When Tommy set forth1 on the trail of the two men, it took all Tuppence’sself- command to refrain from accompanying him. However, she con-tained herself as best she might, consoled by the reflection that her reas-oning had been justified2 by events. The two men had undoubtedly3 comefrom the second floor flat, and that one slender thread of the name “Rita”
had set the Young Adventurers once more upon the track of the abductorsof Jane Finn.
The question was what to do next? Tuppence hated letting the grassgrow under her feet. Tommy was amply employed, and debarred fromjoining him in the chase, the girl felt at a loose end. She retraced4 her stepsto the entrance hall of the mansions5. It was now tenanted by a small liftboy, who was polishing brass6 fittings, and whistling the latest air with agood deal of vigour7 and a reasonable amount of accuracy.
He glanced round at Tuppence’s entry. There was a certain amount ofthe gamin element in the girl, at all events she invariably got on well withsmall boys. A sympathetic bond seemed instantly to be formed. She reflec-ted that an ally in the enemy’s camp, so to speak, was not to be despised.
“Well, William,” she remarked cheerfully, in the best approved hospital-early-morning style, “getting a good shine up?”
The boy grinned responsively.
“Albert, miss,” he corrected.
“Albert be it,” said Tuppence. She glanced mysteriously round the hall.
The effect was purposely a broad one in case Albert should miss it. Sheleaned towards the boy and dropped her voice: “I want a word with you,Albert.”
Albert ceased operations on the fittings and opened his mouth slightly.
“Look! Do you know what this is?” With dramatic gesture she flung backthe left side of her coat and exposed a small enamelled badge. It was ex-tremely unlikely that Albert would have any knowledge of it—indeed, itwould have been fatal for Tuppence’s plans, since the badge in questionwas the device of a local training corps9 originated by the archdeacon inthe early days of the war. Its presence in Tuppence’s coat was due to thefact that she had used it for pinning in some flowers a day or two before.
But Tuppence had sharp eyes, and had noted10 the corner of a threepennydetective novel protruding11 from Albert’s pocket, and the immediate12 en-largement of his eyes told her that her tactics were good, and that the fishwould rise to the bait.
“American Detective Force!” she hissed13.
Albert fell for it.
“Lord!” he murmured ecstatically.
Tuppence nodded at him with the air of one who has established a thor-ough understanding.
“Know who I’m after?” she inquired genially15.
Albert, still round-eyed, demanded breathlessly:
“One of the flats?”
Tuppence nodded and jerked a thumb up the stairs.
“No. 20. Calls herself Vandemeyer. Vandemeyer! Ha! ha!”
Albert’s hand stole to his pocket.
“A crook16?” he queried17 eagerly.
“A crook? I should say so. Ready Rita they call her in the States.”
“Ready Rita,” repeated Albert deliriously18. “Oh, ain’t it just like the pic-tures!”
It was. Tuppence was a great frequenter of the cinema.
“Annie always said as how she was a bad lot,” continued the boy.
“Who’s Annie?” inquired Tuppence idly.
“ ’Ouse-parlourmaid. She’s leaving today. Many’s the time Annie’s saidto me: ‘Mark my words, Albert, I wouldn’t wonder if the police was tocome after her one of these days.’ Just like that. But she’s a stunner to lookat, ain’t she?”
“She’s some peach,” allowed Tuppence carefully. “Finds it useful in herlayout, you bet. Has she been wearing any of the emeralds, by the way?”
“Emeralds? Them’s the green stones, isn’t they?”
Tuppence nodded.
“That’s what we’re after her for. You know old man Rysdale?”
Albert shook his head.
“Peter B. Rysdale, the oil king?”
“It seems sort of familiar to me.”
“The sparklers belonged to him. Finest collection of emeralds in theworld. Worth a million dollars!”
“Lumme!” came ecstatically from Albert. “It sounds more like the pic-tures every minute.”
Tuppence smiled, gratified at the success of her efforts.
“We haven’t exactly proved it yet. But we’re after her. And”—she pro-duced a long drawn-out wink—“I guess she won’t get away with the goodsthis time.”
