the pursuit of the house-boat-第4节

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〃I　didn't　know　it；〃　replied　the　stranger；　with　a　smile。　　〃What　I　said　was　intended　to　be　jocular；　and　to　put　Brokedale　at　his　ease。　　The　Americans　present；　with　their　usual　astuteness；　would　term　it　bluff。　It　was。　　I　merely　rattled　on。　　I　simply　did　not　wish　to　offend　the　gentleman　by　letting　him　know　that　I　had　penetrated　his　disguise。　Imagine　my　surprise；　however；　when　his　eye　brightened　as　I　spoke；　and　he　entered　my　room　with　such　alacrity　that　half　the　powder　which　he　thought　disguised　his　beard　was　shaken　off　on　to　the　floor。　　Sitting　down　in　the　chair　I　had　just　vacated；　he　quietly　remarked：

〃'You　are　a　wonderful　man；　sir。　　How　did　you　know　that　I　had　lost　my　watch？'

〃For　a　moment　I　was　nonplussed；　more　than　that；　I　was　completely　staggered。　　I　had　expected　him　to　say　at　once　that　he　had　not　lost　his　watch；　but　had　come　to　see　me　about　the　tiara；　and　to　have　him　take　my　words　seriously　was　entirely　unexpected　and　overwhelmingly　surprising。　　However；　in　view　of　his　rank；　I　deemed　it　well　to　fall　in　with　his　humour。　　'Oh；　as　for　that；'　I　replied；　'that　is　a　part　of　my　business。　　It　is　the　detective's　place　to　know　everything；　and　generally；　if　he　reveals　the　machinery　by　means　of　which　he　reaches　his　conclusions；　he　is　a　fool；　since　his　method　is　his　secret；　and　his　secret　his　stock…in…trade。　　I　do　not　mind　telling　you；　however；　that　I　knew　your　watch　was　stolen　by　your　anxious　glance　at　my　clock；　which　showed　that　you　wished　to　know　the　time。　　Now　most　rich　Americans　have　watches　for　that　purpose；　and　have　no　hesitation　about　showing　them。　　If　you'd　had　a　watch；　you'd　have　looked　at　it；　not　at　my　clock。'

〃My　visitor　laughed；　and　repeated　what　he　had　said　about　my　being　a　wonderful　man。

〃'And　the　dents　which　my　son　made　cutting　his　teeth？'　he　added。

〃'Invariably　go　with　an　American's　watch。　　Rubber　or　ivory　rings　aren't　good　enough　for　American　babies　to　chew　on；'　said　I。　　'They　must　have　gold　watches　or　nothing。'

〃'And　finally；　how　did　you　know　I　was　a　rich　American？'　he　asked。

〃'Because　no　other　can　afford　to　stop　at　hotels　like　the　Savoy　in　the　height　of　the　season；'　I　replied；　thinking　that　the　jest　would　end　there；　and　that　he　would　now　reveal　his　identity　and　speak　of　the　tiara。　　To　my　surprise；　however；　he　did　nothing　of　the　sort。

〃'You　have　an　almost　supernatural　gift；'　he　said。　　'My　name　is　Bunker。　　I　am　stopping　at　the　Savoy。　　I　AM　an　American。　　I　WAS　rich　when　I　arrived　here；　but　I'm　not　quite　so　bloated　with　wealth　as　I　was；　now　that　I　have　paid　my　first　week's　bill。　　I　HAVE　lost　my　watch；　such　a　watch；　too；　as　you　describe；　even　to　the　dents。　　Your　only　mistake　was　that　the　dents　were　made　by　my　son　John；　and　not　Willie；　but　even　there　I　cannot　but　wonder　at　you；　for　John　and　Willie　are　twins；　and　so　much　alike　that　it　sometimes　baffles　even　their　mother　to　tell　them　apart。　　The　watch　has　no　very　great　value　intrinsically；　but　the　associations　are　such　that　I　want　it　back；　and　I　will　pay　200　pounds　for　its　recovery。　　I　have　no　clew　as　to　who　took　it。　　It　was　numbered'

