initials only-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him　court　a　rich　one　and　see　…　but　that's　all　over　and　done　with。　　No　more　harping　on　that　string；　and　no　more　reading　of　poetry。　　I'll　never；　…〃　　The　rest　was　lost　in　his　throat　and　was　quite　unintelligible　to　the　anxious　listener。

Self…revealing　words；　which　an　instant　before　would　have　aroused　Sweetwater's　deepest　interest！　　But　they　had　suddenly　lost　all　force　for　the　unhappy　listener。　　The　sight　of　that　hole　still　shining　brightly　before　his　eyes　had　distracted　his　thoughts　and　roused　his　liveliest　apprehensions。　　If　that　book　should　be　allowed　to　lie　where　it　had　fallen；　then　he　was　in　for　a　period　of　uncertainty　he　shrank　from　contemplating。　　Any　moment　his　neighbour　might　look　up　and　catch　sight　of　this　hole　bored　in　the　backing　of　the　shelves　before　him。　　Could　the　man　who　had　been　guilty　of　submitting　him　to　this　outrage　stand　the　strain　of　waiting　indefinitely　for　the　moment　of　discovery？　　He　doubted　it；　if　the　suspense　lasted　too　long。

Shifting　his　position；　he　placed　his　eye　where　his　ear　had　been。　He　could　see　very　little。　　The　space　before　him；　limited　as　it　was　to　the　width　of　the　one　volume　withdrawn；　precluded　his　seeing　aught　but　what　lay　directly　before　him。　　Happily；　it　was　in　this　narrow　line　of　vision　that　Mr。　Brotherson　stood。　　He　had　resumed　work　upon　his　model　and　was　so　placed　that　while　his　face　was　not　visible；　his　hands　were；　and　as　Sweetwater　watched　these　hands　and　noticed　the　delicacy　of　their　manipulation；　he　was　enough　of　a　workman　to　realise　that　work　so　fine　called　for　an　undivided　attention。　　He　need　not　fear　the　gaze　shifting；　while　those　hands　moved　as　warily　as　they　did　now。

Relieved　for　the　moment；　he　left　his　post　and；　sitting　down　on　the　edge　of　his　cot；　gave　himself　up　to　thought。

He　deserved　this　mischance。　　Had　he　profited　properly　by　Mr。　Gryce's　teachings；　he　would　not　have　been　caught　like　this；　he　would　have　calculated　not　upon　the　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　chances　of　that　book　being　left　alone；　but　upon　the　thousandth　one　of　its　being　the　very　one　to　be　singled　out　and　removed。　　Had　he　done　this；　…　had　he　taken　pains　to　so　roughen　and　discolour　the　opening　he　had　made；　that　it　would　look　like　an　ancient　rat　hole　instead　of　showing　a　clean　bore；　he　would　have　some　answer　to　give　Brotherson　when　he　came　to　question　him　in　regard　to　it。　　But　now　the　whole　thing　seemed　up！　　He　had　shown　himself　a　fool　and　by　good　rights　ought　to　acknowledge　his　defeat　and　return　to　Headquarters。　　But　he　had　too　much　spirit　for　that。　　He　would　rather　…　yes；　he　would　rather　face　the　pistol　he　had　once　seen　in　his　enemy's　hand。　　Yet　it　was　hard　to　sit　here　waiting；　waiting　…　Suddenly　he　started　upright。　He　would　go　meet　his　fate　…　be　present　in　the　room　itself　when　the　discovery　was　made　which　threatened　to　upset　all　his　plans。　　He　was　not　ashamed　of　his　calling；　and　Brotherson　would　think　twice　before　attacking　him　when　once　convinced　that　he　had　the　Department　behind　him。

〃Excuse　me；　comrade；〃　were　the　words　with　which　he　endeavoured　to　account　for　his　presence　at　Brotherson's　door。　　〃My　lamp　smells　so；　and　I've　made　such　a　mess　of　my　work　to…day　that　I've　just　stepped　in　for　a　chat。　　If　I'm　not　wanted；　say　so。　　I　don't　want　to　bother　you；　but　you　do　look　pleasant　here。　　I　hope　the　thing　I'm　turning　over　in　my　head　…　every　man　has　his　schemes　for　making　a　fortune；　you　know　…　will　be　a　success　some　day。　　I'd　like　a　big　room　like　this；　and　a　lot　of　books；　and　…　and　pictures。〃

