little novels-第85节

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ther　way　than　by　writing　to　him。　But　when　I　heard　he　was　dying；　I　forgot　all　customary　considerations。　His　name　was　so　well…known　in　London　that　I　easily　discovered　at　what　hospital　he　had　been　received。　There　I　heard　that　the　report　was　false　and　that　he　was　out　of　danger。　I　ought　to　hav　e　been　satisfied　with　thatbut　oh；　how　could　I　be　so　near　him　and　not　long　to　see　him？　The　old　doctor　with　whom　I　had　been　speaking　discovered；　I　suppose；　that　I　was　in　trouble　about　something。　He　was　so　kind　and　fatherly；　and　he　seemed　to　take　such　interest　in　me；　that　I　confessed　everything　to　him。　After　he　had　made　me　promise　to　be　careful；　he　told　the　night…nurse　to　let　me　take　her　place　for　a　little　while；　when　the　dim　light　in　the　room　would　not　permit　his　patient　to　see　me　too　plainly。　He　waited　at　the　door　when　we　tried　the　experiment。　Neither　he　nor　I　foresaw　that　Lord　Howel　would　put　such　a　strange　interpretation　on　my　presence。　The　nurse　doesn't　approve　of　my　coming　backeven　for　a　little　while　onlyand　taking　her　place　again　to…night。　She　is　right。　I　have　had　my　little　glimpse　of　happiness；　and　with　that　little　I　must　be　content。'

〃What　I　said　in　answer　to　this；　and　what　I　did　as　time　advanced；　it　is　surely　needless　to　tell　you。　You　have　read　the　newspapers　which　announce　their　marriage；　and　their　departure　for　Italy。　What　else　is　there　left　for　me　to　say？

〃There　is；　perhaps；　a　word　more　still　wanting。

〃Obstinate　Lord　Howel　persisted　in　refusing　to　take　the　fortune　that　was　waiting　for　him。　In　this　difficulty；　the　conditions　under　which　I　was　acting　permitted　me　to　appeal　to　the　bride。　When　she　too　said　No；　I　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。　I　showed　her　poor　Lady's　Howel's　will。　After　reading　the　terms　in　which　my　dear　old　friend　alluded　to　her　she　burst　out　crying。　I　interpreted　those　grateful　tears　as　an　expression　of　repentance　for　the　ill…considered　reply　which　I　had　just　received。　As　yet；　I　have　not　been　told　that　I　was　wrong。〃


MR。　POLICEMAN　AND　THE　COOK。

A　FIRST　WORD　FOR　MYSELF。

BEFORE　the　doctor　left　me　one　evening；　I　asked　him　how　much　longer　I　was　likely　to　live。　He　answered：　〃It's　not　easy　to　say；　you　may　die　before　I　can　get　back　to　you　in　the　morning；　or　you　may　live　to　the　end　of　the　month。〃

I　was　alive　enough　on　the　next　morning　to　think　of　the　needs　of　my　soul；　and　（being　a　member　of　the　Roman　Catholic　Church）　to　send　for　the　priest。

The　history　of　my　sins；　related　in　confession；　included　blameworthy　neglect　of　a　duty　which　I　owed　to　the　laws　of　my　country。　In　the　priest's　opinionand　I　agreed　with　himI　was　bound　to　make　public　acknowledgment　of　my　fault；　as　an　act　of　penance　becoming　to　a　Catholic　Englishman。　We　concluded；　thereupon；　to　try　a　division　of　labor。　I　related　the　circumstances；　while　his　reverence　took　the　pen　and　put　the　matter　into　shape。

Here　follows　what　came　of　it：

I。

WHEN　I　was　a　young　man　of　five…and…twenty；　I　became　a　member　of　the　London　police　force。　After　nearly　two　years'　ordinary　experience　of　the　responsible　and　ill…paid　duties　of　that　vocation；　I　found　myself　employed　on　my　first　serious　and　terrible　case　of　official　inquiryrelating　to　nothing　less　than　the　crime　of　Murder。

