
outside the lie o& &ire as de&ied by the )olice eA)erts8 Dless $oloel
4tra"e' i direct co&lict with Phili)s testi3oy' stuc! his head out o& the
widow at that )recise 3o3et ad the &ell bac! wouded ito the roo38(
%>oure still o&& the 3ar!' eve thou"h ; drew your attetio to the wari"
soud o& the Go" o& Doo3 or' 3ore )recisely' the stra"e reverberatios
Phili) heard at the 3o3et o& the !illi"8 ;t was' i &act' caused by the
crossbow arrow that was de&lected &ro3 its course ad struc! its victi3s ec!
a&ter &lyi" throu"h the o)e widow8 5d' as you !ow' a crossbow bolt'
eve o ricochet' retais a re3ar!able &orce ad 3o3etu38(
%But what the devil could it have struc!? 5 bric!? 2idiculous6 There has to be
a hard' s3ooth' 3etallic sur&ace &or that to ha))e ad there was othi" li!e
that i the street' accordi" to your ow accout8(
%But there was6 5 roud' s3ooth 3etallic sur&ace as obvious as the ose o
your &ace= the bro#e la3))ost which' by the way' resoates whe struc!@
ad which Phili)s &ervet i3a"iatio 3istoo! &or the soud o& a "o"8 Thi!
bac! to 3y descri)tio o& the scee ad evisa"e the res)ective )ositios o&
the archer' the la3))ost' ad the victi38 $oect the dots ad you have the
)recise )ath o& the )rojectile8 5d you have to ad3it that the eA)laatio is
childishly si3)le8(
G,-H- by Paul HalterB traslatio G,-H- by 9oh Pu"3ire