mg.greeneyes-第20部分

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se　to　treat　his　servant　as　a　confidant…although　even　then；　he　was　careful　not　to　say　too　much。
　　Back　in　Ling　Soo's　abode；　the　squat　Chinaman　was　seated　on　his　picturesque　throne。　He　had　adopted　his　favorite　pose…that　of　leader　of　the　Wu…Fan。　Foy；　hovering　near；　awaited　his　master's　bidding。　No　orders　came。　Instead；　Ling　Soo　began　to　express　his　inner　thoughts。
　　〃Last　night；　Foy；〃　he　said；　in　his　native　tongue；　〃you　failed。　Tonight　you　shall　see　that　Ling　Soo　never　fails。　You　will　learn；　tonight；　Foy。　You　will　learn　much　that　you　should　know。〃
　　The　crouching　servant　leered　as　his　master　spoke。　His　wicked　face　seemed　to　express　interest　in　what　Ling　Soo　had　to　say。　The　master　went　on。
　　〃It　is　time　that　you　should　prove　your　strength；　again；〃　resumed　Ling　Soo。
　　〃You　have　been　lacking；　Foy。　You　have　not　lived　up　to　the　name　that　I　have　given　you…the　name　of　Slayer。　I　am　disappointed；　Foy。
　　〃I　had　marked　the　traitor…the　man　called　Laird…for　your　knife。　But　Green　Eyes　spoke；　and　said　that　he　would　do　that　deed。　Green　Eyes　can　strike；　Foy；　but　he　cannot　slay　with　the　skill　that　you　have　shown。　When　Green　Eyes　kills…death　may　be　slow。　When　you　kill…death　is　swift。〃
　　Foy；　although　unspeaking；　seemed　to　agree　with　what　Ling　Soo　had　said。　The　master's　voice　became　more　stern　as　he　went　on。
　　〃I　sent　you　to　the　room　in　the　hotel；〃　he　said。　〃To　the　room　in　which　the　traitor　Laird　had　lived。　A　new　man　had　e　there。　His　actions　showed　that　he　was　an　enemy。　I　ordered　you　to　slay。　You　did　not　slay。〃
　　〃The　man　was　not　there；〃　responded　Foy；　in　a　sullen　voice。
　　〃You　said　that　he　went　in；〃　declared　Ling　Soo。　〃You　did　not　see　him　e　out。〃
　　〃He　was　not　there；〃　repeated　Foy。
　　〃We　may　forget　that　man；〃　resumed　Ling　Soo；　ignoring　Foy's　protest。　〃He　has　not　appeared　since　then。　It　may　be　well　that　you　did　not　slay　him。　But　last　night；　Foy；　you　failed　again。
　　〃I　sent　you　to　watch　the　home　of　Joseph　Darley；　to　watch　while　Darley　was　not　there。　To　e　and　tell　when　he　had　returned。　You　say　to　me　that　you　entered　there　and　saw　the　man　whom　we　call　Barnes。　Yet　you　failed　to　strike。〃
　　〃He　went　away；〃　growled　Foy。　〃I　was　not　soon　enough　to　strike　him。〃
　　〃That　is　no　excuse；　Foy。〃　Ling　Soo　eyed　the　servant　coldly。　〃It　is　not　like　Foy　to　say　that　one　went　away　before　Foy　could　strike。　This　has　happened　twice；　Foy。　It　shall　not　happen　again。〃
　　Ling　Soo　paused　reflectively　and　changed　the　subject　with　a　thoughtful；　even　tone。
　　〃The　man　whom　we　call　Barnes；〃　he　said。　〃He　has　another　name。　He　is　the　man　who　came　here　before；　with　Darley。　He　thinks　that　he　is　wise；　but　he　is　not　so　wise　as　Ling　Soo。
　　〃I　have　been　told　that　he　is　in　these　streets　tonight。　So　I　have　sent　two　of　the　Wu…Fan　who　know　him；　to　bring　him　hither。
　　〃I　wish　to　speak　with　him；　Foy。　But　we　must　remember　that　you　sought　to　slay　him　last　night。　He　may　have　known　your　wish。　He　may　be　suspicious　tonight。
　　Do　nothing；　Foy；　to　make　him　view　you　as　an　enemy。〃
　　
　　