The　circumstances　were　these：

I　was　then　attached　to　a　station　in　the　northern　district　of　Londonwhich　I　beg　permission　not　to　mention　more　particularly。　On　a　certain　Monday　in　the　week；　I　took　my　turn　of　night　duty。　Up　to　four　in　the　morning；　nothing　occurred　at　the　station…house　out　of　the　ordinary　way。　It　was　then　springtime；　and；　between　the　gas　and　the　fire；　the　room　became　rather　hot。　I　went　to　the　door　to　get　a　breath　of　fresh　airmuch　to　the　surprise　of　our　Inspector　on　duty；　who　was　constitutionally　a　chilly　man。　There　was　a　fine　rain　falling；　and　a　nasty　damp　in　the　air　sent　me　back　to　the　fireside。　I　don't　suppose　I　had　sat　down　for　more　than　a　minute　when　the　swinging…door　was　violently　pushed　open。　A　frantic　woman　ran　in　with　a　scream；　and　said：　〃Is　this　the　station…house？〃

Our　Inspector　（otherwise　an　excellent　officer）　had；　by　some　perversity　of　nature；　a　hot　temper　in　his　chilly　constitution。　〃Why；　bless　the　woman；　can't　you　see　it　is？〃　he　says。　〃What's　the　matter　now？〃

〃Murder's　the　matter！〃　she　burst　out。　〃For　God's　sake；　come　back　with　me。　It's　at　Mrs。　Crosscapel's　lodging…house；　number　14　Lehigh　Street。　A　young　woman　has　murdered　her　husband　in　the　night！　With　a　knife；　sir。　She　says　she　thinks　she　did　it　in　her　sleep。〃

I　confess　I　was　startled　by　this；　and　the　third　man　on　duty　（a　sergeant）　seemed　to　feel　it　too。　She　was　a　nice…looking　young　woman；　even　in　her　terrified　condition；　just　out　of　bed；　with　her　clothes　huddled　on　anyhow。　I　was　partial　in　those　days　to　a　tall　figureand　she　was；　as　they　say；　my　style。　I　put　a　chair　for　her；　and　the　sergeant　poked　the　fire。　As　for　the　Inspector；　nothing　ever　upset　_him_。　He　questioned　her　as　coolly　as　if　it　had　been　a　case　of　petty　larceny。

〃Have　you　seen　the　murdered　man？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Or　the　wife？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　didn't　dare　go　into　the　room；　I　only　heard　about　it！〃

〃Oh？　And　who　are　You？　One　of　the　lodgers？〃

〃No；　sir。　I'm　the　cook。〃

〃Isn't　there　a　master　in　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　He's　frightened　out　of　his　wits。　And　the　housemaid's　gone　for　the　doctor。　It　all　falls　on　the　poor　servants；　of　course。　Oh；　why　did　I　ever　set　foot　in　that　horrible　house？〃

The　poor　soul　burst　out　crying；　and　shivered　from　head　to　foot。　The　Inspector　made　a　note　of　her　statement；　and　then　asked　her　to　read　it；　and　sign　it　with　her　name。　The　object　of　this　proceeding　was　to　get　her　to　come　near　enough　to　give　him　the　opportunity　of　smelling　her　breath。　〃When　people　make　extraordinary　statements；〃　he　afterward　said　to　me；　〃it　sometimes　saves　trouble　to　satisfy　yourself　that　they　are　not　drunk。　I've　known　them　to　be　madbut　not　often。　You　will　generally　find　_that_　in　their　eyes。〃

She　roused　herself　and　signed　her　name〃Priscilla　Thurlby。〃　The　Inspector's　own　test　proved　her　to　be　sober；　and　her　eyesa　nice　light　blue　color；　mild　and　pleasant；　no　doubt；　when　they　were　not　staring　with　fear；　and　red　with　cryingsatisfied　him　（as　I　supposed）　that　she　was　not　mad。　He　turned　the　case　over　to　me；　in　the　first　instance。　I　saw　that　he　didn't　believe　in　it；　even　yet。

