‘Mr Bellingham, will you be so good as to step with me to the booking-office, and instruct the clerk in charge to answer one or two questions which I wish to put to him. I will explain to you afterwards what is their exact import, but you know me sufficiently2 to be able to believe me when I say that they refer to a matter in which every moment is of the first importance.’
He turned and accompanied us into the interior of the booking-case.
‘To which of the clerks, Mr Champnell, do you wish to put your questions?’
‘To the one who issues third-class tickets to Southampton.’
Bellingham beckoned3 to a man who was counting a heap of money, and apparently4 seeking to make it tally5 with the entries in a huge ledger6 which lay open before him,—he was a short, slightly-built young fellow, with a pleasant face and smiling eyes.
‘Mr Stone, this gentleman wishes to ask you one or two questions.’
‘I am at his service.’
I put my questions.
‘I want to know, Mr Stone, if, in the course of the day, you have issued any tickets to a person dressed in Arab costume?’
His reply was prompt.
‘I have—by the last train, the 7.25,—three singles.’
Three singles! Then my instinct had told me rightly.
‘Can you describe the person?’
Mr Stone’s eyes twinkled.
‘I don’t know that I can, except in a general way,—he was uncommonly7 old and uncommonly ugly, and he had a pair of the most extraordinary eyes I ever saw,—they gave me a sort of all-overish feeling when I saw them glaring at me through the pigeon hole. But I can tell you one thing about him, he had a great bundle on his head, which he steadied with one hand, and as it bulged8 out in all directions it’s presence didn’t make him popular with other people who wanted tickets too.’
Undoubtedly9 this was our man.
‘You are sure he asked for three tickets?’
‘Certain. He said three tickets to Southampton; laid down the exact fare,—nineteen and six—and held up three fingers—like that. Three nasty looking fingers they were, with nails as long as talons10.’
‘You didn’t see who were his companions?’
‘I didn’t,—I didn’t try to look. I gave him his tickets and off he went,—with the people grumbling11 at him because that bundle of his kept getting in their way.’
Bellingham touched me on the arm.
‘I can tell you about the Arab of whom Mr Stone speaks. My attention was called to him by his insisting on taking his bundle with him into the carriage,—it was an enormous thing, he could hardly squeeze it through the door; it occupied the entire seat. But as there weren’t as many passengers as usual, and he wouldn’t or couldn’t be made to understand that his precious bundle would be safe in the luggage van along with the rest of the luggage, and as he wasn’t the sort of person you could argue with to any advantage, I had him put into an empty compartment12, bundle and all.’
‘Was he alone then?’
‘I thought so at the time, he said nothing about having more than one ticket, or any companions, but just before the train started two other men—English men—got into his compartment; and as I came down the platform, the ticket inspector at the barrier informed me that these two men were with him, because he held tickets for the three, which, as he was a foreigner, and they seemed English, struck the inspector as odd.’
‘Could you describe the two men?’
‘I couldn’t, not particularly, but the man who had charge of the barrier might. I was at the other end of the train when they got in. All I noticed was that one seemed to be a commonplace looking individual and that the other was dressed like a tramp, all rags and tatters, a disreputable looking object he appeared to be.’
‘That,’ I said to myself, ‘was Miss Marjorie Lindon, the lovely daughter of a famous house; the wife-elect of a coming statesman.’
To Bellingham I remarked aloud:
‘I want you to strain a point, Mr Bellingham, and to do me a service which I assure you you shall never have any cause to regret. I want you to wire instructions down the line to detain this Arab and his companions and to keep them in custody13 until the receipt of further instructions. They are not wanted by the police as yet, but they will be as soon as I am able to give certain information to the authorities at Scotland Yard,—and wanted very badly. But, as you will perceive for yourself, until I am able to give that information every moment is important.—Where’s the Station Superintendent14?’
‘He’s gone. At present I’m in charge.’
‘Then will you do this for me? I repeat that you shall never have any reason to regret it.’
‘I will if you’ll accept all responsibility.’
‘I’ll do that with the greatest pleasure.’
Bellingham looked at his watch.
‘It’s about twenty minutes to nine. The train’s scheduled for Basingstoke at 9.6. If we wire to Basingstoke at once they ought to be ready for them when they come.’
‘Good!’
The wire was sent.
