Consequently, when he found there was no legal authority to be given him in unravelling8 the mystery of the diamond robbery, he determined10 to investigate it on his own account, in order to satisfy his curiosity. To a casual spectator, it appeared to be a mere11 vulgar burglary, in which the thieves had got off with their plunder12, and until his interview with Caprice the detective had supposed it to be so. But when he went over in his own mind the peculiar13 circumstances of that interview, he saw there was a complicated criminal case to be investigated, so he set himself to work to unravel9 the mystery, and gratify his inquiring mind.
In the first place, he drew up a statement of the case pure and simple, and then, deducing different theories from the circumstances, he tried to get a point from whence to start. He placed his ideas in the form of questions and answers, as follows:--
Q. Was Villiers outside on the verandah when Caprice mentioned where her diamonds were kept?
A. To all appearances he was.
Q. Had he any inducement to steal the diamonds?
A. Undoubtedly14. He was poor, and wanted money, proved by his calling on Caprice and asking for some. He said he would be revenged because she did not give him more than a sovereign, and there would be no sweeter revenge than to steal her diamonds, as it would punish her, and benefit himself.
Q. Did he know the room where the diamonds were kept?
A. Yes. Caprice said her bedroom, and as Villiers had been several times to the house before, he knew where it was.
Q. Did Caprice know Villiers had stolen her jewels?
A. Extremely probably, hence her refusal to prosecute15, as he was the husband of Madame Midas, whom she had treated so basely. The refusal to prosecute Villiers might be, in Caprice's opinion, an act of expiation16.
When he had got thus far, Naball paused. After all, this was pure theory. He had not a single well authenticated17 fact to go on, but all the circumstances of the case seemed to point to Villiers, so he determined to go on the trail of Villiers, and find out what he was doing.
Mr. Villiers had of late been under the espionage18 of the police, owing to some shady transactions with which he was connected, so Naball knew exactly where to find him, and, putting on an overcoat, he sallied forth19 in the direction of the slums in Little Bourke Street, with the intention of calling on a Chinaman named Ah Goon, who kept an opium20 den1 in that unsavoury locality.
To his drinking habits Villiers now added that of being a confirmed opium smoker21, and was on terms of intimacy22 with Ah Goon, in whose den he was accustomed to pass his evenings. Naball therefore intended to watch for Villiers, and find out, if possible, when, owing to drink and opium combined, he was not master of himself, what he had done on the night of the robbery after leaving Caprice.
He soon entered Little Bourke Street, and plunged24 into the labyrinth25 of slums, which he knew thoroughly26. It was a clear, starry27 night, but the cool, fresh air was tainted28 in this locality by the foul29 miasma30 which pervaded31 the neighbourhood, and even the detective, accustomed as he was to the place, felt disgusted with the sickly odours that permeated32 the atmosphere.
Ah Goon's house was in a narrow right-of-way off one of the larger alleys34, and there was a faint candle burning in the window to attract customers. Pausing at the door a moment, Naball listened to hear if there was any European within. The monotonous35 chant of a Chinese beggar could be heard coming down the alley33, and every now and then the screams of two women fighting, while occasionally a number of noisy larrikins would come tramping heavily along, forming a strong contrast to the silent, soft-footed Orientals.
Pushing open the door, Naball entered the den, a small, low-ceilinged room, which was filled with a dull, smoky atmosphere. At the end was a gaudy-looking shrine36, all yellow, red, and green, with tinsel flowers, and long red bills with fantastic Chinese letters on them in long rows. Candles were burning in front of this, and cast a feeble light around--on a pile of bamboo canes37 and baskets heaped up against the wall; on strange-looking Chinese stools of cane-work; on bizarre ivory carvings38 set on shelves; and on a low raised platform at the end of the room, whereon the opium-smokers reclined. Above this ground-floor were two or three other broad, shallow shelves, in each of which a Chinaman was lying, sunk deep in an opium slumber39; there was also a kerosene40 lamp on the lower floor, beside which Ah Goon was reclining, and deftly41 preparing a pipe of opium for a fat, stolid42-looking Chinaman, who watched the process with silent apathy43.
