Notes　Scene 21: At the Foot of the Stairs

"Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the steps—for the house was none other than the opium den in which you found me to-night—and running through the front room she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during the afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had promised to bring home.

「夫に異変があると確信した夫人は、階段を駆け下りた。その建物は、ほかならぬ、きみが今夜私を見つけたアヘン窟だった。手前の部屋を走り抜け、二階へ続く階段を上がろうとした。しかし階段の下で、さっき話した船員上がりの悪党に行く手を阻まれた。店主は夫人を押し戻し、助手のデンマーク人の手を借りて通りへ押し出した。気が狂いそうな疑念と恐怖に駆られて横丁を走り、幸いにもフレズノ街で、持ち場へ向かう警部と数人の警官に出会った。警部と警官二人は夫人とともに戻り、店主が抵抗し続けたものの、セントクレア氏が最後に見られた部屋へ入った。そこに氏の姿はなかった。それどころか、その階には、そこを住まいにしているらしい、見た目の恐ろしい足の不自由な男が一人いるだけだった。その男も店主も、午後に手前の部屋にいたのは自分たちだけだと、強く言い張った。あまりにきっぱり否定するので警部も戸惑い、夫人の思い違いかと思いかけた。すると夫人は声を上げ、卓上にあった小さなモミ材の箱へ飛びついて蓋を開けた。中から子供の積み木がどっとこぼれ出た。夫が買って帰ると約束したおもちゃだった。