The Greatest Works of Anna Katharine Green. Анна Грин

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СКАЧАТЬ know nothing of its secret history, then?”

      “Nothing.”

      “Do not even know whether either of these girls is engaged to be married?”

      “I do not,” I returned, wincing at this direct expression of my own thoughts.

      He remained a moment silent. “Mr. Raymond,” he cried at last, “have you any idea of the disadvantages under which a detective labors? For instance, now, you imagine I can insinuate myself into all sorts of society, perhaps; but you are mistaken. Strange as it may appear, I have never by any possibility of means succeeded with one class of persons at all. I cannot pass myself off for a gentleman. Tailors and barbers are no good; I am always found out.”

      He looked so dejected I could scarcely forbear smiling, notwithstanding my secret care and anxiety.

      “I have even employed a French valet, who understood dancing and whiskers; but it was all of no avail. The first gentleman I approached stared at me,—real gentleman, I mean, none of your American dandies,—and I had no stare to return; I had forgotten that emergency in my confabs with Pierre Catnille Marie Make-face.”

      Amused, but a little discomposed by this sudden turn in the conversation, I looked at Mr. Gryce inquiringly.

      “Now you, I dare say, have no trouble? Was born one, perhaps. Can even ask a lady to dance without blushing, eh?”

      “Well,—” I commenced.

      “Just so,” he replied; “now, I can’t. I can enter a house, bow to the mistress of it, let her be as elegant as she will, so long as I have a writ of arrest in my hand, or some such professional matter upon my mind; but when it comes to visiting in kid gloves, raising a glass of champagne in response to a toast—and such like, I am absolutely good for nothing.” And he plunged his two hands into his hair, and looked dolefully at the head of the cane I carried in my hand. “But it is much the same with the whole of us. When we are in want of a gentleman to work for us, we have to go outside of our profession.”

      I began to see what he was driving at; but held my peace, vaguely conscious I was likely to prove a necessity to him, after all.

      “Mr. Raymond,” he now said, almost abruptly; “do you know a gentleman by the name of Clavering residing at present at the Hoffman House?”

      “Not that I am aware of.”

      “He is very polished in his manners; would you mind making his acquaintance?”

      I followed Mr. Gryce’s example, and stared at the chimney-piece. “I cannot answer till I understand matters a little better,” I returned at length.

      “There is not much to understand. Mr. Henry Clavering, a gentleman and a man of the world, resides at the Hoffman House. He is a stranger in town, without being strange; drives, walks, smokes, but never visits; looks at the ladies, but is never seen to bow to one. In short, a person whom it is desirable to know; but whom, being a proud man, with something of the old-world prejudice against Yankee freedom and forwardness, I could no more approach in the way of acquaintance than I could the Emperor of Austria.”

      “And you wish——”

      “He would make a very agreeable companion for a rising young lawyer of good family and undoubted respectability. I have no doubt, if you undertook to cultivate him, you would find him well worth the trouble.”

      “But——”

      “Might even desire to take him into familiar relations; to confide in him, and——”

      “Mr. Gryce,” I hastily interrupted; “I can never consent to plot for any man’s friendship for the sake of betraying him to the police.”

      “It is essential to your plans to make the acquaintance of Mr. Clavering,” he dryly replied.

      “Oh!” I returned, a light breaking in upon me; “he has some connection with this case, then?”

      Mr. Gryce smoothed his coat-sleeve thoughtfully. “I don’t know as it will be necessary for you to betray him. You wouldn’t object to being introduced to him?”

      “No.”

      “Nor, if you found him pleasant, to converse with him?”

      “No.”

      “Not even if, in the course of conversation, you should come across something that might serve as a clue in your efforts to save Eleanore Leavenworth?”

      The no I uttered this time was less assured; the part of a spy was the very last one I desired to play in the coming drama.

      “Well, then,” he went on, ignoring the doubtful tone in which my assent had been given, “I advise you to immediately take up your quarters at the Hoffman House.”

      “I doubt if that would do,” I said. “If I am not mistaken, I have already seen this gentleman, and spoken to him.”

      “Where?”

      “Describe him first.”

      “Well, he is tall, finely formed, of very upright carriage, with a handsome dark face, brown hair streaked with gray, a piercing eye, and a smooth address. A very imposing personage, I assure you.”

      “I have reason to think I have seen him,” I returned; and in a few words told him when and where.

      “Humph!” said he at the conclusion; “he is evidently as much interested in you as we are in him.

      “How ‘s that? I think I see,” he added, after a moment’s thought. “Pity you spoke to him; may have created an unfavorable impression; and everything depends upon your meeting without any distrust.”

      He rose and paced the floor.

      “Well, we must move slowly, that is all. Give him a chance to see you in other and better lights. Drop into the Hoffman House reading-room. Talk with the best men you meet while there; but not too much, or too indiscriminately. Mr. Clavering is fastidious, and will not feel honored by the attentions of one who is hail-fellow-well-met with everybody. Show yourself for what you are, and leave all advances to him; he ‘ll make them.”

      “Supposing we are under a mistake, and the man I met on the corner of Thirty-seventh Street was not Mr. Clavering?”

      “I should be greatly surprised, that’s all.”

      Not knowing what further objection to make, I remained silent.

      “And this head of mine would have to put on its thinking-cap,” he pursued jovially.

      “Mr. Gryce,” I now said, anxious to show that all this talk about an unknown party had not served to put my own plans from my mind, “there is one person of whom we have not spoken.”

      “No?” he exclaimed softly, wheeling around until his broad back confronted me. “And who may that be?”

      “Why, who but Mr.—” I could get no further. What right had I to mention any man’s name in this connection, without possessing sufficient evidence against СКАЧАТЬ