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非洲的百万富翁|Millionaire in Africa

第七章　抓捕上校|Chapter VII The Episode of theArrest of the Colonel

属类： 双语小说 【分类】双语小说 -[作者: 格兰特-艾伦] 阅读：[7509]
《非洲的百万富翁》讲述了骗子克雷上校与查尔斯爵士斗智斗勇的故事.克雷上校通过伪装成不同的身份,如墨西哥先知,小牧师理查德·佩普洛·布拉巴宗,施莱尔马赫教授等欺骗查尔斯,令查尔斯防不胜防.而案情的揭露则是通过克雷上校在事后给查尔斯发来的羞辱信,把他实施作案的过程揭露出来的.最终,克雷上校受到了法律的制裁
《 字+字- 行+行- 页+页- 字+字- 行+行- 页+页- 》
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查尔斯在克罗地多普公司的股票暴跌中到底损失了多少钱，我无从得知。不过，这件事以后，他成天垂头丧气，打不起精神。

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“去他妈的，西，”几日后的一天晚上，他在吸烟室对我说，“哪怕是约伯这么能沉得住气的人，也会让这个克雷上校惹烦——要是我没记错的话，那些迦勒底人还有那个时代的其他主要交易人，也让约伯同样损失惨重。”

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“三千匹骆驼，一下子说没就没了，”我一边回忆亲爱的母亲给我讲的故事，一边小声道，“更不用提被示巴人带走的那五百对牛，那伙人可是当时主要的搞投机倒把的牲畜贩子！”

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“嗯，”查尔斯一边将雪茄烟灰弹到日式托盘中——那是件精美的古董铜皿，一边若有所思地大声说，“原来早在那个时候就有大宗家畜交易了！先不说什么约伯不约伯，那个家伙我是受够了。”

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“问题在于，”我赞成道，“你压根就不知道在哪儿能找到他。”

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“说得对，”查尔斯思忖道，“要是他始终一个模样，就像霍尼曼茶，或知名的白兰地酒，事情自然就好办得多，你还有可能认出他来。但他每次都以不同的伪装出现，笑眯眯的，简直天衣无缝，还总有些让别人相信他的力证。西，真他妈的见鬼，咱们和他根本没法正面交锋。”

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“就像上次的大卫阁下，”我表示赞同，“怀疑谁也怀疑不到他呀！”

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“就是，”查尔斯咕哝道，“我为了自己的利益，亲自把他请过来。然后他就来了，摆出一副格兰拉奇家不可一世的派头。”

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“还有那个教授，”我继续说道，“是经由英国矿物学家大佬引荐的。”

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我戳到了痛点，查尔斯面部抽搐着，一言不发。

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“还有女人，”查尔斯痛苦地顿了顿，又继续道，“我在社交中肯定要接触很多有魅力的女人，总不能时时刻刻都提防着她们。可是，哪一天我一旦放松警惕——即使不放松警惕——那位高傲的皮卡迪特夫人，或者一眼望去心思单纯的小骚货格兰顿夫人，她们就会来骗我，天天给我找麻烦。那个贱人（随咱们怎么叫她），是我这辈子遇到的最精明的女人。她每次都像是换了个人，妈的，每次我都被她迷得像丢了魂似的。”

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我向四处瞥了几眼，以确保艾米莉亚听不到我们的谈话。

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我那可敬的内兄许久不语，若有所思地啜着咖啡，接着说道：“西，要干这件非常人所及的事，我觉得必须找位专业人士，帮我识破一切狡猾的伪装。我明天得去马维尔那里——他是我的福星——让他给我找位真正有本事的侦探，待在家中，监视每一个靠近我的人。每个鼻子、每双眼睛、每顶假发、每根胡须，他都要留神。他就是我的另一半，时刻警惕，永不休息。他的任务就是怀疑一切男男女女，哪怕是坎特伯雷大主教，也得时时刻刻处在他的监视之下；他还得留心别让哪位皇室公主把汤匙偷掉，或者把珠宝箱顺走。不管克雷上校乔装成什么列车保安或者教区牧师，他都一定会识破。要是皮卡迪特夫人装成年轻的小姑娘，同艾米莉亚喝茶，或者扮成肥胖的老妇人来拜访伊莎贝尔，他也都会识破。就这样，我决心已定，明天就立即动身，到马维尔那儿去物色这么个人。”

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“查尔斯爵士，打扰一下，”西塞琳从门房探出头，打断我们，“夫人说，您和温特沃斯先生还记不记得，她今晚要同二位一道去凯里斯布鲁克夫人家？”

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“我的天！”查尔斯叫道，“把这事忘了！现在已经十点多了！五分钟后，马车会在门口等我们！”

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于是，第二天早上，查尔斯驾车去马维尔家。那位知名的侦探听了查尔斯的遭遇，两眼放光，接着摩挲着双手，心满意足地说：“克雷上校！克雷上校！那是位难对付的对手！欧洲的警方都在搜寻他，伦敦、巴黎、柏林都在通缉他。这儿有橡皮脸上校，那儿也有橡皮脸上校，到处都是！后来就有人问，到底有没有橡皮脸上校这个人？还是说，警方为了方便起见，把一伙未侦破的骗子通通叫作橡皮脸上校？不过，查尔斯爵士，我们一定会尽力。我现在马上就把全英国最能干、最精明的侦探请过来。”

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“我要找的就是这种人，”查尔斯说，“马维尔，他叫什么？”

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他微微一笑，说道：“叫什么都行，他不会在意。家里人叫他梅德赫斯特，我们管他叫乔。我下午肯定会把他派到你家去。”

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“别，”查尔斯立刻说道，“千万别这样。这样的话，来的不是侦探，而是克雷上校。我被骗得也够多的了。不要随便来个陌生人，我就在这儿等他。”

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“可他现在不在。”马维尔提出异议。

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查尔斯像块石头，一动不动。“那就派人把他叫过来。”

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当然，半小时后侦探就到了。他身材矮小，长相奇特，头发剪得很短，在头上直直地立着，像位巴黎的侍者；双眼敏锐，极像雪貂；鼻子扁平，嘴唇薄而苍白。左脸有道疤——说是当时有位亡命的法国走私犯伪装成非洲猎兵的长官，他在抓捕这个人时负了剑伤。他神色坚定。总的来说，我这辈子从未见过这么古怪有趣、敏锐精明的小个子男人。他走了进来，步态轻盈，上下打量了查尔斯一番，接着随口问起把他叫来做什么。

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“这位是查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士，就是那位了不起的钻石大王。”马维尔介绍道。

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“久仰。”那人答道。

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“你认识我？”查尔斯问。

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“要是我谁也不认识，”那侦探答道，“那不是徒有虚名了吗？很容易就能认出你，街上随便拉个人过来都认得你。”

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“爽快！”查尔斯说道。

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“先生，只要您愿意，”那人毕恭毕敬地答道，“我会尽力让自己的言行举止、衣着打扮，随时随地符合雇主的喜好。”

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“你叫？”查尔斯微笑着问道。

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“约瑟夫·梅德赫斯特，愿意为您效劳。要我做什么？钻石被盗了吗？还是有非法的钻石买卖？”

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“都不是，”查尔斯盯着他说道，“完全是另外一件事。你听没听说过克雷上校？”

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梅德赫斯特点点头，答道：“当然，我的本职工作就是打探他这类人。”我第一次从他的话语中发现一丝美国口音。

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“那就好，我想让你抓住他。”查尔斯继续说道。

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梅德赫斯特深吸了一口气，大吃一惊，低声道：“这一单未免也太大了吧？”

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查尔斯仔仔细细地向他说明了需要他做的事情，梅德赫斯特答应照办。他稍顿一下，接着说：“如果他接近你，我就会认出他来。我敢这么保证。我能识破一切伪装，能立刻知道他是否乔装打扮过。假发、假胡子、假脸皮，在这些方面我是高手。要是碰到他，我会仔细盘问那无赖。只要我在你身边，你大可放心，克雷上校不论做什么，我都能立刻识破。”

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“他做得到，”马维尔插话道，“他能说到，就一定能做到。他是我最得力的助手。说到揭露那些最巧妙的伪装，我还从没见过谁能比得上他。”

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“那他刚好适合我，”查尔斯接过话，“说到伪装自己并且一直不露破绽，我还从未见过像克雷上校这样的。”

