Why, I mean the place where they found the man who was murdered.
They found him under that elder-tree. My wife just heard of it and told me. I suppose everybody round here will know it soon.""Was there a man murdered here?" asked Muller, as if surprised by the news.
"Yes, he was shot last night. Only I don't understand why I didn't hear the shot. I couldn't sleep a wink all night for the pain in my bones.""You live near here, then?"
"Yes, I live in No.1. Didn't you see me coming out?""I didn't notice it. I came across the wet meadows and I stooped to turn up my trousers so that they wouldn't get dusty - it must have been then you came out.""Why, then you must have been right near the place I was talking about. Do you see that elder tree there? It's the only one in the street, and the girl who brings the milk found the man under it.
The police have been here already and have taken him away. They discovered him about six o'clock and now it's just seven.""And you hadn't any suspicion that this dreadful thing was happening so near you?" asked the detective casually.
"I didn't know a thing, sir, not a thing. There couldn't have been a fight or I would have heard it. But I don't know why Ididn't hear the shot."
"Why, then you must have been asleep after all, in spite of your pain," said Muller with a smile, as he walked along beside the man back to the place from which he had just come.
The old man shook his head. "No, I tell you I didn't close an eye all night. I went to bed at half-past nine and I smoked two pipes before I put out the light, and then I heard every hour strike all night long and it wasn't until nearly five o'clock, when it was almost dawn, that I dozed off a bit.""Then it is astonishing that you didn't hear anything!""Sure it's astonishing! But it's still more astonishing that my dog Sultan didn't hear anything. Sultan is a famous watchdog, I'd have you know. He'll growl if anybody passes through the street after dark, and I don't see why he didn't notice what was going on over there last night. If a man's attacked, he generally calls for help; it's a queer business all right.""Well, Sultan, why didn't you make a noise?" asked Muller, patting the dog's broad head. Sultan growled and walked on indifferently, after he had shaken off the strange hand.
"He must have slept more soundly than usual. He went off into the country with me yesterday. We had an errand to do there and on the way back we stopped in for a drink. Sultan takes a drop or two himself occasionally, and that usually makes him sleep. I had hard work to bring him home. We got here just a few minutes before half-past nine and I tell you we were both good and tired."By this time they had come to the elder-tree and the old man's stream of talk ceased as he stood before the spot where the mysterious crime had occurred. He looked down thoughtfully at the grass, now trampled by many feet. "Who could have done it?" he murmured finally, with a sigh that expressed his pity for the victim.
"Hietzing is known to be one of the safest spots in Vienna,"remarked Muller.
"Indeed it is, sir; indeed it is. As it would well have to be with the royal castles right here in the neighbourhood! Indeed it would have to be safe with the Court coming here all the time.""Why, yes, you see more police here than anywhere else in the city.""Yes, they're always sticking their nose in where they're not necessary," remarked the old man, not realising to whom he was speaking. "They fuss about everything you do or don't do, and yet a man can be shot down right under our very noses here and the police can't help it.""But, my dear sir, it isn't always possible for the police to prevent a criminal carrying out his evil intention," said Muller good-naturedly.
"Well, why not? if they watch out sharp enough?""The police watch out sharper than most people think. But they can't catch a man until he has committed his crime, can they?""No, I suppose not," said the old man, with another glance at the elder-tree. He bowed to Muller and turned and walked away.
Muller followed him slowly, very much pleased with this meeting, for it had given him a new clue. There was no reason to doubt the old man's story. And if this story was true, then the crime had been committed before half-past nine of the evening previous. For the old man - he was evidently the janitor in No.1 - had not heard the shot.
