CHAPTER II

 Next morning it was all in the newspapers, in the minutest detail. It even had additions—consisting of Detective This, Detective That, and Detective The Other's “Theory” as to how the robbery was done, who the robbers were, and whither they had flown with their booty. There were eleven of these theories, and they covered all the possibilities; and this single fact shows what independent thinkers detectives are. No two theories were alike, or even much resembled each other, save in one striking particular, and in that one all the other eleven theories were absolutely agreed. That was, that although the rear of my building was torn out and the only door remained locked, the elephant had not been removed through the rent, but by some other (undiscovered) outlet¹. All agreed that the robbers had made that rent only to mislead the detectives. That never would have occurred to me or to any other layman², perhaps, but it had not deceived the detectives for a moment. Thus, what I had supposed was the only thing that had no mystery about it was in fact the very thing I had gone furthest astray in. The eleven theories all named the supposed robbers, but no two named the same robbers; the total number of suspected persons was thirty-seven. The various newspaper accounts all closed with the most important opinion of all—that of Chief Inspector³ Blunt. A portion of this statement read as follows:

 

     The chief knows who the two principals are, namely, “Brick” Duffy

     and “Red” McFadden.  Ten days before the robbery was achieved he was

     already aware that it was to be attempted, and had quietly proceeded

     to shadow these two noted⁵ villains⁶; but unfortunately on the night

     in question their track was lost, and before it could be found again

     the bird was flown—that is, the elephant.

 

     Duffy and McFadden are the boldest scoundrels in the profession; the

     chief has reasons for believing that they are the men who stole the

     stove out of the detective headquarters on a bitter night last

     winter—in consequence of which the chief and every detective

     present were in the hands of the physicians before morning, some

     with frozen feet, others with frozen fingers, ears, and other

     members.

When I read the first half of that I was more astonished than ever at the wonderful sagacity of this strange man. He not only saw everything in the present with a clear eye, but even the future could not be hidden from him. I was soon at his office, and said I could not help wishing he had had those men arrested, and so prevented the trouble and loss; but his reply was simple and unanswerable:

 

“It is not our province to prevent crime, but to punish it. We cannot punish it until it is committed.”

 

I remarked that the secrecy⁷ with which we had begun had been marred⁸ by the newspapers; not only all our facts but all our plans and purposes had been revealed; even all the suspected persons had been named; these would doubtless disguise themselves now, or go into hiding.

 

“Let them. They will find that when I am ready for them my hand will descend⁹ upon them, in their secret places, as unerringly as the hand of fate. As to the newspapers, we must keep in with them. Fame, reputation, constant public mention—these are the detective's bread and butter. He must publish his facts, else he will be supposed to have none; he must publish his theory, for nothing is so strange or striking as a detective's theory, or brings him so much wondering respect; we must publish our plans, for these the journals insist upon having, and we could not deny them without offending. We must constantly show the public what we are doing, or they will believe we are doing nothing. It is much pleasanter to have a newspaper say, 'Inspector Blunt's ingenious and extraordinary theory is as follows,' than to have it say some harsh thing, or, worse still, some sarcastic¹⁰ one.”

 

“I see the force of what you say. But I noticed that in one part of your remarks in the papers this morning you refused to reveal your opinion upon a certain minor¹¹ point.”

 

“Yes, we always do that; it has a good effect. Besides, I had not formed any opinion on that point, anyway.”

 

I deposited a considerable sum of money with the inspector, to meet current expenses, and sat down to wait for news. We were expecting the telegrams to begin to arrive at any moment now. Meantime I reread the newspapers and also our descriptive circular, and observed that our twenty-five thousand dollars reward seemed to be offered only to detectives. I said I thought it ought to be offered to anybody who would catch the elephant. The inspector said:

 

“It is the detectives who will find the elephant; hence the reward will go to the right place. If other people found the animal, it would only be by watching the detectives and taking advantage of clues and indications stolen from them, and that would entitle the detectives to the reward, after all. The proper office of a reward is to stimulate¹² the men who deliver up their time and their trained sagacities to this sort of work, and not to confer benefits upon chance citizens who stumble upon a capture without having earned the benefits by their own merits and labors¹³.”

