the queen of hearts-第52节

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and　actions　that　they　were　all　three　talking　with　extraordinary
earnestness　on　some　subject　which　deeply　interested　them。　After
having　been　engaged　in　this　way　a　full　quarter　of　an　hour；　they
suddenly　turned　round　to　retrace　their　steps。　My　presence　of　mind
did　not　forsake　me　in　this　emergency。　I　signed　to　the　two
subordinates　to　walk　on　carelessly　and　pass　them；　while　I　myself
slipped　dexterously　behind　a　tree。　As　they　came　by　me；　I　heard
〃Jack〃　address　these　words　to　Mr。　Jay：

〃Let　us　say　half…past　ten　to…morrow　morning。　And　mind　you　come　in
a　cab。　We　had　better　not　risk　taking　one　in　this　neighborhood。〃

Mr。　Jay　made　some　brief　reply　which　I　could　not　overhear。　They
walked　back　to　the　place　at　which　they　had　met；　shaking　hands
there　with　an　audacious　cordiality　which　it　quite　sickened　me　to
see。　They　then　separated。　I　followed　Mr。　Jay。　My　subordinates
paid　the　same　delicate　attention　to　the　other　two。

Instead　of　taking　me　back　to　Rutherford　Street；　Mr。　Jay　led　me　to
the　Strand。　He　stopped　at　a　dingy；　disreputable…looking　house；
which；　according　to　the　inscription　over　the　door；　was　a
newspaper　office；　but　which；　in　my　judgment；　had　all　the　external
appearance　of　a　place　devoted　to　the　reception　of　stolen　goods。

After　remaining　inside　for　a　few　minutes；　he　came　out　whistling；
with　his　finger　and　thumb　in　his　waistcoat　pocket。　Some　men　would
now　have　arrested　him　on　the　spot。　I　remembered　the　necessity　of
catching　the　two　confederates；　and　the　importance　of　not
interfering　with　the　appointment　that　had　been　made　for　the　next
morning。　Such　coolness　as　this；　under　trying　circumstances；　is
rarely　to　be　found；　I　should　imagine；　in　a　young　beginner；　whose
reputation　as　a　detective　policeman　is　still　to　make。

From　the　house　of　suspicious　appearance　Mr。　Jay　betook　himself　to
a　cigar…divan；　and　read　the　magazines　over　a　cheroot。　From　the
divan　he　strolled　to　the　tavern　and　had　his　chops。　I　strolled　to
the　tavern　and　had　my　chops。　When　he　had　done　he　went　back　to　his
lodging。　When　I　had　done　I　went　back　to　mine。　He　was　overcome
with　drowsiness　early　in　the　evening；　and　went　to　bed。　As　soon　as
I　heard　him　snoring；　I　was　overcome　with　drowsiness　and　went　to
bed　also。

Early　in　the　morning　my　two　subordinates　came　to　make　their
report。

They　had　seen　the　man　named　〃Jack〃　leave　the　woman　at　the　gate　of
an　apparently　respectable　villa　residence　not　far　from　the
Regent's　Park。　Left　to　himself；　he　took　a　turning　to　the　right；
which　led　to　a　sort　of　suburban　street；　principally　inhabited　by
shopkeepers。　He　stopped　at　the　private　door　of　one　of　the　houses；
and　let　himself　in　with　his　own　keylooking　about　him　as　he
opened　the　door；　and　staring　suspiciously　at　my　men　as　they
lounged　along　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way。　These　were　all　the
particulars　which　the　subordinates　had　to　communicate。　I　kept
them　in　my　room　to　attend　on　me；　if　needful；　and　mounted　to　my
peep…hole　to　have　a　look　at　Mr。　Jay。

He　was　occupied　in　dressing　himself；　and　was　taking　extraordinary
pains　to　destroy　all　traces　of　the　natural　slovenliness　of　his
appearance。　This　was　precisely　what　I　expected。　A　vagabond　like
Mr。　Jay　knows　the　importance　of　giving　himself　a　respectable　look
when　he　is　going　to　run　the　risk　of　changing　a　stolen　bank…note。
At　five　minutes　past　ten　o'clock　he　had　given　the　last　brush　to
his　shabby　hat　and　the　last　scouring　with　bread…crumb　to　his
dirty　gloves。　At　ten　minutes　past　ten　he　was　in　the　street；　on
his　way　to　the　nearest　cab…stand；　and　I　and　my　subordinates　were
close　on　his　heels。

He　took　a　cab　and　we　took　a　cab。　I　had　not　overheard　them　appoint
a　place　of　meeting　when　following　them　in　the　Park　on　the
previous　day；　but　I　soon　found　that　we　were　proceeding　in　the　old
direction　of　the　Avenue　Road　gate。　The　cab　in　which　Mr。　Jay　was
riding　turned　into　the　Park　slowly。　We　stopped　outside；　to　avoid
exciting　suspicion。　I　got　out　to　follow　the　cab　on　foot。　Just　as
I　did　so；　I　saw　it　stop；　and　detected　the　two　confederates
approaching　it　from　among　the　trees。　They　got　in；　and　the　cab　was
turned　about　directly。　I　ran　back　to　my　own　cab　and　told　the
driver　to　let　them　pass　him；　and　then　to　follow　as　before。

The　man　obeyed　my　directions；　but　so　clumsily　as　to　excite　their
suspicions。　We　had　been　driving　after　them　about　three　minutes
（returning　along　the　road　by　which　we　had　advanced）　when　I　looked
out　of　the　window　to　see　how　far　they　might　be　ahead　of　us。　As　I
did　this；　I　saw　two　hats　popped　out　of　the　windows　of　their　cab；
and　two　faces　looking　back　at　me。　I　sank　into　my　place　in　a　cold
sweat；　the　expression　is　coarse；　but　no　other　form　of　words　can
describe　my　condition　at　that　trying　moment。

