Kate called him up at the same hour as on the day before.
"They're off for the night again. All four of them."
"Anything decisive to-day?"
"No, but many little things have confirmed me in my opinion that Uncle George is our man. He is no less agreeable than at first, but in a curious way I feel his power stealing over us. They have moved to the Madagascar, and have been with us all day. We are already as intimate as possible. Bobo is more friendly to them than their supposed niece. She was in a grinding temper last night after they had gone, and properly threw things about."
"To-day, I fancy, Uncle George must have found an opportunity to give her a call, for she was much chastened. It is a strange and welcome sight to see somebody who can tame her. I could almost like this old man if it were not for some things. He's so sensible! Perhaps that's why he was successful for so long. A sensible crook4 must be a novelty."
"It is," said Jack.
"To-day they have had all their meals in our rooms. They make me wait on them, because they say I am handier than the men waiters—'and much nicer to look at,' adds Uncle George."
"Confound him!" muttered Jack.
"I don't object to the waiting, of course, for it gives me a chance to hear the table conversation. It is like a comedy. To-day Bobo made a joking reference to the hundred and fifty thousand dollar necklace that Miriam's heart was set on. The old man just looked at her with those icy blue eyes, and she hung her head. The necklace has not been mentioned since.
"Another thing, Uncle George was responsible for firing Chalfonte to-day. Apparently5 Chalfonte can't be a member of the gang, but a private friend of Miriam's. At any rate his doom6 was sealed from the moment Uncle George turned up. He was insolent7 at the table in his usual way, and, backed up by Uncle, Bobo fired him on the spot. Miriam couldn't say a word. Bobo is beginning to think Uncle George is the most wonderful man on earth.
"'What do you want a secretary for, anyway,' Uncle said to Bobo.
"Bobo stammered8 something about knowing nothing about business.
"'Pshaw!' said Uncle in his hearty9 way. 'If you want any advice come to me!'"
"Did you get a sample of his handwriting?" asked Jack.
"Yes, by great good luck. I didn't see how I was going to manage it. But he wrote a note in our rooms to-day. I was hoping he might give it to me to post, but he didn't. However, there was a new blotter on the desk, which took a perfect impression of several lines that he wrote. I have just mailed you the blotter. Hold it up to a mirror. The note you see is just a bit of camouflage10. He is enclosing a subscription11 to the Buffalo12 Express."
"What about their arrangements for to-morrow?" asked Jack.
"I can only tell you about lunch. I know that Uncle George and Aunt Sally are coming to lunch in our rooms because I heard Bobo giving a special order over the 'phone."
"What time?"
"One o'clock."
"Very well. If the handwriting matches up, you may expect us about that time."
"Heavens! How my heart beats when I think of it!"
"You needn't be there if you'd rather not."
"I wouldn't miss it for a farm!"
"Good! Then you can give me a signal. When they are all seated at the table, come down to the door of Silas Gyde's sitting-room13 and tap three times. On your way back leave the doors open behind you."
Jack possessed14 three letters in "Mr. B.'s" own hand; that which had fallen on the table in the Alpine15 Heights restaurant; that which he had found pinned to Bobo's overcoat; and that which had been handed to Mrs. Cleaver16 in the Hotel Bienvenu. The same hand had likewise kept the card index system. It was a hand of strong individuality, the letters quaintly18 formed as in antique script, suggesting an orderly, painstaking19 and somewhat vain character in the writer, who must have gone to no end of trouble to form such a hand in youth.
The piece of blotting20 paper arrived in the first mail next morning. Held up before a mirror, a single glance was sufficient to identify it. There were the same quaint17 and artistic21 characters—unmistakable!
Jack hesitated no longer. He took the first train for Manhattan, and had himself carried to police headquarters in a taxi. To the Deputy Commissioner Jack now told sufficient of his tale to enlist22 his interest, but withheld23 the whole, for fear that the official's natural amazement24 and incredulity might hold things up. The Deputy was satisfied that the genuine John Farrow Norman stood before him, and that was sufficient. Mr. Delamare vouched25 for it.
Jack asked for eight men, and they were sent for. In the commissioner's office he described to them the man he wanted, and gave his offense26 as blackmail27. A capable sergeant28 was in charge of the squad29. They were to proceed to the Madagascar separately. Four of his men he instructed to wait in the street, in case an escape should be attempted from the windows of the state suite30. The sergeant and the other three would assemble in Connolly's room at the hotel and wait until they got word from Jack. Connolly was well known to the sergeant.
Mr. Delamare was anxious to be "in at the death," as he put it, but they persuaded him to wait, and appear on the scene a little later.
