the clue of the twisted candle-第13节

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〃You　saw　Lady　Bartholomew　off　at　Charing　Cross；　I　suppose？〃

Mansus　nodded。

〃She　went　alone？〃

〃She　took　her　maid；　but　otherwise　she　was　alone。　　I　thought　she　looked　ill。〃

〃She　has　been　looking　ill　for　months　past；〃　said　T。　X。；　without　any　visible　expression　of　sympathy。

〃Did　she　take　Belinda　Mary？〃

Mansus　was　puzzled。　　〃Belinda　Mary？〃　he　repeated　slowly。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　the　daughter。　　No；　she's　at　a　school　somewhere　in　France。〃

T。　X。　whistled　a　snatch　of　a　popular　song；　closed　the　little　red　book　with　a　snap　and　replaced　it　in　his　desk。

〃I　wonder　where　on　earth　people　dig　up　names　like　Belinda　Mary？〃　he　mused。　　〃Belinda　Mary　must　be　rather　a　weird　little　animal　…　the　Lord　forgive　me　for　speaking　so　about　my　betters！　　If　heredity　counts　for　anything　she　ought　to　be　something　between　a　head　waiter　and　a　pack　of　cards。　　Have　you　lost　anything'？〃

Mansus　was　searching　his　pockets。

〃I　made　a　few　notes；　some　questions　I　wanted　to　ask　you　about　and　Lady　Bartholomew　was　the　subject　of　one　of　them。　　I　have　had　her　under　observation　for　six　months；　do　you　want　it　kept　up？〃

T。　X。　thought　awhile；　then　shook　his　head。

〃I　am　only　interested　in　Lady　Bartholomew　in　so　far　as　Kara　is　interested　in　her。　　There　is　a　criminal　for　you；　my　friend！〃　he　added；　admiringly。

Mansus　busily　engaged　in　going　through　the　bundles　of　letters；　slips　of　paper　and　little　notebooks　he　had　taken　from　his　pocket；　sniffed　audibly。

〃Have　you　a　cold？〃　asked　T。　X。　politely。

〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃only　I　haven't　much　opinion　of　Kara　as　a　criminal。　　Besides；　what　has　he　got　to　be　a　criminal　about？　He　has　all　that　he　requires　in　the　money　department；　he's　one　of　the　most　popular　people　in　London；　and　certainly　one　of　the　best…looking　men　I've　ever　seen　in　my　life。　　He　needs　nothing。〃

T。　X。　regarded　him　scornfully。

〃You're　a　poor　blind　brute；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head；　don't　you　know　that　great　criminals　are　never　influenced　by　material　desires；　or　by　the　prospect　of　concrete　gains？　　The　man；　who　robs　his　employer's　till　in　order　to　give　the　girl　of　his　heart　the　25…pearl　and　ruby　brooch　her　soul　desires；　gains　nothing　but　the　glow　of　satisfaction　which　comes　to　the　man　who　is　thought　well　of。　　The　majority　of　crimes　in　the　world　are　committed　by　people　for　the　same　reason　…　they　want　to　be　thought　well　of。　　Here　is　Doctor　X。　　who　murdered　his　wife　because　she　was　a　drunkard　and　a　slut；　and　he　dared　not　leave　her　for　fear　the　neighbours　would　have　doubts　as　to　his　respectability。　　Here　is　another　gentleman　who　murders　his　wives　in　their　baths　in　order　that　he　should　keep　up　some　sort　of　position　and　earn　the　respect　of　his　friends　and　his　associates。　　Nothing　roused　him　more　quickly　to　a　frenzy　of　passion　than　the　suggestion　that　he　was　not　respectable。　　Here　is　the　great　financier；　who　has　embezzled　a　million　and　a　quarter；　not　because　he　needed　money；　but　because　people　looked　up　to　him。　Therefore；　he　must　build　great　mansions；　submarine　pleasure　courts　and　must　lay　out　huge　estates　…　because　he　wished　that　he　should　be　thought　well　of。