Ah Goon looked up as the detective entered, and a bland44 smile spread over his face as he nodded to him, and went on preparing his pipe, while Naball stood watching the queer operation. There was an oil lamp with a clear flame in front of Ah Goon, who was holding a kind of darning-needle. Dipping this into a thick, brown, sticky-looking substance, contained in a small pot, he twirled the needle rapidly, spinning round the glutinous45 mass like treacle46. Then he placed it in the flame of the lamp, and turned it slowly round and round for a short time until it was ready; then, having placed it in the small hole of the opium pipe, which he held ready in his other hand, he gave it to his countryman, who received it with a grunt47 of satisfaction, and, lying back, took the long stem between his lips and inhaled48 the smoke with long, steady breaths. When his pipe was done, which was accomplished49 in three or four whiffs, he devoted50 himself to preparing another, while Ah Goon arose to his feet to speak to Naball.
He was a tall man, with a thin, yellow-skinned, emaciated51 face, cunning, oblong eyes, and flattish nose. His pigtail, of course--black hair craftily52 lengthened53 by thick twisted silk--was coiled on top of his head; and his dress, consisting of a dull blue blouse, wide trousers of the same colour, and thick, white-soled Chinese slippers54, by no means added to his personal beauty. Standing55 before Naball, with an unctuous56 smile on his face, and his long, slender hands clasped in front of him, Ah Goon waited for the detective to speak.
Naball glanced rapidly round the apartment, and not seeing Villiers, addressed himself to the stolid Celestial57, who was looking slyly at him.
"Ah Goon, where is the white man who comes here every night?"
"Plenty he come allee muchee night--me no have seen," replied Ah Goon, blinking his black eyes.
"Yes, I know that," retorted Naball quickly; "but this one is short--black hair and whiskers--smokes opium--drinks a lot--is called Villiers."
Whether Ah Goon recognised the gentleman thus elegantly described was doubtful; at all events, he put on a stolid air.
"Me no sabee," he answered.
Naball held out a half-a crown, upon which Ah Goon fixed58 his eyes lovingly.
"Where is he?"
The money was too much for Ah Goon's cupidity59, so he gave in.
"Him playee fan-tan-ayah!" he answered, in a sing-song voice, "allee same."
"Oh!"
Mr. Naball did not waste any words, but threw the half-crown to the expectant Ah Goon, and turned towards the door. Just as he reached it there was a noise of hurried footsteps outside, and Villiers' voice, husky and savage60, was heard,--
"Ah Goon, you yellow devil, where are you?" and there came a heavy kick at the door.
In a moment Naball drew back into a shadowy corner, and placed his finger on his lips to ensure silence, a pantomime which the intelligent Ah Goon understood at once.
Villiers opened the door and lurched noisily into the room, stopping for a minute on the threshold, dazed by the yellow, smoky glare.
"Here, you, Ah Goon," he cried, catching61 sight of the Chinaman, "I want some money--more money."
"Ah Goon no have," murmured that individual, clutching his half-crown.
"I've lost all I had on that infernal fan-tan of yours," shrieked63 Villiers, not heeding64 him; "but my luck must change--give me another fiver."
"Ah Goon no have," reiterated65 the Chinaman, edging away from the excited Villiers.
"Curse your no have," he said fiercely; "why, I've only had twenty pounds from you, and those diamonds were worth fifty."
Diamonds! Naball pricked66 up his ears at this. He was winning after all. Kitty did not steal her jewels, but this was the thief, or perhaps an accomplice67.
"Give me more money," cried Villiers, lurching forward, and would have laid his hand on the shoulder of the shrinking Chinaman, when Naball stepped out of his corner.
"What's the matter?" he asked, in his silky voice.
Villiers turned on the new-comer with a sudden start, and stared suspiciously at him; but the detective being muffled68 up in a heavy ulster, with his hat pulled over his eyes, he did not recognise him.
"What do you want?" he said ungraciously.
"Nothing," replied Naball quickly. "I'm only strolling round the Chinese quarter out of curiosity, and heard you rowing this poor devil."
"Poor devil!" sneered69 Villiers, with a glance of fury at Ah Goon, who had complacently70 resumed his occupation of preparing an opium pipe; "he's rich enough."