Craning　his　neck；　he　took　a　peep　at　the　shelves；　with　an　air　of　open　admiration　which　effectually　concealed　his　real　purpose。　　What　he　wanted　was　to　catch　one　glimpse　of　that　empty　space　from　his　present　standpoint；　and　he　was　both　astonished　and　relieved　to　note　how　narrow　and　inconspicuous　it　looked。　　Certainly；　he　had　less　to　fear　than　he　supposed；　and　when；　upon　Mr。　Brotherson's　invitation；　he　stepped　into　the　room；　it　was　with　a　dash　of　his　former　audacity；　which　gave　him；　unfortunately；　perhaps；　a　quick；　strong　and　unexpected　likeness　to　his　old　self。

But　if　Brotherson　noticed　this；　nothing　in　his　manner　gave　proof　of　the　fact。　　Though　usually　averse　to　visitors；　especially　when　employed　as　at　present　on　his　precious　model；　he　quite　warmed　towards　his　unexpected　guest；　and　even　led　the　way　to　where　it　stood　uncovered　on　the　table。

〃You　find　me　at　work；〃　he　remarked。　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　understand　any　but　your　own？〃

〃If　you　mean　to　ask　if　I　understand　what　you're　trying　to　do　there；　I'm　free　to　say　that　I　don't。　　I　couldn't　tell　now；　off…hand；　whether　it's　an　air…ship　you're　planning；　a　hydraulic　machine　or　…　or　…　He　stopped；　with　a　laugh　and　turned　towards　the　book…shelves。　　〃Now　here's　what　I　like。　　These　books　just　take　my　eye。

〃Look　at　them；　then。　　I　like　to　see　a　man　interested　in　books。　　Only；　I　thought　if　you　knew　how　to　handle　wire；　I　would　get　you　to　hold　this　end　while　I　work　with　the　other。〃

〃I　guess　I　know　enough　for　that；〃　was　Sweetwater's　gay　rejoinder。　But　when　he　felt　that　communicating　wire　in　his　hand　and　experienced　for　the　first　time　the　full　influence　of　the　other's　eye；　it　took　all　his　hardihood　to　hide　the　hypnotic　thrill　it　gave　him。　　Though　he　smiled　and　chatted；　he　could　not　help　asking　himself　between　whiles；　what　had　killed　the　poor　washerwoman　across　the　court；　and　what　had　killed　Miss　Challoner。　　Something　visible　or　something　invisible？　　Something　which　gave　warning　of　attack；　or　something　which　struck　in　silence。　　He　found　himself　gazing　long　and　earnestly　at　this　man's　hand；　and　wondering　if　death　lay　under　it。　　It　was　a　strong　hand；　a　deft；　clean…cut　member；　formed　to　respond　to　the　slightest　hint　from　the　powerful　brain　controlling　it。　　But　was　this　its　whole　story。　　Had　he　said　all　when　he　had　said　this？

Fascinated　by　the　question；　Sweetwater　died　a　hundred　deaths　in　his　awakened　fancy；　as　he　followed　the　sharp　short　instructions　which　fell　with　cool　precision　from　the　other's　lips。　　A　hundred　deaths；　I　say；　but　with　no　betrayal　of　his　folly。　　The　anxiety　he　showed　was　that　of　one　eager　to　please；　which　may　explain　why　on　the　conclusion　of　his　task；　Mr。　Brotherson　gave　him　one　of　his　infrequent　smiles　and　remarked；　as　he　buried　the　model　under　its　cover；　〃You're　handy　and　you're　quiet　at　your　job。　　Who　knows　but　that　I　shall　want　you　again。　　Will　you　come　if　I　call　you？〃

〃Won't　I？〃　was　the　gay　retort；　as　the　detective　thus　released；　stooped　for　the　book　still　lying　on　the　floor。　　〃Paolo　and　Francesca；〃　he　read；　from　the　back；　as　he　laid　it　on　the　table。　　〃Poetry？〃　he　queried。

〃Rot；〃　scornfully　returned　the　other；　as　he　moved　to　take　down　a　bottle　and　some　glasses　from　a　cupboard　let　into　another　portion　of　the　wall。

