Dowker, underneath5 his drab exterior6, concealed7 a kind heart, and, having met Flip one night in the rain, had taken compassion8 on the miserable9 morsel10 of humanity, and given him a cup of coffee to warm him and a roll of bread to satisfy his hunger. Flip was so touched at this disinterested11 kindness that he attached himself with dog-like fidelity12 to the detective, and tried to serve him to the best of his small ability.
Having had to fight his way in the world, Flip had developed a wonderful sharpness of intellect at a very early age, and Dowker turned this hunger-educated instinct to good account, for he often set the little urchin13 to follow cabs, run messages, and do other small matters which he required. Flip performed all these duties so well and promptly14 that Dowker began to take an interest in him, and set to work to cultivate this stunted15 flower which had sprung up amid the evil weeds of the slums. He had a meeting place appointed with Flip in Drury Lane, and, whenever he wanted him, went there to seek him out. Flip listened to his patron's instructions carefully, and, having a wonderfully tenacious16 memory of an uncivilized kind, he never forgot what he was told. In return for services rendered, Dowker gave him a shilling a week, and on this small sum Flip managed to exist, with occasional help from casual passers-by.
Dowker did not give him an education or dress him in decent clothes, as he thought this would spoil his instinct and appearance, both of which were essentially18 useful in their own particular way, so Flip remained ragged19 and ignorant; but it was his patron's intention to give him a chance of rising in the world when he grew older.
He had no name except Flip, and the origin of that was a mystery--no clothes except a pair of baggy20 trousers and a tattered21 shirt--and his home was a noisome22 den23 in the purlieus of Drury Lane. His language was bad, so was his conduct; yet this small scrap24 of neglected humanity had in him the makings of a useful member of society. There are many such in London, but the Christians25 of England prefer to help the savages26 who don't want them to the savages who do. The Chickaboo Indians have existed for centuries without morals, religion, or clothes, and can very well exist for a longer period while the ragged denizens27 of the most civilized17 city in the world are being relieved.
Everyone in London knows Drury Lane, that quaint28, dirty narrow street leading to the Strand29. The very name conjures30 up the shades of Siddons and Garrick, and the neighbourhood is sacred to the Dramatic Muse31. Who has not seen that weather-stained picturesque32 house from the window of which gossipy old Pepys saw Mistress Nell Gwynne leaning out and watching the milkmaids go down to the Strand Maypole for the pleasant old English dance. But, alas33! Nell and the milkmaids with their quaint chronicler have long since passed into the outer darkness--even the Maypole has become but a memory, yet the grim tumble down house still remains34 in the dirty lane.
'Tis a far cry from Charles to Victoria, and the merry milkmaids with their clinking pails have given place to frowsy old women, battered-looking young ones, and a ragged mixture of men and boys. Not an unpicturesque scene, this dilapidated-looking crowd, slouching over the rugged35 stones, and an artist would have stopped and admired them, but Dowker was not an artist, so looked not for scenic36 effect, but for Flip.
Flip was sitting considering at the edge of the pavement with his feet, for the sake of coolness, in the gutter37, and his eyes fixed38 on three dirty pennies lying in his own dirty brown palm.
"'Am," said Flip, deliberating over the expenditure39 of his fortune. "'Am an' bread, an' a swig o' beer--my h'eye, wot a tuck h'out I'll 'ave. 'Ere," suddenly, as Dowker touched him with his foot, "what the blazes are you kicking? Why I'm blest if 'taint40 the guv'nor."
He jumped to his feet, and slipped the pennies into the waistband of his trousers, which did duty with him for a pocket.
"Wot's h'up, guv'nor," he asked with a leer. Flip's leer was not pleasant--it had such an unholy appearance, "more larks--my h'eye, I thort I'd never twig41 you agin. 'Ave you bin42 h'over the gardin-wall arter a prig?"
"Hold your tongue," said Dowker sharply. "I want you to do something for me--are you hungry?"
"Not much," said Flip coolly, "but I don't mind a 'am san'wich."
Dowker cast a sharp glance at the ragged little figure walking beside him.
"Where have you been getting money?" he asked.
"My h'eye, it's a rigler game," said Flip, rubbing his grimy hands together, as they turned into a ham and beef shop, "I'll tell yer all--'am I'll 'ave, an' bread."
