the clue of the twisted candle-第27节

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　　We　have　in　this　diary　alone　sufficient　evidence　to　convict　him　of　three　separate　murders；　one　of　which　was　committed　in　this　country。〃

T。　X。　looked　his　astonishment。

〃You　will　remember；　Mr。　Meredith；　as　I　saw　in　one　of　your　reports；　that　he　had　a　chauffeur；　a　Greek　named　Poropulos。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃He　went　to　Greece　on　the　day　following　the　shooting　of　Vassalaro；〃　he　said。

The　Home　Secretary　shook　his　head

〃He　was　killed　on　the　same　night；〃　said　the　Minister；　〃and　you　will　have　no　difficulty　in　finding　what　remains　of　his　body　in　the　disused　house　which　Kara　rented　for　his　own　purpose　on　the　Portsmouth　Road。　　That　he　has　killed　a　number　of　people　in　Albania　you　may　well　suppose。　　Whole　villages　have　been　wiped　out　to　provide　him　with　a　little　excitement。　　The　man　was　a　Nero　without　any　of　Nero's　amiable　weaknesses。　　He　was　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　himself　was　in　danger　of　assassination；　and　saw　an　enemy　even　in　his　trusty　servant。　　Undoubtedly　the　chauffeur　Poropulos　was　in　touch　with　several　Continental　government　circles。　　You　understand；〃　said　the　Minister　in　conclusion；　〃that　I　am　telling　you　this；　not　with　the　idea　of　expecting　you；　to　relax　your　efforts　to　find　the　murderer　and　clear　up　the　mystery；　but　in　order　that　you　may　know　something　of　the　possible　motive　for　this　man's　murder。〃

T。　X。　spent　an　hour　going　over　the　decoded　diary　and　documents　and　left　the　Home　Office　a　little　shakily。　　It　was　inconceivable；　incredible。　　Kara　was　a　lunatic；　but　the　directing　genius　was　a　devil。

T。　X。　had　a　flat　in　Whitehall　Gardens　and　thither　he　repaired　to　change　for　dinner。　　He　was　half　dressed　when　the　evening　paper　arrived　and　he　glanced　as　was　his　wont　first　at　the　news'　page　and　then　at　the　advertisement　column。　　He　looked　down　the　column　marked　〃Personal〃　without　expecting　to　find　anything　of　particular　interest　to　himself；　but　saw　that　which　made　him　drop　the　paper　and　fly　round　the　room　in　a　frenzy　to　complete　his　toilet。

〃Tommy　X。；〃　ran　the　brief　announcement；　〃most　urgent；　Marble　Arch　8。〃

He　had　five　minutes　to　get　there　but　it　seemed　like　five　hours。　He　was　held　up　at　almost　every　crossing　and　though　he　might　have　used　his　authority　to　obtain　right　of　way；　it　was　a　step　which　his　curious　sense　of　honesty　prevented　him　taking。　　He　leapt　out　of　the　cab　before　it　stopped；　thrust　the　fare　into　the　driver's　hands　and　looked　round　for　the　girl。　　He　saw　her　at　last　and　walked　quickly　towards　her。　　As　he　approached　her；　she　turned　about　and　with　an　almost　imperceptible　beckoning　gesture　walked　away。　　He　followed　her　along　the　Bayswater　Road　and　gradually　drew　level。

〃I　am　afraid　I　have　been　watched；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Will　you　call　a　cab？〃

He　hailed　a　passing　taxi；　helped　her　in　and　gave　at　random　the　first　place　that　suggested　itself　to　him；　which　was　Finsbury　Park。

〃I　am　very　worried；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　don't　know　anybody　who　can　help　me　except　you。〃

〃Is　it　money？〃　he　asked。

〃Money；〃　she　said　scornfully；　〃of　course　it　isn't　money。　　I　want　to　show　you　a　letter；〃　she　said　after　a　while。

