pgw.piccadillyjim-第35节

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　〃When　did　you？　You　landed　from　the　boat　this　morning；　you　went　to　Mr。　Pett's　office；　and　then　came　straight　up　here　with　him。　I　am　interested　to　know　when　you　did　see　Mitchell？〃
　She　regretted　this　thrust　a　little；　for　she　felt　it　might　put　the　man　on　his　guard　by　showing　that　she　suspected　something　but　she　could　not　resist　it；　and　it　pleased　her　to　see　that　her　panion　was　momentarily　confused。
　〃I　met　him　when　I　was　going　for　my　luggage；〃　said　Jimmy。
　It　was　just　the　way　Marsden　Tuke　would　have　got　out　of　it。　Tuke　was　always　wriggling　out　of　corners　like　that。　Mrs。　Pett's　horror　of　Jimmy　grew。
　〃I　told　him；　of　course；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　you　had　very　kindly　invited　me　to　stay　with　you；　and　he　told　me　all；　about　his　trouble　and　implored　me　to　plead　for　him。　If　you　had　seen　him　when　I　did；　all　gloom　and　repentance；　you　would　have　been　sorry　for　him。　Your　woman's　heart〃
　Whatever　Jimmy　was　about　to　say　regarding　Mrs。　Pett's　woman's　heart　was　interrupted　by　the　opening　of　the　door　and　the　deep；　respectful　voice　of　Mr。　Crocker。
　〃Mr。　Sturgis。〃
　The　detective　entered　briskly；　as　if　time　were　money　with　himas　indeed　it　was；　for　the　International　Detective　Agency；　of　which　he　was　the　proprietor；　did　a　thriving　business。　He　was　a　gaunt；　hungry…looking　man　of　about　fifty；　with　sunken　eyes　and　thin　lips。　It　was　his　habit　to　dress　in　the　height　of　fashion；　for　one　of　his　favourite　axioms　was　that　a　man　might　be　a　detective　and　still　look　a　gentleman；　and　his　appearance　was　that　of　the　individual　usually　described　as　a　〃popular　clubman。〃　That　is　to　say；　he　looked　like　a　floorwalker　taking　a　Sunday　stroll。　His　prosperous　exterior　deceived　Jimmy　satisfactorily；　and　the　latter　left　the　room　little　thinking　that　the　visitor　was　anything　but　an　ordinary　caller。
　The　detective　glanced　keenly　at　him　as　he　passed。　He　made　a　practice　of　glancing　keenly　at　nearly　everything。　It　cost　nothing　and　impressed　clients。
　〃I　am　so　glad　you　have　e；　Mr。　Sturgis；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。〃　Won't　you　sit　down？〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　sat　down；　pulled　up　the　knees　of　his　trousers　that　half…inch　which　keeps　them　from　bagging　and　so　preserves　the　gentlemanliness　of　the　appearance；　and　glanced　keenly　at　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃Who　was　that　young　man　who　just　went　out？〃
　〃It　is　about　him　that　I　wished　to　consult　you；　Mr。　Sturgis。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　leaned　back；　and　placed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　together。
　〃Tell　me　how　he　es　to　be　here。〃
　〃He　pretends　that　he　is　my　nephew；　James　Crocker。〃
　〃Your　nephew？　Have　you　never　seen　your　nephew？〃
　〃Never。　I　ought　to　tell　you；　that　a　few　years　ago　my　sister　married　for　the　second　time。　I　disapproved　of　the　marriage；　and　refused　to　see　her　husband　or　his　sonhe　was　a　widower。　A　few　weeks　ago；　for　private　reasons；　I　went　over　to　England；　where　they　are　living；　and　asked　my　sister　to　let　the　boy　e　here　to　work　in　my　husband's　office。　She　refused；　and　my　husband　and　I　returned　to　New　York。　This　morning　I　was　astonished　to　get　a　telephone　call　from　Mr。　Pett　from　his　office；　to　say　that　James　Crocker　had　unexpectedly　arrived　after　all；　and　was　then　at　the　office。　They　came　up　here；　and　the　young　man　seemed　quite　genuine。　Indeed；　he　had　an　offensive　jocularity　which　would　be　quite　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　the　real　James　Crocker；　from　what　I　have　heard　of　him。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　nodded。