Being supplied with these luxuries at the expense of Dowker, Flip stuffed his mouth with a liberal portion and then began to talk.
"Larst Monday," he began.
"Ha," said Dowker, suddenly recollecting43 the date of the murder, "yesterday?"
"No, the Monday afore," said Flip, "it were at nite, h'awful foggy, my h'eye, a rigler corker it were. I was as 'ungry as a bloomin' tyke an' couldn't find you nohow, so h'up I goes to Soho to see h'old Jem Mux, you know's 'im, guv'nor, the cove44 as keeps the 'Pink 'Un.'"
"Yes, the sporting pub," replied Dowker.
"Same game," said Flip, "'e gives me sumat to eat when I arsks it, so I goes h'up to cadge45 some wictuals, I gits cold meat, my h'eye, prime, an' bread an' beer, so when I 'ad copped the grub, I was a-gittin' away h'out of the bar when a swell46 cove comes in--lor' what a swell--fur coat an' a shiny 'at. Ses 'e to the gal47, ses 'e, 'Is that 'ere sparrin' comin' ort this evenin'?' 'Yes, says she, 'in the drorin'-room.' 'Right you h'are,' ses 'e, 'I want to see it afore I leave Hengland. I was a-goin' down to my yotsh,' ses 'e, but I'll put it orf till to-morrow as I wants to see this set to,' then 'e twigs48 me an' ses 'e, 'Are you cold?' 'Yes,' ses I. ''Ungry?' 'Not much,' ses I. ''Ere's some tin for you, you pore little devil,' an' I'm blessed if 'e didn't tip me a sov, so I've bin livin' like a dook on it since I sawr you--nice game, ain't it, guv'nor?"
During this recital49 Dowker had not paid much attention till Flip spoke50 of the yacht, then he suddenly pricked51 up his ears, for it dawned on him that this unknown benefactor52 of Flip's might possibly be Lord Calliston.
"Monday night he was going out of town," murmured Dowker, "but he was always a sporting blade, so perhaps he stopped for this fight and then went down next morning. I wonder where he met Lady Balscombe. Ah, well, it's nothing to do with the murder at all events; but I'd like to know if he really did leave town on the night."
Then he turned to Flip.
"Did the swell see Jem Mux?" he asked sharply.
"Rather," said Flip, "an' Jem 'e called 'im my lord, so 'e must 'ave been a bloomin' blindin' toff."
"My lord," repeated Dowker thoughtfully. "Oh! no doubt it was Lord Calliston. I wonder if he's had anything to do with the death of his mistress, it's curious if he stopped in town all night that he didn't go back to his chambers53. About what time was this?" he asked aloud.
"About nine," said Flip promptly, "or harf-parst."
"Nine," echoed Dowker; "then in that case he must have stayed in town all night, as the last train to Shoreham is about half-past. I'll look into this business, but meantime I want to find out Desmond's little game."
Flip had now finished, his meal and was waiting impatiently for instructions from his chief.
"Wot's h'up, guv'nor?" he asked, his black beady eyes fixed on the detective.
Dowker glanced at his watch.
"It's about two," he said, replacing it, "and I want you to meet me at the Marble Arch about a quarter to three."
"Wot for?"
"To follow a lady and gentleman and overhear what they say," said Dowker; "I'll show you whom I mean. Don't lose a word of their conversation and then repeat it all to me."
"I'm fly," said Flip with a wink54, and then this curiously55 assorted56 pair departed, Dowker to his office for a few minutes, and Flip to wend his way to the rendezvous57 at the Marble Arch.
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1
flip
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| vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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3
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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7
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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8
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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urchin
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| n.顽童；海胆 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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15
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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16
tenacious
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| adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的 | |
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17
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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18
essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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19
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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21
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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22
noisome
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| adj.有害的，可厌的 | |
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23
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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24
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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25
Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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26
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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28
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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30
conjures
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的第三人称单数 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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31
muse
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| n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感 | |
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32
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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33
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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34
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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35
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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36
scenic
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| adj.自然景色的，景色优美的 | |
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gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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38
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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39
expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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40
taint
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| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
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41
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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42
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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43
recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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44
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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45
cadge
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| v.乞讨 | |
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46
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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47
gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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48
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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49
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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50
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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51
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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52
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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53
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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54
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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55
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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56
assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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57
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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