Mansus　sniffed　again。

〃What　about　the　man　who　half　murders　his　wife；　does　he　do　that　to　be　well　thought　of？〃　he　asked；　with　a　tinge　of　sarcasm。

T。　X。　looked　at　him　pityingly。

〃The　low…brow　who　beats　his　wife；　my　poor　Mansus；〃　he　said；　〃does　so　because　she　doesn't　think　well　of　him。　　That　is　our　ruling　passion；　our　national　characteristic；　the　primary　cause　of　most　crimes；　big　or　little。　　That　is　why　Kara　is　a　bad　criminal　and　will；　as　I　say；　end　his　life　very　violently。〃

He　took　down　his　glossy　silk　hat　from　the　peg　and　slipped　into　his　overcoat。

〃I　am　going　down　to　see　my　friend　Kara；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　a　feeling　that　I　should　like　to　talk　with　him。　　He　might　tell　me　something。〃

His　acquaintance　with　Kara's　menage　had　been　mere　hearsay。　　He　had　interviewed　the　Greek　once　after　his　return；　but　since　all　his　efforts　to　secure　information　concerning　the　whereabouts　of　John　Lexman　and　his　wife　…　the　main　reason　for　his　visit　been　in　vain；　he　had　not　repeated　his　visit。

The　house　in　Cadogan　Square　was　a　large　one；　occupying　a　corner　site。　　It　was　peculiarly　English　in　appearance　with　its　window　boxes；　its　discreet　curtains；　its　polished　brass　and　enamelled　doorway。　　It　had　been　the　town　house　of　Lord　Henry　Gratham；　that　eccentric　connoisseur　of　wine　and　follower　of　witless　pleasure。　It　had　been　built　by　him　〃round　a　bottle　of　port；〃　as　his　friends　said；　meaning　thereby　that　his　first　consideration　had　been　the　cellarage　of　the　house；　and　that　when　those　cellars　had　been　built　and　provision　made　for　the　safe　storage　of　his　priceless　wines；　the　house　had　been　built　without　the　architect's　being　greatly　troubled　by　his　lordship。　　The　double　cellars　of　Gratham　House　had；　in　their　time；　been　one　of　the　sights　of　London。　　When　Henry　Gratham　lay　under　eight　feet　of　Congo　earth　（he　was　killed　by　an　elephant　whilst　on　a　hunting　trip）　his　executors　had　been　singularly　fortunate　in　finding　an　immediate　purchaser。　　Rumour　had　it　that　Kara；　who　was　no　lover　of　wine；　had　bricked　up　the　cellars；　and　their　very　existence　passed　into　domestic　legendary。

The　door　was　opened　by　a　well…dressed　and　deferential　man…servant　and　T。　X。　was　ushered　into　the　hall。　　A　fire　burnt　cheerily　in　a　bronze　grate　and　T。　X。　had　a　glimpse　of　a　big　oil　painting　of　Kara　above　the　marble　mantle…piece。

〃Mr。　Kara　is　very　busy；　sir；〃　said　the　man。

〃Just　take　in　my　card；〃　said　T。　X。　〃I　think　he　may　care　to　see　me。〃

The　man　bowed；　produced　from　some　mysterious　corner　a　silver　salver　and　glided　upstairs　in　that　manner　which　well…trained　servants　have；　a　manner　which　seems　to　call　for　no　bodily　effort。　In　a　minute　he　returned。

〃Will　you　come　this　way；　sir；〃　he　said；　and　led　the　way　up　a　broad　flight　of　stairs。

At　the　head　of　the　stairs　was　a　corridor　which　ran　to　the　left　and　to　the　right。　　From　this　there　gave　four　rooms。　　One　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　passage　on　the　right；　one　on　the　left；　and　two　at　fairly　regular　intervals　in　the　centre。

When　the　man's　hand　was　on　one　of　the　doors；　T。　X。　asked　quietly；　〃I　think　I　have　seen　you　before　somewhere；　my　friend。〃

