the queen of hearts-第53部分

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offered　a　bank…note。　They　parted　from　Mr。　Jay；　saying：　〃Remember
the　address14　Babylon　Terrace。　You　dine　with　us　to…morrow
week。〃　Mr。　Jay　accepted　the　invitation；　and　added；　jocosely；　that
he　was　going　home　at　once　to　get　off　his　clean　clothes；　and　to　be
comfortable　and　dirty　again　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　I　have　to
report　that　I　saw　him　home　safely；　and　that　he　is　comfortable　and
dirty　again　（to　use　his　own　disgraceful　language）　at　the　present
moment。

Here　the　affair　rests；　having　by　this　time　reached　what　I　may
call　its　first　stage。

I　know　very　well　what　persons　of　hasty　judgment　will　be　inclined
to　say　of　my　proceedings　thus　far。　They　will　assert　that　I　have
been　deceiving　myself　all　through　in　the　most　absurd　way；　they
will　declare　that　the　suspicious　conversations　which　I　have
reported　referred　solely　to　the　difficulties　and　dangers　of
successfully　carrying　out　a　runaway　match；　and　they　will　appeal
to　the　scene　in　the　church　as　offering　undeniable　proof　of　the
correctness　of　their　assertions。　So　let　it　be。　I　dispute　nothing
up　to　this　point。　But　I　ask　a　question；　out　of　the　depths　of　my
own　sagacity　as　a　man　of　the　world；　which　the　bitterest　of　my
enemies　will　not；　I　think；　find　it　particularly　easy　to　answer。

Granted　the　fact　of　the　marriage；　what　proof　does　it　afford　me　of
the　innocence　of　the　three　persons　concerned　in　that　clandestine
transaction？　It　gives　me　none。　On　the　contrary；　it　strengthens　my
suspicions　against　Mr。　Jay　and　his　confederates；　because　it
suggests　a　distinct　motive　for　their　stealing　the　money。　A
gentleman　who　is　going　to　spend　his　honeymoon　at　Richmond　wants
money；　and　a　gentleman　who　is　in　debt　to　all　his　tradespeople
wants　money。　Is　this　an　unjustifiable　imputation　of　bad　motives？
In　the　name　of　outraged　Morality；　I　deny　it。　These　men　have
combined　together；　and　have　stolen　a　woman。　Why　should　they　not
combine　together　and　steal　a　cash…box？　I　take　my　stand　on　the
logic　of　rigid　Virtue；　and　I　defy　all　the　sophistry　of　Vice　to
move　me　an　inch　out　of　my　position。

Speaking　of　virtue；　I　may　add　that　I　have　put　this　view　of　the
case　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Yatman。　That　accomplished　and　charming　woman
found　it　difficult　at　first　to　follow　the　close　chain　of　my
reasoning。　I　am　free　to　confess　that　she　shook　her　head；　and　shed
tears；　and　joined　her　husband　in　premature　lamentation　over　the
loss　of　the　two　hundred　pounds。　But　a　little　careful　explanation
on　my　part；　and　a　little　attentive　listening　on　hers；　ultimately
changed　her　opinion。　She　now　agrees　with　me　that　there　is　nothing
in　this　unexpected　circumstance　of　the　clandestine　marriage　which
absolutely　tends　to　divert　suspicion　from　Mr。　Jay；　or　Mr。　〃Jack；〃
or　the　runaway　lady。　〃Audacious　hussy〃　was　the　term　my　fair
friend　used　in　speaking　of　her；　but　let　that　pass。　It　is　more　to
the　purpose　to　record　that　Mrs。　Yatman　has　not　lost　confidence　in
me；　and　that　Mr。　Yatman　promises　to　follow　her　example；　and　do
his　best　to　look　hopefully　for　future　results。

