This gentleman, with true German hospitality, asked me to spend a few days with him, and I was only too glad to accept his invitation, as I believed his knowledge of Bombay might be of great service to me.In this I did not mistake.I told him I wished to ascertain the whereabouts of a Rama Ragobah, who had been something between a rishi and a fakir, and he directed me at once to a fakir named Parinama who, he said, would be able to locate my man, if he were still alive and in Bombay.
You can imagine how agreeably surprised I was to find that Parinama knew Ragobah well.I had anticipated some considerable difficulty in learning the latter's whereabouts, and here was a man who could=20- for a sufficient consideration - tell me much, if not all, about him.I secured an interpreter, paid Parinama my money, and proceeded to catechise him.I give you my questions and his answers just as I jotted them down in my notebook:
Q.What is Ragobah's full name?
A.Rama Ragobah.=20
Q.How long have you known him?
A.Thirty-five year.
Q.Has he always lived in Bombay?
A.No, Sahib, Q.Where else?
A.For a good many year he have travel all the time.
Q.Is he in Bombay now?
A.No, Sahib.
Q.Where is he?
A.Over the sea, Sahib.
Q.Do you know where?
A.He sail for America; New York.
Q.When?
A.About eleven week ago.
Q.Do you know for what he undertook this journey?
A.Some personal affair of long time ago which he wish to settle - the same which make him so many year travel through India.
Q.Was he in search of someone?
A.Yes, Sahib.
Q.Some Indian woman?
A.No, Sahib.
Q.Some other woman, then?
A.No, Sahib.
Q.A man, then; an Englishman, A.Yes, Sahib.
Q.What kind of a man is this Ragobah?
A.He very big man.
Q.What is his disposition? Is he generally liked?
A.No.His temper bad.He cruel, revengeful, overbearing, and selfish.He most hated by those who best know him.
Q.He is a friend of yours, you say?
A.I say no such thing! Do you think I sell secret of friend? Ihave great reason for hating him, or I not now be earning your money.
Q.Ah! I see.What did you say he wanted of this Englishman?
A.I no say, Sahib.
Q.You said some personal affair of long standing, I believe.
A.Yes, Sahib.
Q.Do you know its nature?
A.No; I not know it, but I have not much doubt about it, Sahib.
Q.What do you think, then?
A.I think there but one passion strong enough in Ragobah to make plain his hunt like dog for last twenty year.Such persevere mean strong motive, and as I have good reason to remember how quick he forget a kindness, I know he not moved by friendship, Sahib.
Q.His motive then is -=20
A.Revenge.
Q.Have you any idea why he cherishes this malice?
A.I think it because some old love affair; some rival in his wife's love.
Q.Indeed! Then he has been married?
A.Yes, Sahib.
Q.Where shall I find his wife?
A.All that is left of her is in the bottomless well in the cave on Malabar Hill.
Q.Did Ragobah kill her?
A.No; that is, not with his own hand.
Q.How long ago did she die?
A.More than twenty year, Sahib.
Q.Are any of her relatives living?
A.Her husband, Sahib, and a cousin, that is all.
Q.Is there anyone else who could tell me of this woman?
A.Moro Scindia could, but he not do it.
Q.Why? Is he Ragobah's friend?
A.Ragobah has no friends, Sahib.
Q.Why, then?
A.He under oath to tell what was told him only to one person.He has keep his secret out of every year for more as twenty year, and can no be expect to tell to you, Sahib.
Q.Can you bring this man to me? You will both be well paid for your time, of course.
A.I bring him, Sahib, but I not make him speak.
Q.Let me see you both, then, to-night at eight, at Herr Blaschek's villa on Malabar Hill.Ask for Mr.Maitland.
A.We be there.Anything more, Sahib?
Q.Yes.When is Ragobah expected to return?
A.He write that he think he return on the Dalmatia.She due next day after to-morrow.
Q.Has Ragobah any physical peculiarities?
A.His hands and feet they very small for man so big and strong.
Q.Anything else?
A.His left leg been hurt.The foot very bad shape, and the whole leg some bad, and, - what you call - halt when he walk.
Q.Has he the habit of biting his finger nails?
A.I not know he has, Sahib.
This completed the list of questions which I had desired to ask him, so, after once more receiving his assurance that he would meet me in the evening with his friend Scindia, I left him.As you know, I am not wont to draw conclusions until all the evidence is in, but I must confess that, looking at the whole matter from start to finish, there seems to have fallen upon Ragobah a net of circumstantial evidence so strong, and with a mesh of detail so minute, that it does not seem possible a mosquito could escape from it.Look at it a moment from this standpoint.Ragobah alone, so far as we know, has a motive for the murder.His victim has related the feud existing between them and foretold, with an air of the utmost assurance, just such an outcome thereof.Add to this that this man leaves India on a mission which those about him do not hesitate to pronounce one of vengeance, at just such a time as would enable him to reach Boston just a little before the commission of the murder; that this mission is the culmination of twenty years of unremitting search for revenge; that this malignity is supposed to be directed against some rival in his wife's affections, and the chain of circumstantial evidence possesses, so far as it extends, no weak link.Then, too, Ragobah has very small hands, a deformed left foot, and a limping gait, -=20everything almost which we had already predicted of the assassin.