〃We　are　found　out！〃　I　said；　faintly；　to　my　two　subordinates。　They
stared　at　me　in　astonishment。　My　feelings　changed　instantly　from
the　depth　of　despair　to　the　height　of　indignation。

〃It　is　the　cabman's　fault。　Get　out；　one　of　you；〃　I　said；　with
dignity〃get　out；　and　punch　his　head。〃

Instead　of　following　my　directions　（I　should　wish　this　act　of
disobedience　to　be　reported　at　headquarters）　they　both　looked　out
of　the　window。　Before　I　could　pull　them　back　they　both　sat　down
again。　Before　I　could　express　my　just　indignation；　they　both
grinned；　and　said　to　me：　〃Please　to　look　out；　sir！〃

I　did　look　out。　Their　cab　had　stopped。

Where？

At　a　church　door！

What　effect　this　discovery　might　have　had　upon　the　ordinary　run
of　men　I　don't　know。　Being　of　a　strong　religious　turn　myself；　it
filled　me　with　horror。　I　have　often　read　of　the　unprincipled
cunning　of　criminal　persons；　but　I　never　before　heard　of　three
thieves　attempting　to　double　on　their　pursuers　by　entering　a
church！　The　sacrilegious　audacity　of　that　proceeding　is；　I　should
think；　unparalleled　in　the　annals　of　crime。

I　checked　my　grinning　subordinates　by　a　frown。　It　was　easy　to　see
what　was　passing　in　their　superficial　minds。　If　I　had　not　been
able　to　look　below　the　surface；　I　might；　on　observing　two　nicely
dressed　men　and　one　nicely　dressed　woman　enter　a　church　before
eleven　in　the　morning　on　a　week　day；　have　come　to　the　same　hasty
conclusion　at　which　my　inferiors　had　evidently　arrived。　As　it
was；　appearances　had　no　power　to　impose　on　_me_。　I　got　out；　and；
followed　by　one　of　my　men；　entered　the　church。　The　other　man　I
sent　round　to　watch　the　vestry　door。　You　may　catch　a　weasel
asleep；　but　not　your　humble　servant；　Matthew　Sharpin！

We　stole　up　the　gallery　stairs；　diverged　to　the　organ…loft；　and
peered　through　the　curtains　in　front。　There　they　were；　all　three；
sitting　in　a　pew　belowyes；　incredible　as　it　may　appear；　sitting
in　a　pew　below！


Before　I　could　determine　what　to　do；　a　clergyman　made　his
appearance　in　full　canonicals　from　the　vestry　door；　followed　by　a
clerk。　My　brain　whirled　and　my　eyesight　grew　dim。　Dark
remembrances　of　robberies　committed　in　vestries　floated　through
my　mind。　I　trembled　for　the　excellent　man　in　full　canonicalsI
even　trembled　for　the　clerk。

The　clergyman　placed　himself　inside　the　altar　rails。　The　three
desperadoes　approached　him。　He　opened　his　book　and　began　to　read。
What？　you　will　ask。

I　answer；　without　the　slightest　hesitation；　the　first　lines　of
the　Marriage　Service。

My　subordinate　had　the　audacity　to　look　at　me；　and　then　to　stuff
his　pocket…handkerchief　into　his　mouth。　I　scorned　to　pay　any
attention　to　him。　After　I　had　discovered　that　the　man　〃Jack〃　was
the　bridegroom；　and　that　the　man　Jay　acted　the　part　of　father；
and　gave　away　the　bride；　I　left　the　church；　followed　by　my　men；
and　joined　the　other　subordinate　outside　the　vestry　door。　Some
people　in　my　position　would　now　have　felt　rather　crestfallen；　and
would　have　begun　to　think　that　they　had　made　a　very　foolish
mistake。　Not　the　faintest　misgiving　of　any　kind　troubled　me。　I
did　not　feel　in　the　slightest　degree　depreciated　in　my　own
estimation。　And　even　now；　after　a　lapse　of　three　hours；　my　mind
remains；　I　am　happy　to　say；　in　the　same　calm　and　hopeful
condition。

As　soon　as　I　and　my　subordinates　were　assembled　together　outside
the　church；　I　intimated　my　intention　of　still　following　the　other
cab　in　spite　of　what　had　occurred。　My　reason　for　deciding　on　this
course　will　appear　presently。　The　two　subordinates　appeared　to　be
astonished　at　my　resolution。　One　of　them　had　the　impertinence　to
say　to　me：

〃If　you　please；　sir；　who　is　it　that　we　are　after？　A　man　who　has
stolen　money；　or　a　man　who　has　stolen　a　wife？〃

The　other　low　person　encouraged　him　by　laughing。　Both　have
deserved　an　official　reprimand；　and　both；　I　sincerely　trust；　will
be　sure　to　get　it。

When　the　marriage　ceremony　was　over；　the　three　got　into　their　cab
and　once　more　our　vehicle　（neatly　hidden　round　the　corner　of　the
church；　so　that　they　could　not　suspect　it　to　be　near　them）
started　to　follow　theirs。

We　traced　them　to　the　terminus　of　the　Southwestern　Railway。　The
newly…married　couple　took　tickets　for　Richmond；　paying　their　fare
with　a　half　sovereign；　and　so　depriving　me　of　the　pleasure　of
arresting　them；　which　I　should　certainly　have　done　if　they　had
offered　a　bank…note。　They　parted　from　Mr。　Jay；　saying：　〃Remember
the　address14　Babylon　Terrace。　You　dine　with　us　to…morrow
week。〃　Mr。　Jay　accept