the queen of hearts-第51节

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room　a　minute；　a　young　man　of　highly　suspicious　manners　and
appearance；　sitting　at　a　table　opposite；　took　his　glass　of　porter
in　his　hand　and　joined　Mr。　Jay。　I　pretended　to　be　reading　the
newspaper；　and　listened；　as　in　duty　bound；　with　all　my　might。

〃Jack　has　been　here　inquiring　after　you；〃　says　the　young　man。

〃Did　he　leave　any　message？〃　asks　Mr。　Jay。

〃Yes；〃　says　the　other。　〃He　told　me；　if　I　met　with　you；　to　say
that　he　wished　very　particularly　to　see　you　to…night；　and　that　he
would　give　you　a　look　in　at　Rutherford　Street　at　seven　o'clock。〃

〃All　right；〃　says　Mr。　Jay。　〃I'll　get　back　in　time　to　see　him。〃

Upon　this；　the　suspicious…looking　young　man　finished　his　porter；
and　saying　that　he　was　rather　in　a　hurry；　took　leave　of　his
friend　（perhaps　I　should　not　be　wrong　if　I　said　his　accomplice？）；
and　left　the　room。

At　twenty…five　minutes　and　a　half　past　sixin　these　serious
cases　it　is　important　to　be　particular　about　timeMr。　Jay
finished　his　chops　and　paid　his　bill。　At　twenty…six　minutes　and
three…quarters　I　finished　my　chops　and　paid　mine。　In　ten　minutes
more　I　was　inside　the　house　in　Rutherford　Street；　and　was
received　by　Mrs。　Yatman　in　the　passage。　That　charming　woman's
face　exhibited　an　expression　of　melancholy　and　disappointment
which　it　quite　grieved　me　to　see。

〃I　am　afraid；　ma'am；〃　says　I；　〃that　you　have　not　hit　on　any
little　criminating　discovery　in　the　lodger's　room？〃

She　shook　her　head　and　sighed。　It　was　a　soft；　languid；　fluttering
sighand；　upon　my　life；　it　quite　upset　me。　For　the　moment　I
forgot　business；　and　burned　with　envy　of　Mr。　Yatman。

〃Don't　despair；　ma'am；〃　I　said；　with　an　insinuating　mildness
which　seemed　to　touch　her。　〃I　have　heard　a　mysterious
conversationI　know　of　a　guilty　appointmentand　I　expect　great
things　from　my　peep…hole　and　my　pipe…hole　to…night。　Pray　don't　be
alarmed；　but　I　think　we　are　on　the　brink　of　a　discovery。〃

Here　my　enthusiastic　devotion　to　business　got　the　better　part　of
my　tender　feelings。　I　lookedwinkednoddedleft　her。

When　I　got　back　to　my　observatory；　I　found　Mr。　Jay　digesting　his
mutton…chops　in　an　armchair；　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth。　On　his
table　were　two　tumblers；　a　jug　of　water；　and　the　pint　bottle　of
brandy。　It　was　then　close　upon　seven　o'clock。　As　the　hour　struck
the　person　described　as　〃Jack〃　walked　in。

He　looked　agitatedI　am　happy　to　say　he　looked　violently
agitated。　The　cheerful　glow　of　anticipated　success　diffused
itself　（to　use　a　strong　expression）　all　over　me；　from　head　to
foot。　With　breathless　interest　I　looked　through　my　peep…hole；　and
saw　the　visitorthe　〃Jack〃　of　this　delightful　casesit　down；
facing　me；　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　table　to　Mr。　Jay。　Making
allowance　for　the　difference　in　expression　which　their
countenances　just　now　happened　to　exhibit；　these　two　abandoned
villains　were　so　much　alike　in　other　respects　as　to　lead　at　once
to　the　conclusion　that　they　were　brothers。　Jack　was　the　cleaner
man　and　the　better　dressed　of　the　two。　I　admit　that；　at　the
outset。　It　is；　perhaps；　one　of　my　failings　to　push　justice　and
impartiality　to　their　utmost　limits。　I　am　no　Pharisee；　and　where
Vice　has　its　redeeming　point；　I　say；　let　Vice　have　its　dueyes；
yes；　by　all　manner　of　means；　let　Vice　have　its　due。

