Russell stood by the side of Uzali waiting for developments. They were still in the shade of the portico1 outside the music-hall, and it was Uzali's part to play the next card. But he remained perfectly2 motionless, though Russell could see his eyes gleaming and that he was moved by some strong feeling. At the same time, Russell had no fear and no anxiety. He felt the thing was in capable hands and that Uzali would not spoil the situation by undue3 haste.
"What are you going to do?" he whispered.
"For the moment, nothing," Uzali said grimly. "We are going to pursue what one of your greatest statesmen used to call a policy of masterly inactivity. In other words, we will follow Mr. Jansen and my countryman and ascertain4 what deep scheme they have on hand. Unless I am mistaken Jansen is as much in my debt as Samuel Flower. But we can go into that later. Just now we have to keep those fellows in view and watch them all night if necessary."
Russell had no objection. He felt that action was blessed and that his dogged patience and perseverance5 were about to be rewarded. Few words were spoken as he and his companion turned and followed Jansen at a respectful distance until Gray's Inn Road was reached. Here Jansen paused and appeared to take a latch-key from his pocket. A door was quietly opened and shut and then the watchers had the street to themselves. Uzali turned eagerly to Russell.
"You marked the right house?" he asked.
"Oh, I think I know the house," Russell replied. "I have had a very good description of it and here comes Goatley to see that we are on the right track. Well, what is it, Goatley?"
"I ventured to follow you, gentlemen," Goatley said, "in fact, I have been following you all the evening. I was afraid you might make some mistake. Some description of the house where Jansen is lodging6 will be of assistance to you."
"You know all about it?" Uzali said.
"Well, yes, sir," Goatley proceeded to explain. "It is a shop where a man named Giles deals in birds and animals. He is a queer, solitary7 old man and does for himself in a small room behind the shop. He has a horror of women, and I don't suppose one has been in the place for years. You can understand how lodgings8 like that would suit Jansen. He has the two upstairs rooms where he cooks for himself, so that there is no one to spy upon his movements. He might commit half a dozen murders and no one be the wiser."
"Is there any way into the house?" Uzali asked.
"Certainly, sir," Goatley went on. "Behind the shops is a kind of Tom Tiddler's Ground where children come and play. It is easy to get over the fence and into the back yard on to which Giles' room looks. Above this room is a dilapidated glass house where a former tenant9 tried to grow flowers. By way of this little glass house one could readily get into the premises10. I am sure of my ground because I have been over it before. I will show you the way so that there can be no mistake."
Goatley had spoken the truth when he had said that it would be easy to burgle the premises by way of the little glass house. Russell surveyed the whole carefully and nodded his head approvingly.
"The thing can be managed," he said. "And now, what I want you to do, Goatley, is to hang about the front and see if anybody leaves the house. If Jansen himself leaves come round at once and whistle softly."
There were no further instructions for Goatley, so they disappeared to the side street. Russell turned to his companion somewhat eagerly.
"I think I had better understand what you want," he said. "Your idea is to get into the house. What do you expect to see?"
"Well, I expect to see Jansen and one of my fellow-countrymen to begin with," Uzali said grimly. "And if I am not mistaken I shall find the other conspirator11 there, too. I don't think you appreciate how clever Jansen is. To begin with, he is an exceedingly skilful12 chemist and can produce the most extraordinary results from apparently13 innocent experiments. I have never met the man, but I know that he was in my country years ago, and at one time managed to exert a deal of influence over certain people there. It was much the same as in the early days when white settlers first appeared. The natives used to take them for gods and all that kind of thing, and that is what has happened with those two fellow-countrymen of mine who have done their best to put an end to Samuel Flower. I expect to find them under the thumb of Jansen."
"Well, that can be easily ascertained," Russell cried. "The question is, who is going first? As you are the lightest, perhaps you had better get on my shoulders and try to wriggle14 yourself through that broken framework into the glass house. I can pull myself up afterwards. Are you ready?"
Uzali climbed up Russell like a cat and wormed his way through the broken woodwork until he stood upright in the place where plants had once grown. Russell followed a little more slowly, but just as surely, until he stood by the side of his more agile15 companion.
"So far, so good," he said. "Now, what next? I don't suppose there are more than two rooms over a small shop like this, so that we must be careful how we move. It won't be safe to light a match."
Uzali agreed and there was nothing for it but to feel their way along the passage until they came to the top of the stairs. It was so dark that a slit16 of light shining under a closed door stood out like an edge of flame. Voices could be heard on the other side of the door, voices in earnest confabulation, though it was almost impossible to hear what was said. Uzali chuckled17.
"What did I tell you?" he whispered. "There are three people there—Jansen and two others. You wouldn't notice it, but knowing the language I can discriminate18 between those other two voices."
They could only wait until Jansen chose to open the door. A quarter of an hour passed and gradually the voices died away to a murmur19 and then ceased altogether. After that there was the sound of a heavy footstep on the floor and the door was flung open. Jansen stood on the threshold, glancing back with an evil grin upon his face. It was so dark on the landing that it was impossible for him to detect the figures standing20 so close beside him. The Dutchman seemed to be on exceedingly good terms with himself, for he kissed his hand gaily21.
"That is well," he said. "That is exceedingly well. I do not think, my friends, that you are likely to trouble me for many hours to come, so I will go about my business. There is no chance of anybody coming in, no chance of anybody discovering what has happened. Strange that men, in some ways so clever, should be so innocent in matters outside their understanding."
Jansen uttered the last words in a tone of regret. He went quietly down the stairs as if fearful of arousing his landlord. The door closed softly behind him and he was gone. Uzali strode into the stuffy22 little sitting-room23 and applied24 his foot vigorously to two little yellow men lying like logs on the carpet. In spite of the rough punishment nothing came from either except a suppressed grunt25 or two.
"What did I tell you?" Uzali said in disgust. "Did I not say that I should find my other fellow-countrymen here. They have become tools of Jansen. You can see for yourself what has happened to them."
"They have smoked themselves into a state of torpor," Russell said.
"Yes, and been drugged into the bargain. You heard what Jansen said before he went out. They will lie here like logs, perhaps for the next twenty-four hours, until Jansen has accomplished26 his deep scheme. But I am going to frustrate27 all that. Let us get out of here at once."
"I am ready," Russell said. "Where do you want to go?"
"Maldon Grange," Uzali replied. "We are going there at once. You can ask questions on the way."
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1
portico
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| n.柱廊，门廊 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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6
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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conspirator
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| n.阴谋者，谋叛者 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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16
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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17
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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discriminate
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| v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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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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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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frustrate
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| v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦 | |
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