initials only-第20部分

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ing？　　It　would　have　been　a　deuced　sight　more　convenient。〃

〃You've　done　very　well　as　it　is。〃

〃But　I　want　to　do　better。　　I　want　to　deceive　him　to　his　face。　　He's　clever；　this　same　Brotherson；　and　there's　glory　to　be　got　in　making　a　fool　of　him。　　Do　you　think　it　could　be　done　with　a　beard？　　I've　never　worn　a　beard。　　While　I'm　settling　back　into　my　old　trade；　I　can　let　the　hair　grow。〃

〃Do。　　It'll　make　you　look　as　weak　as　water。　　It'll　be　blonde；　of　course。〃

〃And　silky　and　straggling。　　Charming　addition　to　my　beauty。　　But　it'll　take　half　an　inch　off　my　nose；　and　it'll　cover　my　mouth；　which　means　a　lot　in　my　case。　　Then　my　complexion！　　It　must　be　changed　naturally。　　I'll　consult　a　doctor　about　that。　　No　sort　of　make…believe　will　go　with　this　man。　　If　my　eyes　look　weak；　they　must　really　be　so。　　If　I　walk　slowly　and　speak　huskily；　it　must　be　because　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　can　bear　the　slight　inconvenience　of　temporary　ill…health　in　a　cause　like　this；　and　if　necessary　the　cough　will　be　real；　and　the　headache　positive。

〃Sweetwater！　　We'd　better　give　the　task　to　another　man　…　to　someone　Brotherson　has　never　seen　and　won't　be　suspicious　of？〃

〃He'll　be　suspicious　of　everybody　who　tries　to　make　friends　with　him　now；　only　a　little　more　so　with　me；　that's　all。　　But　I've　got　to　meet　that；　and　I'll　do　it　by　being；　temporarily；　of　course；　exactly　the　man　I　seem。　　My　health　will　not　be　good　for　the　next　few　weeks；　I'm　sure　of　that。　　But　I'll　be　a　model　workman；　neat　and　conscientious　with　just　a　suspicion　of　dash　where　dash　is　needed。　He　knows　the　real　thing　when　he　sees　it；　and　there's　not　a　fellow　living　more　alive　to　shams。　　I　won't　be　a　sham。　　I'll　be　it。　　You'll　see。〃

〃But　the　doubt。　　Can　you　do　all　this　in　doubt　of　the　issue？〃

〃No；　I　must　have　confidence　in　the　end；　and　I　must　believe　in　his　guilt。　　Nothing　else　will　carry　me　through。　　I　must　believe　in　his　guilt。〃

〃Yes；　that's　essential。〃

〃And　I　do。　　I　never　was　surer　of　anything　than　I　am　of　that。　　But　I'll　have　the　deuce　of　a　time　to　get　evidence　enough　for　a　grand　jury。　　That's　plainly　to　be　seen；　and　that's　why　I'm　so　dead　set　on　the　business。　　It's　such　an　even　toss…up。〃

〃I　don't　call　it　even。　　He's　got　the　start　of　you　every　way。　　You　can't　go　to　his　tenement；　the　janitor　there　would　recognise　you　even　if　he　didn't。〃

〃Now　I　will　give　you　a　piece　of　good　news。　　They're　to　have　a　new　janitor　next　week。　　I　learned　that　yesterday。　　The　present　one　is　too　easy。　　He'll　be　out　long　before　I'm　ready　to　show　myself　there；　and　so　will　the　woman　who　took　care　of　the　poor　washerwoman's　little　child。　　I'd　not　have　risked　her　curiosity。　　Luck　isn't　all　against　us。　　How　does　Mr。　Challoner　feel　about　it？〃

〃Not　very　confident；　but　willing　to　give　you　any　amount　of　rope。　Sweetwater；　he　let　me　have　a　batch　of　letters　written　by　his　daughter　which　he　found　in　a　secret　drawer。　　They　are　not　to　be　read；　or　even　opened；　unless　a　great　necessity　arises。　　They　were　written　for　Brotherson's　eye　…　or　so　the　father　says　…　but　she　never　sent　them；　too　exuberant　perhaps。　　If　you　ever　want　them　…　I　cannot　give　them　to　you　to…night；　and　wouldn't　if　I　could；…　don't　go　to　Mr。　Challoner　　…　you　must　never　be　seen　at　his　hotel　…　and　don't　come　to　me；　but　to　the　little　house　in　West　Twenty…ninth　Street；　where　they　will　be　kept　for　you；　tied　up　in　a　package　with　your　name　on　it。　　By　the　way；　what　name　are　you　going　to　work　under？〃

