the illustrious prince-第15部分

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Mr。　Coulson　nodded。　He　seemed　content；　at　this　stage　in　their　conversation；　to　assume　the　role　of　listener。

〃You　read　the　particulars　of　the　murder　of　Mr。　Vanderpole；　I　suppose？〃　the　Inspector　asked。

〃Every　word；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃Most　interesting　thing　I've　seen　in　an　English　newspaper　since　I　landed。　Didn't　sound　like　London　somehow。　Gray　old　law…abiding　place；　my　partner　always　calls　it。〃

〃I　am　going　to　be　quite　frank　with　you；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　the　Inspector　continued。　〃I　am　going　to　tell　you　exactly　why　I　have　come　to　see　you　again　tonight。〃

〃Why；　that's　good；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃I　like　to　know　everything　a　man's　got　in　his　mind。〃

〃I　have　come　to　you；〃　the　Inspector　said；　〃because；　by　a　somewhat　curious　coincidence；　I　find　that；　besides　your　slight　acquaintance　with　and　knowledge　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes；　you　were　also　acquainted　with　this　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole；that　you　were；〃　he　continued；　knocking　the　ash　off　his　cigar　and　speaking　a　little　more　slowly；　〃the　last　person；　except　the　driver　of　the　taxicab；　to　have　seen　him　alive。〃

Mr。　Coulson　turned　slowly　around　and　faced　his　companion。

〃Now；　how　the　devil　do　you　know　that？〃　he　asked。

The　Inspector　smiled　tolerantly。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　very　simple。　The　taxicab　started　from　here。　Mr。　Vanderpole　had　been　visiting　some　one　in　the　hotel。　There　was　not　the　slightest　difficulty　in　ascertaining　that　the　person　for　whom　he　asked；　and　with　whom　he　spent　some　twenty　minutes　in　this　very　room；　was　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　of　New　York。〃

〃Seated　on　this　very　couch；　sir！〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared；　striking　the　arm　of　it　with　the　flat　of　his　hand；〃seated　within　a　few　feet　of　where　you　yourself　are　at　this　present　moment。〃

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃Naturally；〃　he　continued；　〃when　I　became　aware　of　so　singular　an　occurrence；　I　felt　that　I　must　lose　no　time　in　coming　and　having　a　few　more　words　with　you。〃

Mr。　Coulson　became　meditative。

〃Upon　my　word；　when　you　come　to　think　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　coincidence；　sure！　Two　men　murdered　within　twenty…four　hours；　and　I　seem　to　have　been　the　last　person　who　knew　them；　to　speak　to　either。　Tell　you　what；　Mr。　Jacks；　if　this　goes　on　I　shall　get　a　bit　scared。　I　think　I　shall　let　the　London　business　alone　and　go　on　over　to　Paris。〃

The　Inspector　smiled。

〃I　fancy　your　nerves；〃　he　remarked；　〃are　quite　strong　enough　to　bear　the　strain。　However；　I　am　sure　you　will　not　mind　telling　me　exactly　why　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole；　Secretary　to　the　American　Embassy　here；　should　have　come　to　see　you　on　Thursday　night。〃

〃Why；　that's　easy；〃　Mr。　Coulson　replied。　〃You　may　have　heard　of　my　firm；　The　Coulson　&　Bruce　Company　of　Jersey　City。　I'm　at　the　head　of　a　syndicate　that's　controlling　some　very　valuable　patents　which　we　want　to　exploit　on　this　side　and　in　Paris。　Now　my　people　don't　exactly　know　how　we　stand　under　this　new　patent　bill　of　Mr。　Lloyd　George's。　Accordingly　they　wrote　across　to　Mr。　Blaine…Harvey；　putting　the　matter　to　him；　and　asking　him　to　give　me　his　opinion　the　moment　I　arrived　on　this　side。　You　see；　it　was　no　use　our　entering　into　contracts　if　we　had　to　build　the　plant　and　make　the　stuff　over　here。　We　didn't　stand　any　earthly　show　of　making　it　pay　that　way。　Well；　Mr。　Harvey　cabled　out　that　I　was　just　to　let　him　know　the　moment　I　landed；　and　before　I　opened　up　any　business。　Sure　enough；　I　called　him　up　on　the　telephone；　an　hour　or　so　after　I　got　here；　and　this　young　man　came　round。　I　can　tell　you　he　was　all　right；　too；a　fine；　upstanding　young　fellow；　and　as　bright　as　they　make　em。　He　brought　a　written　opinion　with　him　as　to　how　the　law　would　affect　our　proceedings。　I've　got　it　in　my　room　if　you'd　care　to　see　it？〃

