the club of queer trades-第16章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Rupert　and　I　looked　at　each　other　in　an　ironical　silence。　Basil；　who　was　sitting　by　his　desk；　swung　the　chair　round　idly　on　its　screw　and　picked　up　a　quill…pen。

〃Shall　I　cross　it？〃　he　asked；　opening　a　cheque…book。

〃Really；〃　began　Rupert；　with　a　rather　nervous　loudness；　〃since　Lieutenant　Keith　has　seen　fit　to　make　this　suggestion　to　Basil　before　his　family；　I〃

〃Here　you　are；　Ugly；〃　said　Basil；　fluttering　a　cheque　in　the　direction　of　the　quite　nonchalant　officer。　〃Are　you　in　a　hurry？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Keith；　in　a　rather　abrupt　way。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact　I　want　it　now。　I　want　to　see　myerbusiness　man。〃

Rupert　was　eyeing　him　sarcastically；　and　I　could　see　that　it　was　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue　to　say；　inquiringly；　〃Receiver　of　stolen　goods；　perhaps。〃　What　he　did　say　was：

〃A　business　man？　That's　rather　a　general　description；　Lieutenant　Keith。〃

Keith　looked　at　him　sharply；　and　then　said；　with　something　rather　like　ill…temper：

〃He's　a　thingum…my…bob；　a　house…agent；　say。　I'm　going　to　see　him。〃

〃Oh；　you're　going　to　see　a　house…agent；　are　you？〃　said　Rupert　Grant　grimly。　〃Do　you　know；　Mr　Keith；　I　think　I　should　very　much　like　to　go　with　you？〃

Basil　shook　with　his　soundless　laughter。　Lieutenant　Keith　started　a　little；　his　brow　blackened　sharply。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said。　〃What　did　you　say？〃

Rupert's　face　had　been　growing　from　stage　to　stage　of　ferocious　irony；　and　he　answered：

〃I　was　saying　that　I　wondered　whether　you　would　mind　our　strolling　along　with　you　to　this　house…agent's。〃

The　visitor　swung　his　stick　with　a　sudden　whirling　violence。

〃Oh；　in　God's　name；　come　to　my　house…agent's！　Come　to　my　bedroom。　Look　under　my　bed。　Examine　my　dust…bin。　Come　along！〃　And　with　a　furious　energy　which　took　away　our　breath　he　banged　his　way　out　of　the　room。

Rupert　Grant；　his　restless　blue　eyes　dancing　with　his　detective　excitement；　soon　shouldered　alongside　him；　talking　to　him　with　that　transparent　camaraderie　which　he　imagined　to　be　appropriate　from　the　disguised　policeman　to　the　disguised　criminal。　His　interpretation　was　certainly　corroborated　by　one　particular　detail；　the　unmistakable　unrest；　annoyance；　and　nervousness　of　the　man　with　whom　he　walked。　Basil　and　I　tramped　behind；　and　it　was　not　necessary　for　us　to　tell　each　other　that　we　had　both　noticed　this。

Lieutenant　Drummond　Keith　led　us　through　very　extraordinary　and　unpromising　neighbourhoods　in　the　search　for　his　remarkable　house…agent。　Neither　of　the　brothers　Grant　failed　to　notice　this　fact。　As　the　streets　grew　closer　and　more　crooked　and　the　roofs　lower　and　the　gutters　grosser　with　mud；　a　darker　curiosity　deepened　on　the　brows　of　Basil；　and　the　figure　of　Rupert　seen　from　behind　seemed　to　fill　the　street　with　a　gigantic　swagger　of　success。　At　length；　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　or　fifth　lean　grey　street　in　that　sterile　district；　we　came　suddenly　to　a　halt；　the　mysterious　lieutenant　looking　once　more　about　him　with　a　sort　of　sulky　desperation。　Above　a　row　of　shutters　and　a　door；　all　indescribably　dingy　in　appearance　and　in　size　scarce　sufficient　even　for　a　penny　toyshop；　ran　the　inscription：　〃P。　Montmorency；　House…Agent。〃

〃This　is　the　office　of　which　I　spoke；〃　said　Keith；　in　a　cutting　voice。　〃Will　you　wait　here　a　moment；　or　does　your　astonishing　tenderness　about　my　welfare　lead　you　to　wish　to　overhear　everything　I　have　to　say　to　my　business　adviser？〃

Rupert's　face　was　white　and　shaking　with　excitement；　nothing　on　earth　would　have　induced　him　now　to　have　abandoned　his　prey。

〃If　you　will　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　clenching　his　hands　behind　his　back；　〃I　think　I　should　feel　myself　justified　in〃

〃Oh！　Come　along　in；〃　exploded　the　lieutenant。　He　made　the　same　gesture　of　savage　surrender。　And　he　slammed　into　the　office；　the　rest　of　us　at　his　heels。

P。　Montmorency；　House…Agent；　was　a　solitary　old　gentleman　sitting　behind　a　bare　brown　counter。　He　had　an　egglike　head；　froglike　jaws；　and　a　grey　hairy　fringe　of　aureole　round　the　lower　part　of　his　face；　the　whole　combined　with　a　reddish；　aquiline　nose。　He　wore　a　shabby　black　frock…coat；　a　sort　of　semi…clerical　tie　worn　at　a　very　unclerical　angle；　and　looked；　generally　speaking；　about　as　unlike　a　house…agent　as　anything　could　look；　short　of　something　like　a　sandwich　man　or　a　Scotch　Highlander。

