the lodger-第16章

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tion　at　last。　And　…　well；　they've　found　his　weapon！〃

〃No？〃　cried　Bunting　excitedly。　　〃You　don't　say　so！　　Whatever　sort　of　a　thing　is　it？　　And　are　they　sure　'tis　his？〃

〃Well；　'tain't　sure；　but　it　seems　to　be　likely。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　had　slipped　into　the　room　and　shut　the　door　behind　her。　But　she　was　still　standing　with　her　back　against　the　door；　looking　at　the　group　in　front　of　her。　　None　of　them　were　thinking　of　her　　…　she　thanked　God　for　that！　　She　could　hear　everything　that　was　said　without　joining　in　the　talk　and　excitement。

〃Listen　to　this！〃　cried　Joe　Chandler　exultantly。　　〃'Tain't　given　out　yet　…　not　for　the　public；　that　is　…　but　we　was　all　given　it　by　eight　o'clock　this　morning。　　Quick　work　that　eh？〃　He　read　out：


〃WANTED

A　man；　of　age　approximately　28；　slight　in　figure；　height　　approximately　5　ft。　　'8　in。　　Complexion　dark。　　No　beard　or　whiskers。　　Wearing　a　black　diagonal　coat　hard　felt　hat；　high　white　collar；　and　tie。　　Carried　a　newspaper　parcel。　　Very　respectable　appearance。〃


Mrs。　Bunting　walked　forward。　　She　gave　a　long；　fluttering　sigh　of　unutterable　relief。

〃There's　the　chap！〃　said　Joe　Chandler　triumphantly。　　〃And　now；　Miss　Daisy〃　…　he　turned　to　her　jokingly；　but　there　was　a　funny　little　tremor　in　his　frank；　cheerful…sounding　voice　…　〃if　you　knows　of　any　nice；　likely　young　fellow　that　answers　to　that　description　…　well；　you've　only　got　to　walk　in　and　earn　your　reward　of　five　hundred　pounds。〃

〃Five　hundred　pounds！〃　cried　Daisy　and　her　father　simultaneously。

〃Yes。　　That's　what　the　Lord　Mayor　offered　yesterday。　　Some　private　bloke　…　nothing　official　about　it。　　But　we　of　the　Yard　is　barred　from　taking　that　reward；　worse　luck。　　And　it's　too　bad；　for　we　has　all　the　trouble；　after　all〃

〃Just　hand　that　bit　of　paper　over；　will　you？〃　said　Bunting。　　〃I'd　like　to　con　it　over　to　myself。〃

Chandler　threw　over　the　bit　of　flimsy。

A　moment　later　Bunting　looked　up　and　handed　it　back。　　〃Well；　it's　clear　enough；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes。　　And　there's　hundreds　…　nay；　〃thousands　…　of　young　fellows　that　might　be　a　description　of；〃　said　Chandler　sarcastically。　　〃As　a　pal　of　mine　said　this　morning；　'There　isn't　a　chap　will　like　to　carry　a　newspaper　parcel　after　this。'　And　it　won't　do　to　have　a　respectable　appearance　…　eh？〃

Daisy's　voice　rang　out　in　merry；　pealing　laughter。　　She　greatly　appreciated　Mr。　Chandler's　witticism。

〃Why　on　earth　didn't　the　people　who　saw　him　try　and　catch　him？〃　asked　Bunting　suddenly。

And　Mrs。　Bunting　broke　in；　in　a　lower　voice；　〃Yes；　Joe　…　that　seems　odd；　don't　it？〃

Joe　Chandler　coughed。　　〃Well；　it's　this　way；〃　he　said。　　〃No　one　person　did　see　all　that。　　The　man　who's　described　here　is　just　made　up　from　the　description　of　two　different　folk　who　think　they　saw　him。　　You　see；　the　murders　must　have　taken　place　…　well；　now；　let　me　see　…　perhaps　at　two　o'clock　this　last　time。　　Two　o'clock　…　　　that's　the　idea。　　Well；　at　such　a　time　as　that　not　many　people　are　about；　especially　on　a　foggy　night。　　Yes；　one　woman　declares　she　saw　a　young　chap　walking　away　from　the　spot　where　'twas　done；　and　another　one　…　but　that　was　a　good　bit　later　…　says　The　Avenger　passed　by　her。　　It's　mostly　her　they're　following　in　this　'ere　description。　　And　then　the　boss　who　has　charge　of　that　sort　of　thing　looked　up　what　other　people　had　said　…　I　mean　when　the　other　crimes　was　committed。　　That's　how　he　made　up　this　'Wanted。〃'

〃Then　The　Avenger　may　be　quite　a　different　sort　of　man？〃　said　Bunting　slowly；　disappointedly。

〃Well；　of　course　he　may　be。　　But；　no；　I　think　that　description　fits　him　all　right；〃　said　Chandler；　but　he　also　spoke　in　a　hesitating　voice。

〃You　was　saying；　Joe；　that　they　found　a　weapon？〃　observed　Bunting　insinuatingly。

He　was　glad　that　Ellen　allowed　the　discussion　to　go　on　…　in　fact；　that　she　even　seemed　to　take　an　intelligent　interest　in　it。　　She　had　come　up　close　to　them；　and　now　looked　quite　her　old　self　again。