 

This was reasonable enough, certainly. Now the telegraphic machine in the corner began to click, and the following despatch¹⁴ was the result:

 

                         FLOWER STATION, N. Y., 7.30 A.M.

     Have got a clue.  Found a succession of deep tracks across a farm

     near here.  Followed them two miles east without result; think

     elephant went west.  Shall now shadow him in that direction.

                         DARLEY, Detective.

“Darley's one of the best men on the force,” said the inspector. “We shall hear from him again before long.”

 

Telegram No. 2 came:

 

                         BARKER'S, N. J., 7.40 A.M.

     Just arrived.  Glass factory broken open here during night, and

     eight hundred bottles taken.  Only water in large quantity near here

     is five miles distant.  Shall strike for there.  Elephant will be

     thirsty.  Bottles were empty.

                         BAKER, Detective.

“That promises well, too,” said the inspector.

 

“I told you the creature's appetites would not be bad clues.”

 

Telegram No. 3:

 

                         TAYLORVILLE, L. I. 8.15 A.M.

     A haystack near here disappeared during night.  Probably eaten.

     Have got a clue, and am off.

                         HUBBARD, Detective.

“How he does move around!” said the inspector “I knew we had a difficult job on hand, but we shall catch him yet.”

 

                         FLOWER STATION, N. Y., 9 A.M.

     Shadowed the tracks three miles westward¹⁵.  Large, deep, and ragged¹⁶.

     Have just met a farmer who says they are not elephant-tracks.  Says

     they are holes where he dug up saplings for shade-trees when ground

     was frozen last winter.  Give me orders how to proceed.

                         DARLEY, Detective.

“Aha! a confederate of the thieves! The thing, grows warm,” said the inspector.

 

He dictated¹⁷ the following telegram to Darley:

 

     Arrest the man and force him to name his pals⁴.  Continue to follow

     the tracks to the Pacific, if necessary.

                         Chief BLUNT.

Next telegram:

 

                         CONEY POINT, PA., 8.45 A.M.

     Gas office broken open here during night and three months' unpaid¹⁸ gas

     bills taken.  Have got a clue and am away.

                         MURPHY, Detective.

“Heavens!” said the inspector; “would he eat gas bills?”

 

“Through ignorance—yes; but they cannot support life. At least, unassisted.”

 

Now came this exciting telegram:

 

                         IRONVILLE, N. Y., 9.30 A.M.

     Just arrived.  This village in consternation¹⁹.  Elephant passed

     through here at five this morning.  Some say he went east some say

     west, some north, some south—but all say they did not wait to

     notice, particularly.  He killed a horse; have secured a piece of it

     for a clue.  Killed it with his trunk; from style of blow, think he

     struck it left-handed.  From position in which horse lies, think

     elephant traveled northward²⁰ along line of Berkley Railway.  Has four

     and a half hours' start, but I move on his track at once.

                         HAWES, Detective

I uttered exclamations²¹ of joy. The inspector was as self-contained as a graven image. He calmly touched his bell.

 

“Alaric, send Captain Burns here.”

 

Burns appeared.

 

“How many men are ready for instant orders?”

 

“Ninety-six, sir.”

 

“Send them north at once. Let them concentrate along the line of the Berkley road north of Ironville.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Let them conduct their movements with the utmost secrecy. As fast as others are at liberty, hold them for orders.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Go!”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Presently came another telegram:

 

                         SAGE CORNERS, N. Y., 10.30.

     Just arrived.  Elephant passed through here at 8.15.  All escaped

     from the town but a policeman.  Apparently²² elephant did not strike

     at policeman, but at the lamp-post.  Got both.  I have secured a

     portion of the policeman as clue.

                         STUMM, Detective.

“So the elephant has turned westward,” said the inspector. “However, he will not escape, for my men are scattered²³ all over that region.”