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于是我们安排梅德赫斯特目前暂住家中，告诉仆人说他是助理秘书。他当天就过来了，带了个非常小的旅行皮箱。不过，自打他到的那一刻起，我们就发现，西塞琳对他有一种极度的厌恶。

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梅德赫斯特是位极为能干的侦探。我和查尔斯向他讲述了我们所知道的克雷上校所“幻化”的各种模样，他据此给我们提了许多宝贵的意见和建议。我们开始怀疑大卫·格兰顿阁下的时候，为什么不试着“不小心”把他的假发碰掉呢？当理查德·佩普洛·布拉巴宗副牧师首次谈及铅玻璃钻石这个问题时，我们为什么不去看看艾米莉亚那举世无双的珠宝是否还在呢？当施莱尔马赫教授向聚集在兰卡斯特门的科学家们鞠躬致意时，我们为什么不提前去仔细打听下，阿道弗斯·科德里爵士还有其他矿物学家同他的私交到底如何？关于假发，还有乔装，他也给了我们一些有益的指点。比如，施莱尔马赫要比他的实际身高矮得多，他只不过在后背垫了块垫子，装作驼背，给别人造成一种高大驼背的假象；可实际上，他并不比小副牧师或者莱本斯坦伯爵高多少，剩下的就是高高的鞋跟在作怪了。我们所看到的他脸上表现出的对科学的热情，毫无疑问是他鼻头那点蜡搞的鬼，让鼻子翘得特别，效果极其明显。总之，我不得不承认，梅德赫斯特让我们自惭形秽。虽然查尔斯的观察力也相当敏锐，不过，在这位训练有素、经验丰富的职业侦探面前，他就显得微不足道了。

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最糟糕的是，梅德赫斯特同我们一起时，克雷上校就躲得远远的，仿佛冥冥之中有一种奇怪的安排。当然，我们也会偶尔碰到某个梅德赫斯特怀疑的对象，不过，他稍作调查（这调查做得可谓相当巧妙）就会发现，被怀疑的人确实是某位知名人物，和克雷上校没什么关系，他还把那人的过去还有现在的情况讲得如数家珍。在怀疑别人这方面，他也是登峰造极。每个人他都怀疑。要是有位老友顺便来访，同查尔斯谈谈生意，我们随后就会发现，梅德赫斯特一直藏在窗帘后面，把整个谈话内容全都速记了下来，还用一台柯达相机抓拍了几张嫌疑人的照片。要是哪位肥胖的老妇人前来拜访艾米莉亚，梅德赫斯特肯定会潜伏在客厅的软垫搁脚凳下面，全身心仔细观察她到底是不是塞了衬垫乔装后的皮卡迪特夫人。有天晚上，特雷斯科夫人同她那四位相貌平平的女儿一道前来参加“家庭招待会”；梅德赫斯特穿着晚礼服，装作侍者，在屋子里跟着她们到这儿到那儿，冒冒失失地问她们要不要冰块，以便搞清楚她们的皮肤到底有多少是天然的，又有多少是胭脂水粉的功劳。他怀疑查尔斯的贴身男仆辛普森会不会是穿便装的克雷上校，还隐约觉得西塞琳就是俏丽的“白石南花”的另一个化身。我们告诉他，辛普森经常同大卫·格兰顿同现一室，西塞琳在卢塞恩时为布拉巴宗夫人梳过头。不过，这些话只能打消他的部分疑虑，只是部分疑虑。他说，辛普森也许同我们不认识的某个人一起扮演了这两个角色；至于西塞琳，她也许有位双胞胎姊妹，在她冒充皮卡迪特夫人时就来顶替她。

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不过，尽管他如此费心——或者说，由于他如此费心——克雷上校已经有整整几周没有现身了。我们想到了一种解释：克雷上校是否有可能知道现在有人正保护、监视着我们呢？是不是不敢同这位训练有素的侦探一决高下？

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如果真是如此，那么他是怎么知道的？我自己隐约有种感觉，只是自己的感觉——不过从未向查尔斯提起。很明显，西塞琳很不喜欢凡德里夫特家的这位新客，只要那位侦探待在屋里，她绝不在室内停留，对他也没有常人之礼。每次提到他，她总要说“梅德赫斯特那个讨厌透顶的人”。她会不会猜到了其他仆人不知道的事情呢，即：此人是暗中侦察上校的间谍？我觉得很有可能。接着我慢慢意识到，关于钻石那场风波，西塞琳前前后后全知道，带着我们去看莱本斯坦城堡的是她，寄信给克雷盖拉奇的还是她！我现在有点倾向于猜测西塞琳是同克雷上校一伙的，如果真是这样，那么，她看到这个打算抓她主子的侦探，就明显心生厌恶，还有比这再正常不过的吗？去提醒她的共犯接近这位梅德赫斯特时所面临的危险，还有比这更容易解释的吗？

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不过，关于支票的那段插曲让我十分害怕，不敢把这刚刚萌生的怀疑告诉查尔斯。我倒是想看看事情会怎么发展下去。

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过了一阵子，梅德赫斯特的监视变得越来越让人厌烦。他不止一次手持报告还有速记笔记找到查尔斯，我那位了不起的内兄显然很反感。“这家伙掌握了我们太多的信息，”一天查尔斯对我说，“西，他什么都监视。你信不信，前几天我同布鲁克菲尔德就戈尔康达公司的最新决议进行密谈时，那家伙就躲在安乐椅下面，我还提前检查了房间，确保他不在场；事后，他拿着我们的谈话笔记过来找我，向我保证说，他觉得布鲁克菲尔德——我结识了十年的老友——高了半英寸，有可能是克雷上校乔装的。”

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“不过，查尔斯爵士，”梅德赫斯特突然从书架后面冒了出来，大声抗议道，“你绝不能因为和谁结交了十年或多长时间而不去怀疑他。克雷上校可能会在不同的时间以不同的伪装接近你。他很可能是一步步地把这一切设计好的。对了，你说我知道得太多，当然啦，一名侦探总是要了解雇主家的方方面面，很多是他不应该了解的。不过，同医生和律师一样，职业荣誉和操守会让他对这些事守口如瓶。放心好了，我绝不会透露半点出去。否则，我的职业生涯也就走到头了，名声也毁了。”

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查尔斯惊骇地看着他，突然冒出一句：“怎么？原来你一直在偷听我和我妹夫兼我秘书的谈话？”

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“当然啦！”梅德赫斯特答道，“我的职责就是监听，并且怀疑所有的人。要是你非逼着我这么说，我怎么知道温特沃斯不是克雷上校？”

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查尔斯瞪了他一眼，吓了他一跳。“梅德赫斯特，今后如果我不知情、不同意，你绝不能躲在我待的房间里。”

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梅德赫斯特客客气气地鞠了一躬，答道：“好的，查尔斯爵士，听您的。您让我怎么做，我就怎么做。不过，要是您现在坚持对我束手束脚的，我以后还怎么能有效地干侦探的活儿呢？”

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我又一次略微听出点美国口音。

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然而，从那之后，梅德赫斯特仿佛又重整旗鼓，对方方面面都加强了警惕。“这也不是我的错，”一天，他哀怨地说，“要是我的名声太大，有我在您身边，那个无赖不敢接近您。如果抓不到他，至少有我在，他不敢靠近您！”

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不过，几天后，他给查尔斯拿来几张相片。他拿出相片时，一脸的自豪。他先给我们看了一张小副牧师的半身照。“看看，这是谁？”他问道，非常高兴。

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我们都瞪大眼睛盯着看，不约而同地说出一个词：“布拉巴宗！”

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“再看看这张呢？”他又拿出一张，问道——相片上是个年轻的家伙，很开心，穿着蒂罗尔服饰。

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我们低声道：“凡·莱本斯坦！”

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“这张呢？”他又问道，这次给我们看的是一位女士的画像，眼睛眯着，相当迷人。

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我们异口同声道：“格兰顿夫人！”

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梅德赫斯特自然对此次丰硕的战果扬扬自得，接着又神气地把相片放回了手提包。

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“你是怎么弄到的？”查尔斯问。

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梅德赫斯特看起来神神秘秘的，挺直了身子，答道：“查尔斯爵士，在这件事上，我得请您相信我一回。记住，有些人您不愿意去怀疑他们。据我了解，对于资本家们来说，往往正是这些人才是最危险的。要是我现在就把他们的名字告诉您，您肯定会不相信。所以，我目前还是悄悄地保密吧。不过，我可以告诉您一件事。我知道克雷上校目前的行踪，这点我有把握。不过我要精心策划一番，希望不久就可以将他捉拿归案。到时候您肯定会在场，我会让他公开承认自己的身份。除此之外，您也就不要白费口舌问其他的事情了。到时候，会让您来决定要不要抓捕他。”

