the queen of hearts-第48部分

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seemed　to　quicken　my　prevailing　sense　of　anxiety　on　the　subject
of　George's　return。　A　heavy　depression　hung　upon　my　spirits；　and
I　went　out　desperately　in　the　rain　to　shake　my　mind　free　of
oppressing　influences　by　dint　of　hard　bodily　exercise。

The　number　drawn　this　evening　was　Three。　On　the　　production　of　the
corresponding　man　uscript　it　proved　to　be　my　turn　to　read　again。

〃I　can　promise　you　a　little　variety　to…night；〃　I　said；　addressing
our　fair　guest；　〃if　I　can　promise　nothing　else。　This　time　it　is
not　a　story　of　my　own　writing　that　I　am　about　to　read；　but　a　copy
of　a　very　curious　correspondence　which　I　found　among　my
professional　papers。〃

Jessie's　countenance　fell。　〃Is　there　no　story　in　it？〃　she　asked；
rather　discontentedly。

〃Certainly　there　is　a　story　in　it；〃　I　replied〃a　story　of　a　much
lighter　kind　than　any　we　have　yet　read；　and　which　may；　on　that
account；　prove　acceptable；　by　way　of　contrast　and　relief；　even　if
it　fails　to　attract　you　by　other　means。　I　obtained　the　original
correspondence；　I　must　tell　you；　from　the　office　of　the　Detective
Police　of　London。〃

Jessie's　face　brightened。　〃That　promises　something　to　begin
with；〃　she　said。

〃Some　years　since；〃　I　continued；　〃there　was　a　desire　at
headquarters　to　increase　the　numbers　and　efficiency　of　the
Detective　Police；　and　I　had　the　honor　of　being　one　of　the　persons
privately　consulted　on　that　occasion。　The　chief　obstacle　to　the
plan　proposed　lay　in　the　difficulty　of　finding　new　recruits。　The
ordinary　rank　and　file　of　the　police　of　London　are　sober；
trustworthy；　and　courageous　men；　but　as　a　body　they　are　sadly
wanting　in　intelligence。　Knowing　this；　the　authorities　took　into
consideration　a　scheme；　which　looked　plausible　enough　on　paper；
for　availing　themselves　of　the　services　of　that　proverbially
sharp　class　of　men；　the　experienced　clerks　in　attorney's　offices。
Among　the　persons　whose　advice　was　sought　on　this　point；　I　was
the　only　one　who　dissented　from　the　arrangement　proposed。　I　felt
certain　that　the　really　experienced　clerks　intrusted　with
conducting　private　investigations　and　hunting　up　lost　evidence；
were　too　well　paid　and　too　independently　situated　in　their
various　offices　to　care　about　entering　the　ranks　of　the　Detective
Police；　and　submitting　themselves　to　the　rigid　discipline　of
Scotland　Yard；　and　I　ventured　to　predict　that　the　inferior　clerks
only；　whose　discretion　was　not　to　be　trusted；　would　prove　to　be
the　men　who　volunteered　for　detective　employment。　My　advice　was
not　taken　and　the　experiment　of　enlisting　the　clerks　was　tried　in
two　or　three　cases。　I　was　naturally　interested　in　the　result；　and
in　due　course　of　time　I　applied　for　information　in　the　right
quarter。　In　reply；　the　originals　of　the　letters　of　which　I　am　now
about　to　read　the　copies　were　sent　to　me；　with　an　intimation　that
the　correspondence　in　this　particular　instance　offered　a　fair
specimen　of　the　results　of　the　experiment　in　the　other　cases。　The
letters　amused　me；　and　I　obtained　permission　to　copy　them　before
I　sent　them　back。　You　will　now　hear；　therefore；　by　his　own
statement；　how　a　certain　attorney's　clerk　succeeded　in　conducting
a　very　delicate　investigation；　and　how　the　regular　members　of　the
Detective　Police　contrived　to　help　him　through　his　first
experiment。〃

BROTHER　GRIFFITH'S　STORY

of

THE　BITER　BIT。


_Extracted　from　the　Correspondence　of　the　London　Police_。

FROM　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE；　OF　THE　DETECTIVE　POLICE；　TO
SERGEANT　BULMER；　OF　THE　SAME　FORCE。

London；　4th　July；　18。


SERGEANT　BULMERThis　is　to　inform　you　that　you　are　wanted　to
assist　in　looking　up　a　case　of　importance；　which　will　require　all
the　attention　of　an　experienced　member　of　the　force。　The　matter
of　the　robbery　on　which　you　are　now　engaged　you　will　please　to
shift　over　to　the　young　man　who　brings　you　this　letter。　You　will
tell　him　all　the　circumstances　of　the　case；　just　as　they　stand；
you　will　put　him　up　to　the　progress　you　have　made　（if　any）　toward
detecting　the　person　or　persons　by　whom　the　money　has　been
stolen；　and　you　will　leave　him　to　make　the　best　he　can　of　the
matter　now　in　your　hands。　He　is　to　have　the　whole　responsibility
of　the　case；　and　the　whole　credit　of　his　success　if　he　brings　it
to　a　proper　issue。

