the clue of the twisted candle-第16部分
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！
the greatest danger to herself。 She was horribly afraid。 She knew this man far better than he suspected； realized the treachery and the unscrupulousness of him。 She knew he would stop short of nothing； that he was without honour and without a single attribute of goodness。
He must have read her thoughts for he came nearer and stood over her。
〃You needn't shrink； my young friend；〃 he said with a little chuckle。 〃You are going to do just what I want you to do； and your first act will be to accompany me downstairs。 Get up。〃
He half lifted； half dragged her to her feet and led her from the room。 They descended to the hall together and the girl spoke no word。 Perhaps she hoped that she might wrench herself free and make her escape into the street； but in this she was disappointed。 The grip about her arm was a grip of steel and she knew safety did not lie in that direction。 She pulled back at the head of the stairs that led down to the kitchen。
〃Where are you taking me？〃 she asked。
〃I am going to put you into safe custody；〃 he said。 〃On the whole I think it is best that the police take this matter in hand and I shall lock you into my wine cellar and go out in search of a policeman。〃
The big wooden door opened； revealing a second door and this Kara unbolted。 She noticed that both doors were sheeted with steel； the outer on the inside； and the inner door on the outside。 She had no time to make any further observations for Kara thrust her into the darkness。 He switched on a light。
〃I will not deny you that；〃 he said； pushing her back as she made a frantic attempt to escape。 He swung the outer door to as she raised her voice in a piercing scream； and clapping his hand over her mouth held her tightly for a moment。
〃I have warned you；〃 he hissed。
She saw his face distorted with rage。 She saw Kara transfigured with devilish anger； saw that handsome； almost godlike countenance thrust into hers； flushed and seamed with malignity and a hatefulness beyond understanding and then her senses left her and she sank limp and swooning into his arms。
When she recovered consciousness she found herself lying on a plain stretcher bed。 She sat up suddenly。 Kara had gone and the door was closed。 The cellar was dry and clean and its walls were enamelled white。 Light was supplied by two electric lamps in the ceiling。 There was a table and a chair and a small washstand； and air was evidently supplied through unseen ventilators。 It was indeed a prison and no less； and in her first moments of panic she found herself wondering whether Kara had used this underground dungeon of his before for a similar purpose。
She examined the room carefully。 At the farthermost end was another door and this she pushed gently at first and then vigorously without producing the slightest impression。 She still had her bag； a small affair of black moire； which hung from her belt； in which was nothing more formidable than a penknife； a small bottle of smelling salts and a pair of scissors。 The latter she had used for cutting out those paragraphs from the daily newspapers which referred to Kara's movements。
They would make a formidable weapon； and wrapping her handkerchief round the handle to give it a better grip she placed it on the table within reach。 She was dimly conscious all the time that she had heard something about this wine cellar … something which； if she could recollect it； would be of service to her。
Then in a flash she remembered that there was a lower cellar； which according to Mrs。 Beale was never used and was bricked up。 It was approached from the outside； down a circular flight of stairs。 There might be a way out from that direction and would there not be some connection between the upper cellar and the lower！
She set to work to make a closer examination of the apartment。
The floor was of concrete； covered with a light rush matting。 This she carefully rolled up； starting at the door。 One half of the floor was uncovered without revealing the existence of any trap。 She attempted to pull the table into the centre of the room； better to roll the matting； but found it fixed to the wall； and going down on her knees； she discovered that it had been fixed after the matting had been laid。
Obviously there was no need for the fixture and； she tapped the floor with her little knuckle。 Her heart started racing。 The sound her knocking gave forth was a hollow one。 She sprang up； took her bag from the table； opened the little penknife and cut carefully through the thin rushes。 She might have to replace the matting and it was necessary she should do her work tidily。
Soon the whole of the trap was revealed。 There was an iron ring； which fitted flush with the top and which she pulled。 The trap yielded and swung back as though there were a counterbalance at the other end； as indeed there was。 She peered down。 There was a dim light below …the reflection of a light in the distance。 A flight of steps led down to the lower level and after a second's hesitation she swung her legs over the cavity and began her descent。
