the pursuit of the house-boat-第13章

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〃But　on　what　terms？〃　expostulated　Raleigh。　　〃If　we　had　all　the　wealth　of　the　Indies　we'd　have　difficulty　in　paying　you　the　sums　you　demand。〃

〃But　I　am　only　president　of　the　company；〃　explained　Charon。　　〃I'd　like；　as　president；　to　show　you　some　courtesy；　and　I'm　perfectly　willing　to　do　so；　but　when　it　comes　down　to　giving　you　a　vessel　like　that；　I'm　bound　by　my　official　oath　to　consider　the　interest　of　the　stockholders。　　It　isn't　as　it　used　to　be　when　I　had　boats　to　hire　in　my　own　behalf　alone。　　In　those　days　I　had　nobody's　interest　but　my　own　to　look　after。　　Now　the　ships　all　belong　to　the　Styx　Navigation　Company。　　Can't　you　see　the　difference？〃

〃You　own　all　the　stock；　don't　you？〃　insisted　Raleigh。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Charon　answered；　blandly。　　〃I　haven't　seen　the　transfer…books　lately。''

〃But　you　know　that　you　did　own　every　share　of　it；　and　that　you　haven't　sold　any；　don't　you？〃　put　in　Hamlet。

Charon　was　puzzled　for　a　moment；　but　shortly　his　face　cleared；　and　Sir　Walter's　heart　sank；　for　it　was　evident　that　the　old　fellow　could　not　be　cornered。

〃Well；　it's　this　way；　Sir　Walter；　and　your　Highness；〃　he　said；　〃II　can't　say　whether　any　of　that　stock　has　been　transferred　or　not。　　The　fact　is；　I've　been　speculating　a　little　on　margin；　and　I've　put　up　that　stock　as　security；　and；　for　all　I　know；　I　may　have　been　sold　out　by　my　brokers。　　I've　been　so　upset　by　this　unfortunate　occurrence　that　I　haven't　seen　the　market　reports　for　two　days。　　Really　you'll　have　to　be　content　with　my　offer　or　go　without　the　Gehenna。　　There's　too　much　suspicion　attached　to　high　corporate　officials　lately　for　me　to　yield　a　jot　in　the　position　I　have　taken。　　It　would　never　do　to　get　you　all　ready　to　start；　and　then　have　an　injunction　clapped　on　you　by　some　unforeseen　stockholder　who　was　not　satisfied　with　the　terms　offered　you；　nor　can　I　ever　let　it　be　said　of　me　that　to　retain　my　position　as　janitor　of　your　organization　I　sacrificed　a　trust　committed　to　my　charge。　　I'll　gladly　lend　you　my　private　launch；　though　I　don't　think　it　will　aid　you　much；　because　the　naphtha…tank　has　exploded；　and　the　screw　slipped　off　and　went　to　the　bottom　two　weeks　ago。　　Still；　it　is　at　your　service；　and　I've　no　doubt　that　either　Phidias　or　Benvenuto　Cellini　will　carve　out　a　paddle　for　you　if　you　ask　him　to。〃

〃Bah！〃　retorted　Raleigh。　　〃You　might　as　well　offer　us　a　pair　of　skates。〃

〃I　would；　if　I　thought　the　river'd　freeze；〃　retorted　Charon；　blandly。

Raleigh　and　Hamlet　turned　away　impatiently　and　left　Charon　to　his　own　devices；　which　for　the　time　being　consisted　largely　of　winking　his　other　eye　quietly　and　outwardly　making　a　great　show　of　grief。

〃He's　too　canny　for　us；　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Sir　Walter。　　〃We'll　have　to　pay　him　his　money。〃

〃Let　us　first　consult　Sherlock　Holmes；〃　suggested　Hamlet；　and　this　they　proceeded　at　once　to　do。

〃There　is　but　one　thing　to　be　done；〃　observed　the　astute　detective　after　he　had　heard　Sir　Walter's　statement　of　the　case。　　〃It　is　an　old　saying　that　one　should　fight　fire　with　fire。　　We　must　meet　modern　business　methods　with　modern　commercial　ideas。　　Charter　his　vessel　at　his　own　price。〃

〃But　we'd　never　be　able　to　pay；〃　said　Hamlet。

〃Ha…ha！〃　laughed　Holmes。　　〃It　is　evident　that　you　know　nothing　of　the　laws　of　trade　nowadays。　　Don't　pay！〃

〃But　how　can　we？〃　asked　Raleigh。

〃The　method　is　simple。　　You　haven't　anything　to　pay　with；〃　returned　Holmes。　　〃Let　him　sue。　　Suppose　he　gets　a　verdict。　　You　haven't　anything　he　can　attachif　you　have；　make　it　over　to　your　wives　or　your　fiancees〃

〃Is　that　honest？〃　asked　Hamlet；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。

〃It's　business；〃　said　Holmes。

〃But　suppose　he　wants　an　advance　payment？〃　queried　Hamlet。

〃Give　him　a　check　drawn　to　his　own　order。　　He'll　have　to　endorse　it　when　he　deposits　it；　and　that　will　make　him　responsible；〃　laughed　Holmes。

