the enchanted castle-第12部分

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think　it　was　a　fair　cop　that　time。〃　

They　closed　the　door　again。　Gerald　did　not　mind。　In　fact；　he　rather
preferred　that　it　should　be　so。　He　didn't　like　the　look　of　those　men。
There　was　an　air　of　threat　about　them。　In　their　presence　even
invisibility　seemed　too　thin　a　disguise。　And　Gerald　had　seen　as
much　as　he　wanted　to　see。　He　had　seen　that　he　had　been　right
about　the　gang。　By　wonderful　luck　　beginner's　luck；　a　card…player
would　have　told　him　he　had　discovered　a　burglary　on　the　very　first
night　of　his　detective　career。　The　men　were　taking　silver　out　of
two　great　chests；　wrapping　it　in　rags；　and　packing　it　in　baize　sacks。
The　door　of　the　room　was　of　iron　six　inches　thick。　It　was；　in　fact；
the　strong…room；　and　these　men　had　picked　the　lock。　The　tools　they
had　done　it　with　lay　on　the　floor；　on　a　neat　cloth　roll；　such　as
wood…carvers　keep　their　chisels　in。

〃Hurry　up！〃　Gerald　heard。　〃You　needn't　take　all　night　over　it。〃　

The　silver　rattled　slightly。　〃You're　a　rattling　of　them　trays　like
bloomin'　castanets；〃　said　the　gruffest　voice。　Gerald　turned　and
went　away；　very　carefully　and　very　quickly。　And　it　is　a　most
curious　thing　that；　though　he　couldn't　find　the　way　to　the　servants
wing　when　he　had　nothing　else　to　think　of；　yet　now；　with　his　mind
full；　so　to　speak；　of　silver　forks　and　silver　cups；　and　the　question　of
who　might　be　coming　after　him　down　those　twisting　passages；　he
went　straight　as　an　arrow　to　the　door　that　led　from　the　hall　to　the
place　he　wanted　to　get　to。

As　he　went　the　happenings　took　words　in　his　mind。

〃The　fortunate　detective；〃　he　told　himself；　〃having　succeeded
beyond　his　wildest　dreams；　himself　left　the　spot　in　search　of
assistance。〃　

But　what　assistance？　There　were；　no　doubt；　men　in　the　house；　also
the　aunt；　but　he　could　not　warn　them。

He　was　too　hopelessly　invisible　to　carry　any　weight　with　strangers。
The　assistance　of　Mabel　would　not　be　of　much　value。　The　police？
Before　they　could　be　got　and　the　getting　of　them　presented
difficulties　the　burglars　would　have　cleared　away　with　their　sacks
of　silver。

Gerald　stopped　and　thought　hard；　he　held　his　head　with　both　hands
to　do　it。　You　know　the　way　the　same　as　you　sometimes　do　for
simple　equations　or　the　dates　of　the　battles　of　the　Civil　War。

Then　with　pencil；　note…book；　a　window…ledge；　and　all　the
cleverness　he　could　find　at　the　moment；　he　wrote：　〃You　know　the
room　where　the　silver　is。　Burglars　are　burgling　it；　the　thick　door　is
picked。　Send　a　man　for　police。　I　will　follow　the　burglars　if　they　get
away　ere　police　arrive　on　the　spot。〃　

He　hesitated　a　moment；　and　ended　〃From　a　Friend　this　is　not　a
sell。〃　

This　letter；　tied　tightly　round　a　stone　by　means　of　a　shoelace；
thundered　through　the　window　of　the　room　where　Mabel　and　her
aunt；　in　the　ardour　of　reunion；　were　enjoying　a　supper　of　unusual
charm　stewed　plums；　cream；　sponge…cakes；　custard　in　cups；　and
cold　bread…and…butter　pudding。

Gerald；　in　hungry　invisibility；　looked　wistfully　at　the　supper　before
he　threw　the　stone。　He　waited　till　the　shrieks　had　died　away；　saw
the　stone　picked　up；　the　warning　letter　read。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　aunt；　growing　calmer。　〃How　wicked！　Of
course　it's　a　hoax。〃　

〃Oh！　do　send　for　the　police；　like　he　says；〃　wailed　Mabel。

〃Like　who　says？〃　snapped　the　aunt。

〃Whoever　it　is；〃　Mabel　moaned。

〃Send　for　the　police　at　once；〃　said　Gerald；　outside；　in　the　manliest
voice　he　could　find。　〃You'll　only　blame　yourself　if　you　don　t。　I
can't　do　any　more　for　you。〃　