〃Yes。　　They　believe　they've　found　the　weapon　what　he　does　his　awful　deeds　with；〃　said　Chandler。　　〃At　any　rate；　within　a　hundred　yards　of　that　little　dark　passage　where　they　found　the　bodies　…　one　at　each　end；　that　was　…　there　was　discovered　this　morning　a　very　peculiar　kind　o'　knife　…　'keen　as　a　razor；　pointed　as　a　dagger'　…　　that's　the　exact　words　the　boss　used　when　he　was　describing　it　to　a　lot　of　us。　　He　seemed　to　think　a　lot　more　of　that　clue　than　of　the　other　…　I　mean　than　of　the　description　people　gave　of　the　chap　who　walked　quickly　by　with　a　newspaper　parcel。　　But　now　there's　a　pretty　job　in　front　of　us。　　Every　shop　where　they　sell　or　might　a'　sold；　such　a　thing　as　that　knife；　including　every　eating…house　in　the　East　End；　has　got　to　be　called　at！〃

〃Whatever　for？〃　asked　Daisy。

〃Why；　with　an　idea　of　finding　out　if　anyone　saw　such　a　knife　fooling　about　there　any　time；　and；　if　so；　in　whose　possession　it　was　at　the　time。　　But；　Mr。　Bunting〃　…　　Chandler's　voice　changed；　it　became　businesslike；　official　　…　〃they're　not　going　to　say　anything　about　that　…　not　in　newspapers　…　till　to…morrow；　so　don't　you　　go　and　tell　anybody。　　You　see；　we　don't　want　to　frighten　the　fellow　off。　If　he　knew　they'd　got　his　knife　…　well；　he　might　just　make　himself　scarce；　and　they　don't　want　that！　　If　it's　discovered　that　any　knife　of　that　kind　was　sold；　say　a　month　ago；　to　some　customer　whose　ways　are　known；　then　…　then　…　〃

〃What'll　happen　then？〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting；　coming　nearer。

〃Well；　then；　nothing'll　be　put　about　it　in　the　papers　at　all；〃　said　Chandler　deliberately。　　〃The　only　objec'　of　letting　the　public　know　about　it　would　be　if　nothink　was　found　…　I　mean　if　the　search　of　the　shops；　and　so　on；　was　no　good。　　Then；　of　course；　we　must　try　and　find　out　someone　…　some　private　person…like；　who's　watched　that　knife　in　the　criminal's　possession。　　It's　there　the　reward　…　the　five　hundred　pounds　will　come　in。

〃Oh；　I'd　give　anything　to　see　that　knife！〃　exclaimed　Daisy；　clasping　her　hands　together。

〃You　cruel；　bloodthirsty；　girl！〃　cried　her　stepmother　passionately。

They　all　looked　round　at　her；　surprised。

〃Come；　come；　Ellen！〃　said　Bunting　reprovingly。

〃Well；　it　is　a　horrible　idea！〃　said　his　wife　sullenly。　　〃To　go　and　sell　a　fellow…being　for　five　hundred　pounds。〃

But　Daisy　was　offended。　　〃Of　course　I'd　like　to　see　it！〃　she　cried　defiantly。　　〃I　never　said　nothing　about　the　reward。　　That　was　Mr。　Chandler　said　that！　　I　only　said　I'd　like　to　see　the　knife。〃

Chandler　looked　at　her　soothingly。　　〃Well；　the　day　may　come　when　you　will　see　it；〃　he　said　slowly。

A　great　idea　had　come　into　his　mind。

〃No！　　What　makes　you　think　that？〃

〃If　they　catches　him；　and　if　you　comes　along　with　me　to　see　our　Black　Museum　at　the　Yard；　you'll　certainly　see　the　knife；　Miss　Daisy。　They　keeps　all　them　kind　of　things　there。　　So　if；　as　I　say；　this　weapon　should　lead　to　the　conviction　of　The　Avenger　…　well；　then；　that　knife　'ull　be　there；　and　you'll　see'　it！〃

〃The　Black　Museum？　　Why；　whatever　do　they　have　a　museum　in　your　place　for？〃　asked　Daisy　wonderingly。　　〃I　thought　there　was　only　the　British　Museum　…　〃

And　then　even　Mrs。　Bunting；　as　well　as　Bunting　and　Chandler；　laughed　aloud。

〃You　are　a　goosey　girl！〃　said　her　father　fondly。　　〃Why；　there's　a　lot　of　museums　in　London；　the　town's　thick　with　'em。　　Ask　Ellen　there。　　She　and　me　used　to　go　to　them　kind　of　places　when　we　was　courting　…　if　the　weather　was　bad。〃

〃But　our　museum's　the　one　that　would　interest　Miss　Daisy；〃　broke　in　Chandler　eagerly。　　〃It's　a　regular　Chamber　of　'Orrors！〃

〃Why；　Joe；　you　never　told　us　about　that　place　before；〃　said　Bunting　excitedly。　　〃D'you　really　mean　that　there's　a　museum　where　they　keeps　all　sorts　of　things　connected　with　crimes？　　Things　like　knives　murders　have　been　committed　with？〃

〃Knives？〃　cried　Joe；　pleased　at　having　become　the　centre　of　attention；　for　Daisy　had　also　fixed　her　blue　eyes　on　him；　and　even　Mrs。　Bunting　looked　at　him　expectantly。　　〃Much　more　than　knives；　Mr。　Bunting！　　Why；　they've　got　there；　in　little　bottles；　the　real　poison　what　people　have　been　done　away　with。〃

〃And　can　you　go　there　whenever　you　like？〃　asked　Daisy　wonderingly。　She　had　not　realised　before　what　extraordinary　and　agreeable　privileges　are　attached　to　the　position　of　a　detective　member　of　the　London　Police　Force。