I　have　now；　in　the　new　turn　that　circumstances　have　taken；　to
await　advice　from　your　office。　I　pause　for　fresh　orders　with　all
the　composure　of　a　man　who　has　got　two　strings　to　his　bow。　When　I
traced　the　three　confederates　from　the　church　door　to　the　railway
terminus；　I　had　two　motives　for　doing　so。　First；　I　followed　them
as　a　matter　of　official　business；　believing　them　still　to　have
been　guilty　of　the　robbery。　Secondly；　I　followed　them　as　a　matter
of　private　speculation；　with　a　view　of　discovering　the　place　of
refuge　to　which　the　runaway　couple　intended　to　retreat；　and　of
making　my　information　a　marketable　commodity　to　offer　to　the
young　lady's　family　and　friends。　Thus；　whatever　happens；　I　may
congratulate　myself　beforehand　on　not　having　wasted　my　time。　If
the　office　approves　of　my　conduct；　I　have　my　plan　ready　for
further　proceedings。　If　the　office　blames　me；　I　shall　take　myself
off；　with　my　marketable　information；　to　the　genteel　villa
residence　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　Regent's　Park。　Anyway；　the
affair　puts　money　into　my　pocket；　and　does　credit　to　my
penetration　as　an　uncommonly　sharp　man。

I　have　only　one　word　more　to　add；　and　it　is　this：　If　any
individual　ventures　to　assert　that　Mr。　　Jay　and　his　confederates
are　innocent　o　f　all　share　in　the　stealing　of　the　cash…box；　I；　in
return；　defy　that　individualthough　he　may　even　be　Chief
Inspector　Theakstone　himselfto　tell　me　who　has　committed　the
robbery　at　Rutherford　Street；　Soho。

Strong　in　that　conviction；　I　have　the　honor　to　be　your　very
obedient　servant；

MATTHEW　SHARPIN。


FROM　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE　TO　SERGEANT　BULMER。

Birmingham；　July　9th。


SERGEANT　BULMERThat　empty…headed　puppy；　Mr。　Matthew　Sharpin；
has　made　a　mess　of　the　case　at　Rutherford　Street；　exactly　as　I
expected　he　would。　Business　keeps　me　in　this　town；　so　I　write　to
you　to　set　the　matter　straight。　I　inclose　with　this　the　pages　of
feeble　scribble…scrabble　which　the　creature　Sharpin　calls　a
report。　Look　them　over；　and　when　you　have　made　your　way　through
all　the　gabble；　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me　that　the　conceited
booby　has　looked　for　the　thief　in　every　direction　but　the　right
one。　You　can　lay　your　hand　on　the　guilty　person　in　five　minutes；
now。　Settle　the　case　at　once；　forward　your　report　to　me　at　this
place；　and　tell　Mr。　Sharpin　that　he　is　suspended　till　further
notice。

Yours；　FRANCIS　THEAKSTONE。


FROM　SERGEANT　BULMER　TO　CHIEF　INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONE。

London；　July　10th。


INSPECTOR　THEAKSTONEYour　letter　and　inclosure　came　safe　to
hand。　Wise　men；　they　say；　may　always　learn　something　even　from　a
fool。　By　the　time　I　had　got　through　Sharpin's　maundering　report
of　his　own　folly；　I　saw　my　way　clear　enough　to　the　end　of　the
Rutherford　Street　case；　just　as　you　thought　I　should。　In　half　an
hour's　time　I　was　at　the　house。　The　first　person　I　saw　there　was
Mr。　Sharpin　himself。

〃Have　you　come　to　help　me？〃　says　he。

〃Not　exactly；〃　says　I。　〃I've　come　to　tell　you　that　you　are
suspended　till　further　notice。〃

〃Very　good；〃　says　he；　not　taken　down　by　so　much　as　a　single　peg
in　his　own　estimation。　〃I　thought　you　would　be　jealous　of　me。
It's　very　natural　and　I　don't　blame　you。　Walk　in；　pray；　and　make
yourself　at　home。　I'm　off　to　do　a　little　detective　business　on　my
own　account；　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　Regent's　Park。　Tata；
sergeant；　tata！〃

