classic mystery and detective stories-第53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！



price　does　not　suit　me。　　I　only　happen　to　have　thirty…four　and

sixpence　in　my　pocket；　of　which　I　want　a　shilling　for　the　waiter；

and　eighteen　pence　for　my　cab。　　You　rich　foreigners　and　SWELLS　may

spend　what　you　like〃　（I　had　him　there：　for　my　friend's　dress　was　as

shabby　as　an　old…clothes　man's）；　〃but　a　man　with　a　family；　Mr。

Whatd'you…call'im；　cannot　afford　to　spend　seven　or　eight　hundred　a

year　on　his　dinner　alone。〃



〃Bah！〃　he　said。　　〃Nunkey　pays　for　all；　as　you　say。　　I　will　what　you

call　stant　the　dinner；　if　you　are　SO　POOR！〃　and　again　he　gave　that

disagreeable　grin；　and　placed　an　odious　crook…nailed　and　by　no

means　clean　finger　to　his　nose。　　But　I　was　not　so　afraid　of　him

now；　for　we　were　in　a　public　place；　and　the　three　glasses　of　port

wine　had；　you　see；　given　me　courage。



〃What　a　pretty　snuff…box！〃　he　remarked；　as　I　handed　him　mine；　which

I　am　still　old…fashioned　enough　to　carry。　　It　is　a　pretty　old　gold

box　enough；　but　valuable　to　me　especially　as　a　relic　of　an　old；　old

relative；　whom　I　can　just　remember　as　a　child；　when　she　was　very

kind　to　me。　　〃Yes；　a　pretty　box。　　I　can　remember　when　many　ladies

most　ladies；　carried　a　boxnay；　two　boxestabatiere　and

bonbonniere。　　What　lady　carries　snuff…box　now；　hey？　　Suppose　your

astonishment　if　a　lady　in　an　assembly　were　to　offer　you　a　prise？　　I

can　remember　a　lady　with　such　a　box　as　this；　with　a　tour；　as　we

used　to　call　it　then；　with　paniers；　with　a　tortoise…shell　cane；

with　the　prettiest　little　high…heeled　velvet　shoes　in　the　world！

ah！　that　was　a　time；　that　was　a　time！　　Ah；　Eliza；　Eliza；　I　have

thee　now　in　my　mind's　eye！　　At　Bungay　on　the　Waveney；　did　I　not

walk　with　thee；　Eliza？　　Aha；　did　I　not　love　thee？　　Did　I　not　walk

with　thee　then？　　Do　I　not　see　thee　still？〃



This　was　passing　strange。　　My　ancestressbut　there　is　no　need　to

publish　her　revered　namedid　indeed　live　at　Bungay　St。　Mary's；

where　she　lies　buried。　　She　used　to　walk　with　a　tortoise…shell

cane。　　She　used　to　wear　little　black　velvet　shoes；　with　the

prettiest　high　heels　in　the　world。



〃Did　youdid　youknow；　then；　my　great…gr…nd…m…ther？〃　I　said。



He　pulled　up　his　coat　sleeve〃Is　that　her　name？〃　he　said。



〃Eliza〃



There；　I　declare；　was　the　very　name　of　the　kind　old　creature

written　in　red　on　his　arm。



〃YOU　knew　her　old；〃　he　said；　divining　my　thoughts　（with　his　strange

knack）；　〃I　knew　her　young　and　lovely。　　I　danced　with　her　at　the

Bury　ball。　　Did　I　not；　dear；　dear　Miss　？〃



As　I　live；　he　here　mentioned　dear　gr…nny's　MAIDEN　name。　　Her　maiden

name　was　。　　Her　honored　married　name　was　。



〃She　married　your　great…gr…ndf…th…r　the　year　Poseidon　won　the

Newmarket　Plate；〃　Mr。　Pinto　dryly　remarked。



Merciful　powers！　　I　remember；　over　the　old　shagreen　knife　and　spoon

case　on　the　sideboard　in　my　gr…nny's　parlor；　a　print　by　Stubbs　of

that　very　horse。　　My　grandsire；　in　a　red　coat；　and　his　fair　hair

flowing　over　his　shoulders；　was　over　the　mantelpiece；　and　Poseidon

won　the　Newmarket　Cup　in　the　year　1783！



