第 21 节
作者:一米八      更新:2021-02-20 18:33      字数:9322
  In that case Karlov would be welcome。  But wait a moment。  The chap
  had come in from the west。  In that event there should be an Odyssey
  of some kind tucked away in the affair。
  Cutty resumed his pacing。  The moment his imagination caught the
  essentials he visualized the Odyssey。  Across mountains and deserts;
  rivers and seas; he followed Two…Hawks in fancy; pursued by an
  implacable hatred; more or less historical; of which the lad was
  less a cause than an abstract object。  And Karlov … Cutty understood
  Karlov now … always span near; his hate reenergizing his faltering
  feet。
  There was evidently some iron in this Two…Hawks' blood。  Fear never
  would have carried him thus far。  Fear would have whispered;
  〃Futility!  Futility!〃  And he would have bent his head to the stroke。
  So then there was resource and there was courage。  And he lay in
  yonder room; beaten and penniless。  The top piece in the grim irony
  … to have come all these thousands of miles unscathed; to be dropped
  at the goal。  But America?  Well; that would be solved later。
  〃By the Lord Harry!〃 Cutty stopped and struck his hands together。
  〃The drums!〃
  》From the hour Kitty had pronounced the name Stefani Gregor an idea
  had taken lodgment; an irrepressible idea; that somewhere in this
  drama would be the drums of jeopardy。  The mark of the thong!  Never
  any doubt of it now。  Those magnificent emeralds were here in New
  York; The mob … the Red Guard … hammering on the doors; what would
  have been Two…Hawks' most natural first thought?  To gather what
  treasures the hand could be laid to and flee。  Here in New York;
  and in Karlov's hands; ultimately to be cut up for Bolshevik
  propaganda!  The infernal pity of it!
  The passion of the gem hunter blazed forth; dimming all other phases
  of the drama。  Here was a real game; a man's game; sport!  Cutty
  rubbed his hands together pleasurably。  To recover those green flames
  before they could be broken up; under the ancient ruling that
  〃Findings is keepings。〃  The stones; of course; meant nothing to
  Karlov beyond the monetary value; and upon this fact Cutty began
  developing a plan。  He stood ready to buy those stones if he could
  draw them into the open。  Lord; how he wanted them!  Murder and loot;
  always murder and loot!
  The thought of those two incomparable emeralds being broken up
  distressed him profoundly。  He must act at once; before the
  desecration could be consummated。  Two…Hawks … Hawksley hereafter;
  for the sake of convenience … had an equity in the gems; but what
  of that?  In smuggling them in … and how the deuce had he done it?
  … he had thrown away his legal right to them。  Cutty kneaded his
  conscience into a satisfactory condition of quiescence and went
  on with his planning。  If he succeeded in recovering the stones
  and his conscience bit a little too deeply for comfort … why; he
  could pay over to Hawksley twenty per cent。 of the price Karlov
  demanded。  He could take it or leave it。  In a case like this … to
  a bachelor without dependents … money was no object。  All his life
  he had wanted a fine emerald to play with; and here was an
  opportunity to acquire two!
  If this plan failed to draw Karlov into the open; then every
  jeweller and pawnbroker in town would be notified and warned。  What
  with the secret…service operatives and the agents of the Department
  of Justice on the watch for Karlov … who would recognize his
  limitations of mobility … it was reasonable to assume that the
  Bolshevik would be only too glad to dicker secretly for the disposal
  of the stones。  Now to work。  Cutty looked at his watch。
  Nearly midnight。  Rather late; but he knew all the tricks of this
  particular kind of game。  If the advertisement appeared isolated;
  all the better。  The real job would be to hide his identity。  He
  saw a way round this difficulty。  He wrote out six advertisements;
  all worded the same。  He figured out the cost and was delighted to
  find that he carried the necessary currency。  Then he got into his
  engineer's … dungarees; touched up his face and hands to the
  required griminess; and sallied forth。
  Luck attended him until he reached the last morning newspaper on the
  list。  Here he was obliged to proceed to the city room … risky
  business。  A queer advertisement coming into the city room late at
  night was always pried into; as he knew from experience。  Still; he
  felt that he ought not to miss any chance to reach Karlov。
  He explained his business to the sleepy gate boy; who carried the
  advertisement and the cash to the night city editor's desk。