〃Here　a　happy　thought　struck　me。　　In　all　my　description　of　the　watch　I　had　merely　described　my　own；　a　very　cheap　affair　which　I　had　won　at　a　raffle。　　My　visitor　was　deceiving　me；　though　for　what　purpose　I　did　not　on　the　instant　divine。　　No　one　would　like　to　suspect　him　of　having　purloined　his　wife's　tiara。　　Why　should　I　not　deceive　him；　and　at　the　same　time　get　rid　of　my　poor　chronometer　for　a　sum　that　exceeded　its　value　a　hundredfold？〃

〃Good　business！〃　cried　Shylock。

The　stranger　smiled　and　bowed。

〃Excellent；〃　he　said。　　〃I　took　the　words　right　out　of　his　mouth。　　'It　was　numbered　86507B！'　I　cried；　giving；　of　course；　the　number　of　my　own　watch。

〃He　gazed　at　me　narrowly　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　smiled。　　'You　grow　more　marvellous　at　every　step。　　That　was　indeed　the　number。　　Are　you　a　demon？'

〃'No；'　I　replied。　　'Only　something　of　a　mind…reader。'

〃Well；　to　be　brief；　the　bargain　was　struck。　　I　was　to　look　for　a　watch　that　I　knew　he　hadn't　lost；　and　was　to　receive　200　pounds　if　I　found　it。　　It　seemed　to　him　to　be　a　very　good　bargain；　as；　indeed；　it　was；　from　his　point　of　view；　feeling；　as　he　did；　that　there　never　having　been　any　such　watch；　it　could　not　be　recovered；　and　little　suspecting　that　two　could　play　at　his　little　game　of　deception；　and　that　under　any　circumstances　I　could　foist　a　ten…shilling　watch　upon　him　for　two　hundred　pounds。　　This　business　concluded；　he　started　to　go。

〃'Won't　you　have　a　little　Scotch？'　I　asked；　as　he　started；　feeling；　with　all　that　prospective　profit　in　view；　I　could　well　afford　the　expense。　　'It　is　a　stormy　night。'

〃'Thanks；　I　will；'　said　he；　returning　and　seating　himself　by　my　tablestill；　to　my　surprise；　keeping　his　hat　on。

〃'Let　me　take　your　hat；'　I　said；　little　thinking　that　my　courtesy　would　reveal　the　true　state　of　affairs。　　The　mere　mention　of　the　word　hat　brought　about　a　terrible　change　in　my　visitor；　his　knees　trembled；　his　face　grew　ghastly；　and　he　clutched　the　brim　of　his　beaver　until　it　cracked。　　He　then　nervously　removed　it；　and　I　noticed　a　dull　red　mark　running　about　his　forehead；　just　as　there　would　be　on　the　forehead　of　a　man　whose　hat　fitted　too　tightly；　and　that　mark；　gentlemen；　had　the　undulating　outline　of　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　tiara；　and　on　the　apex　of　the　uttermost　extremity　was　a　deep　indentation　about　the　size　of　a　shilling；　that　could　have　been　made　only　by　some　adamantine　substance！　　The　mystery　was　solved！　　The　robber　of　the　Duchess　of　Brokedale　stood　before　me。〃

A　suppressed　murmur　of　excitement　went　through　the　assembled　spirits；　and　even　Messrs。　Hawkshaw　and　Le　Coq　were　silent　in　the　presence　of　such　genius。

〃My　plan　of　action　was　immediately　formulated。　　The　man　was　completely　at　my　mercy。　　He　had　stolen　the　tiara；　and　had　it　concealed　in　the　lining　of　his　hat。　　I　rose　and　locked　the　door。　　My　visitor　sank　with　a　groan　into　my　chair。

〃'Why　did　you　do　that？'　he　stammered；　as　I　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。