We　stood　inside　the　room　for　fully　forty　seconds；　and　the　odd　old　gentleman　did　not　look　at　us。　Neither；　to　tell　the　truth；　odd　as　he　was；　did　we　look　at　him。　Our　eyes　were　fixed；　where　his　were　fixed；　upon　something　that　was　crawling　about　on　the　counter　in　front　of　him。　It　was　a　ferret。

The　silence　was　broken　by　Rupert　Grant。　He　spoke　in　that　sweet　and　steely　voice　which　he　reserved　for　great　occasions　and　practised　for　hours　together　in　his　bedroom。　He　said：

〃Mr　Montmorency；　I　think？〃

The　old　gentleman　started；　lifted　his　eyes　with　a　bland　bewilderment；　picked　up　the　ferret　by　the　neck；　stuffed　it　alive　into　his　trousers　pocket；　smiled　apologetically；　and　said：

〃Sir。〃

〃You　are　a　house…agent；　are　you　not？〃　asked　Rupert。

To　the　delight　of　that　criminal　investigator；　Mr　Montmorency's　eyes　wandered　unquietly　towards　Lieutenant　Keith；　the　only　man　present　that　he　knew。

〃A　house…agent；〃　cried　Rupert　again；　bringing　out　the　word　as　if　it　were　〃burglar'。

〃Yes　。　。　。　oh；　yes；〃　said　the　man；　with　a　quavering　and　almost　coquettish　smile。　〃I　am　a　house…agent　。　。　。　oh；　yes。〃

〃Well；　I　think；〃　said　Rupert；　with　a　sardonic　sleekness；　〃that　Lieutenant　Keith　wants　to　speak　to　you。　We　have　come　in　by　his　request。〃

Lieutenant　Keith　was　lowering　gloomily；　and　now　he　spoke。

〃I　have　come；　Mr　Montmorency；　about　that　house　of　mine。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Montmorency；　spreading　his　fingers　on　the　flat　counter。　〃It's　all　ready；　sir。　I've　attended　to　all　your　suggestions　erabout　the　br〃

〃Right；〃　cried　Keith；　cutting　the　word　short　with　the　startling　neatness　of　a　gunshot。　〃We　needn't　bother　about　all　that。　If　you've　done　what　I　told　you；　all　right。〃

And　he　turned　sharply　towards　the　door。

Mr　Montmorency；　House…Agent；　presented　a　picture　of　pathos。　After　stammering　a　moment　he　said：　〃Excuse　me　。　。　。　Mr　Keith　。　。　。　there　was　another　matter　。　。　。　about　which　I　wasn't　quite　sure。　I　tried　to　get　all　the　heating　apparatus　possible　under　the　circumstances　　。　。　。　but　in　winter　。　。　。　at　that　elevation　。　。　。〃

〃Can't　expect　much；　eh？〃　said　the　lieutenant；　cutting　in　with　the　same　sudden　skill。　〃No；　of　course　not。　That's　all　right；　Montmorency。　There　can't　be　any　more　difficulties；〃　and　he　put　his　hand　on　the　handle　of　the　door。

〃I　think；〃　said　Rupert　Grant；　with　a　satanic　suavity；　〃that　Mr　Montmorency　has　something　further　to　say　to　you；　lieutenant。〃

〃Only；〃　said　the　house…agent；　in　desperation；　〃what　about　the　birds？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Rupert；　in　a　general　blank。

〃What　about　the　birds？〃　said　the　house…agent　doggedly。

Basil；　who　had　remained　throughout　the　procedings　in　a　state　of　Napoleonic　calm；　which　might　be　more　accurately　described　as　a　state　of　Napoleonic　stupidity；　suddenly　lifted　his　leonine　head。

〃Before　you　go；　Lieutenant　Keith；〃　he　said。　〃Come　now。　Really；　what　about　the　birds？〃

〃I'll　take　care　of　them；〃　said　Lieutenant　Keith；　still　with　his　long　back　turned　to　us；　〃they　shan't　suffer。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；　thank　you；〃　cried　the　incomprehensible　house…agent；　with　an　air　of　ecstasy。　〃You'll　excuse　my　concern；　sir。　You　know　I'm　wild　on　wild　animals。　I'm　as　wild　as　any　of　them　on　that。　Thank　you；　sir。　But　there's　another　thing。　。　。〃

The　lieutenant；　with　his　back　turned　to　us；　exploded　with　an　indescribable　laugh　and　swung　round　to　face　us。　It　was　a　laugh；　the　purport　of　which　was　direct　and　essential；　and　yet　which　one　cannot　exactly　express。　As　near　as　it　said　anything；　verbally　speaking；　it　said：　〃Well；　if　you　must　spoil　it；　you　must。　But　you　don't　know　what　you're　spoiling。〃

〃There　is　another　thing；〃　continued　Mr　Montmorency　weakly。　〃Of　course；　if　you　don't　want　to　be　visited　you'll　paint　the　house　green；　but〃

〃Green！〃　shouted　Keith。　〃Green！　Let　it　be　green　or　nothing。　I　won't　have　a　house　of　another　colour。　Green！〃　and　before　we　could　realize　anything　the　door　had　banged　between　us　and　the　street。

Rupert　Grant　seemed　to　take　a　little　time　to　collect　himself；