〃What's　the　matter　now；　Jack？〃　says　Mr。　Jay。

〃Can't　you　see　it　in　my　face？〃　says　Jack。　〃My　dear　fellow；　delays
are　dangerous。　Let　us　have　done　with　suspense；　and　risk　it；　the
day　after　to…morrow。〃

〃So　soon　as　that？〃　cries　Mr。　Jay；　looking　very　much　astonished。
〃Well；　I'm　ready；　if　you　are。　But；　I　say；　Jack；　is　somebody　else
ready；　too？　Are　you　quite　sure　of　that？〃

He　smiled　as　he　spokea　frightful　smileand　laid　a　very　strong
emphasis　on　those　two　words；　〃Somebody　else。〃　There　is　evidently
a　third　ruffian；　a　nameless　desperado；　concerned　in　the　business。

〃Meet　us　to…morrow；〃　says　Jack；　〃and　judge　for　yourself。　Be　in
the　Regent's　Park　at　eleven　in　the　morning；　and　look　out　for　us
at　the　turning　that　leads　to　the　Avenue　Road。〃

〃I'll　be　there；〃　says　Mr。　Jay。　〃Have　a　drop　of　brandy…and…water？
What　are　you　getting　up　for？　You're　not　going　already？〃

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　says　Jack。　〃The　fact　is；　I'm　so　excited　and　agitated
that　I　can't　sit　still　anywhere　for　five　minutes　together。
Ridiculous　as　it　may　appear　to　you；　I'm　in　a　perpetual　state　of
nervous　flutter。　I　can't；　for　the　life　of　me；　help　fearing　that
we　shall　be　found　out。　I　fancy　that　every　man　who　looks　twice　at
me　in　the　street　is　a　spy〃

At　these　words　I　thought　my　legs　would　have　given　way　under　me。
Nothing　but　strength　of　mind　kept　me　at　my　peep…holenothing
else；　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor。

〃Stuff　and　nonsense！〃　cries　Mr。　Jay；　with　all　the　effrontery　of　a
veteran　in　crime。　〃We　have　kept　the　secret　up　to　this　time；　and
we　will　manage　cleverly　to　the　end。　Have　a　drop　of
brandy…and…water；　and　you　will　feel　as　certain　about　it　as　I　do。〃

Jack　steadily　refused　the　brandy…and…water；　and　steadily
persisted　in　taking　his　leave。

〃I　must　try　if　I　can't　walk　it　off；〃　he　said。　〃Remember　to…morrow
morningeleven　o'clock；　Avenue　Road；　side　of　the　Regent's　Park。〃

With　those　words　he　went　out。　His　hardened　relative　laughed
desperately　and　resumed　the　dirty　clay　pipe。

I　sat　down　on　the　side　of　my　bed；　actually　quivering　with
excitement。

It　is　clear　to　me　that　no　attempt　has　yet　been　made　to　change　the
stolen　bank…notes；　and　I　may　add　that　Sergeant　Bulmer　was　of　that
opinion　also　when　he　left　the　case　in　my　hands。　What　is　the
natural　conclusion　to　draw　from　the　conversation　which　I　have
just　set　down？　Evidently　that　the　confederates　meet　to…morrow　to
take　their　respective　shares　in　the　stolen　money；　and　to　decide
on　the　safest　means　of　getting　the　notes　changed　the　day　after。
Mr。　Jay　is；　beyond　a　doubt；　the　leading　criminal　in　this
business；　and　he　will　probably　run　the　chief　riskthat　of
changing　the　fifty…pound　note。　I　shall；　therefore；　still　make　it
my　business　to　follow　himattending　at　the　Regent's　Par　k
to…morrow；　and　doing　my　best　to　hear　what　is　said　there。　If
another　appointment　is　made　for　the　day　after；　I　shall；　of
course；　go　to　it。　In　the　meantime；　I　shall　want　the　immediate
assistance　of　two　competent　persons　（supposing　the　rascals
separate　after　their　meeting）　to　follow　the　two　minor　criminals。
It　is　only　fair　to　add　that；　if　the　rogues　all　retire　together；　I
shall　probably　keep　my　subordinates　in　reserve。　Being　naturally
ambitious；　I　desire；　if　possible；　to　have　the　whole　credit　of
discovering　this　robbery　to　myself。