She was in a cellar slightly smaller than that above her。 The light she had seen came from an inner apartment which would be underneath the kitchen of the house。 She made her way cautiously along； stepping on tip…toe。 The first of the rooms she came to was well…furnished。 There was a thick carpet on the floor； comfortable easy…chairs； a little bookcase well filled； and a reading lamp。 This must be Kara's underground study； where he kept his precious papers。
A smaller room gave from this and again it was doorless。 She looked in and after her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness she saw that it was a bathroom handsomely fitted。
The room she was in was also without any light which came from the farthermost chamber。 As the girl strode softly across the well…carpeted room she trod on something hard。 She stooped and felt along the floor and her fingers encountered a thin steel chain。 The girl was bewildered…almost panic…stricken。 She shrunk back from the entrance of the inner room； fearful of what she would see。 And then from the interior came a sound that made her tingle with horror。
It was a sound of a sigh； long and trembling。 She set her teeth and strode through the doorway and stood for a moment staring with open eyes and mouth at what she saw。
〃My God！〃 she breathed； 〃London' 。 。 。 。 in the twentieth century 。 。 。 ！〃
CHAPTER XI
Superintendent Mansus had a little office in Scotland Yard proper； which； he complained； was not so much a private bureau； as a waiting…room to which repaired every official of the police service who found time hanging on his hands。 On the afternoon of Miss Holland's surprising adventure； a plainclothes man of 〃D〃 Division brought to Mr。 Mansus's room a very scared domestic servant； voluble； tearful and agonizingly penitent。 It was a mood not wholly unfamiliar to a police officer of twenty years experience and Mr。 Mansus was not impressed。
〃If you will kindly shut up；〃 he said； blending his natural politeness with his employment of the vernacular； 〃and if you will also answer a few questions I will save you a lot of trouble。 You were Lady Bartholomew's maid weren't you？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 sobbed the red…eyed Mary Ann。
〃And you have been detected trying to pawn a gold bracelet； the property of Lady Bartholomew？〃
The maid gulped； nodded and started breathlessly upon a recital of her wrongs。
〃Yes； sir … but she practically gave it to me； sir； and I haven't had my wages for two months； sir； and she can give that foreigner thousands and thousands of pounds at a time； sir； but her poor servants she can't pay … no； she can't。 And if Sir William knew especially about my lady's cards and about the snuffbox； what would he think； I wonder； and I'm going to have my rights； for if she can pay thousands to a swell like Mr。 Kara she can pay me and … 〃
Mansus jerked his head。
〃Take her down to the cells；〃 he said briefly； and they led her away； a wailing； woeful figure of amateur larcenist。
In three minutes Mansus was with T。 X。 and had reduced the girl's incoherence to something like order。
〃This is important；〃 said T。 X。； 〃produce the Abigail。〃
〃The … ？〃 asked the puzzled officer。
〃The skivvy … slavey … hired help … get busy；〃 said T。 X。 impatiently。
They brought her to T。 X。 in a condition bordering upon collapse。
〃Get her a cup of tea；〃 said the wise chief。 〃Sit down； Mary Ann； and forget all your troubles。〃
〃Oh； sir； I've never been in this position before；〃 she began； as she flopped into the chair they put for her。
〃Then you've had a very tiring time；〃 said T。 X。 〃Now listen … 〃
〃I've been respectable … 〃
〃Forget it！〃 said T。 X。； wearily。 〃Listen！ If you'll tell me the whole truth about Lady Bartholomew and the money she paid to Mr。 Kara … 〃
〃Two thousand pounds … two separate thousand and by all accounts…〃
〃If you will tell me the truth； I'll compound a felony and let you go free。〃
It was a long time before he could prevail upon her to clear her speech of the ego which insisted upon intruding。 There were gaps in her narrative which he bridged。 In the main it was a believable story。 Lady Bartholomew had lost money and had borrowed from Kara。 She had given as security； the snuffbox presented to her husband's father； a doctor； by one of the Czars for services rendered； and was 〃all blue enamel and gold； and foreign words in diamonds。〃 On the question of the amount Lady Bartholomew had borrowed； Abigail was very vague。 All that she knew was that my lady had paid back two thousand pounds and that she was still very distressed （〃in a fit〃 was the phrase the girl used）； because apparently Kara refused to restore the box。
There had evidently been terrible scenes in the Bartholomew menage； hysterics and what not； the principal breakdown having occurred when Belinda Mary came home from school in France。
〃Miss Bartholomew is home then。 Where is she？〃 asked T。 X。
Here the girl was more vague than ever。 She thought the young lady had gone back again； anyway Miss Belinda had been very much upset。 Miss Belinda had seen Dr。 Williams and advised that her mother should go away f
