the clue of the twisted candle-第18节

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utting　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　for　a　change。

〃Miss　Belinda　seems　to　be　a　precocious　young　person；〃　said　T。　X。　〃Did　she　by　any　chance　see　Mr。　Kara？〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　explained　the　girl。　　〃Miss　Belinda　was　above　that　sort　of　person。　　Miss　Belinda　was　a　lady；　if　ever　there　was　one。〃

〃And　how　old　is　this　interesting　young　woman？〃　asked　T。　X。　curiously。

〃She　is　nineteen；〃　said　the　girl；　and　the　Commissioner；　who　had　pictured　Belinda　in　short　plaid　frocks　and　long　pigtails；　and　had　moreover　visualised　her　as　a　freckled　little　girl　with　thin　legs　and　snub　nose；　was　abashed。

He　delivered　a　short　lecture　on　the　sacred　rights　of　property；　paid　the　girl　the　three　months'　wages　which　were　due　to　her　…　he　had　no　doubt　as　to　the　legality　of　her　claim　…　and　dismissed　her　with　instructions　to　go　back　to　the　house；　pack　her　box　and　clear　out。

After　the　girl　had　gone；　T。　X。　sat　down　to　consider　the　position。　He　might　see　Kara　and　since　Kara　had　expressed　his　contrition　and　was　probably　in　a　more　humble　state　of　mind；　he　might　make　reparation。　　Then　again　he　might　not。　　Mansus　was　waiting　and　T。　X。　walked　back　with　him　to　his　little　office。

〃I　hardly　know　what　to　make　of　it；〃　he　said　in　despair。

〃If　you　can　give　me　Kara's　motive；　sir；　I　can　give　you　a　solution；〃　said　Mansus。

T。　X。　shook　his　head。

〃That　is　exactly　what　I　am　unable　to　give　you；〃　he　said。

He　perched　himself　on　Mansus's　desk　and　lit　a　cigar。

〃I　have　a　good　mind　to　go　round　and　see　him；〃　he　said　after　a　while。

〃Why　not　telephone　to　him？〃　asked　Mansus。　　〃There　is　his　'phone　straight　into　his　boudoir。〃

He　pointed　to　a　small　telephone　in　a　corner　of　the　room。

〃Oh；　he　persuaded　the　Commissioner　to　run　the　wire；　did　he？〃　said　T。　X。　interested；　and　walked　over　to　the　telephone。

He　fingered　the　receiver　for　a　little　while　and　was　about　to　take　it　off；　but　changed　his　mind。

〃I　think　not；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　go　round　and　see　him　to…morrow。　　I　don't　hope　to　succeed　in　extracting　the　confidence　in　the　case　of　Lady　Bartholomew；　which　he　denied　me　over　poor　Lexman。〃

〃I　su