Wessex’s instructions with regard to Nicol Brinn had been succinct8: “Watch Mr. Brinn’s chambers9, make a note of all his visitors, but take no definite steps respecting him personally without consulting me.”
Armed with these instructions, the detective sergeant had undertaken his duties, which had proved more or less tedious up to the time that a fashionably attired10 woman of striking but unusual appearance had inquired of the hall porter upon which floor Mr. Nicol Brinn resided.
In her manner the detective sergeant had perceived something furtive11. There was a hunted look in her eyes, too.
When, at the end of some fifteen or twenty minutes, she failed to reappear, he determined12 to take the initiative himself. By intruding13 upon this prolonged conference he hoped to learn something of value. Truth to tell, he was no master of finesse14, and had but recently been promoted from an East End district where prompt physical action was of more value than subtlety15.
As a result, then, he presently found himself in the presence of the immovable Hoskins; and having caused his name to be announced, he was requested to wait in the lobby for one minute. Exactly one minute had elapsed when he was shown into that long, lofty room, which of late had been the scene of strange happenings.
Nicol Brinn was standing16 before the fireplace, hands clasped behind him, and a long cigar protruding17 from the left corner of his mouth. No one else was present, so far as the detective could see, but he glanced rapidly about the room in a way which told the man who was watching that he had expected to find another present. He looked into the unfathomable, light blue eyes of Nicol Brinn, and became conscious of a certain mental confusion.
“Good evening, sir,” he said, awkwardly. “I am acting18 in the case concerning the disappearance19 of Mr. Paul Harley.”
“Yes,” replied Brinn.
“I have been instructed to keep an eye on these chambers.”
“Yes,” repeated the high voice.
“Well, sir”—again he glanced rapidly about-“I don’t want to intrude20 more than necessary, but a lady came in here about half an hour ago.”
“Yes,” drawled Brinn. “It’s possible.”
“It’s a fact,” declared the detective sergeant. “If it isn’t troubling you too much, I should like to know that lady’s name. Also, I should like a chat with her before she leaves.”
“Can’t be done,” declared Nicol Brinn. “She isn’t here.”
“Then where is she?”
“I couldn’t say. She went some time ago.”
Stokes stood squarely before Nicol Brinn—a big, menacing figure; but he could not detect the slightest shadow of expression upon the other’s impassive features. He began to grow angry. He was of that sanguine21 temperament which in anger acts hastily.
“Look here, sir,” he said, and his dark face flushed. “You can’t play tricks on me. I’ve got my duty to do, and I am going to do it. Ask your visitor to step in here, or I shall search the premises22.”
Nicol Brinn replaced his cigar in the right corner of his mouth: “Detective Sergeant Stokes, I give you my word that the lady to whom you refer is no longer in these chambers.”
“I shall not deal with this matter further,” declared Brinn, coldly. “I may have vices24, but I never was a liar25.”
“Oh,” muttered the detective sergeant, taken aback by the cold incisiveness26 of the speaker. “Then perhaps you will lead the way, as I should like to take a look around.”
Nicol Brinn spread his feet more widely upon the hearthrug. “Detective Sergeant Stokes,” he said, “you are not playing the game. Inspector Wessex passed his word to me that for twenty-four hours my movements should not be questioned or interfered28 with. How is it that I find you here?”
Stokes thrust his hands in his pockets and coughed uneasily. “I am not a machine,” he replied; “and I do my own job in my own way.”
“I doubt if Inspector Wessex would approve of your way.”
“That’s my business.”
“Maybe, but it is no affair of yours to interfere27 with private affairs of mine, Detective Sergeant. See here, there is no lady in these chambers. Secondly29, I have an appointment at nine o’clock, and you are detaining me.”
“What’s more,” answered Stokes, who had now quite lost his temper, “I intend to go on detaining you until I have searched these chambers and searched them thoroughly30.”
Nicol Brinn glanced at his watch. “If I leave in five minutes, I’ll be in good time,” he said. “Follow me.”
Crossing to the centre section of a massive bookcase, he opened it, and it proved to be a door. So cunning was the design that the closest scrutiny31 must have failed to detect any difference between the dummy32 books with which it was decorated, and the authentic33 works which filled the shelves to right and to left of it. Within was a small and cosy34 study. In contrast with the museum-like room out of which it opened, it was furnished in a severely35 simple fashion, and one more experienced in the study of complex humanity than Detective Sergeant Stokes must have perceived that here the real Nicol Brinn spent his leisure hours. Above the mantel was a life-sized oil painting of Mrs. Nicolas Brinn; and whereas the great room overlooking Piccadilly was exotic to a degree, the atmosphere of the study was markedly American.
Palpably there was no one there. Nor did the two bedrooms, the kitchen, and the lobby afford any more satisfactory evidence. Nicol Brinn led the way back from the lobby, through the small study, and into the famous room where the Egyptian priestess smiled eternally. He resumed his place upon the hearthrug. “Are you satisfied, Detective Sergeant?”
“I am!” Stokes spoke36 angrily. “While you kept me talking, she slipped out through that study, and down into the street.”
“Ah,” murmured Nicol Brinn.
“In fact, the whole business looks very suspicious to me,” continued the detective.
“Sorry,” drawled Brinn, again consulting his watch. “The five minutes are up. I must be off.”
“Not until I have spoken to Scotland Yard, sir.”
“You wish to speak to Scotland Yard?”
“I do,” said Stokes, grimly.
Nicol Brinn strode to the telephone, which stood upon a small table almost immediately in front of the bookcase. The masked door remained ajar.
“Quite,” said Stokes, watching him closely.
In one long stride Brinn was through the doorway38, telephone in hand! Before Stokes had time to move, the door closed violently, in order, no doubt, to make it shut over the telephone cable which lay under it!
Detective Sergeant Stokes fell back, gazed wildly at the false books for a moment, and then, turning, leaped to the outer door. It was locked!
In the meanwhile, Nicol Brinn, having secured the door which communicated with the study, walked out into the lobby where Hoskins was seated. Hoskins stood up.
“The lady went, Hoskins?”
“She did, sir.”
Nicol Brinn withdrew the key from the door of the room in which Detective Sergeant Stokes was confined. Stokes began banging wildly upon the panels from within.
“That row will continue,” Nicol Brinn said, coldly; “perhaps he will shout murder from one of the windows. You have only to say you had no key. I am going out now. The light coat, Hoskins.”
Hoskins unemotionally handed coat, hat, and cane39 to his master and, opening the front door, stood aside. The sound of a window being raised became audible from within the locked room.
“Probably,” added Nicol Brinn, “you will be arrested.”
“Very good, sir,” said Hoskins. “Good-night, sir...”
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1
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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investigator
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| n.研究者，调查者，审查者 | |
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8
succinct
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| adj.简明的，简洁的 | |
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9
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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10
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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12
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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13
intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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14
finesse
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| n.精密技巧，灵巧，手腕 | |
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15
subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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16
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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protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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18
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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19
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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20
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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blustered
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| v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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24
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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25
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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incisiveness
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| n.敏锐，深刻 | |
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27
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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29
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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30
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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31
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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32
dummy
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| n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头 | |
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33
authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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35
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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36
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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37
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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38
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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39
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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