It was a wet Wednesday in the offices of the International DetectiveAgency. Tuppence let the Daily Leader fall idly from her hand.
“Do you know what I’ve been thinking, Tommy?”
“It’s impossible to say,” replied her husband. “You think of so manythings, and you think of them all at once.”
“I think it’s time we went dancing again.”
Tommy picked up the Daily Leader hastily.
“Our advertisement looks well,” he remarked, his head on one side.
“Blunt’s Brilliant Detectives. Do you realise, Tuppence, that you and youalone are Blunt’s Brilliant Detectives? There’s glory for you, as HumptyDumpty would say.”
“I was talking about dancing.”
“There’s a curious point that I have observed about newspapers. I won-der if you have ever noticed it. Take these three copies of the Daily Leader.
Can you tell me how they differ one from the other?”
Tuppence took them with some curiosity.
“It seems fairly easy,” she remarked witheringly. “One is today’s, one isyesterday’s, and one is the day before’s.”
“Positively scintillating2, my dear Watson. But that was not my meaning.
Observe the headline, ‘Daily Leader.’ Compare the three—do you see anydifference between them?”
“No, I don’t,” said Tuppence, “and what’s more, I don’t believe there isany.”
Tommy sighed and brought the tips of his fingers together in the mostapproved Sherlock Holmes fashion.
“Exactly. Yet you read the papers as much—in fact, more than I do. But Ihave observed and you have not. If you will look at today’s Daily Leader,you will see that in the middle of the downstroke of the D is a small whitedot, and there is another in the L of the same word. But in yesterday’s pa-per the white dot is not in DAILY at all. There are two white dots in the Lof LEADER. That of the day before again has two dots in the D of DAILY. Infact, the dot, or dots, are in a different position every day.”
“Why?” asked Tuppence.
“That’s a journalistic secret.”
“Meaning you don’t know, and can’t guess.”
“I will merely say this—the practice is common to all newspapers.”
“Aren’t you clever?” said Tuppence. “Especially at drawing red herringsacross the track. Let’s go back to what we were talking about before.”
“What were we talking about?”
“The Three Arts Ball.”
Tommy groaned3.
“No, no, Tuppence. Not the Three Arts Ball. I’m not young enough. I as-sure you I’m not young enough.”
“When I was a nice young girl,” said Tuppence, “I was brought up to be-lieve that men — especially husbands — were dissipated beings, fond ofdrinking and dancing and staying up late at night. It took an exceptionallybeautiful and clever wife to keep them at home. Another illusion gone! Allthe wives I know are hankering to go out and dance, and weeping becausetheir husbands will wear bedroom slippers4 and go to bed at half past nine.
And you do dance so nicely, Tommy dear.”
“Gently with the butter, Tuppence.”
“As a matter of fact,” said Tuppence, “it’s not purely6 for pleasure that Iwant to go. I’m intrigued7 by this advertisement.”
She picked up the Daily Leader again and read it out.
“I should go three hearts. 12 tricks. Ace8 of Spades. Necessary to finessethe King.”
“Rather an expensive way of learning bridge,” was Tommy’s comment.
“Don’t be an ass10. That’s nothing to do with bridge. You see, I was lunch-ing with a girl yesterday at the Ace of Spades. It’s a queer little under-ground den11 in Chelsea, and she told me that it’s quite the fashion at thesebig shows to trundle round there in the course of the evening for baconand eggs and Welsh rarebits—Bohemian sort of stuff. It’s got screened-offbooths all around it. Pretty hot place, I should say.”
“And your idea is—?”
“Three hearts stands for the Three Arts Ball, tomorrow night, 12 tricks istwelve o’clock, and the Ace of Spades is the Ace of Spades.”
“And what about its being necessary to finesse9 the King?”
“Well, that’s what I thought we’d find out.”
“I shouldn’t wonder if you weren’t right, Tuppence,” said Tommy mag-nanimously. “But I don’t quite see why you want to butt5 in upon otherpeople’s love affairs.”