"Indeed," said the detective, carelessly--"to lend money?"
"What's that to you?" growled71 Villiers, with a snarl72. "I s'pose I can borrow money if I like."
"Certainly, if you've got good security to give."
Villiers glared angrily at the young man.
"Don't know what you're talking about," he said sulkily.
"Security," explained Naball smoothly73; means "borrowing money on land, clothes, or--or diamonds."
Villiers gave a sudden start, and was about to reply, when the door opened violently, and a bold, handsome woman, dressed in a bright green silk, dashed into the room and swooped74 down on Ah Goon.
"Well, my dear," she said effusively75, "'ere I am; bin23 to the theatre, and 'ere you are preparing that pisin of yours. Oh, I must 'ave one pipe to-night, just one, and--Who the blazes are you?" catching sight of the two strangers.
"Shut up," said Villiers, and made a step towards her, for just on the bosom76 of her dress sparkled a small crescent of diamonds set in silver. The woman's eyes caught his covetous77 glance, and she put her hand over the ornament78.
"No, you don't," she said scowling79. "Lay a finger on me and I'll--ah!"
She ended with a stifled80 cry, for without warning, Villiers had sprung on her, and his hands were round her throat. Ah Goon and another Chinaman jumped up and threw themselves on the two, trying to separate them. The woman got Villiers' hands off her, and started to sing out freely, so Naball began to think of retreating, as the noise would bring all the undesirable81 bullies82 of the neighbourhood into the unsavoury den.
While thus hesitating, the woman flung the diamond ornament away from her with an oath, and it fell at Naball's feet. In a moment the detective had picked it up and slipped in into his pocket.
Villiers, seeing the ornament was gone, flung the woman from him with a howl of fury, and turned to look for it, when the door was burst violently open, and a crowd of Chinese, all chattering83 in their high shrill84 voices like magpies85, surged into the room. Ah Goon, with many gesticulations, began to explain, Villiers to swear, and the woman to shriek62, so in the midst of this pandemonium86 Naball slipped away, and was soon walking swiftly down Little Bourke Street, with the diamond ornament safe in his pocket.
"I believe this is one of the stolen jewels," he muttered exultingly87, "and Villiers was the thief after all. Humph! I'm not so sure of that. Well, I'll find out the truth when I see how she looks on being shown this little bit of evidence."
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1
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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4
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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5
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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6
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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7
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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8
unravelling
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| 解开，拆散，散开( unravel的现在分词 )； 阐明； 澄清； 弄清楚 | |
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unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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10
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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11
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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13
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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14
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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16
expiation
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| n.赎罪，补偿 | |
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authenticated
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| v.证明是真实的、可靠的或有效的( authenticate的过去式和过去分词 )；鉴定，使生效 | |
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espionage
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| n.间谍行为，谍报活动 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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smoker
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| n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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24
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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25
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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26
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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27
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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28
tainted
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| adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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29
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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miasma
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| n.毒气；不良气氛 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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permeated
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| 弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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canes
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| n.（某些植物，如竹或甘蔗的）茎( cane的名词复数 )；（用于制作家具等的）竹竿；竹杖 | |
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38
carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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39
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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40
kerosene
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| n.(kerosine)煤油，火油 | |
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41
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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42
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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43
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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44
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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glutinous
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| adj.粘的，胶状的 | |
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46
treacle
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| n.糖蜜 | |
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47
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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48
inhaled
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| v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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50
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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51
emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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52
craftily
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| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
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53
lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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55
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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56
unctuous
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| adj.油腔滑调的，大胆的 | |
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57
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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58
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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59
cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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60
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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61
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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62
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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63
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
heeding
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 ) | |
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65
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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67
accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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68
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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69
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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71
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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72
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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73
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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74
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
effusively
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| adv.变溢地，热情洋溢地 | |
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76
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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77
covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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78
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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79
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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80
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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81
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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82
bullies
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| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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83
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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84
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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85
magpies
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| 喜鹊（magpie的复数形式） | |
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86
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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87
exultingly
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| 兴高采烈地，得意地 | |
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