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.But I did not findwhat I expected to find.The man who was there before me got that. Is that your explanation? asked Wembury, when the other had finished that there was another man in the flat? Exactly a perfect explanation, though it may not satisfy you.I did notclimb the rope until I had seen somebody else go up that way, and open the75 window.It was just before dusk.Your friends will doubtless tell you that Iimmediately went up the stairs and knocked at Miss Lenley s door, and,receiving no answer, decided to make my entrance the same way as theunknown intruder.Does that satisfy you, Mr.Wembury, or do you think that asa police officer I exceeded my duty in chasing a burglar? Alan was in a quandary.If the story the man told was true, he had perfectjustification for his action.But was it true? Did you turn out the contents of the drawers by any chance? Bliss shook his head. No, I m afraid our friend forestalled me there.I opened one drawer andgathered from its confusion that my predecessor had made a search.I don tthink he found what he wanted, and that he will very likely come again tonight.That is why I am here.Have you any further questions, inspector? No, said Alan shortly. And you re not thinking of inviting me to meet your superintendent? Good!Then I think my presence for the moment is a little superfluous. And, with ajerk of his shoulder, he turned and strolled at a leisurely pace along thesidewalk.Going back to the girl, Alan told her of his interview, and loyalty to his clothprevented his giving his own private views on the matter. He may be speaking the truth, he said. Of course it was his duty to followa burglar.If he is lying, we shall hear no more of it, but if he is telling the truthhe will have to report the matter. He left her half an hour later, and as he went out of the flat he looked roundfor Bliss, but there was no sign of him.When he returned to the police station,he was taken aback to learn that Bliss had indeed reported the burglary, giventimes and full particulars, and had added a note to his report to the effect thatDivisional Inspector Wembury had charge of the case.Alan was baffled.If Bliss s account was true, who could have been the firstman to climb up the rope? And what other object had he in burgling MaryLenley s flat than a search for the code? It brought The Ringer too near forcomfort.Here was a mystery, which was never solved until that night of horrorwhen The Ringer came to Meister s house.Two little problems were recurring to Mary Lenley from day to day.Not theleast important of these was contained in the formula, Shall I tell Maurice? Should she tell Maurice that she had been to tea with Alan Wembury& shouldshe tell him of the burglary that had been committed the night before? On thewhole she felt the least unpleasant confession, the one which would probablyabsorb him to the exclusion, was the second of her adventures.Maurice was not down when she arrived, and Mr.Samuel Hackitt, newlyinstalled in the Meister household, was polishing wearily the window that76 looked out on to the leads.He had made his appearance a few days before, andin spite of his unpleasant past Mary liked the little man. Good morning, miss. He touched an invisible cap. The old man s still upin bed, bless his old heart! Mr.Meister had a heavy night, she said primly. Thick is the word I d use, said Sam, wringing out a leather cloth at hisleisure.Very wisely Mary did not encourage any further revelations. Funny old house, this, miss. Sam knocked with his knuckle at one of thepanels. Holler.It s more like a rabbit warren than a house. Mr.Meister s residence had been built in the days when Peter the Great wasstill living in Deptford.She passed this news of historical interest on to thewholly unimpressed man. I never knew Peter& King, was he? That sounds like one of Meister s lies. It s history, Sam, she said severely, as she dusted her typewriter. I don t take any notice of history that s lies, too, said Hackitt, calmly. Lor miss, you don t know all the his try books I ve read Ume, Macaulay,Gibbons, the feller that wrote all about Rome. She was astounded. You ve read them? He nodded. Studied em, he said solemnly, so solemnly that she laughed. You re quite a student: I didn t realise that you were such a well read man. You have to do something in stir , said Sam, and she realised that thisreading of his had whiled away some period of his incarceration.He had an extraordinary stock of knowledge on unlikely subjects.Possiblythis was gained under similar circumstances [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]