〃Yes；　you　are　right。　　I　danced　a　minuet　with　her　at　Bury　that　very

night；　before　I　lost　my　poor　leg。　　And　I　quarreled　with　your

grandf；　ha！〃



As　he　said　〃Ha！〃　there　came　three　quiet　little　taps　on　the　table

it　is　the　middle　table　in　the　〃Gray's…Inn　CoffeeHouse；〃　under　the

bust　of　the　late　Duke　of　W…ll…ngt…n。



〃I　fired　in　the　air；〃　he　continued；　〃did　I　not？〃　（Tap；　tap；　tap。）

〃Your　grandfather　hit　me　in　the　leg。　　He　married　three　months

afterwards。　　'Captain　Brown；'　I　said　'who　could　see　Miss　Sm…th

without　loving　her？'　　She　is　there！　　She　is　there！〃　（Tap；　tap；

tap。）　　〃Yes；　my　first　love〃



But　here　there　came　tap；　tap；　which　everybody　knows　means　〃No。〃



〃I　forgot；〃　he　said；　with　a　faint　blush　stealing　over　his　wan

features；　〃she　was　not　my　first　love。　　In　Germin　my　own　country

there　WAS　a　young　woman〃



Tap；　tap；　tap。　　There　was　here　quite　a　lively　little　treble　knock；

and　when　the　old　man　said；　〃But　I　loved　thee　better　than　all　the

world；　Eliza；〃　the　affirmative　signal　was　briskly　repeated。



And　this　I　declare　UPON　MY　HONOR。　　There　was；　I　have　said；　a　bottle

of　port　wine　before　usI　should　say　a　decanter。　　That　decanter　was

LIFTED　UP；　and　out　of　it　into　our　respective　glasses　two　bumpers　of

wine　were　poured。　　I　appeal　to　Mr。　Hart；　the　landlordI　appeal　to

James；　the　respectful　and　intelligent　waiter；　if　this　statement　is

not　true？　　And　when　we　had　finished　that　magnum；　and　I　saidfor　I

did　not　now　in　the　least　doubt　her　presence〃Dear　gr…nny；　may　we

have　another　magnum？〃　the　table　DISTINCTLY　rapped　〃No。〃。



〃Now；　my　good　sir；〃　Mr。　Pinto　said；　who　really　began　to　be　affected

by　the　wine；　〃you　understand　the　interest　I　have　taken　in　you。　　I

loved　Eliza　〃　（of　course　I　don't　mention　family　names）。　　〃I

knew　you　had　that　box　which　belonged　to　herI　will　give　you　what

you　like　for　that　box。　　Name　your　price　at　once；　and　I　pay　you　on

the　spot。〃



〃Why；　when　you　came　out；　you　said　you　had　not　six…pence　in　your

pocket。〃



〃Bah！　give　you　anything　you　likefiftya　hundreda　tausend

pound。〃



〃Come；　come；〃　said　I；　〃the　gold　of　the　box　may　be　worth　nine

guineas；　and　the　facon　we　will　put　at　six　more。〃



〃One　tausend　guineas！〃　he　screeched。　　〃One　tausend　and　fifty　pound

dere！〃　and　he　sank　back　in　his　chairno；　by　the　way；　on　his　bench；

for　he　was　sitting　with　his　back　to　one　of　the　partitions　of　the

boxes；　as　I　dare　say　James　remembers。



〃DON'T　go　on　in　this　way；〃　I　continued　rather　weakly；　for　I　did　not

know　whether　I　was　in　a　dream。　　〃If　you　offer　me　a　thousand　guineas

for　this　box　I　MUST　take　it。　　Mustn't　I；　dear　gr…nny？〃



The　table　most　distinctly　said　〃Yes〃；　and　putting　out　his　claws　to

seize　the　box；　Mr。　Pinto　plunged　his　hooked　nose　into　it；　and

eagerly　inhaled　some　of　my　47　with　a　dash　of　Hardman。



〃But　stay；　you　old　harpy！〃　I　exclaimed；　being　now　in　a　sort　of

rage；　and　quite　familiar　with　him。　　〃Where　is　the　money？　　Where　is

the　check？〃



〃James；　a　piece　of　note　paper　and　a　receipt　stamp！〃



〃This　is　all　mighty　well；　sir；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　don't　know　you；　I

