the stolen white elephant-第1节

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The　Stolen　White　Elephant

by　Mark　Twain





＇Left　out　of　A　Tramp　Abroad；　because　it　was　feared　that　some　of　the
particulars　had　been　exaggerated；　and　that　others　were　not　true。　　Before
these　suspicions　had　been　proven　groundless；　the　book　had　gone　to　press。
M。T。＇




The　following　curious　history　was　related　to　me　by　a　chance　railway
acquaintance。　　He　was　a　gentleman　more　than　seventy　years　of　age；　and　his
thoroughly　good　and　gentle　face　and　earnest　and　sincere　manner　imprinted
the　unmistakable　stamp　of　truth　upon　every　statement　which　fell　from　his
lips。　　He　said：

You　know　in　what　reverence　the　royal　white　elephant　of　Siam　is　held　by
the　people　of　that　country。　　You　know　it　is　sacred　to　kings；　only　kings
may　possess　it；　and　that　it　is；　indeed；　in　a　measure　even　superior　to
kings；　since　it　receives　not　merely　honor　but　worship。　　Very　well；　five
years　ago；　when　the　troubles　concerning　the　frontier　line　arose　between
Great　Britain　and　Siam；　it　was　presently　manifest　that　Siam　had　been　in
the　wrong。　　Therefore　every　reparation　was　quickly　made；　and　the　British
representative　stated　that　he　was　satisfied　and　the　past　should　be
forgotten。　　This　greatly　relieved　the　King　of　Siam；　and　partly　as　a　token
of　gratitude；　partly　also；　perhaps；　to　wipe　out　any　little　remaining
vestige　of　unpleasantness　which　England　might　feel　toward　him；　he　wished
to　send　the　Queen　a　presentthe　sole　sure　way　of　propitiating　an　enemy；
according　to　Oriental　ideas。　　This　present　ought　not　only　to　be　a　royal
one；　but　transcendently　royal。　　Wherefore；　what　offering　could　be　so　meet
as　that　of　a　white　elephant？　　My　position　in　the　Indian　civil　service　was
such　that　I　was　deemed　peculiarly　worthy　of　the　honor　of　conveying　the
present　to　her　Majesty。　　A　ship　was　fitted　out　for　me　and　my　servants　and
the　officers　and　attendants　of　the　elephant；　and　in　due　time　I　arrived　in
New　York　harbor　and　placed　my　royal　charge　in　admirable　quarters　in
Jersey　City。　　It　was　necessary　to　remain　awhile　in　order　to　recruit；　the
animal's　health　before　resuming　the　voyage。

All　went　well　during　a　fortnightthen　my　calamities　began。　　The　white
elephant　was　stolen！　　I　was　called　up　at　dead　of　night　and　informed　of
this　fearful　misfortune。　　For　some　moments　I　was　beside　myself　with
terror　and　anxiety；　I　was　helpless。　　Then　I　grew　calmer　and　collected　my
faculties。　　I　soon　saw　my　coursefor；　indeed；　there　was　but　the　one；
course　for　an　intelligent　man　to　pursue。　　Late　as　it　was；　I　flew　to　New
York　and　got　a　policeman　to　conduct　me　to　the　headquarters　of　the
detective　force。　　Fortunately　I　arrived　in　time；　though　the　chief　of　the
force；　the　celebrated　Inspector　Blunt　was　just　on　the　point　of　leaving
for　his　home。　　He　was　a　man　of　middle　size　and　compact　frame；　and　when　he
was　thinking　deeply　he　had　a　way　of　kniting　his　brows　and　tapping　his
forehead　reflectively　with　his　finger；　which　impressed　you　at　once　with
the　conviction　that　you　stood　in　the　presence　of　a　person　of　no　common
order。　　The　very　sight　of　him　gave　me　confidence　and　made　me　hopeful。
I　stated　my　errand。　　It　did　not　flurry　him　in　the　least；　it　had　no　more
visible　effect　upon　his　iron　self…possession　than　if　I　had　told　him
somebody　had　stolen　my　dog。　　He　motioned　me　to　a　seat；　and　said；　calmly：