　〃Know　what　you　mean。　Saw　that　thing　in　the　paper；〃　he　said　briefly。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Now；　it　is　very　curious；　but　almost　from　the　start　I　was　uneasy。　When　I　say　that　the　young　man　seemed　genuine；　I　mean　that　he　pletely　deceived　my　husband　and　my　niece；　who　lives　with　us。　But　I　had　reasons；　which　I　need　not　go　into　now；　for　being　on　my　guard；　and　I　was　suspicious。　What　aroused　my　suspicion　was　the　fact　that　my　husband　thought　that　he　remembered　this　young　man　as　a　fellow…traveller　of　ours　on　the　Atlantic；　on　our　return　voyage；　while　he　claimed　to　have　landed　that　morning　on　the　Caronia。〃
　〃You　are　certain　of　that；　Mrs。　Pett？　He　stated　positively　that　he　had　landed　this　morning？〃
　〃Yes。　Quite　positively。　Unfortunately　I　myself　had　no　chance　of　judging　the　truth　of　what　he　said；　as　I　am　such　a　bad　sailor　that　I　was　seldom　out　of　my　stateroom　from　beginning　to　end　of　the　voyage。　However；　as　I　say；　I　was　suspicious。　I　did　not　see　how　I　could　confirm　my　suspicions；　until　I　remembered　that　my　new　butler；　Skinner；　had　e　straight　from　my　sister's　house。〃
　〃That　is　the　man　who　just　admitted　me？〃
　〃Exactly。　He　entered　my　employment　only　a　few　days　ago；　having　e　direct　from　London。　I　decided　to　wait　until　Skinner　should　meet　this　young　man。　Of　course；　when　he　first　came　into　the　house；　he　was　with　my　husband；　who　opened　the　door　with　his　key；　so　that　they　did　not　meet　then。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis；　glancing　keenly　at　the　dog　Aida；　who　had　risen　and　was　sniffing　at　his　ankles。　〃You　thought　that　if　Skinner　recognised　this　young　man；　it　would　be　proof　of　his　identity？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Did　he　recognise　him？〃
　〃Yes。　But　wait。　I　have　not　finished。　He　recognised　him；　and　for　the　moment　I　was　satisfied。　But　I　had　had　my　suspicions　of　Skinner；　too。　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　I　had　been　warned　against　him　by　a　great　friend　of　mine；　Lord　Wisbeach；　an　English　peer　whom　we　have　known　intimately　for　a　very　long　time。　He　is　one　of　the　Shropshire　Wisbeaches；　you　know。〃
　〃No　doubt；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis。
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　used　to　be　intimate　with　the　real　Jimmy　Crocker。　He　came　to　lunch　to…day　and　met　this　impostor。　He　pretended　to　recognise　him；　in　order　to　put　him　off　his　guard；　but　after　lunch　he　came　to　me　here　and　told　me　that　in　reality　he　had　never　seen　him　before　in　his　life；　and　that；　whoever　else　he　might　be；　he　was　certainly　not　James　Crocker；　my　nephew。〃
　She　broke　off　and　looked　at　Mr。　Sturgis　expectantly。　The　detective　smiled　a　quiet　smile。
　〃And　even　that　is　not　all。　There　is　another　thing。　Mr。　Pett　used　to　employ　as　a　physical　instructor　a　man　named　Jerry　Mitchell。　Yesterday　I　dismissed　him　for　reasons　it　is　not　necessary　to　go　into。　To…dayjust　as　you　arrived　in　factthe　man　who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker　was　begging　me　to　allow　Mitchell　to　return　to　the　house　and　resume　his　work　here。　Does　that　not　strike　you　as　suspicious；　Mr。　Sturgis？〃
