the clue of the twisted candle-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　popularly　supposed　to　have　sent　one　Home　Secretary　to　his　grave；　who　traced　the　Deptford　murderers　through　a　labyrinth　of　perjury　and　who　brought　to　book　Sir　Julius　Waglite　though　he　had　covered　his　trail　of　defalcation　through　the　balance　sheets　of　thirty…four　companies。

On　the　night　of　March　3rd；　T。　X。　sat　in　his　inner　office　interviewing　a　disconsolate　inspector　of　metropolitan　police；　named　Mansus。

In　appearance　T。　X。　conveyed　the　impression　of　extreme　youth；　for　his　face　was　almost　boyish　and　it　was　only　when　you　looked　at　him　closely　and　saw　the　little　creases　about　his　eyes；　the　setting　of　his　straight　mouth；　that　you　guessed　he　was　on　the　way　to　forty。　In　his　early　days　he　had　been　something　of　a　poet；　and　had　written　a　slight　volume　of　〃Woodland　Lyrics；〃　the　mention　of　which　at　this　later　stage　was　sufficient　to　make　him　feel　violently　unhappy。

In　manner　he　was　tactful　but　persistent；　his　language　was　at　times　marked　by　a　violent　extravagance　and　he　had　had　the　distinction　of　having　provoked；　by　certain　correspondence　which　had　seen　the　light；　the　comment　of　a　former　Home　Secretary　that　〃it　was　unfortunate　that　Mr。　Meredith　did　not　take　his　position　with　the　seriousness　which　was　expected　from　a　public　official。〃

His　language　was；　as　I　say；　under　great　provocation；　violent　and　unusual。　　He　had　a　trick　of　using　words　which　never　were　on　land　or　sea；　and　illustrating　his　instruction　or　his　admonition　with　the　quaintest　phraseology。

Now　he　was　tilted　back　in　his　office　chair　at　an　alarming　angle；　scowling　at　his　distressed　subordinate　who　sat　on　the　edge　of　a　chair　at　the　other　side　of　his　desk。

〃But；　T。　X。；〃　protested　the　Inspector；　〃there　was　nothing　to　be　found。〃

It　was　the　outrageous　practice　of　Mr。　Meredith　to　insist　upon　his　associates　calling　him　by　his　initials；　a　practice　which　had　earnt　disapproval　in　the　highest　quarters。


〃Nothing　is　to　be　found！〃　he　repeated　wrathfully。　　〃Curious　Mike！〃

He　sat　up　with　a　suddenness　which　caused　the　police　officer　to　start　back　in　alarm。

〃Listen；〃　said　T。　X。；　grasping　an　ivory　paperknife　savagely　in　his　hand　and　tapping　his　blotting…pad　to　emphasize　his　words；　〃you're　a　pie！〃

〃I'm　a　policeman；〃　said　the　other　patiently。

〃A　policeman！〃　exclaimed　the　exasperated　T。　X。　〃You're　worse　than　a　pie；　you're　a　slud！　　I'm　afraid　I　shall　never　make　a　detective　of　you；〃　he　shook　his　head　sorrowfully　at　the　smiling　Mansus　who　had　been　in　the　police　force　when　T。　X。　was　a　small　boy　at　school；　〃you　are　neither　Wise　nor　Wily；　you　combine　the　innocence　of　a　Baby　with　the　grubbiness　of　a　County　Parson　…　you　ought　to　be　in　the　choir。〃

At　this　outrageous　insult　Mr。　Mansus　was　silent；　what　he　might　have　said；　or　what　further　provocation　he　might　have　received　may　be　never　known；　for　at　that　moment；　the　Chief　himself　walked　in。

The　Chief　of　the　Police　in　these　days　was　a　grey　man；　rather　tired；　with　a　hawk　nose　and　deep　eyes　that　glared　under　shaggy　eyebrows　and　he　was　a　terror　to　all　men　of　his　department　save　to　T。　X。　who　respected　nothing　on　earth　and　very　little　elsewhere。　He　nodded　curtly　to　Mansus。

