“What is it?” he asked.
“Fernando, with your breakfast, honorable sir.” The Filipino set the tray on the chair and, removing some magazines and books from a small table, put it in front of the window and then arranged the tray. Turning about he saw Curtis struggling to tie his cravat4 and went to assist him. “I get your cane5, sir. The table—it is this way,” and he walked solicitously6 across the room with Curtis and pulled back his chair before the improvised7 breakfast table.
Curtis ate half-heartedly; he had little appetite. “You may pour out another cup of coffee,” he said, “and then you need not wait. But first,” his voice deepened, “why did you tell me you were Fernando?”
“I—I—” The Filipino, taken completely by surprise, came to a stammering8 halt.
“Just so, Damason.” Curtis smiled grimly. “Why are you masquerading as your twin brother?”
“He sick,” Damason passed one moist hand uneasily over the other. “I take his place; it is all the same.” He cast a quick, suspicious glance at Curtis. “How you know?”
“By your height,” calmly. “You will recollect9 that I rested my hand on your shoulder when you tied my cravat. Your brother must be two inches shorter than you. Your voices, however, are identical. Is Fernando very ill?”
“Oh, no, sir. He what you call,” hunting about for a word, “sick to his stomach. He drink soda10 and be all right.”
“If I can do anything, let me know. I am a physician.”
“Thanks, honorable sir.” Damason bowed low. “If you want anything, please ring, sir, and I come.”
“Very well, Damason,” and the Filipino started for the door just as it opened and admitted Leonard McLane.
“It’s Leonard, Dave; I came right up,” he said, nodding to Damason as the chauffeur11 slipped into the hall, closing the door behind him. “What is it, old man?” laying his hand on Curtis’ shoulder to keep him in his seat. “Don’t rise. I found your urgent message about three this morning and came over as soon as I decently could and not awaken12 the household.” He gazed keenly at Curtis, and asked in concern: “Has anything of importance happened? You look as if you had had a night of it.”
“I had,” laconically13. “Sit down, Leonard. I want your advice.”
McLane listened enthralled14 as Curtis rapidly told of the arrival of Frank Elliott and the latter’s claim to the one hundred thousand dollars, of the duplicate key in the safe deposit box, of his drive to Frederick in Anne’s car and finding a similar key hanging on her gold chain.
“And you don’t know what this key unlocks?” asked McLane.
“No. But it must be of some importance or Anne would not carry it on her person, nor Meredith have its duplicate in a safe deposit box,” replied Curtis doggedly16. “And I am commencing to believe that when we find what this key opens we will have gone a long way in solving the problem of who killed Meredith and why.”
“In this room?”
“Yes. And just as I got a firm grip on its hand—I can’t call it a paw—and tried to drag the beast back inside the window, the hand was severed20 from the body and left in my grasp.”
McLane half rose in his seat and then sank back. “You are kidding me!” he exclaimed.
Curtis left his chair and went over to his bureau. When he came back to the window he unwrapped a bloodstained handkerchief and displayed its contents.
“Are you convinced?” he asked. “Look at the window sill and tell me what you see.”
McLane bent21 over the sill and studied it in silence. “There is a streak22 of blood and a mark on the stone ledge23 where a sharp blade struck. It must have been driven with terrific force.”
“By whom?”
McLane leaned far out of the window and scanned the brick walls. “Some one must have been crouching24 on this balcony just outside your window, Dave,” he said.
“Sure—the man who hadn’t the courage to steal into my room, but had to send a poor dumb beast to do his dirty work,” declared Curtis savagely25.
McLane straightened up. “I had almost forgotten,” he exclaimed. “I saw an impression of a hand on your counterpane yesterday. At first glance I thought it was a child’s soiled hand.”
“That proves the monkey has made other visits to my bedroom,” broke in Curtis grimly. “With what object, I wonder—”
“To steal—”
“What?”