〃Allow　me　to　think　a　moment；　please。〃

So　saying；　he　sat　down　at　his　office　table　and　leaned　his　head　upon　his
hand。　　Several　clerks　were　at　work　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　the
scratching　of　their　pens　was　all　the　sound　I　heard　during　the　next　six　or
seven　minutes。　　Meantime　the　inspector　sat　there；　buried　in　thought。
Finally　he　raised　his　head；　and　there　was　that　in　the　firm　lines　of　his
face　which　showed　me　that　his　brain　had　done　its　work　and　his　plan　was
made。　　Said　heand　his　voice　was　low　and　impressive：

〃This　is　no　ordinary　case。　　Every　step　must　be　warily　taken；　each　step
must　be　made　sure　before　the　next　is　ventured。　　And　secrecy　must　be
observedsecrecy　profound　and　absolute。　　Speak　to　no　one　about　the
matter；　not　even　the　reporters。　　I　will　take　care　of　them；　I　will　see
that　they　get　only　what　it　may　suit　my　ends　to　let　them　know。〃　　He
touched　a　bell；　a　youth　appeared。　　〃Alaric；　tell　the　reporters　to　remain
for　the　present。〃　　The　boy　retired。　　〃Now　let　us　proceed　to　businessand
systematically。　　Nothing　can　be　accomplished　in　this　trade　of　mine
without　strict　and　minute　method。〃

He　took　a　pen　and　some　paper。　　〃Nowname　of　the　elephant？〃

〃Hassan　Ben　Ali　Ben　Selim　Abdallah　Mohammed　Moist　Alhammal
Jamsetjejeebhoy　Dhuleep　Sultan　Ebu　Bhudpoor。〃

〃Very　well。　　Given　name？〃

〃Jumbo。〃

〃Very　well。　　Place　of　birth？〃

〃The　capital　city　of　Siam。〃

〃Parents　living？〃

〃Nodead。〃

〃Had　they　any　other　issue　besides　this　one？〃

〃None。　　He　was　an　only　child。〃

〃Very　well。　　These　matters　are　sufficient　under　that　head。　　Now　please
describe　the　elephant；　and　leave　out　no　particular；　however
insignificantthat　is；　insignificant　from　your　point　of　view。　　To　me　in
my　profession　there　are　no　insignificant　particulars；　they　do　not　exist。〃

I　described　he　wrote。　　When　I　was　done；　he　said：

〃Now　listen。　　If　I　have　made　any　mistakes；　correct　me。〃

He　read　as　follows：

〃Height；　19　feet；　length　from　apex　of　forehead　insertion　of　tail；　26
feet；　length　of　trunk；　16　feet；　length　of　tail；　6　feet；　total　length；
including　trunk；　and　tail；　48　feet；　length　of　tusks；　9　？feet；　ears
keeping　with　these　dimensions；　footprint　resembles　the　mark　left　when　one
up…ends　a　barrel　in　the　snow；　the　color　of　the　elephant；　a　dull　white；
has　a　hole　the　size　of　a　plate　in　each　ear　for　the　insertion　of　jewelry
and　possesses　the　habit　in　a　remarkable　degree　of　squirting　water　upon
spectators　and　of　maltreating　with　his　trunk　not　only　such　persons　as　he
is　acquainted　with；　but　even　entire　strangers；　limps　slightly　with　his
right　hind　leg；　and　has　a　small　scar　in　his　left　armpit　caused　by　a
former　boil；　had　on；　when　stolen；　a　castle　containing　seats　for　fifteen
persons；　and　a　gold…cloth　saddle…blanket　the　size　of　an　ordinary　carpet。〃

There　were　no　mistakes。　　The　inspector　touched　the　bell；　handed　the
description　to　Alaric；　and　said：