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对方什么都不透露，查尔斯没生气，而是十分困惑。他乞求对方说出名字，但梅德赫斯特很倔强。“不行，不行，”他回答道，“我们侦探这一行有自己的脸面，我要是现在告诉您了，您有可能未等时机成熟就采取行动，破坏全盘计划。您管不住自己的嘴，太意气用事！我只能跟您透露这么一点：克雷上校很快就会抵达巴黎，不久会从那个城市前来，再试着骗您一次，他现在正在酝酿计划。记住我的话，到时候就知道我是不是对这家伙的行踪了如指掌了！”

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他说得丝毫不差。果然，两天后，查尔斯收到了一封巴黎来的“密”信，写信人声称自己掌管着一家二流金融商行，这家商行曾经同查尔斯就克雷盖拉奇合并这件事上有业务往来——我得说一句，这时两家已经确确实实合并到了一起。这封信本身无足轻重——只不过说了些鸡毛蒜皮的事情，不过梅德赫斯特认为，要是这件事继续发展下去，性质就严重了。这时，再一次验证了他那惊人的洞察力。因为，一周以后我们又收到一封信，信中微妙地提及了另外一些涉及金钱往来的提议，牵扯到向一家巴黎公司的负责人转账约两千英镑，地址也提供了。梅德赫斯特把这两封信同过去以克雷上校还有莱本斯坦伯爵的名义写的信巧妙地做了对比。一眼望去，二者之间确实有天壤之别：巴黎的来信，字体又粗又黑、遒劲有力；而以前的信件，字体细小、整齐、飘逸。不过，梅德赫斯特向我们指出，写信人在写大写字母时，转折处有些固定不变的特点。另外还有，字母t、l、b还有h的相对笔画长度有些奇怪。我们看得出，他说得不错：这些信都是出自同一人之手，一些是用尖尖的羽管笔尖写的，字迹很小；而另一些则是用鹅毛笔写的，字体大而随意。

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这一发现相当重要。现在要抓住克雷上校，定下他伪造证件、诈取钱财等罪名，已经指日可待。

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不过，为了确保万无一失，梅德赫斯特还联系了巴黎警方，把他们的回复给我们看了看。与此同时，查尔斯继续同那位公司负责人通信，他给了我们一个位于让·雅克大街的私人地址，还极其巧妙地（这一点不得不承认）解释了为什么目前谈判需要秘密进行。不过，以克雷上校的绝顶聪明，这谁都能想得到。最终决定我们仨一同前去巴黎，梅德赫斯特乔装成查尔斯，付给那冒牌的金融家两千英镑，我和查尔斯则同警方一同在门外等候，听到暗号就破门而入抓捕罪犯。

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我们于是赶过去，在格兰德酒店住了一晚，查尔斯常在这儿住。我喜欢布莱斯托酒店，不过他觉得太安静了。我们第二天一大早就坐着马车前往让·雅克大街。梅德赫斯特已经提前同巴黎警方安排妥当，三名警察身着便衣在楼梯口等着，准备随时援助我们。查尔斯还带了价值两千英镑的法兰西银行的钞票，这样，一旦对方将密谋的犯罪加以实施，我们就能立刻把款项交给他——要知道，实施犯罪会监禁十五年，而密谋犯罪只会监禁三年。查尔斯非常兴奋。我们最终找到了这个无赖，一小时内就能将他缉拿归案，想想这事本身就让他士气大涨。不出所料，我们发现对方给的位于让·雅克大街的地址是家旅馆，不是私宅。梅德赫斯特先走进去，问了问店主我们要找的人是否在房间内，还告诉他我们这次行动的来由，好让他明白，要是我们在他善意的帮助下抓捕成功，查尔斯爵士会全额付清那骗子的所有账单，算作他的酬劳。店主鞠了一躬，说太遗憾了，因为，上校先生——我们听到他是这么称呼的——非常平易近人，这儿的人都非常喜欢他；不过当然啦，正义必须得到伸张。接着，他叹了口气，感到惋惜，决定帮助我们。

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虽然警察一直待在下面，可查尔斯还有梅德赫斯特，也都各自准备了一副手铐。吸取了伯尔派罗事件的教训，我们决定在使用手铐时要极为慎重，只有在对方极力反抗时才能用。我们蹑手蹑脚地来到那个无赖的房间门口，查尔斯把装着纸币的信封交给梅德赫斯特，没有封口，梅德赫斯特迅速地一把抓了过来，拿在手中，准备行动。我们约定了暗号，只要他打喷嚏——这事他做得相当自然——我们就打开门，冲进去，把罪犯拿下！

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他进去了几分钟，我和查尔斯一直在门外等候，不敢喘气。梅德赫斯特打喷嚏了！我们立刻把门撞开，径直奔向那家伙。

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这时，梅德赫斯特站了起来，用手指着说：“他就是克雷上校！好好看着他，我到楼下叫警察来抓他！”

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此时，一名男子站了起来，温文尔雅，中等身材，胡子花白，一副军人模样，演得惟妙惟肖。查尔斯装钱的信封放在他面前的桌子上，他紧张地攥着信封。“我完全糊涂了，先生们，”他说，情绪激动，“你们为什么突然闯进来？”他说话时声音有些发抖，但很客气，这种客气劲儿是小副牧师还有大卫阁下身上常有的，我们认得出。

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“少废话！”查尔斯大声喝道，语气不容置疑，“我们知道你是谁。这一次，我们把你识破了。你就是克雷上校！要是你胆敢反抗——小心点——我就把你铐上！”

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那位军人模样的男子吓了一跳。“对，我是克雷上校，”他回答道，“你凭什么抓我？我犯了什么罪？”

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查尔斯怒不可遏。这家伙貌似能始终保持冷静。“你就是克雷上校！”查尔斯发着牢骚说道，“你居然还敢厚颜无耻地站在这儿承认？”

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“为什么不敢！”上校答道，也生气了，“我又没干什么见不得人的事。你这么做什么意思？还竟敢口口声声说要抓我？”

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查尔斯把手搭在那个人的肩上，说道：“得了，得了，朋友。再也别想就这样把我们糊弄过去。我为什么要抓你，你心里比谁都清楚。让警察来告诉你吧！”

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他用法语喊了声“请进！”，警察进了房间。查尔斯操着那没什么把握的巴黎方言，尽可能清楚地说明接下来要做什么。上校则一脸怒色，挺直了身子，转过身，用极流利的法语向他们解释。

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“先生们，我是名军官，为大不列颠女王陛下效劳，”他说道，“先生们，你们凭什么胆敢干涉我？”

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警长解释了一番。上校又转向查尔斯，问道：“先生，您是哪位？”

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“你比谁都清楚，”查尔斯答道，“我是查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士。虽然你伪装得很巧妙，我还是能一眼就认出你。我认得出你的眼睛，还有你的鼻子。看得出，你就是那个在尼斯骗了我，还在岛上羞辱过我的家伙。”

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“你是查尔斯·凡德里夫特？”那无赖叫道，“不可能，不可能，先生，你就是个疯子！”他看看四周，又看看警察，大声说道：“仔细掂量掂量你们在做什么！这是个胡言乱语的疯子，我刚和查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士谈完生意，这两位先生进来时他刚出去。这个人疯了，还有你，先生，”他向我鞠了一躬，“我敢保证，你肯定是专门看护他的。”

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“别被他蒙骗了，”我对警察大声说，开始担心，以他那一贯的聪明劲儿，即使在现在这种情形下，这家伙肯定也能从我们手中溜掉，“按照咱们的安排，抓住他，一切由我们负责。”不过，想到他手中还捏着我的那张支票，我有些发抖。

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三名警察的长官走上前，把手放在罪犯的肩上，打着官腔说道：“上校，我建议你目前还是老老实实地跟我们走一趟，有什么问题留着在调查法官面前详细说。”

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上校屈服了，和他们一起走了，不过还是很恼火——还别说，他的演技可真够绝的。

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“梅德赫斯特呢？”我们走到门口时，查尔斯看看四周，问道，“我希望他能跟着一起来。”

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“在找你们的那位朋友吗？”店主问道，说着侧身向上校弯腰致敬，“他坐马车走了，让我把这个短笺留给您。”

