the queen of hearts-第48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！
seemed to quicken my prevailing sense of anxiety on the subject
of George's return。 A heavy depression hung upon my spirits； and
I went out desperately in the rain to shake my mind free of
oppressing influences by dint of hard bodily exercise。
The number drawn this evening was Three。 On the production of the
corresponding man uscript it proved to be my turn to read again。
〃I can promise you a little variety to…night；〃 I said； addressing
our fair guest； 〃if I can promise nothing else。 This time it is
not a story of my own writing that I am about to read； but a copy
of a very curious correspondence which I found among my
professional papers。〃
Jessie's countenance fell。 〃Is there no story in it？〃 she asked；
rather discontentedly。
〃Certainly there is a story in it；〃 I replied〃a story of a much
lighter kind than any we have yet read； and which may； on that
account； prove acceptable； by way of contrast and relief； even if
it fails to attract you by other means。 I obtained the original
correspondence； I must tell you； from the office of the Detective
Police of London。〃
Jessie's face brightened。 〃That promises something to begin
with；〃 she said。
〃Some years since；〃 I continued； 〃there was a desire at
headquarters to increase the numbers and efficiency of the
Detective Police； and I had the honor of being one of the persons
privately consulted on that occasion。 The chief obstacle to the
plan proposed lay in the difficulty of finding new recruits。 The
ordinary rank and file of the police of London are sober；
trustworthy； and courageous men； but as a body they are sadly
wanting in intelligence。 Knowing this； the authorities took into
consideration a scheme； which looked plausible enough on paper；
for availing themselves of the services of that proverbially
sharp class of men； the experienced clerks in attorney's offices。
Among the persons whose advice was sought on this point； I was
the only one who dissented from the arrangement proposed。 I felt
certain that the really experienced clerks intrusted with
conducting private investigations and hunting up lost evidence；
were too well paid and too independently situated in their
various offices to care about entering the ranks of the Detective
Police； and submitting themselves to the rigid discipline of
Scotland Yard； and I ventured to predict that the inferior clerks
only； whose discretion was not to be trusted； would prove to be
the men who volunteered for detective employment。 My advice was
not taken and the experiment of enlisting the clerks was tried in
two or three cases。 I was naturally interested in the result； and
in due course of time I applied for information in the right
quarter。 In reply； the originals of the letters of which I am now
about to read the copies were sent to me； with an intimation that
the correspondence in this particular instance offered a fair
specimen of the results of the experiment in the other cases。 The
letters amused me； and I obtained permission to copy them before
I sent them back。 You will now hear； therefore； by his own
statement； how a certain attorney's clerk succeeded in conducting
a very delicate investigation； and how the regular members of the
Detective Police contrived to help him through his first
experiment。〃
BROTHER GRIFFITH'S STORY
of
THE BITER BIT。
_Extracted from the Correspondence of the London Police_。
FROM CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE； OF THE DETECTIVE POLICE； TO
SERGEANT BULMER； OF THE SAME FORCE。
London； 4th July； 18。
SERGEANT BULMERThis is to inform you that you are wanted to
assist in looking up a case of importance； which will require all
the attention of an experienced member of the force。 The matter
of the robbery on which you are now engaged you will please to
shift over to the young man who brings you this letter。 You will
tell him all the circumstances of the case； just as they stand；
you will put him up to the progress you have made （if any） toward
detecting the person or persons by whom the money has been
stolen； and you will leave him to make the best he can of the
matter now in your hands。 He is to have the whole responsibility
of the case； and the whole credit of his success if he brings it
to a proper issue。
So much for the orders that I am desired to communicate to you。
A word in your ear； next； about this new man who is to take your
place。 His name is Matthew Sharpin； and he is to have the chance
given him of dashing into our office at one jumpsupposing he
turns out strong enough to take it。 You will naturally ask me how
he comes by this privilege。 I can only tell you that he has some
uncommonly strong interest to back him in certain high quarters；
which you and I had better not mention except under our breaths。
He has been a lawyer's clerk； and he is wonderfully conceited in
his opinion of himself； as well as mean and underhand； to look
at。 According to his own account； he leaves his old trade and
joins ours of his own free will and preference。 You will no more
believe that than I do。 My notion is； that he has managed to
ferret out some private information in connection with the
affairs of one of his master's clients； which makes him rather an
awkward customer to keep in the office for the future； and which；
at the same time； gives him hold enough over his employer to make
it dangerous to drive him into a corner by turning him away。 I
think the giving him this unheard…of chance among us is； in plain
words； pretty much like giving him hush money to keep him quiet。
However that may be； Mr。 Matthew Sharpin is to have the case now
in your hands； and if he succeeds with it he pokes his ugly nose
into our office as sure as fate。 I put you up to this； sergeant；
so that you may not stand in your own light by giving the new man
any cause to complain of you at headquarters； and remain yours；
FRANCIS THEAKSTONE。
FROM MR。 MATTHEW SHARPIN TO CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE。
London； 5th July； 18。
DEAR SIRHaving now been favored with the necessary instructions
from Sergeant Bulmer； I beg to remind you of certain directions
which I have received relating to the report of my future
proceedings which I am to prepare for examination at
headquarters。
The object of my writing； and of your examining what I have
written before you send it to the higher authorities； is； I am
informed； to give me； as an untried hand； the benefit of your
advice in case I want it （which I venture to think I shall not）
at any stage of my proceedings。 As the extraordinary
circumstances of the case on which I am now engaged make it
impossible for me to absent myself from the place where the
robbery was committed until I have made some progress toward
discovering the thief； I am necessarily precluded from consulting
you personally。 Hence the necessity of my writing down the
various details； which might perhaps be better communicated by
word of mouth。 This； if I am not mistaken； is the position in
which we are now placed。 I state my own impressions on the
subject in writing； in order that we may clearly understand each
other at the outset； and have the honor to remain your obedient
servant；
MATTHEW SHARPIN。
FROM CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE TO MR。 MATTHEW SHARPIN。
London； 5th July； 18。
SIRYou have begun by wasting time； ink； and paper。 We both of
us perfectly well knew the position we stood in toward each other
when I sent you with my letter to Sergeant Bulmer。 There was not
the least need to repeat it in writing。 Be so good as to employ
your pen in future on the business actually in hand。
You have now three separate matters on which to write me。 First；
you have to draw up a statement of your instructions received
from Sergeant Bulmer； in order to show us that nothing has
escaped your memory； and that you are thoroughly acquainted with
all the circumstances of the case which has been intrusted to
you。 Secondly； you are to inform me what it is you propose to do。
Thirdly； you are to report every inch of your progress （if you
make any） from day to day； and； if need be； from hour to hour as
well。 This is _your_ duty。 As to what _my_ duty may be； when I
want you to remind me of it； I will write and tell you so。 In the
meantime； I remain yours；
FRANCIS THEAKSTONE。
FROM MR。 MATTHEW SHARPIN TO CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE。
London； 6th July； 18。
SIRYou are rather an elderly person； and as such； naturally
inclined to be a little jealous of men like me； who are in the
prime of their lives and their faculties。 Under these
circumstances； it is my duty to be considerate
toward you； and not to bear too hardly on your small failings。 I
decline； therefore； altogether to take offense at the tone of
your letter； I give you the full benefit of the natural
generosity of my nature； I sponge the very existence of your
surly communication out of my memoryin short； Chief Inspector
Theakstone； I forgive you； and proceed to business。
My first duty is to draw up a full statement of the instructions
I have received from Sergeant Bulmer。 Here they are at your
service； according to my version of them。
At Number Thirteen Rutherford Street； Soho； there is a
stationer's shop。 It is kept by one