　The　detective　closed　his　eyes；　and　smiled　his　quiet　smile　again。　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　fixed　them　on　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃As　pretty　a　case　as　I　have　e　across　in　years；〃　he　said。　〃Mrs。　Pett；　let　me　tell　you　something。　It　is　one　of　my　peculiarities　that　I　never　forget　a　face。　You　say　that　this　young　man　pretends　to　have　landed　this　morning　from　the　Caronia？　Well；　I　saw　him　myself　more　than　a　week　ago　in　a　Broadway　cafe。〃
　〃You　did？〃
　〃Talking　toJerry　Mitchell。　I　know　Mitchell　well　by　sight。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　uttered　an　exclamation。
　〃And　this　butler　of　yoursSkinner。　Shall　I　tell　you　something　about　him？　You　perhaps　know　that　when　the　big　detective　agencies；　Anderson's　and　the　others；　are　approached　in　the　matter　of　tracing　a　man　who　is　wanted　for　anything　they　sometimes　ask　the　smaller　agencies　like　my　own　to　work　in　with　them。　It　saves　time　and　widens　the　field　of　operations。　We　are　very　glad　to　do　Anderson's　service；　and　Anderson's　are　big　enough　to　be　able　to　afford　to　let　us　do　it。　Now；　a　few　days　ago；　a　friend　of　mine　in　Anderson's　came　to　me　with　a　sheaf　of　photographs；　which　had　been　sent　to　them　from　London。　Whether　some　private　client　in　London　or　from　Scotland　Yard　I　do　not　know。　Nor　do　I　know　why　the　original　of　the　photograph　was　wanted。　But　Anderson's　had　been　asked　to　trace　him　and　make　a　report。　My　peculiar　gift　for　remembering　faces　has　enabled　me　to　oblige　the　Anderson　people　once　or　twice　before　in　this　way。　I　studied　the　photographs　very　carefully；　and　kept　two　of　them　for　reference。　I　have　one　with　me　now。〃　He　felt　in　his　pockets。　〃Do　you　recognise　it？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　stared　at　the　photograph。　It　was　the　presentment　of　a　stout；　good…humoured　man　of　middle…age；　whose　solemn　gaze　dwelt　on　the　middle　distance　in　that　fixed　way　which　a　man　achieves　only　in　photographs。
　〃Skinner！〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis；　taking　the　photograph　from　her　and　putting　it　back　in　his　pocket。　〃I　recognised　him　directly　he　opened　the　door　to　me。〃
　〃Butbut　I　am　almost　certain　that　Skinner　is　the　man　who　let　me　in　when　I　called　on　my　sister　in　London。〃
　〃Almost；〃　repeated　the　detective。　〃Did　you　observe　him　very　closely？〃
　〃No。　I　suppose　I　did　not。〃
　〃The　type　is　a　very　mon　one。　It　would　be　very　easy　indeed　for　a　clever　crook　to　make　himself　up　as　your　sister's　butler　closely　enough　to　deceive　any　one　who　had　only　seen　the　original　once　and　for　a　short　time　then。　What　their　game　is　I　could　not　say　at　present；　but；　taking　everything　into　consideration；　there　can　be　no　doubt　whatever　that　the　man　who　calls　himself　your　nephew　and　the　man　who　calls　himself　your　sister's　butler　are　working　together；　and　that　Jerry　Mitchell　is　working　in　with　them。　As　I　say；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　they　are　after　at　present；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　your　unexpected　dismissal　of　Mitchell　must　have　upset　their　plans。　That　would　account　for　the　eagerness　to　get　him　back　into　the　house　again。〃
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　thought　that　they　were　trying　to　steal　my　nephew's　explosive。　Perhaps　you　have　read　in　the　papers　that　my　nephew；　Willie　Partr