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他递给我们一张卷起来的短笺。查尔斯打开看了看，叫道：“神机妙算！西，看看人家说的：‘已经抓住了克雷上校，我现在正去追赶皮卡迪特夫人，她就住在同一栋楼里，刚刚驾车逃走；我知道她会去哪里，现在正全力追赶，要将她缉拿归案。十万火急，未及告辞。梅德赫斯特。’这才叫精明，那个可怜的小妇人，我想他本来是可以放她一马的。”

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“是不是有个叫皮卡迪特夫人的住在这儿？”我问店主，想着她有可能又用了以前的化名。

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他点点头表示同意，答道：“嗯，是的，是的。她刚刚乘车离开，你们那位朋友正急急忙忙追过去了。”

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“万里挑一！”查尔斯大声说道，“马维尔说得不错，这人是侦探之王！”

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我们叫了几辆马车，分两批前往调查法官那里。在那儿，克雷上校仍厚颜无耻地一再声称自己是驻印部队的一名军官，休六个月的假回家探亲，在巴黎逗留了几周。还说大使馆有人认识他，他有一位堂兄在那儿做专员。他要求我们大使这边立刻派人请他堂兄过来证明自己的身份。调查法官坚持一定得这么办，查尔斯则无奈地等着走完这荒唐的程序，气急败坏。我们感觉像是，费了九牛二虎之力好不容易才把他抓到手，他马上又想耍些滑头逃掉。

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克雷上校同我们一样，又气又急，等了一个多小时，专员到了，他上前同囚犯热情洋溢地打招呼，让我们又惊又恐。

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“好哇，阿尔吉！”他抓住对方的手，大声说道，“怎么了？这帮无赖想干吗？”

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这时我们才渐渐明白梅德赫斯特说的“怀疑所有人”是什么意思：真正的克雷上校不是一个普通老百姓，而是位出身高贵的绅士！

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上校瞪着我们。“这家伙口口声声称自己是查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士，”他不高兴地说，“不过这样一来，就有两位查尔斯了。伯蒂，他还指控我伪造文件、诈取钱财、偷盗财物。”

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专员仔细地盯着我们。“这位就是查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士，”过了一会儿，他说道，“我记得有一次在市里的晚宴中，我听过他讲话。查尔斯爵士，你指控我堂弟什么罪名？”

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“你堂弟？”查尔斯叫道，“这是克雷上校，那个臭名昭著的骗子！”

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专员一笑，虽显傲慢但又不失风度。“这位克雷上校，”他回答道，“是孟加拉参谋团的。”

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我们这才意识到肯定不知哪个地方出岔子了。

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“不管他是谁，两年前他在尼斯骗了我，”查尔斯说道，“后来又骗了我多次。就在今天，他又骗了我价值两千英镑的法国银行的钞票，钞票就在他身上！”

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上校一言不发，不过专员笑了。“他今天做了什么，我不知道，”他说，“不过，你说的他两年前做的事，也未免太没有根据了，你说得太离谱了。因为他那时还在印度，我当时也在印度，到那儿去看望他。”

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“那两千英镑呢？”查尔斯叫道，“你可是拿到手了！信封还在你手上！”

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上校把信封拿了出来。“这个信封，”他说道，“是那位留着又短又硬头发的男子留下的，就是在你进来之前的那位。他说自己是查尔斯·凡德里夫特爵士，说自己对印度阿萨姆邦的茶叶感兴趣，想让我加入某个皮包公司的董事会。我想，这里面装的就是他的文件。”说着，把它递给了自己的堂兄。

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“这样，不管怎么说，钱还在，这也让我欣慰了，”查尔斯低声说道，如释重负，不过又觉得有点不对，“你能把钱还给我吗？”

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专员把信封里的东西拿了出来，全是当时一些皮包公司的售股章程，没什么用。

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“肯定是梅德赫斯特装进来的，”我叫道，“然后自己携款逃跑了。”

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查尔斯吓了一跳，拍着自己的脑门，惊恐地吼道：“梅德赫斯特就是克雷上校！”

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“对不起，先生，”那上校插话道，“我只有一个身份，没用过什么化名。”

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我们足足花了半个小时才向他解释清楚事件的原委，不过等到我们用法语和英语把来龙去脉都解释完，让法官还有我们感到欣慰的是，这位真正的上校极为体谅地同我们握手言和，还说自己不止一次纳闷，为什么在巴黎说出自己名字的时候，别人总是投来那种深疑的目光。我们告知警方真正的罪犯是梅德赫斯特，他们亲眼所见，我们还督促他们全力追捕。与此同时，我和查尔斯来到法兰西银行，打算马上终止那些钞票的支付。与我们同行的还有上校以及他堂兄——用他们的话说，想“把好戏看完”。不过，我们晚了一步。一位穿着一身美国服饰的讨人喜欢的小妇人，立刻把这些期票贴现并取走了，换成了黄金。后来，旅店老板（根据我们的描述）指认，她就是自己的房客皮卡迪特夫人。很显然，为了接近那位印度上校，她在这家旅店开了房间，那些信件全是她收发的。至于我们那死对头，同以前一样，消失得无影无踪。

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两天后，我们同以前一样，收到了一封羞辱信，是在查尔斯自己精美的纸签上写的。上一次，他用的是克雷盖拉奇家的信签，这一次，他就像是嬉戏的田凫一样，又飞跃了一个新的高度。

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世上最聪明的百万富翁！——我还是梅德赫斯特的时候，不是说过嘛，谁都不能轻信。你做梦都想不到，有个不该相信的人就是——梅德赫斯特。不过也看得出别人对我多么信任！我告诉过你，我知道克雷上校的下落——我确实知道他在哪儿。我也答应过你，把你带到他的房间，让你抓他——这个诺言也兑现了。甚至还超过了你的预期，因为我给你带来的不是一位克雷上校，而是两位——不过，你抓错了——换句话说，你把真的克雷上校抓着了。虽说是个小伎俩，不过也让我费了不少心思。

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首先，我发现，真的有一位叫克雷上校的，在驻印部队里，还发现他刚好这个时节要告假回家。当然，我本可以在他身上再多做点文章，不过我不想把他惹恼，我倒是更愿意享受一下这一独特骗局的乐趣。于是，我就等他抵达巴黎；与伦敦相比，这里的警力安排对我更有利。就在我四处打探、准备推迟行动的时候，碰巧得知你想找位侦探，于是我就给老东家马维尔说，自己失业了，以前他给我找过不少好活儿。总之，于是你就这样见到了上校本人。

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当然了，这件事以后，我再也不能回到马维尔那儿做侦探了。不过，从长远来看，自从有幸认识你以来，我便学会了如何工作赚钱，这点小事也就不足为道了。说句真心话，我开始觉得侦探这类工作比我的工作还是低了一两个层次。我现在是位有钱有闲的绅士。还有，我在你家时又掌握了有关你行踪的大量信息，这有助于让我将来通过各种方式进一步把控你。所以，肝蛭依然会忠心耿耿地叮着自己的宠物羊。换个比方，就是，你的羊毛还没有完全剪干净。

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代我向你那可爱的家人致以诚挚的问候，也代我向温特沃斯问好，告诉西塞琳我恨她，我会永远记在心底。她显然在怀疑我。亲爱的查尔斯，你的钱太多了，我替你分担一点，给你的钱袋子放点血。因此，我觉得自己是——你最忠实的朋友，

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克雷-布拉巴宗-梅德赫斯特，

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皇家外科医师学会会员

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查尔斯要中风了，这次受的打击太大。“我还能相信谁呢？”查尔斯悲伤地问道，“我雇来保护自己的侦探，到头来却是个骗子？你还记不记得拉丁语中有这么一句——我想原话大概是‘Quis custodes custodiet ipsos？’，意思大致是‘监管之人，谁人监管？’”。

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而我却觉得，至少这件事打消了我对可怜的西塞琳的疑心。

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How much precisely Charles dropped over the slump in Cloetedorps I never quite knew. But the incident left him dejected, limp, and dispirited.

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“Hang it all, Sey，”he said to me in the smoking-room, a few evenings later.“This Colonel Clay is enough to vex the patience of Job—and Job had large losses, too, if I recollect aright, from the Chaldeans and other big operators of the period.”