8th　July。

I　have　to　acknowledge；　with　thanks；　the　speedy　arrival　of　my　two
subordinatesmen　of　very　average　abilities；　I　am　afraid；　but；
fortunately；　I　shall　always　be　on　the　spot　to　direct　them。

My　first　business　this　morning　was　necessarily　to　prevent
possible　mistakes　by　accounting　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Yatman　for　the
presence　of　two　strangers　on　the　scene。　Mr。　Yatman　（between
ourselves；　a　poor；　feeble　man）　only　shook　his　head　and　groaned。
Mrs。　Yatman　（that　superior　woman）　favored　me　with　a　charming　look
of　intelligence。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Sharpin！〃　she　said；　〃I　am　so　sorry　to　see　those　two　men！
Your　sending　for　their　assistance　looks　as　if　you　were　beginning
to　be　doubtful　of　success。〃

I　privately　winked　at　her　（she　is　very　good　in　allowing　me　to　do
so　without　taking　offense）；　and　told　her；　in　my　facetious　way；
that　she　labored　under　a　slight　mistake。

〃It　is　because　I　am　sure　of　success；　ma'am；　that　I　send　for　them。
I　am　determined　to　recover　the　money；　not　for　my　own　sake　only；
but　for　Mr。　Yatman's　sakeand　for　yours。〃

I　laid　a　considerable　amount　of　stress　on　those　last　three　words。
She　said：　〃Oh；　Mr。　Sharpin！〃　again；　and　blushed　of　a　heavenly
red；　and　looked　down　at　her　work。　I　could　go　to　the　world's　end
with　that　woman　if　Mr。　Yatman　would　only　die。

I　sent　off　the　two　subordinates　to　wait　until　I　wanted　them　at
the　Avenue　Road　gate　of　the　Regent's　Park。　Half…an…hour　afterward
I　was　following　the　same　direction　myself　at　the　heels　of　Mr。
Jay。

The　two　confederates　were　punctual　to　the　appointed　time。　I　blush
to　record　it；　but　it　is　nevertheless　necessary　to　state　that　the
third　roguethe　nameless　desperado　of　my　report；　or；　if　you
prefer　it；　the　mysterious　〃somebody　else〃　of　the　conversation
between　the　two　brothersisa　woman！　and；　what　is　worse；　a
young　woman！　and；　what　is　more　lamentable　still；　a　nice…looking
woman！　I　have　long　resisted　a　growing　conviction　that；　wherever
there　is　mischief　in　this　world；　an　individual　of　the　fair　sex　is
inevitably　certain　to　be　mixed　up　in　it。　After　the　experience　of
this　morning；　I　can　struggle　against　that　sad　conclusion　no
longer。　I　give　up　the　sexexcepting　Mrs。　Yatman；　I　give　up　the
sex。

The　man　named　〃Jack〃　offered　the　woman　his　arm。　Mr。　Jay　placed
himself　on　the　other　side　of　her。　The　three　then　walked　away
slowly　among　the　trees。　I　followed　them　at　a　respectful　distance。
My　two　subordinates；　at　a　respectful　distance；　also；　followed　me。

It　was；　I　deeply　regret　to　say；　impossible　to　get　near　enough　to
them　to　overhear　their　conversation　without　running　too　great　a
risk　of　being　discovered。　I　could　only　infer　from　their　gestures
and　actions　that　they　were　all　three　talking　with　extraordinary
ear