IT WAS TEN days later that the ambassador gave a dinner to some prominent Englishman whom his country desired to honour.
It was the first day, after her experiences at Snacklit House, on which Irene had been visible at the Embassy, some physical blemishes1, which had been reductive of her usual charms, having prompted an anonymous2 visit to a South Coast town, which it is better to leave unmentioned, owing to an experience she had there - one of the dubious3 consequences of anonymity4 - of which she thought it best that her father should not be told.
Her health, owing to the buoyant quality of her sanguine5 youth, had been unaffected throughout, and, when this evening came, she showed no trace of the experiences she had undergone excepting an inconspicuous scar near her left eye, and that she would have had patience to remain secluded6 until that should disappear would have been an extreme improbability, even apart from the event which we must not be drawn7 aside to observe, beyond the discreet8 allusion9 already made.
To the only guest who was audibly curious concerning the cause of the injury, she replied, with impregnable veracity10, that it is always foolish to collide with open doors in the dark, and having put that enquiry so lightly aside she proceeded to enjoy herself as much as is possible to an ambassador's daughter who shares the responsibility of entertaining her father's guests.
Her right-hand neighbour at the dinner-table was a professor of economics of international reputation, and she concluded soundly that he would not be overwhelmingly interested in the knitting of jumpers, or the style of the season's hats.
On the other hand, her knowledge of economics was not sufficient to give reasonable hope that she could sustain a conversation upon them without exposing greater ignorance than a hostess prefers to show, and with this consciousness, and that of her international duty of entertaining her guest with a suitable topic of conversation, her mind naturally turned to a subject which had largely occupied it during the voluntary seclusion11 of the previous week. She introduced the question of the desirability of the marriage of cousins with the verbal adroitness12 which few men and most women have.
Its connection with economics (if any) is remote, but the old gentleman was one of those numerous specialists who, having succeeded in establishing a reputation for good crowing on their own dunghills, consider that any other should do equally well; and he was, more exceptionally, of wide interests and an unprejudiced mind.
He rose to the bait at once. He said that, like many popular beliefs, the objection to such marriages was only conditionally13 true. Like to unlike is the law of physical attraction, and cousins are likely but not certain to combine like qualities, both good and bad. The question, should cousins marry, is therefore incapable14 of absolute reply. Some should, and others should not. A minority of cousins are widely different in temperaments15 and physique, and, in such cases, if they should both be in good health, their unions might be particularly successful. Nothing can alter the arithmetical fact that the children of first cousins will have less than the normal number of grandparents, and the one who is duplicated may have an abnormally strong influence either, or perhaps both, for good and evil.
The learned doctor having a rather penetrating16 voice, which was more frequently exercised in the classroom than at the fireside, and the guests not being numerous, his remarks gained the attention of a silent table.
A discussion followed, exposing some differences of opinion, but nothing was said to disturb Irene's opinion that the learned doctor was a most able man.
Mr. Thurlow, listening without comment at the other end of the table, concluded that if Will Kindell were asked to dinner his daughter would not be vexed17, and being a man of prompt action when his decisions were clearly made, he telephoned him next morning, and found, without surprise, that his invitation was promptly18 accepted.
Kindell came that evening, and found that the ambassador and his daughter were dining alone.
Mr. Thurlow explained that he had asked him because he was curious to know what was being done by the police to secure the conviction of Professor Blinkwell (to whom he alluded19 in language unfitting for the lips of an Envoy20 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the august country he represented) for his countless21 crimes, and he enquired22 with a more personal anxiety to what extent Irene was likely to be involved in the criminal proceedings23 which had become obviously unavoidable.
"We don't want," he said, "more publicity24 than we can't help, but we know the mistakes we've made, and I want Allenby to understand that there'll be no squealing25 from me."
"I told the superintendent26 that I should see you tonight," Kindell replied, "and he authorized27 me to say that, so far as Irene is concerned, unless you should wish to prosecute28, in which case every facility will, of course, be given, it is not proposed that any action be taken.
"The men principally concerned - Snacklit and Burfoot - are accused, with Wilkes, of the more serious crime of the murder of the taxi-driver; and Snacklit has disappeared."
"They expect to apprehend29 him?"
"With his face in the state it is, I should say, if he has fortyeight-hours' run, he'll be an exceptionally lucky man. But if he doesn't get caught by this time tomorrow, it's an open secret that there'll be a sufficient reward offered to make it sure that someone will give him away.
"It isn't only the murder. There's no doubt that he's been up to his neck in the drug racket, and the chance of ending that is too good to miss.
"That's the common-sense view of the matter, though there's one man on it - Inspector30 Dunchurch - who's been arguing that we shan't find him, because it was his body of which the remains31 were in the furnace."
"That sound improbable. But he has some theory to support it?"
"He has the fact that when the ashes were sifted32 some buttons were found which bear the name of Snacklit's tailor. There'd be more in that if it hadn't been the usual procedure to give Wilkes rubbish and refuse of every kind to burn in the furnace. The most natural explanation is that some old garment had been thrown in, perhaps after it had been used as a rag."