McLane shrugged26 his shoulders. “I’ll answer that later—when I know,” he added dryly. “I wasn’t entirely27 convinced that it was a child’s hand which I had seen on the counterpane, so I came back to your room, Dave, just before leaving the house, only to find that the counterpane had been changed in our absence.”
Curtis whistled softly. “I’ll be everlastingly28 blessed!” he ejaculated. “Well, we have one clue to go upon which will enable us to identify the person so interested in my room,” he spoke with renewed energy. “And that is the monkey. People who possess monkeys in this vicinity are not numerous. We should have little difficulty in locating the owner of my midnight visitor.”
“I can tell you the owner’s name now—”
“You can?” Curtis was quick to detect the odd inflection in McLane’s voice.
“Who is it?”
“Anne Meredith.”
The answer was unexpected. Curtis drew in his breath sharply.
“Are you sure?” he demanded. “Think, Leonard, what you are implying-”
McLane nodded. “Her uncle, John Meredith, gave a marmosette to Anne for Christmas. It is a wonderfully intelligent little beast. Anne called it her thinking machine.”
“I never heard of it—”
“How many days have you been here?” quickly. “I came last Friday,” stopping to count; “this is Wednesday morning, four days in all.”
“And John Meredith was killed on Sunday night,” put in McLane. “It is hardly surprising that you are not familiar with everything about Ten Acres and its inmates29.”
“Fernando, the Filipino, takes care of it for her—”
Curtis rose. “So that is it!” His face cleared.
“And Fernando is ill this morning. Go, Leonard, and find out if the monkey is still alive and—if its paw is missing. If it is, swear out a warrant for Fernando’s arrest—”
“On what grounds?”
“As a housebreaker,” grimly. “That will hold him, for the time being. Hurry, Leonard.” He pushed his friend impatiently toward the door and into the corridor. They had reached the head of the circular staircase when Gretchen intercepted31 them.
“Doctor McLane,” she called timidly, and the two men halted. “Plees come and see Mees Lucille.”
“Is she ill?” inquired McLane, observing Curtis’ impatient frown at the interruption to their plans.
Gretchen bowed her head and McLane, looking at her closely, saw that she was crying.
“Which is Miss Lucille’s bedroom?” he asked. Gretchen pointed32 dumbly down the left hand corridor. “Stay here, Dave, and I’ll return as quickly as possible.”
As Curtis rested his hand on the banisters he caught a faint sob33 on his right as Gretchen buried her face in her apron34.
“What news?” quickly.
“Her father was hurt las’ night in his car.” Gretchen drew a sobbing38 breath. “Mees Lucille fear to tell her mother. Poor Mees Lucille!”
Curtis’ kind heart was touch by her genuine grief. “Perhaps Miss Lucille is unduly39 alarmed,” he suggested. “Her father may not be seriously hurt.” Gretchen looked unconvinced. “It was what you call a ‘bad smash,’” she repeated the words almost as if she had learned them by rote40. “I feel so because we come togedder from my country, and she is my dear young Mees.”
Curtis had a retentive41 memory. Where had he heard Gretchen use that phrase before in the same agitated42 tones? Before he could question her further she had darted43 down the corridor toward Lucille’s bedroom. He lingered by the staircase for over five minutes, then becoming restive44, turned and paced up and down the hall, each turn taking him a little further from the staircase. He paused abruptly45 before a closed door and touched the knob somewhat doubtfully—a piece of twine46 still hung from it.
His memory had not been at fault in the location of John Meredith’s bedroom. He swung open the door and stepped inside.
“Mon Dieu!” Susanne’s excited exclamation47 made him pause. “Mon Dieu, Monsieur le Docteur!” She pulled herself together and lowered her voice to its normal tone. “You haf—haf—” She reached out her hand to clutch the door as she got to her knees, but Curtis had swung the door to again. As he did so his hand brushed against the inside knob—from the key in the lock was suspended a wig48.
“Is this yours?” he asked politely, concealing49 his astonishment50 and also his inclination51 to laugh.