  Ordinarily the night city editor would have returned the
  advertisement with the crisp information that he had no authority
  to accept advertisements。  But the 〃drums of jeopardy〃 caught his
  attention; and he sent a keen glance across the busy room to the
  rail where Cutty stood; perhaps conspicuously。
  〃Humph!〃 He called to one of the reporters。  〃This looks like a
  story。  I'll run it。  Follow that guy in the overalls and see what's
  in it。〃
  Cutty appreciated the interlude for what it was worth。  Someone was
  going to follow him。  When the gate boy returned to notify him that
  the advertisement had been accepted; Cutty went down to the street。
  〃Hey; there; just a moment!〃 hailed the reporter。  〃I want a word
  with you about that advertisement。〃
  Cutty came to a standstill。  〃I paid for it; didn't I?〃
  〃Sure。  But what's this about the drums of jeopardy?〃
  〃Two great emeralds I'm hunting for;〃 explained Cutty; recalling
  the man who stood on London Bridge and peddled sovereigns at two
  bits each; and no buyer。
  〃Can it!  Can it!〃 jeered the reporter。  〃Be a good sport and give
  us the tip。  Strike call among the city engineers?〃
  〃I'm telling you。〃
  〃Like Mike you are!〃
  〃All right。  It's the word to tie up the surface lines; like Newark;
  if you want to know。  Now; get t' hell out o' here before I hand
  you one on the jaw!〃
  The reporter backed away。  〃Is that on the level?〃
  〃Call up the barns and find out。  They'll tell you what's on。  And
  listen; if you follow me; I'll break your head。  On your way!〃
  The reporter dashed for the elevator … and back to the doorway in
  time to see Cutty legging it for the Subway。  As he was a reporter
  of the first class he managed to catch the same express uptown。
  On the way uptown Cutty considered that he had accomplished a shrewd
  bit of work。  Karlov or one of his agents would certainly see that
  advertisement; and even if Karlov suspected a Federal trap he would
  find some means of communicating with the issuer of the advertisement。
  The thought of Kitty returned。  What the dickens would she say … how
  would she act … when she learned who this Hawksley was?  He fervently
  hoped that she had never read 〃Thaddeus of Warsaw。〃  There would
  be all the difference in the world between an elegant refugee Pole
  and a derelict of the Russian autocracy。  Perhaps the best course to
  pursue would be to say nothing at all to her about the amazing
  discovery。
  Upon leaving Elevator Four Cutty said: 〃Bob; I've been followed by
  a sharp reporter。  Sheer him off with any tale you please; and go
  home。  Goodnight。〃
  〃I'll fix him; sir。〃
  Cutty took a bath; put on his lounging robe; and tiptoed to the
  threshold of the patient's room。  The shaded light revealed the
  nurse asleep with a book on her knees。  The patient's eyes were
  closed and his breathing was regular。  He was coming along。
  Cutty decided to go to bed。
  Meantime; when the elevator touched the ground floor; the operator
  observed a prospective passenger。
  〃Last trip; sir。  You'll have to take the stairs。〃
  〃Where'll I find the engineer who went up with you just now?〃
  〃The man I took up?  Gone to bed; I guess。〃
  〃What floor?〃
  〃Nothing doing; bo。  I'm wise。  You're the fourth guy with a subpoena
  that's been after him。  Nix。〃
  〃I'm not a lawyer's clerk。  I'm a reporter; and I want to ask him a
  few questions。〃
  〃Gee!  Has that Jane of his been hauling in the newspapers?
  Good…night!  Toddle along; bo; there's nothing coming from me。  Nix。〃
  〃Would ten dollars make you talk?〃 asked the reporter; desperately。
  〃Ye…ah … about the Kaiser and his wood…sawing。  By…by!〃
  The operator; secretly enjoying the reporter's discomfiture; shut
  off the lights; slammed the elevator door to the latch; and walked
  to the revolving doors; to the tune of Garry Owen。
  The reporter did not follow him but sat down on the first step of
  the marble stairs to think; for there was a lot to think about。  He
  sensed clearly enough that all this talk about street…railway strikes
  and subpoenas was rot。  The elevator man and the engineer were in
  cahoots。  There was a story here; but how to get to it was a puzzler。
  He had one chance in a hundred of landing it … tip the mail clerk in
  the business office to keep an eye open for the man who called for
  〃Double C〃 mail。
  Eventually; the man who did call for that mail presented a card to
  the mail clerk。  At the bottom of this card was the name of the
  chief of the United States Secret Service。
  〃And say to the reporter who has probably asked to watch … hands
  off!  Understand?  Absolutely … off!〃
  When the reporter was informed he blew a kiss into ai