the lost road-第74部分

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〃Don't　hide　until　I　arrive；〃　said　Sam。　　〃I　shall　be　very　late；　as
I　shall　have　to　walk。　　After　I　pay　for　Forsythe's　dinner　and　for
white　gloves　for　your　dance　I　shall　not　be　in　a　position　to　hire
a　taxi。　　But　maybe　I　shall　bring　good　news。　　Maybe　Forsythe　will
give　me　the　job。　　If　he　does　we　will　celebrate　in　champagne。
〃

〃You　will　let　me　at　least　pay　for　the　champagne？〃　begged　Polly。

〃No；〃　said　Sam　firmly〃the　duchess　will　furnish　that。〃

When　Sam　reached　his　lodgings　in　Russell　Square；　which　he
approached　with　considerable　trepidation；　he　found　Mrs。　Wroxton
awaiting　him。　　But　her　attitude　no　longer　was　hostile。　　On　the
contrary；　as　she　handed　him　a　large；　square　envelope；　decorated
with　the　strawberry　leaves　of　a　duke；　her　manner　was　humble。

Sam　opened　the　envelope　and；　with　apparent　carelessness；　stuck　it
over　the　fireplace。

〃About　that　back　rent；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　cabled　for　money；　and　as
soon〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Wroxton。　　〃I　read　the　cable。〃　　She　was　reading
the　card　of　invitation　also。　　〃There's　no　hurry；　sir；〃　protested　Mrs。
Wroxton。　　〃Any　of　my　young　gentlemen　who　is　made　welcome　at
Deptford　House　is　made　welcome　here！〃

〃Credit；　Mrs。　Wroxton；〃　observed　Sam；　〃is　better　than　cash。　　If
you　have　only　cash　you　spend　it　and　nothing　remains。　　But　with
credit　you　can　continue　indefinitely　to…to…〃

〃So　you　can！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Wroxton　enthusiastically。　　〃Stay　as
long　as　you　like；　Mr。　Lowell。〃

At　Pavoni's　Sam　found　Forsythe　already　seated　and；　with　evident
interest；　observing　the　scene　of　gayety　before　him。　　The　place　was
new　to　Sam；　and　after　the　darkness　and　snow　of　the　streets　it
appeared　both　cheerful　and　resplendent。　　It　was　brilliantly　lighted；
a　ceiling　of　gay　panels　picked　out　with　gold；　and　red　plush　sofas；
backed　against　walls　hung　with　mirrors　and　faced　by　rows　of
marble…topped　tables；　gave　it　an　air　of　the　Continent。

Sam　surrendered　his　hat　and　coat　to　the　waiter。　　The　hat　was　a
soft　Alpine　one　of　green　felt。　　The　waiter　hung　it　where　Sam
could　see　it；　on　one　of　many　hooks　that　encircled　a　gilded　pillar。

After　two　courses　had　been　served　Forsythe　said：

〃I　hope　you　don't　object　to　this　place。　　I　had　a　special　reason
for　wishing　to　be　here　on　this　particular　night。　　I　wanted　to　be
in　at　the　death！〃

〃Whose　death？〃　asked　Sam。　　〃Is　the　dinner　as　bad　as　that？〃

Forsythe　leaned　back　against　the　mirror　behind　them　and；　bringing
his　shoulder　close　to　Sam's；　spoke　in　a　whisper。

〃As　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃to…day　the　delegates　sign　the　Treaty　of
London。　　It　still　must　receive　the　signatures　of　the　Sultan　and
the　three　kings；　and　they　will　sign　it。　　But　until　they　do；　what
the　terms　of　the　treaty　are　no　one　can　find　out。〃

