the lost house-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


excitement。　〃Suppose；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃he　has　been　using　arsenic？　He
would　have　many　opportunities；　and　it's　colorless；　tasteless；　and
arsenic　would　account　for　her　depression　and　melancholia。　The　time
when　he　must　turn　over　her　money　is　very　near；　and；　suppose　he　has
spent　the　money；　speculated　with　it；　and　lost　it；　or　that　he　still
has　it　and　wants　to　keep　it？　In　three　months　she　will　be　of　age；
and　he　must　make　an　accounting。　The　arsenic　does　not　work　fast
enough。　So　what　does　he　do？　To　save　himself　from　exposure；　or　to
keep　the　money；　he　throws　her　into　this　private　sanatorium；　to　make
away　with　her。〃

Ford　had　been　talking　in　an　eager　whisper。　While　he　spoke　his　cigar
had　ceased　to　burn；　and　to　light　it；　from　a　vase　on　the　mantel　he
took　a　spill；　one　of　those　spirals　of　paper　that　in　English　hotels；
where　the　proprietor　is　of　a　frugal　mind；　are　still　used　to　prevent
extravagance　in　matches。　Ford　lit　the　spill　at　the　coal　fire；　and
with　his　cigar　puffed　at　the　flame。　As　he　did　so　the　paper
unrolled。　To　the　astonishment　of　Cuthbert；　Ford　clasped　it　in　both
hands；　blotted　out　the　tiny　flame；　and；　turning　quickly　to　a　table；
spread　out　the　charred　paper　flat。　After　one　quick　glance；　Ford　ran
to　the　fireplace；　and；　seizing　a　handfull　of　the　spills；　began
rapidly　to　unroll　them。　Then　he　turned　to　Cuthbert　and；　without
speaking；　showed　him　the　charred　spill。　It　was　a　scrap　torn　from
the　front　page　of　a　newspaper。　The　half…　obliterated　words　at　which
Ford　pointed　were　DALESVILLE　COUR　

〃His　torn　paper！〃　said　Ford。　〃The　DALESVILLE　COURIER。　Pearsall　HAS
been　in　this　hotel！〃　He　handed　another　spill　to　Cuthbert。

〃From　that　one；〃　said　Ford；　〃we　get　the　date；　December　3。　Allowing
three　weeks　for　the　newspaper　to　reach　London；　Pearsall　must　have
seen　it　just　three　weeks　ago；　just　when　Miss　Dale　says　he　was　in
the　hotel。　The　landlord　has　lied　to　me。〃

Ford　rang　for　a　waiter；　and　told　him　to　ask　Mr。　Gerridge　to　come　to
the　smoking…room。

As　Cuthbert　was　leaving　it；　Gerridge　was　entering　it；　and　Ford　was
saying：

〃It　seems　you've　been　lying　to　the　police　and　to　me。　Unless　you
desire　to　he　an　accessory　to　a　murder；　You　had　better　talk　quick！〃

An　hour　later　Ford　passed　slowly　through　Sowell　Street　in　a
taxicab；　and；　finding　Cuthbert　on　guard；　signalled　him　to　follow。
in　Wimpole　Street　the　cab　drew　up　to　the　curb；　and　Cuthbert　entered
it。

〃I　have　found　Pearsall；〃　said　Ford。　〃He　is　in　No。　40　with
Prothero。〃

He　then　related　to　Cuthbert　what　had　happened。　Gerridge　had
explained　that　when　the　Police　called；　his　first　thought　was　to
protect　the　good　name　of　his　hotel。　He　had　denied　any　knowledge　of
Pearsall　only　because　he　no　longer　was　a　guest；　and；　as　he　supposed
Pearsall　had　passed　out　of　his　life；　he　saw　no　reason；　why；　through
an　arrest　and　a　scandal；　his　hotel　should　be　involved。　Believing
Ford　to　be　in　the　secret　service　of　the　police；　he　was　now　only　too
anxious　to　clear　himself　of　suspicion　by　telling　all　he　knew。　It
was　but　little。　Pearsall　and　his　niece　had　been　at　the　hotel　for
three　days。　During　that　time　the　niece；　who　appeared　to　be　an
invalid；　remained　in　her　room。　On　the　evening　of　the　third　day；
while　Pearsall　was　absent；　a　call　from　him　had　come　for　her　by
telephone；　on　receiving　which　Miss　Dale　had　at　once　left　the　hotel；
apparently　in　great　agitation。　That　night　she　did　not　return；　but
in　the　morning　Pearsall　came　to　collect　his　and　her　luggage　and　to
settle　his　account。　He　explained　that　a　woman　relative　living　at
the　Langham　Hotel　had　been　taken　suddenly　ill；　and　had　sent　for　him
and　his　niece。　Her　condition　had　been　so　serious　that　they　had
remained　with　her　all　night；　and　his　niece　still　was　at　her
bedside。　The　driver　of　a　four…wheeler；　who　for　years　had　stood　on
the　cab…rank　in　front　of　Gerridge's；　had　driven　Pearsall　to　the
Langham。　This　man　was　at　the　moment　on　the　rank；　and　from　him　Ford
learned　what　he　most　wished　to　know。