〃I　I'll　set　the　dogs　on　you！〃　cried　the　aunt。

〃Oh；　auntie；　don't！〃　Mabel　was　dancing　with　agitation。　〃It's　true　I
know　it's　true。　Do　do　wake　Bates！〃　

〃I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it；〃　said　the　aunt。　No　more　did　Bates
when；　owing　to　Mabel's　persistent　worryings；　he　was　awakened。
But　when　he　had　seen　the　paper；　and　had　to　choose　whether　he'd
go　to　the　strong…room　and　see　that　there　really　wasn't　anything　to
believe　or　go　for　the　police　on　his　bicycle；　he　chose　the　latter
course。

When　the　police　arrived　the　strong…room　door　stood　ajar；　and　the
silver；　or　as　much　of　it　as　the　three　men　could　carry；　was　gone。

Gerald's　note…book　and　pencil　came　into　play　again　later　on　that
night。　It　was　five　in　the　morning　before　he　crept　into　bed；　tired　out
and　cold　as　a　stone。

〃Master　Gerald！〃　it　was　Eliza's　voice　in　his　ears　〃it's　seven　o　clock
and　another　fine　day；　and　there's　been　another　burglary　My　cats
alive！〃　she　screamed；　as　she　drew　up　the　blind　and　turned　towards
the　bed；　〃look　at　his　bed；　all　crocked　with　black；　and　him　not
there！〃　〃Oh；　Jiminy！〃　It　was　a　scream　this　time。　Kathleen　came
running　from　her　room；　Jimmy　sat　up　in　his　bed　and　rubbed　his
eyes。

〃Whatever　is　it？〃　Kathleen　cried。

〃I　dunno　when　I　'ad　such　a　turn。　Eliza　sat　down　heavily　on　a　box　as
she　spoke。　〃First　thing　his　bed　all　empty　and　black　as　the　chimley
back；　and　him　not　in　it；　and　then　when　I　looks　again　he　is　in　it　all
the　time。　I　must　be　going　silly。　I　thought　as　much　when　I　heard
them　haunting　angel　voices　yesterday　morning。　But　I'll　tell
Mamselle　of　you；　my　lad；　with　your　tricks；　you　may　rely　on　that。
Blacking　yourself　all　over　and　crocking　up　your　clean　sheets　and
pillow…cases。　It's　going　back　of　beyond；　this　is。〃　

〃Look　here；〃　said　Gerald　slowly；　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　something。〃　

Eliza　simply　snorted；　and　that　was　rude　of　her；　but　then；　she　had
had　a　shock　and　had　not　got　over　it。

〃Can　you　keep　a　secret？〃　asked　Gerald；　very　earnest　through　the
grey　of　his　partly　rubbed…off　blacklead。

〃Yes；〃　said　Eliza。

〃Then　keep　it　and　I'll　give　you　two　bob。〃　

〃But　what　was　you　going　to　tell　me？〃

〃That。　About　the　two　bob　and　the　secret。　And　you　keep　your　mouth
shut。〃　

〃I　didn't　ought　to　take　it；〃　said　Eliza；　holding　out　her　hand　eagerly。
〃Now　you　get　up；　and　mind　you　wash　all　the　corners；　Master
Gerald。〃　

〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　you're　safe；〃　said　Kathleen；　when　Eliza　had　gone。

〃You　didn't　seem　to　care　much　last　night；〃　said　Gerald　coldly。

〃I　can't　think　how　I　let　you　go。　I　didn't　care　last　night。　But　when　I
woke　this　morning　and　remembered！〃　

〃There；　that'll　do　it'll　come　off　on　you；〃　said　Gerald　through　the
reckless　hugging　of　his　sister。

〃How　did　you　get　visible？〃　Jimmy　asked。

〃It　just　happened　when　she　called　me　the　ring　came　off。〃　

〃Tell　us　all　about　everything；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Not　yet；　said　Gerald
mysteriously。

〃Where's　the　ring？〃　Jimmy　asked　after　breakfast。　〃I　want　to　have　a
try　now。〃　

〃I　I　forgot　it；〃　said　Gerald；　〃I　expect　it's　in　the　bed　somewhere。　

But　it　wasn't。　Eliza　had　made　the　bed。

〃I'll　swear　there　ain't　no　ring　there；〃　she　said。　〃I　should　〃a　seen　it　if
there　had'a　been。〃　

