the illustrious prince-第37节

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　unexpected　encounter。　His　lips　parted　in　a　delightful　smile。　He　ignored　the　Inspector's　somewhat　stiff　salute；　and　insisted　upon　shaking　him　cordially　by　the　hand。

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　the　one　person　whom　I　desired　to　see。　You　are　not　busy；　I　hope？　You　can　talk　with　me　for　five　minutes？〃

The　Inspector　hesitated　for　a　moment。　He　was　versed　in　every　form　of　duplicity；　and　yet　he　felt　that　in　the　presence　of　this　young　aristocrat；　who　was　smiling　upon　him　so　delightfully；　he　was　little　more　than　a　babe　in　wisdom；　an　amateur　pure　and　simple。　He　was　conscious；　too；　of　a　sentiment　which　rarely　intruded　itself　into　his　affairs。　He　was　conscious　of　a　strong　liking　for　this　debonair；　pleasant…faced　young　man；　who　treated　him　not　only　as　an　equal；　but　as　an　equal　in　whose　society　he　found　an　especial　pleasure。

〃I　have　the　time　to　spare；　sir；　certainly；〃　he　admitted。

The　Prince　smiled　gayly。

〃Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　wonderful　man。　Even　now　you　are　asking　yourself；　What　does　he　want　to　say　to　mePrince　Maiyo？　Is　he　going　to　ask　me　questions；　or　will　he　tell　me　things　which　I　should　like　to　hear？'　You　know；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；　between　ourselves；　you　are　just　a　little　interested　in　me；　is　it　not　so？〃

The　detective　was　dumb。　He　stood　there　patiently　waiting。　He　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　declines　to　commit　himself。

〃Just　a　little　interested　in　me；　I　think；〃　the　Prince　murmured；　smiling　at　his　companion。　〃Ah；　well；　many　of　the　things　I　do　over　here；　perhaps；　must　seem　very　strange。　And　that　reminds　me。　Only　a　short　time　ago　you　were　asking　questions　about　the　man　who　travelled　from　Liverpool　to　London　and　reached　his　destination　with　a　dagger　through　his　heart。　Tell　me；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；　have　you　discovered　the　murderer　yet？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　the　detective　answered。

〃I　have　heard　you　speak　of　this　affair；〃　the　Prince　continued；　〃and　before　now　I　expected　to　read　in　the　papers　that　you　had　put　your　hand　upon　the　guilty　one。　If　you　have　not　done　so；　I　am　very　sure　that　there　is　some　explanation。〃

〃It　is　better　sometimes　to　wait；〃　the　detective　said　quietly。

〃The　Prince　bowed　as　one　who　understands。

〃I　think　so；〃　he　assented；　〃I　think　I　follow　you。　On　the　very　next　day　there　was　another　tragedy　which　seemed　to　me　even　more　terrible。　I　mean　the　murder　of　that　young　fellow　Vanderpole；　of　the　American　Embassy。　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；　has　it　ever　occurred　to　you；　I　wonder；　that　it　might　be　as　well　to　let　the　solution　of　one　await　the　solution　of　the　other？〃

Inspector　Jacks　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Occasionally；〃　he　admitted　reluctantly；　〃when　one　is　following　up　a　clue；　one　discovers　things。〃

〃You　are　wonderful！〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃You　are；　indeed！　I　know　what　is　in　your　mind。　You　have　said　to　yourself；　Between　these　two　murders　there　is　some　connection。　They　were　both　done　by　the　hand　of　a　master　criminal。　The　victims　in　both　cases　were　Americans。'　You　said　to　yourself；　First　of　all；　I　will　discover　the　motive；　then；　perhaps；　a　clue　which　seems　to　belong　to　the　one　will　lead　me　to　the　other；　or　both？'　You　are　not　sure　which　way　to　turn。　There　is　nothing　there　upon　which　you　can　lay　your　hand。　You　say　to　yourself；　I　will　make　a　bluff。'　That　is　the　word；　is　it　not？　You　come　to　me。　You　tell　me　gravely　that　you　have　reason　to　suspect　some　one　in　my　household。　That　is　because　you　believe　that　the　crimes　were　perpetrated　by　some　one　of　my　country。　You　do　not　ask　for　information。　You　think；　perhaps；　that　I　would　not　give　it。　You　confront　me　with　a　statement。　It　was　very　clever　of　you；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks。〃

〃I　had　reason　for　what　I　did；　sir；〃　the　detective　said。

〃No　doubt；〃　the　Prince　agreed。　〃And　now；　tell　me；　when　are　you　going　to　electrify　us　all？　When　is　the　great　arrest　to　take　place？〃

The　detective　coughed　discreetly。

〃I　am　not　yet　in　a　position；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃to　make　any　definite　announcement。〃

〃Cautious；　Mr。　Jacks；　cautious！〃　the　Prince　remarked　smilingly。　〃It　is　a　great　quality；a　quality　which　I；　too；　have　learned　how　to　appreciate。　And　now　for　our　five　minutes'　talk。　If　I　say　to　you；　　Return　home　with　me；'　I　think　you　will　remember　that　unpleasant　room　of　mine；　and　you　will　recollect　an　important　engagement　at　Scotland　Yard。　In　the　clubs　one　is　always　overheard。　Walk　with　me　a　little　way；　Mr。　Jacks；　in　St。　James'　Park。　We　can　speak　there　without　fear　of　interruption。　Come！〃

He　thrust　his　arm　through　the　detective's　and　led　him　across　the　street。　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks　was　only　human；　and　he　yielded　without　protest。　They　passed　St。　James'　Palace　and　on　to　the　broad　promenade；　where　there　were　few　passers…by　and　no　listeners。