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“Three thousand camels，”I murmured, recalling my dear mother’s lessons；“all at one fell swoop；not to mention fve hundred yoke of oxen, carried off by the Sabeans, then a leading firm of speculative cattle-dealers！”

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“Ah, well，”Charles meditated aloud, shaking the ash from his cheroot into a Japanese tray—fne antique bronze-work.“There were big transactions in live-stock even then！Still, Job or no Job, the man is too much for me.”

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“The diffculty is，”I assented，“you never know where to have him.”

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“Yes，”Charles mused；“if he were always the same, like Horniman’s tea or a good brand of whisky, it would be easier, of course；you’d stand some chance of spotting him. But when a man turns up smiling every time in a different disguise, which fts him like a skin, and always apparently with the best credentials, why, hang it all, Sey, there’s no wrestling with?；him anyhow.”

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“Who could have come to us, for example, better vouched，”I acquiesced，“than the Honourable David?”

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“Exactly so，”Charles murmured.“I invited him myself, for my own advantage. And he arrived with all the prestige of the Glen-Ellachie connection.”

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“Or the Professor?”I went on.“Introduced to us by the leading mineralogist of England.”

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I had touched a sore point. Charles winced and remained silent.

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“Then, women again，”he resumed, after a painful pause.“I must meet in society many charming women. I can’t everywhere and always be on my guard against every dear soul of them.Yet the moment I relax my attention for one day—or even when I don’t relax it—I am bamboozled and led a dance by that arch Mme.Picardet, or that transparently simple little minx, Mrs.Granton.She’s the cleverest girl I ever met in my life, that hussy, whatever we’re to call her.She’s a different person each time；and each time, hang it all, I lose my heart afresh to that different person.”

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I glanced round to make sure Amelia was well out of earshot.

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“No, Sey，”my respected connection went on, after another long pause, sipping his coffee pensively，“I feel I must be aided in this superhuman task by a professional unraveller of cunning disguises. I shall go to Marvillier’s to-morrow—fortunate man, Marvillier—and ask him to supply me with a really good’tec, who will stop in the house and keep an eye upon every living soul that comes near me.He shall scan each nose, each eye, each wig, each whisker.He shall be my watchful half, my unsleeping self；it shall be his business to suspect all living men, all breathing women.The Archbishop of Canterbury shall not escape for a moment his watchful regard；he will take care that royal princesses don’tcollar the spoons or walk off with the jewel-cases.He must see possible Colonel Clays in the guard of every train and the parson of every parish；he must detect the off-chance of a Mme.Picardet in every young girl that takes tea with Amelia, every fat old lady that comes to call upon Isabel.Yes, I have made my mind up.I shall go to-morrow and secure such a man at once at Marvillier’s.”

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“If you please, Sir Charles，”Césarine interposed, pushing her head through the portière，“her ladyship says, will you and Mr.Wentworth remember that she goes out with you both this evening to Lady Carisbrooke’s?”

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“Bless my soul，”Charles cried，“so she does！And it’s now past ten！The carriage will be at the door for us in another fve minutes！”

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Next morning, accordingly, Charles drove round to Marvillier’s. The famous detective listened to his story with glistening eyes；then he rubbed his hands and purred.“Colonel Clay！”he said；“Colonel Clay！That’s a very tough customer！The police of Europe are on the look-out for Colonel Clay.He is wanted in London, in Paris, in Berlin.It is le Colonel Caoutchouc here, le Colonel Caoutchouc there；till one begins to ask, at last, is there any Colonel Caoutchouc, or is it a convenient class name invented by the Force to cover a gang of undiscovered sharpers?However, Sir Charles, we will do our best.I will set on the track without delay the best and cleverest detective in England.”

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“The very man I want，”Charles said.“What name, Marvillier?”

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The principal smiled.“Whatever name you like，”he said.“He isn’t particular. Medhurst he’s called at home.We call him Joe.I’ll send him round to your house this afternoon for certain.”

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“Oh no，”Charles said promptly，“you won’t；or Colonel Clay himself will come instead of him. I’ve been sold too often.No casual strangers！I’llwait here and see him.”

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“But he isn’t in，”Marvillier objected.

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Charles was frm as a rock.“Then send and fetch him.”

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In half an hour, sure enough, the detective arrived. He was an odd-looking small man, with hair cut short and standing straight up all over his head, like a Parisian waiter.He had quick, sharp eyes, very much like a ferret’s；his nose was depressed, his lips thin and bloodless.A scar marked his left cheek—made by a sword-cut, he said, when engaged one day in arresting a desperate French smuggler, disguised as an offcer of Chasseurs d’Afrique.His mien was resolute.Altogether, a quainter or‘cuter little man it has never yet been my lot to set eyes on.He walked in with a brisk step, eyed Charles up and down, and then, without much formality, asked for what he was wanted.

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“This is Sir Charles Vandrift, the great diamond king，”Marvillier said, introducing us.

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“So I see，”the man answered.

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“Then you know me?”Charles asked.

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“I wouldn’t be worth much，”the detective replied，“if I didn’t know everybody. And you’re easy enough to know；why, every boy in the street knows you.”

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“Plain spoken！”Charles remarked.

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“As you like it, sir，”the man answered in a respectful tone.“I endeavour to suit my dress and behaviour on every occasion to the taste of my employers.”

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“Your name?”Charles asked, smiling.

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“Joseph Medhurst, at your service. What sort of work?Stolen diamonds?Illicit diamond-buying?”

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“No，”Charles answered, fxing him with his eye.“Quite another kindof job. You’ve heard of Colonel Clay?”

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Medhurst nodded.“Why, certainly，”he said；and, for the frst time, I detected a lingering trace of American accent.“It’s my business to know about him.”

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“Well, I want you to catch him，”Charles went on.

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Medhurst drew a long breath.“Isn’t that rather a large order?”he murmured, surprised.

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Charles explained to him exactly the sort of services he required. Medhurst promised to comply.“If the man comes near you, I’ll spot him，”he said, after a moment’s pause.“I can promise you that much.I’ll pierce any disguise.I should know in a minute whether he’s got up or not.I’m death on wigs, false moustaches, artificial complexions.I’ll engage to bring the rogue to book if I see him.You may set your mind at rest, that, while I’m about you, Colonel Clay can do nothing without my instantly spotting him.”

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“He’ll do it，”Marvillier put in.“He’ll do it, if he says it. He’s my very best hand.Never knew any man like him for unravelling and unmasking the cleverest disguises.”

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“Then he’ll suit me，”Charles answered，“for I never knew any man like Colonel Clay for assuming and maintaining them.”

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It was arranged accordingly that Medhurst should take up his residence in the house for the present, and should be described to the servants as assistant secretary. He came that very day, with a marvellously small portmanteau.But from the moment he arrived, we noticed that Césarine took a violent dislike to him.

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Medhurst was a most effcient detective. Charles and I told him all we knew about the various shapes in which Colonel Clay had“materialised，”and he gave us in turn many valuable criticisms and suggestions.Why, when we began to suspect the Honourable David Granton, had we not, as if by accident, tried to knock his red wig off?Why, when the Reverend Richard Peploe Brabazon first discussed the question of the paste diamonds, had we not looked to see if any of Amelia’s unique gems were missing?Why, when Professor Schleiermacher made his bow to assembled science at Lancaster Gate, had we not strictly inquired how far he was personally known beforehand to Sir Adolphus Cordery and the other mineralogists?He supplied us also with several good hints about false hair and make-up；such as that Schleiermacher was probably much shorter than he looked, but by imitating a stoop with padding at his back he had produced the illusion of a tall bent man, though in reality no bigger than the little curate or the Graf von Lebenstein.High heels did the rest；while the scientifc keenness we noted in his face was doubtless brought about by a trife of wax at the end of the nose, giving a peculiar tilt that is extremely effective.In short, I must frankly admit, Medhurst made us feel ashamed of ourselves.Sharp as Charles is, we realised at once he was nowhere in observation beside the trained and experienced senses of this professional detective.