The　cabman　remembered　Pearsall；　and　having　driven　him　to　the
Langham；　for　the　reason　that　immediately　after　setting　him　down
there；　and　while　〃crawling〃　for　a　fare　in　Portland　Place；　a　whistle
from　the　Langham　had　recalled　him；　and　the　same　luggage　that　had
just　been　taken　from　the　top　of　his　cab　was　Put　back　on　it；　and　he
was　directed　by　the　porter　of　the　hotel　to　take　it　to　a　house　in
Sowell　Street。　There　a　man…　servant　had　helped　him　unload　the
trunks　and　had　paid　him　his　fare。　The　cabman　did　not　remember　the
number　of　the　house；　but　knew　it　was　on　the　west　side　of　the　street
and　in　the　middle　of　the　block。

Having　finished　with　Gerridge　and　the　cab…man；　Ford　had　at　once
gone　to　the　Langham　Hotel；　where；　as　he　anticipated；　nothing　was
known　of　Pearsall　or　his　niece；　or　of　any　invalid　lady。　But　the
hall…porter　remembered　the　American　gentleman　who　had　driven　up
with　many　pieces　of　luggage；　and　who；　although　it　was　out　of
season；　and　many　suites　in　the　hotel　were　vacant；　had　found　none　to
suit　him。　He　had　then　set　forth　on　foot；　having　left　word　that　his
trunks　be　sent　after　him。　The　address　he　gave　was　a　house　in　Sowell
Street。

The　porter　recalled　the　incident　because　he　and　the　cabman　had
grumbled　over　the　fact　that　in　five　minutes　they　had　twice　to
handle　the　same　boxes。

〃It　is　pretty　evident；〃　said　Ford；　what　Pearsall　had　in　mind；　but
chance　was　against　him。　He　thought　when　he　had　unloaded　his　trunks
at　the　Langham　and　dismissed　the　cabman　he　had　destroyed　the　link
connecting　him　with　Gerridge's。　He　could　not　foresee　that　the　same
cabman　would　be　loitering　in　the　neighborhood。　He　should　have　known
that　four…wheelers　are　not　as　plentiful　as　they　once　were；　and　he
should　have　given　that　particular　one　more　time　to　get　away。　His
idea　in　walking　to　the　Sowell　Street　house　was　obviously　to　prevent
the　new　cabman　from　seeing　him　enter　it。　But；　just　where　he　thought
he　was　clever；　was　just　where　he　tripped。　If　he　had　remained　with
his　trunks　he　would　have　seen　that　the　cabman　was　the　same　one　who
had　brought　them　and　him　from　Craven　Street；　and　he　would　have
given　any　other　address　in　London　than　the　one　he　did。

〃And　now；〃　said　Ford；　〃that　we　have　Pearsall　where　we　want　him；
tell　me　what　you　have　learned　about　Prothero？〃

Cuthbert　smiled　importantly；　and　produced　a　piece　of　paper
scribbled　over　with　notes。

〃Prothero；〃　he　said；　〃seems　to　be　THIS　sort　of　man。　If　he　made　your
coffee　for　you；　before　you　tasted　it；　you'd　like　him　to　drink　a　cup
of　it　first。〃