〃'To　keep　my　Scotch　whiskey　from　evaporating；'　I　said；　dryly。　　'Now；　my　lord；'　I　added；　'it　will　pay　your　Grace　to　let　me　have　your　hat。　I　know　who　you　are。　　You　are　the　Duke　of　Brokedale。　　The　Duchess　of　Brokedale　has　lost　a　valuable　tiara　of　diamonds；　and　you　have　not　lost　your　watch。　　Somebody　has　stolen　the　diamonds；　and　it　may　be　that　somewhere　there　is　a　Bunker　who　has　lost　such　a　watch　as　I　have　described。　　The　queer　part　of　it　all　is；'　I　continued；　handing　him　the　decanter；　and　taking　a　couple　of　loaded　six…shooters　out　of　my　escritoire'the　queer　part　of　it　all　is　that　I　have　the　watch　and　you　have　the　tiara。　　We'll　swap　the　swag。　　Hand　over　the　bauble；　please。'

〃'But'　he　began。

〃'We　won't　have　any　butting；　your　Grace；'　said　I。　　'I'll　give　you　the　watch；　and　you　needn't　mind　the　200　pounds；　and　you　must　give　me　the　tiara；　or　I'll　accompany　you　forthwith　to　the　police；　and　have　a　search　made　of　your　hat。　　It　won't　pay　you　to　defy　me。　　Give　it　up。'

〃He　gave　up　the　hat　at　once；　and；　as　I　suspected；　there　lay　the　tiara；　snugly　stowed　away　behind　the　head…band。

〃'You　are　a　great　fellow；'　said　I；　as　I　held　the　tiara　up　to　the　light　and　watched　with　pleasure　the　flashing　brilliance　of　its　gems。

〃'I　beg　you'll　not　expose　me；'　he　moaned。　　'I　was　driven　to　it　by　necessity。'

〃'Not　I；'　I　replied。　　'As　long　as　you　play　fair　it　will　be　all　right。　I'm　not　going　to　keep　this　thing。　　I'm　not　married；　and　so　have　no　use　for　such　a　trifle；　but　what　I　do　intend　is　simply　to　wait　until　your　wife　retains　me　to　find　it；　and　then　I'll　find　it　and　get　the　reward。　　If　you　keep　perfectly　still；　I'll　have　it　found　in　such　a　fashion　that　you'll　never　be　suspected。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　you　say　a　word　about　to…night's　events；　I'll　hand　you　over　to　the　police。'

〃'Humph！'　he　said。　　'You　couldn't　prove　a　case　against　me。'

〃'I　can　prove　any　case　against　anybody；'　I　retorted。　　'If　you　don't　believe　it；　read　my　book；'　I　added；　and　I　handed　him　a　copy　of　my　memoirs。

〃'I've　read　it；'　he　answered；　'and　I　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　come　here。　　I　thought　you　were　only　a　literary　success。'　　And　with　a　deep…drawn　sigh　he　took　the　watch　and　went　out。　　Ten　days　later　I　was　retained　by　the　Duchess；　and　after　a　pretended　search　of　ten　days　more　I　found　the　tiara；　restored　it　to　the　noble　lady；　and　received　the　5000　pounds　reward。　　The　Duke　kept　perfectly　quiet　about　our　little　encounter；　and　afterwards　we　became　stanch　friends；　for　he　was　a　good　fellow；　and　was　driven　to　his　desperate　deed　only　by　the　demands　of　his　creditors；　and　the　following　Christmas　he　sent　me　the　watch　I　had　given　him；　with　the　best　wishes　of　the　season。

〃So；　you　see；　gentlemen；　in　a　moment；　by　quick　wit　and　a　mental　concentration　of　no　mean　order；　combined　with　strict　observance　of　the　pettiest　details；　I　ferreted　out　what　bade　fair　to　become　a　great　diamond　mystery；　and　when　I　say　that　this　cigar　end　proves　certain　things　to　my　mind；　it　does　not　become　you　to　doubt　the　value　of　my　conclusions。〃

〃Hear！　hear！〃　cried　Raleigh；　growing　tumultuous　with　enthusiasm。

〃Your　name？　your　name？〃　came　from　all　parts　of　the　wharf。

The　stranger；　putting　his　hand　into　the　folds　of　his　coat；　drew　forth　a　bundle　of　business　cards；　which　he　tossed；　as　the　prestidigi