〃Search　and　research　proving　vain；〃　said　Gerald；　when　every
corner　of　the　bedroom　had　been　turned　out　and　the　ring　had　not
been　found；　〃the　noble　detective　hero　of　our　tale　remarked　that　he
would　have　other　fish　to　fry　in　half　a　jiff；　and　if　the　rest　of　you
want　to　hear　about　last　night。。。〃　

〃Let's　keep　it　till　we　get　to　Mabel；〃　said　Kathleen　heroically。

〃The　assignation　was　ten…thirty；　wasn't　it？　Why　shouldn't　Gerald
gas　as　we　go　along？　I　don't　suppose　anything　very　much　happened；
anyhow。〃　This；　of　course；　was　Jimmy。

〃That　shows；〃　remarked　Gerald　sweetly；　〃how　much　you　know。
The　melancholy　Mabel　will　await　the　tryst　without　success；　as　far
as　this　one　is　concerned。〃　'Fish；　fish；　other　fish　other　fish　I　fry！'〃　he
warbled　to　the　tune　of　'Cherry　Ripe'　；　till　Kathleen　could　have
pinched　him。

Jimmy　turned　coldly　away；　remarking；　〃When　you've　quite　done。〃　

But　Gerald　went　on　singing

〃Where　the　lips　of　Johnson　smile；

There's　the　land　of　Cherry　Isle。

Other　fish；　other　fish；　Fish　I　fry。

Stately　Johnson；　come　and　buy！〃

〃How　can　you；〃　asked　Kathleen；　〃be　so　aggravating？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Gerald；　returning　to　prose。

〃Want　of　sleep　or　intoxication　of　success；　I　mean。　Come　where　no
one　can　hear　us。

'Oh；　come　to　some　island　where　no　one　can　hear；

And　beware　of　the　keyhole　that's　glued　to　an　ear；'〃　

he　whispered；　opened　the　door　suddenly；　and　there；　sure　enough；
was　Eliza；　stooping　without。　She　flicked　feebly　at　the　wainscot
with　a　duster；　but　concealment　was　vain。

〃You　know　what　listeners　never　hear；〃　said　Jimmy　severely。

〃I　didn't；　then　so　there！〃　said　Eliza；　whose　listening　ears　were
crimson。　So　they　passed　out；　and　up　the　High　Street；　to　sit　on　the
churchyard　wall　and　dangle　their　legs。　And　all　the　way　Gerald's
lips　were　shut　into　a　thin；　obstinate　line。

〃Now；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Oh；　Jerry；　don't　be　a　goat！　I'm　simply　dying
to　hear　what　happened。〃　

〃That's　better；〃　said　Gerald；　and　he　told　his　story。　As　he　told　it
some　of　the　white　mystery　and　magic　of　the　moonlit　gardens　got
into　his　voice　and　his　words；　so　that　when　he　told　of　the　statues
that　came　alive；　and　the　great　beast　that　was　alive　through　all　its
stone；　Kathleen　thrilled　responsive；　clutching　his　arm；　and　even
Jimmy　ceased　to　kick　the　wall　with　his　boot　heels；　and　listened
open…mouthed。

Then　came　the　thrilling　tale　of　the　burglars；　and　the　warning　letter
flung　into　the　peaceful　company　of　Mabel；　her　aunt；　and　the
bread…and…butter　pudding。　Gerald　told　the　story　with　the　greatest
enjoyment　and　such　fullness　of　detail　that　the　church　clock　chimed
half…past　eleven　as　he　said；　〃Having　done　all　that　human　agency
could　do；　and　further　help　being　despaired　of；　our　gallant　young
detective　Hullo；　there's　Mabel！〃　

There　was。　The　tail…board　of　a　cart　shed　her　almost　at　their　feet。

〃I　couldn't　wait　any　longer；〃　she　explained；　〃when　you　didn't　come。
And　I　got　a　lift。　Has　anything　more　happened？〃　The　burglars　had
gone　when　Bates　got　to　the　strong…room。　

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　all　that　wheeze　is　real？〃　Jimmy　asked。

〃Of　course　it's　real；〃　said　Kathleen。　〃Go　on；　Jerry。　He's　just　got　to
where　he　threw　the　stone　into　your　bread…and…butter　pudding；
Mabel。　Go　on。　

Mabel　climbed　on　to　the　wall。　〃You've　got　visible　again　quicker
than　I　did；〃　she　said。

Gerald　nodded　and　resumed：

〃Our　story　must　be　told　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　owing　to　the
fish…frying　taking　place　at　twelve；　and　it's　past　the　half…hour　now。
Having　left　his　missive　to　do　its　warning　work；　Gerald　de　Sherlock
Holmes　sped　back；