The tall military-looking man who stood beside me glanced about him with a rather grim smile.
"You ought to be safe enough here, Mr. Cavanagh!" he said.
"I ought to be safe enough in my own chambers5," I replied wearily. "How many of these pleasure-seeking folk would believe that a man can be as greatly in peril6 of his life in Fleet Street as in the most uncivilized spot upon the world map? Do you think if I told that prosperous New Yorker who is buying a cigar yonder, for instance, that I had been driven from my chambers by a band of Eastern assassins founded some time in the eleventh century, he would believe it?"
"I am certain he wouldn't!" replied Bristol. "I should not have credited it myself before I was put in charge of this damnable case."
My position at that hour was in truth an incredible one. The sacred slipper7 of Mohammed lay once more in the glass case at the Antiquarian Museum from which Earl Dexter had stolen it. Now, with apish yellow faces haunting my dreams, with ghostly menaces dogging me day and night, I was outcast from my own rooms and compelled, in self-defence, to live amid the bustle8 of the Astoria. So wholly nonplussed9 were the police authorities that they could afford me no protection. They knew that a group of scientific murderers lay hidden in or near to London; they knew that Earl Dexter, the foremost crook10 of his day, was also in the metropolis—and they could make no move, were helpless; indeed, as Bristol had confessed, were hopeless!
Bristol, on the previous day, had unearthed11 the Greek cigar merchant, Acepulos, who had replaced the slipper in its case (for a monetary12 consideration). He had performed a similar service when the bloodstained thing had first been put upon exhibition at the Museum, and for a considerable period had disappeared. We had feared that his religious pretensions13 had not saved him from the avenging14 scimitar of Hassan; but quite recently he had returned again to his Soho shop, and in time thus to earn a second cheque.
As Bristol and I stood glancing about the foyer of the hotel, a plain-clothes officer whom I knew by sight came in and approached my companion. I could not divine the fact, of course, but I was about to hear news of the money-loving and greatly daring Graeco-Moslem.
The detective whispered something to Bristol, and the latter started, and paled. He turned to me.
"They haven't overlooked him this time, Mr. Cavanagh," he said. "Acepulos has been found dead in his room, nearly decapitated!"
I shuddered15 involuntarily. Even there, amid the chatter16 and laughter of those light-hearted tourists, the shadow of Hassan of Aleppo was falling upon me.
Bristol started immediately for Soho and I parted from him in the Strand17, he proceeding18 west and I eastward19, for I had occasion that morning to call at my bank. It was the time of the year when London is full of foreigners, and as I proceeded in the direction of Fleet Street I encountered more than one Oriental. To my excited imagination they all seemed to glance at me furtively20, with menacing eyes, but in any event I knew that I had little to fear whilst I contrived21 to keep to the crowded thoroughfares. Solitude22 I dreaded24 and with good reason.
Then at the door of the bank I found fresh matter for reflection. The assistant manager, Mr. Colby, was escorting a lady to the door. As I stood aside, he walked with her to a handsome car which waited, and handed her in with marks of great deference25. She was heavily veiled and I had no more than a glimpse of her, but she appeared to be of middle age and had gray hair and a very stately manner.
I told myself that I was unduly26 suspicious, suspicious of everyone and of everything; yet as I entered the bank I found myself wondering where I had seen that dignified27, grayhaired figure before. I even thought of asking the manager the name of his distinguished28 customer, but did not do so, for in the circumstances such an inquiry29 must have appeared impertinent.
My business transacted30, I came out again by the side entrance which opens on the little courtyard, for this branch of the London County and Provincial31 Bank occupies a corner site.
A ragged32 urchin33 who was apparently34 waiting for me handed me a note. I looked at him inquiringly.
"For me?" I said.
The note was written upon a half sheet of paper and, doubting if it was really intended for me, I unfolded it and read the following—
Mr. Cavanagh, take the keys of the case containing the holy slipper to your hotel this evening without fail.
HASSAN.
"Who gave you this, boy?" I asked sharply.
"A foreign gentleman, sir, very dark—like an Indian."
"Where is he?"
"He went off in a cab, sir, after he give me the note."
I handed the boy sixpence and slowly pursued my way. An idea was forming in my mind to trap the enemy by seeming acquiescent36. I wondered if my movements were being watched at that moment. Since it was more than probable, I returned to the bank, entered, and made some trivial inquiry of a cashier, and then came out again and walked on as far as the Report office.
I had not been in the office more than five minutes before I received a telegram from Inspector37 Bristol. It had been handed in at Soho, and the message was an odd one.
CAVANAGH, Report, London.
Plot afoot to steal keys. Get them from bank and join me 11 o'clock at Astoria. Have planned trap.
BRISTOL.
This was very mysterious in view of the note so recently received by me, but I concluded that Bristol had hit upon a similar plan to that which was forming in my own mind. It seemed unnecessarily hazardous38, though, actually to withdraw the keys from their place of safety.
Pondering deeply upon the perplexities of this maddening case, I shortly afterward39 found myself again at the bank. With the manager I descended to the strong-room, and the safe was unlocked which contained the much-sought-for keys of the case at the Antiquarian Museum.
