the pursuit of the house-boat-第2章

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umstances。〃

〃'Tisn't　necessary　for　Sir　Christopher　to　do　anything　of　the　sort；〃　said　Noah；　rising　and　manifesting　somewhat　more　heat　than　the　occasion　seemed　to　require。　　〃As　long　as　we　are　discussing　the　question　I　will　take　the　liberty　of　stating　what　I　have　never　mentioned　before；　that　the　designer　of　the　House…boat　merely　appropriated　the　lines　of　the　Ark。　　Shem；　Ham；　and　Japhet　will　bear　testimony　to　the　truth　of　that　statement。〃

〃There　can　be　no　quarrel　on　that　score；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　assented　Sir　Christopher；　with　cutting　frigidity。　　〃I　am　perfectly　willing　to　admit　that　practically　the　two　vessels　were　built　on　the　same　lines；　but　with　modifications　which　would　enable　my　boat　to　sail　twenty　miles　to　windward　and　back　in　six　days'　less　time　than　it　would　have　taken　the　Ark　to　cover　the　same　distance；　and　it　could　have　taken　all　the　wash　of　the　excursion　steamers　into　the　bargain。〃

〃Bosh！〃　ejaculated　Noah；　angrily。　　〃Strip　your　old　tub　down　to　a　flying　balloon…jib　and　a　marline…spike；　and　ballast　the　Ark　with　elephants　until　every　inch　of　her　reeked　with　ivory　and　peanuts；　and　she'd　outfoot　you　on　every　leg；　in　a　cyclone　or　a　zephyr。　　Give　me　the　Ark　and　a　breeze；　and　your　House…boat　wouldn't　be　within　hailing　distance　of　her　five　minutes　after　the　start　if　she　had　40；000　square　yards　of　canvas　spread　before　a　gale。〃

〃This　discussion　is　waxing　very　unprofitable；〃　observed　Confucius。　〃If　these　gentlemen　cannot　be　made　to　confine　themselves　to　the　subject　that　is　agitating　this　body；　I　move　we　call　in　the　authorities　and　have　them　confined　in　the　bottomless　pit。〃

〃I　did　not　precipitate　the　quarrel；〃　said　Noah。　　〃I　was　merely　trying　to　assist　our　friend　on　the　string…piece。　　I　was　going　to　say　that　as　the　Ark　was　probably　a　hundred　times　faster　than　Sir　Christopher　Wren'stub；　which　he　himself　says　can　take　care　of　all　the　wash　of　the　excursion　boats；　thereby　becoming　on　his　own　admission　a　wash…　tub〃

〃Order！　order！〃　cried　Sir　Christopher。

〃I　was　going　to　say　that　this　wash…tub　could　be　overhauled　by　a　launch　or　any　other　craft　with　a　speed　of　thirty　knots　a　mouth；〃　continued　Noah；　ignoring　the　interruption。

〃Took　him　forty　days　to　get　to　Mount　Ararat！〃　sneered　Sir　Christopher。

〃Well；　your　boat　would　have　got　there　two　weeks　sooner；　I'll　admit；〃　retorted　Noah；　〃if　she'd　sprung　a　leak　at　the　right　time。〃

〃Granting　the　truth　of　Noah's　statement；〃　said　Sir　Walter；　motioning　to　the　angry　architect　to　be　quiet〃not　that　we　take　any　side　in　the　issue　between　the　two　gentlemen；　but　merely　for　the　sake　of　argument…　…I　wish　to　ask　the　stranger　who　has　been　good　enough　to　interest　himself　in　our　trouble　what　he　proposes　to　dohow　can　you　establish　your　course　in　case　a　boat　were　provided？〃

〃Also　vot　vill　be　dher　gost；　if　any？〃　put　in　Shylock。

A　murmur　of　disapprobation　greeted　this　remark。

〃The　cost　need　not　trouble　you；　sir；〃　said　Sir　Walter；　indignantly；　addressing　the　stranger；　〃you　will　have　carte　blanche。〃

〃Den　ve　are　ruint！〃　cried　Shylock；　displaying　his　palms；　and　showing　by　that　act　a　select　assortment　of　diamond　rings。

〃Oh；〃　laughed　the　stranger；　〃that　is　a　simple　matter。　　Captain　Kidd　has　gone　to　London。〃

〃To　London！〃　cried　several　members　at　once。　　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃By　this；〃　said　the　stranger；　holding　up　the　tiny　stub　end　of　a　cigar。

〃Tut…tut！〃　ejaculated　Solomon。　　〃What　child's　play　is　this！〃

〃No；　your　Majesty；〃　observed　the　stranger；　〃it　is　not　child's　play；　it　is　fact。　　That　cigar　end　was　thrown　aside　here　on　the　wharf　by　Captain　Kidd　just　before　he　stepped　on　board　the　House…boat。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　demanded　Raleigh。　　〃And　granting　the　truth　of　the　assertion；　what　does　it　prove？〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　said　the　stranger。　　And　he　at　once　proceeded　as　follows。