〃Well；　T。　X。；〃　he　said；　〃what　have　you　discovered　about　our　friend　Kara？〃

He　turned　from　T。　X。　to　the　discomforted　inspector。

〃Very　little；〃　said　T。　X。　〃I've　had　Mansus　on　the　job。〃

〃And　you've　found　nothing；　eh？〃　growled　the　Chief。

〃He　has　found　all　that　it　is　possible　to　find；〃　said　T。　X。　〃We　do　not　perform　miracles　in　this　department；　Sir　George；　nor　can　we　pick　up　the　threads　of　a　case　at　five　minutes'　notice。〃

Sir　George　Haley　grunted。

〃Mansus　has　done　his　best；〃　the　other　went　on　easily；　〃but　it　is　rather　absurd　to　talk　about　one's　best　when　you　know　so　little　of　what　you　want。〃

Sir　George　dropped　heavily　into　the　arm…chair；　and　stretched　out　his　long　thin　legs。

〃What　I　want；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling　and　putting　his　hands　together；　〃is　to　discover　something　about　one　Remington　Kara；　a　wealthy　Greek　who　has　taken　a　house　in　Cadogan　Square；　who　has　no　particular　position　in　London　society　and　therefore　has　no　reason　for　coming　here；　who　openly　expresses　his　detestation　of　the　climate；　who　has　a　magnificent　estate　in　some　wild　place　in　the　Balkans；　who　is　an　excellent　horseman；　a　magnificent　shot　and　a　passable　aviator。〃

T。　X。　nodded　to　Mansus　and　with　something　of　gratitude　in　his　eyes　the　inspector　took　his　leave。

〃Now　Mansus　has　departed；〃　said　T。　X。；　sitting　himself　on　the　edge　of　his　desk　and　selecting　with　great　care　a　cigarette　from　the　case　he　took　from　his　pocket；　〃let　me　know　something　of　the　reason　for　this　sudden　interest　in　the　great　ones　of　the　earth。〃

Sir　George　smiled　grimly。

〃I　have　the　interest　which　is　the　interest　of　my　department；〃　he　said。　　〃That　is　to　say　I　want　to　know　a　great　deal　about　abnormal　people。　　We　have　had　an　application　from　him；〃　he　went　on；　〃which　is　rather　unusual。　　Apparently　he　is　in　fear　of　his　life　from　some　cause　or　other　and　wants　to　know　if　he　can　have　a　private　telephone　connection　between　his　house　and　the　central　office。　　We　told　him　that　he　could　always　get　the　nearest　Police　Station　on　the　'phone；　but　that　doesn't　satisfy　him。　　He　has　made　bad　friends　with　some　gentleman　of　his　own　country　who　sooner　or　later；　he　thinks；　will　cut　his　throat。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃All　this　I　know；〃　he　said　patiently；　〃if　you　will　further　unfold　the　secret　dossier；　Sir　George；　I　am　prepared　to　be　thrilled。〃

〃There　is　nothing　thrilling　about　it；〃　growled　the　older　man；　rising；　〃but　I　remember　the　Macedonian　shooting　case　in　South　London　and　I　don't　want　a　repetition　of　that　sort　of　thing。　　If　people　want　to　have　blood　feuds；　let　them　take　them　outside　the　metropolitan　area。〃

〃By　all　means；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃let　them。　　Personally；　I　don't　care　where　they　go。　　But　if　that　is　the　extent　of　your　information　I　can　supplement　it。　　He　has　had　extensive　alterations　made　to　the　house　he　bought　in　Cadogan　Square；　the　room　in　which　he　lives　is　practically　a　safe。〃

Sir　George　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃A　safe；〃　he　repeated。

