Superintendent1 Battle replaced the sheet with the slightly crest-fallen air of a man whose best point has fallen flat. Anthony stood with his hands in his pockets lost in thought.
“I beg your pardon, Mr. Cade?”
“Nothing, superintendent. Forgive my abstraction. You see, I—or rather my friend, Jimmy McGrath, has been very neatly3 done out of a thousand pounds.”
“A thousand pounds is a nice sum of money,” said Battle.
“It isn’t the thousand pounds so much,” said Anthony, “though I agree with you that it’s a nice sum of money. It’s being done that maddens me. I handed over that manuscript like a little woolly lamb. It hurts, superintendent, indeed it hurts.”
The detective said nothing.
“Well, well,” said Anthony. “Regrets are vain, and all may not yet be lost. I’ve only got to get hold of dear old Stylptitch’s Reminiscences between now and next Wednesday and all will be gas and gaiters.”
“Would you mind coming back to the Council Chamber4, Mr. Cade? There’s one little thing I want to point out to you.”
Back in the Council Chamber, the detective strode over at once to the middle window.
“I’ve been thinking, Mr. Cade. This particular window[Pg 111] is very stiff, very stiff indeed. You might have been mistaken in thinking that it was fastened. It might just have stuck. I’m sure—yes, I’m almost sure, that you were mistaken.”
Anthony eyed him keenly.
“And supposing I say that I’m quite sure I was not?”
“Well, to oblige you, superintendent, yes.”
Battle smiled in a satisfied fashion.
“You’re quick in the uptake, sir. And you’ll have no objection to saying so, careless like, at a suitable moment?”
“None whatever. I——”
Enjoining7 silence on Anthony with a gesture, he tiptoed noiselessly to the door, and flung it suddenly open.
On the threshold stood a tall man with black hair neatly parted in the middle, china blue eyes with a particularly innocent expression, and a large placid8 face.
“Your pardon, gentlemen,” he said in a slow drawling voice with a pronounced transatlantic accent. “But is it permitted to inspect the scene of the crime? I take it that you are both gentlemen from Scotland Yard?”
“I have not that honour,” said Anthony. “But this gentleman is Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard.”
“Is that so?” said the American gentleman, with a great appearance of interest. “Pleased to meet you, sir. My name is Hiram P. Fish, of New York City.”
“What was it you wanted to see, Mr. Fish?” asked the detective.
The American walked gently into the room, and looked with much interest at the dark patch on the floor.
“I am interested in crime, Mr. Battle. It is one of my hobbies. I have contributed a monograph9 to one of our weekly periodicals on the subject ‘Degeneracy and the Criminal.’”
[Pg 112]
As he spoke10, his eyes went gently round the room, seeming to note everything in it. They rested just a shade longer on the window.
“The body,” said Superintendent Battle, stating a self-evident fact, “has been removed.”
“Surely,” said Mr. Fish. His eyes went on to the panelled walls. “Some remarkable11 pictures in this room, gentlemen. A Holbein, two Van Dycks, and, if I am not mistaken, a Velasquez. I am interested in pictures—and likewise in first editions. It was to see his first editions that Lord Caterham was so kind as to invite me down here.”
He sighed gently.
“I guess that’s all off now. It would show a proper feeling I suppose, for the guests to return to town immediately?”
“I’m afraid that can’t be done, sir,” said Superintendent Battle. “Nobody must leave the house until after the inquest.”
“Is that so? And when is the inquest?”
“May be to-morrow, may not be until Monday. We’ve got to arrange for the autopsy12 and see the Coroner.”
“I get you,” said Mr. Fish. “Under the circumstances, though, it will be a melancholy13 party.”
Battle led the way to the door.
“We’d best get out of here,” he said. “We’re keeping it locked still.”
He waited for the other two to pass through, and then turned the key and removed it.
“I opine,” said Mr. Fish, “that you are seeking for fingerprints14?”
“Maybe,” said the superintendent laconically15.