CHAPTER　II：　　THE　STRANGER　UNRAVELS　A　MYSTERY　AND　REVEALS　HIMSELF



〃I　have　made　a　hobby　of　the　study　of　cigar　ends；〃　said　the　stranger；　as　the　Associated　Shades　settled　back　to　hear　his　account　of　himself。　〃From　my　earliest　youth；　when　I　used　surreptitiously　to　remove　the　unsmoked　ends　of　my　father's　cigars　and　break　them　up；　and；　in　hiding；　smoke　them　in　an　old　clay　pipe　which　I　had　presented　to　me　by　an　ancient　sea…captain　of　my　acquaintance；　I　have　been　interested　in　tobacco　in　all　forms；　even　including　these　self…same　despised　unsmoked　ends；　for　they　convey　to　my　mind　messages；　sentiments；　farces；　comedies；　and　tragedies　which　to　your　minds　would　never　become　manifest　through　their　agency。〃

The　company　drew　closer　together　and　formed　themselves　in　a　more　compact　mass　about　the　speaker。　　It　was　evident　that　they　were　beginning　to　feel　an　unusual　interest　in　this　extraordinary　person；　who　had　come　among　them　unheralded　and　unknown。　　Even　Shylock　stopped　calculating　percentages　for　an　instant　to　listen。

〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　us；〃　demanded　Shakespeare；　〃that　the　unsmoked　stub　of　a　cigar　will　suggest　the　story　of　him　who　smoked　it　to　your　mind？〃

〃I　do；〃　replied　the　stranger；　with　a　confident　smile。　　〃Take　this　one；　for　instance；　that　I　have　picked　up　here　upon　the　wharf；　it　tells　me　the　whole　story　of　the　intentions　of　Captain　Kidd　at　the　moment　when；　in　utter　disregard　of　your　rights；　he　stepped　aboard　your　House…boat；　and；　in　his　usual　piratical　fashion；　made　off　with　it　into　unknown　seas。〃

〃But　how　do　you　know　he　smoked　it？〃　asked　Solomon；　who　deemed　it　the　part　of　wisdom　to　be　suspicious　of　the　stranger。

〃There　are　two　curious　indentations　in　it　which　prove　that。　　The　marks　of　two　teeth；　with　a　hiatus　between；　which　you　will　see　if　you　look　closely；〃　said　the　stranger；　handing　the　small　bit　of　tobacco　to　Sir　Walter；　〃make　that　point　evident　beyond　peradventure。　　The　Captain　lost　an　eye…tooth　in　one　of　his　later　raids；　it　was　knocked　out　by　a　marine…spike　which　had　been　hurled　at　him　by　one　of　the　crew　of　the　treasure…ship　he　and　his　followers　had　attacked。　　The　adjacent　teeth　were　broken；　but　not　removed。　　The　cigar　end　bears　the　marks　of　those　two　jagged　molars；　with　the　hiatus；　which；　as　I　have　indicated；　is　due　to　the　destruction　of　the　eye…tooth　between　them。　　It　is　not　likely　that　there　was　another　man　in　the　pirate's　crew　with　teeth　exactly　like　the　commander's；　therefore　I　say　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　cigar　end　was　that　of　the　Captain　himself。〃

〃Very　interesting　indeed；〃　observed　Blackstone；　removing　his　wig　and　fanning　himself　with　it；　〃but　I　must　confess；　Mr。　Chairman；　that　in　any　properly　constituted　law　court　this　evidence　would　long　since　have　been　ruled　out　as　irrelevant　and　absurd。　　The　idea　of　two　or　three　hundred　dignified　spirits　like　ourselves；　gathered　together　to　devise　a　means　for　the　recovery　of　our　property　and　the　rescue　of　our　wives；　yielding　the　floor　to　the　delivering　of　a　lecture　by　an　entire　stranger　on　'Cigar　Ends　He　Has　Met；'　strikes　me　as　ridiculous　in　the　extreme。　　Of　what　earthly　interest　is　it　to　us　to　know　that　this　or　that　cigar　was　smoked　by　Captain　Kidd？〃