Albert uttered another ejaculation indicative of delight.
“Mind you, sonny, not a word of this,” said Tuppence suddenly. “I guessI oughtn’t to have put you wise, but in the States we know a real smart ladwhen we see one.”
“I’ll not breathe a word,” protested Albert eagerly. “Ain’t there anythingI could do? A bit of shadowing, maybe, or suchlike?”
Tuppence affected19 to consider, then shook her head.
“Not at the moment, but I’ll bear you in mind, son. What’s this about thegirl you say is leaving?”
“Annie? Regular turn up, they ’ad. As Annie said, servants is someonenowadays, and to be treated accordingly, and, what with her passing theword round, she won’t find it so easy to get another.”
“Won’t she?” said Tuppence thoughtfully. “I wonder—”
An idea was dawning in her brain. She thought a minute or two, thentapped Albert on the shoulder.
“See here, son, my brain’s got busy. How would it be if you mentionedthat you’d got a young cousin, or a friend of yours had, that might suit theplace. You get me?”
“I’m there,” said Albert instantly. “You leave it to me, miss, and I’ll fixthe whole thing up in two ticks.”
“Some lad!” commented Tuppence, with a nod of approval. “You mightsay that the young woman could come right away. You let me know, and ifit’s O.K. I’ll be round tomorrow at eleven o’clock.”
“Where am I to let you know to?”
“Ritz,” replied Tuppence laconically20. “Name of Cowley.”
Albert eyed her enviously21.
“It must be a good job, this tec business.”
“It sure is,” drawled Tuppence, “especially when old man Rysdale backsthe bill. But don’t fret22, son. If this goes well, you shall come in on theground floor.”
With which promise she took leave of her new ally, and walked brisklyaway from South Audley Mansions, well pleased with her morning’s work.
But there was no time to be lost. She went straight back to the Ritz andwrote a few brief words to Mr. Carter. Having dispatched this, and Tommynot having yet returned—which did not surprise her—she started off on ashopping expedition which, with an interval23 for tea and assorted24 creamycakes, occupied her until well after six o’clock, and she returned to thehotel jaded25, but satisfied with her purchases. Starting with a cheap cloth-ing store, and passing through one or two secondhand establishments, shehad finished the day at a well-known hairdresser’s. Now, in the seclusionof her bedroom, she unwrapped that final purchase. Five minutes latershe smiled contentedly26 at her reflection in the glass. With an actress’s pen-cil she had slightly altered the line of her eyebrows27, and that, taken in con-junction with the new luxuriant growth of fair hair above, so changed herappearance that she felt confident that even if she came face to face withWhittington he would not recognize her. She would wear elevators in hershoes, and the cap and apron28 would be an even more valuable disguise.
From hospital experience she knew only too well that a nurse out of uni-form is frequently unrecognized by her patients.
“Yes,” said Tuppence aloud, nodding at the pert reflection in the glass,“you’ll do.” She then resumed her normal appearance.
Dinner was a solitary29 meal. Tuppence was rather surprised at Tommy’snonreturn. Julius, too, was absent—but that to the girl’s mind was moreeasily explained. His “hustling30” activities were not confined to London,and his abrupt31 appearances and disappearances33 were fully8 accepted bythe Young Adventurers as part of the day’s work. It was quite on the cardsthat Julius P. Hersheimmer had left for Constantinople at a moment’s no-tice if he fancied that a clue to his cousin’s disappearance32 was to be foundthere. The energetic young man had succeeded in making the lives of sev-eral Scotland Yard men unbearable34 to them, and the telephone girls at theAdmiralty had learned to know and dread35 the familiar “Hullo!” He hadspent three hours in Paris hustling the Prefecture, and had returned fromthere imbued36 with the idea, possibly inspired by a weary French official,that the true clue to the mystery was to be found in Ireland.
“I daresay he’s dashed off there now,” thought Tuppence. “All very well,but this is very dull for me! Here I am bursting with news, and absolutelyno one to tell it to! Tommy might have wired, or something. I wonderwhere he is. Anyway, he can’t have ‘lost the trail’ as they say. That re-minds me —” And Miss Cowley broke off in her meditations37, andsummoned a small boy.
