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.” He half-turned to face her; the drug had transformed him: he was the old loquacious, debonair and care-free Meister she knew.“You can’t stay any longer at Malpas Mansions.I will not allow it.Johnny would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”“But where can I go, Maurice?”He smiled.“You’re coming to my house.I’ll have that room put in order and the lights seen to.You can have a maid to look after you…”She was shaking her head already.“That is impossible,” she said quietly.“I am not at all nervous about the burglary, and I am quite sure that nobody intended harming me.I shall stay at Malpas Mansions, and if I get too nervous I shall go into lodgings.”“My dear Mary!” he expostulated.“I’m determined on that, Maurice,” she said, and he was a picture of resignation.“As you wish.Naturally, I would not suggest that you should come to a bachelor’s establishment without rearranging my household to the new conditions; but if you’re set against honouring my little hovel, by all means do as you wish.”As they approached New Cross he woke from the reverie into which he had fallen and asked:“I wonder who is on the rack at this moment?”She could not understand what he meant for a moment.“You mean at Scotland Yard?”He nodded.“I’d give a lot of money,” he said slowly, “to know just what is happening in Room C2 at this very second, and who is the unfortunate soul facing the inquisitors.”98CHAPTER 26Dr.Lomond could neither be described as an unfortunate soul, nor the genial Assistant Commissioner as an inquisitor.Colonel Walford for the moment was being very informative, and the old doctor listened, rolling one of his interminable cigarettes, and apparently not particularly interested in the recital.Lomond was possessed of many agreeable qualities, and he had the dour humour of his race.Alert and quick-witted, he displayed the confidence and assurance of one who was so much master of his own particular subject that he could afford to mock himself and his science.His attitude towards the Commissioner was respectful only so far as it implied the deference due to an older man, but an equal.He paused at the door.“I’ll not be in the way, will I?”“Come along in, doctor,” smiled the Commissioner.“Poor old Prideaux!” he shook his head sadly.“Man, it’s on my conscience sending a man to be hanged in the suburbs! There was a dignity about Newgate and an historical value to being hanged at Tyburn.I wish I didn’t know so much about criminology.Have ye ever noticed Wembury’s ears, sir?” He exhibited these appendages of the embarrassed Wembury in the manner of a showman.“A tee-pical criminal ear! In conjunction with the prognathic process of the jaw suggests a rabid homicide! Have ye ever committed a murder?”“Not yet,” growled Alan.Lomond finished rolling his cigarette, and the Commissioner, who had been waiting patiently for this operation to be concluded, spoke:“I wanted to have a little chat with you, doctor.”“About a woman,” said Lomond, without looking up.“How the devil did you guess that?” asked the surprised Walford.“I didn’t guess; I knew.You see, you’re a broadcaster – most people are.And I’m terribly receptive.Telepathic.It’s one of the animal things left in me.”Bliss was watching, his lips lifted in derision.“Animal?” he growled.“I always thought telepathy was one of the signs of intellect.That’s what they say in America.”“They say so many things in America that they don’t mean.Telepathy is just animal instinct which has been smothered under reason.What would you have me do for the lady?”99“I want you to find out something about her husband,” said Walford, and the doctor’s eyes twinkled.“Would she know? Do wives know anything about their husbands?”“I’m not so sure that he is her husband,” said Bliss.The old man chuckled.“Ah! Then she would! She’d know fine if he was somebody else’s husband.Who is she?”The Commissioner turned to Wembury.“What is her real name?”“Cora Ann Milton – she was born Cora Ann Barford.”Lomond looked up suddenly.“Barford – Cora Ann? Cora Ann! That’s a coincidence!”“Why?”“I was hearing a lot about a Cora Ann, a few months ago,” said the doctor, lighting his limp cigarette.“You don’t want me, sir?” said Bliss.“I’ve got some real work to do!” He walked to the door.“Doctor, here’s a job after your own heart.A man with your wisdom ought to catch him in a week.”“I ignore that,” said the doctor, smoking placidly, and the sound of his chuckle pursued Bliss down the corridor.And now Lomond was to hear the police story of The Ringer.The Commissioner opened a dossier.“The history of this man is a most peculiar one, and will interest you as an anthropologist.In the first place, he has never been in our hands.The man is an assassin [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.” He half-turned to face her; the drug had transformed him: he was the old loquacious, debonair and care-free Meister she knew.