Mr。　Jacks　listened　to　his　companion's　words　with　unchanged　face。

〃If　it　isn't　troubling　you；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　be　of　some　interest　to　me。〃

Mr。　Coulson　rose　to　his　feet。

〃You　sit　right　here；〃　he　declared。　〃I'll　be　back　in　less　than　five　minutes。〃

Mr。　Coulson　was　as　good　as　his　word。　In　less　than　the　time　mentioned　he　was　seated　again　by　his　companion's　side　with　a　square　sheet　of　foolscap　spread　out　upon　the　round　table。　The　Inspector　ran　it　through　hurriedly。　The　paper　was　stamped　American　Embassy；'　and　it　was　the　digest　of　several　opinions　as　to　the　effect　of　the　new　patent　law　upon　the　import　of　articles　manufactured　under　processes　controlled　by　the　Coulson　&　Bruce　syndicate。　At　the　end　there　were　a　few　lines　in　the　Ambassador's　own　handwriting；　summing　up　the　situation。　Mr。　Coulson　produced　another　packet　of　letters　and　documents。

〃If　you've　an　hour　or　so　to　spare；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　like　to　go　right　into　this　with　you；　if　it　would　interest　you　any。　It's　my　business　over　here；　so　naturally　I　am　glad　enough　of　an　opportunity　to　talk　it　over。〃

Mr。　Jacks　passed　back　the　paper　promptly。

〃I　am　extremely　obliged　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　sure　I　should　find　it　most　interesting。　Another　time　I　should　be　very　glad　indeed　to　look　through　those　specifications；　but　just　now　I　have　this　affair　of　my　own　rather　on　my　mind。　About　this　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole；　Mr。　Coulson；　then；〃　he　added。　〃Do　I　understand　that　this　young　man　came　to　you　as　a　complete　stranger？〃

〃Absolutely；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃I　never　saw　him　before　in　my　life。　As　decent　a　young　chap　as　ever　I　met　with；　all　the　same；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　comes　of　a　good　American　stock；　too。　They　tell　me　there's　going　to　be　an　inquest　and　that　I　shall　be　summoned；　but　I　know　nothing　more　than　what　I've　told　you。　If　I　did；　you'd　be　welcome　to　it。〃

Mr。　Jacks　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　Certainly　the　situation　increased　in　perplexity！　The　man　by　his　side　was　talking　now　of　the　adaptation　of　one　of　his　patents　to　some　existing　machinery；　and　Jacks　watched　him　covertly。　He　considered　himself；　to　some　extent；　a　physiognomist。　He　told　himself　it　was　not　possible　that　this　man　was　playing　a　part。　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　sat　there；　the　absolute　incarnation　of　the　genial　man　of　affairs；　interested　in　his　business；　interested　in　the　great　subject　of　dollar…getting；　content　with　himself　and　his　position；a　person　apparently　of　little　imagination；　for　the　shock　of　this　matter　concerning　which　they　had　been　talking　had　already　passed　away。　He　was　doing　his　best　to　explain　with　a　pencil　on　the　back　of　an　illustrated　paper　some　new　system　of　wool…bleaching。

〃Mr。　Coulson；〃　the　Inspector　said　suddenly；　〃do　you　know　a　young　lady　named　Miss　Penelope　Morse？〃

It　was　here；　perhaps；　that　Mr。　Coulson　sank　a　little　from　the　heights　of　complete　success。　He　repeated　the　name；　and　obviously　took　time　to　think　before　he　answered。

〃Miss　Penelope　Morse；〃　the　Inspector　continued。　〃She　is　a　young　American　lady；　who　lives　with　an　invalid　aunt　in　Park　Lane；　and　who　is　taken　everywhere　by　the　Duchess　of　Devenham；　another　aunt；　I　believe。〃

