the clue of the twisted candle-第8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！



Again　the　other　was　taken　back　and　puzzled　by　the　flippancy　of　the　man　from　whom　he　had　expected　at　least　the　official　manner。

〃When　did　you　see　Mr。　Vassalaro　last？〃　asked　T。　X。　pleasantly。

Kara　raised　his　eyes　as　though　considering。

〃I　think　it　must　have　been　nearly　a　week　ago。〃

〃Think　again；〃　said　T。　X。

For　a　second　the　Greek　started　and　again　relaxed　into　a　smile。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　began。

〃Don't　worry　about　that；〃　said　T。　X。；〃but　let　me　ask　you　this　question。　　You　were　here　last　night　when　Mr。　Lexman　received　a　letter。　　That　he　did　receive　a　letter；　there　is　considerable　evidence；〃　he　said　as　he　saw　the　other　hesitate；　〃because　we　have　the　supporting　statements　of　the　servant　and　the　postman。〃

〃I　was　here；〃　said　the　other；　deliberately；　〃and　I　was　present　when　Mr。　Lexman　received　a　letter。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃A　letter　written　on　some　brownish　paper　and　rather　bulky；〃　he　suggested。

Again　there　was　that　momentary　hesitation。

〃I　would　not　swear　to　the　color　of　the　paper　or　as　to　the　bulk　of　the　letter；〃　he　said。

〃I　should　have　thought　you　would；〃　suggested　T。　X。；〃because　you　see；　you　burnt　the　envelope；　and　I　presumed　you　would　have　noticed　that。〃

〃I　have　no　recollection　of　burning　any　envelope；〃　said　the　other　easily。

〃At　any　rate；〃　T。　X。　went　on；　〃when　Mr。　Lexman　read　this　letter　out　to　you　。　。　。〃

〃To　which　letter　are　you　referring？〃　asked　the　other；　with　a　lift　of　his　eyebrows。

〃Mr。　Lexman　received　a　threatening　letter；〃　repeated　T。　X。　patiently；　〃which　he　read　out　to　you；　and　which　was　addressed　to　him　by　Vassalaro。　　　This　letter　was　handed　to　you　and　you　also　read　it。　　Mr。　Lexman　to　your　knowledge　put　the　letter　in　his　safe　…　in　a　steel　drawer。〃

The　other　shook　his　head；　smiling　gently。

〃I　am　afraid　you've　made　a　great　mistake；〃　he　said　almost　apologetically；　〃though　I　have　a　recollection　of　his　receiving　a　letter；　I　did　not　read　it；　nor　was　it　read　to　me。〃

The　eyes　of　T。　X。　narrowed　to　the　very　slits　and　his　voice　became　metallic　and　hard。

〃And　if　I　put　you　into　the　box；　will　you　swear；　that　you　did　not　see　that　letter；　nor　read　it；　nor　have　it　read　to　you；　and　that　you　have　no　knowledge　whatever　of　such　a　letter　having　been　received　by　Mr。　Lexman？〃

〃Most　certainly；〃　said　the　other　coolly。

〃Would　you　swear　that　you　have　not　seen　Vassalaro　for　a　week？〃

〃Certainly；〃　smiled　the　Greek。

〃That　you　did　not　in　fact　see　him　last　night；〃　persisted　T。　X。；　〃and　interview　him　on　the　station　platform　at　Lewes；　that　you　did　not　after　leaving　him　continue　on　your　way　to　London　and　then　turn　your　car　and　return　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Beston　Tracey？〃

The　Greek　was　white　to　the　lips；　but　not　a　muscle　of　his　face　moved。

〃Will　you　also　swear；〃　continued　T。　X。　inexorably；　〃that　you　did　not　stand　at　the　corner　of　what　is　known　as　Mitre's　Lot　and　re…enter　a　gate　near　to　the　side　where　your　car　was；　and　that　you　did　not　watch　the　whole　tragedy？〃

