the cruise of the jasper b.-第33章

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business　to　know　such　things；〃　he　would　say。　　〃We　know　many

things。　　It　is　our　business　to　know　them。　　There　is　no　miracle

about　it。〃　　This　was　the　public　character　he　had　created　for

himself；　and　emphasizedthat　of　the　plain　business　man。　　This

was　his　mask。　　He　was　so　subtle　that　he　hid　the　vast　range　of　his

powers　behind　an　appearance　of　commonplaceness。



Wilton　Barnstable　never　disguised　himself；　in　the　ordinary　sense

of　the　term。　　That　is；　he　never　resorted　to　false　whiskers　or

wigs　or　obvious　tricks　of　that　sort。



But　if　Wilton　Barnstable　were　to　walk　into　a　convention　of

blacksmiths；　let　us　say；　he　would　quite　escape　attention。　　For

before　he　had　been　ten　minutes　in　that　gathering　he　would　become；

to　all　appearances；　the　typical　blacksmith。　　If　he　were　to　enter

a　gathering　of　bankers；　or　barbers；　or　bakers；　or　organ　grinders；

or　stockbrokers；　or　school…teachers；　a　similar　thing　would

happen。　　He　could　make　himself　the　composite　photograph　of　all

the　individuals　of　any　group。　　He　disguised　himself　from　the

inside　out。



This　art　of　becoming　inconspicuous　was　one　of　his　greatest　assets

as　a　detective。　　Newspaper　and　magazine　writers　would　have　liked

to　dwell　upon　it。　　But　he　requested　them　not　to　emphasize　it。　　As

he　modestly　narrated　his　triumphs　to　the　young　journalists；　who

hung　breathless　upon　his　words；　he　was　careful　not　to　stress　his

talent　for　becoming　just　like　anybody　and　everybody　elsehis

peculiar　genius　for　being　the　average　man。



The　front　which　he　presented　to　the　world　was；　in　reality；　his

cleverest　creation。　　The　magazine　and　newspaper　articles　which

were　written　about　him；　the　many　pictures　which　were　printed

every　month；　presented　the　mental　and　physical　portrait　of　a

knowing；　bustling；　extraordinarily　candid　personality。　　A

personality　with　a　touch　of　smugness　in　it。　　This　was　very

generally　thought　to　be　the　real　Wilton　Barnstable。　　It　was　a

fiction　which　he　had　succeeded　in　establishing。　　When　he

addressed　meetings；　talked　with　reporters；　wrote　articles　about

himself；　or　came　into　touch　with　the　public　in　any　manner；　he

assumed　this　personality。　　When　he　did　not　wish　to　be　known　he

laid　it　aside。　　When　he　desired　to　pass　incognito；　therefore；　it

was　not　necessary　for　him　to　assume　a　disguise。　　He　simply

dropped　one。



The　two　men　with　him；　Barton　Ward　and　Watson　Bard；　were　his

cleverest　agents。　　They　were　learning　from　the　master　detective

the　art　of　looking　like　other　people；　and　were　at　present

practicing　by　looking　like　the　popular　conception　of　Wilton　

Barnstable。　　They　were　clever　men。　　But　Barton　Ward　and　Watson

Bard　were；　as　Cleggett　had　felt　at　once；　only　men　of

extraordinary　talent；　while　Wilton　Barnstable　was　a　genius。



As　Cleggett　talked　he　was　given　a　rather　startling　proof　of

Wilton　Barnstable's　gift。　　He　was　astonished　to　find　a　change

stealing　over　Wilton　Barnstable's　features。　　Subtly　the　detective

began　to　look　like　someone　else。　　The　expression　of　the　face；　the

turn　of　the　eyes；　the　lines　about　the　mouth；　began　to　suggest

someone　whom　Cleggett　knew。　It　was　rather　a　suggestion；　an

impression；　than　a　likeness；　it　was　rather　the　spirit　of　a

personality　than　a　definite　resemblance。　　It　was　a　psychic　thing。

Barnstable　was　disguising　himself　from　the　inside　out；　he　had

assumed　the　mental　and　spiritual　clothing　of　someone　else。



Cleggett　could　not　think　at　first　who　it　was　that　Wilton

Barnstable　suggested。　　But　presently　he　saw　that　it　was　himself。　

He　glanced　at　Barton　Ward　and　Watson　Bard；　they　still　resembled

the　popular　conception　of　Wilton　Barnstable。



Gradually　the　look　of　Cleggett　faded　from　Wilton　Barnstable's

face。　　It　changed；　it　shifted；　that　look　did；　Cleggett　almost

cried　out　as　he　saw　the　face　of　Wilton　Barnstable　become　an

impressionistic　portrait　of　the　soul　of　Logan　Black。　　He　looked

at　Barton　Ward。　　Barton　Ward　was　now　looking　like　Wilton

Barnstable's　conception　of　Cleggett。　　But　Watson　Bard；　less

facile　and　less　creative；　still　clung　stolidly　to　the　popular