"But it's possible it was he?"
"Possible? I suppose most things are. But it isn't sense. If it were he, it must have been either murder or suicide.
"I don't say he hadn't some motive33 for committing suicide, but would anyone choose such a method? And what about Blinkwell having seen him in the lounge a few minutes before? And of Wilkes being in charge of the furnace?
"And it isn't as if we didn't know that the taxi-driver had been thrown in an hour or two earlier. And who should want to murder Snacklit? It's just trying to be too clever, and substituting a wild improbability for a reasonable explanation that fits the facts like a glove."
"Well, I've nothing to say against that. There are only two things that interest me about it now. The one is whether Irene or I will be required to give evidence, and the second is what's going to happen to Blinkwell."
"We're not going to ask you to give evidence. You're clear out of it, so far as our police (or the S?ret? for that matter) are concerned. We can't avoid Irene going into the box. She's one of the most important witnesses, though you can rely on counsel and the Press - being discreet.
"But as to Blinkwell, I'm afraid I can't do more than pass on the disappointment we're all feeling. We haven't merely decided34 that we can do nothing ourselves We've been almost down on our knees begging Paris to look at it in the same way.
"We don't think any magistrate35 would make an extradition36 order on Gustav's word, which is the only real evidence they've got. And, for ourselves, we don't feel that we've got sufficient to make a case against him on the drug-smuggling issue. We should be just asking for trouble.
"We may be able to look at it rather differently when we've got Snacklit. He'll probably talk, in an effort to get himself out of the mess. But, even then there's the same difficulty as with Gustav. It's just a criminal's word, and not much use without better confirmation37.
"Still I should say that, if we catch Snacklit, we shall soon have the Professor in the same place. Otherwise not. But you can say it's a hundred to one that we'll get him, one way or other, though we may have to go round by another road."
Mr. Thurlow was satisfied by the explanation. He thought that Snacklit was unlikely to elude38 pursuit, which he knew to be a much more difficult enterprise in England than in his own more spacious39 and (in some respects) more primitive40 land. He thought therefore, that Professor Blinkwell's remaining days of liberty would not be long.
We may observe the soundness of the Professor's judgment41 when he used his foot, with such economy of effort, to put Snacklit in his appropriate place.
As to what did happen to Professor Blinkwell, which exemplified the familiar proverb that the pitcher42 which goes often to the well will get broken at last - that is another story, and must be told at another time.
But it may be recorded here that both Burfoot and Wilkes were convicted and duly hanged. Wilkes, in a last effort to dodge43 the rope, did tell his solicitors44 of the manner of Snacklit's end, which those gentlemen communicated to the police, who, without considering Wilkes to be a mirror of exact truth, were inclined to credit it, and the promotion45 of Inspector Dunchurch, which shortly followed, may have been partly due to this confirmation of the theory to which he had held so stubbornly. But it was decided that it would be impossible to prosecute Professor Blinkwell on the unsupported evidence of a convicted murderer, and Wilkes' anticipation46 that he would be kept alive to give that testimony47 proved to be a mistake.
Irene gave evidence, which the Press treated with that voluntary discretion48 which is the usual consequence of a word from Whitehall or Downing Street, and that she was the daughter of the American Ambassador was not generally known. . . . The Press of the United States, under banner headlines, had more to say; but it was fortunately of the right kind.
Mr. Thurlow, outlining these future events with considerable accuracy in his astute49 political mind, was feeling content with the world and with those around him. He would have liked to have continued the conversation after coffee was served. But he was a discreet man, and one who knew when silence or withdrawal50 are positive rather than negative actions. He said that he had matters of urgency with which to deal in his own room.
Irene and her cousin were left alone; and it is obvious that there is no means of knowing what took place afterwards, beyond disclosures which either of them made, which were not of a detailed51 kind. But much may be inferred from an announcement in The Times which Myra read at breakfast only two mornings later.
"A marriage has been arranged - - "
She laid down the paper, looked at her uncle, started to speak, and checked herself. Her rather heavy features resumed their usual immobility. But it cannot be recorded that she looked pleased.
As to Professor Blinkwell, he took no notice at all. His mind had strayed erratically52 to the moment when he had struck a blow from behind at a man's neck hard enough to make silence certain, and from such an angle that there would be little risk of any bloodstain resulting upon a dinner-jacket which it would have been a pity to spoil.
THE END
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blemishes
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| n.（身体的）瘢点( blemish的名词复数 )；伤疤；瑕疵；污点 | |
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anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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anonymity
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| n.the condition of being anonymous | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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veracity
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| n.诚实 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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adroitness
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conditionally
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| adv. 有条件地 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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temperaments
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| 性格( temperament的名词复数 )； （人或动物的）气质； 易冲动； （性情）暴躁 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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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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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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extradition
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| n.引渡（逃犯） | |
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confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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38
elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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41
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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solicitors
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| 初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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46
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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47
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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48
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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49
astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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50
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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51
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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52
erratically
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| adv.不规律地，不定地 | |
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