Ten minutes later the lady was ensconced comfortably on her bed,smoking cigarettes and deep in the perusal38 of Barnaby Williams, the BoyDetective, which, with other threepenny works of lurid39 fiction, she hadsent out to purchase. She felt, and rightly, that before the strain of at-tempting further intercourse40 with Albert, it would be as well to fortify41 her-self with a good supply of local colour.
The morning brought a note from Mr. Carter:
Dear Miss Tuppence
You have made a splendid start, and I congratulate you.
I feel, though, that I should like to point out to you oncemore the risks you are running, especially if you pursuethe course you indicate. Those people are absolutelydesperate and incapable42 of either mercy or pity. I feelthat you probably underestimate the danger, and there-fore warn you again that I can promise you no protec-tion. You have given us valuable information, and ifyou choose to withdraw now no one could blame you.
At any rate, think the matter over well before you de-cide.
If, in spite of my warnings, you make up your mind togo through with it, you will find everything arranged.
You have lived for two years with Miss Dufferin, theParsonage, Llanelly, and Mrs. Vendemeyer can apply toher for a reference.
May I be permitted a word or two of advice? Stick asnear to the truth as possible—it minimizes the dangerof “slips.” I suggest that you should represent yourselfto be what you are, a former V.A.D., who has chosen do-mestic service as a profession. There are many such atthe present time. That explains away any incongruitiesof voice or manner which otherwise might awaken43 sus-picion.
Whichever way you decide, good luck to you.
Your sincere friend,
Mr. Carter
Tuppence’s spirits rose mercurially44. Mr. Carter’s warnings passed un-heeded. The young lady had far too much confidence in herself to pay anyheed to them.
With some reluctance45 she abandoned the interesting part she hadsketched out for herself. Although she had no doubts of her own powers tosustain a r?le indefinitely, she had too much common sense not to recog-nize the force of Mr. Carter’s arguments.
There was still no word or message from Tommy, but the morning postbrought a somewhat dirty postcard with the words: “It’s O.K.” scrawledupon it.
At 10:30 Tuppence surveyed with pride a slightly battered46 tin trunk con-taining her new possessions. It was artistically47 corded. It was with a slightblush that she rang the bell and ordered it to be placed in a taxi. She droveto Paddington, and left the box in the cloakroom. She then repaired with ahandbag to the fastnesses of the ladies’ waiting room. Ten minutes later ametamorphosed Tuppence walked demurely48 out of the station andentered a bus.
It was a few minutes past eleven when Tuppence again entered the hallof South Audley Mansions. Albert was on the lookout49, attending to his du-ties in a somewhat desultory50 fashion. He did not immediately recognizeTuppence. When he did, his admiration51 was unbounded.
“Blest if I’d have known you! That rig-out’s top-hole.”
“Glad you like it, Albert,” replied Tuppence modestly. “By the way, am Iyour cousin, or am I not?”
“Your voice too,” cried the delighted boy. “It’s as English as anything!
No, I said as a friend of mine knew a young gal52. Annie wasn’t best pleased.
She stopped on till today—to oblige, she said, but really it’s so as to put youagainst the place.”
“Nice girl,” said Tuppence.
Albert suspected no irony53.
“She’s style about her, and keeps her silver a treat—but, my word, ain’tshe got a temper. Are you going up now, miss? Step inside the lift. No. 20did you say?” And he winked54.
Tuppence quelled55 him with a stern glance, and stepped inside.
As she rang the bell of No. 20 she was conscious of Albert’s eyes des-cending beneath the level of the floor.
A smart young woman opened the door.
“I’ve come about the place,” said Tuppence.
“It’s a rotten place,” said the young woman without hesitation56. “Regularold cat—always interfering57. Accused me of tampering58 with her letters. Me!
The flap was half undone59 anyway. There’s never anything in the wastepa-per basket—she burns everything. She’s a wrong ’un, that’s what she is.
