the clue of the twisted candle-第29节

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　garden。〃

〃Shall　we　go　on？〃　she　said。

He　could　have　sworn　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes　and　manlike　he　thought　she　was　vexed　with　him　at　his　fooling。

〃I　haven't　made　you　cross；　have　I？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh　no；〃　she　replied。

〃I　mean　you　don't　believe　all　this　rot　about　my　being　married　and　that　sort　of　thing？〃

〃I'm　not　interested；〃　she　said；　with　a　shrug　of　her　shoulders；　〃not　very　much。　　You've　been　very　kind　to　me　and　I　should　be　an　awful　boor　if　I　wasn't　grateful。　　Of　course；　I　don't　care　whether　you're　married　or　not；　it's　nothing　to　do　with　me；　is　it？〃

〃Naturally　it　isn't；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　suppose　you　aren't　married　by　any　chance？〃

〃Married；〃　she　repeated　bitterly；　〃why；　you　will　make　my　fourth！〃

She　had　hardy　got　the　words　out　of　her　mouth　before　she　realized　her　terrible　error。　　A　second　later　she　was　in　his　arms　and　he　was　kissing　her　to　the　scandal　of　one　aged　park　keeper；　one　small　and　dirty…faced　little　boy　and　a　moulting　duck　who　seemed　to　sneer　at　the　proceedings　which　he　watched　through　a　yellow　and　malignant　eye。

〃Belinda　Mary；〃　said　T。　X。　at　parting；　〃you　have　got　to　give　up　your　little　country　establishment；　wherever　it　may　be　and　come　back　to　the　discomforts　of　Portman　Place。　　Oh；　I　know　you　can't　come　back　yet。　　That　'somebody'　is　there；　and　I　can　pretty　well　guess　who　it　is。〃

〃Who？〃　she　challenged。

〃I　rather　fancy　your　mother　has　come　back；〃　he　suggested。

A　look　of　scorn　dawned　into　her　pretty　face。

〃Good　lord；　Tommy！〃　she　said　in　disgust；　〃you　don't　think　I　should　keep　mother　in　the　suburbs　without　her　telling　the　world　all　about　it！〃

〃You're　an　undutiful　little　beggar；〃　he　said。

They　had　reached　the　Horse　Guards　at　Whitehall　and　he　was　saying　good…bye　to　her。

〃If　it　comes　to　a　matter　of　duty；〃　she　answered；　〃perhaps　you　will　do　your　duty　and　hold　up　the　traffic　for　me　and　let　me　cross　this　road。〃

〃My　dear　girl；〃　he　protested；　〃hold　up　the　traffic？〃

〃Of　course；〃　she　said　indignantly；　〃you're　a　policeman。〃

〃Only　when　I　am　in　uniform；〃　he　said　hastily；　and　piloted　her　across　the　road。

It　was　a　new　man　who　returned　to　the　gloomy　office　in　Whitehall。　A　man　with　a　heart　that　swelled　and　throbbed　with　the　pride　and　joy　of　life's　most　precious　possession。




CHAPTER　XVIII



T。　X。　sat　at　his　desk；　his　chin　in　his　hands；　his　mind　remarkably　busy。　　Grave　as　the　matter　was　which　he　was　considering；　he　rose　with　alacrity　to　meet　the　smiling　girl　who　was　ushered　through　the　door　by　Mansus；　preternaturally　solemn　and　mysterious。

She　was　radiant　that　day。　　Her　eyes　were　sparkling　with　an　unusual　brightness。

〃I've　got　the　most　wonderful　thing　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　can't　tell　you。〃

〃That's　a　very　good　beginning；〃　said　T。　X。；　taking　her　muff　from　her　hand。

〃Oh；　but　it's　really　wonderful；〃　she　cried　eagerly；　〃more　wonderful　than　anything　you　have　ever　heard　about。〃

〃We　are　interested；〃　said　T。　X。　blandly。

〃No；　no；　you　mustn't　make　fun；〃　she　begged；　〃I　can't　tell　you　now；　but　it　is　something　that　will　make　you　simply　…　〃she　was　at　a　loss　for　a　simile。