T。　X。　nodded。

〃A　safe；〃　he　said；　〃its　walls　are　burglar　proof；　floor　and　roof　are　reinforced　concrete；　there　is　one　door　which　in　addition　to　its　ordinary　lock　is　closed　by　a　sort　of　steel　latch　which　he　lets　fall　when　he　retires　for　the　night　and　which　he　opens　himself　personally　in　the　morning。　　The　window　is　unreachable；　there　are　no　communicating　doors；　and　altogether　the　room　is　planned　to　stand　a　siege。〃

The　Chief　Commissioner　was　interested。

〃Any　more？〃　he　asked。

〃Let　me　think；〃　said　T。　X。；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling。　　〃Yes；　the　interior　of　his　room　is　plainly　furnished；　there　is　a　big　fireplace；　rather　an　ornate　bed；　a　steel　safe　built　into　the　wall　and　visible　from　its　outer　side　to　the　policeman　whose　beat　is　in　that　neighborhood。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃　asked　the　Chief　Commissioner。

〃Because　I've　been　in　the　room；〃　said　T。　X。　simply；　〃having　by　an　underhand　trick　succeeded　in　gaining　the　misplaced　confidence　of　Kara's　housekeeper；　who　by　the　way〃　…　he　turned　round　to　his　desk　and　scribbled　a　name　on　the　blotting…pad　…　〃will　be　discharged　to…morrow　and　must　be　found　a　place。〃

〃Is　there　any　…er　…？〃　began　the　Chief。

〃Funny　business？〃　interrupted　T。　X。；　〃not　a　bit。　　House　and　man　are　quite　normal　save　for　these　eccentricities。　　He　has　announced　his　intention　of　spending　three　months　of　the　year　in　England　and　nine　months　abroad。　　He　is　very　rich；　has　no　relations；　and　has　a　passion　for　power。〃

〃Then　he'll　be　hung；〃　said　the　Chief；　rising。

〃I　doubt　it；〃　said　the　other；　〃people　with　lots　of　money　seldom　get　hung。　　You　only　get　hung　for　wanting　money。〃

〃Then　you're　in　some　danger；　T。　X。；〃　smiled　the　Chief；　〃for　according　to　my　account　you're　always　more　or　less　broke。〃

〃A　genial　libel；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃but　talking　about　people　being　broke；　I　saw　John　Lexman　to…day　…　you　know　him！〃

The　Chief　Commissioner　nodded。

〃I've　an　idea　he's　rather　hit　for　money。　　He　was　in　that　Roumanian　gold　swindle；　and　by　his　general　gloom；　which　only　comes　to　a　man　when　he's　in　love　（and　he　can't　possibly　be　in　love　since　he's　married）　or　when　he's　in　debt；　I　fear　that　he　is　still　feeling　the　effect　of　that　rosy　adventure。〃

A　telephone　bell　in　the　corner　of　the　room　rang　sharply；　and　T。　X。　picked　up　the　receiver。　　He　listened　intently。

〃A　trunk　call；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder　to　the　departing　commissioner；　〃it　may　be　something　interesting。〃

A　little　pause；　then　a　hoarse　voice　spoke　to　him。　　〃Is　that　you；　T。　X。？〃

〃That's　me；〃　said　the　Assistant　Commissioner；　commonly。

〃It's　John　Lexman　speaking。〃

〃I　shouldn't　have　recognized　your　voice；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃what　is　wrong　with　you；　John；　can't　you　get　your　plot　to　went？〃

〃I　want　you　to　come　down　here　at　once；〃　said　the　voice　urgently；　and　even　over　the　telephone　T。　X。　recognized　the　distress。　　〃I　have　shot　a　man；　killed　him！〃

T。　X。　gasped。

〃Good　Lord；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a　silly　ass！〃




CHAPTER　III


In　the　early　hours　of　the　morning　a　tragic　little　party　was　assembled　in　the　study　at　Beston　Priory。　　John　Lexman；　white　and　haggar