never　saw　you　before。　　I　will　trouble　you　to　hand　me　that　box　back

again；　or　give　me　a　check　with　some　known　signature。〃



〃Whose？　　Ha；　Ha；　HA！〃



The　room　happened　to　be　very　dark。　　Indeed　all　the　waiters　were

gone　to　supper；　and　there　were　only　two　gentlemen　snoring　in　their

respective　boxes。　　I　saw　a　hand　come　quivering　down　from　the

ceilinga　very　pretty　hand；　on　which　was　a　ring　with　a　coronet；

with　a　lion　rampant　gules　for　a　crest。　　I　saw　that　hand　take　a　dip

of　ink　and　write　across　the　paper。　　Mr。　Pinto；　then；　taking　a　gray

receipt　stamp　out　of　his　blue　leather　pocketbook；　fastened　it　on　to

the　paper　by　the　usual　process；　and　the　hand　then　wrote　across　the

receipt　stamp；　went　across　the　table　and　shook　hands　with　Pinto；

and　then；　as　if　waving　him　an　adieu；　vanished　in　the　direction　of

the　ceiling。



There　was　the　paper　before　me；　wet　with　the　ink。　　There　was　the　pen

which　THE　HAND　had　used。　　Does　anybody　doubt　me？　　I　have　that　pen

now；a　cedar　stick　of　a　not　uncommon　sort；　and　holding　one　of

Gillott's　pens。　　It　is　in　my　inkstand　now；　I　tell　you。　　Anybody　may

see　it。　　The　handwriting　on　the　check；　for　such　the　document　was；

was　the　writing　of　a　female。　　It　ran　thus：〃London；　midnight；

March　31；　1862。　　Pay　the　bearer　one　thousand　and　fifty　pounds。

Rachel　Sidonia。　　To　Messrs。　Sidonia；　Pozzosanto　and　Co。；　London。〃



〃Noblest　and　best　of　women！〃　said　Pinto；　kissing　the　sheet　of　paper

with　much　reverence。　　〃My　good　Mr。　Roundabout；　I　suppose　you　do　not

question　THAT　signature？〃



Indeed　the　house　of　Sidonia；　Pozzosanto　and　Co。；　is　known　to　be　one

of　the　richest　in　Europe；　and　as　for　the　Countess　Rachel；　she　was

known　to　be　the　chief　manager　of　that　enormously　wealthy

establishment。　　There　was　only　one　little　difficulty；　the　Countess

Rachel　died　last　October。



I　pointed　out　this　circumstance；　and　tossed　over　the　paper　to　Pinto

with　a　sneer。



〃C'est　a　brandre　ou　a　laisser；〃　he　said　with　some　heat。　　〃You

literary　men　are　all　imbrudent；　but　I　did　not　tink　you　such　a　fool

wie　dis。　　Your　box　is　not　worth　twenty　pound；　and　I　offer　you　a

tausend　because　I　know　you　want　money　to　pay　dat　rascal　Tom's

college　bills。〃　　（This　strange　man　actually　knew　that　my　scapegrace

Tom　had　been　a　source　of　great　expense　and　annoyance　to　me。）　　〃You

see　money　costs　me　nothing；　and　you　refuse　to　take　it！　　Once；

twice；　will　you　take　this　check　in　exchange　for　your　trumpery

snuff…box？〃



What　could　I　do？　　My　poor　granny's　legacy　was　valuable　and　dear　to

me；　but　after　all　a　thousand　guineas　are　not　to　be　had　every　day。

〃Be　it　a　bargain；〃　said　I。　　〃Shall　we　have　a　glass　of　wine　on　it？〃

says　Pinto；　and　to　this　proposal　I　also　unwillingly　acceded；

reminding　him；　by　the　way；　that　he　had　not　yet　told　me　the　story　of

the　headless　man。



〃Your　poor　gr…ndm…ther　was　right　just　now；　when　she　said　she　was

not　my　first　love