〃You　see；　my　dear　Inspector；〃　the　Prince　said；　〃I　am　really　a　sojourner　in　your　marvellous　city　not　altogether　for　pleasure。　My　stay　over　here　is　more　in　the　light　of　a　mission。　I　have　certain　arrangements　which　I　wish　to　effect　for　the　good　of　my　country。　Amongst　them　is　one　concerning　which　I　should　like　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃To　me；　sir？〃　Inspector　Jacks　repeated。

The　Prince　twirled　his　cane　and　nodded　his　head。

〃It　is　a　very　important　matter；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　nothing　less　than　a　desire　on　the　part　of　the　city　government　of　Tokio　to　perfect　thoroughly　their　police　system　on　the　model　of　yours　over　here。　We　are　a　progressive　nation；　you　know；　Mr。　Jacks；　but　we　are　also　a　young　nation；　and　though　I　think　that　we　advance　all　the　time；　we　are　still　in　many　respects　a　long　way　behind　you。　We　have　no　Scotland　Yard　in　Tokio。　To　be　frank　with　you；　the　necessity　for　such　an　institution　has　become　a　real　thing　with　us　only　during　the　last　few　years。　Do　you　read　history；　Mr。　Jacks？〃

The　Inspector　was　doubtful。

〃I　can't　say；　sir；〃　he　admitted；　〃that　I　have　done　much　reading　since　I　left　school；　and　that　was　many　years　ago。〃

〃Well；〃　the　Prince　said；　〃It　is　one　of　the　axioms　of　history；　Mr。　Jacks；　that　as　a　country　becomes　civilized　and　consequently　more　prosperous；　there　is　a　corresponding　growth　in　her　criminal　classes；　a　corresponding　need　for　a　different　state　of　laws　by　which　to　judge　them；　a　different　machinery　for　checking　their　growth。　We　have　arrived　at　that　position　in　Japan；　and　in　my　latest　despatches　from　home　comes　to　me　a　request　that　I　send　them　out　a　man　who　shall　reorganize　our　entire　police　system。　I　am　a　judge　of　character；　Mr。　Jacks；　and　if　I　can　get　the　man　I　want；　I　do　not　need　to　ask　my　friends　at　Downing　Street　to　help　me。　I　should　like　you　to　accept　that　post。〃

The　Inspector　was　scarcely　prepared　for　this。　He　allowed　himself　to　show　some　surprise。

〃I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；　Prince；　for　the　offer；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　afraid；　however；　that　I　should　not　be　competent。〃

〃That；〃　the　Prince　reminded　him；　〃is　a　risk　which　we　are　willing　to　take。〃

〃I　do　not　think；　either；〃　the　detective　continued；　〃that　at　my　time　of　life　I　should　care　to　go　so　far　from　home　to　settle　down　in　an　altogether　strange　country；。〃

〃It　must　be　as　you　will；　of　course；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃Only　remember；　Mr。　Jacks；　that　a　great　nation　like　mine　which　wants　a　particular　man　for　a　particular　purpose　is　not　afraid　to　pay　for　him。　Your　work　out　there　would　certainly　take　you　no　more　than　three　years。　For　that　three　years'　work　you　would　receive　the　sum　of　thirty　thousand　pounds。〃

The　detective　gasped。

〃It　is　a　great　sum；〃　he　said。

The　Prince　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃You　could　hardly　call　it　that；〃　he　said。　〃Still；　it　would　enable　you　to　live　in　comfort　for　the　rest　of　your　life。〃

〃And　when　should　I　be　required　to　start；　sir？〃　the　Inspector　asked。

〃That；　perhaps；〃　the　Prince　replied；　〃would　seem　the　hardest　part　of　all。　You　would　be　required　to　start　tomorrow　afternoon　from　Southampton　at　four　o'clock。〃

The　Inspector　started。　Then　a　new　light　dawned　suddenly　in　his　face。

〃Tomorrow　afternoon；〃　he　murmured。

The　Prince　assented。

〃So　far　as　regards　your　position　at　Scotland　Yard；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　influential　friends　in　your　Government　who　will　put　that　right　for　you。　You　need　not　be　afraid　of　any　unpleasantness　in　that　direction。　Remember；　Mr。　Inspector；　thirty　thousand　pounds；　and　a　free　hand　while　you　are　in　my　country。　You　are　a　man；　I　should　judge；　of　fifty…two　or　fifty…three　years　of　age。　You　can　spend　your　fifty…sixth　birthday　in　England；　then；　and　be　a　man　of　means　for　the　remainder　of　your　days。〃

〃And　this　sum　of　money；〃　the　detective　said；　〃is　for　my　services　in　building　up　the　police　force　of　Tokio？〃

〃Broadly　speaking；　yes！〃　the　Prince　answered。

〃And　incidentally；〃　the　detective　continued；　glancing　cautiously　at　his　companion；　〃it　is　the　price　of　my　leaving　unsuspected　the　murderer　of　two　innocent　men！〃

The　Prince　walked　on　in　silence。　Every　line　in　his　face　seemed　slowly　to　have　hardened。　His　brows　had　contracted。　He　was　looking　steadfastly　forward　at　the　great　front　of　Buckingham　Palace。

〃I　am　disappointed　in　you；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　said　a　little　stiffly。　〃I　do　not　understand　your　allusion。　The　money　I　have　mentioned　is　to　be　paid　to　you　for　certain　well…defined　services。　The　other　matter　you　speak　of　does　not　interest　me。　It　is　no　concern　of　mine　whether　this　man　of　whom　you　are　in　search　is　brought　to　justice　or　not。　All　that　I　wish　to　hear　from　you　is　whether　or　not　you　accep