〃My　mother's　…　Zugg。〃

〃Good！　　I'll　remember。　　You　can　always　write　or　even　telephone　to　Twenty…ninth　Street。　　I'm　in　constant　communication　with　them　there；　and　it's　quite　safe。〃

〃Thanks。　　You're　sure　the　Superintendent　is　with　me？〃

〃Yes；　but　not　the　Inspector。　　He　sees　nothing　but　the　victim　of　a　strange　coincidence　in　Orlando　Brotherson。〃

〃Again　the　scales　hang　even。　　But　they　won't　remain　so。　　One　side　is　bound　to　rise。　　Which？　　That's　the　question；　Mr。　Gryce。〃



XVI

OPPOSED


There　was　a　new　tenant　in　the　Hicks　Street　tenement。　　He　arrived　late　one　afternoon　and　was　shown　two　rooms；　one　in　the　rear　building　and　another　in　the　front　one。　　Both　were　on　the　fourth　floor。　　He　demurred　at　the　former；　thought　it　gloomy　but　finally　consented　to　try　it。　　The　other；　he　said；　was　too　expensive。　　The　janitor　…　new　to　the　business　…　was　not　much　taken　with　him　and　showed　it；　which　seemed　to　offend　the　newcomer；　who　was　evidently　an　irritable　fellow　owing　to　ill　health。

However；　they　came　to　terms　as　I　have　said；　and　the　man　went　away；　promising　to　send　in　his　belongings　the　next　day。　　He　smiled　as　he　said　this　and　the　janitor　who　had　rarely　seen　such　a　change　take　place　in　a　human　face；　looked　uncomfortable　for　a　moment　and　seemed　disposed　to　make　some　remark　about　the　room　they　were　leaving。　　But；　thinking　better　of　it；　locked　the　door　and　led　the　way　downstairs。　As　the　prospective　tenant　followed；　he　may　have　noticed；　probably　did；　that　the　door　they　had　just　left　was　a　new　one　…　the　only　new　thing　to　be　seen　in　the　whole　shabby　place。

The　next　night　that　door　was　locked　on　the　inside。　　The　young　man　had　taken　possession。　　As　he　put　away　the　remnants　of　a　meal　he　had　cooked　for　himself；　he　cast　a　look　at　his　surroundings；　and　imperceptibly　sighed。　　Then　he　brightened　again；　and　sitting　down　on　his　solitary　chair；　he　turned　his　eyes　on　the　window　which；　uncurtained　and　without　shade；　stared　open…mouthed；　as　it　were；　at　the　opposite　wall　rising　high　across　the　court。

In　that　wall；　one　window　only　seemed　to　interest　him　and　that　was　on　a　level　with　his　own。　　The　shade　of　this　window　was　up；　but　there　was　no　light　back　of　it　and　so　nothing　of　the　interior　could　be　seen。　　But　his　eye　remained　fixed　upon　it；　while　his　hand；　stretched　out　towards　the　lamp　burning　near　him；　held　itself　in　readiness　to　lower　the　light　at　a　minute's　notice。

Did　he　see　only　the　opposite　wall　and　that　unillumined　window？　　Was　there　no　memory　of　the　time　when；　in　a　previous　contemplation　of　those　dismal　panes；　he　beheld　stretching　between　them　and　himself；　a　long；　low　bench　with　a　plain　wooden　tub　upon　it；　from　which　a　dripping　cloth　beat　out　upon　the　boards　beneath　a　dismal　note；　monotonous　as　the　ticking　of　a　clock？

One　might　judge　that　such　memories　were　indeed　his；　from　the　rapid　glance　he　cast　behind　him　at　the　place　where　the　bed　had　stood　in　those　days。　　It　was　placed　differently　now。

But　if　he　saw；　and　if　he　heard　these　suggestions　from　the　past；　he　was　not　less　alive　to　the　exactions　of　the　present；　for；　as　his　glance　flew　back　across　the　court；　his　finger　suddenly　moved　and　the　flame　it　controlled　sputtered　and　went　out。　　At　the　same　instant；　the　window　opposite　sprang　into　view　as　the　lamp　was　lit　within；　and　for　several　minutes　the　whole　interior　remained　visible　　…　the　books；　the　work…table；　the　cluttered　furniture；　and；　most　interesting　of　all；　its　owner　and　occupant。　　It　was　upon　the　latter　that　the　newcomer　fixed　his　attention；　and　with　an　absorption　equal　to　that　he　saw　expressed　in　the　countenance　opposite。

