the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第29章
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ill…advised as to struggle。 They are in irons； now； on board the Annabel
Lee。
〃But what I cannot understand； Mr。 Cleggett； is why these men should
risk so much to make off with an empty box。〃
〃An empty box！〃 cried Cleggett。
〃Empty！〃 echoed Lady Agatha and Miss Pringle； in concert。
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The detective wrenched the cover from the box of Reginald
Maltravers。
〃Practically empty； at any rate；〃 he said。
And； indeed； except for a few wads of wet excelsior； there was nothing
in the box of Reginald Maltravers。
〃Where； then；〃 cried Lady Agatha； 〃is Reginald Maltravers？〃
〃Where； indeed；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃is Reginald Maltravers？〃
〃Where； then；〃 cried Miss Pringle； 〃are my plum preserves？〃
〃Where； indeed？〃 repeated Wilton Barnstable。 And Barton Ward and
Watson Bard； although they did not speak aloud； stroked their mustaches
and their lips formed the ejaculation； 〃Where； indeed？〃
〃We will tell you everything；〃 said Cleggett。 And beginning with his
purchase of the Jasper B。 he recounted rapidly； but with sufficient detail；
all the facts with which the reader is already familiar； weaving into his
story the tale of Lady Agatha and the adventures of Miss Pringle。 Wilton
Barnstable listened attentively。 So did Barton Ward and Watson Bard。
The benign smile which was so characteristic of Wilton Barnstable never
left the three faces； but it was evident to Cleggett that these trained
intelligences grasped and weighed and ticketed every detail。
While Cleggett narrates； and Wilton Barnstable and his men listen； a
word to the reader concerning this great detective。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XX
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
DETECTIVE
Wilton Barnstable was the inventor of a new school of detection of
crime。 The system came in with him； and it may go out with him for lack
of a man of his genius to perpetuate it。 He insisted that there was nothing
spectacular or romantic in the pursuit of the criminal； or； at least； that there
should be nothing of the sort。 And he was especially disgusted when
anyone referred to him as 〃a second Sherlock Holmes。〃
〃I am only a plain business man；〃 he would insist； urbanely； with a
wave of his hand。 〃I have merely brought order； method； system；
business principles； logic； to the detection of crime。 I know nothing of
romance。 Romance is usually all nonsense in my estimation。 The real
detective； who gets results in real life； is NOT a Sherlock Holmes。〃
The enemies of Wilton Barnstable sometimes said of him that he was
jealous of Sherlock Holmes。 When this was reported to Barnstable he
invariably remarked： 〃How preposterous！ The idea of a man being
envious of a literary creation！〃
Perhaps his denial of the existence of romance was merely one of
those poses which geniuses so often permit themselves。 Perhaps he saw
it and was thrilled with it even while he denied it。 At any rate； he lived in
the midst of it。 The realism which was his metier was that sort of realism
into which are woven facts and incidents of the most bizarre and startling
nature。
And； certainly； behind the light blue eyes that could look with such
apparent ingenuousness out of his plump； bland face there was the subtle
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mind of a psychologist。 Barnstable； true to his attitude of the plain
business man； would have been the first to ridicule the idea publicly if
anyone had dubbed him 〃the psychological detective。〃 That； to his mind；
would have savored of charlatanism。 He would have said： 〃I am
nothing so strange and mystifying as thatI am a plain business man。〃
But in reality there was no new discovery of the investigating
psychologists of which he did not avail himself at once。 His ability to
clothe himself with the thoughts of the criminal as an actor clothes himself
with a role； was marvelous； he knew the criminal soul。 That is to say； he
knew the human soul。 He refused to see anything extraordinary in this。
〃It is only my business to know such things；〃 he would say。 〃We know
many things。 It is our business to know them。 There is no miracle
about it。〃 This was the public character he had created for himself； and
emphasizedthat of the plain business man。 This was his mask。 He
was so subtle that he hid the vast range of his powers behind an
appearance of commonplaceness。
Wilton Barnstable never disguised himself； in the ordinary sense of the
term。 That is； he never resorted to false whiskers or wigs or obvious
tricks of that sort。
But if Wilton Barnstable were to walk into a convention of
blacksmiths； let us say； he would quite escape attention。 For before he
had been ten minutes in that gathering he would become； to all
appearances； the typical blacksmith。 If he were to enter a gathering of
bankers； or barbers； or bakers； or organ grinders； or stockbrokers； or
school…teachers； a similar thing would happen。 He could make himself
the composite photograph of all the individuals of any group。 He
disguised himself from the inside out。
This art of becoming inconspicuous was one of his greatest assets as a
detective。 Newspaper and magazine writers would have liked to dwell
upon it。 But he requested them not to emphasize it。 As he modestly
narrated his triumphs to the young journalists； who hung breathless upon
his words； he was careful not to stress his talent for becoming just like
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anybody and everybody elsehis peculiar genius for being the average
man。
The front which he presented to the world was； in reality； his cleverest
creation。 The magazine and newspaper articles which were written about
him； the many pictures which were printed every month； presented the
mental and physical portrait of a knowing； bustling； extraordinarily candid
personality。 A personality with a touch of smugness in it。 This was
very generally thought to be the real Wilton Barnstable。 It was a fiction
which he had succeeded in establishing。 When he addressed meetings；
talked with reporters； wrote articles about himself； or came into touch with
the public in any manner； he assumed this personality。 When he did not
wish to be known he laid it aside。 When he desired to pass incognito；
therefore； it was not necessary for him to assume a disguise。 He simply
dropped one。
The two men with him； Barton Ward and Watson Bard； were his
cleverest agents。 They were learning from the master detective the art of
looking like other people； and were at present practicing by looking like
the popular conception of Wilton Barnstable。 They were clever men。
But Barton Ward and Watson Bard were； as Cleggett had felt at once； only
men of extraordinary talent； while Wilton Barnstable was a genius。
As Cleggett talked he was given a rather startling proof of Wilton
Barnstable's gift。 He was astonished to find a change stealing over
Wilton Barnstable's features。 Subtly the detective began to look like
someone else。 The expression of the face； the turn of the eyes； the lines
about the mouth； began to suggest someone whom Cleggett knew。 It was
rather a suggestion； an impression； than a likeness； it was rather the spirit
of a personality than a definite resemblance。 It was a psychic thing。
Barnstable was disguising himself from the inside out； he had assumed the
mental and spiritual clothing of someone else。
Cleggett could not think at first who it was that Wilton Barnstable
suggested。 But presently he saw that it was himself。 He glanced at
Barton Ward and Watson Bard； they still resembled the popular conception
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of Wilton Barnstable。
Gradually the look of Cleggett faded from Wilton Barnstable's face。
It changed； it shifted； that look did； Cleggett almost cried out as he saw the
face of Wilton Barnstable become an impressionistic portrait of the soul of
Logan Black。 He looked at Barton Ward。 Barton Ward was now
looking like Wilton Barnstable's conception of Cleggett。 But Watson
Bard； less facile and less creative； still clung stolidly to the popular
conception of Wilton Barnstable。
But； even as Cleggett looked； this remarkable exhibition ceased； the
Wilton Barnstable look dominated the faces again。 Plump； yet dignified；
smiling easily and kindly； three plain business men looked at him；
respectable citizens； commonplace citizens； a little smug； faces that spoke
of comfort； method； regularity； eyes that seemed to wink with the pressure
of platitudes in the minds behind them； platitudes that desired to force
their way to the lips and out into the world。
Yes； such was the genius of Wilton Barnstable that he could a
