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！
behaving quite correctly。 Replying to his salutation with a cold
and distant bow； she rose； and； turning to Mr。 Parable； observed
that she thought it was perhaps time for them to be going。
The gentleman； who had taken his pipe from his mouth； saidagain in
a sarcastic tonethat he thought so too； and offered the lady his
arm。
〃I don't think we need trouble you；〃 said Mr。 Parable； and stepped
between them。
To describe what followed I； being a lady； am hampered for words。 I
remember seeing Mr。 Parable's hat go up into the air； and then the
next moment the florid gentleman's head was lying on my counter
smothered in cigarettes。 I naturally screamed for the police； but
the crowd was dead against me； and it was only after what I believe
in technical language would be termed 〃the fourth round〃 that they
appeared upon the scene。
The last I saw of Mr。 Parable he was shaking a young constable who
had lost his helmet； while three other policemen had hold of him
from behind。 The florid gentleman's hat I found on the floor of my
kiosk and returned to him； but after a useless attempt to get it on
his head； he disappeared with it in his hand。 The lady was nowhere
to be seen。
Miss Jenks thinks she would know her again。 She was wearing a hat
trimmed with black chiffon and a spray of poppies； and was slightly
freckled。
* * *
Superintendent S。 Wade； in answer to questions put to him by our
representative； vouchsafed the following replies：
Yes。 I was in charge at the Vine Street Police Station on the night
of Thursday； the twenty…seventh。
No。 I have no recollection of a charge of any description being
preferred against any gentleman of the name of Parable。
Yes。 A gentleman was brought in about ten o'clock charged with
brawling at the Earl's Court Exhibition and assaulting a constable
in the discharge of his duty。
The gentleman gave the name of Mr。 Archibald Quincey； Harcourt
Buildings； Temple。
No。 The gentleman made no application respecting bail； electing to
pass the night in the cells。 A certain amount of discretion is
permitted to us； and we made him as comfortable as possible。
Yes。 A lady。
No。 About a gentleman who had got himself into trouble at the
Earl's Court Exhibition。 She mentioned no name。
I showed her the charge sheet。 She thanked me and went away。
That I cannot say。 I can only tell you that at nine…fifteen on
Friday morning bail was tendered； and； after inquiries； accepted in
the person of Julius Addison Tupp； of the Sunnybrook Steam Laundry；
Twickenham。
That is no business of ours。
The accused who； I had seen to it； had had a cup of tea and a little
toast at seven…thirty； left in company with Mr。 Tupp soon after ten。
Superintendent Wade admitted he had known cases where accused
parties； to avoid unpleasantness； had stated their names to be other
than their own； but declined to discuss the matter further。
Superintendent Wade； while expressing his regret that he had no more
time to bestow upon our representative； thought it highly probable
that he would know the lady again if he saw her。
Without professing to be a judge of such matters； Superintendent
Wade thinks she might be described as a highly intelligent young
woman； and of exceptionally prepossessing appearance。
* * *
From Mr。 Julius Tupp； of the Sunnybrook Steam Laundry； Twickenham；
upon whom our representative next called； we have been unable to
obtain much assistance； Mr。 Tupp replying to all questions put to
him by the one formula； 〃Not talking。〃
Fortunately； our representative； on his way out through the drying
ground； was able to obtain a brief interview with Mrs。 Tupp。
Mrs。 Tupp remembers admitting a young lady to the house on the
morning of Friday； the twenty…eighth； when she opened the door to
take in the milk。 The lady； Mrs。 Tupp remembers； spoke in a husky
voice； the result； as the young lady explained with a pleasant
laugh； of having passed the night wandering about Ham Common； she
having been misdirected the previous evening by a fool of a railway
porter； and not wishing to disturb the neighbourhood by waking
people up at two o'clock in the morning； which； in Mrs。 Tupp's
opinion； was sensible of her。
Mrs。 Tupp describes the young lady as of agreeable manners； but
looking； naturally； a bit washed out。 The lady asked for Mr。 Tupp；
explaining that a friend of his was in trouble； which did not in the
least surprise Mrs。 Tupp； she herself not holding with Socialists
