the clue of the twisted candle-第24部分

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s　probably　on　his　way　to　some　undiscoverable　region；　and　our　people　have　not　yet　traced　the　valet。〃

〃He　should　be　the　easiest　for　you；〃　said　John　Lexman；　reflectively。

〃Why　Gathercole　should　go　off　I　can't　understand；〃　T。　X。　continued。　　〃According　to　the　story　which　was　told　me　by　Fisher；　his　last　words　to　Kara　were　to　the　effect　that　he　was　expecting　a　cheque　or　that　he　had　received　a　cheque。　　No　cheque　has　been　presented　or　drawn　and　apparently　Gathercole　has　gone　off　without　waiting　for　any　payment。　　An　examination　of；　Kara's　books　show　nothing　against　the　Gathercole　account　save　the　sum　of　600　pounds　which　was　originally　advanced；　and　now　to　upset　all　my　calculations；　look　at　this。〃

He　took　from　his　pocketbook　a　newspaper　cutting　and　pushed　it　across　the　table；　for　they　were　dining　together　at　the　Carlton。　John　Lexman　picked　up　the　slip　and　read。　　It　was　evidently　from　a　New　York　paper：

〃Further　news　has　now　come　to　hand　by　the　Antarctic　Trading　Company's　steamer；　Cyprus；　concerning　the　wreck　of　the　City　of　the　Argentine。　　It　is　believed　that　this　ill…fated　vessel；　which　called　at　South　American　ports；　lost　her　propellor　and　drifted　south　out　of　the　track　of　shipping。　　This　theory　is　now　confirmed。　Apparently　the　ship　struck　an　iceberg　on　December　23rd　and　foundered　with　all　aboard　save　a　few　men　who　were　able　to　launch　a　boat　and　who　were　picked　up　by　the　Cyprus。　　The　following　is　the　passenger　list。〃

John　Lexman　ran　down　the　list　until　he　came　upon　the　name　which　was　evidently　underlined　in　ink　by　T。　X。　　That　name　was　George　Gathercole　and　after　it　in　brackets　（Explorer）。

〃If　that　were　true；　then；　Gathercole　could　not　have　come　to　London。〃

〃He　may　have　taken　another　boat；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃and　I　cabled　to　the　Steamship　Company　without　any　great　success。　　Apparently　Gathercole　was　an　eccentric　sort　of　man　and　lived　in　terror　of　being　overcrowded。　　It　was　a　habit　of　his　to　make　provisional　bookings　by　every　available　steamer。　　The　company　can　tell　me　no　more　than　that　he　had　booked；　but　whether　he　shipped　on　the　City　of　the　Argentine　or　not；　they　do　not　know。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　this　about　Gathercole；〃　said　John　slowly　and　thoughtfully；　〃that　he　was　a　man　who　would　not　hurt　a　fly。　　He　was　incapable　of　killing　any　man；　being　constitutionally　averse　to　taking　life　in　any　shape。　　For　this　reason　he　never　made　collections　of　butterflies　or　of　bees；　and　I　believe　has　never　shot　an　animal　in　his　life。　　He　carried　his　principles　to　such　an　extent　that　he　was　a　vegetarian　…　poor　old　Gathercole！〃　he　said；　with　the　first　smile　which　T。　X。　had　seen　on　his　face　since　he　came　back。

〃If　you　want　to　sympathize　with　anybody；〃　said　T。　X。　gloomily；　〃sympathize　with　me。〃

On　the　following　day　T。　X。　was　summoned　to　the　Home　Office　and　went　steeled　for　a　most　unholy　row。　　The　Home　Secretary；　a　large　and　worthy　gentleman；　given　to　the　making　of　speeches　on　every　excuse；　received　him；　however；　with　unusual　kindness。

〃I've　sent　for　you；　Mr。　　Meredith；〃　he　said；　〃about　this　unfortunate　Greek。　　I've　had　all　his　private　papers　looked　into　and　translated　and　in　some　cases　decoded；　because　as　you　are　probably　aware　his　diaries　and　a　great　deal　of　his　correspondence　were　in　a　code　which　called　for　the　attention　of　experts。〃

T。　X。　had　not　troubled　himself　greatly　about　Kara's　private　papers　but　had　handed　them　over；　in　accordance　with　instructions；　to　the　proper　authorities。