〃Merely　that　it　will　help　us　on；　your　honor；　to　discover　the　whereabouts　of　the　said　Kidd；〃　interposed　the　stranger。　　〃It　is　by　trifles；　seeming　trifles；　that　the　greatest　detective　work　is　done。　My　friends　Le　Coq；　Hawkshaw；　and　Old　Sleuth　will　bear　me　out　in　this；　I　think；　however　much　in　other　respects　our　methods　may　have　differed。　　They　left　no　stone　unturned　in　the　pursuit　of　a　criminal；　no　detail；　however　trifling；　uncared　for。　　No　more　should　we　in　the　present　instance　overlook　the　minutest　bit　of　evidence；　however　irrelevant　and　absurd　at　first　blush　it　may　appear　to　be。　　The　truth　of　what　I　say　was　very　effectually　proven　in　the　strange　case　of　the　Brokedale　tiara；　in　which　I　figured　somewhat　conspicuously；　but　which　have　never　made　public；　because　it　involves　a　secret　affecting　the　integrity　of　one　of　the　noblest　families　in　the　British　Empire。　　I　really　believe　that　mystery　was　solved　easily　and　at　once　because　I　happened　to　remember　that　the　number　of　my　watch　was　86507B。　　How　trivial　and　yet　how　important　it　was；　to　what　then　transpired；　you　will　realize　when　I　tell　you　the　incident。〃

The　stranger's　manner　was　so　impressive　that　there　was　a　unanimous　and　simultaneous　movement　upon　the　part　of　all　present　to　get　up　closer；　so　as　the　more　readily　to　hear　what　he　said；　as　a　result　of　which　poor　old　Boswell　was　pushed　overboard；　and　fell；　with　a　loud　splash　into　the　Styx。　　Fortunately；　however；　one　of　Charon's　pleasure…boats　was　close　at　hand；　and　in　a　short　while　the　dripping；　sputtering　spirit　was　drawn　into　it；　wrung　out；　and　sent　home　to　dry。　The　excitement　attending　this　diversion　having　subsided；　Solomon　asked：

〃What　was　the　incident　of　the　lost　tiara？〃

〃I　am　about　to　tell　you；〃　returned　the　stranger；　〃and　it　must　be　understood　that　you　are　told　in　the　strictest　confidence；　for；　as　I　say；　the　incident　involves　a　state　secret　of　great　magnitude。　　In　lifein　the　mortal　lifegentlemen；　I　was　a　detective　by　profession；　and；　if　I　do　say　it；　who　perhaps　should　not；　I　was　one　of　the　most　interesting　for　purely　literary　purposes　that　has　ever　been　known。　　I　did　not　find　it　necessary　to　go　about　saying　'Ha！　ha！'　as　M。　Le　Coq　was　accustomed　to　do　to　advertise　his　cleverness；　neither　did　I　disguise　myself　as　a　drum…major　and　hide　under　a　kitchen…table　for　the　purpose　of　solving　a　mystery　involving　the　abduction　of　a　parlor　stove；　after　the　manner　of　the　talented　Hawkshaw。　　By　mental　concentration　alone；　without　fireworks　or　orchestral　accompaniment　of　any　sort　whatsoever；　did　I　go　about　my　business；　and　for　that　very　reason　many　of　my　fellow…sleuths　were　forced　to　go　out　of　real　detective　work　into　that　line　of　the　business　with　which　the　stage　has　familiarized　the　most　of　usa　line　in　which　nothing　but　stupidity；　luck；　and　a　yellow　wig　is　required　of　him　who　pursues　it。〃

〃This　man　is　an　impostor；〃　whispered　Le　Coq　to　Hawkshaw。

〃I've　known　that　all　along　by　the　mole　on　his　left　wrist；〃　returned　Hawkshaw；　contemptuously。

〃I　suspected　it　the　minute　I　saw　he　was　not　disguised；〃　returned　Le　Coq；　knowingly。　　〃I　have　observed　that　the　greatest　villains　latterly　have　discarded　disguises；　as　being　too　easily　penetrated；　and　therefore　of　no　avail；　and　merely　a　useless　expense。〃

〃Silence！〃　cried　Confucius；　impatiently。　　〃How　can　the　gentleman　proceed；　with　all　this　conversation　going　on　in　the　rear？〃

Hawkshaw　and　Le　Coq　immediately　subsided；　and　the　stranger　went　on。

〃It　was　in　this　way　that　I　treated　the　strange　case　of　the　lost　tiara；〃　resumed　the　stranger。　　〃Mental　concentration　upon　seemingly　insignificant　details　alone　enabled　me　to　bring　about　the　desired　results　in　that　instance。　　A　brief　outline　of　the　case　is　as　follows：　It　was　late　one　evening　in　the　early　spring　of　1894。　　The　London　season　was　at　its　height。　　Dances；　fetes　of　all　kinds；　opera；　and　the　theatres　were　in　full　blast；　when　all　of　a　sudden　society　was　paralyzed　by　a　most　audacious　robbery。　　A　diamond　tiara　valued　at　50；000　pounds　sterling　had　been　stolen　from　the　Duchess　of　Brokedale；　and　under　circumstances　which　threw　society　itself　and　every　individual　in　it　under　suspicioneven　his　Royal　Highness　the　Prince　himself；　for　he　had　danced　frequently　with　the　Duchess；　and　was　known　to　be　a　great　admirer　of　her　tiara。　　It　was　at　half…past　eleven　o'clock　at　night　that　the　news　of　the　robbery　first　came　t