〃I'd　swear　to　that；〃　Kara's　voice　was　strained　and　cracked。

〃Would　you　also　swear　as　to　the　hour　of　your　arrival　in　London？〃

〃Somewhere　in　the　region　of　ten　or　eleven；〃　said　the　Greek。

T。　X。　smiled。

〃Would　you　swear　that　you　did　not　go　through　Guilford　at　half…past　twelve　and　pull　up　to　replenish　your　petrol？〃

The　Greek　had　now　recovered　his　self…possession　and　rose。

〃You　are　a　very　clever　man；　Mr。　Meredith　…　I　think　that　is　your　name？〃

〃That　is　my　name；〃　said　T。　X。　calmly。　　〃There　has　been；　no　need　for　me　to　change　it　as　often　as　you　have　found　the　necessity。〃

He　saw　the　fire　blazing　in　the　other's　eyes　and　knew　that　his　shot　had　gone　home。

〃I　am　afraid　I　must　go；〃　said　Kara。　　〃I　came　here　intending　to　see　Mrs。　Lexman；　and　I　had　no　idea　that　I　should　meet　a　policeman。〃

〃My　dear　Mr。　Kara；〃　said　T。　X。；rising　and　lighting　a　cigarette；　〃you　will　go　through　life　enduring　that　unhappy　experience。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Just　what　I　say。　　You　will　always　be　expecting　to　meet　one　person；　and　meeting　another；　and　unless　you　are　very　fortunate　indeed；　that　other　will　always　be　a　policeman。〃

His　eyes　twinkled　for　he　had　recovered　from　the　gust　of　anger　which　had　swept　through　him。

〃There　are　two　pieces　of　evidence　I　require　to　save　Mr。　Lexman　from　very　serious　trouble；〃　he　said；　〃the　first　of　these　is　the　letter　which　was　burnt；　as　you　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Kara。

T。　X。　leant　across　the　desk。

〃How　did　you　know〃　he　snapped。

〃Somebody　told　me；　I　don't　know　who　it　was。〃

〃That's　not　true；〃　replied　T。　X。；　〃nobody　knows　except　myself　and　Mrs。　Lexman。〃

〃But　my　dear　good　fellow；〃　said　Kara；　pulling　on　his　gloves；　〃you　have　already　asked　me　whether　I　didn't　burn　the　letter。〃

〃I　said　envelope；〃　said　T。　X。；with　a　little　laugh。

〃And　you　were　going　to　say　something　about　the　other　clue？〃

〃The　other　is　the　revolver；〃　said　T。　X。

〃Mr。　Lexman's　revolver！〃　drawled　the　Greek。

〃That　we　have；〃　said　T。　X。　shortly。　　〃What　we　want　is　the　weapon　which　the　Greek　had　when　he　threatened　Mr。　Lexman。〃

〃There；　I'm　afraid　I　cannot　help　you。〃

Kara　walked　to　the　door　and　T。　X。　followed。

〃I　think　I　will　see　Mrs。　Lexman。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　said　T。　X。

The　other　turned　with　a　sneer。

〃Have　you　arrested　her；　too？〃　he　asked。

〃Pull　yourself　together！〃　said　T。　X。　coarsely。　　He　escorted　Kara　to　his　waiting　limousine。

〃You　have　a　new　chauffeur　to…night；　I　observe；〃　he　said。

Kara　towering　with　rage　stepped　daintily　into　the　car。

〃If　you　are　writing　to　the　other　you　might　give　him　my　love；〃　said　T。　X。；〃and　make　most　tender　enquiries　after　his　mother。　　I　particularly　ask　this。

Kara　said　nothing　until　the　car　was　out　of　earshot　then　he　lay　back　on　the　down　cushions　and　abandoned　himself　to　a　paroxysm　of　rage　and　blasphemy。




CHAPTER　V


Six　months　later　T。　X。　Meredith　was　laboriously　tracing　an　elusive　line　which　occurred　on　an　ordnance　map　of　Sussex　when　the　Chief　Commissioner　announced　himself。

Sir　George　described　T。　X。　as　the　most　wholesome　corrective　a　public　official　could　have；　and　never　missed　an　opportunity　of　meeting　his　subordinate　（as　he　said）　for　this　reason。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　he　growled。

