The Doctor, his Wife, and the Clock
Page 10
III.
The cause of this sudden move was soon explained to me. Mrs. Zabriskie,anxious to have an end put to the present condition of affairs, hadbegged for a more rigid examination into her husband's state. This beingaccorded, a strict and impartial inquiry had taken place, with a resultnot unlike that which followed the first one. Three out of his fourinterrogators judged him insane, and could not be moved from theiropinion though opposed by the verdict of the young expert who had beenliving in the house with him. Dr. Zabriskie seemed to read theirthoughts, and, showing extreme agitation, begged as before for anopportunity to prove his sanity by showing his skill in shooting. Thistime a disposition was evinced to grant his request, which Mrs.Zabriskie no sooner perceived, than she added her supplications to histhat the question might be thus settled.
A pistol was accordingly brought; but at sight of it her courage failed,and she changed her prayer to an entreaty that the experiment should bepostponed till the next day, and should then take place in the woodsaway from the sight and hearing of needless spectators.
Though it would have been much wiser to have ended the matter there andthen, the Superintendent was prevailed upon to listen to her entreaties,and thus it was that I came to be a spectator, if not a participator,in the final scene of this most sombre drama.
There are some events which impress the human mind so deeply that theirmemory mingles with all after-experiences. Though I have made it a ruleto forget as soon as possible the tragic episodes into which I amconstantly plunged, there is one scene in my life which will not departat my will; and that is the sight which met my eyes from the bow of thesmall boat in which Dr. Zabriskie and his wife were rowed over to Jerseyon that memorable afternoon.
Though it was by no means late in the day, the sun was already sinking,and the bright red glare which filled the heavens and shone full uponthe faces of the half-dozen persons before me added much to the tragicnature of the scene, though we were far from comprehending its fullsignificance.
The Doctor sat with his wife in the stern, and it was upon their facesmy glance was fixed. The glare shone luridly on his sightless eyeballs,and as I noticed his unwinking lids I realized as never before what itwas to be blind in the midst of sunshine. Her eyes, on the contrary,were lowered, but there was a look of hopeless misery in her colorlessface which made her appearance infinitely pathetic, and I felt confidentthat if he could only have seen her, he would not have maintained thecold and unresponsive manner which chilled the words on her lips andmade all advance on her part impossible.
On the seat in front of them sat the Inspector and a doctor, and fromsome quarter, possibly from under the Inspector's coat, there came themonotonous ticking of a small clock, which, I had been told, was toserve as a target for the blind man's aim.
This ticking was all I heard, though the noise and bustle of a greattraffic was pressing upon us on every side. And I am sure it was allthat she heard, as, with hand pressed to her heart and eyes fixed on theopposite shore, she waited for the event which was to determine whetherthe man she loved was a criminal or only a being afflicted of God, andworthy of her unceasing care and devotion.
As the sun cast its last scarlet gleam over the water, the boatgrounded, and it fell to my lot to assist Mrs. Zabriskie up the bank.As I did so, I allowed myself to say: "I am your friend, Mrs.Zabriskie," and was astonished to see her tremble, and turn toward mewith a look like that of a frightened child.
But there was always this characteristic blending in her countenance ofthe childlike and the severe, such as may so often be seen in the facesof nuns, and beyond an added pang of pity for this beautiful butafflicted woman, I let the moment pass without giving it the weight itperhaps demanded.
"The Doctor and his wife had a long talk last night," was whispered inmy ear as we wound our way along into the woods. I turned and perceivedat my side the expert physician, portions of whose diary I have alreadyquoted. He had come by another boat.
"But it did not seem to heal whatever breach lies between them," heproceeded. Then in a quick, curious tone, he asked: "Do you believe thisattempt on his part is likely to prove anything but a farce?"
"I believe he will shatter the clock to pieces with his first shot," Ianswered, and could say no more, for we had already reached the groundwhich had been selected for this trial at arms, and the various membersof the party were being placed in their several positions.