“I should say to that, on a night such as last night, an intruder would have left footprints on the hardwood floor.”
“None inside, plenty outside.”
“Mine,” explained Anthony cheerfully.
The innocent eyes of Mr. Fish swept over him.
[Pg 113]
“Young man,” he said, “you surprise me.”
They turned a corner, and came out into the big wide hall, panelled like the Council Chamber in old oak, and with a wide gallery above it. Two other figures came into sight at the far end.
This was such a ludicrous description of Lord Caterham that Anthony had to turn his head away to conceal17 a smile.
“And with him,” continued the American, “is a lady whose name I did not catch last night. But she is bright—she is very bright.”
Anthony had been anticipating this meeting all along. He had no idea how to act. He must leave it to Virginia. Although he had full confidence in her presence of mind, he had not the slightest idea what line she would take. He was not long left in doubt.
“Why, it’s Mr. Cade,” said Virginia. She held out both hands to him. “So you found you could come down after all?”
“My dear Mrs. Revel, I had no idea Mr. Cade was a friend of yours,” said Lord Caterham.
“He’s a very old friend,” said Virginia, smiling at Anthony with a mischievous19 glint in her eye. “I ran across him in London unexpectedly yesterday, and told him I was coming down here.”
Anthony was quick to give her her pointer.
“I explained to Mrs. Revel,” he said, “that I had been forced to refuse your kind invitation—since it had really been extended to quite a different man. And I couldn’t very well foist20 a perfect stranger on you under false pretences21.”
“Well, well, my dear fellow,” said Lord Caterham, “that’s all over and done with now. I’ll send down to the Cricketers for your bag.”
“It’s very kind of you, Lord Caterham, but——”
“Nonsense, of course you must come to Chimneys.[Pg 114] Horrible place, the Cricketers—to stay in, I mean.”
“Of course you must come, Mr. Cade,” said Virginia softly.
Anthony realized the altered tone of his surroundings. Already Virginia had done much for him. He was no longer an ambiguous stranger. Her position was so assured and unassailable that anyone for whom she vouched22 was accepted as a matter of course. He thought of the pistol in the tree at Burnham Beeches23, and smiled inwardly.
“I’ll send for your traps,” said Lord Caterham to Anthony. “I suppose, in the circumstances, we can’t have any shooting. A pity. But there it is. And I don’t know what the devil to do with Isaacstein. It’s all very unfortunate.”
“That’s settled, then,” said Virginia. “You can begin to be useful right away, Mr. Cade, and take me out on the lake. It’s very peaceful there and far from crime and all that sort of thing. Isn’t it awful for poor Lord Caterham having a murder done in his house? But it’s George’s fault really. This is George’s party, you know.”
“Ah!” said Lord Caterham. “But I should never have listened to him!”
He assumed the air of a strong man betrayed by a single weakness.
“One can’t help listening to George,” said Virginia. “He always holds you so that you can’t get away. I’m thinking of patenting a detachable lapel.”
“I appreciate your kindness very much, Lord Caterham,” said Anthony. “Especially,” he added, “when I’m such a suspicious character. But my staying here makes it easier for Battle.”
“In what way, sir?” asked the superintendent.
[Pg 115]
“It won’t be so difficult to keep an eye on me,” explained Anthony gently.
And by the momentary26 flicker27 of the superintendent’s eyelids28 he knew that his shot had gone home.
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收听单词发音
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1
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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lollipop
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| n.棒棒糖 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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7
enjoining
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| v.命令( enjoin的现在分词 ) | |
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8
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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9
monograph
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| n.专题文章，专题著作 | |
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10
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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11
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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12
autopsy
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| n.尸体解剖；尸检 | |
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13
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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14
fingerprints
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| n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 ) | |
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15
laconically
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| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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18
revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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19
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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20
foist
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| vt.把…强塞给，骗卖给 | |
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21
pretences
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| n.假装( pretence的名词复数 )；作假；自命；自称 | |
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22
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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23
beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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27
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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28
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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