the illustrious prince-第34节

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〃It　has　fallen　to　my　lot；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said；　〃to　take　charge　of　the　investigations　following　upon　the　murder　of　a　man　named　Hamilton　Fynes；　who　was　killed　on　his　way　from　Liverpool　to　London　about　a　fortnight　ago。〃

The　Prince　inclined　his　head。

〃I　believe；〃　he　said　amiably；　〃that　I　remember　hearing　the　matter　spoken　of。　It　was　the　foundation　of　a　debate；　I　recollect；　at　a　recent　dinner　party；　as　to　the　extraordinarily　exaggerated　value　people　in　your　country　seem　to　claim　for　human　life；　as　compared　to　us　Orientals。　But　pray　proceed；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　the　Prince　continued　courteously。　〃The　investigation；　I　am　sure；　is　in　most　able　hands。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　sir；〃　said　the　Inspector。　〃I　do　my　best；　but　I　might　admit　to　you　that　I　have　never　found　a　case　so　difficult　to　grasp。　Our　methods　perhaps　are　slow；　but　they　are；　　in　a　sense；　sure。　We　are　building　up　our　case；　and　we　hope　before　long　to　secure　the　criminal；　but　it　is　not　an　easy　task。〃

The　Prince　bowed。　This　time　he　made　no　remark。

〃The　evidence　which　I　have　collected　from　various　sources；〃　Inspector　Jacks　continued；　〃leads　me　to　believe　that　the　person　who　committed　this　murder　was　a　foreigner。〃

〃What　you　call　an　alien；〃　the　Prince　suggested。　〃There　is　much　discussion；　I　gather；　concerning　their　presence　in　this　country　nowadays。〃

〃The　evidence　which　I　possess；〃　the　detective　proceeded；　〃points　to　the　murderer　belonging　to　the　same　nationality　as　Your　Highness。〃

The　Prince　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃A　Japanese？〃　he　asked。

The　Inspector　assented。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　the　Prince　said；　with　a　touch　of　added　gravity　in　his　manner；　〃that　one　of　my　race　should　have　committed　a　misdemeanor　in　this　country；　but　if　that　is　so；　your　way；　of　course；　is　clear。　You　must　arrest　him　and　deal　with　him　as　an　ordinary　English　criminal。　He　is　here　to　live　your　life；　and　he　must　obey　your　laws。〃

〃In　time；　sir；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said　slowly；　〃we　hope　to　do　so；　but　over　here　we　may　not　arrest　upon　suspicion。　We　have　to　collect　evidence；　and　build　and　build　until　we　can　satisfy　any　reasonable　individual　that　the　accused　person　is　guilty。〃

The　Prince　sighed　sympathetically。

〃It　is　not　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃to　criticize　your　methods。〃

〃I　come　now；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said　slowly；　〃to　the　object　of　my　call　upon　Your　Highness。　Following　upon　what　I　have　just　told　you；　certain　other　information　has　come　into　my　possession　to　this　effectthat　not　only　was　this　murderer　a　Japanese；　but　we　have　evidence　which　seems　to　suggest　that　he　was　attached　in　some　way　to　your　household。〃

〃To　my　household！〃　the　Prince　repeated。

〃To　this　household；　Your　Highness；〃　the　detective　repeated。

The　Prince　shook　his　head　slowly。

〃Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃you　are；　I　am　sure；　a　very　clever　man。　Let　me　ask　you　one　question。　Has　it　ever　fallen　to　your　lot　to　make　a　mistake？〃

〃Very　often　indeed；〃　the　Inspector　admitted　frankly。

〃Then　I　am　afraid；〃　the　Prince　said；　〃that　you　are　once　more　in　that　position。　I　have　attached　to　my　household　fourteen　Japanese　servants；　a　secretary；　a　majordomo；　and　a　butler。　It　may　interest　you；　perhaps；　to　know　that　during　my　residence　in　this　country　not　one　of　my　retinue；　with　the　exception　of　my　secretary；　who　has　been　in　Paris　for　some　weeks；　has　left　this　house。〃

The　Inspector　stared　at　the　Prince　incredulously。

〃Never　left　the　house？〃　he　repeated。　〃Do　you　mean；　sir；　that　they　do　not　go　out　for　holidays；　for　exercise；　to　the　theatre？〃

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃Such　things　are　not　the　custom　with　us；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　my　servants。　The　duty　of　their　life　is　service。　London　is　a　world　unknown　to　themLondon　and　all　these　Western　cities。　They　have　no　desire　to　be　made　mock　of　in　your　streets。　Their　life　is　given　to　my　interests。　They　do　not　need　distractions。〃

Inspector　Jacks　was　dumfounded。　Such　a　state　of　affairs　seemed　to　him　impossible。

〃Do　you　mean　that　they　do　not　take　exercise；〃　he　asked；　〃that　they　never　breathe　the　fresh　air？〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃Such　fresh　air　as　your　city　can　afford　them；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　be　found　in　the　garden　there；　into　which　I　never　penetrate　and　which　is　for　their　use。　I　see　that　you　look　amazed；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks。　This　thing　which　I　have　told　you　seems　strange；　no　doubt；　but　you　must　not　confuse　the　servants　of　my　country　with　the　servants　of　yours。　I　make　no　comment　upon　the　latter。　You　know　quite　well　what　they　are；　so　do　I。　With　us；　service　is　a　religion；service　to　country　and　service　to　master。　These　men　who　perform　the　duties　of　my　household　would　give　their　lives　for　me　as　cheerfully　as　they　would　for　their　country；　should　the　occasion　arise。〃