〃Of　course；　Mr。　Meredith；〃　the　Home　Secretary　went　on；　beaming　across　his　big　table；　〃we　expect　you　to　continue　your　search　for　the　murderer；　but　I　must　confess　that　your　prisoner　when　you　secure　him　will　have　a　very　excellent　case　to　put　to　a　jury。〃

〃That　I　can　well　believe；　sir；〃　said　T。　X。

〃Seldom　in　my　long　career　at　the　bar；〃　began　the　Home　Secretary　in　his　best　oratorical　manner；　〃have　I　examined　a　record　so　utterly　discreditable　as　that　of　the　deceased　man。〃

Here　he　advanced　a　few　instances　which　surprised　even　T。　X。

〃The　men　was　a　lunatic；〃　continued　the　Home　Secretary；　a　vicious；　evil　man　who　loved　cruelty　for　cruelty's　sake。　　We　have　in　this　diary　alone　sufficient　evidence　to　convict　him　of　three　separate　murders；　one　of　which　was　committed　in　this　country。〃

T。　X。　looked　his　astonishment。

〃You　will　remember；　Mr。　Meredith；　as　I　saw　in　one　of　your　reports；　that　he　had　a　chauffeur；　a　Greek　named　Poropulos。〃

T。　X。　nodded。

〃He　went　to　Greece　on　the　day　following　the　shooting　of　Vassalaro；〃　he　said。

The　Home　Secretary　shook　his　head

〃He　was　killed　on　the　same　night；〃　said　the　Minister；　〃and　you　will　have　no　difficulty　in　finding　what　remains　of　his　body　in　the　disused　house　which　Kara　rented　for　his　own　purpose　on　the　Portsmouth　Road。　　That　he　has　killed　a　number　of　people　in　Albania　you　may　well　suppose。　　Whole　villages　have　been　wiped　out　to　provide　him　with　a　little　excitement。　　The　man　was　a　Nero　without　any　of　Nero's　amiable　weaknesses。　　He　was　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　himself　was　in　danger　of　assassination；　and　saw　an　enemy　even　in　his　trusty　servant。　　Undoubtedly　the　chauffeur　Poropulos　was　in　touch　with　several　Continental　government　circles。　　You　understand；〃　said　the　Minister　in　conclusion；　〃that　I　am　telling　you　this；　not　with　the　idea　of　expecting　you；　to　relax　your　efforts　to　find　the　murderer　and　clear　up　the　mystery；　but　in　order　that　you　may　know　something　of　the　possible　motive　for　this　man's　murder。〃

T。　X。　spent　an　hour　going　over　the　decoded　diary　and　documents　and　left　the　Home　Office　a　little　shakily。　　It　was　inconceivable；　incredible。　　Kara　was　a　lunatic；　but　the　directing　genius　was　a　devil。

T。　X。　had　a　flat　in　Whitehall　Gardens　and　thither　he　repaired　to　change　for　dinner。　　He　was　half　dressed　when　the　evening　paper　arrived　and　he　glanced　as　was　his　wont　first　at　the　news'　page　and　then　at　the　advertisement　column。　　He　looked　down　the　column　marked　〃Personal〃　without　expecting　to　find　anything　of　particular　interest　to　himself；　but　saw　that　which　made　him　drop　the　paper　and　fly　round　the　room　in　a　frenzy　to　complete　his　toilet。

〃Tommy　X。；〃　ran　the　brief　announcement；　〃most　urgent；　Marble　Arch　8。〃

He　had　five　minutes　to　get　there　but　it　seemed　like　five　hours。　He　was　held　up　at　almost　every　crossing　and　though　he　might　have　used　his　authority　to　obtain　right　of　way；　it　was　a　step　which　his　curious　sense　of　honesty　prevented　him　taking。　　He　leapt　out　of　the　cab　before　it　stopped；　thrust　the　fare　into　the　driver's　hands　and　looked　round　for　the　girl。　　He　saw　her　at　last　and　walked　quickly　towards　her。　　As　he　approached　her；　she　turned　about　and　with　an　almost　imperceptible　beckoning　gesture　walked　away。　　He　followed　her　along　the　Bayswater　Road　and　gradually　drew　level。

〃I　am　afraid　I　have　been　watched；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Will　you　call　a　cab？〃

He　hailed　a　passing　taxi；　helped　her　in　and　gave　at　random　the　first　place　that　suggested　itself　to　him；　which　was　Finsbury　Park。

