Free Murder on the Leviathan by Boris Akunin

the diplomat agreed. 'I th-think the same.'
    The old maid flushed brightly with pleasure and was clearly embarrassed when she caught Renate's mocking glance.
    'You are saying quite outrageous things,' the doctor's wife rebuked Clarissa Stamp. 'Shouldn't we find a more suitable subject for table talk?'
    But the colourless creature's appeal fell on deaf ears.
    'In my opinion the greatest mystery here is the death of the servants!' said the lanky Indologist, keen to contribute to the analysis of the crime. 'How did they come to allow themselves to be injected with such abominable muck? Not at pistol-point, surely! After all, two of them were guards, and they were both carrying revolvers in holsters on their belts. That's where the mystery lies.'
    'I have a hypothesis of my own,' Renier announced with a solemn expression. 'And I am prepared to defend it against any objections. The crime on the rue de Grenelle was committed by a person who possesses exceptional mesmeric powers. The servants were in a state of mesmeric trance, that is the only possible explanation! Animal magnetism is a terrifying force. An experienced manipulator can do whatever he chooses with you. Yes, yes, madam,' the lieutenant said, turning towards Mrs Truffo, who had twisted her face into a doubtful grimace, 'absolutely anything at all.'
    'Not if he is dealing with a lady,' she replied austerely.
    Tired of playing the role of interpreter, Dr Truffo wiped the sweat from his gleaming forehead with his handkerchief and rushed to the defence of the scientific worldview.
    'I am afraid I must disagree with you,' he started jabbering in French, with a rather strong accent. 'Mr Mesmer's teaching has been exposed as having no scientific basis. The power of mesmerism or, as it is now known, hypnotism, has been greatly exaggerated. The Honourable Mr James Braid has proved conclusively that only psychologically suggestible individuals are subject to hypnotic influence, and then only if they have complete trust in the hypnotist and have agreed to allow themselves to be hypnotized.'
    'It is quite obvious, my dear doctor, that you have not travelled in the East!' said Renier, flashing his white teeth in a smile. 'At any Indian bazaar the fakir will show you miracles of mesmeric art that would make the most hardened sceptic gape in wonder. But those are merely tricks they use to show off! Once in Kandahar I observed the public punishment of a thief. Under Muslim law theft is punished by the amputation of the right hand, a procedure so intensely painful that those subjected to it frequently die from the shock. On this occasion the accused was a mere child, but since he had been caught for the second time, there was nothing else the judge could do, he had to sentence the thief to the penalty prescribed under shariah law. The judge, however, was a merciful man and he sent for a dervish who was well known for his miraculous powers. The dervish took the convicted prisoner's head in his hands, looked into his eyes and whispered something - and the boy became calm and stopped trembling. A strange smile appeared on his face, and did not leave it even when the executioner's axe severed his arm up to the very elbow! And I saw all this with my own eyes, I swear to you.' Renate grew angry:
    'Ugh, how horrible! You and your Orient, Charles. I am beginning to feel faint!'
    'Forgive me, Mme Kleber,' said the lieutenant, taking fright. 'I only wished to demonstrate that in comparison with this a few injections are mere child's play.'
    'Once again, I am afraid that I cannot agree with you . . .' The stubborn doctor was preparing to defend his point of view, but just at that moment the door of the saloon swung open and in came either a rentier or a policeman - in short, M. Gauche.
    Everybody turned towards him in consternation, as if they had been caught out in some action that was not entirely decent.
    Gauche ran a keen gaze over their faces and spotted the ill-starred clipping in the hands