the clue of the twisted candle-第4节

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nfluence　upon　her　life　at　a　dinner　given　by　the　American　Consul。

Many　were　the　stories　which　were　told　about　this　Greek　with　his　Jove…like　face；　his　handsome　carriage　and　his　limitless　wealth。　It　was　said　that　his　mother　was　an　American　lady　who　had　been　captured　by　Albanian　brigands　and　was　sold　to　one　of　the　Albanian　chiefs　who　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　for　her　sake　became　a　Protestant。　　He　had　been　educated　at　Yale　and　at　Oxford；　and　was　known　to　be　the　possessor　of　vast　wealth；　and　was　virtually　king　of　a　hill　district　forty　miles　out　of　Durazzo。　　Here　he　reigned　supreme；　occupying　a　beautiful　house　which　he　had　built　by　an　Italian　architect；　and　the　fittings　and　appointments　of　which　had　been　imported　from　the　luxurious　centres　of　the　world。

In　Albania　they　called　him　〃Kara　Rumo；〃　which　meant　〃The　Black　Roman；〃　for　no　particular　reason　so　far　as　any　one　could　judge；　for　his　skin　was　as　fair　as　a　Saxon's；　and　his　close…cropped　curls　were　almost　golden。

He　had　fallen　in　love　with　Grace　Terrell。　　At　first　his　attentions　had　amused　her；　and　then　there　came　a　time　when　they　frightened　her；　for　the　man's　fire　and　passion　had　been　unmistakable。　　She　had　made　it　plain　to　him　that　he　could　base　no　hopes　upon　her　returning　his　love；　and；　in　a　scene　which　she　even　now　shuddered　to　recall；　he　had　revealed　something　of　his　wild　and　reckless　nature。　　On　the　following　day　she　did　not　see　him；　but　two　days　later；　when　returning　through　the　Bazaar　from　a　dance　which　had　been　given　by　the　Governor　General；　her　carriage　was　stopped；　she　was　forcibly　dragged　from　its　interior；　and　her　cries　were　stifled　with　a　cloth　impregnated　with　a　scent　of　a　peculiar　aromatic　sweetness。　　Her　assailants　were　about　to　thrust　her　into　another　carriage；　when　a　party　of　British　bluejackets　who　had　been　on　leave　came　upon　the　scene；　and；　without　knowing　anything　of　the　nationality　of　the　girl；　had　rescued　her。

In　her　heart　of　hearts　she　did　not　doubt　Kara's　complicity　in　this　medieval　attempt　to　gain　a　wife；　but　of　this　adventure　she　had　told　her　husband　nothing。　　Until　her　marriage　she　was　constantly　receiving　valuable　presents　which　she　as　constantly　returned　to　the　only　address　she　knew　…　Kara's　estate　at　Lemazo。　　A　few　months　after　her　marriage　she　had　learned　through　the　newspapers　that　this　〃leader　of　Greek　society〃　had　purchased　a　big　house　near　Cadogan　Square；　and　then；　to　her　amazement　and　to　her　dismay；　Kara　had　scraped　an　acquaintance　with　her　husband　even　before　the　honeymoon　was　over。

His　visits　had　been　happily　few；　but　the　growing　intimacy　between　John　and　this　strange　undisciplined　man　had　been　a　source　of　constant　distress　to　her。

Should　she；　at　this；　the　eleventh　hour；　tell　her　husband　all　her　fears　and　her　suspicions？

She　debated　the　point　for　some　time。　　And　never　was　she　nearer　taking　him　into　her　complete　confidence　than　she　was　as　he　sat　in　the　big　armchair　by　the　side　of　the　piano；　a　little　drawn　of　face；　more　than　a　little　absorbed　in　his　own　meditations。　　Had　he　been　less　worried　she　might　have　spoken。　　As　it　was；　she　turned　the　conversation　to　his　last　work；　the　big　mystery　story　which；　if　it　would　not　make　his　fortune；　would　mean　a　considerable　increase　to　his　income。

At　a　quarter　to　eleven　he　looked　at　his　watch；　and　rose。　　She　helped　him　on　with　his　coat。　　He　stood　for　some　time　irresolutely。

〃Is　there　anything　you　have　forgotten？〃　she　asked。

He　asked　himself　whether　he　should　follow　Kara's　advice。　　In　any　circumstance　it　was　not　a　pleasant　thing　to　meet　a　ferocious　little　man　who　had　threatened　his　life；　and　to　meet　him　unarmed　was　tempting　Providence。　　The　whole　thing　was　of　course　ridiculous；　but　it　was　ridiculous　that　he　should　have　borrowed；　and　it　was　ridiculous　that　the　borrowing　should　have　been　necessary；　and　yet　he　had　speculated　on　the　best　of　advice　…　it　was　Kara's　advice。

The　connection　suddenly　occurred　to　him；　and　yet　Kara　had　not　directly　suggested　that　he　should　buy　Roumanian　gold　shares；　but　had　merely　spoken　glowingly　of　their　prospects。　　He　thought　a　moment；　and　then　walked　back　slowly　into　the　study；　pulled　open　the　drawer　of　his　desk；　took　out　the　sinister　little　Browning；　and　slipped　it　into　his　pocket。

〃I　shan't　be　long；　dear；〃　he　said；　and　kissing　the　girl　he　strode　out　into　the　darkness。


Kara　sat　back　in　the　luxurious　depths　of　his　car；　humming　a　little　tune；　as　the　driver　picked　his　way　cautiously　over　the　uncertain　road。　　The　rain　was　still　falling；　and　Kara　had　to　rub　the　windows　free　of　the　mist　which　had　gathered　on　them　to　discover　where　he　was。　　From　time　to　time　he　looked　out　as　though　he　expected　to　see　somebody；　and　then　with　a　little　smile　he　remembered　that　he　had　changed　his　original　plan；　and　that　he　had　fixed　the　waiting　room　of　Lewes　junction　as　his　rendezvous。

