When Kerry left Bond Street the mistiness1 of the night was developing into definite fog. It varied2 in different districts. Thus, St. Paul's Churchyard had been clear of it at a time when it had lain impenetrably in Trafalgar Square. When, an hour and a half after setting out in the commandeered Rolls-Royce, Kerry groped blindly along Limehouse Causeway, it was through a yellow murk that he made his way—a vapour which could not only be seen, smelled and felt, but tasted.
He was in one of his most violent humours. He found some slight solace3 in the reflection that the impudent4 chauffeur6, from whom he had parted in West India Dock Road, must experience great difficulty in finding his way back to the West End.
It had tricked him, this floating murk of London; for, while he had been enabled to keep the coupe in view right to the fringe of dockland, here, as if bred by old London's river, the fog had lain impenetrably.
Chief Inspector8 Kerry was a man who took many risks, but because of this cursed fog he had no definite evidence that Chada's car had gone to a certain house. Right of search he had not, and so temporarily he was baffled.
Now the nearest telephone was his objective, and presently, where a blue light dimly pierced the mist, he paused, pushed open a swing door, and stepped into a long, narrow passage. He descended9 three stairs, and entered a room laden10 with a sickly perfume compounded of stale beer and spirits; of greasy11 humanity—European, Asiastic, and African; of cheap tobacco and cheaper scents12; and, vaguely13, of opium14.
It was fairly well lighted, but the fog had penetrated15 here, veiling some of the harshness of its rough appointments. An unsavoury den5 was Malay Jack16's, where flotsam of the river might be found. Yellow men there were, and black men and brown men. But all the women present were white.
Fan-tan was in progress at one of the tables, the four players being apparently17 the only strictly18 sober people in the room. A woman was laughing raucously20 as Kerry entered, and many coarse-voiced conversations were in progress; but as he pulled the rough curtain walls aside and walked into the room, a hush21, highly complimentary22 to the Chief Inspector's reputation, fell upon the assembly. Only the woman's raucous19 laughter continued, rising, a hideous23 solo, above a sort of murmur24, composed of the words “Red Kerry!” spoken in many tones.
Kerry ignored the sensation which his entrance had created, and crossed the room to a small counter, behind which a dusky man was standing26, coatless and shirt sleeves rolled up. He had the skin of a Malay but the features of a stage Irishman of the old school. And, indeed, had he known his own pedigree, which is a knowledge beyond the ken25 of any man, partly Irish he might have found himself indeed to be.
This was Malay Jack, the proprietor27 of one of the roughest houses in Limehouse. His expression, while propitiatory28, was not friendly, but:
“Don't get hot and bothered,” snapped Kerry viciously. “I want to use your telephone, that's all.”
He raised a flap in the counter, and Kerry, passing through, entered a little room behind the bar. Here a telephone stood upon a dirty, littered table, and, taking it up:
“City four hundred,” called the Chief Inspector curtly30. A moment later: “Hallo! Yes,” he said. “Chief Inspector Kerry speaking. Put me through to my department, please.”
He stood for a while waiting, receiver in hand, and smiled grimly to note that the uproar31 in the room beyond had been resumed. Evidently Malay Jack had given the “all clear” signal. Then:
“Yes,” was the reply, “half an hour ago. He's standing-by at Limehouse Station. He followed you in a taxi, but lost you on the way owing to the fog.”
“I don't wonder,” said Kerry. “His loss is not so great as mine. Anything else?”
“Nothing else.”
“Good. I'll speak to Limehouse. Good-bye.”
He replaced the receiver and paused for a moment, reflecting. Extracting a piece of tasteless gum from between his teeth, he deposited it in the grate, where a sickly fire burned; then, tearing the wrapper from a fresh slip, he resumed his chewing and stood looking about him with unseeing eyes. Fierce they were as ever, but introspective in expression.
Famous for his swift decisions, for once in a way he found himself in doubt. Malay Jack had keen ears, and there were those in the place who had every reason to be interested in the movements of a member of the Criminal Investigation33 Department, especially of one who had earned the right to be dreaded34 by the rats of Limehouse. London's peculiar35 climate fought against him, but he determined36 to make no more telephone calls but to proceed to Limehouse police station.
He stepped swiftly into the bar, and, as he had anticipated, nearly upset the proprietor, who was standing listening by the half-open door. Kerry smiled fiercely into the ugly face, lifted the flap, and walked down the room, through the aisle37 between the scattered38 tables, where the air was heavy with strange perfumes, touched now with the bite of London fog, and where slanting39 eyes and straight eyes, sober eyes and drunken eyes, regarded him furtively40. Something of a second hush there was, but one not so complete as the first.
Kerry pulled the curtain aside, mounted the stair, walked along the passage and out through the swing door into the yellow gloom of the Causeway. Ten slow steps he had taken when he detected a sound of pursuit. Like a flash he turned, clenching41 his fists. Then:
“Inspector!” whispered a husky voice.
