the queen of hearts-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！
offered a bank…note。 They parted from Mr。 Jay； saying： 〃Remember
the address14 Babylon Terrace。 You dine with us to…morrow
week。〃 Mr。 Jay accepted the invitation； and added； jocosely； that
he was going home at once to get off his clean clothes； and to be
comfortable and dirty again for the rest of the day。 I have to
report that I saw him home safely； and that he is comfortable and
dirty again （to use his own disgraceful language） at the present
moment。
Here the affair rests； having by this time reached what I may
call its first stage。
I know very well what persons of hasty judgment will be inclined
to say of my proceedings thus far。 They will assert that I have
been deceiving myself all through in the most absurd way； they
will declare that the suspicious conversations which I have
reported referred solely to the difficulties and dangers of
successfully carrying out a runaway match； and they will appeal
to the scene in the church as offering undeniable proof of the
correctness of their assertions。 So let it be。 I dispute nothing
up to this point。 But I ask a question； out of the depths of my
own sagacity as a man of the world； which the bitterest of my
enemies will not； I think； find it particularly easy to answer。
Granted the fact of the marriage； what proof does it afford me of
the innocence of the three persons concerned in that clandestine
transaction？ It gives me none。 On the contrary； it strengthens my
suspicions against Mr。 Jay and his confederates； because it
suggests a distinct motive for their stealing the money。 A
gentleman who is going to spend his honeymoon at Richmond wants
money； and a gentleman who is in debt to all his tradespeople
wants money。 Is this an unjustifiable imputation of bad motives？
In the name of outraged Morality； I deny it。 These men have
combined together； and have stolen a woman。 Why should they not
combine together and steal a cash…box？ I take my stand on the
logic of rigid Virtue； and I defy all the sophistry of Vice to
move me an inch out of my position。
Speaking of virtue； I may add that I have put this view of the
case to Mr。 and Mrs。 Yatman。 That accomplished and charming woman
found it difficult at first to follow the close chain of my
reasoning。 I am free to confess that she shook her head； and shed
tears； and joined her husband in premature lamentation over the
loss of the two hundred pounds。 But a little careful explanation
on my part； and a little attentive listening on hers； ultimately
changed her opinion。 She now agrees with me that there is nothing
in this unexpected circumstance of the clandestine marriage which
absolutely tends to divert suspicion from Mr。 Jay； or Mr。 〃Jack；〃
or the runaway lady。 〃Audacious hussy〃 was the term my fair
friend used in speaking of her； but let that pass。 It is more to
the purpose to record that Mrs。 Yatman has not lost confidence in
me； and that Mr。 Yatman promises to follow her example； and do
his best to look hopefully for future results。
I have now； in the new turn that circumstances have taken； to
await advice from your office。 I pause for fresh orders with all
the composure of a man who has got two strings to his bow。 When I
traced the three confederates from the church door to the railway
terminus； I had two motives for doing so。 First； I followed them
as a matter of official business； believing them still to have
been guilty of the robbery。 Secondly； I followed them as a matter
of private speculation； with a view of discovering the place of
refuge to which the runaway couple intended to retreat； and of
making my information a marketable commodity to offer to the
young lady's family and friends。 Thus； whatever happens； I may
congratulate myself beforehand on not having wasted my time。 If
the office approves of my conduct； I have my plan ready for
further proceedings。 If the office blames me； I shall take myself
off； with my marketable information； to the genteel villa
residence in the neighborhood of the Regent's Park。 Anyway； the
affair puts money into my pocket； and does credit to my
penetration as an uncommonly sharp man。
I have only one word more to add； and it is this： If any
individual ventures to assert that Mr。 Jay and his confederates
are innocent o f all share in the stealing of the cash…box； I； in
return； defy that individualthough he may even be Chief
Inspector Theakstone himselfto tell me who has committed the
robbery at Rutherford Street； Soho。
Strong in that conviction； I have the honor to be your very
obedient servant；
MATTHEW SHARPIN。