Here　it　was　that　he　found　a　little　man　muffled　up　to　the　ears　in　a　big　top　coat；　standing　before　the　dying　fire。　　He　started　as　Kara　entered　and　at　a　signal　followed　him　from　the　room。

The　stranger　was　obviously　not　English。　　His　face　was　sallow　and　peaked；　his　cheeks　were　hollow；　and　the　beard　he　wore　was　irregular…almost　unkempt。

Kara　led　the　way　to　the　end　of　the　dark　platform；　before　he　spoke。

〃You　have　carried　out　my　instructions？〃　he　asked　brusquely。

The　language　he　spoke　was　Arabic；　and　the　other　answered　him　in　that　language。

〃Everything　that　you　have　ordered　has　been　done；　Effendi；〃　he　said　humbly。

〃You　have　a　revolver？〃

The　man　nodded　and　patted　his　pocket。

〃Loaded？〃

〃Excellency；〃　asked　the　other；　in　surprise；　〃what　is　the　use　of　a　revolver；　if　it　is　not　loaded？〃

〃You　understand；　you　are　not　to　shoot　this　man；〃　said　Kara。　　〃You　are　merely　to　present　the　pistol。　　To　make　sure；　you　had　better　unload　it　now。〃

Wonderingly　the　man　obeyed；　and　clicked　back　the　ejector。

〃I　will　take　the　cartridges；〃　said　Kara；　holding　out　his　hand。

He　slipped　the　little　cylinders　into　his　pocket；　and　after　examining　the　weapon　returned　it　to　its　owner。

〃You　will　threaten　him；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Present　the　revolver　straight　at　his　heart。　　You　need　do　nothing　else。〃

The　man　shuffled　uneasily。

〃I　will　do　as　you　say；　Effendi；〃　he　'said。　　〃But　…　〃

〃There　are　no　'buts；'　〃　replied　the　other　harshly。　　〃You　are　to　carry　out　my　instructions　without　any　question。　　What　will　happen　then　you　shall　see。　　I　shall　be　at　hand。　　That　I　have　a　reason　for　this　play　be　assured。〃

〃But　suppose　he　shoots？〃　persisted　the　other　uneasily。

〃He　will　not　shoot；〃　said　Kara　easily。　　〃Besides；　his　revolver　is　not　loaded。　　Now　you　may　go。　　You　have　a　long　walk　before　you。　You　know　the　way？〃

The　man　nodded。

〃I　have　been　over　it　before；〃　he　said　confidently。

Kara　returned　to　the　big　limousine　which　had　drawn　up　some　distance　from　the　station。　　He　spoke　a　word　or　two　to　the　chauffeur　in　Greek；　and　the　man　touched　his　hat。




CHAPTER　II


Assistant　Commissioner　of　Police　T。　X。　Meredith　did　not　occupy　offices　in　New　Scotland　Yard。　　It　is　the　peculiarity　of　public　offices　that　they　are　planned　with　the　idea　of　supplying　the　margin　of　space　above　all　requirements　and　that　on　their　completion　they　are　found　wholly　inadequate　to　house　the　various　departments　which　mysteriously　come　into　progress　coincident　with　the　building　operations。

〃T。　X。；〃　as　he　was　known　by　the　police　forces　of　the　world；　had　a　big　suite　of　offices　in　Whitehall。　　The　house　was　an　old　one　facing　the　Board　of　Trade　and　the　inscription　on　the　ancient　door　told　passers…by　that　this　was　the　〃Public　Prosecutor；　Special　Branch。〃

The　duties　of　T。　X。　were　multifarious。　　People　said　of　him　…　and　like　most　public　gossip；　this　was　probably　untrue　…　that　he　was　the　head　of　the　〃illegal〃　department　of　Scotland　Yard。　　If　by　chance　you　lost　the　keys　of　your　safe；　T。　X。　could　supply　you　（so　popular　rumour　ran）　with　a　burglar　who　would　open　that　safe　in　half　an　hour。

If　there　dwelt　in　England　a　notorious　individual　against　whom　the　police　could　collect　no　scintilla　of　evidence　to　justify　a　prosecution；　and　if　it　was　necessary　for　the　good　of　the　community　that　that　person　should　be　deported；　it　was　T。　X。　who　arrested　the　obnoxious　person；　hustled　him　into　a　cab　and　did　not　loose　his　hold　upon　his　victim　until　he　had　landed　him　on　the　indignant　shores　of　an　otherwise　friendly　power。

It　is　very　certain　that　when　the　minister　of　a　tiny　power　which　shall　be　nameless　was　suddenly　recalled　by　his　government　and　brought　to　trial　in　his　native　land　for　putting　into　circulation　spurious　bonds；　it　was　somebody　from　the　department　which　T。　X。　controlled；　who　burgled　His　Excellency's　house；　burnt　the　locks　from　his　safe　and　secured　the　necessary　incriminating　evidence。

I　say　it　is　fairly　certain　and　here　I　am　merely　voicing　the　opinion　of　very　knowledgeable　people　indeed；　heads　of　public　departments　who　speak　behind　their　hands；　mysterious　under…secretaries　of　state　who　discuss　things　in　whispers　in　the　remote　corners　of　their　clubrooms　and　the　more　frank　views　of　American　correspondents　who　had　no　hesitation　in　putting　those　views　into　print　for　the　benefit　of　their　readers。

That　T。　X。　had　a　more　legitimate　occupation　we　know；　for　it　was　that　flippant　man　whose　outrageous　comment　on　the　Home　Office　Administration　is　popular