〃Have　fifty　thousand　copies　of　this　printed　at　once　and　mailed　to　every
detective　office　and　pawnbroker's　shop　on　the　continent。〃　　Alaric
retired。　　〃Thereso　far；　so　good。　　Next；　I　must　have　a　photograph　of　the
property。〃

I　gave　him　one。　　He　examined　it　critically；　and　said：

〃It　must　do；　since　we　can　do　no　better；　but　he　has　his　trunk　curled　up
and　tucked　into　his　mouth。　　That　is　unfortunate；　and　is　calculated　to
mislead；　for　of　course　he　does　not　usually　have　it　in　that　position。〃
He　touched　his　bell。

〃Alaric；　have　fifty　thousand　copies　of　this　photograph　made　the　first
thing　in　the　morning；　and　mail　them　with　the　descriptive　circulars。〃

Alaric　retired　to　execute　his　orders。　　The　inspector　said：

〃It　will　be　necessary　to　offer　a　reward；　of　course。　　Now　as　to　the
amount？〃

〃What　sum　would　you　suggest？〃

〃To　begin　with；　I　should　saywell；　twenty…five　thousand　dollars。　　It　is
an　intricate　and　difficult　business；　there　are　a　thousand　avenues　of
escape　and　opportunities　of　concealment。　　These　thieves　have　friends　and
pals　everywhere〃

〃Bless　me；　do　you　know　who　they　are？〃

The　wary　face；　practised　in　concealing　the　thoughts　and　feelings　within；
gave　me　no　token；　nor　yet　the　replying　words；　so　quietly　uttered：

〃Never　mind　about　that。　　I　may；　and　I　may　not。　　We　generally　gather　a
pretty　shrewd　inkling　of　who　our　man　is　by　the　manner　of　his　work　and　the
size　of　the　game　he　goes　after。　　We　are　not　dealing　with　a　pickpocket　or
a　hall　thief　now；　make　up　your　mind　to　that。　　This　property　was　not
'lifted'　by　a　novice。　　But；　as　I　was　saying；　considering　the　amount　of
travel　which　will　have　to　be　done；　and　the　diligence　with　which　the
thieves　will　cover　up　their　traces　as　they　move　along；　twenty…five
thousand　may　be　too　small　a　sum　to　offer；　yet　I　think　it　worth　while　to
start　with　that。〃

So　we　determined　upon　that　figure　as　a　beginning。　　Then　this　man；　whom
nothing　escaped　which　could　by　any　possibility　be　made　to　serve　as　a
clue；　said：

〃There　are　cases　in　detective　history　to　show　that　criminals　have　been
detected　through　peculiarities；　in　their　appetites。　　Now；　what　does　this
elephant　eat；　and　how　much？〃

〃Well；　as　to　what　he　eatshe　will　eat　anything。　　He　will　eat　a　man；　he
will　eat　a　Biblehe　will　eat　anything　between　a　man　and　a　Bible。〃

〃Good　very　good；　indeed；　but　too　general。　　Details　are　necessarydetails
are　the　only　valuable　things　in　our　trade。　　Very　wellas　to　men。　　At　one
mealor；　if　you　prefer；　during　one　dayhow　man　men　will　he　eat；　if
fresh？〃

〃He　would　not　care　whether　they　were　fresh　or　not；　at　a　single　meal　he
would　eat　five　ordinary　men。

〃Very　good；　five　men；　we　will　put　that　down。　　What　nationalities　would　he
prefer？〃

〃He　is　indifferent　about　nationalities。　　He　prefers　acquaintances；　but　is
not　prejudiced　against　strangers。〃

〃Very　good。　　Now；　as　to　Bibles。　　How　many　Bibles　would　he　eat　at　a　meal？〃

〃He　would　eat　an　entire　edition。〃

〃It　is　hardly　succinct　enough。　　Do　you　mean　the　ordinary　octavo；　or　the
family　illustrated？〃

〃I　think　he　would