　II

　〃Prothero；〃　said　Cuthbert；　〃is　a　man　of　mystery。　As　soon　as　I
began　asking　his　neighbors　questions；　I　saw　he　was　of　interest　and
that　I　was　of　interest。　I　saw　they　did　not　believe　I　was　an　agent
of　a　West　End　shop；　but　a　detective。　So　they　wouldn't　talk　at　all；
or　else　they　talked　freely。　And　from　one　of　them；　a　chemist　named
Needham；　I　got　all　I　wanted。　He's　had　a　lawsuit　against　Prothero；
and　hates　him。　Prothero　got　him　to　invest　in　a　medicine　to　cure　the
cocaine　habit。　Needham　found　the　cure　was　no　cure；　but　cocaine
disguised。　He　sued　for　his　money；　and　during　the　trial　the　police
brought　in　Prothero's　record。　Needham　let　me　copy　it；　and　it　seems
to　embrace　every　crime　except　treason。　The　man　is　a　Russian　Jew。　He
was　arrested　and　prosecuted　in　Warsaw；　Vienna；　Berlin；　Belgrade；
all　over　Europe；　until　finally　the　police　drove　him　to　America。
There　he　was　an　editor　of　an　anarchist　paper；　a　blackmailer；　a
'doctor'　of　hypnotism；　a　clairvoyant；　and　a　professional　bigamist。
His　game　was　to　open　rooms　as　a　clairvoyant；　and　advise　silly　women
how　to　invest　their　money。　When　he　found　out　which　of　them　had　the
most　money；　he　would　marry　her；　take　over　her　fortune；　and　skip。　In
Chicago；　he　was　tried　for　poisoning　one　wife；　and　the　trial　brought
out　the　fact　that　two　others　had　died　under　suspicious
circumstances；　and　that　there　were　three　more　unpoisoned　but
anxious　to　get　back　their　money。　He　was　sentenced　to　ten　years　for
bigamy；　but　pardoned　because　he　was　supposed　to　be　insane；　and
dying。　Instead　of　dying；　he　opened　a　sanatorium　in　New　York　to　cure
victims　of　the　drug　habit。　In　reality；　it　was　a　sort　of　high…priced
opium…den。　The　place　was　raided；　and　he　jumped　his　bail　and　came　to
this　country。　Now　he　is　running　this　private　hospital　in　Sowell
Street。　Needham　says　it's　a　secret　rendezvous　for　dope　fiends。　But
they　are　very　high…class　dope　fiends；　who　are　willing　to　pay　for
seclusion；　and　the　police　can't　get　at　him。　I　may　add　that　he's
tall　and　muscular；　with　a　big　black　beard；　and　hands　that　could
strangle　a　bull。　In　Chicago；　during　the　poison　trial；　the
newspapers　called　him　'the　Modern　Bluebeard。〃'

For　a　short　time　Ford　was　silent。　But；　in　the　dark　corner　of　the
cab；　Cuthbert　could　see　that　his　cigar　was　burning　briskly。

〃Your　friend　seems　a　nice　chap；〃　said　Ford　at　last。　〃　Calling　on
him　will　be　a　real　pleasure。　I　especially　like　what　you　say　about
his　hands。〃

〃I　have　a　plan；〃　began　the　assistant　timidly；　〃a　plan　to　get　you
into　the　house…if　you　don't　mind　my　making　suggestions？〃

〃Not　at　all！〃　exclaimed　his　chief　heartily。

〃Get　me　into　the　house　by　all　means；　that's　what　we're　here　for。
The　fact　that　I'm　to　be　poisoned　or　strangled　after　I　get　there
mustn't　discourage　us。'〃

〃I　thought；〃　said　Cuthbert；　〃I　might　stand　guard　outside；　while　you
got　in　as　a　dope　fiend。〃

Ford　snorted　indignantly。　〃Do　I　LOOK　like　a　dope　fiend？〃　he
protested。

The　voice　of　the　assistant　was　one　of　discouragement。

〃You　certainly　do　not；〃　he　exclaimed　regretfulIy。　〃But　it's　the
only　plan　I　could　think　of。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　his　chief　testily；　〃that　you　are　not　so　very
healthy…looking　yourself。　What's　the　matter　with　YOUR　getting
inside　as　a　dope　fiend　and　MY　standing　guard？〃

〃But　I　wouldn't　know　what　to　do　after　I　got　inside；〃　complained　the
assistant；　〃and　you　would。　You　are　so　clever。〃

The　expression　of　confidence　seemed　to　flatter　Ford。

〃I　might　do　this；〃　he　said。　〃I　might　pretend　I　was　recovering　from
a　heavy　spree；　and　ask　to　be　taken　care　of　until　I　am　sober。　Or　I
could　be　a　very　good　imitation　of　a　man　on　the　edge　of　a　nervous
breakdown。　I　haven't　been　five　years　in　the　newspaper　business
without　knowing　all　there　is　to　know　about　nerves。　That's　it！〃　he
cried