the stolen white elephant-第2节

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family　illustrated？〃

〃I　think　he　would　be　indifferent　to　illustrations　that　is；　I　think　he
would　not　value　illustrations　above　simple　letterpress。〃

〃No；　you　do　not　get　my　idea。　　I　refer　to　bulk。　　The　ordinary　octavo　Bible
weighs　about　two　pound；　and　a　half；　while　the　great　quarto　with　the
illustrations　weighs　ten　or　twelve。　　How　many　Dore　Bibles　would　he　eat　at
a　meal？〃

〃If　you　knew　this　elephant；　you　could　not　ask。　　He　would　take　what　they
had。〃

〃Well；　put　it　in　dollars　and　cents；　then。　　We　must　get　at　it　somehow。
The　Dore　costs　a　hundred　dollars　a　copy；　Russia　leather；　beveled。〃

〃He　would　require　about　fifty　thousand　dollars　worthsay　an　edition　of
five　hundred　copies。〃

〃Now　that　is　more　exact。　　I　will　put　that　down。　　Very　well；　he　likes　men
and　Bibles；　so　far；　so　good。　　What　else　will　he　eat？　　I　want
particulars。〃

〃He　will　leave　Bibles　to　eat　bricks；　he　will　leave　bricks　to　eat　bottles；
he　will　leave　bottles　to　eat　clothing；　he　will　leave　clothing　to　eat
cats；　he　will　leave　cats　to　eat　oysters；　he　will　leave　oysters　to　eat
ham；　he　will　leave　ham　to　eat　sugar；　he　will　leave　sugar　to　eat　pie；　he
will　leave　pie　to　eat　potatoes；　he　will　leave　potatoes　to　eat　bran；　he
will　leave　bran　to　eat　hay；　he　will　leave　hay　to　eat　oats；　he　will　leave
oats　to　eat　rice；　for　he　was　mainly　raised　on　it。　　There　is　nothing
whatever　that　he　will　not　eat　but　European　butter；　and　he　would　eat　that
if　he　could　taste　it。〃

〃Very　good。　　General　quantity　at　a　mealsay　about〃

〃Well；　anywhere　from　a　quarter　to　half　a　ton。〃

〃And　he　drinks〃

〃Everything　that　is　fluid。　　Milk；　water；　whisky；　molasses；　castor　oil；
camphene；　carbolic　acidit　is　no　use　to　go　into　particulars；　whatever
fluid　occurs　to　you　set　it　down。　　He　will　drink　anything　that　is　fluid；
except　European　coffee。〃

〃Very　good。　　As　to　quantity？〃

〃Put　it　down　five　to　fifteen　barrelshis　thirst　varies；　his　other
appetites　do　not。〃

〃These　things　are　unusual。　　They　ought　to　furnish　quite　good　clues　toward
tracing　him。〃

He　touched　the　bell。

〃Alaric；　summon　Captain　Burns。〃

Burns　appeared。　　Inspector　Blunt　unfolded　the　whole　matter　to　him；　detail
by　detail。　　Then　he　said　in　the　clear；　decisive　tones　of　a　man　whose
plans　are　clearly　defined　in　his　head　and　who　is　accustomed　to　command：

〃Captain　Burns；　detail　Detectives　Jones；　Davis；　Halsey；　Bates；　and
Hackett　to　shadow　the　elephant。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Detail　Detectives　Moses；　Dakin；　Murphy；　Rogers；　Tupper；　Higgins；　and
Bartholomew　to　shadow　the　thieves。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Place　a　strong　guardA　guard　of　thirty　picked　men；　with　a　relief　of
thirtyover　the　place　from　whence　the　elephant　was　stolen；　to　keep
strict　watch　there　night　and　day；　and　allow　none　to　approachexcept
reporterswithout　written　authority　from　me。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Place　detectives　in　plain　clothes　in　the　railway；　steamship；　and　ferry
depots；　and　upon　all　roadways　leading　out　of　Jersey　City；　with　orders　to
search　all　suspicious　persons。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Furnish　all　these　men　with　photograph　and　accompanying　description　of
the　elephant；　and　instruct　them　to　search　all　trains　and　outgoing
ferryboats　and　other　vessels。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃If　the　elephant　should　be　found；　let　him　be　seized；　and　the　information
forwarded　to　me　by　telegraph。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Let　me　be　informed　at　once　if　any　clues　should　be　found　footprints　of
the　animal；　or　anything　of　that　kind。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Get　an　order　commanding　the　harbor　police　to　patrol　the　frontages
vigilantly。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Despatch　detectives　in　plain　clothes　over　all　the　railways；　north　as　far
as　Canada；　west　as　far　as　Ohio；　south　as　far　as　Washington。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Place　experts　in　all　the　telegraph　offices　to　listen　in　to　all　messages；
and　let　them　require　that　all　cipher　despatches　be　interpreted　to　them。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Let　all　these　things　be　done　with　the　utmost's　secrecymind；　the　most
impenetrable　secrecy。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Report　to　me　promptly　at　the　usual　hour。〃

〃Yes；　Sir。〃

〃Go！〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

He　was　gone。

Inspector　Blunt　was　silent　and　thoughtful　a　moment；　while　the　fire　in　his
eye　cooled　down　and　faded　out。　　Then　he　turned　to　me　and　said　in　a　placid
voice：

〃I　am　not　given　to　boasting；　it　is　not　my　habit；　butwe　shall　find　the
elephant。〃

I　shook　him　warmly　by　the　hand　and　thanked　him；　and　I　felt　my　thanks；
too。　　The　more　I　had　seen　of　the　man　the　more　I　liked　him　and　the　more　I
admired　him　and　marveled　over　the　mysterious　wonders　of　his　profession。
Then　we　parted　for　the　night；　and　I　went　home　with　a　far　happier　heart
than　I　had　carried　with　me　to　his　office。