Shortly before one o'clock Jack approached the Madagascar on foot from the direction of Eighth avenue. He had had himself set down at the corner, because he thought a taxicab might possibly attract attention in the unfrequented side street. He let himself in by the private entrance leading to Silas Gyde's old rooms. When he was "fired" he had taken the precaution of retaining a set of keys.
Here he waited, pacing up and down the little sitting-room watch in hand. The minutes passed with leaden slowness. He reflected on how much had happened since first he had entered that room with beating heart. No detail of the room was changed: the same expensive furnishings which somehow only created a barren effect—even the kerosene31 lamp and the heater were still there.
Like all imaginative men on the eve of a decisive action, he became a prey32 to the blackest forebodings. He remembered how often before the old man had fooled him, when he all but had his hand on him. No doubt his infernal luck would still serve him. They would have changed their plans, and gone out to lunch; or some one had tipped him off—he had his spies out; or his sharp eyes had marked the detectives arriving in the lobby.
In the very midst of these depressing fancies Jack heard the agreed signal, three taps on the door.
A swift reaction passed over him. His spirits soared. "Kitty has not failed me! Everything is all right!" he thought.
He called up the office, and asked for Mr. Connolly. Getting him on the wire, he said:
"Connolly, have you got four men there, waiting for instructions?"
"Yes, sir." The house detective had no idea who was speaking.
"Well, just tell them to take their places."
"Yes, sir."
Jack waited two minutes to give the plainclothes men time to get upstairs. He was thinking: "After all this time, and all these failures, in a minute I shall be actually face to face with him!"
He opened the door into the hotel corridor. Four steps away the door into the end room of the state suite stood ajar. Down the corridor he saw the four detectives taking their places. One was approaching to guard the door by which he entered.
Jack passed quickly and noiselessly through the lower rooms of the suite. In the pocket of his coat he grasped his automatic. He approached the Dutch room through Miriam's "boudoir" since Kate had left the doors open that way. He came upon Kate in this room, standing33 by a window with her hands pressed tight to her breast to control her agitation34. From the Dutch room adjoining came the sound of light talk and laughter.
In passing, Jack touched Kate's cold hand to reassure35 her—and opened the door. The cheerful sounds of the luncheon36 party rushed to meet them. He saw the four at the small table. Bobo was facing him and the bald-headed man was opposite Bobo. Miriam had her back to the windows, and the little old woman faced her.
At the opening of the door Miriam turned her head. She was in the act of saying: "Mary, where have you been?" when she saw who it really was, and stopped on a gasp37. Bobo looked up and saw, too.
"J-Jack!" he stammered.
With astonishing swiftness the bald-headed man leaped up, knocking his chair over backwards38, and, never looking round, ran with head down for the door on the left. This led to the foyer and the main entrance to the suite. The detectives were out there, and Jack let him go. The old lady had covered her face with her hands. Bobo sat like a stone man staring at Jack.
All this happened in a breath. Miriam had sprung up too, and backed away from the table towards the windows. As Jack came further into the room, she suddenly darted39 behind him into her own room.
Jack was standing listening for sounds from the corridor, when suddenly Kate screamed a warning behind him. He instinctively40 relaxed, dropping to the floor. There was a shot. The bullet passed about where his head had been, and broke a tankard on the plate rail across the room. From the floor Jack saw the two women struggling for possession of the gun. Springing to Kate's aid, he disarmed41 Miriam. She retreated to the farthest corner of the room, panting and snarling42 like an animal.
The sounds from outside were reassuring43. There was a scuffle and the bald-headed man was pushed back into the room by two detectives. He still had his head down, but as he came opposite Jack he suddenly raised it with cool and smiling effrontery44. It was Jack's turn to be dumbfounded.
"Harmon Evers!" he cried.
It was indeed the philosophic45 little wig-maker.
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收听单词发音
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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2
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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3
commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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4
crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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5
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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6
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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7
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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8
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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10
camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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11
subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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12
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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13
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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14
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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15
alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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16
cleaver
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| n.切肉刀 | |
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17
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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18
quaintly
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| adv.古怪离奇地 | |
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19
painstaking
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| adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的 | |
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20
blotting
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| 吸墨水纸 | |
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21
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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22
enlist
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| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
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23
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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24
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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25
vouched
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| v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 )；担保；确定；确定地说 | |
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26
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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27
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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28
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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29
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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30
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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31
kerosene
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| n.(kerosine)煤油，火油 | |
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32
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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33
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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34
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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35
reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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36
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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37
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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38
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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39
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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40
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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41
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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42
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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43
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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44
effrontery
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| n.厚颜无耻 | |
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45
philosophic
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| adj.哲学的，贤明的 | |
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