Chapter 27 The Telltale Ticket

 Conrad still had the pawnbroker's ticket which he had received in return for the opera glasses, and did not quite know what to do with it. He didn't intend to redeem² the glass, and if found in his possession, it would bring him under suspicion. Now that a detective had the matter in charge, it occurred to him that it would be well to have the ticket found in Ben's room.

 

The two had rooms upon the same floor, and it would, therefore, be easy to slip into Ben's chamber³ and leave it somewhere about.

 

Now, it chanced that Susan, the chambermaid, was about, though Conrad did not see her, when he carried out his purpose, and, instigated⁴ by curiosity, she peeped through the half-open door, and saw him place the ticket on the bureau.

 

Wondering what it was, she entered the room after Conrad had vacated it, and found the ticket Conrad had placed there.

 

Susan knew what a pawnbroker's ticket was, and read it with curiosity.

 

She saw that it was made out to Ben Barclay.

 

"How, then, did Master Conrad get hold of it?" she said to herself. "It's my belief he's trying to get Master Ben into trouble. It's a shame, it is, for Master Ben is a gentleman and he isn't."

 

Between the two boys, Susan favored Ben, who always treated her with consideration, while Conrad liked to order about the servants, as if they were made to wait upon him.

 

After Conrad had disposed of the pawn¹ ticket, he said carelessly to his mother:

 

"Mother, if I were you, I'd look into Ben's room. You might find the opera glass there."

 

"I don't think he'd leave it there. He would pawn it."

 

"Then you might find the ticket somewhere about."

 

Upon this hint, Mrs. Hill went up to Ben's room, and there, upon the bureau, she naturally found the ticket.

 

"I thought so," she said to herself. "Conrad was right. The boy is a thief. Here is the ticket made out to him by name. Well, well, he's brazen⁵ enough, in all conscience. Now shall I show it to Cousin Hamilton at once, or shall I wait until the detective has reported?"

 

On the whole, Mrs. Hill decided⁶ to wait. She could delay with safety, for she had proof which would utterly⁷ crush and confound the hated interloper.

 

Meanwhile, the detective pursued his investigations⁸. Of course, he visited Simpson's, and there he learned that the opera glass, which he readily recognized from the description, had been brought there a few days previous.

 

"Who brought it?" he asked.

 

"A boy of about sixteen."

 

"Did he give his name?"

 

The books were referred to, and the attendant answered in the affirmative.

 

"He gave the name of Ben Barclay," he answered.

 

"Do you think that was his real name?" asked the detective.

 

"That depends on whether he had a right to pawn it."

 

"Suppose he stole it?"

 

"Then, probably, he did not give his real name."

 

"So I think," said Mr. Lynx quietly.

 

"Do you know if there is a boy by that name?"

 

"There is; but I doubt if he knows anything about the matter."

 

"I will call again, perhaps to-morrow," he added. "I must report to my principal what I have discovered."

 

From Simpson's he went straight to Mrs. Hamilton, who had as yet received no communication from the housekeeper⁹.

 

"Well, Mr. Lynx," she asked, with interest, "have you heard anything of the glass?"

 

"I have seen it," was the quiet reply.

 

"Where?"

 

"At a well-known pawnshop on the Bowery."

 

"Did you learn who left it?" asked Mrs. Hamilton eagerly.

 

"A boy--about sixteen years of age--who gave the name of Ben Barclay."

 

"I can't believe Ben would be guilty of such a disgraceful act!" ejaculated Mrs. Hamilton, deeply moved.

1 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

2 redeem   

v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）

参考例句：

• He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
• The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 instigated   

v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government has instigated a programme of economic reform. 政府已实施了经济改革方案。
• He instigated the revolt. 他策动了这次叛乱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。