〃What　a　simple　thing　when　you　understand　it！〃　commented　Raleigh。

〃Very；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Business　is　getting　by　slow　degrees　to　be　an　exact　science。　　It　reminds　me　of　the　Brighton　mystery；　in　which　I　played　a　modest　part　some　ten　years　ago；　when　I　first　took　up　ferreting　as　a　profession。　　I　was　sitting　one　night　in　my　room　at　one　of　the　Brighton　hotels；　which　shall　be　nameless。　　I　never　give　the　name　of　any　of　the　hotels　at　which　I　stop；　because　it　might　give　offence　to　the　proprietors　of　other　hotels；　with　the　result　that　my　books　would　be　excluded　from　sale　therein。　　Suffice　it　to　say　that　I　was　spending　an　early　summer　Sunday　at　Brighton　with　my　friend　Watson。　　We　had　dined　well；　and　were　enjoying　our　evening　smoke　together　upon　a　small　balcony　overlooking　the　water；　when　there　came　a　timid　knock　on　the　door　of　my　room。

〃'Watson；'　said　I；　'here　comes　some　one　for　advice。　　Do　you　wish　to　wager　a　small　bottle　upon　it？'

〃'Yes；'　he　answered；　with　a　smile。　　'I　am　thirsty　and　I'd　like　a　small　bottle；　and　while　I　do　not　expect　to　win；　I'll　take　the　bet。　　I　should　like　to　know；　though；　how　you　know。'

〃'It　is　quite　simple；'　said　I。　　'The　timidity　of　the　knock　shows　that　my　visitor　is　one　of　two　classes　of　personsan　autograph…hunter　or　a　client；　one　of　the　two。　　You　see　I　give　you　a　chance　to　win。　　It　may　be　an　autograph…hunter；　but　I　think　it　is　a　client。　　If　it　were　a　creditor；　he　would　knock　boldly；　even　ostentatiously；　if　it　were　the　maid；　she　would　not　knock　at　all；　if　it　were　the　hall…boy；　he　would　not　come　until　I　had　rung　five　times　for　him。　　None　of　these　things　has　occurred；　the　knock　is　the　half…hearted　knock　which　betokens　either　that　the　person　who　knocked　is　in　trouble；　or　is　uncertain　as　to　his　reception。　　I　am　willing；　however；　considering　the　heat　and　my　desire　to　quench　my　thirst；　to　wager　that　it　is　a　client。'

〃'Done；'　said　Watson；　and　I　immediately　remarked；　'Come　in。'

〃The　door　opened；　and　a　man　of　about　thirty…five　years　of　age；　in　a　bathing…suit；　entered　the　room；　and　I　saw　at　a　glance　what　had　happened。

〃'Your　name　is　Burgess；'　I　said。　　'You　came　here　from　London　this　morning；　expecting　to　return　to…night。　　You　brought　no　luggage　with　you。　　After　luncheon　you　went　bathing。　　You　had　machine　No。　35；　and　when　you　came　out　of　the　water　you　found　that　No。　35　had　disappeared；　with　your　clothes　and　the　silver　watch　your　uncle　gave　you　on　the　day　you　succeeded　to　his　business。'

〃Of　course；　gentlemen；〃　observed　the　detective；　with　a　smile　at　Sir　Walter　and　Hamlet〃of　course　the　man　fairly　gasped；　and　I　continued：　'You　have　been　lying　face　downward　in　the　sand　ever　since；　waiting　for　nightfall；　so　that　you　could　come　to　me　for　assistance；　not　considering　it　good　form　to　make　an　afternoon　call　upon　a　stranger　at　his　hotel；　clad　in　a　bathing…suit。　　Am　I　correct？'

〃'Sir；'　he　replied；　with　a　look　of　wonder；　'you　have　narrated　my　story　exactly　as　it　happened；　and　I　find　I　have　made　no　mistake　in　coming　to　you。　　Would　you　mind　telling　me　what　is　your　course　of　reasoning？'

〃'It　is　plain　as　day；'　said　I。　　'I　am　the　person　with　the　red　beard　with　whom　you　came　down　third　class　from　London　this　morning；　and　you　told　me　your　name　was　Burgess　and　that　you　were　a　butcher。　　When　you　looked　to　see　the　time；　I　remarked　upon　the　oddness　of　your　watch；　which　led　to　your　telling　me　that　it　was　the　gift　of　your　uncle。'

〃'True；'　said　Burgess；　'but　I　did　not　tell　you　I　had　no　luggage。'

〃'No；'　said　I；　'but　that　you　hadn't　is　plain；　for　if　you　had　brought　any　other　clothing　besides　that　you　had　on　with　you；　you　would　have　put　it　on　to　come　here。　　That　you　have　been　robbed　I　deduce　also　from　your　costume。'

〃'But　the　number　of　the　machine？'　asked　Watson。

〃'Is　on　the　tag　on　the　key　hanging　about　his　neck；'　said　I。

〃'One　more　question；'　queried　Burgess。　　'How　do　you　know　I　have　been　lying　face　downward　on　the　beach　ever　since？'

〃'By　the　sand　in　your　eyebrows；'　I　replied；　and　Watson　ordered　up　the　small　bottle。〃

〃I　fail　to　see　what　it　was　in　our　conversation；　however；〃　observed　Hamlet；　somewhat　impatient　over　the　delay　caused　by　the　narration　of　this　tale；　〃that　suggested　this　train　of　thought　to　you。〃

〃The　sequel　will　show；〃　returned　Holmes。

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　put　in　Raleigh。　　〃Can't　we　put　off　the　sequel　until　a　later　issue？　　Remember；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　we　are　constantly　losing　time。〃

〃The　sequel　is　brief；　and　I　c