the clue of the twisted candle-第30节

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friends　of　mine　and　I　have　been　frequently　in　London。　　Therefore；　I　shall　be　very　pleased　to　be　of　any　help　to　you。〃

T。　X。　walked　to　a　closed　bookcase　on　one　side　of　the　room；　unlocked　it；　took　out　an　object　wrapped　in　white　tissue　paper。　　He　laid　this　on　the　table；　the　Turk　watching　the　proceedings　with　an　impassive　face。　　Very　slowly　the　Commissioner　unrolled　the　little　bundle　and　revealed　at　last　a　long；　slim　knife；　rusted　and　stained；　with　a　hilt；　which　in　its　untarnished　days　had　evidently　been　of　chased　silver。　　He　lifted　the　dagger　from　the　table　and　handed　it　to　the　Turk。

〃This　is　yours；　I　believe；〃　he　said　softly。

The　man　turned　it　over；　stepping　nearer　the　table　that　he　might　secure　the　advantage　of　a　better　light。　　He　examined　the　blade　near　the　hilt　and　handed　the　weapon　back　to　T。　X。

〃That　is　my　knife；〃　he　said。

T。　X。　smiled。

〃You　understand；　of　course；　that　I　saw　'Hussein　Effendi　of　Durazzo'　inscribed　in　Arabic　near　the　hilt。〃

The　Turk　inclined　his　head。

〃With　this　weapon；〃　T。　X。　went　on；　speaking　with　slow　emphasis；　〃a　murder　was　committed　in　this　town。〃

There　was　no　sign　of　interest　or　astonishment；　or　indeed　of　any　emotion　whatever。

〃It　is　the　will　of　God；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃these　things　happen　even　in　a　great　city　like　London。〃

〃It　was　your　knife；〃　suggested　T。　X。

〃But　my　hand　was　in　Durazzo；　Effendi；〃　said　the　Turk。

He　looked　at　the　knife　again。

〃So　the　Black　Roman　is　dead；　Effendi。〃

〃The　Black　Roman〃　asked　T。　X。；　a　little　puzzled。

〃The　Greek　they　call　Kara；〃　said　the　Turk；　〃he　was　a　very　wicked　man。〃

T。　X。　was　up　on　his　feet　now；　leaning　across　the　table　and　looking　at　the　other　with　narrowed　eyes。

〃How　did　you　know　it　was　Karat〃　he　asked　quickly。

The　Turk　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Who　else　could　it　be？〃　he　said；　〃are　not　your　ne　newspapers　filled　with　the　story？〃

T。　X。　sat　back　again；　disappointed　and　a　little　an　with　himself。

〃That　is　true；　Hussein　Effendi；　but　I　did　not　think　you　read　the　papers。〃

〃Neither　do　I；　master；〃　replied　the　other　coolly；　〃nor　did　I　know　that　Kara　had　been　killed　until　I　saw　this　knife。　　How　came　this　in　your　possession！〃

〃It　was　found　in　a　rain　sewer；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃into　which　the　murderer　had　apparently　dropped　it。　　But　if　you　have　not　read　the　newspapers；　Effendi；　then　you　admit　that　you　know　who　committed　this　murder。〃

The　Turk　raised　his　hands　slowly　to　a　level　with　his　shoulders。

〃Though　I　am　a　Christian；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　many　wise　sayings　of　my　father's　religion　which　I　remember。　　And　one　of　these；　Effendi；　was；　'the　wicked　must　die　in　the　habitations　of　the　just；　by　the　weapons　of　the　worthy　shall　the　wicked　perish。'　Your　Excellency；　I　am　a　worthy　man；　for　never　have　I　done　a　dishonest　thing　in　my　life。　　I　have　traded　fairly　with　Greeks；　with　Italians；　have　with　Frenchmen　and　with　Englishmen；　also　with　Jews。　I　have　never　sought　to　rob　them　nor　to　hurt　them。　　If　I　have　killed　men；　God　knows　it　was　not　because　I　desired　their　death；　but　because　their　lives　were　dangerous　to　me　and　to　mine。　　Ask　the　blade　all　your　questions　and　see　what　answer　it　gives。　　Until　it　speaks　I　am　as　dumb　as　the　blade；　for　it　is　also　written　that　'the　soldier　is　the　servant　of　his　sword；'　and　also；　'the　wise　servant　is　dumb　about　his　master's　affairs。'　〃