conception　of　Wilton　Barnstable。



But；　even　as　Cleggett　looked；　this　remarkable　exhibition　ceased；

the　Wilton　Barnstable　look　dominated　the　faces　again。　　Plump；　yet

dignified；　smiling　easily　and　kindly；　three　plain　business　men

looked　at　him；　respectable　citizens；　commonplace　citizens；　a

little　smug；　faces　that　spoke　of　comfort；　method；　regularity；

eyes　that　seemed　to　wink　with　the　pressure　of　platitudes　in　the

minds　behind　them；　platitudes　that　desired　to　force　their　way　to

the　lips　and　out　into　the　world。



Yes；　such　was　the　genius　of　Wilton　Barnstable　that　he　could　at

will　impose　himself　upon　people　as　the　apotheosis　of　the

commonplace。　　He　did　it　often。　　It　was　almost　second　nature　to

him　now。　His　urbane　smile　was　the　only　visible　sign　of　his　own

enjoyment　of　this　habitual　feat。　　He　knew　his　own　genius；　and

smiled　to　think　how　easy　it　was　to　pass　for　an　average　man！





CHAPTER　XXI



THE　THIRD　OBLONG　BOX　ARRIVES



〃I　think；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　when　Cleggett　had　finished；

〃that　I　may　be　able　to　clear　up　a　few　points　for　you。



〃The　two　men　whom　you　saw　me　hazing　up　and　down　the　bank　of　the

canal；　and　whom　you　saw　again　tonight；　followed　by　the　man　in　the

baby　blue　silk　pajamas；　were　Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat！〃



〃The　wretches！〃　cried　Lady　Agatha。



〃Wretches　indeed；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　Barton　Ward；　and

Watson　Bard；　in　unison；　and　with　conviction。



〃And　the　man　in　the　baby　blue　silk　pajamas；　was〃　the　great

detective　paused；　as　if　to　make　his　revelation　more　effective。　

And　while　he　paused；　Miss　Genevieve　Pringle；　with　pursed　lips　and

averted　face；　signified　that　the　very　idea　of　introducing　a　man

in　baby　blue　silk　pajamas　into　the　conversation　was　intensely

displeasing　to　her。



〃The　man　in　pajamas　was　Reginald　Maltravers；〃　finished　the　great

detective。



〃Reginald　Maltravers！〃　cried　Lady　Agatha。



She　opened　her　mouth　again　as　if　to　say　something　more；　but　words

failed　her；　and　she　only　stared　at　the　detective；　with　parted

lips　and　round　eyes。



Cleggett　went　to　her　and　touched　her　on　the　arm；　and　with　the

touch　she　gave　a　sob　of　emotion　and　found　her　tongue　again。



〃Reginald　Maltravers；〃　she　said；　〃is　not　dead　then！　　Not　dead

after　all！〃



She　endeavored　to　control　herself；　but　for　a　moment　or　two　she

trembled。　　It　was　evident　that　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　keep

from　crying　hysterically　with　relief。　　The　nightmare　that　had

haunted　her　for　days　had　vanished　almost　too　suddenly。　Presently

she　began　to　be　herself　again。



〃You　are　sure　that　he　is　not　dead？〃　she　said　with　a　voice　that

still　shook。



〃Sure；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



And　as　if　quietly　satisfied　with　the　sensation　they　had　produced；

the　three　detectives　smiled　at　each　other　urbanely　and

contentedly。　　Barnstable　continued：　



〃Reginald　Maltravers　came　to　my　agency　some　days　ago　and

requested　a　bodyguard。　　Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat　had　attacked

him；　no　doubt　intending　to　earn　the　money　which　Elmer　had

promised　them。　　He　beat　them　off。　　In　fact；　he　caned　them

soundly。　　But　they　still　continued　to　dog　him。



〃Mr。　Ward　here；　who　handled　the　case；　soon　reported　to　me　that　he

believed　Reginald　Maltravers　to　be　insane。〃



〃Insane　he　was；〃　cried　Lady　Agatha。　　〃I　have　seen　the　light　of

insanity　in　his　eye；　gleaming　through　his　accursed　monocle。〃　　She

spoke　with　vehemence。　　Now　that　she　knew　the　man　to　be　alive；　her

hatred　of　him　had　flared　up　again。



〃Insane　he　was；〃　agreed　Wilton　Barnstable。　〃And　shortly　after

that　discovery　was　made；　he　disappeared。　　The　next　day　after　his

disappearance；　Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat　were　liberally

supplied　with　money。



〃Of　course　they　got　the　money；　Lady　Agatha；　through　the　clever

trick　they　worked　upon　you。〃



〃A　great　many　people　have　got　money　from　me　since　I　have　been　in

America；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。



〃Ah！　Yes？〃　　The　great　detective