〃I'll　bet　the　Times　finds　out！〃　said　Sam。

〃That's　it！〃　returned　Forsythe。　　〃Hertz；　the　man　who　is　supposed　to
be　selling　the　secrets　of　the　conference　to　the　Times；　dines　here。
To…night　is　his　last　chance。　　If　to…night　he　can　slip　the　Times　a
copy　of　the　Treaty　of　London　without　being　caught；　and　the
Times　has　the　courage　to　publish　it；　it　will　be　the　biggest
newspaper　sensation　of　modern　times；　and　it　will　either　cause
a　financial　panic　all　over　Europeor　prevent　one。　　The　man　they
suspect　is　facing　us。　　Don't　look　now；　but　in　a　minute　you　will
see　him　sitting　alone　at　a　table　on　the　right　of　the　middle　pillar。
The　people　at　the　tables　nearest　himeven　the　womenare
detectives。　　His　waiter　is　in　the　employ　of　Scotland　Yard。　　The
maitre　d'hotel；　whom　you　will　see　always　hovering　round　his
table；　is　a　police　agent　lent　by　Bulgaria。　　For　the　Allies　are　even
more　anxious　to　stop　the　leak　than　we　are。　　We　are　interested
only　as　their　hosts；　with　them　it　is　a　matter　of　national　life　or
death。　　A　week　ago　one　of　our　own　inspectors　tipped　me　off　to
what　is　going　on；　and　every　night　since　then　I've　dined　here；
hoping　to　see　something　suspicious。〃

〃Have　you？〃　asked　Sam。

〃Only　this；〃　whispered　Forsythe〃on　four　different　nights　I've
recognized　men　I　know　are　on　the　staff　of　the　Times；　and　on　the
other　nights　men　I　don't　know　may　have　been　here。　　But　after　all
that　proves　nothing；　for　this　place　is　a　resort　of　newspaper　writers
and　editorsand　the　Times　men's　being　here　may　have　been　only
a　coincidence。〃

〃And　Hertz？〃　asked　Sam〃what　does　he　do？〃

The　Englishman　exclaimed　with　irritation。

〃Just　what　you　see　him　doing　now！〃　he　protested。　　〃He　eats　his
dinner！　Look　at　him！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Of　all　in　the　room　he's　the
least　concerned。〃

Sam　looked　and　saw　the　suspected　Adolf　Hertz　dangling　a　mass
of　macaroni　on　the　end　of　his　fork。　　Sam　watched　him　until　it
disappeared。

〃Maybe　that's　a　signal！〃　suggested　Sam。　　〃Maybe　everything　he　does
is　part　of　a　cipher　code！　He　gives　the　signals　and　the　Times　men
read　them　and　write　them　down。〃

〃A　man　would　have　a　fine　chance　to　write　anything　down　in　this
room！〃　said　Forsythe。

〃But　maybe；〃　persisted　Sam；　〃when　he　makes　those　strange
movements　with　his　lips　he　is　talking　to　a　confederate　who　can
read　the　lip　language。　　The　confederate　writes　it　down　at　the
office　and〃

〃Fantastic　and　extremely　improbable！〃　commented　Forsythe。　　〃But；
nevertheless；　the　fact　remains；　the　fellow　does　communicate　with
some　one　from　the　Times；　and　the　police　are　positive　he　does　it
here　and　that　he　is　doing　it　now！〃

The　problem　that　so　greatly　disturbed　his　friend　would　have　more
deeply　interested　Sam　had　the　solving　of　his　own　trouble　been
less　imperative。　　That　alone　filled　his　mind。　　And　when　the　coffee
was　served　and　the　cigars　lit；　without　beating　about　the　bush　Sam
asked　Forsythe　bluntly　if　on　his　paper　a　rising　and　impecunious
genius　could　find　a　place。　　With　even　less　beating　about　the　bush
Forsythe　assured　him　he　could　not。　　The　answer　was　final；　and　the
disappointment　was　so　keen　that　Sam　soon　begged　his　friend　to
excuse　him；　paid　his　bill；　and　rose　to　depart。

〃Better　wait！〃　urged　Forsythe。　　〃You'll　find　nothing　so　good　out
at　a　music…hall。　　This　is　Houdini　getting　out　of　his　handcuffs
before　an　audience　entirely　composed　of　policemen。〃

