“Tell me,” I asked laughingly, “did you bring me to this room for the sheer joy of gloating over my nearness to this toy that I have been struggling to possess for the past month, knowing how impossibly far it was from me? Did it afford you so much pleasure to play with me, to tease me, that you pushed your game so dangerously far? If so, you are an artist, my dear duke.”
“Mr. Hume is generous in his compliments.”
“Or,” I continued, thrusting my face nearer to his, “am I mistaken in thinking that most of your words and deeds are spoken and acted with some purpose in view?”
“For example?” he asked lightly.
“For example,” I repeated, “it was hardly for love of me that you spoke1 to me this afternoon.”
290“Hardly,” he sneered2, pale with rage and disappointment. “Rather because I hated you so much that I wished to amuse myself at your expense.”
“Or is there a third possibility?” I continued scornfully. “That you wished to avenge3 yourself? While you were taunting4 me with St. Hilary’s perfidy5, or his supposed perfidy, the idea occurred to you that if you could induce me to come to your rooms, if you could hold me there while you sent Luigi for the gendarmes6, you might have me committed to jail for assault, perhaps, or complicity in breaking into your rooms. On the whole, I am inclined to think that this view of the case is the most reasonable.”
“As you will, Mr. Hume,” he answered, his lips white and trembling.
“Now listen to me, Duke da Sestos. Granting that I am correct, the gendarmes will be here presently. Luigi has been gone some time. Before they come, I wish to put the case clearly before you. This casket and these jewels belong neither to me nor to you. They are the property of the state. When your gendarmes come, be sure I shall make that clear.”
“Pooh! I have always known that you were a fool,” he cried contemptuously.
“Ah, I thought you would listen to reason,” 291I said quickly. “Now tell me frankly7: Why have you been so keen on this hunt for the casket? Was it to please Miss Quintard or to please yourself?”
“Why not both? In pleasing myself perhaps I should be pleasing Miss Quintard.”
“And perhaps not,” I replied drily. “A truthful8 answer, duke, if you please. We have no time to lose–if you care anything for the baubles9 in this casket.”
“Well, then, for myself,” he said, looking at me curiously10.
“And if I had not surprised you just now, you would have taken your casketful of jewels to London or Paris to dispose of them at leisure?”
“Perhaps,” he assented11 insolently12.
“Or would you have taken this casket to Miss Quintard and apologized for making a slight error?”
“Why could I not have done both?” he cried. “Yes, Mr. Hume, even if you give it to the gendarmes, the casket is mine–legally and morally. The state will grant my claim, and then––”
“That is the point I was coming to. Supposing you were offered a share of these baubles–I do not say how great a share–is it possible that you could be induced to give up the casket?”
292“I have heard there is an English proverb that it is better to have a bird in one’s hand than two birds in the bushes.”
“But allow me to remind you that in this instance the bird is in my hands.”
“For the present,” he interrupted with a meaning glance.
“Come, come,” I cried sharply, “we have had enough of this quibbling. I make you a sporting proposition. I will give you a share of these jewels for the casket.”
“I am afraid,” he said suspiciously, “my share would be rather a small one.”
“It would be one-third,” I said quietly. “I am not a thief. I covet13 no stolen property, and these stones were stolen. The price of blood is on them. Whether they were stolen to-day or five hundred years ago, the moral aspect of the case is the same. But I want that casket, and I must have it.”
“Who gets the other two-thirds?” demanded the duke, like a greedy glutton14. “St. Hilary, I suppose.”
“If he can prove to me that he has played fair.”
The duke thought a minute. “Very well, I agree.”
I emptied the chambers15 of the revolver’s cartridges16. 293I put them into my pocket. I pushed the weapon carefully under the newspapers again.
“And now that the strain of the past five minutes is over, I suppose I may have a look at my casket?”
“With pleasure.” The duke bowed sardonically17.
In shape and size it was not unlike the pseudo da Sestos casket with which the duke had attempted to deceive Jacqueline.
It was of bronze, overlaid with plaques18 of gold, enriched with cloisonné enameled20 work and precious stones, cut for the most part en cabochon. The cover rose to an apex21. At the apex was a knob of wrought22 gold, in shape a monster’s head, the eyes formed of minute rubies23. At the four corners of the cover were large semi-precious stones of chalcedony, rock-crystal, carbuncle, and turquoise24. From these four stones to the knob of gold ran lines of pearls.
The sides of the casket were composed of rectangular plaques, alternately covered with symmetrical designs in colored cloisonné enamel19, partly opaque25 and partly translucent26. These plaques were studded with pearls framed with a cunning design of scrolls27 and filigree28 work.
294“It would fetch a thousand pounds at Christie’s any day,” I mused29.
“Will you tell me how long that toy must tick before the cover can be opened?” interrupted the duke.
“When did you set the mechanism30?”
“At precisely31 twenty-five minutes to seven.”
“Then in half an hour the casket will be opened.”
There was a loud knock on the door.
“Ah, your gendarmes,” I said coolly.
“And, as host, may I receive my guests?”
“Do,” I urged, and seated myself in his chair, the casket on my knees.
He opened the door. Two impossibly solemn gendarmes entered, precisely alike as two files. Keeping step, each with each, their hands on their sword hilts, they advanced to the middle of the room and saluted32. Old Luigi stood discreetly33 without. I hope it is no disgrace to confess that I awaited the duke’s orders with some trepidation34.
“We have received word,” said the duke calmly, and he waved his hand toward me, “that an American gentleman, returning from the bal masqué at the C?sarini Palace, early this morning, was assaulted by ruffians near the Calle Bianca Madonna, and knocked insensible. He 295was then carried to an empty house in the Jewish quarter. It is the third right-hand house on the quay35 of the Mestre Canal as you enter it. Release the gentleman. Tell him that his friend, Signore Hume, wishes to speak with him here. See that he comes. That is all.”