〃But　their　health？〃　the　Inspector　protested。　〃It　is　not；　surely；　well　for　them　to　be　herded　together　like　this？〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃I　am　not　what　is　called　a　sportsman　in　this　country；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　shall　go　to　the　house　of　any　nobleman　you　choose；　and　if　you　will　bring　me　an　equal　number　of　your　valets　or　footmen　or　chefs；　who　can　compete　with　mine　in　running　or　jumping　or　wrestling；　then　I　will　give　you　a　prize　what　you　willa　hundred　pounds；　or　more。　You　see；　my　servants　have　learned　the　secret　of　diet。　They　drink　nothing　save　water。　Sickness　is　unknown　to　them。〃

The　Inspector　was　silent　for　some　time。　　Then　he　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Prince；〃　he　said；　〃what　should　you　declare；　then；　if　I　told　you　that　a　man　of　obvious　Japanese　extraction　was　seen　to　enter　your　house　on　the　morning　after　the　murder；　and　that　he　was　a　person　to　whom　certain　circumstances　pointed　as　being　concerned　in　that　deed？〃

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　the　Prince　said　calmly；　〃I　was　the　only　person　of　my　race　who　entered　my　house　that　morning。〃

The　Inspector　moved　toward　the　door。

〃Your　Highness；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you　for　your　courteous　attention；　and　for　your　kindness　after　my　unfortunate　indisposition。〃

The　Prince　smiled　graciously。

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃your　visit　has　been　of　great　interest　to　me。　If　I　can　be　of　any　further　assistance；　pray　do　not　hesitate　to　call　upon　me。〃



CHAPTER　XXIII。　ON　THE　TRAIL

Inspector　Jacks　studied　the　brass　plate　for　a　moment；　and　then　rang　the　patients'　bell。　The　former；　he　noticed　was　very　much　in　want　of　cleaning；　and　for　a　doctor's　residence　there　was　a　certain　lack　of　smartness　about　the　house　and　its　appointments　which　betokened　a　limited　practice。　The　railing　in　front　was　broken；　and　no　pretence　had　been　made　at　keeping　the　garden　in　order。　Inspector　Jacks　had　time　to　notice　these　things；　for　it　was　not　until　after　his　second　summons　that　the　door　was　opened　by　Dr。　Whiles　himself。

〃Good　morning！〃　the　latter　said　tentatively。　Then；　with　a　slight　air　of　disappointment；　he　recognized　his　visitor。

〃Good　morning；　doctor！〃　Inspector　Jacks　replied。　〃You　haven't　forgotten　me；　I　hope？　I　came　down　to　see　you　a　short　time　ago；　respecting　the　man　who　was　knocked　down　by　a　motor　car　and　treated　by　you　on　a　certain　evening。〃

The　doctor　nodded。

〃Will　you　come　in？〃　he　asked。

He　led　the　way　into　a　somewhat　dingy　waiting　room。　A　copy　of　the　FIELD；　a　month　old；　a　dog…eared　magazine；　and　a　bound　volume　of　GOOD　WORDS　were　spread　upon　the　table。　The　room　itself；　except　for　a　few　chairs；　was　practically　bare。

〃I　do　not　wish　to　take　up　too　much　of　your　time；　Dr。　Whiles；〃　the　Inspector　began；

The　doctor　laughed　shortly。

〃You　needn't　bother　about　that；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　tired　of　making　a　bluff。　My　time　isn't　any　too　well　occupied。〃

The　Inspector　glanced　at　his　watch；it　was　a　few　minutes　past　twelve。

〃If　you　are　really　not　busy；〃　he　said；　〃I　was　about　to　suggest　to　you　that　you　should　come　back　to　town　with　me　and　lunch。　I　do　not　expect；　of　course；　to　take　up　your　day　for　nothing；〃　he　continued。　〃You　will　understand；　as　a　professional　man；　that　when　your　services　are　required　by　the　authorities；　they　expect　and　are　willing　to　pay　for　them。〃

〃But　what　use　can　I　be　to　you？〃　the　doctor　asked。　〃You　know　all　about　the　man　whom　I　fixed　up　on　the　night　of　the　murder。　There's　nothing　more　to　tell　you　about　that。　I'd　as　soon　go　up　to　town　and　lunch　with　you　as　not；　but　if　you　think　that　I've　anything　more　to　tell　you；　you'll　only　be　disappointed。〃

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃I'm　quite　content　to　run　the　risk　of　that；〃　he　said。　〃Of　course；〃　he　continued；　〃it　does　not　follow　in　the　least　that　this　person　was　in　any　way　connected　with　the　murder。　In　fact；　so　far　as　I　can　tell　at　present；　the　chances　are　very　much　against　it。　But　at　the　same　time　it　would　interest　my　chief　if　you　were　able　to　identify　him。〃

The　doctor　nodded。

〃I　begin　to　understand；〃　he　said。

〃If　you　will　consider　a　day　spent　up　in　town　equivalent　to　the　treatment　of　twenty…five　patients　at　your　ordinary　scale；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said；　〃I　shall　be　glad　if　you　would　accompany　me　there　by　the　next　train。　We　will　lunch　together　first；　and　look　for　our　friend　later　in　the　afternoon。〃

The　doctor　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　the　fact　that　he　found　this　suggestion　entirely　satisfactory。　In　less　than　half　an　hour；　the　two　men　were　on　their　way　to　town。

Curiously　enough；　Penelope　and　Prince　Maiyo　met　that　morning　for　the　first　time　in　several　days。　They　were　both　guests　of　the　Duchess　o