The　man　smiled。

〃It　is　very　possible；　sir。　　I　was　a　waiter　at　the　Constitutional　for　some　time。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃That　is　where　it　must　have　been；〃　he　said。

The　man　opened　the　door　and　announced　the　visitor。

T。　X。　found　himself　in　a　large　room；　very　handsomely　furnished；　but　just　lacking　that　sense　of　cosiness　and　comfort　which　is　the　feature　of　the　Englishman's　home。

Kara　rose　from　behind　a　big　writing　table；　and　came　with　a　smile　and　a　quick　step　to　greet　the　visitor。

〃This　is　a　most　unexpected　pleasure；〃　he　said；　and　shook　hands　warmly。

T。　X。　had　not　seen　him　for　a　year　and　found　very　little　change　in　this　strange　young　man。　　He　could　not　be　more　confident　than　he　had　been；　nor　bear　himself　with　a　more　graceful　carriage。　Whatever　social　success　he　had　achieved；　it　had　not　spoiled　him；　for　his　manner　was　as　genial　and　easy　as　ever。

〃I　think　that　will　do；　Miss　Holland；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　girl　who；　with　notebook　in　hand；　stood　by　the　desk。

〃Evidently；〃　thought　T。　X。；〃our　Hellenic　friend　has　a　pretty　taste　in　secretaries。〃

In　that　one　glance　he　took　her　all　in　…　from　the　bronze…brown　of　her　hair　to　her　neat　foot。

T。　X。　was　not　readily　attracted　by　members　of　the　opposite　sex。　He　was　self…confessed　a　predestined　bachelor；　finding　life　and　its　incidence　too　absorbing　to　give　his　whole　mind　to　the　serious　problem　of　marriage；　or　to　contract　responsibilities　and　interests　which　might　divert　his　attention　from　what　he　believed　was　the　greater　game。　　Yet　he　must　be　a　man　of　stone　to　resist　the　freshness；　the　beauty　and　the　youth　of　this　straight；　slender　girl；　the　pink…and…whiteness　of　her；　the　aliveness　and　buoyancy　and　the　thrilling　sense　of　vitality　she　carried　in　her　very　presence。

〃What　is　the　weirdest　name　you　have　ever　heard？〃　asked　Kara　laughingly。　　〃I　ask　you；　because　Miss　Holland　and　I　have　been　discussing　a　begging　letter　addressed　to　us　by　a　Maggie　Goomer。〃

The　girl　smiled　slightly　and　in　that　smile　was　paradise；　thought　T。　X。

〃The　weirdest　name？〃　he　repeated；　〃why　I　think　the　worst　I　have　heard　for　a　long　time　is　Belinda　Mary。〃

〃That　has　a　familiar　ring；〃　said　Kara。

T。　X。　was　looking　at　the　girl。

She　was　staring　at　him　with　a　certain　languid　insolence　which　made　him　curl　up　inside。　　Then　with　a　glance　at　her　employer　she　swept　from　the　room。

〃I　ought　to　have　introduced　you；〃　said　Kara。　　〃That　was　my　secretary；　Miss　Holland。　　Rather　a　pretty　girl；　isn't　she？〃

〃Very；〃　said　T。　X。；recovering　his　breath。

〃I　like　pretty　things　around　me；〃　said　Kara；　and　somehow　the　complacency　of　the　remark　annoyed　the　detective　more　than　anything　that　Kara　had　ever　said　to　him。

The　Greek　went　to　the　mantlepiece；　and　taking　down　a　silver　cigarette　box；　opened　and　offered　it　to　his　visitor。　　Kara　was　wearing　a　grey　lounge　suit；　and　although　grey　is　a　very　trying　colour　for　a　foreigner　to　wear；　this　suit　fitted　his　splendid　figure　and　gave　him　just　that　bulk　which　he　needed。

〃You　are　a　most　suspicious　man；　Mr。　Meredith；〃　he　smiled。

〃Suspicious！　I？〃　asked　the　innocent　T。　X。

Kara　nodded。