“I shan’t butt in. What I’m proposing is an interesting experiment in de-tective work. We need practice.”
“Business is certainly not too brisk,” agreed Tommy. “All the same, Tup-pence, what you want is to go to the Three Arts Ball and dance! Talk of redherrings.”
Tuppence laughed shamelessly.
“Be a sport, Tommy. Try and forget you’re thirty-two and have got onegrey hair in your left eyebrow12.”
“I was always weak where women were concerned,” murmured herhusband. “Have I got to make an ass of myself in fancy dress?”
“Of course, but you can leave that to me. I’ve got a splendid idea.”
Tommy looked at her with some misgiving13. He was always profoundlymistrustful of Tuppence’s brilliant ideas.
When he returned to the flat on the following evening, Tuppence cameflying out of her bedroom to meet him.
“It’s come,” she announced.
“What’s come?”
“The costume. Come and look at it.”
Tommy followed her. Spread out on the bed was a complete fireman’skit with shining helmet.
“Good God!” groaned Tommy. “Have I joined the Wembley fire bri-gade?”
“Guess again,” said Tuppence. “You haven’t caught the idea yet. Useyour little grey cells, mon ami. Scintillate14, Watson. Be a bull that has beenmore than ten minutes in the arena15.”
“Wait a minute,” said Tommy. “I begin to see. There is a dark purpose inthis. What are you going to wear, Tuppence?”
“An old suit of your clothes, an American hat and some horn spec-tacles.”
“Crude,” said Tommy. “But I catch the idea. McCarty incog. And I am Ri-ordan.”
“That’s it. I thought we ought to practise American detective methods aswell as English ones. Just for once I am going to be the star, and you willbe the humble16 assistant.”
“Don’t forget,” said Tommy warningly, “that it’s always an innocent re-mark by the simple Denny that puts McCarty on the right track.”
But Tuppence only laughed. She was in high spirits.
It was a most successful evening. The crowds, the music, the fantasticdresses — everything conspired17 to make the young couple enjoy them-selves. Tommy forgot his role of the bored husband dragged out againsthis will.
At ten minutes to twelve they drove off in the car to the famous—or in-famous—Ace of Spades. As Tuppence had said, it was an undergroundden, mean and tawdry in appearance, but it was nevertheless crowdedwith couples in fancy dress. There were closed-in booths round the walls,and Tommy and Tuppence secured one of these. They left the doors pur-posely a little ajar so that they could see what was going on outside.
“I wonder which they are—our people, I mean,” said Tuppence. “Whatabout that Columbine over there with the red Mephistopheles?”
“I fancy the wicked Mandarin18 and the lady who calls herself a Battleship—more of a fast Cruiser, I should say.”
“Isn’t he witty19?” said Tuppence. “All done on a little drop of drink!
Who’s this coming in dressed as the Queen of Hearts—rather a good get-up, that.”
The girl in question passed into the booth next to them, accompanied byher escort, who was “the gentleman dressed in newspaper” from Alice inWonderland. They were both wearing masks—it seemed to be rather acommon custom at the Ace of Spades.
“I’m sure we’re in a real den of iniquity,” said Tuppence with a pleasedface. “Scandals all round us. What a row everyone makes.”
A cry, as of protest, rang out from the booth next door and was coveredby a man’s loud laugh. Everybody was laughing and singing. The shrillvoices of the girls rose above the booming of their male escorts.
“What about that shepherdess?” demanded Tommy. “The one with thecomic Frenchman. They might be our little lot.”
“Any one might be,” confessed Tuppence. “I’m not going to bother. Thegreat thing is that we are enjoying ourselves.”
“I could have enjoyed myself better in another costume,” grumbledTommy. “You’ve no idea of the heat of this one.”
“Cheer up,” said Tuppence. “You look lovely.”