〃I　am　very　worried；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　don't　know　anybody　who　can　help　me　except　you。〃

〃Is　it　money？〃　he　asked。

〃Money；〃　she　said　scornfully；　〃of　course　it　isn't　money。　　I　want　to　show　you　a　letter；〃　she　said　after　a　while。

She　took　it　from　her　bag　and　gave　it　to　him　and　he　struck　a　match　and　read　it　with　difficulty。

It　was　written　in　a　studiously　uneducated　hand。



〃Dear　Miss；

〃I　know　who　you　are。　　You　are　wanted　by　the　police　but　I　will　not　give　you　away。　　Dear　Miss。　　I　am　very　hard　up　and　20　pounds　will　be　very　useful　to　me　and　I　shall　not　trouble　you　again。　　Dear　Miss。　　Put　the　money　on　the　window　sill　of　your　room。　　I　know　you　sleep　on　the　ground　floor　and　I　will　come　in　and　take　it。　　And　if　not　…　well；　I　don't　want　to　make　any　trouble。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　truly；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A　FRIEND。〃

〃When　did　you　get　this？〃　he　asked。

〃This　morning；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　sent　the　Agony　to　the　paper　by　telegram；　I　knew　you　would　come。〃

〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？〃　he　said。

Her　assurance　was　very　pleasing　to　him。　　The　faith　that　her　words　implied　gave　him　an　odd　little　feeling　of　comfort　and　happiness。

〃I　can　easily　get　you　out　of　this；〃　he　added；　〃give　me　your　address　and　when　the　gentleman　comes　…　〃

〃That　is　impossible；〃　she　replied　hurriedly。　　〃Please　don't　think　I'm　ungrateful；　and　don't　think　I'm　being　silly　…　you　do　think　I'm　being　silly；　don't　you！〃

〃I　have　never　harboured　such　an　unworthy　thought；〃　he　said　virtuously。

〃Yes；　you　have；〃　she　persisted；　〃but　really　I　can't　tell　you　where　I　am　living。　　I　have　a　very　special　reason　for　not　doing　so。　　It's　not　myself　that　I'm　thinking　about；　but　there's　a　life　involved。〃

This　was　a　somewhat　dramatic　statement　to　make　and　she　felt　she　had　gone　too　far。

〃Perhaps　I　don't　mean　that；〃　she　said；　〃but　there　is　some　one　I　care　for　…　〃　she　dropped　her　voice。

〃Oh；〃　said　T。　X。　blankly。

He　came　down　from　his　rosy　heights　into　the　shadow　and　darkness　of　a　sunless　valley。

〃Some　one　you　care　for；〃　he　repeated　after　a　while。

〃Yes。〃

There　was　another　long　silence；　then；

〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　T。　X。

Again　the　unbroken　interval　of　quiet　and　after　a　while　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Not　that　way。〃

〃Not　what　way！〃　asked　T。　X。　huskily；　his　spirits　doing　a　little　mountaineering。

〃The　way　you　mean；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；〃　said　T。　X。

He　was　back　again　amidst　the　rosy　snows　of　dawn；　was　in　fact　climbing　a　dizzy　escalier　on　the　topmost　height　of　hope's　Mont　Blanc　when　she　pulled　the　ladder　from　under　him。

〃I　shall；　of　course；　never　marry；〃　she　said　with　a　certain　prim　decision。

T。　X。　fell　with　a　dull　sickening　thud；　discovering　that　his　rosy　snows　were　not　unlike　cold；　hard　ice　in　their　lack　of　resilience。

〃Who　said　you　would？〃　he　asked　somewhat　feebly；　but　in　self　defence。

〃You　did；〃　she　said；　and　her　audacity　took　his　breath　away。

〃Well；　how　am　I　to　help　you！〃　he　asked　after　a　while。

〃By　giving　me　some　advice；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　think　I　ought　to　put　the　money　there！〃

〃Indeed　I　do　not；〃　said　T。　X。；　recovering　some　of　his　natural　dominance；　〃apart　from　the　fact　that　you　would　be　compounding　a　felony；　you　would　merely　be　laying　out　trouble　for　yourself　in　the　future。　　If　he　can　get　20　pounds　so　easily；　he　will　come　for　40　pounds。　　But　why　do　you　stay