　　SCARCELY　had　Ling　Soo　finished　speaking；　before　a　bell　rang　softly　close　by。　Ling　Soo　nodded　to　Foy。　The　servant　left　the　inner　room　toward　the　hallway。
　　Ling　Soo　sat　serenely　on　his　throne。
　　He　was　blinking　mildly　when　the　door　opened　and　Foy　entered；　followed　by　the　man　who　called　himself　Hugo　Barnes。
　　To　Cleve　Branch；　firm…faced　in　spite　of　his　disguise；　this　meeting　was　an　important　one。　Since　that　event　at　Joseph　Darley's　last　night；　he　had　been　wondering　whether　it　would　be　wise　to　again　visit　Ling　Soo。　For　there；　he　knew；　he　might　encounter　Foy；　the　insidious　slayer　who　had　so　mysteriously　escaped　after　The　Shadow　had　wounded　him。
　　Prowling　through　Chinatown；　pondering　on　this　important　question；　Cleve　had　encountered　one　of　the　Chinese　acquaintances　who　had　arranged　his　entrance　into　the　Wu…Fan。　The　man　had　been　glad　to　see　him。　In　a　low　voice；　he　had　told　Cleve　that　Ling　Soo　desired　to　see　his　American　friend　as　soon　as　convenient。
　　So　Cleve　was　here；　and　the　first　man　he　had　met　was　Foy！
　　The　servant's　face　was　as　ugly　as　before；　but　it　showed　no　deep…set　malice。　It　seemed　evident　that　Foy　must　have　failed　to　recognize　the　man　whom　he　had　tried　to　knife　at　Darley's。　Nevertheless；　Cleve　had　clutched　the　handle　of　his　stub…nosed　pocket　revolver　as　he　had　crossed　the　hallway　toward　the　sanctum　of　Ling　Soo。
　　The　staid　leader　of　the　Wu…Fan　smiled　placidly　as　Cleve　awkwardly　raised　his　forefinger　to　his　forehead。　Ling　Soo　returned　the　salute。
　　Cleve　sat　down　in　a　chair　indicated　by　the　Wu…Fan　chieftain。　He　felt　relieved　when　he　saw　the　crouching　Foy　retire　to　a　corner　of　the　room；　where　he　stood　in　plain　view；　his　slitted　eyelids　nearly　closed。
　　Cleve　felt　at　ease　as　he　reflected　on　the　circumstances　of　this　visit。
　　Ling　Soo　had　no　knowledge　of　the　spying　which　Cleve　had　done。　The　most　that　the　Chinaman　could　know　was　that　Cleve　had　entered　Joseph　Darley's　apartment；　in　search　of　a　paper　which　Ling　Soo　had　given　to　the　head　of　the　Civilian　mittee。
　　Foy　had　gone　there；　in　anticipation　of　an　intruder。　The　fact　that　Cleve　was　the　man　who　had　entered　could　not　have　given　Ling　Soo　a　real　inkling　of　the　part　that　Cleve　was　playing；　in　the　disguise　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　Perhaps…as　Cleve　had　thought　before…Foy　had　not　recognized　him。　If　that　were　true；　Cleve's　position　here　was　as　strong　as　ever。
　　Cleve　studied　Ling　Soo　carefully；　as　the　Chinese　leader　began　to　speak。
　　There　was　nothing　in　the　squat　man's　bearing；　or　in　his　speech；　that　betokened　menace。　On　the　contrary；　Ling　Soo　was　friendly。　In　fact；　he　seemed　almost　chiding；　and　it　was　that　manner　that　lulled　Cleve　into　believing　that　all　was　well。
　　
　　
　　〃YOU　have　been　here　once；〃　remarked　Ling　Soo。　〃Once　is　not　often。　That　is　why　I　have　sought　you；　tonight。　It　is　well　that　we　are　friends。　It　would　be　better　if　our　friendship　should　increase。〃
　　Cleve　nodded　in　agreement。
　　〃There　is　a　reason；〃　declared　Ling　Soo；　〃why　I　seek　the　better　acquaintance　of　my　American　friends　who　have　seen　the　light　of　the　Wu…Fan。