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The worst of it all was, while Medhurst was with us, by some curious fatality, Colonel Clay stopped away from us. Now and again, to be sure, we ran up against somebody whom Medhurst suspected；but after a short investigation（conducted, I may say, with admirable cleverness），the spy always showed us the doubtful person was really some innocent and well-known character, whose antecedents and surroundings he elucidated most wonderfully.He was a perfect marvel, too, in his faculty of suspicion.He suspected everybody.If an old friend dropped in to talk business with Charles, we found out afterwards that Medhurst had lain concealed all the time behind the curtain, and had taken short-hand notes of the wholeconversation, as well as snap-shot photographs of the supposed sharper, by means of a kodak.If a fat old lady came to call upon Amelia, Medhurst was sure to be lurking under the ottoman in the drawing-room, and carefully observing, with all his eyes, whether or not she was really Mme.Picardet, padded.When Lady Tresco brought her four plain daughters to an“At Home”one night, Medhurst, in evening dress, disguised as a waiter, followed them each round the room with obtrusive ices, to satisfy himself just how much of their complexion was real, and how much was patent rouge and Bloom of Ninon.He doubted whether Simpson, Sir Charles’s valet, was not Colonel Clay in plain clothes；and he had half an idea that Césarine herself was our saucy White Heather in an alternative avatar.We pointed out to him in vain that Simpson had often been present in the very same room with David Granton, and that Césarine had dressed Mrs.Brabazon’s hair at Lucerne：this partially satisfed him, but only partially.He remarked that Simpson might double both parts with somebody else unknown；and that as for Césarine, she might well have a twin sister who took her place when she was Mme.Picardet.

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Still, in spite of all his care—or because of all his care—Colonel Clay stopped away for whole weeks together. An explanation occurred to us.Was it possible he knew we were guarded and watched?Was he afraid of measuring swords with this trained detective?

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If so, how had he found it out?I had an inkling, myself—but, under all the circumstances, I did not mention it to Charles. It was clear that Césarine intensely disliked this new addition to the Vandrift household.She would not stop in the room where the detective was, or show him common politeness.She spoke of him always as“that odious man, Medhurst.”Could she have guessed, what none of the other servants knew, that the man was a spy in search of the Colonel?I was inclinedto believe it.And then it dawned upon me that Césarine had known all about the diamonds and their story；that it was Césarine who took us to see Schloss Lebenstein；that it was Césarine who posted the letter to Lord Craig-Ellachie！If Césarine was in league with Colonel Clay, as I was half inclined to surmise, what more natural than her obvious dislike to the detective who was there to catch her principal?What more simple for her than to warn her fellow-conspirator of the danger that awaited him if he approached this man Medhurst?

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However, I was too much frightened by the episode of the cheque to say anything of my nascent suspicions to Charles. I waited rather to see how events would shape themselves.

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After a while Medhurst’s vigilance grew positively annoying. More than once he came to Charles with reports and shorthand notes distinctly distasteful to my excellent brother-in-law.“The fellow is getting to know too much about us，”Charles said to me one day.“Why, Sey, he spies out everything.Would you believe it, when I had that confdential interview with Brookfeld the other day, about the new issue of Golcondas, the man was under the easy-chair, though I searched the room beforehand to make sure he wasn’t there；and he came to me afterwards with full notes of the conversation, to assure me he thought Brookfield—whom I’ve known for ten years—was too tall by half an inch to be one of Colonel Clay’s impersonations.”

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“Oh, but, Sir Charles，”Medhurst cried, emerging suddenly from the bookcase，“you must never look upon any one as above suspicion merely because you’ve known him for ten years or thereabouts. Colonel Clay may have approached you at various times under many disguises.He may have built up this thing gradually.Besides, as to my knowing too much, why, of course, a detective always learns many things about hisemployer’s family which he is not supposed to know；but professional honour and professional etiquette, as with doctors and lawyers, compel him to lock them up as absolute secrets in his own bosom.You need never be afraid I will divulge one jot of them.If I did, my occupation would be gone, and my reputation shattered.”

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Charles looked at him, appalled.“Do you dare to say，”he burst out，“you’ve been listening to my talk with my brother-in-law and secretary?”

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“Why, of course，”Medhurst answered.“It’s my business to listen, and to suspect everybody. If you push me to say so, how do I know Colonel Clay is not—Mr.Wentworth?”

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Charles withered him with a look.“In future, Medhurst，”he said，“you must never conceal yourself in a room where I am without my leave and knowledge.”

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Medhurst bowed politely.“Oh, as you will, Sir Charles，”he answered；“that’s quite at your own wish. Though how can I act as an effcient detective, any way, if you insist upon tying my hands like that, beforehand?”

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Again I detected a faint American favour.

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After that rebuff, however, Medhurst seemed put upon his mettle. He redoubled his vigilance in every direction.“It’s not my fault，”he said plaintively, one day，“if my reputation’s so good that, while I’m near you, this rogue won’t approach you.If I can’t catch him, at least I keep him away from coming near you！”

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A few days later, however, he brought Charles some photographs. These he produced with evident pride.The first he showed us was a vignette of a little parson.“Who’s that, then?”he inquired, much pleased.

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We gazed at it, open-eyed. One word rose to our lips simultaneously：“Brabazon！”

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“And how’s this for high?”he asked again, producing another—the photograph of a gay young dog in a Tyrolese costume.

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We murmured，“Von Lebenstein！”

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“And this?”he continued, showing us the portrait of a lady with a most fetching squint.

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We answered with one voice，“Little Mrs. Granton！”

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Medhurst was naturally proud of this excellent exploit. He replaced them in his pocket-book with an air of just triumph.

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“How did you get them?”Charles asked.

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Medhurst’s look was mysterious.“Sir Charles，”he answered, drawing himself up，“I must ask you to trust me awhile in this matter. Remember, there are people whom you decline to suspect.I have learned that it is always those very people who are most dangerous to capitalists.If I were to give you the names now, you would refuse to believe me.Therefore, I hold them over discreetly for the moment.One thing, however, I say.I know to a certainty where Colonel Clay is at this present speaking.But I will lay my plans deep, and I hope before long to secure him.You shall be present when I do so；and I shall make him confess his personality openly.More than that you cannot reasonably ask.I shall leave it to you, then, whether or not you wish to arrest him.”

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Charles was considerably puzzled, not to say piqued, by this curious reticence；he begged hard for names；but Medhurst was adamant.“No, no，”he replied；“we detectives have our own just pride in our profession. If I told you now, you would probably spoil all by some premature action.You are too open and impulsive！I will mention this alone：Colonel Clay will be shortly in Paris, and before long will begin from that city a fresh attempt at defrauding you, which he is now hatching.Mark my words, and see whether or not I have been kept well informed of the fellow’smovements！”

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He was perfectly correct. Two days later, as it turned out, Charles received a“confdential”letter from Paris, purporting to come from the head of a second-rate fnancial house with which he had had dealings over the Craig-Ellachie Amalgamation—by this time, I ought to have said, an accomplished union.It was a letter of small importance in itself—a mere matter of detail；but it paved the way, so Medhurst thought, to some later development of more serious character.Here once more the man’s singular foresight was justifed.For, in another week, we received a second communication, containing other proposals of a delicate fnancial character, which would have involved the transference of some two thousand pounds to the head of the Parisian frm at an address given.Both these letters Medhurst cleverly compared with those written to Charles before, in the names of Colonel Clay and of Graf von Lebenstein.At frst sight, it is true, the differences between the two seemed quite enormous：the Paris hand was broad and black, large and bold；while the earlier manuscript was small, neat, thin, and gentlemanly.Still, when Medhurst pointed out to us certain persistent twists in the formation of his capitals, and certain curious peculiarities in the relative length of his t’s, his l’s, his b’s, and his h’s, we could see for ourselves he was right；both were the work of one hand, writing in the one case with a sharp-pointed nib, very small, and in the other with a quill, very large and freely.

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This discovery was most important. We stood now within measurable distance of catching Colonel Clay, and bringing forgery and fraud home to him without hope of evasion.

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To make all sure, however, Medhurst communicated with the Paris police, and showed us their answers. Meanwhile, Charles continued to write to the head of the frm, who had given a private address in theRue Jean Jacques, alleging, I must say, a most clever reason why the negotiations at this stage should be confidentially conducted.But one never expected from Colonel Clay anything less than consummate cleverness.In the end, it was arranged that we three were to go over to Paris together, that Medhurst was to undertake, under the guise of being Sir Charles, to pay the two thousand pounds to the pretended fnancier, and that Charles and I, waiting with the police outside the door, should, at a given signal, rush in with our forces and secure the criminal.