"There are the keys, quite safe!—and by the way, this is my second visit here this morning, Mr. Cavanagh," said the manager, with whom I was upon rather intimate terms. "A foreign lady who has recently become a customer of the bank deposited some valuable jewels here this morning—less than an hour ago, in fact."
"Indeed," I said, and my mind was working rapidly. "The lady who came in the large blue car, a gray-haired lady?"
"Yes," was the reply, "did you notice her, then?"
I nodded and said no more, for in truth I had no more to say. I had good reason to respect the uncanny powers of Hassan of Aleppo, but I doubted if even his omniscience40 could tell him (since I had actually gone down into the strong-room) whether when I emerged I had the keys, or whether my visit and seeming acceptance of his orders had been no more than a subterfuge41!
That the Hashishin had some means of communicating with me at the Astoria was evident from the contents of the note which I had received, and as I walked in the direction of the hotel my mind was filled with all sorts of misgivings42. I was playing with fire! Had I done rightly or should I have acted otherwise? I sighed wearily. The dark future would resolve all my doubts.
When I reached the Astoria, Bristol had not arrived. I lighted a cigarette and sat down in the lounge to await his coming. Presently a boy approached, handing me a message which had been taken down from the telephone by the clerk. It was as follows—
Tell Mr. Cavanagh, who is waiting in the hotel, to take what I am expecting to his chambers, and say that I will join him there in twenty minutes.
INSPECTOR BRISTOL.
Again I doubted the wisdom of Bristol's plan. Had I not fled to the Astoria to escape from the dangerous solitude of my rooms? That he was laying some trap for the Hashishin was sufficiently43 evident, and whilst I could not justly suspect him of making a pawn44 of me I was quite unable to find any other explanation of this latest move.
I was torn between conflicting doubts. I glanced at my watch. Yes! There was just time for me to revisit the bank ere joining Bristol at my chambers! I hesitated. After all, in what possible way could it jeopardize45 his plans for me merely to pretend to bring the keys?
"Hang it all!" I said, and jumped to my feet. "These maddening conjectures46 will turn my brain! I'll let matters stand as they are, and risk the consequences!"
I hesitated no longer, but passed out from the hotel and once more directed my steps in the direction of Fleet Street.
As I passed in under the arch through which streamed many busy workers, I told myself that to dread23 entering my own chambers at high noon was utterly47 childish. Yet I did dread doing so! And as I mounted the stair and came to the landing, which was always more or less dark, I paused for quite a long time before putting the key in the lock.
The affair of the accursed slipper was playing havoc48 with my nerves, and I laughed dryly to note that my hand was not quite steady as I turned the key, opened my door, and slipped into the dim hallway.
As I closed it behind me, something, probably a slight noise, but possibly something more subtle—an instinct—made me turn rapidly.
There facing me stood Hassan of Aleppo.
点击收听单词发音
1 ascended | |
v.上升,攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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3 hustle | |
v.推搡;竭力兜售或获取;催促;n.奔忙(碌) | |
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4 animation | |
n.活泼,兴奋,卡通片/动画片的制作 | |
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5 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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6 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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7 slipper | |
n.拖鞋 | |
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8 bustle | |
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹 | |
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9 nonplussed | |
adj.不知所措的,陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 crook | |
v.使弯曲;n.小偷,骗子,贼;弯曲(处) | |
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11 unearthed | |
出土的(考古) | |
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12 monetary | |
adj.货币的,钱的;通货的;金融的;财政的 | |
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13 pretensions | |
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力 | |
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14 avenging | |
adj.报仇的,复仇的v.为…复仇,报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 );为…报复 | |
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15 shuddered | |
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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16 chatter | |
vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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17 strand | |
vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地) | |
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18 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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19 eastward | |
adv.向东;adj.向东的;n.东方,东部 | |
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20 furtively | |
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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21 contrived | |
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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22 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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23 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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24 dreaded | |
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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25 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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26 unduly | |
adv.过度地,不适当地 | |
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27 dignified | |
a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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28 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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29 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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30 transacted | |
v.办理(业务等)( transact的过去式和过去分词 );交易,谈判 | |
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31 provincial | |
adj.省的,地方的;n.外省人,乡下人 | |
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32 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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33 urchin | |
n.顽童;海胆 | |
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34 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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35 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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36 acquiescent | |
adj.默许的,默认的 | |
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37 inspector | |
n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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38 hazardous | |
adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的 | |
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39 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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40 omniscience | |
n.全知,全知者,上帝 | |
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41 subterfuge | |
n.诡计;藉口 | |
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42 misgivings | |
n.疑虑,担忧,害怕;疑虑,担心,恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 );疑惧 | |
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43 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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44 pawn | |
n.典当,抵押,小人物,走卒;v.典当,抵押 | |
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45 jeopardize | |
vt.危及,损害 | |
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46 conjectures | |
推测,猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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47 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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48 havoc | |
n.大破坏,浩劫,大混乱,大杂乱 | |
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