II

Next　morning　it　was　all　in　the　newspapers；　in　the　minutest　detail。　　It
even　had　additionsconsisting　of　Detective　This；　Detective　That；　and
Detective　The　Other's　〃Theory〃　as　to　how　the　robbery　was　done；　who　the
robbers　were；　and　whither　they　had　flown　with　their　booty。　　There　were
eleven　of　these　theories；　and　they　covered　all　the　possibilities；　and
this　single　fact　shows　what　independent　thinkers　detectives　are。　　No　two
theories　were　alike；　or　even　much　resembled　each　other；　save　in　one
striking　particular；　and　in　that　one　all　the　other　eleven　theories　were
absolutely　agreed。　　That　was；　that　although　the　rear　of　my　building　was
torn　out　and　the　only　door　remained　locked；　the　elephant　had　not　been
removed　through　the　rent；　but　by　some　other　（undiscovered）　outlet。
All　agreed　that　the　robbers　had　made　that　rent　only　to　mislead　the
detectives。　　That　never　would　have　occurred　to　me　or　to　any　other　layman；
perhaps；　but　it　had　not　deceived　the　detectives　for　a　moment。　　Thus；　what
I　had　supposed　was　the　only　thing　that　had　no　mystery　about　it　was　in
fact　the　very　thing　I　had　gone　furthest　astray　in。　　The　eleven　theories
all　named　the　supposed　robbers；　but　no　two　named　the　same　robbers；　the
total　number　of　suspected　persons　was　thirty…seven。　　The　various
newspaper　accounts　all　closed　with　the　most　important　opinion　of　all
that　of　Chief　Inspector　Blunt。　　A　portion　of　this　statement　read　as
follows：

　　　　　The　chief　knows　who　the　two　principals　are；　namely；〃　Brick〃　Daffy
　　　　　and　〃Red〃　McFadden。　　Ten　days　before　the　robbery　was　achieved　he　was
　　　　　already　aware　that　it　was　to　be　attempted；　and　had　quietly　proceeded
　　　　　to　shadow　these　two　noted　villains；　but　unfortunately　on　the　night
　　　　　in　question　their　track　was　lost；　and　before　it　could　be　found　again
　　　　　the　bird　was　flownthat　is；　the　elephant。

　　　　　Daffy　and　McFadden　are　the　boldest　scoundrels　in　the　profession；　the
　　　　　chief　has　reasons　for　believing　that　they　are　the　men　who　stole　the
　　　　　stove　out　of　the　detective　headquarters　on　a　bitter　night　last
　　　　　winterin　consequence　of　which　the　chief　and　every　detective
　　　　　present　were　in　the　hands　of　the　physicians　before　morning；　some
　　　　　with　frozen　feet；　others　with　frozen　fingers；　ears；　and　other
　　　　　members。

When　I　read　the　first　half　of　that　I　was　more　astonished　than　ever　at　the
wonderful　sagacity　of　this　strange　man。　　He　not　only　saw　everything　in
the　present　with　a　clear　eye；　but　even　the　future　could　not　be　hidden
from　him。　　I　was　soon　at　his　office；　and　said　I　could　not　help　wishing　he
had　had　those　men　arrested；　and　so　prevented　the　trouble　and　loss；　but
his　reply　was　simple　and　unanswerable：

〃It　is　not　our　province　to　prevent　crime；　but　to　punish　it。　　We　cannot
punish　it　until　it　is　committed。〃

I　remarked　that　the　secrecy　with　which　we　had　begun　had　been　marred　by
the　newspapers；　not　only　all　our　facts　but　all　our　plans　and　purposes　had
been　revealed；　even　all　the　suspected　persons　had　been　named；　these　would
doubtless　disguise　themselves　now；　or　go　into　hiding。

〃Let　them。　　They　will　find　that　when　I　am　ready　for　them　my　hand　will
descend　upon　them；　in　their　secret　places；　as　unerringly　as　the　hand　of
fate。　　As　to　the　newspapers；　we　must　keep　in　with　them。　　Fame；
reputation；　constant　public　mentionthese　are　the　detective's　bread　and
butter。　　He　must　publish　his　facts；　else　he　will　be　supposed　to　have
none；　he　must　publish　his　theory；　for　nothing　is　so　strange　or　striking
as　a　detective's　theory；　or　brings　him　so　much　wonderful　respect；　we　must
publish　our　plans；　for　these　the　journals　insist　upon　having；　and　we
could　not　deny　them　without　offending。　　We　must　constantly　show　the
public　what　we　are　doing；　or　they　will　believe　we　are　doing　nothing。
It　is　much　pleasanter　to　have　a　newspaper　say；　'Inspector　Blunt's
ingenious　and　extraordinary　theory　is　as　follows；'　than　to　have　it　say
some　harsh　thing；　or；　worse　still；　some　sarcastic　one。〃

〃I　see　the　force　of　what　you　say。　　But　I　noticed　that　in　one　part　of　your
remarks　in　the　papers　this　morning　you　refused　to　reveal　your　opinion
upon　a　certain　minor　point。〃

〃Yes；　we　always　do　that；　it　has　a　good　effect。　　Besides；　I　had　not　formed
any　opinion　on　that　point；　anyway。〃

I　deposited　a　considerable　sum　of　money　with　the　inspector；　to　meet
current　expenses；　and　sat　down　to　wait　for　news。　　We　were　expecting　the
telegrams　to　begin　to　arrive　at　any　moment　now。　　Meantime　I　reread　the
newspapers　and　also　our　descriptive　circular；　and　observed　that　our
twenty…five　thousand　dollars　reward　seemed　to　be　offered　onl