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We went over accordingly, and spent the night at the Grand, as is Charles’s custom. The Bristol, which I prefer, he finds too quiet.Early next morning we took a fiacre and drove to the Rue Jean Jacques.Medhurst had arranged everything in advance with the Paris police, three of whom, in plain clothes, were waiting at the foot of the staircase to assist us.Charles had further provided himself with two thousand pounds, in notes of the Bank of France, in order that the payment might be duly made, and no doubt arise as to the crime having been perpetrated as well as meditated—in the former case, the penalty would be fifteen years；in the latter, three only.He was in very high spirits.The fact that we had tracked the rascal to earth at last, and were within an hour of apprehending him, was in itself enough to raise his courage greatly.We found, as we expected, that the number given in the Rue Jean Jacques was that of an hotel, not a private residence.Medhurst went in frst, and inquired of the landlord whether our man was at home, at the same time informing him of the nature of our errand, and giving him to understand that if we effected the capture by his friendly aid, Sir Charles would see that the expenses incurred on the swindler’s bill were met in full, as the price of his assistance.The landlord bowed；he expressed his deep regret, as M.le Colonel—so we heard him call him—was a most amiable person, much liked by the household；but justice, of course, must have its way；and, with a regretful sigh, he undertook to assist us.

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The police remained below, but Charles and Medhurst were each provided with a pair of handcuffs. Remembering the Polperro case, however, we determined to use them with the greatest caution.We would only put them on in case of violent resistance.We crept up to the door where the miscreant was housed.Charles handed the notes in an open envelope to Medhurst, who seized them hastily and held them in his hands in readiness for action.We had a sign concerted.Whenever he sneezed—which he could do in the most natural manner—we were to open the door, rush in, and secure the criminal！

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He was gone for some minutes. Charles and I waited outside in breathless expectation.Then Medhurst sneezed.We fung the door open at once, and burst in upon the creature.

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Medhurst rose as we did so. He pointed with his finger.“This is Colonel Clay！”he said；“keep him well in charge while I go down to the door for the police to arrest him！”

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A gentlemanly man, about middle height, with a grizzled beard and a well-assumed military aspect, rose at the same moment. The envelope in which Charles had placed the notes lay on the table before him.He clutched it nervously.“I am at a loss, gentlemen，”he said, in an excited voice，“to account for this interruption.”He spoke with a tremor, yet with all the politeness to which we were accustomed in the little curate and the Honourable David.

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“No nonsense！”Charles exclaimed, in his authoritative way.“We know who you are. We have found you out this time.You are Colonel Clay.If you attempt to resist—take care—I will handcuff you！”

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The military gentleman gave a start.“Yes, I am Colonel Clay，”heanswered.“On what charge do you arrest me?”

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Charles was bursting with wrath. The fellow’s coolness seemed never to desert him.“You are Colonel Clay！”he muttered.“You have the unspeakable effrontery to stand there and admit it?”

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“Certainly，”the Colonel answered, growing hot in turn.“I have done nothing to be ashamed of. What do you mean by this conduct?How dare you talk of arresting me?”

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Charles laid his hand on the man’s shoulder.“Come, come, my friend，”he said.“That sort of bluff won’t go down with us. You know very well on what charge I arrest you；and here are the police to give effect to it.”

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He called out“Entrez！”The police entered the room. Charles explained as well as he could in most doubtful Parisian what they were next to do.The Colonel drew himself up in an indignant attitude.He turned and addressed them in excellent French.

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“I am an offcer in the service of her Britannic Majesty，”he said.“On what ground do you venture to interfere with me, messieurs?”

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The chief policeman explained. The Colonel turned to Charles.“Your name, sir?”he inquired.

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“You know it very well，”Charles answered.“I am Sir Charles Vandrift；and, in spite of your clever disguise, I can instantly recognise you. I know your eyes and ears.I can see the same man who cheated me at Nice, and who insulted me on the island.”

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“You Sir Charles Vandrift！”the rogue cried.“No, no, sir, you are a madman！”He looked round at the police.“Take care what you do！”he cried.“This is a raving maniac. I had business just now with Sir Charles Vandrift, who quitted the room as these gentlemen entered.This person is mad, and you, monsieur, I doubt not，”bowing to me，“you are, of course, his keeper.”

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“Do not let him deceive you，”I cried to the police, beginning to fear that with his usual incredible cleverness the fellow would even now manage to slip through our fngers.“Arrest him, as you are told. We will take the responsibility.”Though I trembled when I thought of that cheque he held of mine.

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The chief of our three policemen came forward and laid his hand on the culprit’s shoulder.“I advise you, M. le Colonel，”he said, in an offcial voice，“to come with us quietly for the present.Before the juge d’instruction we can enter at length into all these questions.”

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The Colonel, very indignant still—and acting the part marvellously—yielded and went along with them.

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“Where’s Medhurst?”Charles inquired, glancing round as we reached the door.“I wish he had stopped with us.”

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“You are looking for monsieur your friend?”the landlord inquired, with a side bow to the Colonel.“He has gone away in a facre. He asked me to give this note to you.”

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He handed us a twisted note. Charles opened and read it.“Invaluable man！”he cried.“Just hear what he says, Sey：‘Having secured Colonel Clay, I am off now again on the track of Mme.Picardet.She was lodging in the same house.She has just driven away；I know to what place；and I am after her to arrest her.In blind haste, MEDHURST.’That’s smartness, if you like.Though, poor little woman, I think he might have left her.”

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“Does a Mme. Picardet stop here?”I inquired of the landlord, thinking it possible she might have assumed again the same old alias.

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He nodded assent.“Oui, oui, oui，”he answered.“She has just driven off, and monsieur your friend has gone posting after her.”

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“Splendid man！”Charles cried.“Marvillier was quite right. He is theprince of detectives！”

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We hailed a couple of facres, and drove off, in two detachments, to the juge d’instruction. There Colonel Clay continued to brazen it out, and asserted that he was an offcer in the Indian Army, home on six months’leave, and spending some weeks in Paris.He even declared he was known at the Embassy, where he had a cousin an attaché；and he asked that this gentleman should be sent for at once from our Ambassador’s to identify him.The juge d’instruction insisted that this must be done；and Charles waited in very bad humour for the foolish formality.It really seemed as if, after all, when we had actually caught and arrested our man, he was going by some cunning device to escape us.

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After a delay of more than an hour, during which Colonel Clay fretted and fumed quite as much as we did, the attaché arrived.To our horror and astonishment, he proceeded to salute the prisoner most affectionately.

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“Halloa, Algy！”he cried, grasping his hand；“what’s up?What do these ruffans want with you?”

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It began to dawn upon us, then, what Medhurst had meant by“suspecting everybody”：the real Colonel Clay was no common adventurer, but a gentleman of birth and high connections！

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The Colonel glared at us.“This fellow declares he’s Sir Charles Vandrift，”he said sulkily.“Though, in fact, there are two of them. And he accuses me of forgery, fraud, and theft, Bertie.”

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The attaché stared hard at us.“This is Sir Charles Vandrift，”he replied, after a moment.“I remember hearing him make a speech once at a City dinner.And what charge have you to prefer, Sir Charles, against my cousin?”

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“Your cousin?”Charles cried.“This is Colonel Clay, the notorioussharper！”

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The attaché smiled a gentlemanly and superior smile.“This is Colonel Clay，”he answered，“of the Bengal Staff Corps.”

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It began to strike us there was something wrong somewhere.

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“But he has cheated me, all the same，”Charles said—“at Nice two years ago, and many times since；and this very day he has tricked me out of two thousand pounds in French bank-notes, which he has now about him！”

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The Colonel was speechless. But the attaché laughed.“What he has done to-day I don’t know，”he said；“but if it’s as apocryphal as what you say he did two years ago, you’ve a thundering bad case, sir；for he was then in India, and I was out there, visiting him.”

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“Where are the two thousand pounds?”Charles cried.“Why, you’ve got them in your hand！You’re holding the envelope！”

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The Colonel produced it.“This envelope，”he said，“was left with me by the man with short stiff hair, who came just before you, and who announced himself as Sir Charles Vandrift. He said he was interested in tea in Assam, and wanted me to join the board of directors of some bogus company.These are his papers, I believe，”and he handed them to his cousin.

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“Well, I’m glad the notes are safe, anyhow，”Charles murmured, in a tone of relief, beginning to smell a rat.“Will you kindly return them to me?”

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The attaché turned out the contents of the envelope.They proved to be prospectuses of bubble companies of the moment, of no importance.

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“Medhurst must have put them there，”I cried，“and decamped with the cash.”

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Charles gave a groan of horror.“And Medhurst is Colonel Clay！”heexclaimed, clapping his hand to his forehead.

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“I beg your pardon, sir，”the Colonel interposed.“I have but one personality, and no aliases.”