“Yes! Who are you? What do you want?”
“My name is Peters, sir. Inspector Preston knows me.”
Kerry had paused immediately under a street lamp, and now he looked into the pinched, lean face of the speaker, and:
“I've heard of you,” he snapped. “Got some information for me?”
“I think so; but walk on.”
Chief Inspector Kerry hesitated. Peters belonged to a class which Kerry despised with all the force of his straightforward43 character. A professional informer has his uses from the police point of view; and while evidence of this kind often figured in reports made to the Chief Inspector, he personally avoided contact with such persons, as he instinctively44 and daintily avoided contact with personal dirt. But now, something so big was at stake that his hesitation45 was only momentary46.
A vision of the pale face of Lady Rourke, of the golden head leaning weakly back upon the cushions of the coupe, as he had glimpsed it in Bond Street, rose before his mind's eye as if conjured47 up out of the fog. Peters shuffled48 along beside him, and:
“Young Chada's done himself in to-night,” continued the husky voice. “He brought a swell49 girl to the old man's house an hour ago. I was hanging about there, thinking I might get some information. I think she was doped.”
“Why?” snapped Kerry.
“Well, I was standing over on the other side of the street. Lou Chada opened the door with a key; and when the light shone out I saw him carry her in.”
“Carry her in?”
“Yes. She was in evening dress, with a swell cloak.”
“The car?”
“He came out again and drove it around to the garage at the back.”
“Why didn't you report this at once?”
“I was on my way to do it when I saw you coming out of Malay Jack's.”
“No, no,” muttered Peters. “Only I've got an idea he saw me.”
“Who saw you?”
“Lou Chada.”
“What then?”
“Well, only—don't leave me till we get to the station.”
Kerry blew down his nose contemptuously, then stopped suddenly.
“Stand still,” he ordered. “I want to listen.”
Silent, they stood in a place of darkness, untouched by any lamplight. Not a sound reached them through the curtain of fog. Asiatic mystery wrapped them about, but Kerry experienced only contempt for the cowardice52 of his companion, and:
“You need come no farther,” he said coldly. “Good night.”
“But———” began the man.
“Good night,” repeated Kerry.
He walked on briskly, tapping the pavement with his malacca. The sneaking53 figure of the informer was swallowed up in the fog. But not a dozen paces had the Chief Inspector gone when he was arrested by a frenzied54 scream, rising, hollowly, in a dreadful, muffled55 crescendo56. Words reached him.
“My God, he's stabbed me!”
“Hell!” muttered Kerry, “the poor devil was right!”
He turned and began to run back, fumbling58 in his pocket for his electric torch. Almost in the same moment that he found it he stumbled upon Peters, who lay half in the road and half upon the sidewalk.
Kerry pressed the button, and met the glance of upturned, glazing59 eyes. Even as he dropped upon his knee beside the dying man, Peters swept his arm around in a convulsive movement, having the fingers crooked60, coughed horribly, and rolled upon his face.
Switching off the light of the torch, Kerry clenched61 his jaws62 in a tense effort of listening, literally63 holding his breath. But no sound reached him through the muffling64 fog. A moment he hesitated, well knowing his danger, then viciously snapping on the light again, he quested in the blood-stained mud all about the body of the murdered man.
“Ah!”
It was an exclamation65 of triumph.
One corner hideously66 stained, for it had lain half under Peters's shoulder, Kerry gingerly lifted between finger and thumb a handkerchief of fine white silk, such as is carried in the breast pocket of an evening coat.
It bore an ornate monogram67 worked in gold, and representing the letters “L. C.” Oddly enough, it was the corner that bore the monogram which was also bloodstained.
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收听单词发音
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1
mistiness
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| n.雾，模糊，不清楚 | |
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2
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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7
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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8
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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9
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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10
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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12
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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15
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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16
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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17
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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18
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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19
raucous
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| adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的 | |
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20
raucously
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| adv.粗声地；沙哑地 | |
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21
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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22
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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23
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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24
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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25
ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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26
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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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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propitiatory
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| adj.劝解的；抚慰的；谋求好感的；哄人息怒的 | |
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29
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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30
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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32
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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33
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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34
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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35
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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38
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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40
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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41
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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42
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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43
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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44
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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45
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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46
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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47
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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48
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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49
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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50
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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51
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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52
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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53
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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54
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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55
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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56
crescendo
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| n.(音乐)渐强，高潮 | |
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57
babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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58
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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59
glazing
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| n.玻璃装配业；玻璃窗；上釉；上光v.装玻璃( glaze的现在分词 )；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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60
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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61
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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63
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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64
muffling
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| v.压抑，捂住( muffle的现在分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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65
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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66
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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67
monogram
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| n.字母组合 | |
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