T。　X。　laughed　helplessly。

〃I　had　hoped　that　you　might　be　able　to　help　me；　hoped　and　feared；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　cannot　speak　it　is　not　my　business　to　force　you　either　by　threat　or　by　act。　　I　am　grateful　to　you　for　having　come　over；　although　the　visit　has　been　rather　fruitless　so　far　as　I　am　concerned。〃

He　smiled　again　and　offered　his　hand。

〃Excellency；〃　said　the　old　Turk　soberly；　〃there　are　some　things　in　life　that　are　well　left　alone　and　there　are　moments　when　justice　should　be　so　blind　that　she　does　not　see　guilt　here　is　such　a　moment。〃

And　this　ended　the　interview；　one　on　which　T。　X。　had　set　very　high　hopes。　　His　gloom　carried　to　Portman　Place；　where　he　had　arranged　to　meet　Belinda　Mary。

〃Where　is　Mr。　Lexman　going　to　give　this　famous　lecture　of　his？〃　was　the　question　with　which　she　greeted　him；　〃and；　please；　what　is　the　subject？〃

〃It　is　on　a　subject　which　is　of　supreme　interest　to　me；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃he　has　called　his　lecture　'The　Clue　of　the　Twisted　Candle。'　　There　is　no　clearer　brain　being　employed　in　the　business　of　criminal　detection　than　John　Lexman's。　　Though　he　uses　his　genius　for　the　construction　of　stories；　were　it　employed　in　the　legitimate　business　of　police　work；　I　am　certain　he　would　make　a　mark　second　to　none　in　the　world。　　He　is　determined　on　giving　this　lecture　and　he　has　issued　a　number　of　invitations。　　These　include　the　Chiefs　of　the　Secret　Police　of　nearly　all　the　civilized　countries　of　the　world。　　O'Grady　is　on　his　way　from　America；　he　wirelessed　me　this　morning　to　that　effect。　　Even　the　Chief　of　the　Russian　police　has　accepted　the　invitation；　because；　as　you　know；　this　murder　has　excited　a　great　deal　of　interest　in　police　circles　everywhere。　　John　Lexman　is　not　only　going　to　deliver　this　lecture；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃but　he　is　going　to　tell　us　who　committed　the　murder　and　how　it　was　committed。〃

She　thought　a　moment。

〃Where　will　it　be　delivered！〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　in　astonishment；　〃does　that　matter？〃

〃It　matters　a　great　deal；〃　she　said　emphatically；　〃especially　if　I　want　it　delivered　in　a　certain　place。　　Would　you　induce　Mr。　Lexman　to　lecture　at　my　house？〃

〃At　Portman　Place！〃　he　asked。

She　shook　her　head。

〃No；　I　have　a　house　of　my　own。　　A　furnished　house　I　have　rented　at　Blackheath。　　Will　you　induce　Mr。　Lexman　to　give　the　lecture　there？〃

〃But　why？〃　he　asked。

〃Please　don't　ask　questions；〃　she　pleaded；　〃do　this　for　me；　Tommy。〃

He　saw　she　was　in　earnest。

〃I'll　write　to　old　Lexman　this　afternoon；〃　ht　promised。

John　Lexman　telephoned　his　reply。

〃I　should　prefer　somewhere　out　of　London；〃　he　said；　〃and　since　Miss　Bartholomew　has　some　interest　in　the　matter；　may　I　extend　my　invitation　to　her？　　promise　she　shall　not　be　any　more　shocked　than　a　good　woman　need　be。〃

