The tide had just turned. As Chief Inspector3 Kerry had once observed, “there are no pleasure parties punting about that stretch,” and, consequently, when George Martin tumbled into his skiff on the Surrey shore and began lustily to pull up stream, he was observed almost immediately by the River Police.
Pulling hard against the stream, it took him a long time to reach his destination—stone stairs near the point from which the second light had been shown. Rain had ceased and the mist had cleared shortly after dusk, as often happens at this time of year, and because the night was comparatively clear the pursuing boats had to be handled with care.
George did not disembark at the stone steps, but after waiting there for some time he began to drop down on the tide, keeping close inshore.
“He knows we've spotted4 him,” said Sergeant5 Coombes, who was in one of the River Police boats. “It was at the stairs that he had to pick up his man.”
Certainly, the tactics of George suggested that he had recognized surveillance, and, his purpose abandoned, now sought to efface6 himself without delay. Taking advantage of every shadow, he resigned his boat to the gentle current. He had actually come to the entrance of Greenwich Reach when a dock light, shining out across the river, outlined the boat yellowly.
“He's got a passenger!” said Coombes amazedly.
Inspector White, who was in charge of the cutter, rested his arm on Coombes' shoulder and stared across the moving tide.
“I can see no one,” he replied. “You're over anxious, Detective-Sergeant—and I can understand it!”
Coombes smiled heroically.
“I may be over anxious, Inspector,” he replied, “but if I lost Sin Sin Wa, the River Police had never even heard of him till the C.I.D. put 'em wise.”
“H'm!” muttered the Inspector. “D'you suggest we board him?”
“No,” said Coombes, “let him land, but don't trouble to hide any more. Show him we're in pursuit.”
No longer drifting with the outgoing tide, George Martin had now boldly taken to the oars7. The River Police boat close in his wake, he headed for the blunt promontory8 of the Isle9 of Dogs. The grim pursuit went on until:
“I bet I know where he's for,” said Coombes.
“So do I,” declared Inspector White; “Dougal's!”
Their anticipations10 were realized. To the wooden stairs which served as a water-gate for the establishment on the Isle of Dogs, George Martin ran in openly; the police boat followed, and:
“You were right!” cried the Inspector, “he has somebody with him!”
A furtive11 figure, bearing a burden upon its shoulder, moved up the slope and disappeared. A moment later the police were leaping ashore12. George deserted13 his boat and went running heavily after his passenger.
“After them!” cried Coombes. “That's Sin Sin Wa!”
Around the mazey, rubbish-strewn paths the pursuit went hotly. In sight of Dougal's Coombes saw the swing door open and a silhouette—that of a man who carried a bag on his shoulder—pass in. George Martin followed, but the Scotland Yard man had his hand upon his shoulder.
“Police!” he said sharply. “Who's your friend?”
“Mind yours, my lad!” retorted Coombes warningly. “You're no Thames waterman. Who's your friend?”
“Wotcher mean?” shouted George. “You're up the pole or canned you are!”
“Grab him!” said Coombes, and he kicked open the door and entered the saloon, followed by Inspector White and the boat's crew.
As they appeared, the Inspector conspicuous17 in his uniform, backed by the group of River Police, one of whom grasped George Martin by his coat collar:
Twenty cups of tea, coffee and cocoa, too hot for speedy assimilation, were spilled upon the floor.
The place as usual was crowded, more particularly in the neighborhood of the two stoves. Here were dock laborers19, seamen20 and riverside loafers, lascars, Chinese, Arabs, negroes and dagoes. Mrs. Dougal, defiant21 and red, brawny22 arms folded and her pose as that of one contemplating23 a physical contest, glared from behind the “solid” counter. Dougal rested his hairy hands upon the “wet” counter and revealed his defective24 teeth in a vicious snarl25. Many of the patrons carried light baggage, since a P and O boat, an oriental, and the S. S. Mahratta, were sailing that night or in the early morning, and Dougal's was the favorite house of call for a doch-an-dorrich for sailormen, particularly for sailormen of color.
Upon the police group became focussed the glances of light eyes and dark eyes, round eyes, almond-shaped eyes, and oblique26 eyes. Silence fell.
“We are police officers,” called Coombes formally. “All papers, please.”
Thereupon, without disturbance27, the inspection28 began, and among the papers scrutinized29 were those of one, Chung Chow, an able-bodied Chinese seaman30. But since his papers were in order, and since he possessed31 two eyes and wore no pigtail, he excited no more interest in the mind of Detective-Sergeant Coombes than did any one of the other Chinamen in the place.
A careful search of the premises32 led to no better result, and George Martin accounted for his possession of a considerable sum of money found upon him by explaining that he had recently been paid off after a long voyage and had been lucky at cards.
The result of the night's traffic, then, spelled failure for British justice, the S.S. Mahratta sailed one stewardess33 short of her complement34; but among the Chinese crew of another steamer Eastward35 bound was one, Chung Chow, formerly36 known as Sin Sin Wa. And sometimes in the night watches there arose before him the picture of a black bird resting upon the knees of an aged37 Chinaman. Beyond these figures dimly he perceived the paddy-fields of Ho-Nan and the sweeping38 valley of the Yellow River, where the opium39 poppy grows.
