peeped out from under the bedclothes and saw his face looming beside the night lamp. He was cleverly disguised, but I could see that he was definitely Saito. His eyes behind the dark glasses seemed to be smiling. Gradually, his face came closer and closer. . . . I couldn't see the knife in his hand, but there was no mistaking that he meant to kill me. I turned the pistol slowly under the covers and aimed at his heart. Then I pulled the trigger. . . . That's what brought you and the maid running in, but by that time I had fainted.
M AN : As soon as I saw the dead man, I knew what had happened. The knife was lying beside him.
G IRL : So the police came, and a few days later you and I were summoned to the procurators office. I told the whole story from beginning to end, with you as a witness, and they soon released me. It was the knife you'd found on the floor that proved I had killed Saito in self-defense. . . . After that I had a nervous breakdown and spent a month in bed. How I appreciated the way you came to see me every day, taking the place of the friends and relatives I didn't have. . . . You even took care of that matter of Saito's mistress for me. . . .
M AN : And now, just imagine, a year has already passed. And we've already been married for over five months. . . . Well, let's get back to the inn.
G IRL : No. There's more to talk about.
M AN : Really? What else is there to say? Haven't we already covered the ground completely?
G IRL : Yes, but so far we've only touched the surface of things.
M AN : The surface of things? It seems to me that we've analyzed the matter quite thoroughly.
G IRL : But you forget, my dear, that behind one curtain there's always another. . . .
M AN : For the life of me I don't know what you mean. You're acting strangely today.
G IRL : You're afraid, aren't you?
The man's face twitches, but his eyes remain expressionless. As for the girl, her eyes gleam, and her lips stretch into a malicious smile.
G IRL : If it were possible for a man to force another to commit a serious crime merely by the power of suggestion, what great satisfaction he must derive. . . . Using an unsuspecting puppet to carry out his designs, he would be utterly safe from discovery. This, I think, is the perfect crime we never discussed.
M AN : What—what the devil do you mean?
G IRL : I'm only trying to tell you what kind of a man you really are!. . . But don't be alarmed. I have no intention of going screaming to the police. I'm quite an understanding woman, you know. Come now, let's not mince words.
M AN : Listen, it's getting late—
G IRL : See? I told you—you're afraid of me! But I simply hate to leave a story unfinished. . .so please let me continue. . . . To you, Saito was an ideal puppet. First, you awakened his interest in detective stories. Then you convinced him that the trick of the dual personality was foolproof. And, bit by bit, by the power of suggestion, you led him deeper and deeper into the pit of crime. . . . The fact that Saito had a mistress was a mere accident, but you used this too.
M AN : You're crazy ... It's easy to put two and two together to fit any pattern. . . .
G IRL : But think back. You know only too well that it was always you—and you alone—who made one event lead to the next—until I finally killed Saito. It was all your doing—by the sheer power of your suggestions— and you know it!
M AN : But you've forgotten one thing. You might not have killed Saito!
G IRL : In that case you would quickly have adopted some other strategy. Of all the kinds of criminals, you're the most cunning, for your strategy was based on probabilities. If one plan went wrong, you would quickly have thought up another. . .and another. . . . One of them was sure to succeed—and without your ever being suspected. Yes, you did indeed commit the perfect crime.
M AN : You're beginning to annoy me. You've made up your story out of whole cloth, and it's sheer nonsense. I'm going back to the
M AN : As soon as I saw the dead man, I knew what had happened. The knife was lying beside him.
G IRL : So the police came, and a few days later you and I were summoned to the procurators office. I told the whole story from beginning to end, with you as a witness, and they soon released me. It was the knife you'd found on the floor that proved I had killed Saito in self-defense. . . . After that I had a nervous breakdown and spent a month in bed. How I appreciated the way you came to see me every day, taking the place of the friends and relatives I didn't have. . . . You even took care of that matter of Saito's mistress for me. . . .
M AN : And now, just imagine, a year has already passed. And we've already been married for over five months. . . . Well, let's get back to the inn.
G IRL : No. There's more to talk about.
M AN : Really? What else is there to say? Haven't we already covered the ground completely?
G IRL : Yes, but so far we've only touched the surface of things.
M AN : The surface of things? It seems to me that we've analyzed the matter quite thoroughly.
G IRL : But you forget, my dear, that behind one curtain there's always another. . . .
M AN : For the life of me I don't know what you mean. You're acting strangely today.
G IRL : You're afraid, aren't you?
The man's face twitches, but his eyes remain expressionless. As for the girl, her eyes gleam, and her lips stretch into a malicious smile.
G IRL : If it were possible for a man to force another to commit a serious crime merely by the power of suggestion, what great satisfaction he must derive. . . . Using an unsuspecting puppet to carry out his designs, he would be utterly safe from discovery. This, I think, is the perfect crime we never discussed.
M AN : What—what the devil do you mean?
G IRL : I'm only trying to tell you what kind of a man you really are!. . . But don't be alarmed. I have no intention of going screaming to the police. I'm quite an understanding woman, you know. Come now, let's not mince words.
M AN : Listen, it's getting late—
G IRL : See? I told you—you're afraid of me! But I simply hate to leave a story unfinished. . .so please let me continue. . . . To you, Saito was an ideal puppet. First, you awakened his interest in detective stories. Then you convinced him that the trick of the dual personality was foolproof. And, bit by bit, by the power of suggestion, you led him deeper and deeper into the pit of crime. . . . The fact that Saito had a mistress was a mere accident, but you used this too.
M AN : You're crazy ... It's easy to put two and two together to fit any pattern. . . .
G IRL : But think back. You know only too well that it was always you—and you alone—who made one event lead to the next—until I finally killed Saito. It was all your doing—by the sheer power of your suggestions— and you know it!
M AN : But you've forgotten one thing. You might not have killed Saito!
G IRL : In that case you would quickly have adopted some other strategy. Of all the kinds of criminals, you're the most cunning, for your strategy was based on probabilities. If one plan went wrong, you would quickly have thought up another. . .and another. . . . One of them was sure to succeed—and without your ever being suspected. Yes, you did indeed commit the perfect crime.
M AN : You're beginning to annoy me. You've made up your story out of whole cloth, and it's sheer nonsense. I'm going back to the
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