“But yes, monsieur.” Susanne passed him and disengaged her property from the key, caught between the hair and the pretty cap she always wore. “Some time ago, monsieur, I had the fever, and my hair lef’ me.” Her nimble fingers replaced the wig and cap. “Monsieur will do me a kindness by not speaking of my misfortune.”
“Of course, Susanne, I will say nothing.”
“Merci, monsieur,” and waiting for no more, Susanne hurried off, in her haste never observing a small object hopping52 along the hall. She had not entirely closed the door and through the narrow opening it passed into John Meredith’s bedroom.
Curtis rested on his cane in deep thought. His brief conversation with the French maid had given him time to wonder at her presence in Meredith’s bedroom. What was she doing there? And above all, why was she on her knees? If she had not been on her knees how had her wig become caught in the key of the door? He had obviously swung the door against her as he entered. If she had been directly in front of the door he could not have opened it without using some force.
Curtis walked to the door and grasping the inside knob pulled it slowly open, as he did so walking in the direction it swung. It brought him against the right wall of the bedroom. Susanne must have been kneeling there when he entered. Curtis stood where he was and pushed the door to. Not until he heard the click of the latch53 did he move. Tucking his cane under his arm he moved his hands back and forth54 over the high mahogany panels with which the room was wainscoted. What had interested Mrs. Meredith’s French maid might prove of interest to him! He worked his way to the corner by the door, then, undiscouraged by his lack of success, covered the ground again slowly, feeling each panel as he went along. He had traversed some distance down the room when he paused to push a chair out of his way.
“Watch your step!” The hoarse55 warning came just under his lifted foot and he swayed back in startled surprise. His hand struck the wainscoting a resounding56 blow; he distinguished57 a faint buzzing sound, and a panel swung toward him. Curtis clutched it in time to regain58 his balance. He heard a flutter of wings and a bird alighted on his shoulder.
“Pretty Poll, pretty Poll!” The parrot preened59 its feathers, then its softer tones grew shrill60. “Anne—you devil—I’ve caught you!”
Curtis scratched the parrot’s head. “I’ll wring61 your neck, Ruffles,” he muttered, “some day—perhaps.”
The parrot’s chuckle62 carried a hint of diabolic mirth as it fluttered down to the floor and hopped63 across to its old quarters. From that vantage point the bird eyed Curtis as he turned his attention to the open panel and the steel door which, when closed, it cleverly concealed64.
Curtis’ first care was to locate the spring which he had accidentally struck, so that he might be able to open the panel again. His diligent65 search was rewarded by finding a section where the panels joined. The spring was a clever piece of mechanism66, and Curtis made sure that he could operate it before turning his attention to the steel door. He ran his fingers lightly over its surface and found the small keyhole. Taking out the key which he had removed from Anne’s gold chain the night before, he inserted it in the lock—a turn of his wrist and the door opened slowly.
It was some seconds before Curtis put his hand inside the compartment67. He touched a number of packages lying one upon another. Taking up one he removed the rubber band and fingered the bank notes before returning them to their safe hiding place. Drawing up his chair, Curtis seated himself and went deliberately68 through the contents of John Meredith’s secret compartment.
Ten minutes later Curtis closed the door of the bedroom, taking the precaution to lock it and pocket the key. There was no suggestion of hesitancy in the blind surgeon’s movements—it was a man virile69, fearless and resourceful who walked quietly down the corridor toward the servants’ wing of the house.
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1
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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solicitously
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| adv.热心地，热切地 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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laconically
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| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
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enthralled
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| 迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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19
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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23
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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24
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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26
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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everlastingly
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| 永久地，持久地 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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31
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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distresses
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| n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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rote
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| n.死记硬背，生搬硬套 | |
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41
retentive
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| v.保留的，有记忆的；adv.有记性地，记性强地；n.保持力 | |
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42
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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44
restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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48
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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49
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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50
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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51
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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52
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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53
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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54
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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55
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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56
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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57
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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58
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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59
preened
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| v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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61
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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62
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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63
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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64
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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65
diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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66
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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virile
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| adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的 | |
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