the queen of hearts-第61章
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〃This is strictly private？〃 inquires the husband。 I nodded my
head。
〃And confidential？〃 says the wife。 I nodded again。
〃Do you see any objection； dear； to obliging the sergeant with a
sight of the books？〃 says the husband。
〃None in the world； love； if you approve of it；〃 says the wife。
All this while poor Mr。 Yatman sat looking the picture of
astonishment and distress； q uite out of place at our polite
conference。 The books were brought； and one minute's look at the
pages in which Mrs。 Yatman's name figured was enough； and more
than enough； to prove the truth of every word that I had spoken。
There； in one book； was the husband's account which Mr。 Yatman
had settled； and there； in the other； was the private account；
crossed off also； the date of settlement being the very day after
the loss of the cash…box。 This said private account amounted to
the sum of a hundred and seventy…five pounds； odd shillings； and
it extended over a period of three years。 Not a single
installment had been paid on it。 Under the last line was an entry
to this effect： 〃Written to for the third time； June 23d。〃 I
pointed to it； and asked the milliner if that meant 〃last June。〃
Yes； it did mean last June； and she now deeply regretted to say
that it had been accompanied by a threat of legal proceedings。
〃I thought you gave good customers more than three years'
credit？〃 says I。
The milliner looks at Mr。 Yatman； and whispers to me； 〃Not when a
lady's husband gets into difficulties。〃
She pointed to the account as she spoke。 The entries after the
time when Mr。 Yatman's circumstances became involved were just as
extravagant； for a person in his wife's situation； as the entries
for the year before that period。 If the lady had economized in
other things； she had certainly not economized in the matter of
dress。
There was nothing left now but to examine the cash…book； for
form's sake。 The money had been paid in notes； the amounts and
numbers of which exactly tallied with the figures set down in my
list。
After that； I thought it best to get Mr。 Yatman out of the house
immediately。 He was in such a pitiable condition that I called a
cab and accompanied him home in it。 At first he cried and raved
like a child； but I soon quieted him； and I must add； to his
credit； that he made me a most handsome apology for his language
as the cab drew up at his house door。 In return； I tried to give
him some advice about how to set matters right for the future
with his wife。 He paid very little attention to me； and went
upstairs muttering to himself about a separation。 Whether Mrs。
Yatman will come cleverly out of the scrape or not seems
doubtful。 I should say myself that she would go into screeching
hysterics； and so frighten the poor man into forgiving her。 But
this is no business of ours。 So far as we are concerned； the case
is now at an end； and the present report may come to a conclusion
along with it。
I remain； accordingly； yours to command；
THOMAS BULMER。
_P。S_。I have to add that； on leaving Rutherford Street； I met
Mr。 Matthew Sharpin coming to pack up his things。
〃Only think！〃 says he； rubbing his hands in great spirits； 〃I've
been to the genteel villa residence； and the moment I mentioned
my business they kicked me out directly。 There were two witnesses
of the assault； and it's worth a hundred pounds to me if it's
worth a farthing。〃
〃I wish you joy of your luck；〃 says I。
〃Thank you；〃 says he。 〃When may I pay you the same compliment on
finding the thief？〃
〃Whenever you like；〃 says I； 〃for the thief is found。〃
〃Just what I expected；〃 says he。 〃I've done all the work； and now
you cut in and claim all the creditMr。 Jay； of course。〃
〃No；〃 says I。
〃Who is it then？〃 says he。
〃Ask Mrs。 Yatman；〃 says I。 〃She's waiting to tell you。〃
〃All right！ I'd much rather hear it from that charming woman than
from you；〃 says he； and goes into the house in a mighty hurry。
What do you think of that； Inspector Theakstone？ Would you like
to stand in Mr。 Sharpin's shoes？ I shouldn't； I can promise you。
FROM CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE TO MR。 MATTHEW SHARPIN。
July 12th。
SIRSergeant Bulmer has already told you to consider yourself
suspended until further notice。 I have now authority to add that
your services as a member of the Detective police are positively
declined。 You will please to take this letter as notifying
officially your dismissal from the force。
I may inform you； privately； that your rejection is not intended
to cast any reflections on your character。 It merely implies that
you are not quite sharp enough for our purposes。 If we _are_ to
have a new recruit among us； we should infinitely prefer Mrs。
Yatman。
Your obedient servant；
FRANCIS THEAKSTONE。
NOTE ON THE PRECEDING CORRESPONDENCE； ADDED BY MR。 THEAKSTONE。
The inspector is not in a position to append any explanations of
importance to the last of the letters。 It has been discovered
that Mr。 Matthew Sharpin left the house in Rutherford Street five
minutes after his interview outside of it with Sergeant Bulmer；
his manner expressing the liveliest emotions of terror and
astonishment； and his left cheek displaying a bright patch of
red； which looked as if it might have been the result of what is
popularly termed a smart box on the ear。 He was also heard by the
shopman at Rutherford Street to use a very shocking expression in
reference to Mrs。 Yatman； and was seen to clinch his fist
vindictively as he ran round the corner of the street。 Nothing
more has been heard of him； and it is conjectured that he has
left London with the intention of offering his valuable services
to the provincial police。
On the interesting domestic subject of Mr。 and Mrs。 Yatman still
less is known。 It has； however； been positively ascertained that
the medical attendant of the family was sent for in a great hurry
on the day when Mr。 Yatman returned from the milliner's shop。 The
neighboring chemist received； soon afterward； a prescription of a
soothing nature to make up for Mrs。 Yatman。 The day after； Mr。
Yatman purchased some smelling…salts at the shop； and afterward
appeared at the circulating library to ask for a novel
descriptive of high life that would amuse an invalid lady。 It has
been inferred from these circumstances that he has not thought it
desirable to carry out his threat of separating from his wife； at
least in the present （presumed） condition of that lady's
sensitive nervous system。
THE SEVENTH DAY。
FINE enough for our guest to go out again。 Long； feathery lines
of white cloud are waving upward in the sky； a sign of coming
wind。
There was a steamer telegraphed yesterday from the West Indies。
When the next vessel is announced from abroad； will it be
George's ship？
I don't know how my brothers feel to…day； but the sudden
cessation of my own literary labors has left me still in bad
spirits。 I tried to occupy my mind by reading； but my attention
wandered。 I went out into the garden； but it looked dreary； the
autumn flowers were few and far betweenthe lawn was soaked and
sodden with yesterday's rain。 I wandered into Owen's room。 He had
returned to his painting； but was not working； as it struck me；
with his customary assiduity and his customary sense of
enjoyment。
We had a long talk together about George and Jessie and the
future。 Owen urged me to risk speaking of my son in her presence
once more； on the chance of making her betray herself on a second
occasion； and I determined to take his advice。 But she was in
such high spirits when she came home to dinner on this Seventh
Day； and seemed so incapable； for the time being； of either
feeling or speaking seriously； that I thought it wiser to wait
till her variable mood altered again with the next wet day。
The number drawn this evening was Eight； being the number of the
story which it had cost Owen so much labor to write。 He looked a
little fluttered and anxious as he opened the manuscript。 This
was the first occasion on which his ability as a narrator was to
be brought to the test； and I saw him glance nervously at
Jessie's attentive face。
〃I need not trouble you with much in the way of preface；〃 h