It was about an hour before the sailing of the ship which numbered Chung Chow among the yellow members of its crew that Seton Pasha returned once more to the deserted wharf40 whereon he had found Mrs. Monte Irvin's spaniel. Afterwards, in the light of ascertained41 facts, he condemned42 himself for a stupidity passing the ordinary. For while he had conducted a careful search of the wharf and adjoining premises, convinced that there was a cellar of some kind below, he had omitted to look for a water-gate to this hypothetical cache.
Perhaps his self-condemnation was deserved, but in justice to the agent selected by Lord Wrexborough, it should be added that Chief Inspector Kerry had no more idea of the existence of such an entrance, and exit, than had Seton Pasha.
Leaving the dog at Leman Street then, and learning that there was no news of the missing Chief Inspector, Seton had set out once more. He had been informed of the mysterious signals flashed from side to side of the Lower Pool, and was hourly expecting a report to the effect that Sin Sin Wa had been apprehended43 in the act of escaping. That Sin Sin Wa had dropped into the turgid tide from his underground hiding-place, and pushing his property—which was floatable—before him, encased in a waterproof44 bag, had swum out and clung to the stern of George Martin's boat as it passed close to the empty wharf, neither Seton Pasha nor any other man knew—except George Martin and Sin Sin Wa.
At a suitably dark spot the Chinaman had boarded the little craft, not without difficulty, for his wounded shoulder pained him, and had changed his sodden45 attire46 for a dry outfit47 which awaited him in the locker48 at the stern of the skiff. The cunning of the Chinese has the simplicity49 of true genius.
Not two paces had Seton taken on to the mystifying wharf when:
“Sam Tuk barber! Entrance in cellar!” rapped a ghostly, muffled50 voice from beneath his feet. “Sam Tuk barber! Entrance in cellar!”
Seton Pasha stood still, temporarily bereft51 of speech. Then, “Kerry!” he cried. “Kerry! Where are you?”
But apparently52 his voice failed to reach the invisible speaker, for:
“Sam Tuk barber! Entrance in cellar!” repeated the voice.
Seton Pasha wasted no more time. He ran out into the narrow street. A man was on duty there.
“Call assistance!” ordered Seton briskly, “Send four men to join me at the barber's shop called Sam Tuk's! You know it?”
“Yes, sir; I searched it with Chief Inspector Kerry.”
The note of a police whistle followed.
Ten minutes later the secret of Sam Tuk's cellar was unmasked. The place was empty, and the subterranean53 door locked; but it succumbed54 to the persistent55 attacks of axe56 and crowbar, and Seton Pasha was the first of the party to enter the vault57. It was laden58 with chemical fumes59....
He found there an aged Chinaman, dead, seated by a stove in which the fire had burned very low. Sprawling60 across the old man's knees was the body of a raven61. Lying at his feet was a woman, lithe62, contorted, the face half hidden in masses of bright red hair.
“End case near the door!” rapped the voice of Kerry. “Slides to the left!”
By the dim light of a lantern burning upon a moorish64 coffee-table he discerned an untidy bed, upon which a second woman lay, pallid65.
“God!” he muttered; “this place is a morgue!”
“It certainly isn't healthy!” said an irritable66 voice from the floor. “But I think I might survive it if you could spare a second to untie67 me.”
Kerry's extensive practice in chewing and the enormous development of his maxillary muscles had stood him in good stead. His keen, strong teeth had bitten through the extemporized68 gag, and as a result the tension of the handkerchief which had held it in place had become relaxed, enabling him to rid himself of it and to spit out the fragments of filthy-tasting wood which the biting operation had left in his mouth.
Seton turned, stooped on one knee to release the captive... and found himself looking into the face of someone who sat crouched69 upon the divan70 behind the Chief Inspector. The figure was that of an oriental, richly robed. Long, slim, ivory hands rested upon his knees, and on the first finger of the right hand gleamed a big talismanic71 ring. But the face, surmounted72 by a white turban, was wonderful, arresting in its immobile intellectual beauty; and from under the heavy brows a pair of abnormally large eyes looked out hypnotically.
“My God!” whispered Seton, then:
“If you've finished your short prayer,” rapped Kerry, “set about my little job.”
“But, Kerry—Kerry, behind you!”
“I haven't any eyes in my back hair!”
Mechanically, half fearfully, Seton touched the hands of the crouching73 oriental. A low moan came from the woman in the bed, and:
“Hell!” said Chief Inspector Kerry.
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1
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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efface
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| v.擦掉，抹去 | |
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7
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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14
truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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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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16
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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17
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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18
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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20
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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24
defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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26
oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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27
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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28
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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31
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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32
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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33
stewardess
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| n.空中小姐，女乘务员 | |
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34
complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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35
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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36
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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38
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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39
opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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40
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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41
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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44
waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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45
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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46
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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47
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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48
locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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49
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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50
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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51
bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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52
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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53
subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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54
succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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55
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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56
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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57
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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58
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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59
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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60
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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61
raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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62
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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63
vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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64
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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65
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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66
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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67
untie
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| vt.解开，松开；解放 | |
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68
extemporized
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| v.即兴创作，即席演奏( extemporize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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70
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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71
talismanic
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| adj.护身符的，避邪的 | |
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72
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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73
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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74
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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