“I’m glad of that,” said Tommy. “It’s more than you do. You’re the funni-est little guy I’ve ever seen.”
“Will you keep a civil tongue in your head, Denny, my boy. Hullo, thegentleman in newspaper is leaving his lady alone. Where’s he going, doyou think?”
“Going to hurry up the drinks, I expect,” said Tommy. “I wouldn’t minddoing the same thing.”
“He’s a long time doing it,” said Tuppence, when four or five minuteshad passed. “Tommy, would you think me an awful ass—” She paused.
Suddenly she jumped up.
“Call me an ass if you like. I’m going in next door.”
“Look here, Tuppence—you can’t—”
“I’ve a feeling there’s something wrong. I know there is. Don’t try andstop me.”
She passed quickly out of their own booth, and Tommy followed her.
The doors of the one next door were closed. Tuppence pushed them apartand went in, Tommy on her heels.
The girl dressed as the Queen of Hearts sat in the corner leaning upagainst the wall in a queer huddled20 position. Her eyes regarded themsteadily through her mask, but she did not move. Her dress was carriedout in a bold design of red and white, but on the left hand side the patternseemed to have got mixed. There was more red than there should havebeen. .?.?.
With a cry Tuppence hurried forward. At the same time, Tommy sawwhat she had seen, the hilt of a jewelled dagger22 just below the heart. Tup-pence dropped on her knees by the girl’s side.
“Quick, Tommy, she’s still alive. Get hold of the manager and make himget a doctor at once.”
“Right. Mind you don’t touch the handle of that dagger, Tuppence.”
“I’ll be careful. Go quickly.”
Tommy hurried out, pulling the doors to behind him. Tuppence passedher arm round the girl. The latter made a faint gesture, and Tuppencerealised that she wanted to get rid of the mask. Tuppence unfastened itgently. She saw a fresh, flower-like face, and wide starry23 eyes that werefull of horror, suffering, and a kind of dazed bewilderment.
“My dear,” said Tuppence, very gently. “Can you speak at all? Will youtell me, if you can, who did this?”
She felt the eyes fix themselves on her face. The girl was sighing, thedeep palpitating sighs of a failing heart. And still she looked steadily21 atTuppence. Then her lips parted.
“Bingo did it—” she said in a strained whisper.
Then her hands relaxed, and she seemed to nestle down on Tuppence’sshoulder.
Tommy came in, two men with him. The bigger of the two came forwardwith an air of authority, the word doctor written all over him.
Tuppence relinquished24 her burden.
“She’s dead, I’m afraid,” she said with a catch in her voice.
The doctor made a swift examination.
“Yes,” he said. “Nothing to be done. We had better leave things as theyare till the police come. How did the thing happen?”
Tuppence explained rather haltingly, slurring25 over her reasons for en-tering the booth.
“It’s a curious business,” said the doctor. “You heard nothing?”
“I heard her give a kind of cry, but then the man laughed. Naturally Ididn’t think—”
“Naturally not,” agreed the doctor. “And the man wore a mask you say.
You wouldn’t recognise him?”
“I’m afraid not. Would you, Tommy?”
“No. Still there is his costume.”
“The first thing will be to identify this poor lady,” said the doctor. “Afterthat, well, I suppose the police will get down to things pretty quickly. Itought not to be a difficult case. Ah, here they come.”
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finessing
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| v.手腕，手段，技巧( finesse的现在分词 ) | |
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scintillating
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| adj．才气横溢的,闪闪发光的; 闪烁的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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intrigued
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| adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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finesse
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| n.精密技巧，灵巧，手腕 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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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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eyebrow
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| n.眉毛，眉 | |
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misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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scintillate
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| v.闪烁火光；放出火花 | |
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arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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conspired
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| 密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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Mandarin
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| n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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slurring
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| 含糊地说出( slur的现在分词 )； 含糊地发…的声； 侮辱； 连唱 | |
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