〃Jump　out　of　my　skin？〃　suggested　T。　X。

〃I　shall　astonish　you；〃　she　nodded　her　head　solemnly。

〃I　take　a　lot　of　astonishing；　I　warn　you；〃　he　smiled；　〃to　know　you　is　to　exhaust　one's　capacity　for　surprise。〃

〃That　can　be　either　very；　very　nice　or　very；　very　nasty；〃　she　said　cautiously。

〃But　accept　it　as　being　very；　very　nice；〃　he　laughed。　　〃Now　come；　out　with　this　tale　of　yours。〃

She　shook　her　head　very　vigorously。

〃I　can't　possibly　tell　you　anything；〃　she　said。

〃Then　why　the　dickens　do　you　begin　telling　anything　for？〃　he　complained；　not　without　reason。

〃Because　I　just　want　you　to　know　that　I　do　know　something。〃

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　he　groaned。　　〃Of　course　you　know　everything。　　Belinda　Mary；　you're　really　the　most　wonderful　child。〃

He　sat　on　the　edge　of　her　arm…chair　and　laid　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。

〃And　you've　come　to　take　me　out　to　lunch！〃

〃What　were　you　worrying　about　when　I　came　in？〃　she　asked。

He　made　a　little　gesture　as　if　to　dismiss　the　subject。

〃Nothing　very　much。　　You've　heard　me　speak　of　John　Lexman？〃

She　bent　her　head。

〃Lexman's　the　writer　of　a　great　many　mystery　stories；　but　you've　probably　read　his　books。〃

She　nodded　again；　and　again　T。　X。　noticed　the　suppressed　eagerness　in　her　eyes。

〃You're　not　ill　or　sickening　for　anything；　are　you？〃　he　asked　anxiously；　〃measles；　or　mumps　or　something？〃

〃Don't　be　silly；〃　she　said；　〃go　on　and　tell　me　something　about　Mr。　Lexman。〃

〃He's　going　to　America；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃and　before　he　goes　he　wants　to　give　a　little　lecture。〃

〃A　lecture　7〃

〃It　sounds　rum；　doesn't　it；　but　that's　just　what　he　wants　to　do。〃

〃Why　is　he　doing　it！〃　she　asked。

T。　X。　made　a　gesture　of　despair。

〃That　is　one　of　the　mysteries　which　may　never　be　revealed　to　me；　except　〃　he　pursed　his　lips　and　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　girl。　〃There　are　times；〃　he　said；　〃when　there　is　a　great　struggle　going　on　inside　a　man　between　all　the　human　and　better　part　of　him　and　the　baser　professional　part　of　him。　　One　side　of　me　wants　to　hear　this　lecture　of　John　Lexman's　very　much；　the　other　shrinks　from　the　ordeal。〃

〃Let　us　talk　it　over　at　lunch；〃　she　said　practically；　and　carried　him　off。



CHAPTER　XIX


One　would　not　readily　associate　the　party　of　top…booted　sewermen　who　descend　nightly　to　the　subterranean　passages　of　London　with　the　stout　viceconsul　at　Durazzo。　　Yet　it　was　one　unimaginative　man　who　lived　in　Lambeth　and　had　no　knowledge　that　there　was　such　a　place　as　Durazzo　who　was　responsible　for　bringing　this　comfortable　official　out　of　his　bed　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning　causing　him　…　albeit　reluctantly　and　with　violent　and　insubordinate　language　…　to　conduct　certain　investigations　in　the　crowded　bazaars。

At　first　he　was　unsuccessful　because　there　were　many　Hussein　Effendis　in　Durazzo。　　He　sent　an　invitation　to　the　American　Consul　to　come　over　to　tiffin　and　help　him。

〃Why　the　dickens　the　Foreign　Office　should　suddenly　be　interested　in　Hussein　Effendi；　I　cannot　for　the　life　of　me　understand。〃