〃I　suppose　I　may　say　that　I　am　acquainted　with　her；〃　Mr。　Coulson　admitted。　〃She　came　here　the　other　evening　with　a　young　manSir　Charles　Somerfield。〃

〃Ah！〃　the　Inspector　murmured。

〃She'd　read　that　interview　of　mine　with　the　Comet　man；〃　Mr。　Coulson　said；　〃and　she　fancied　that　perhaps　I　could　tell　her　something　about　Hamilton　Fynes。〃

〃First　time　you'd　met　her；　I　suppose？〃　the　Inspector　remarked。

〃Sure！〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　know　very　few　of　my　compatriots　over　here。　I　am　an　American　citizen　myself；　and　I　haven't　too　much　sympathy　with　any　one；　man　or　woman；　who　doesn't　find　America　good　enough　for　them　to　live　in。〃

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃Quite　so；〃　he　agreed。　〃So　you　hadn't　anything　to　tell　this　young　lady？〃

〃Not　a　thing　that　she　hadn't　read　in　the　Comet；〃　Mr。　Coulson　replied。　〃What　brought　her　into　your　mind；　anyway？〃

〃Nothing　particular；〃　the　Inspector　answered　carelessly。　〃Well；　Mr。　Coulson；　I　won't　take　up　any　more　of　your　time。　I　am　convinced　that　you　have　told　me　all　that　you　know；　and　I　am　afraid　that　I　shall　have　to　look　elsewhere　to　find　the　loose　end　of　this　little　tangle。〃

〃Stay　and　have　another　drink；〃　Mr。　Coulson　begged。　〃I've　nothing　to　do。　There　are　one　or　two　boys　coming　in　later　who'll　like　to　meet　you。〃

The　Inspector　shook　his　head。

〃I　must　be　off；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　get　into　my　office　before　six　o'clock。　I　dare　say　I　shall　be　running　across　you　again　before　you　go　back。〃

He　shook　hands　and　turned　away。　Then　Mr。　Coulson　made　what　was；　perhaps；　his　second　slight　mistake。

〃Say；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃what　made　you　mention　that　young　lady's　name；　anyway？　I'm　curious　to　know。〃

The　Inspector　looked　thoughtfully　at　the　end　of　the　fresh　cigar　which　he　had　just　lit。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　that　there　was　anything　definite　in　my　mind；　only　it　seems　a　little　strange　that　you　and　Miss　Penelope　Morse　should　both　have　been　acquainted　with　the　murdered　man　and　that　you　should　have　come　across　one　another。〃

〃Sort　of　bond　between　us；　eh？〃　Mr。　Coulson　replied。　〃She　seemed　a　very　charming　young　lady。　Cut　above　Fynes；　I　should　think。〃

The　detective　smiled。

〃All　your　American　young　ladies　who　come　over　here　are　charming；〃　he　said。　〃Goodbye；　Mr。　Coulson；　and　many　thanks！〃

The　Inspector　passed　out；　and　the　man　whom　he　had　come　to　visit；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　resumed　his　seat。

〃These　aren't　American　methods；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃I　don't　understand　them。　That　man　Jacks　is　either　a　simpleton　or　he　is　too　cunning　for　me。〃

He　crossed　to　a　writing　table　and　scribbled　an　unnecessary　note；　addressing　it　to　a　firm　in　the　city。　Then　he　rang　for　a　messenger　boy　and　handed　it　to　him　for　delivery。　A　few　minutes　afterwards　he　strolled　out　into　the　hall。　The　boy　was　in　the　act　of　handing　the　note　to　one　of　the　head　porters；　who　carefully　copied　the　address。　Mr。　Coulson　returned　to　the　smoking　room；　whistling　softly　to　himself。



CHAPTER　XI。　A　COMMISSION

Mr。　Robert　Blaine…Harvey；　American　Ambassador　and　Plenipotentiary　Extraordinary　to　England；　was　a　man　of　great　culture；　surprising　personal　gifts；　and　with　a　diplomatic　instinct　which　amounted　almost　to　genius。　And　yet　there　were　times　when　he　was　puzzled。　For　at　least　half　an　hour　he　had　been　sitting　in　his　great　library；　looking　across　the　Park；　and　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　on　a　very　important　matter。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　face　to　face　with　what　amounted　almost　to　a　crisis　in