So　much　for　the　orders　that　I　am　desired　to　communicate　to　you。

A　word　in　your　ear；　next；　about　this　new　man　who　is　to　take　your
place。　His　name　is　Matthew　Sharpin；　and　he　is　to　have　the　chance
given　him　of　dashing　into　our　office　at　one　jumpsupposing　he
turns　out　strong　enough　to　take　it。　You　will　naturally　ask　me　how
he　comes　by　this　privilege。　I　can　only　tell　you　that　he　has　some
uncommonly　strong　interest　to　back　him　in　certain　high　quarters；
which　you　and　I　had　better　not　mention　except　under　our　breaths。
He　has　been　a　lawyer's　clerk；　and　he　is　wonderfully　conceited　in
his　opinion　of　himself；　as　well　as　mean　and　underhand；　to　look
at。　According　to　his　own　account；　he　leaves　his　old　trade　and
joins　ours　of　his　own　free　will　and　preference。　You　will　no　more
believe　that　than　I　do。　My　notion　is；　that　he　has　managed　to
ferret　out　some　private　information　in　connection　with　the
affairs　of　one　of　his　master's　clients；　which　makes　him　rather　an
awkward　customer　to　keep　in　the　office　for　the　future；　and　which；
at　the　same　time；　gives　him　hold　enough　over　his　employer　to　make
it　dangerous　to　drive　him　into　a　corner　by　turning　him　away。　I
think　the　giving　him　this　unheard…of　chance　among　us　is；　in　plain
words；　pretty　much　like　giving　him　hush　money　to　keep　him　quiet。
However　that　may　be；　Mr。　Matthew　Sharpin　is　to　have　the　case　now
in　your　hands；　and　if　he　succeeds　with　it　he　pokes　his　ugly　nose
into　our　office　as　sure　as　fate。　I　put　you　up　to　this；　sergeant；
so　that　you　may　not　stand　in　your　own　light　by　giving　the　new　man
any　cause　to　complain　of　you　at　headquarters；　and　remain　yours；

FRANCIS　THEAKSTONE。


FROM　MR。　MATTHEW　SHARPIN　TO　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE。

London；　5th　July；　18。

DEAR　SIRHaving　now　been　favored　with　the　necessary　instructions
from　Sergeant　Bulmer；　I　beg　to　remind　you　of　certain　directions
which　I　have　received　relating　to　the　report　of　my　future
proceedings　which　I　am　to　prepare　for　examination　at
headquarters。

The　object　of　my　writing；　and　of　your　examining　what　I　have
written　before　you　send　it　to　the　higher　authorities；　is；　I　am
informed；　to　give　me；　as　an　untried　hand；　the　benefit　of　your
advice　in　case　I　want　it　（which　I　venture　to　think　I　shall　not）
at　any　stage　of　my　proceedings。　As　the　extraordinary
circumstances　of　the　case　on　which　I　am　now　engaged　make　it
impossible　for　me　to　absent　myself　from　the　place　where　the
robbery　was　committed　until　I　have　made　some　progress　toward
discovering　the　thief；　I　am　necessarily　precluded　from　consulting
you　personally。　Hence　the　necessity　of　my　writing　down　the
various　details；　which　might　perhaps　be　better　communicated　by
word　of　mouth。　This；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　is　the　position　in
which　we　are　now　placed。　I　state　my　own　impressions　on　the
subject　in　writing；　in　order　that　we　may　clearly　understand　each
other　at　the　outset；　and　have　the　honor　to　remain　your　obedient
servant；

MATTHEW　SHARPIN。


FROM　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE　TO　MR。　MATTHEW　SHARPIN。

London；　5th　July；　18。

SIRYou　have　begun　by　wasting　time；　ink；　and　paper。　We　both　of
us　perfectly　well　knew　the　position　we　stood　in　toward　each　other
when　I　sent　you　with　my　letter　to　Sergeant　Bulmer。　There　was　not
the　least　need　to　repeat　it　in　writing。　Be　so　good　as　to　employ
your　pen　in　future　on　the　business　actually　in　hand。

You　have　now　three　separate　matters　on　which　to　write　me。　First；
you　have　to　draw　up　a　statement　of　your　instructions　received
from　Sergeant　Bulmer；　in　order　to　show　us　that　nothing　has
escaped　your　memory；　and　that　you　are　thoroughly　acquainted　with
all　the　circumstances　of　the　case　which　has　been　intrusted　to
you。　Secondly；　you　are　to　inform　me　what　it　is　you　propose　to　do。
Thirdly；　you　are　to　report　every　inch　of　your　progress　（if　you
make　any）　from　day　to　day；　and；　if　need　be；　from　hour　to　hour　as
well。　This　is　_your_　duty。　As　to　what　_my_　duty　may　be；　when　I
want　you　to　remind　me　of　it；　I　will　write　and　tell　you　so。　In　the
meantime；　I　remain　yours；

FRANCIS　THEAKSTONE。


FROM　MR。　MATTHEW　SHARPIN　TO　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE。

London；　6th　July；　18。

SIRYou　are　rather　an　elderly　person；　and　as　such；　naturally
inclined　to　be　a　little　jealous　of　men　like　me；　who　are　in　the
prime　of　their　lives　and　their　faculties。　Under　these
circumstances；　it　is　my　duty　to　be　considerate
　toward　you；　and　not　to　bear　too　hardly　on　your　small　failings。　I
decline；　therefore；　altogether　to　take　offense　at　the　tone　of
your　letter；　I　give　you　the　full　benefit　of　the　natural
generosity　of　my　nature；　I　sponge　the　very　existence　of　your
surly　communication　out　of　my　memoryin　short；　Chief　Inspector
Theakstone；　I　forgive　you；　and　proceed　to　business。

My　first　duty　is　to　draw　up　a　full　statement　of　the　instructions
I　have　received　from　Sergeant　Bulmer。　Here　they　are　at　your
service；　according　to　my　version　of　them。

At　Number　Thirteen　Rutherford　Street；　Soho；　there　is　a
stationer's　shop。　It　is　kept　by　one