“You can’t stay any longer at Malpas Mansions.I will not allow it.Johnny would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”“But where can I go, Maurice?”He smiled.“You’re coming to my house.I’ll have that room put in order and the lights seen to.You can have a maid to look after you…”She was shaking her head already.“That is impossible,” she said quietly.“I am not at all nervous about the burglary, and I am quite sure that nobody intended harming me.I shall stay at Malpas Mansions, and if I get too nervous I shall go into lodgings.”“My dear Mary!” he expostulated.“I’m determined on that, Maurice,” she said, and he was a picture of resignation.“As you wish.Naturally, I would not suggest that you should come to a bachelor’s establishment without rearranging my household to the new conditions; but if you’re set against honouring my little hovel, by all means do as you wish.”As they approached New Cross he woke from the reverie into which he had fallen and asked:“I wonder who is on the rack at this moment?”She could not understand what he meant for a moment.“You mean at Scotland Yard?”He nodded.“I’d give a lot of money,” he said slowly, “to know just what is happening in Room C2 at this very second, and who is the unfortunate soul facing the inquisitors.”98CHAPTER 26Dr.Lomond could neither be described as an unfortunate soul, nor the genial Assistant Commissioner as an inquisitor.Colonel Walford for the moment was being very informative, and the old doctor listened, rolling one of his interminable cigarettes, and apparently not particularly interested in the recital.Lomond was possessed of many agreeable qualities, and he had the dour humour of his race.Alert and quick-witted, he displayed the confidence and assurance of one who was so much master of his own particular subject that he could afford to mock himself and his science.His attitude towards the Commissioner was respectful only so far as it implied the deference due to an older man, but an equal.He paused at the door.“I’ll not be in the way, will I?”“Come along in, doctor,” smiled the Commissioner.“Poor old Prideaux!” he shook his head sadly.“Man, it’s on my conscience sending a man to be hanged in the suburbs! There was a dignity about Newgate and an historical value to being hanged at Tyburn.I wish I didn’t know so much about criminology.Have ye ever noticed Wembury’s ears, sir?” He exhibited these appendages of the embarrassed Wembury in the manner of a showman.“A tee-pical criminal ear! In conjunction with the prognathic process of the jaw suggests a rabid homicide! Have ye ever committed a murder?”“Not yet,” growled Alan.Lomond finished rolling his cigarette, and the Commissioner, who had been waiting patiently for this operation to be concluded, spoke:“I wanted to have a little chat with you, doctor.”“About a woman,” said Lomond, without looking up.“How the devil did you guess that?” asked the surprised Walford.“I didn’t guess; I knew.You see, you’re a broadcaster – most people are.And I’m terribly receptive.Telepathic.It’s one of the animal things left in me.”Bliss was watching, his lips lifted in derision.“Animal?” he growled.“I always thought telepathy was one of the signs of intellect.That’s what they say in America.”“They say so many things in America that they don’t mean.Telepathy is just animal instinct which has been smothered under reason.What would you have me do for the lady?”99“I want you to find out something about her husband,” said Walford, and the doctor’s eyes twinkled.“Would she know? Do wives know anything about their husbands?”“I’m not so sure that he is her husband,” said Bliss.The old man chuckled.“Ah! Then she would! She’d know fine if he was somebody else’s husband.Who is she?”The Commissioner turned to Wembury.“What is her real name?”“Cora Ann Milton – she was born Cora Ann Barford.”Lomond looked up suddenly.“Barford – Cora Ann? Cora Ann! That’s a coincidence!”“Why?”“I was hearing a lot about a Cora Ann, a few months ago,” said the doctor, lighting his limp cigarette.“You don’t want me, sir?” said Bliss.“I’ve got some real work to do!” He walked to the door.“Doctor, here’s a job after your own heart.A man with your wisdom ought to catch him in a week.”“I ignore that,” said the doctor, smoking placidly, and the sound of his chuckle pursued Bliss down the corridor.And now Lomond was to hear the police story of The Ringer.The Commissioner opened a dossier.“The history of this man is a most peculiar one, and will interest you as an anthropologist.In the first place, he has never been in our hands.The man is an assassin [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]