〃The　lesson　this　morning；〃　said　T。　X。　without　looking　up；　〃is　maps。〃

Sir　George　passed　behind　his　assistant　and　looked　over　his　shoulder。

〃That　is　a　very　old　map　you　have　got　there；〃　he　said。

〃1876。　　It　shows　the　course　of　a　number　of　interesting　little　streams　in　this　neighbourhood　which　have　been　lost　sight　of　for　one　reason　or　the　other　by　the　gentleman　who　made　the　survey　at　a　later　period。　　I　am　perfectly　sure　that　in　one　of　these　streams　I　shall　find　what　I　am　seeking。〃

〃You　haven't　given　up　hope；　then；　in　regard　to　Lexman？〃

〃I　shall　never　give　up　hope；〃　said　T。　X。；〃until　I　am　dead；　and　possibly　not　then。〃

〃Let　me　see；　what　did　he　get　…　fifteen　years！〃

〃Fifteen　years；〃　repeated　T。　X。；〃and　a　very　fortunate　man　to　escape　with　his　life。〃

Sir　George　walked　to　the　window　and　stared　out　on　to　busy　Whitehall。

〃I　am　told　you　are　quite　friendly　with　Kara　again。〃

T。　X。　made　a　noise　which　might　be　taken　to　indicate　his　assent　to　the　statement。

〃I　suppose　you　know　that　gentleman　has　made　a　very　heroic　attempt　to　get　you　fired；〃　he　said。

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　said　T。　X。　〃I　made　as　heroic　an　attempt　to　get　him　hung；　and　one　good　turn　deserves　another。　　What　did　he　do？　See　ministers　and　people？〃

〃He　did；〃　said　Sir　George。

〃He's　a　silly　ass；〃　responded　T。　X。

〃I　can　understand　all　that〃…the　Chief　Commissioner　turned　round　…　〃but　what　I　cannot　understand　is　your　apology　to　him。〃

〃There　are　so　many　things　you　don't　understand；　Sir　George；〃　said　T。　X。　tartly；　〃that　I　despair　of　ever　cataloguing　them。〃

〃You　are　an　insolent　cub；〃　growled　his　Chief。　　〃Come　to　lunch。〃

〃Where　will　you　take　me？〃　asked　T。　X。　cautiously。

〃To　my　club。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　the　other；　with　elaborate　politeness；　〃I　have　lunched　once　at　your　club。　　Need　I　say　more？〃

He　smiled；　as　he　worked　after　his　Chief　had　gone；　at　the　recollection　of　Kara's　profound　astonishment　and　the　gratification　he　strove　so　desperately　to　disguise。

Kara　was　a　vain　man；　immensely　conscious　of　his　good　looks；　conscious　of　his　wealth。　　He　had　behaved　most　handsomely；　for　not　only　had　he　accepted　the　apology；　but　he　left　nothing　undone　to　show　his　desire　to　create　a　good　impression　upon　the　man　who　had　so　grossly　insulted　him。

T。　X。　had　accepted　an　invitation　to　stay　a　weekend　at　Kara's　〃little　place　in　the　country；〃　and　had　found　there　assembled　everything　that　the　heart　could　desire　in　the　way　of　fellowship；　eminent　politicians　who　might　conceivably　be　of　service　to　an　ambitious　young　Assistant　Commissioner　of　Police；　beautiful　ladies　to　interest　and　amuse　him。　　Kara　had　even　gone　to　the　length　of　engaging　a　theatrical　company　to　play　〃Sweet　Lavender；〃　and　for　this　purpose　the　big　ballroom　at　Hever　Court　had　been　transformed　into　a　theatre。

As　he　was　undressing　for　bed　that　night　T。　X。　remembered　that　he　had　mentioned　to　Kara　that　〃Sweet　Lavender〃　was　his　favorite　play；　and　he　realized　that　the　entertainment　was　got　up　especially　for　his　benefit。

In　a　score　of　other　ways　Kara　had　endeavoured　to　consolidate　the　friendship。　　He　gave　the　young　Commissioner　advice　about