 

The next telegram said:

 

                         GLOVER'S, 11.15

Just arrived. Village deserted²⁴, except sick and aged²⁵. Elephant passed

through three-quarters of an hour ago. The anti-temperance mass-meeting

was in session; he put his trunk in at a window and washed it out with

water from cistern²⁶. Some swallowed it—since dead; several drowned.

Detectives Cross and O'Shaughnessy were passing through town, but

going south—so missed elephant. Whole region for many miles around in

terror—people flying from their homes. Wherever they turn they meet

elephant, and many are killed.                         BRANT, Detective.

I could have shed tears, this havoc²⁷ so distressed²⁸ me. But the inspector only said:

 

“You see—we are closing in on him. He feels our presence; he has turned eastward²⁹ again.”

 

Yet further troublous news was in store for us. The telegraph brought this:

 

                         HOGANSPORT, 12.19.

     Just arrived.  Elephant passed through half an hour ago, creating

     wildest fright and excitement.  Elephant raged around streets; two

     plumbers going by, killed one—other escaped.  Regret general.

                         O'FLAHERTY, Detective.

“Now he is right in the midst of my men,” said the inspector. “Nothing can save him.”

 

A succession of telegrams came from detectives who were scattered through New Jersey³⁰ and Pennsylvania, and who were following clues consisting of ravaged³¹ barns, factories, and Sunday-school libraries, with high hopes-hopes amounting to certainties, indeed. The inspector said:

 

“I wish I could communicate with them and order them north, but that is impossible. A detective only visits a telegraph office to send his report; then he is off again, and you don't know where to put your hand on him.”

 

Now came this despatch:

 

                         BRIDGEPORT, CT., 12.15.

     Barnum offers rate of $4,000 a year for exclusive privilege of using

     elephant as traveling advertising³² medium from now till detectives

     find him.  Wants to paste circus-posters on him. Desires immediate³³

     answer.

                         BOGGS, Detective.

“That is perfectly³⁴ absurd!” I exclaimed.

 

“Of course it is,” said the inspector. “Evidently Mr. Barnum, who thinks he is so sharp, does not know me—but I know him.”

 

Then he dictated this answer to the despatch:

 

     Mr. Barnum's offer declined.  Make it $7,000 or nothing.

                         Chief BLUNT.

“There. We shall not have to wait long for an answer. Mr. Barnum is not at home; he is in the telegraph office—it is his way when he has business on hand. Inside of three—”

 

     Done.—P. T. BARNUM.

So interrupted the clicking telegraphic instrument. Before I could make a comment upon this extraordinary episode, the following despatch carried my thoughts into another and very distressing³⁵ channel:

 

                         BOLIVIA, N. Y., 12.50.

     Elephant arrived here from the south and passed through toward the

     forest at 11.50, dispersing³⁶ a funeral on the way, and diminishing

     the mourners by two.  Citizens fired some small cannon-balls into

     him, and then fled.  Detective Burke and I arrived ten minutes

     later, from the north, but mistook some excavations³⁷ for footprints,

     and so lost a good deal of time; but at last we struck the right

     trail and followed it to the woods.  We then got down on our hands

     and knees and continued to keep a sharp eye on the track, and so

     shadowed it into the brush.  Burke was in advance.  Unfortunately

     the animal had stopped to rest; therefore, Burke having his head

     down, intent upon the track, butted³⁸ up against the elephant's hind³⁹

     legs before he was aware of his vicinity.  Burke instantly arose to

     his feet, seized the tail, and exclaimed joyfully⁴⁰, “I claim the

     re—” but got no further, for a single blow of the huge trunk laid

     the brave fellow's fragments low in death.  I fled rearward, and the

     elephant turned and shadowed me to the edge of the wood, making

     tremendous speed, and I should inevitably⁴¹ have been lost, but that

     the remains⁴² of the funeral providentially intervened again and

     diverted his attention.  I have just learned that nothing of that

     funeral is now left; but this is no loss, for there is abundance of

     material for another.  Meantime, the elephant has disappeared again.

                         MULROONEY, Detective.