Sweetwater　taking　advantage　of　the　moment；　sidled　towards　the　shelf　where　that　empty　space　still　gaped　with　the　tell…tale　hole　at　the　back。　　He　could　easily　have　replaced　the　missing　book　before　Mr。　Brotherson　turned。　　But　the　issue　was　too　doubtful。　　He　was　dealing　with　no　absent…minded　fool；　and　it　behooved　him　to　avoid　above　all　things　calling　attention　to　the　book　or　to　the　place　on　the　shelf　where　it　belonged。

But　there　was　one　thing　he　could　do　and　did。　　Reaching　out　a　finger　as　deft　as　Brotherson's　own；　he　pushed　a　second　volume　into　the　place　of　the　one　that　was　gone。　　This　veiled　the　auger…hole　completely；　a　fact　which　so　entirely　relieved　his　mind　that　his　old　smile　came　back　like　sunshine　to　his　lips；　and　it　was　only　by　a　distinct　effort　that　he　kept　the　dancing　humour　from　his　eyes　as　he　prepared　to　refuse　the　glass　which　Brotherson　now　brought　forward：

〃None　of　that！〃　said　he。　　〃You　mustn't　tempt　me。　　The　doctor　has　shut　down　on　all　kinds　of　spirits　for　two　months　more；　at　least。　But　don't　let　me　hinder　you。　　I　can　bear　to　smell　the　stuff。　　My　turn　will　come　again　some　day。〃

But　Brotherson　did　not　drink。　　Setting　down　the　glass　he　carried；　he　took　up　the　book　lying　near；　weighed　it　in　his　hand　and　laid　it　down　again；　with　an　air　of　thoughtful　inquiry。　　Then　he　suddenly　pushed　it　towards　Sweetwater。　　〃Do　you　want　it？〃　he　asked。

Sweetwater　was　too　taken　aback　to　answer　immediately。　　This　was　a　move　he　did　not　understand。　　Want　it；　he？　　What　he　wanted　was　to　see　it　put　back　in　its　place　on　the　shelf。　　Did　Brotherson　suspect　this？　　The　supposition　was　incredible；　yet　who　could　read　a　mind　so　mysterious？

Sweetwater；　debating　the　subject；　decided　that　the　risk　of　adding　to　any　such　possible　suspicion　was　less　to　be　dreaded　than　the　continued　threat　offered　by　that　unoccupied　space　so　near　the　hole　which　testified　so　unmistakably　of　the　means　he　had　taken　to　spy　upon　this　suspected　man's　privacy。　　So；　after　a　moment　of　awkward　silence；　not　out　of　keeping　with　the　character　he　had　assumed；　he　calmly　refused　the　present　as　he　had　the　glass。

Unhappily　he　was　not　rewarded　by　seeing　the　despised　volume　restored　to　its　shelf。　　It　still　lay　where　its　owner　had　pushed　it；　when；　with　some　awkwardly　muttered　thanks；　the　discomfited　detective　withdrew　to　his　own　room。



XVIII

WHAT　AM　I　TO　DO　NOW


Early　morning　saw　Sweetwater　peering　into　the　depths　of　his　closet。　The　hole　was　hardly　visible。　　This　meant　that　the　book　he　had　pushed　across　it　from　the　other　side　had　not　been　removed。

Greatly　re…assured　by　the　sight；　he　awaited　his　opportunity；　and　as　soon　as　a　suitable　one　presented　itself；　prepared　the　hole　for　inspection　by　breaking　away　its　edges　and　begriming　it　well　with　plaster　and　old　dirt。　　This　done；　he　left　matters　to　arrange　themselves；　which　they　did；　after　this　manner。

Mr。　Brotherson　suddenly　developed　a　great　need　of　him；　and　it　became　a　common　thing　for　him　to　spend　the　half　and；　sometimes；　the　whole　of　the　evening　in　the　neighbouring　room。　　This　was　just　what　he　had　worked　for；　and　his　constant　intercourse　with　the　man　whose　secret　he　sought　to　surprise　should　have　borne　fruit。　　But　it　did　not。　Nothing　in　the　eager　but　painstaking　inventor　showed　a　distracted　mind　or　a　heavily…burdened　soul。　　Indeed；　he　was　so　calm　in　all　his　ways；　so　precise　and　so　self…contained；　that　Sweetwater　often　wondered　what　had　become　of　the　fiery　agitator　and　eloquent　propagandist　of　new　and　startling　doctrines。

Then；　he　thought　he　understood　the　riddle。　　The　model　was　reaching　its　completion；　and　Brotherson's　extreme