new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第6节
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you；〃 he said； with a smile。
I rubbed my eyes。 〃And what news？〃 I asked。 〃How have you
succeeded？〃
〃Better than I expected；〃 he said； 〃and I think；〃 he added； tapping his
note…book； 〃I owe much to YOU。〃
Deeply gratified； I awaited more。 But in vain。 I ought to have
remembered that in his moods Hemlock Jones was reticence itself。 I told
him simply of the strange intrusion； but he only laughed。
Later； when I arose to go； he looked at me playfully。 〃If you were a
married man；〃 he said； 〃I would advise you not to go home until you had
brushed your sleeve。 There are a few short brown sealskin hairs on the
inner side of your forearm； just where they would have adhered if your
arm had encircled a seal…skin coat with some pressure！〃
〃For once you are at fault；〃 I said triumphantly； 〃the hair is my own； as
you will perceive； I have just had it cut at the hairdresser's； and no doubt
this arm projected beyond the apron。〃
He frowned slightly； yet； nevertheless； on my turning to go he
embraced me warmlya rare exhibition in that man of ice。 He even
helped me on with my overcoat and pulled out and smoothed down the
flaps of my pockets。 He was particular； too； in fitting my arm in my
overcoat sleeve； shaking the sleeve down from the armhole to the cuff
with his deft fingers。 〃Come again soon！〃 he said； clapping me on the
back。
〃At any and all times；〃 I said enthusiastically； 〃I only ask ten minutes
twice a day to eat a crust at my office； and four hours' sleep at night； and
the rest of my time is devoted to you always； as you know。〃
〃It is indeed；〃 he said； with his impenetrable smile。
Nevertheless； I did not find him at home when I next called。 One
afternoon； when nearing my own home； I met him in one of his favorite
disguises；a long blue swallow…tailed coat； striped cotton trousers； large
turn…over collar； blacked face； and white hat； carrying a tambourine。 Of
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course to others the disguise was perfect； although it was known to myself；
and I passed him according to an old understanding between uswithout
the slightest recognition； trusting to a later explanation。 At another time；
as I was making a professional visit to the wife of a publican at the East
End； I saw him； in the disguise of a broken…down artisan； looking into the
window of an adjacent pawnshop。 I was delighted to see that he was
evidently following my suggestions； and in my joy I ventured to tip him a
wink； it was abstractedly returned。
Two days later I received a note appointing a meeting at his lodgings
that night。 That meeting； alas！ was the one memorable occurrence of my
life； and the last meeting I ever had with Hemlock Jones！ I will try to set
it down calmly； though my pulses still throb with the recollection of it。
I found him standing before the fire； with that look upon his face
which I had seen only once or twice in our acquaintancea look which I
may call an absolute concatenation of inductive and deductive
ratiocinationfrom which all that was human； tender； or sympathetic was
absolutely discharged。 He was simply an icy algebraic symbol！ Indeed；
his whole being was concentrated to that extent that his clothes fitted
loosely； and his head was absolutely so much reduced in size by his mental
compression that his hat tipped back from his forehead and literally hung
on his massive ears。
After I had entered he locked the doors； fastened the windows； and
even placed a chair before the chimney。 As I watched these significant
precautions with absorbing interest； he suddenly drew a revolver and；
presenting it to my temple； said in low； icy tones：
〃Hand over that cigar case！〃
Even in my bewilderment my reply was truthful； spontaneous； and
involuntary。 〃I haven't got it；〃 I said。
He smiled bitterly； and threw down his revolver。 〃I expected that
reply！ Then let me now confront you with something more awful； more
deadly； more relentless and convincing than that mere lethal weapon；the
damning inductive and deductive proofs of your guilt！〃 He drew from his
pocket a roll of paper and a note…book。
〃But surely；〃 I gasped； 〃you are joking！ You could not for a moment
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believe〃
〃Silence！ Sit down！〃 I obeyed。
〃You have condemned yourself；〃 he went on pitilessly。 〃Condemned
yourself on my processes；processes familiar to you； applauded by you；
accepted by you for years！ We will go back to the time when you first
saw the cigar case。 Your expressions；〃 he said in cold； deliberate tones；
consulting his paper； were； 'How beautiful！ I wish it were mine。' This
was your first step in crimeand my first indication。 From 'I WISH it
were mine' to 'I WILL have it mine；' and the mere detail； 'HOW CAN I
make it mine？' the advance was obvious。 Silence！ But as in my
methods it was necessary that there should be an overwhelming
inducement to the crime； that unholy admiration of yours for the mere
trinket itself was not enough。 You are a smoker of cigars。〃
〃But；〃 I burst out passionately； 〃I told you I had given up smoking
cigars。〃
〃Fool！〃 he said coldly； 〃that is the SECOND time you have committed
yourself。 Of course you told me！ What more natural than for you to
blazon forth that prepared and unsolicited statement to PREVENT
accusation。 Yet； as I said before； even that wretched attempt to cover up
your tracks was not enough。 I still had to find that overwhelming；
impelling motive necessary to affect a man like you。 That motive I found
in the strongest of all impulsesLove； I suppose you would call it；〃 he
added bitterly； 〃that night you called！ You had brought the most
conclusive proofs of it on your sleeve。〃
〃But〃 I almost screamed。
〃Silence！〃 he thundered。 〃I know what you would say。 You would
say that even if you had embraced some Young Person in a sealskin coat；
what had that to do with the robbery？ Let me tell you； then； that that
sealskin coat represented the quality and character of your fatal
entanglement！ You bartered your honor for itthat stolen cigar case was
the purchaser of the sealskin coat！
〃Silence！ Having thoroughly established your motive； I now proceed
to the commission of the crime itself。 Ordinary people would have
begun with thatwith an attempt to discover the whereabouts of the
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missing object。 These are not MY methods。〃
So overpowering was his penetration that； although I knew myself
innocent； I licked my lips with avidity to hear the further details of this
lucid exposition of my crime。
〃You committed that theft the night I showed you the cigar case； and
after I had carelessly thrown it in that drawer。 You were sitting in that
chair； and I had arisen to take something from that shelf。 In that instant
you secured your booty without rising。 Silence！ Do you remember when
I helped you on with your overcoat the other night？ I was particular
about fitting your arm in。 While doing so I measured your arm with a
spring tape measure； from the shoulder to the cuff。 A later visit to your
tailor confirmed that measurement。 It proved to be THE EXACT
DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR CHAIR AND THAT DRAWER！〃
I sat stunned。
〃The rest are mere corroborative details！ You were again tampering
with the drawer when I dis