〃Go　back　with　her　to　the　house；〃　he　says。　〃This　may　be　a　stupid　hoax；　or　a　quarrel　exaggerated。　See　to　it　yourself；　and　hear　what　the　doctor　says。　If　it　is　serious；　send　word　back　here　directly；　and　let　nobody　enter　the　place　or　leave　it　till　we　come。　Stop！　You　know　the　form　if　any　statement　is　volunteered？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　I　am　to　caution　the　persons　that　whatever　they　say　will　be　taken　down；　and　may　be　used　against　them。〃

〃Quite　right。　You'll　be　an　Inspector　yourself　one　of　these　days。　Now；　miss！〃　With　that　he　dismissed　her；　under　my　care。

Lehigh　Street　was　not　very　far　offabout　twenty　minutes'　walk　from　the　station。　I　confess　I　thought　the　Inspector　had　been　rather　hard　on　Priscilla。　She　was　herself　naturally　angry　with　him。　〃What　does　he　mean；〃　she　says；　〃by　talking　of　a　hoax？　I　wish　he　was　as　frightened　as　I　am。　This　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　out　at　service；　sirand　I　did　think　I　had　found　a　respectable　place。〃

I　said　very　little　to　herfeeling；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　rather　anxious　about　the　duty　committed　to　me。　On　reaching　the　house　the　door　was　opened　from　within；　before　I　could　knock。　A　gentleman　stepped　out；　who　proved　to　be　the　doctor。　He　stopped　the　moment　he　saw　me。

〃You　must　be　careful；　policeman；〃　he　says。　〃I　found　the　man　lying　on　his　back；　in　bed；　deadwith　the　knife　that　had　killed　him　left　sticking　in　the　wound。〃

Hearing　this；　I　felt　the　necessity　of　sending　at　once　to　the　station。　Where　could　I　find　a　trustworthy　messenger？　I　took　the　liberty　of　asking　the　doctor　if　he　would　repeat　to　the　police　what　he　had　already　said　to　me。　The　station　was　not　much　out　of　his　way　home。　He　kindly　granted　my　request。

The　landlady　（Mrs。　Crosscapel）　joined　us　while　we　were　talking。　She　was　still　a　young　woman；　not　easily　frightened；　as　far　as　I　could　see；　even　by　a　murder　in　the　house。　Her　husband　was　in　the　passage　behind　her。　He　looked　old　enough　to　be　her　father；　and　he　so　trembled　with　terror　that　some　people　might　have　taken　him　for　the　guilty　person。　I　removed　the　key　from　the　street　door；　after　locking　it；　and　I　said　to　the　landlady：　〃Nobody　must　leave　the　house；　or　enter　the　house；　　till　the　Inspector　comes。　I　must　examine　the　premises　to　see　if　any　on　e　has　broken　in。〃

〃There　is　the　key　of　the　area　gate；〃　she　said；　in　answer　to　me。　〃It's　always　kept　locked。　Come　downstairs　and　see　for　yourself。〃　Priscilla　went　with　us。　Her　mistress　set　her　to　work　to　light　the　kitchen　fire。　〃Some　of　us；〃　says　Mrs。　Crosscapel；　〃may　be　the　better　for　a　cup　of　tea。〃　I　remarked　that　she　took　things　easy；　under　the　circumstances。　She　answered　that　the　landlady　of　a　London　lodging…house　could　not　afford　to　lose　her　wits；　no　matter　what　might　happen。

I　found　the　gate　locked；　and　the　shutters　of　the　kitchen　window　fastened。　The　back　kitchen　and　back　door　were　secured　in　the　same　way。　No　person　was　concealed　anywhere。　Returning　upstairs；　I　examined　the　front　parlor　window。　There；　again；　the　barred　shutters　answered　for　the　security　of　that　room。　A　crack