FROM CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE TO SERGEANT BULMER。
Birmingham； July 9th。
SERGEANT BULMERThat empty…headed puppy； Mr。 Matthew Sharpin；
has made a mess of the case at Rutherford Street； exactly as I
expected he would。 Business keeps me in this town； so I write to
you to set the matter straight。 I inclose with this the pages of
feeble scribble…scrabble which the creature Sharpin calls a
report。 Look them over； and when you have made your way through
all the gabble； I think you will agree with me that the conceited
booby has looked for the thief in every direction but the right
one。 You can lay your hand on the guilty person in five minutes；
now。 Settle the case at once； forward your report to me at this
place； and tell Mr。 Sharpin that he is suspended till further
notice。
Yours； FRANCIS THEAKSTONE。
FROM SERGEANT BULMER TO CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE。
London； July 10th。
INSPECTOR THEAKSTONEYour letter and inclosure came safe to
hand。 Wise men； they say； may always learn something even from a
fool。 By the time I had got through Sharpin's maundering report
of his own folly； I saw my way clear enough to the end of the
Rutherford Street case； just as you thought I should。 In half an
hour's time I was at the house。 The first person I saw there was
Mr。 Sharpin himself。
〃Have you come to help me？〃 says he。
〃Not exactly；〃 says I。 〃I've come to tell you that you are
suspended till further notice。〃
〃Very good；〃 says he； not taken down by so much as a single peg
in his own estimation。 〃I thought you would be jealous of me。
It's very natural and I don't blame you。 Walk in； pray； and make
yourself at home。 I'm off to do a little detective business on my
own account； in the neighborhood of the Regent's Park。 Tata；
sergeant； tata！〃
With those words he took himself out of the way； which was
exactly what I wanted him to do。
As soon as the maid…servant had shut the door； I told her to
inform her master that I wanted to say a word to him in private。
She showed me into the parlor behind the shop； and there was Mr。
Yatman all alone； reading the newspaper。
〃About this matter of the robbery； sir；〃 says I。
He cut me short； peevishly enough； being naturally a poor； weak；
womanish sort of man。
〃Yes； yes； I know；〃 says he。 〃You have come to tell me that your
wonderfully clever man； who has bored holes in my second floor
partition； has made a mistake； and is off the scent of the
scoundrel who has stolen my money。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 says I。 〃That _is_ one of the things I came to tell
you。 But I have got something else to say besides that。〃
〃Can you tell me who the thief is？〃 says he； more pettish than
ever。
〃Yes； sir；〃 says I； 〃I think I can。〃
He put down the newspaper； and began to look rather anxious and
frightened。
〃Not my shopman？〃 says he。 〃I hope； for the man's own sake； it's
not my shopman。〃
〃Guess again； sir；〃 says I。
〃That idle slut； the maid？〃 says he。
〃She is idle； sir；〃 says I； 〃and she is also a slut； my first
inquiries about her proved as much as that。 But she's not the
thief。〃
〃Then； in the name of Heaven； who is？〃 says he。
〃Will you please to prepare yourself for a very disagreeable
surprise； sir？〃 says I。 〃And； in case you lose your temper； will
you excuse my remarking that I am the stronger man of the two；
and that if you allow yourself to lay hands on me； I may
unintentionally hurt you； in pure self…defense。〃
He turned as pale as ashes； and pushed his chair two or three
feet away from me。
〃You have asked me to tell you； sir； who has taken your money；〃 I
went on。 〃If you insist on my giving you an answer〃
〃I do insist；〃 he said； faintly。 〃Who has taken it？〃
〃Your wife has taken it；〃 I said； very quietly； and very
positively at the same time。
He jumped out of the chair as if I had put a knife into him； and
struck his fist on the table so heavily that the wood cracked
again。
〃Steady； sir；〃 says I。 〃Flying into a passion won't help you to
the truth。〃
〃It's a lie！〃 says he； with another smack of his fist on the
table〃a base； vile； infamous lie！ How dare you〃
He stopped； and fell back into the chair again； looked about him
in a bewildered way； and ended by bursting out crying。
〃When your better sense comes back to you； sir；〃 says I； 〃I am
sure you will be gentleman enough to make an apology for the
language you have just used。 In the meantime； please to listen；
if you can； to a word of explanation。 Mr。 Sharpin has sent in a
report to our inspector of the most irregular and ridiculous
kind； setting down not only all his own foolish doings and
sayings； but the doings and sayings o