The Doctor, to whom light and darkness were alike, stood with his facetowards the western glow, and at his side were grouped the Inspector andthe two physicians. On the arm of one of the latter hung Dr.Zabriskie's overcoat, which he had taken off as soon as he reached thefield.
Mrs. Zabriskie stood at the other end of the opening, near a tall stump,upon which it had been decided that the clock should be placed when themoment came for the Doctor to show his skill. She had been accorded theprivilege of setting the clock on this stump, and I saw it shining inher hand as she paused for a moment to glance back at the circle ofgentlemen who were awaiting her movements. The hands of the clock stoodat five minutes to five, though I scarcely noted the fact at the time,for her eyes were on mine, and as she passed me she spoke:
"If he is not himself, he cannot be trusted. Watch him carefully, andsee that he does no mischief to himself or others. Be at his right hand,and stop him if he does not handle his pistol properly."
I promised, and she passed on, setting the clock upon the stump andimmediately drawing back to a suitable distance at the right, where shestood, wrapped in her long dark cloak, quite alone. Her face shoneghastly white, even in its environment of snow-covered boughs whichsurrounded her, and, noting this, I wished the minutes fewer between thepresent moment and the hour of five, at which he was to draw thetrigger.
"Dr. Zabriskie," quoth the Inspector, "we have endeavored to make thistrial a perfectly fair one. You are to have one shot at a small clockwhich has been placed within a suitable distance, and which you areexpected to hit, guided only by the sound which it will make in strikingthe hour of five. Are you satisfied with the arrangement?"
"Perfectly. Where is my wife?"
"On the other side of the field, some ten paces from the stump uponwhich the clock is fixed."
He bowed, and his face showed satisfaction.
"May I expect the clock to strike soon?"
"In less than five minutes," was the answer.
"Then let me have the pistol; I wish to become acquainted with its sizeand weight."
We glanced at each other, then across at her.
She made a gesture; it was one of acquiescence.
Immediately the Inspector placed the weapon in the blind man's hand. Itwas at once apparent that the Doctor understood the instrument, and mylast doubt vanished as to the truth of all he had told us.
"Thank God I am blind this hour and cannot see _her_," fellunconsciously from his lips; then, before the echo of these words hadleft my ears, he raised his voice and observed calmly enough,considering that he was about to prove himself a criminal in order tosave himself from being thought a madman.
"Let no one move. I must have my ears free for catching the first strokeof the clock." And he raised the pistol before him.
There was a moment of torturing suspense and deep, unbroken silence. Myeyes were on him, and so I did not watch the clock, but suddenly I wasmoved by some irresistible impulse to note how Mrs. Zabriskie wasbearing herself at this critical moment, and, casting a hurried glancein her direction, I perceived her tall figure swaying from side to side,as if under an intolerable strain of feeling. Her eyes were on theclock, the hands of which seemed to creep with snail-like pace along thedial, when unexpectedly, and a full minute before the minute hand hadreached the stroke of five, I caught a movement on her part, saw theflash of something round and white show for an instant against thedarkness of her cloak, and was about to shriek warning to the Doctor,when the shrill, quick stroke of a clock rung out on the frosty air,followed by the ping and flash of a pistol.
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bsp; A sound of shattered glass, followed by a suppressed cry, told us thatthe bullet had struck the mark, but before we could move, or rid oureyes of the smoke which the wind had blown into our faces, there cameanother sound which made our hair stand on end and sent the blood backin terror to our hearts. Another clock was striking, the clock which wenow perceived was still standing upright on the stump where Mrs.Zabriskie had placed it.
Whence came the clock, then, which had struck before the time and beenshattered for its pains? One quick look told us. On the ground, tenpaces at the right, lay Helen Zabriskie, a broken clock at her side, andin her breast a bullet which was fast sapping the life from her sweeteyes.
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We had to tell him, there was such pleading in her looks; and nevershall I forget the scream that rang from his lips as he realized thetruth. Breaking from our midst, he rushed forward, and fell at her feetas if guided by