With　those　words　he　took　himself　out　of　the　way；　which　was
exactly　what　I　wanted　him　to　do。

As　soon　as　the　maid…servant　had　shut　the　door；　I　told　her　to
inform　her　master　that　I　wanted　to　say　a　word　to　him　in　private。
She　showed　me　into　the　parlor　behind　the　shop；　and　there　was　Mr。
Yatman　all　alone；　reading　the　newspaper。

〃About　this　matter　of　the　robbery；　sir；〃　says　I。

He　cut　me　short；　peevishly　enough；　being　naturally　a　poor；　weak；
womanish　sort　of　man。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；〃　says　he。　〃You　have　come　to　tell　me　that　your
wonderfully　clever　man；　who　has　bored　holes　in　my　second　floor
partition；　has　made　a　mistake；　and　is　off　the　scent　of　the
scoundrel　who　has　stolen　my　money。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　I。　〃That　_is_　one　of　the　things　I　came　to　tell
you。　But　I　have　got　something　else　to　say　besides　that。〃

〃Can　you　tell　me　who　the　thief　is？〃　says　he；　more　pettish　than
ever。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃I　think　I　can。〃

He　put　down　the　newspaper；　and　began　to　look　rather　anxious　and
frightened。

〃Not　my　shopman？〃　says　he。　〃I　hope；　for　the　man's　own　sake；　it's
not　my　shopman。〃

〃Guess　again；　sir；〃　says　I。

〃That　idle　slut；　the　maid？〃　says　he。

〃She　is　idle；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃and　she　is　also　a　slut；　my　first
inquiries　about　her　proved　as　much　as　that。　But　she's　not　the
thief。〃

〃Then；　in　the　name　of　Heaven；　who　is？〃　says　he。

〃Will　you　please　to　prepare　yourself　for　a　very　disagreeable
surprise；　sir？〃　says　I。　〃And；　in　case　you　lose　your　temper；　will
you　excuse　my　remarking　that　I　am　the　stronger　man　of　the　two；
and　that　if　you　allow　yourself　to　lay　hands　on　me；　I　may
unintentionally　hurt　you；　in　pure　self…defense。〃

He　turned　as　pale　as　ashes；　and　pushed　his　chair　two　or　three
feet　away　from　me。

〃You　have　asked　me　to　tell　you；　sir；　who　has　taken　your　money；〃　I
went　on。　〃If　you　insist　on　my　giving　you　an　answer〃

〃I　do　insist；〃　he　said；　faintly。　〃Who　has　taken　it？〃

〃Your　wife　has　taken　it；〃　I　said；　very　quietly；　and　very
positively　at　the　same　time。

He　jumped　out　of　the　chair　as　if　I　had　put　a　knife　into　him；　and
struck　his　fist　on　the　table　so　heavily　that　the　wood　cracked
again。

〃Steady；　sir；〃　says　I。　〃Flying　into　a　passion　won't　help　you　to
the　truth。〃

〃It's　a　lie！〃　says　he；　with　another　smack　of　his　fist　on　the
table〃a　base；　vile；　infamous　lie！　How　dare　you〃

He　stopped；　and　fell　back　into　the　chair　again；　looked　about　him
in　a　bewildered　way；　and　ended　by　bursting　out　crying。

〃When　your　better　sense　comes　back　to　you；　sir；〃　says　I；　〃I　am
sure　you　will　be　gentleman　enough　to　make　an　apology　for　the
language　you　have　just　used。　In　the　meantime；　please　to　listen；
if　you　can；　to　a　word　of　explanation。　Mr。　Sharpin　has　sent　in　a
report　to　our　inspector　of　the　most　irregular　and　ridiculous
kind；　setting　down　not　only　all　his　own　foolish　doings　and
sayings；　but　the　doings　and　sayings　o