We heard no news except from the diligent⁴³ and confident detectives scattered about New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia—who were all following fresh and encouraging clues—until shortly after 2 P.M., when this telegram came:

 

                         BAXTER CENTER, 2.15.

     Elephant been here, plastered over with circus-bills, and he broke up a

     revival, striking down and damaging many who were on the point of

     entering upon a better life.  Citizens penned him up and established

     a guard.  When Detective Brown and I arrived, some time after, we

     entered inclosure and proceeded to identify elephant by photograph

     and description.  All marks tallied⁴⁴ exactly except one, which we

     could not see—the boil-scar under armpit.  To make sure, Brown

     crept under to look, and was immediately brained—that is, head

     crushed and destroyed, though nothing issued from debris⁴⁵.  All fled

     so did elephant, striking right and left with much effect.  Has

     escaped, but left bold blood-track from cannon-wounds.  Rediscovery

     certain.  He broke southward, through a dense⁴⁶ forest.

                         BRENT, Detective.

That was the last telegram. At nightfall a fog shut down which was so dense that objects but three feet away could not be discerned. This lasted all night. The ferry-boats and even the omnibuses had to stop running.

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1 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

2 layman   

n.俗人，门外汉，凡人

参考例句：

• These technical terms are difficult for the layman to understand.这些专门术语是外行人难以理解的。
• He is a layman in politics.他对政治是个门外汉。

3 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

4 pals   

n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙

参考例句：

• We've been pals for years. 我们是多年的哥们儿了。
• CD 8 positive cells remarkably increased in PALS and RP(P CD8+细胞在再生脾PALS和RP内均明显增加(P 来自互联网

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 villains   

n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼

参考例句：

• The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

8 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

9 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

10 sarcastic   

adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的

参考例句：

• I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。
• She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

11 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

12 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

13 labors   

v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
• Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句

14 despatch   

n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道

参考例句：

• The despatch of the task force is purely a contingency measure.派出特遣部队纯粹是应急之举。
• He rushed the despatch through to headquarters.他把急件赶送到总部。

15 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

16 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

17 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 unpaid   

adj.未付款的，无报酬的

参考例句：

• Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。
• He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。

19 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

20 northward   

adv.向北；n.北方的地区

参考例句：

• He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。
• I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

21 exclamations   

n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词

参考例句：

• The visitors broke into exclamations of wonder when they saw the magnificent Great Wall. 看到雄伟的长城，游客们惊叹不已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After the will has been read out, angry exclamations aroused. 遗嘱宣读完之后，激起一片愤怒的喊声。 来自辞典例句

22 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

23 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

24 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

25 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

26 cistern   

n.贮水池

参考例句：

• The cistern is empty but soon fills again.蓄水池里现在没水，但不久就会储满水的。
• The lavatory cistern overflowed.厕所水箱的水溢出来了

27 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

28 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

29 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

30 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

31 ravaged   

毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫

参考例句：

• a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
• The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。

32 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

33 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

34 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

35 distressing   

a.使人痛苦的

参考例句：

• All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
• It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。

36 dispersing   

adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。
• Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

37 excavations   

n.挖掘( excavation的名词复数 )；开凿；开凿的洞穴（或山路等）；（发掘出来的）古迹

参考例句：

• The excavations are open to the public. 发掘现场对公众开放。
• This year's excavations may reveal ancient artifacts. 今年的挖掘可能会发现史前古器物。 来自辞典例句

38 butted   

对接的

参考例句：

• Two goats butted each other. 两只山羊用角顶架。
• He butted against a tree in the dark. 他黑暗中撞上了一棵树。

39 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

40 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

41 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

42 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

43 diligent   

adj.勤勉的，勤奋的

参考例句：

• He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
• She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。

44 tallied   

v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合

参考例句：

• The girl tallied them with her eyes for a moment. 新娘用目光把这些化妆品清点了一下。 来自教父部分
• His account of the accident tallied with hers. 他对事故的陈述和她的相吻合。 来自辞典例句

45 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

46 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。