And　so　it　came　about　that　the　name　of　Belinda　Mary　Bartholomew　was　added　to　the　selected　list　of　police　chiefs；　who　were　making　for　London　at　that　moment　to　hear　from　the　man　who　had　guaranteed　the　solution　of　the　story　of　Kara　and　his　killing；　the　unravelment　of　the　mystery　which　surrounded　his　death；　and　the　significance　of　the　twisted　candles；　which　at　that　moment　were　reposing　in　the　Black　Museum　at　Scotland　Yard。




CHAPTER　XX


The　room　was　a　big　one　and　most　of　the　furniture　had　been　cleared　out　to　admit　the　guests　who　had　come　from　the　ends　of　the　earth　to　learn　the　story　of　the　twisted　candles；　and　to　test　John　Lexman's　theory　by　their　own。

They　sat　around　chatting　cheerfully　of　men　and　crimes；　of　great　coups　planned　and　frustrated；　of　strange　deeds　committed　and　undetected。　　Scraps　of　their　conversation　came　to　Belinda　Mary　as　she　stood　in　the　chintz…draped　doorway　which　led　from　the　drawing…room　to　the　room　she　used　as　a　study。

〃。　。　。　do　you　remember；　Sir　George；　the　Bolbrook　case！　　I　took　the　man　at　Odessa　。　。　。　。〃

〃。　。　。　the　curious　thing　was　that　I　found　no　money　on　the　body；　only　a　small　gold　charm　set　with　a　single　emerald；　so　I　knew　it　was　the　girl　with　the　fur　bonnet　who　had　。　。　。〃

〃。　。　。　Pinot　got　away　after　putting　three　bullets　into　me；　but　I　dragged　myself　to　the　window　and　shot　him　dead　…　it　was　a　real　good　shot　。　。　。　！〃

They　rose　to　meet　her　and　T。　X。　introduced　her　to　the　men。　　It　was　at　that　moment　that　John　Lexman　was　announced。

He　looked　tired；　but　returned　the　Commissioner's　greeting　with　a　cheerful　mien。　　He　knew　all　the　men　present　by　name；　as　they　knew　him。　　He　had　a　few　sheets　of　notes；　which　he　laid　on　the　little　table　which　had　been　placed　for　him；　and　when　the　introductions　were　finished　he　went　to　this　and　with　scarcely　any　preliminary　began。




CHAPTER　XXI


THE　NARRATIVE　OF　JOHN　LEXMAN

〃I　am；　as　you　may　all　know；　a　writer　of　stories　which　depend　for　their　success　upon　the　creation　and　unravelment　of　criminological　mysteries。　　The　Chief　Commissioner　has　been　good　enough　to　tell　you　that　my　stories　were　something　more　than　a　mere　seeking　after　sensation；　and　that　I　endeavoured　in　the　course　of　those　narratives　to　propound　obscure　but　possible　situations；　and；　with　the　ingenuity　that　I　could　command；　to　offer　to　those　problems　a　solution　acceptable；　not　only　to　the　general　reader；　but　to　the　police　expert。

〃Although　I　did　not　regard　my　earlier　work　with　any　great　seriousness　and　indeed　only　sought　after　exciting　situations　and　incidents；　I　can　see　now；　looking　back；　that　underneath　the　work　which　seemed　at　the　time　purposeless；　there　was　something　very　much　like　a　scheme　of　studies。

〃You　must　forgive　this　egotism　in　me　because　it　is　necessary　that　I　should　make　this　explanation　and　you；　who　are　in　the　main　police　officers　of　considerable　experience　and　discernment；　should　appreciate　the　fact　that　as　I　was　able　to　get　inside　the　minds　of　the　fictitious　criminals　I　portrayed；　so　am　I　now　able　to　follow　the　mind　of　the　man　who　committed　this　murder；　or　if　not　to　follow　his　mind；　to　recreate　the　psychology　of　the　slayer　of　Remington　Kara。

〃In　the　possession　of　most