But　his　was　the　absorption　of　watchfulness；　that　of　the　other　of　introspection。　　Mr。　Brotherson　…　（we　will　no　longer　call　him　Dunn　even　here　where　he　is　known　by　no　other　name）　…　had　entered　the　room　clad　in　his　heavy　overcoat　and；　not　having　taken　it　off　before　lighting　his　lamp；　still　stood　with　it　on；　gazing　eagerly　down　at　the　model　occupying　the　place　of　honour　on　the　large　centre　table。　He　was　not　touching　it；…　not　at　this　moment　…　but　that　his　thoughts　were　with　it；　that　his　whole　mind　was　concentrated　on　it；　was　evident　to　the　watcher　across　the　court；　and；　as　this　watcher　took　in　this　fact　and　noticed　the　loving　care　with　which　the　enthusiastic　inventor　finally　put　out　his　finger　to　re…arrange　a　thread　or　twirl　a　wheel；　his　disappointment　found　utterance　in　a　sigh　which　echoed　sadly　through　the　dull　and　cheerless　room。　　Had　he　expected　this　stern　and　self…contained　man　to　show　an　open　indifference　to　work　and　the　hopes　of　a　lifetime？　　If　so；　this　was　the　first　of　the　many　surprises　awaiting　him。

He　was　gifted；　however；　with　the　patience　of　an　automaton　and　continued　to　watch　his　fellow　tenant　as　long　as　the　latter's　shade　remained　up。　　When　it　fell；　he　rose　and　took　a　few　steps　up　and　down；　but　not　with　the　celerity　and　precision　which　usually　accompanied　his　movements。　　Doubt　disturbed　his　mind　and　impeded　his　activity。　　He　had　caught　a　fair　glimpse　of　Brotherson's　face　as　he　approached　the　window；　and　though　it　continued　to　show　abstraction；　it　equally　displayed　serenity　and　a　complete　satisfaction　with　the　present　if　not　with　the　future。　　Had　he　mistaken　his　man　after　all？　　Was　his　instinct；　for　the　first　time　in　his　active　career；　wholly　at　fault？

He　had　succeeded　in　getting　a　glimpse　of　his　quarry　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　room；　at　home　with　his　thoughts　and　unconscious　of　any　espionage；　and　how　had　he　found　him？　　Cheerful；　and　natural　in　all　his　movements。

But　the　evening　was　young。　　Retrospect　comes　with　later　and　more　lonely　hours。　　There　will　be　opportunities　yet　for　studying　this　impassive　countenance　under　much　more　telling　and　productive　circumstances　than　these。　　He　would　await　these　opportunities　with　cheerful　anticipation。　　Meanwhile；　he　would　keep　up　the　routine　watch　he　had　planned　for　this　night。　　Something　might　yet　occur。　At　all　events　he　would　have　exhausted　the　situation　from　this　standpoint。

And　so　it　came　to　pass　that　at　an　hour　when　all　the　other　hard…working　people　in　the　building　were　asleep；　or　at　least　striving　to　sleep；　these　two　men　still　sat　at　their　work；　one　in　the　light；　the　other　in　the　darkness；　facing　each　other；　consciously　to　the　one；　unconsciously　to　the　other；　across　the　hollow　well　of　the　now　silent　court。　　Eleven　o'clock！　　Twelve！　　No　change　on　Brotherson's　part　or　in　Brotherson's　room；　but　a　decided　one　in　the　place　where　Sweetwater　sat。　　Objects　which　had　been　totally　indistinguishable　even　to　his　penetrating　eye　could　now　be　seen　in　ever　brightening　outline。　　The　moon　had　reached　the　open　space　above　the　court；　and　he　was　getting　the　full　benefit　of　it。　　But　it　was　a　benefit　he　would　have　been　glad　to　dispense　with。　　Darkness　was　like　a　shield　to　him。　　He　did　not　feel　quite　sure　that　he　wanted　this　shield　removed。　　With　no　curtain　to　the　window　and　no　shade；　and　all　this　brill