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It took quite half an hour to explain this imbroglio. But as soon as all was explained, in French and English, to the satisfaction of ourselves and the juge d’instruction, the real Colonel shook hands with us in a most forgiving way, and informed us that he had more than once wondered, when he gave his name at shops in Paris, why it was often received with such grave suspicion.We instructed the police that the true culprit was Medhurst, whom they had seen with their own eyes, and whom we urged them to pursue with all expedition.Meanwhile, Charles and I, accompanied by the Colonel and the attaché—“to see the fun out，”as they said—called at the Bank of France for the purpose of stopping the notes immediately.It was too late, however.They had been presented at once, and cashed in gold, by a pleasant little lady in an American costume, who was afterwards identifed by the hotel-keeper（from our description）as his lodger, Mme.Picardet.It was clear she had taken rooms in the same hotel, to be near the Indian Colonel；and it was she who had received and sent the letters.As for our foe, he had vanished into space, as always.

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Two days later we received the usual insulting communication on a sheet of Charles’s own dainty note. Last time he wrote it was on Craig-Ellachie paper：this time, like the wanton lapwing, he had got himself another crest.

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“MOST PERSPICACIOUS OF MILLIONAIRES！—Said I not well, as Medhurst, that you must distrust everybody?And the one man you never dreamt of distrusting was—Medhurst.Yet see how truthful I was！I told you I knew where Colonel Clay was living—and I did

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know, exactly.I promised to take you to Colonel Clay’s rooms, and to get him arrested for you—and I kept my promise.I even exceeded your expectations；for I gave you two Colonel Clays instead of one—and you took the wrong man—that is to say, the real one.This was a neat little trick；but it cost me some trouble.

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“First, I found out there was a real Colonel Clay, in the Indian Army.I also found out he chanced to be coming home on leave this season.I might have made more out of him, no doubt；but I disliked annoying him, and preferred to give myself the fun of this peculiar mystification.I therefore waited for him to reach Paris, where the police arrangements suited me better than in London.While I was looking about, and delaying operations for his return, I happened to hear you wanted a detective.So I offered myself as out of work to my old employer, Marvillier, from whom I have had many good jobs in the past；and there you get, in short, the kernel of the Colonel.

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“Naturally, after this, I can never go back as a detective to Marvillier’s.But, on the large scale on which I have learned to work since I first had the pleasure of making your delightful acquaintance, this matters little.To say the truth, I begin to feel detective work a cut or two below me.I am now a gentleman of means and leisure.Besides, the extra knowledge of your movements which I have acquired in your house has helped still further to give me various holds upon you.So the fluke will be true to his own pet lamb.To vary the metaphor, you are not fully shorn yet.

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“Remember me most kindly to your charming family, give Wentworth my love, and tell Mlle.Césarine I owe her a grudge which I shall never forget.She clearly suspected me.You are much too rich, dear Charles；I relieve your plethora.I bleed you financially.Therefore I

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consider myself—Your sincerest friend，

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“CLAY-BRABAZON-MEDHURST，

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“Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.”

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Charles was threatened with apoplexy. This blow was severe.“Whom can I trust，”he asked, plaintively，“when the detectives themselves, whom I employ to guard me, turn out to be swindlers?Don’t you remember that line in the Latin grammar—something about，‘Who shall watch the watchers?’I think it used to run，‘Quis custodes custodiet ipsos?’”

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But I felt this episode had at least disproved my suspicions of poor Césarine.

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序号 英文/音标 中文解释 更多操作

limp

[lɪmp]

n.跛行

aright

[ə’raɪt]

adv.正确地

speculative

[’spekjələtɪv]

adj.推测的;推理的;思索的;投机的

antique

[æn’tiːk]

adj.古代的;古老的;过时的

assent

[ə’sent]

n.同意;赞成

anyhow

[’enihaʊ]

adv.无论如何;不管怎样

David

[’deɪvɪd]

戴维(男子名)

prestige

[pre’stiːʒ]

n.【U】威望;声望

mineralogist

[ˌmɪnə’rælədʒɪst]

n.矿物学者

wince

[wɪns]

n.畏缩;(因痛苦或苦恼等)面部肌肉抽搐

afresh

[ə’freʃ]

adv.重新;重新开始

earshot

[’ɪəʃɒt]

n.听力所及之范围;声音所及的距离

ladyship

[’leɪdiʃɪp]

n.夫人的身份;夫人;小姐

carriage

[’kærɪdʒ]

n.四轮马车

sharper

[’ʃɑːpə]

n.磨削,骗子;adj.较锐利的

Colonel

[’kɜːnl]

n.上校

formality

[fɔː’mæləti]

n.礼节;程序;拘谨

behaviour

[bɪˈheɪvɪə]

n.行为

Illicit

[ɪ’lɪsɪt]

adj.非法的;违禁的;不正当的

linger

[’lɪŋɡə(r)]

vi.徘徊;逗留;消磨;漫步

murmur

[’mɜːmə(r)]

n. 低沉连续的声音(如风的沙沙声、流水的淙淙声等);

disguise

[dɪs’ɡaɪz]

vt.掩饰;假装;假扮

portmanteau

[pɔːt’mæntəʊ]

n.旅行皮包;混成词

tilt

[tɪlt]

vt. & vi. (使)倾侧，(使)倾斜;

Lucerne

[luː’sɜːn]

n.紫苜蓿

surmise

[sə’maɪz]

n.推测

nascent

[’næsnt]

adj.新生的;尚不成熟的;尚不发达的

shatter

[’ʃætə(r)]

v.粉碎;毁坏;使震骇;使精疲力尽

wither

[’wɪðə(r)]

vi.枯萎，干枯;凋谢

beforehand

[bɪ’fɔːhænd]

adv.预先;事先;提前

rogue

[rəʊɡ]

恶棍， 流氓， 小淘气;

parson

[’pɑːsn]

n.教区牧师

simultaneous

[ˌsɪml’teɪniəs]

adj.同时发生的;同步的

Tyrolese

[tɪrəˈliːz]

n.提洛尔人

squint

[skwɪnt]

n. 斜视；斜视眼;

hatching

[’hætʃɪŋ]

n.阴影;影线

quill

[kwɪl]

n.=quill pen 鹅毛笔;

evasion

[ɪ’veɪʒn]

n.逃避;躲避;借口

guise

[ɡaɪz]

n.装束;外观;伪装;借口

regretful

[rɪ’ɡretfl]

adj.惋惜的;遗憾的;后悔的

sneeze

[sniːz]

n.喷嚏

handcuff

[’hændkʌf]

n.【常复数】手拷

effrontery

[ɪ’frʌntəri]

n.厚颜无耻

bluff

[blʌf]

v.虚张声势

indignant

[ɪn’dɪɡnənt]

adj.愤慨的;愤愤不平的

Monsieur

[mə’sjɜː]

n.(法语)先生

monsieur

[mə’sjɜː]

n.(法语)先生

cleverness

[’klevənəs]

n.聪明;机灵

marvellously

[’mɑːvələsli]

adv.很好地;了不起地

smartness

[smɑːtnəs]

n.敏捷;机灵;现代风格

alias

[’eɪliəs]

n.别名;化名

cunning

[’kʌnɪŋ]

adj.狡猾的;有眼光的;精巧的;可爱的

affectionate

[ə’fekʃənət]

adj.充满感情的;示爱的

adventurer

[əd’ventʃərə(r)]

n.冒险家;投机者

theft

[θeft]

n.偷窃

Bengal

[beŋˈgɔːl]

n.孟加拉(印度和孟加拉国东部地区)

bogus

[’bəʊɡəs]

adj.假的;伪造的

kindly

[’kaɪndli]

adj.和蔼的;温和的;爽快的

prospectus

[prə’spektəs]

n.创立计划书;宣传小册;简章

decamp

[dɪ’kæmp]

v.(士兵)离营;匆忙秘密地离开

clap

[klæp]

v.拍手;轻拍;鼓掌;啪地关上

crest

[krest]

n.浪尖;冠;饰章;顶部

shear

[ʃɪə(r)]

n.修剪;大剪刀

bleed

[bliːd]

v.流血;渗色;榨取;放掉(水或气体);给...抽血

sincereness

[sɪn’sɪə(r)]

adj.真诚的;诚挚的

watcher

[’wɒtʃə(r)]

n.监票员;看护人;看守人

disprove

[ˌdɪs’pruːv]

v.证明 ... 是不对的;提出 ... 的反证

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