Swell60 clothes but no class. Cook knows something about her — but shewon’t tell—scared to death of her. And suspicious! She’s on to you in aminute if you as much as speak to a fellow. I can tell you—”
“But what more Annie could tell, Tuppence was never destined61 to learn,for at that moment a clear voice with a peculiarly steely ring to it called:
“Annie!”
The smart young woman jumped as if she had been shot.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Who are you talking to?”
“It’s a young woman about the situation, ma’am.”
“Show her in then. At once.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Tuppence was ushered62 into a room on the right of the long passage. Awoman was standing14 by the fireplace. She was no longer in her firstyouth, and the beauty she undeniably possessed63 was hardened andcoarsened. In her youth she must have been dazzling. Her pale gold hair,owing a slight assistance to art, was coiled low on her neck, her eyes, of apiercing electric blue, seemed to possess a faculty64 of boring into the verysoul of the person she was looking at. Her exquisite65 figure was enhancedby a wonderful gown of indigo66 charmeuse. And yet, despite her swayinggrace, and the almost ethereal beauty of her face, you felt instinctively67 thepresence of something hard and menacing, a kind of metallic68 strength thatfound expression in the tones of her voice and in that gimlet-like qualityof her eyes.
For the first time Tuppence felt afraid. She had not feared Whittington,but this woman was different. As if fascinated, she watched the long cruelline of the red curving mouth, and again she felt that sensation of panicpass over her. Her usual self-confidence deserted69 her. Vaguely70 she felt thatdeceiving this woman would be very different to deceiving Whittington.
Mr. Carter’s warning recurred71 to her mind. Here, indeed, she might expectno mercy.
Fighting down that instinct of panic which urged her to turn tail andrun without further delay, Tuppence returned the lady’s gaze firmly andrespectfully.
As though that first scrutiny72 had been satisfactory, Mrs. Vandemeyermotioned to a chair.
“You can sit down. How did you hear I wanted a house-parlourmaid?”
“Through a friend who knows the lift boy here. He thought the placemight suit me.”
Again that basilisk glance seemed to pierce her through.
“You speak like an educated girl?”
Glibly73 enough, Tuppence ran through her imaginary career on the linessuggested by Mr. Carter. It seemed to her, as she did so, that the tension ofMrs. Vandemeyer’s attitude relaxed.
“I see,” she remarked at length. “Is there anyone I can write to for a ref-erence?”
“I lived last with a Miss Dufferin, The Parsonage, Llanelly. I was withher two years.”
“And then you thought you would get more money by coming to Lon-don, I suppose? Well, it doesn’t matter to me. I will give you ?50–?60—whatever you want. You can come at once?”
“Yes, ma’am. Today, if you like. My box is at Paddington.”
“Go and fetch it by taxi, then. It’s an easy place. I am out a good deal. Bythe way, what’s your name?”
“Prudence74 Cooper, ma’am.”
“Very well, Prudence. Go away and fetch your box. I shall be out tolunch. The cook will show you where everything is.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Tuppence withdrew. The smart Annie was not in evidence. In the hallbelow a magnificent hall porter had relegated75 Albert to the background.
Tuppence did not even glance at him as she passed meekly76 out.
The adventure had begun, but she felt less elated than she had doneearlier in the morning. It crossed her mind that if the unknown Jane Finnhad fallen into the hands of Mrs. Vandemeyer, it was likely to have gonehard with her.
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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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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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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standing
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genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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crook
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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deliriously
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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laconically
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| adv.简短地，简洁地 | |
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enviously
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| adv.满怀嫉妒地 | |
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fret
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interval
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assorted
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jaded
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contentedly
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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hustling
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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disappearance
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disappearances
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| n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案 | |
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unbearable
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dread
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imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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perusal
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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fortify
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| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
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incapable
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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mercurially
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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battered
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artistically
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demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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60
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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66
indigo
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| n.靛青，靛蓝 | |
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67
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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68
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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69
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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72
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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glibly
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| adv.流利地，流畅地；满口 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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relegated
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| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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