and such like。 Mr。 Tupp； on being informed； dressed hastily and
went downstairs； and he and the young lady left the house together。
Mr。 Tupp； on being questioned as to the name of his friend； had
called up that it was no one Mrs。 Tupp would know； a Mr。 Quinceit
may have been Quincey。
Mrs。 Tupp is aware that Mr。 Parable is also a Socialist； and is
acquainted with the saying about thieves hanging together。 But has
worked for Mr。 Parable for years and has always found him a most
satisfactory client； and； Mr。 Tupp appearing at this point； our
representative thanked Mrs。 Tupp for her information and took his
departure。
* * *
Mr。 Horatius Condor； Junior； who consented to partake of luncheon in
company with our representative at the Holborn Restaurant； was at
first disinclined to be of much assistance； but eventually supplied
our representative with the following information：
My relationship to Mr。 Archibald Quincey； Harcourt Buildings；
Temple； is perhaps a little difficult to define。
How he himself regards me I am never quite sure。 There will be days
together when we will be quite friendly like； and at other times he
will be that offhanded and peremptory you might think I was his
blooming office boy。
On Friday morning； the twenty…eighth； I didn't get to Harcourt
Buildings at the usual time； knowing that Mr。 Quincey would not be
there himself； he having arranged to interview Mr。 Parable for the
Daily Chronicle at ten o'clock。 I allowed him half an hour； to be
quite safe； and he came in at a quarter past eleven。
He took no notice of me。 For about ten minutesit may have been
lesshe walked up and down the room； cursing and swearing and
kicking the furniture about。 He landed an occasional walnut table
in the middle of my shins； upon which I took the opportunity of
wishing him 〃Good morning；〃 and he sort of woke up； as you might
say。
〃How did the interview go off？〃 I says。 〃Got anything interesting？〃
〃Yes；〃 he says； 〃quite interesting。 Oh； yes； decidedly
interesting。〃
He was holding himself in； if you understand； speaking with horrible
slowness and deliberation。
〃D'you know where he was last night？〃 he asks me。
〃Yes；〃 I says； 〃Caxton Hall； wasn't it？meeting to demand the
release of Miss Clebb。〃
He leans across the table till his face was within a few inches of
mine。
〃Guess again；〃 he says。
I wasn't doing any guessing。 He had hurt me with the walnut table；
and I was feeling a bit short…tempered。
〃Oh！ don't make a game of it；〃 I says。 〃It's too early in the
morning。〃
〃At the Earl's Court Exhibition；〃 he says； 〃dancing the tango with a
lady that he picked up in St。 James's Park。〃
〃Well；〃 I says； 〃why not？ He don't often get much fun。〃 I thought
it best to treat it lightly。
He takes no notice of my observation。
〃A rival comes upon the scene；〃 he continues〃a fatheaded ass；
according to my informationand they have a stand…up fight。 He
gets run in and spends the night in a Vine Street police cell。〃
I suppose I was grinning without knowing it。
〃Funny； ain't it？〃 he says。
〃Well；〃 I says； 〃it has its humorous side； hasn't it？ What'll he
get？〃
〃I am not worrying about what HE is going to get；〃 he answers back。
〃I am worrying about what _I_ am going to get。〃
I thought he had gone dotty。
〃What's it got to do with you？〃 I says。
〃If old Wotherspoon is in a good humour；〃 he continues； 〃and the
constable's head has gone down a bit between now and Wednesday； I
may get off with forty shillings and a public reprimand。
〃On the other hand；〃 he goes onhe was working himself into a sort
of fit〃if the constable's head goes on swelling； and old
Wotherspoon's liver gets worse； I've got to be prepared for a month
without the option。 That is； if I am fool enough〃
He had left both the doors open； which in the daytime we generally
do； our chambers being at the top。 Miss Dortonthat's Mr。
Parable's secretarybarges into the room。 She didn't seem to
notice me。 She staggers to a chair and bursts into tears。
〃He's gone；〃 she says； 〃he's taken cook with him and gone。〃
〃Gone！〃 says the guv'nor。 〃Where's he gone？〃
〃To Fingest；〃 she says through her sobs〃to the cottage。 Miss
Bulstrode came in just after you had left；〃 she says。 〃He wants to
get away from everyone and have a few days' quiet。 And then he is
coming back； and he is going to do it himself。〃
〃Do what？〃 says the guv'nor； irritable like。
〃Fourteen days；〃 she wails。 〃It'll kill him。〃
〃But the case doesn't come on till Wednesday；〃 says the guv'nor。
〃How do you know it's going to b