Luncheon7 ended, Marjorie Garth left us to go and write letters to be sent ashore8 in the launch for posting. I repaired to my cabin to snatch a little sleep in the siesta9 hour; for I was very tired after our disturbed night. But though the gently whirring fan kept the atmosphere nicely cool and my bed invited repose10, I could not sleep. Now that I was alone again, I found my thoughts continually recurring11 to the slip of oilsilk with its enigmatic message.
I have always found that short commons of sleep is an excellent mental tonic12. Though I was physically13 worn out, my brain was alive and active and, pulling from my pocket the dead man's message (for so I designated it to myself) I fell to studying it with renewed zest14.
I had it already by heart even to the bars of music (though for music I have little ear); but I read it over again. What absolute rot it sounded!
"Noon. 18/11/18."
I considered the date for an instant. Why, by November 18th, 1918, the war was over! The Armistice15 had been signed seven days earlier. And at once a light dawned on me. The dead man, I had surmised16, had an appointment with someone at Cock Island, probably with El Cojo's gang. Realising that he was about to die the Unknown had left this message for his friends; but, probably knowing that an occasional ship touched at the island, he had coded his instructions to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. The date of the message seemed to give the clue as to why his friends had failed to keep their appointment, so that the message had remained on the grave until it was found months later by Adams. The Armistice had been signed; Germany was beaten; and consequently the services of such obliging "neutrals" as El Cojo and Co. had abruptly17 ceased.
With growing excitement, for I felt certain that, this time, my deductions18 were not at fault, I read on:—
"Flash, flash, much
This absolutely defeated me and I passed on.
"With the compass is best
"Think of the Feast of Orders"
Der Ordensfest! Unconsciously, as I repeated the words to myself, the clean white panels of the cabin melted away, and there rose before my mind a dim picture, a study in grey, an outdoor scene across which swept the wintry wind with biting blast.... A leaden sky, grey buildings, their roofs deep-thatched with snow, and grey-clad troops, masses of them, set about a vast square. It was a blurred20 picture with, here and there, a detail clear, the rime21 glistening22 on an officer's pelisse, the plume23 of a helmet blown out in the icy breeze.... Ah! I had it! Berlin.... The Feast of Orders, with the annual ceremony of the so-called nailing of the Colours. I had seen it once, that famous winter parade, as a boy when my brother Francis and I had been on a visit to a cousin of ours, who was secretary at the Berlin Embassy....
But what did it mean in this connection? What had the Feast of Orders, the annual bestowal24 on the old Prussian bureaucracy of thousands of crosses and stars and medals, as an economical substitute for increases in salary, what had it to do with a compass?
Then it came to me with a flash.... A compass argued a compass bearing, and this bearing was there concealed25 in this phase! "Der Ordensfest!" Stay! The date. What was the date? And that came back to me too.... January 27th, "Kaisers Geburtstag," the Emperor's birthday.
By Jove! At last a beam of light was piercing the darkness.
Those two lines meant indubitably: "Take a compass bearing of 27 degrees!"
The next two lines:—
"Past the Sugar-Loaf
"You'll see the Lorelei"
obviously referred to those "peaks" of which the "Sailing Directions" had spoken.
"If you desire the sweetheart."
Sch?tzchen was the German word. But, ye gods, Schatz of which Sch?tzchen is the diminutive27, properly speaking, means "treasure"! By what form of physical and mental blindness had I been smitten28 to have failed to see this direct reference to treasure in the cipher29?
The four bars of music brought me up with a jerk. I hummed the tune30 which I had strummed out on John Bard31's piano. It seemed, as I said, vaguely32 familiar as a German ditty of the popular sort but what or where.... I....
On this I must have fallen asleep. I awoke with a start, as one does from an afternoon nap, and stared round blankly, trying to recollect33 where I was. There was a little sidelong motion in the cabin as the yacht rose and fell at anchor to the swell34 and the electric fan purred gently as it revolved35. Someone was tapping at the door.
"Come in!" I cried and Carstairs put his face in.
"Sir Alexander begs pardon for disturbing you, sir," the man said, "but could you make it convenient to go to him at once in his cabin? He said as how it was urgent...."
"Of course. Tell Sir Alexander I'll be with him immediately."
Garth had a little suite36 at the far end of the saloon consisting of a small state-room, very handsomely furnished, with sleeping apartment and bath off it. I found him seated in a swivel-chair at his desk in conversation with a dark young man, his face yellowed from the tropics, in a creased37 white duck suit.
"Ah, major," said the baronet, "I'm sorry to have had to spoil your forty winks38. But a rather curious thing has happened. They're getting a warrant out against you for murder. The British Vice-Consul here has been good enough to come off and give us the tip...."
"It's a most singular thing," said the Vice-Consul. "Last night a poor white, a drunken Englishman who lived with a negress in the native quarter, had his throat cut. He was a worthless creature, called himself Adams; I knew him well. In fact, it's only about a fortnight ago that we threw him out of the Consulate39. Well, an information has been laid against you by two citizens who swear that they saw you leave this man Adams's shack40 in the early hours of the morning.