We were shown into Bellingham’s office to await results Lessingham paced agitatedly15 to and fro; he seemed to have reached the limits of his self-control, and to be in a condition in which movement of some sort was an absolute necessity. The mercurial16 Sydney, on the contrary, leaned back in a chair, his legs stretched out in front of him, his hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets, and stared at Lessingham, as if he found relief to his feelings in watching his companion’s restlessness. I, for my part, drew up as full a précis of the case as I deemed advisable, and as time permitted, which I despatched by one of the company’s police to Scotland Yard.
Then I turned to my associates.
‘Now, gentlemen, it’s past dinner time. We may have a journey in front of us. If you take my advice you’ll have something to eat.’
Lessingham shook his head.
‘I want nothing.’
‘Nor I,’ echoed Sydney.
I started up.
‘You must pardon my saying nonsense, but surely you of all men, Mr Lessingham, should be aware that you will not improve the situation by rendering17 yourself incapable18 of seeing it through. Come and dine.’
I haled them off with me, willy nilly, to the refreshment19 room. I dined,—after a fashion; Mr Lessingham swallowed with difficulty, a plate of soup; Sydney nibbled20 at a plate of the most unpromising looking ‘chicken and ham,’—he proved, indeed, more intractable than Lessingham, and was not to be persuaded to tackle anything easier of digestion21.
I was just about to take cheese after chop when Bellingham came hastening in, in his hand an open telegram.
‘The birds have flown,’ he cried.
‘Flown!—How?’
In reply he gave me the telegram. I glanced at it. It ran:
‘Persons described not in the train. Guard says they got out at Vauxhall. Have wired Vauxhall to advise you.’
‘That’s a level-headed chap,’ said Bellingham. ‘The man who sent that telegram. His wiring to Vauxhall should save us a lot of time,—we ought to hear from there directly. Hollo! what’s this? I shouldn’t be surprised if this is it.’
As he spoke22 a porter entered,—he handed an envelope to Bellingham. We all three kept our eyes fixed23 on the inspector’s face as he opened it. When he perceived the contents he gave an exclamation24 of surprise.
‘This Arab of yours, and his two friends, seem rather a curious lot, Mr Champnell.’
He passed the paper on to me. It took the form of a report. Lessingham and Sydney, regardless of forms and ceremonies, leaned over my shoulder as I read it.
‘Passengers by 7.30 Southampton, on arrival of train, complained of noises coming from a compartment in coach 8964. Stated that there had been shrieks25 and yells ever since the train left Waterloo, as if someone was being murdered. An Arab and two Englishmen got out of the compartment in question, apparently the party referred to in wire just to hand from Basingstoke. All three declared that there was nothing the matter. That they had been shouting for fun. Arab gave up three third singles for Southampton, saying, in reply to questions, that they had changed their minds, and did not want to go any farther. As there were no signs of a struggle or of violence, nor, apparently, any definite cause for detention26, they were allowed to pass. They took a four-wheeler, No. 09435. The Arab and one man went inside, and the other man on the box. They asked to be driven to Commercial Road, Limehouse. The cab has since returned. Driver says he put the three men down, at their request, in Commercial Road, at the corner of Sutcliffe Street, near the East India Docks. They walked up Sutcliffe Street, the Englishmen in front, and the Arab behind, took the first turning to the right, and after that he saw nothing of them. The driver further states that all the way the Englishman inside, who was so ragged27 and dirty that he was reluctant to carry him, kept up a sort of wailing28 noise which so attracted his attention that he twice got off his box to see what was the matter, and each time he said it was nothing. The cabman is of opinion that both the Englishmen were of weak intellect. We were of the same impression here. They said nothing, except at the seeming instigation of the Arab, but when spoken to stared and gaped29 like lunatics.
‘It may be mentioned that the Arab had with him an enormous bundle, which he persisted, in spite of all remonstrances30, on taking with him inside the cab.’
As soon as I had mastered the contents of the report, and perceived what I believed to be—unknown to the writer himself—its hideous31 inner meaning, I turned to Bellingham.
‘With your permission, Mr Bellingham, I will keep this communication,—it will be safe in my hands, you will be able to get a copy, and it may be necessary that I should have the original to show to the police. If any inquiries32 are made for me from Scotland Yard, tell them that I have gone to the Commercial Road, and that I will report my movements from Limehouse Police Station.’
In another minute we were once more traversing the streets of London,—three in a hansom cab.
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1
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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tally
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| n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致 | |
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ledger
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| n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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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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agitatedly
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| 动摇，兴奋； 勃然 | |
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mercurial
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| adj.善变的，活泼的 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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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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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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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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gaped
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| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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