She　took　it　from　her　bag　and　gave　it　to　him　and　he　struck　a　match　and　read　it　with　difficulty。

It　was　written　in　a　studiously　uneducated　hand。



〃Dear　Miss；

〃I　know　who　you　are。　　You　are　wanted　by　the　police　but　I　will　not　give　you　away。　　Dear　Miss。　　I　am　very　hard　up　and　20　pounds　will　be　very　useful　to　me　and　I　shall　not　trouble　you　again。　　Dear　Miss。　　Put　the　money　on　the　window　sill　of　your　room。　　I　know　you　sleep　on　the　ground　floor　and　I　will　come　in　and　take　it。　　And　if　not　…　well；　I　don't　want　to　make　any　trouble。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　truly；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A　FRIEND。〃

〃When　did　you　get　this？〃　he　asked。

〃This　morning；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　sent　the　Agony　to　the　paper　by　telegram；　I　knew　you　would　come。〃

〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？〃　he　said。

Her　assurance　was　very　pleasing　to　him。　　The　faith　that　her　words　implied　gave　him　an　odd　little　feeling　of　comfort　and　happiness。

〃I　can　easily　get　you　out　of　this；〃　he　added；　〃give　me　your　address　and　when　the　gentleman　comes　…　〃

〃That　is　impossible；〃　she　replied　hurriedly。　　〃Please　don't　think　I'm　ungrateful；　and　don't　think　I'm　being　silly　…　you　do　think　I'm　being　silly；　don't　you！〃

〃I　have　never　harboured　such　an　unworthy　thought；〃　he　said　virtuously。

〃Yes；　you　have；〃　she　persisted；　〃but　really　I　can't　tell　you　where　I　am　living。　　I　have　a　very　special　reason　for　not　doing　so。　　It's　not　myself　that　I'm　thinking　about；　but　there's　a　life　involved。〃

This　was　a　somewhat　dramatic　statement　to　make　and　she　felt　she　had　gone　too　far。

〃Perhaps　I　don't　mean　that；〃　she　said；　〃but　there　is　some　one　I　care　for　…　〃　she　dropped　her　voice。

〃Oh；〃　said　T。　X。　blankly。

He　came　down　from　his　rosy　heights　into　the　shadow　and　darkness　of　a　sunless　valley。

〃Some　one　you　care　for；〃　he　repeated　after　a　while。

〃Yes。〃

There　was　another　long　silence；　then；

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　T。　X。

Again　the　unbroken　interval　of　quiet　and　after　a　while　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Not　that　way。〃

〃Not　what　way！〃　asked　T。　X。　huskily；　his　spirits　doing　a　little　mountaineering。

〃The　way　you　mean；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；〃　said　T。　X。

He　was　back　again　amidst　the　rosy　snows　of　dawn；　was　in　fact　climbing　a　dizzy　escalier　on　the　topmost　height　of　hope's　Mont　Blanc　when　she　pulled　the　ladder　from　under　him。

〃I　shall；　of　course；　never　marry；〃　she　said　with　a　certain　prim　decision。

T。　X。　fell　with　a　dull　sickening　thud；　discovering　that　his　rosy　snows　were　not　unlike　cold；　hard　ice　in　their　lack　of　resilience。

〃Who　said　you　would？〃　he　asked　somewhat　feebly；　but　in　self　defence。

〃You　did；〃　she　said；　and　her　audacity　took　his　breath　away。

〃Well；　how　am　I　to　help　you！〃　he　asked　after　a　while。

〃By　giving　me　some　advice；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　think　I　ought　to　put　the　money　there！〃

〃Indeed　I　do　not；〃　said　T。　X。；　recovering　some　of　his　natural　dominance；　〃apart　from　the　fact　that　you　would　be　compounding　a　felony；　you　would　merely　be　laying　out　trouble　for　yourself　in　the　future。　　If　he　can　get　20　pounds　so　easily；　he　will　come　for　40　pounds。　　But　why　do　you　stay　away；　why　don't　you　return　home？　There's　no　charge　and　no　breath　of　suspicion　against　you。〃