"Now in the ordinary way nobody in Rodriguez makes any bones about a plain murder like this. But our friend Adams—or his black lady who, incidentally, was also killed—seemed to have had some amazing political pull. The Procurator-General of the Republic in person came down to the office half an hour ago to see me about it. He seemed scared out of his life, told me he would certainly lose his job unless he could produce you for trial. Now——"—the Vice-Consul cleared his throat and drew hard on the black cigar he was smoking, "I don't know anything about you, major, or your business,"—he looked sharply at me, "and I'm not inquiring. But I do know that, while straightforward41 murder in Rodriguez is scarcely a penal42 offence, dabbling43 in politics is a very serious matter. What I came off to tell you was to beat it while the going's good.... That's all!"
"It's extremely kind of you to have taken the trouble," I replied, "and I highly appreciate your discretion44 in the matter. But surely, if the warrant is out, it will be served at once. After all, we're within the three-mile limit...."
The Vice-Consul waved his hand.
"In this illustrious Republic," he remarked dryly, "no business of any description is ever done in the siesta hours. Even during our periodical revolutions there's a truce45 every day between noon and 4 p.m. But you'll want to hurry; for, as soon as it cools off, you'll have a bunch of coffee-coloured dons alongside in the harbour-master's launch!"
"I'll see about getting under way at once!" said Garth, and hastened out.
The Vice-Consul picked up his panama and approached me. He looked cautiously about him and lowered his voice as he spoke26.
"I'm risking my job by doing this," he said, "for the Consul's down with fever and I'm acting46 on my own responsibility. But Bard was telling us about you at the Club, about your D.S.O. and that in the war, and it's the least a fellow can do who didn't fight—I'm rotten through and through with malaria47, you know—to help a chap who did. Now, listen! You're in great danger. You've run up against the biggest bunch of crooks48 in Central America...."
"You mean El Cojo and his gang?"
"Aye...."
"Who is this man, El Cojo?"
"No one knows. No one ever sees him. No one knows where he lives. Some say he is a Mexican. But his power is tremendous and his vengeance49 swift and terrible. I could tell you stories.... You should be safe on this yacht. But take my advice and don't leave it until you can go ashore under the American or the British flag!"
He gave me his hand.
"I shan't forget this service," I said warmly, "if there's anything I can ever do in return...."
"Well," he answered slowly, "I was recommended for the M.B.E. once. But the F.O. turned it down. If you had any influence...."
"If Sir Robert is still my friend," I assured him, "you shall have it. And perhaps it might be an O.B.E. Write me down your name and address...."
As we emerged on the deck the crew were busy getting the yacht ready for sea. There was a bit of commotion50 at the gangway. Garth and Captain Lawless stood at the head of the ladder in animated51 conversation with a very trim young man, beautifully dressed in spotless white drill.
"Hullo," said the Vice-Consul, "it's Custrin, your new doctor!"
"It's no good," Garth was saying as we approached the group, "we'll have to be away in ten minutes, doctor, and there's so much work going forward on deck that your friends would only be in the way...."
"But, sir," the young man urged, "they need only stay for a minute. As distinguished52 residents of Rodriguez they wished to have the honour of meeting you, of showing you courtesy. They set great store by such things here and if you refuse I'm very much afraid they'll take it amiss...."
I glanced over the side. In a row-boat at the foot of the ladder sat three swarthy gentlemen in frock-coats, their large dark eyes turned appealingly up to the deck of the Naomi.
"You'll tell your friends," said the baronet, "how much I appreciate their great attention and how much I regret that circumstances prevent me from receiving their visit on board. Captain Lawless, the Vice-Consul's launch!"
Lawless gave an order and while the doctor descended53 the ladder and spoke to the party in the boat, the Vice-Consul took his leave and boarded his launch.
Five minutes later the Naomi, curtseying to the long green swell, pointed54 her bows towards the fronded55 headlands which marked the entrance to the harbour. As we passed out between the bluffs56, the dull report of a gun drifted out to us over the freshening breeze. At the same moment, in a smother57 of spray, a launch came tearing out of the port, a mere58 speck59 in the shimmering60 green sea far astern.
At my side on the bridge, Garth laughed.
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1
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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4
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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5
unpacked
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| v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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6
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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7
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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8
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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9
siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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10
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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11
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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12
tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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13
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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14
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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15
armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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16
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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17
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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18
deductions
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| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
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19
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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20
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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21
rime
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| n.白霜；v.使蒙霜 | |
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22
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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23
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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24
bestowal
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| 赠与，给与； 贮存 | |
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25
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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26
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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27
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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28
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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29
cipher
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| n.零；无影响力的人；密码 | |
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30
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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31
bard
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| n.吟游诗人 | |
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32
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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33
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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35
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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36
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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37
creased
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| （使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹； 皱皱巴巴 | |
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38
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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39
consulate
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| n.领事馆 | |
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40
shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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41
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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42
penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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43
dabbling
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| v.涉猎( dabble的现在分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资 | |
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44
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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45
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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46
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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47
malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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48
crooks
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| n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 ) | |
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49
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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50
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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51
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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52
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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53
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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54
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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55
fronded
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| 前移的 | |
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56
bluffs
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| 恐吓( bluff的名词复数 )； 悬崖； 峭壁 | |
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57
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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58
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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59
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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60
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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61
overhaul
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| v./n.大修，仔细检查 | |
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62
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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