The gendarmes saluted as one man, spun36 about on their heels and marched from the room, their red and white plumes37 nodding.
“The gentleman to be found in the Jewish quarter is, of course, St. Hilary. It requires no great imagination to guess that you had him confined there. It would interest me to know how you managed last night.”
“Oh, believe me, nothing could have been simpler,” replied the duke. “I knew, you may be sure, that you were not spying on Miss Quintard and myself in the tower. As a matter of fact, I was bitterly disappointed when you showed yourself; for, frankly, Mr. St. Hilary and you had been seen ascending38 the tower, and it was known that you were concealed39 somewhere. But we had not thought of the beams up there. When you were discovered I had presence of mind enough not to rout40 out your friend. All we had to do, then, was to watch him. We made our way into the sala after you, and, lying concealed until the dramatic moment, my Punchinello 296took care of your friend, while I took care of your casket.”
“But how did you know we were to take the casket that night?”
“You have been watched for a week. It is so much easier and more sensible to reap where others have sown than to dirty one’s own fingers with the plow41.”
“Then,” I said with a sigh of relief, “St. Hilary played fair?”
“So far as I know,” replied the duke indifferently. “But I hear him coming up the stairs. You can ask him for yourself.”
The door burst open, and St. Hilary rushed in. A bandage stained with blood and dirt was wrapped about his head. He was still in my ulster and golf cap. He looked as if he had spent a few bad quarters of an hour.
“You are just in time, St. Hilary,” I cried, “to see the casket opened.”
“What! You have beaten him after all!” He glared at the duke.
“With neatness and despatch,” generously complimented the duke.
St. Hilary did not answer. He stood looking down at the casket, holding his watch in his hand. It was now six-thirty. The clock on the Piazza42 told the half-hour.
297“Did you set the mechanism at six thirty-five precisely?” I asked anxiously.
“At six thirty-five precisely,” answered the duke, frowning too in anxiety.
“Tut, tut! Do you expect the accuracy of a watch of the twentieth century in this mechanism?” replied St. Hilary irritably43. “It may be several minutes before the casket opens.”
“In that case, I fear, Mr. Hume, that you may have to delay fulfilling your promise to Miss Quintard.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Do you forget that she leaves Venice at seven-thirty?”
“What are you talking about?” asked St. Hilary roughly, his eyes fixed44 on the casket.
“The duke has just been reminding me that the casket is legally his, and that, if necessary, he will lay his claim before the state.”
“But we are not fools enough to care a straw about his claim,” growled45 the dealer46. “We have beaten him at his own game. It is too late for him to cry out.”
“On the contrary,” I said coolly, “the duke has induced me to recognize that claim.”
“Yes, I have exchanged my casket for a share of its contents,” added the duke suavely47.
For a moment St. Hilary forgot to keep his 298eye on the casket. He glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
“Surrendered his claim! To you? By heavens, do you think, Hume, that you can ignore me?”
“I have not ignored you, St. Hilary. If you lose the casket, you have two-thirds of the gems48. It is better, I should think, to have that two-thirds than to have any trouble with the state.”
“Precisely,” beamed the duke.
“Very well,” agreed the dealer grudgingly49.
It was now a quarter to seven. Still we could hear the muffled50 tick.
“It really looks as if Mr. Hume would miss his train,” mocked the duke.
At that instant there was a loud click. The duke started perceptibly. St. Hilary, pale with excitement, flung up his hands. I threw back the cover.
The room seemed suddenly irradiated with a flash of multi-colored light. Five great gems glowed in their compartments51 of purple velvet52 in the topmost tray. St. Hilary and the duke uttered cries of joy. If I must confess it, these stones affected53 me hardly more than a display in any jeweler’s window in Bond Street or Fifth Avenue.
“The minutes are more precious to me than 299those gems,” I cried. “Take out the trays, or I shall empty the contents of the casket on the table.”
“When once we have closed the shutters54,” said St. Hilary.
He started to go to the windows, but noticing that the duke did not move, he halted suspiciously. They were like two beasts with their prey55 between them.
“I will close the shutters for you,” I said, laughing grimly at the greed that distorted their faces.
As I left the room with the casket in a bag which the duke procured56 for me, my last look caught a glimpse of the two men seated one on each side of the table. A lighted candle was at each elbow, and the trays of gems lay between them.
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1
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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2
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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taunting
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| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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perfidy
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| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
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gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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7
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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8
truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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9
baubles
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| n.小玩意( bauble的名词复数 )；华而不实的小件装饰品；无价值的东西；丑角的手杖 | |
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10
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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13
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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14
glutton
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| n.贪食者，好食者 | |
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15
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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16
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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17
sardonically
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| adv.讽刺地，冷嘲地 | |
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18
plaques
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| （纪念性的）匾牌( plaque的名词复数 )； 纪念匾； 牙斑； 空斑 | |
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19
enamel
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| n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
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20
enameled
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| 涂瓷釉于，给…上瓷漆，给…上彩饰( enamel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
apex
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| n.顶点，最高点 | |
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22
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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23
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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24
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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25
opaque
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| adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的 | |
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26
translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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27
scrolls
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| n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕 | |
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28
filigree
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| n.金银丝做的工艺品；v.用金银细丝饰品装饰；用华而不实的饰品装饰；adj.金银细丝工艺的 | |
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29
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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30
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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31
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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32
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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33
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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34
trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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35
quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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36
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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37
plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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38
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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39
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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40
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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41
plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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42
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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43
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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44
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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45
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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46
dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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47
suavely
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48
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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49
grudgingly
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50
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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51
compartments
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| n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层 | |
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52
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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53
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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54
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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55
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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56
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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