〃Because　I　have　something　to　do　which　I　have　set　my　mind　to；〃　she　said；　with　determination　in　her　tones。

〃Surely　you　can　trust　me　with　your　address；〃　he　urged　her；　〃after　all　that　has　passed　between　us；　Belinda　Mary　…　after　all　the　years　we　have　known　one　another。〃

〃I　shall　get　out　and　leave　you；〃　she　said　steadily。

〃But　how　the　dickens　am　I　going　to　help　you？〃　he　protested。

〃Don't　swear；〃　she　could　be　very　severe　indeed；　〃the　only　way　you　can　help　me　is　by　being　kind　and　sympathetic。〃

〃Would　you　like　me　to　burst　into　tears？〃　he　asked　sarcastically。

〃I　ask　you　to　do　nothing　more　painful　or　repugnant　to　your　natural　feelings　than　to　be　a　gentleman；〃　she　said。

〃Thank　you　very　kindly；〃　said　T。　X。；　and　leant　back　in　the　cab　with　an　air　of　supreme　resignation。

〃I　believe　you're　making　faces　in　the　dark；〃　she　accused　him。

〃God　forbid　that　I　should　do　anything　so　low；〃　said　he　hastily；　〃what　made　you　think　that？〃

〃Because　I　was　putting　my　tongue　out　at　you；〃　she　admitted；　and　the　taxi　driver　heard　the　shrieks　of　laughter　in　the　cab　behind　him　above　the　wheezing　of　his　asthmatic　engine。

At　twelve　that　night　in　a　certain　suburb　of　London　an　overcoated　man　moved　stealthily　through　a　garden。　　He　felt　his　way　carefully　along　the　wall　of　the　house　and　groped　with　hope；　but　with　no　great　certainty；　along　the　window　sill。　　He　found　an　envelope　which　his　fingers；　somewhat　sensitive　from　long　employment　in　nefarious　uses；　told　him　contained　nothing　more　substantial　than　a　letter。

He　went　back　through　the　garden　and　rejoined　his　companion；　who　was　waiting　under　an　adjacent　lamp…post。

〃Did　she　drop？〃　asked　the　other　eagerly。

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　growled　the　man　from　the　garden。

He　opened　the　envelope　and　read　the　few　lines。

〃She　hasn't　got　the　money；〃　he　said；　〃but　she's　going　to　get　it。　I　must　meet　her　to…morrow　afternoon　at　the　corner　of　Oxford　Street　and　Regent　Street。〃

〃What　time！〃　asked　the　other。

〃Six　o'clock；〃　said　the　first　man。　　〃The　chap　who　takes　the　money　must　carry　a　copy　of　the　Westminster　Gazette　in　his　hand。〃

〃Oh；　then　it's　a　plant；〃　said　the　other　with　conviction。

The　other　laughed。

〃She　won't　work　any　plants。　　I　bet　she's　scared　out　of　her　life。〃

The　second　man　bit　his　nails　and　looked　up　and　down　the　road；　apprehensively。

〃It's　come　to　something；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃we　went　out　to　make　our　thousands　and　we've　come　down　to　'chanting'　for　20　pounds。〃

〃It's　the　luck；〃　said　the　other　philosophically；　〃and　I　haven't　done　with　her　by　any　means。　　Besides　we've　still　got　a　chance　of　pulling　of　the　big　thing；　Harry。　　I　reckon　she's　good　for　a　hundred　or　two；　anyway。〃

At　six　o'clock　on　the　following　afternoon；　a　man　dressed　in　a　dark　overcoat；　with　a　soft　felt　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes　stood　nonchalantly　by　the　curb　near　where　the　buses　stop　at　Regent　Street　slapping　his　hand　gently　with　a　folded　copy　of　the　Westminster　Gazette。

That　none　should　mistake