Sam　shook　his　head　gloomily。

〃I　have　a　few　handcuffs　of　my　own　to　get　rid　of；〃　he　said；　〃and
it　makes　me　poor　company。〃

He　bade　his　friend　good　night　and；　picking　his　way　among　the
tables；　moved　toward　the　pillar　on　which　the　waiter　had　hung　his
hat。　　The　pillar　was　the　one　beside　which　Hertz　was　sitting；　and
as　Sam　approached　the　man　he　satisfied　his　curiosity　by　a　long
look。　　Under　the　glance　Hertz　lowered　his　eyes　and　fixed　them
upon　his　newspaper。　　Sam　retrieved　his　hat　and　left　the　restaurant。

His　mind　immediately　was　overcast。　　He　remembered　his　disappointment
and　that　the　parting　between　himself　and　Polly　was　now　inevitable。
Without　considering　his　direction　he　turned　toward　Charing　Cross
Road。　　But　he　was　not　long　allowed　to　meditate　undisturbed。

He　had　only　crossed　the　little　street　that　runs　beside　the　restaurant
and　passed　into　the　shadow　of　the　National　Gallery　when；　at　the
base　of　the　Irving　Memorial；　from　each　side　he　was　fiercely　attacked。
A　young　man　of　eminently　respectable　appearance　kicked　his　legs
from　under　him；　and　another　of　equally　impeccable　exterior　made
an　honest　effort　to　knock　off　his　head。

Sam　plunged　heavily　to　the　sidewalk。　　As　he　sprawled　forward　his
hat　fell　under　him　and　in　his　struggle　to　rise　was　hidden　by　the
skirts　of　his　greatcoat。　　That；　also；　he　had　fallen　heavily　upon　his
hat　with　both　knees　Sam　did　not　know。　　The　strange　actions　of
his　assailants　enlightened　him。　　To　his　surprise；　instead　of
continuing　their　assault　or　attempting　a　raid　upon　his　pockets；
he　found　them　engaged　solely　in　tugging　at　the　hat。　　And　so
preoccupied　were　they　in　this　that；　though　still　on　his　knees；
Sam　was　able　to　land　some　lusty　blows　before　a　rush　of　feet
caused　the　young　men　to　leap　to　their　own　and；　pursued　by
several　burly　forms；　disappear　in　the　heart　of　the　traffic。

Sam　rose　and　stood　unsteadily。　　He　found　himself　surrounded　by
all　of　those　who　but　a　moment　before　he　had　left　contentedly
dining　at　Pavoni's。　　In　an　excited　circle　waiters　and　patrons　of
the　restaurant；　both　men　and　women；　stood　in　the　falling　snow；
bareheaded；　coatless；　and　cloakless；　staring　at　him。　　Forsythe
pushed　them　aside　and　took　Sam　by　the　arm。

〃What　happened？〃　demanded　Sam。

〃You　ought　to　know；〃　protested　Forsythe。　　〃You　started　it！　The
moment　you　left　the　restaurant　two　men　grabbed　their　hats　and
jumped　after　you；　a　dozen　other　men；　without　waiting　for　hats；
jumped　after　them。　　The　rest　of　us　got　out　just　as　the　two　men
and　the　detectives　dived　into　the　traffic。〃

A　big　man；　with　an　air　of　authority；　drew　Sam　to　one　side。

〃Did　they　take　anything　from　you；　sir？〃　he　asked。

〃I've　nothing　they　could　take；〃　said　Sam。　　〃And　they　didn't　try　to
find　out。　　They　just　knocked　me　down。〃

Forsythe　turned　to　the　big　man。

〃This　gentleman　is　a　friend　of　mine；　inspector；〃　he　said。　　〃He　is
a　stranger　in　town　and　was　at　Pavoni's　only　by　accident。〃

〃We　might　need　his　testimony；〃　suggested　the　official。

Sam　gave　his　card　to　the　inspector　and　then　sought　refuge　in　a
taxicab。　　For　the　second　time　he　bade　his　friend　good　night。

〃And　when　next　we　dine；〃　he　called　to　him　in　pa