〃The　Foreign　Department　has　to　be　interested　in　something；　you　know；〃　said　the　genial　American。　　〃I　receive　some　of　the　quaintest　requests　from　Washington；　I　rather　fancy　they　only　wire　you　to　find　if　they　are　there。〃

〃Why　are　you　doing　this！〃

〃I've　seen　Hakaat　Bey；〃　said　the　English　official。　　〃I　wonder　what　this　fellow　has　been　doing？　　There　is　probably　a　wigging　for　me　in　the　offing。〃

At　about　the　same　time　the　sewerman　in　the　bosom　of　his　own　family　was　taking　loud　and　noisy　sips　from　a　big　mug　of　tea。

〃Don't　you　be　surprised；〃　he　said　to　his　admiring　better　half；　〃if　I　have　to　go　up　to　the　Old　Bailey　to　give　evidence。〃

〃Lord！　　Joe！〃　she　said　with　interest；　〃what　has　happened！〃

The　sewer　man　filled　his　pipe　and　told　the　story　with　a　wealth　of　rambling　detail。　He　gave　particulars　of　the　hour　he　had　descended　the　Victoria　Street　shaft；　of　what　Bill　Morgan　had　said　to　him　as　they　were　going　down；　of　what　he　had　said　to　Harry　Carter　as　they　splashed　along　the　low…roofed　tunnel；　of　how　he　had　a　funny　feeling　that　he　was　going　to　make　a　discovery；　and　so　on　and　so　forth　until　he　reached　his　long　delayed　climax。

T。　X。　waited　up　very　late　that　night　and　at　twelve　o'clock　his　patience　was　rewarded；　for　the　Foreign　Office'　messenger　brought　a　telegram　to　him。　　It　was　addressed　to　the　Chief　Secretary　and　ran：

〃No。　847。　　Yours　63952　of　yesterday's　date。　　Begins。　　Hussein　Effendi　a　prosperous　merchant　of　this　city　left　for　Italy　to　place　his　daughter　in　convent　Marie　Theressa；　Florence　Hussein　being　Christian。　　He　goes　on　to　Paris。　　Apply　Ralli　Theokritis　et　Cie。；　Rue　de　1'Opera。　　Ends。〃

Half　an　hour　later　T。　X。　had　a　telephone　connection　through　to　Paris　and　was　instructing　the　British　police　agent　in　that　city。　He　received　a　further　telephone　report　from　Paris　the　next　morning　and　one　which　gave　him　infinite　satisfaction。　　Very　slowly　but　surely　he　was　gathering　together　the　pieces　of　this　baffling　mystery　and　was　fitting　them　together。　　Hussein　Effendi　would　probably　supply　the　last　missing　segments。

At　eight　o'clock　that　night　the　door　opened　and　the　man　who　represented　T。　X。　in　Paris　came　in　carrying　a　travelling　ulster　on　his　arm。　　T。　X。　gave　him　a　nod　and　then；　as　the　newcomer　stood　with　the　door　open；　obviously　waiting　for　somebody　to　follow　him；　he　said；

〃Show　him　in　…　I　will　see　him　alone。〃

There　walked　into　his　office；　a　tall　man　wearing　a　frock　coat　and　a　red　fez。　　He　was　a　man　from　fifty…five　to　sixty；　powerfully　built；　with　a　grave　dark　face　and　a　thin　fringe　of　white　beard。　He　salaamed　as　he　entered。

〃You　speak　French；　I　believe；〃　said　T。　X。　presently。

The　other　bowed。

〃My　agent　has　explained　to　you；〃　said　T。　X。　in　French；　〃that　I　desire　some　information　for　the　purpose　of　clearing　up　a　crime　which　has　been　committed　in　this　country。　　I　have　given　you　my　assurance；　if　that　assurance　was　necessary；　that　you　would　come　to　no　harm　as　a　result　of　anything　you　might　tell　me。〃

〃That　I　understand；　Effendi；〃　said　the　tall　Turk；　〃the　Americans　and　the　English　have　always　been　good　friends　of　mine　and　I　have　been　frequently　in　London。　　Therefore；　I　shall　be　very　pleased　to　be　of　a