　　〃Our　great　order　needs　the　advice　of　such　friends。　For；　though　the　Wu…Fan　is　of　China；　its　purpose　lies　in　America。　Great　power　will　e　to　those　who　believe　with　the　Wu…Fan。　Would　you　like　to　share　that　power？〃
　　The　proposition　was　suggested　in　a　mild；　friendly　tone。　Cleve；　thinking　keenly；　believed　that　he　understood　Ling　Soo's　inference。
　　It　was　a　positive　fact　that　Stephen　Laird　had　been　an　agent　of　the　Wu…Fan。
　　Laird　had　been　slain…and　Cleve　inclined；　from　experience；　to　the　theory　that　the　Tiger　Tong　had　been　responsible。
　　Despite　the　fact　that　sinister　Foy　had　wielded　a　knife　with　which　he　had　sought　Cleve's　life；　the　government　agent　discounted　any　murderous　intentions　on　the　part　of　the　Wu…Fan。
　　It　was　logical　that　Ling　Soo　needed　someone　to　take　the　place　that　death　had　caused　Stephen　Laird　to　vacate。　If　so；　it　would　be　to　Cleve's　advantage　to　seize　the　opportunity。　He　put　forward　a　question；　which；　if　answered；　would　give　him　a　clew　to　Ling　Soo's　design。
　　〃Does　danger　acpany　that　power？〃　Cleve　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　responded　Ling　Soo　quietly。　〃Danger　threatens　all　who　learn　the　inner　secrets　of　the　Wu…Fan。　One　can　not　expect　power　without　danger。
　　〃We　of　the　Wu…Fan　have　enemies。　We　must　guard　against　them。　Hence　those　who　are　the　chosen　few　of　our　great　number　are　the　ones　who　know　the　most　cherished　secrets。〃
　　Ling　Soo's　impersonal　speech　carried　a　subtlety　which　was　not　detected　by　Cleve　Branch。　Keen　though　the　investigator　was；　his　urge　to　learn　more　overcame　his　natural　reluctance　to　accept　such　luring　statements　as　these。
　　He　saw　his　opportunity。　Established　as　an　inner　member　of　the　secret　order；　he　could　quickly　learn　the　truth　concerning　the　death　of　Stephen　Laird。
　　Not　only　that；　he　could　gain　important　information　of　the　Wu…Fan's　secret　methods。
　　〃My　American　friends；〃　mented　Ling　Soo　sadly；　〃are　all　too　few。　I　must　have　more　of　them。　There　is　work　ahead…great　work。
　　〃Think　well　before　you　accept　my　offer；　friend　Barnes；　for　I　warn　you　that　many　duties　will　be　imposed　upon　you。　But　if　you　choose　to　accept；　I　can　assure　you　that　a　great　power　will　be　yours。〃
　　Ling　Soo's　change　of　tack…his　unwillingness　to　force　Hugo　Barnes　into　the　inner　circle　of　the　Wu…Fan…was　the　subtle　note　that　brought　Cleve's　prompt　decision。
　　He　made　a　definite　reply　as　he　stared　squarely　into　the　owl　eyes　that　were　large　and　kindly　behind　the　thick　lenses　of　the　spectacles。
　　〃I　accept　your　offer；〃　said　Cleve；　in　the　tone　of　Hugo　Barnes。　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃
　　〃You　must　promise；　first；〃　declared　Ling　Soo　softly。　〃Promise　by　your　oath　in　the　Wu…Fan　to　keep　your　new　knowledge　a　plete　secret。〃
　　〃I　promise；〃　replied　Cleve。
　　He　caught　Ling　Soo's　gesture；　and　followed　the　statement　by　making　the　sign　of　the　Wu…Fan；　to　which　Ling　Soo　solemnly　responded。
　　〃You　have　promised；〃　said　Ling　Soo；　with　a　touch　of　sternness　in　his　voice。　〃Tomorrow　night；　you　may　meet；　for　the　first　time；　the　members　of　our　inner　shrine。
　　〃Be　cautious　in　your　actions　until　then。　Await　the　hour　of　ten。　e；　then；　to　the　Mukden　Theater；　which　lies　across　the　street　from　the　doorway　to　my　home。　There　you　will