Devlin the BarberFarjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
General
Devlin the Barber
Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
"A part to which you will not object, that of looker-on. Not from this
room, but that"--pointing to the back room. "The panels of the door,
you will observe, are of ground glass. Sitting within there, you can
see all that passes in this room without being yourself seen. If you
will keep quiet, no one will suspect that you are in hiding."
"For the life of me," I said, "I cannot guess what good my sitting in
there will do."
"I do not suppose you can; but learn from me that I do nothing without
a motive. I do not care to be questioned too closely. The promise I
have made to you will be kept if you do not thwart it. You may see
something that will surprise you. I say 'may,' because I have not the
power to entirely rule men's movements. But I think it almost certain
he will pay me a visit this morning."
"He?" I cried. "Who?"
"The man whose thoughts I read on Friday with respect to the girl who
was murdered on that night."
I started. If Devlin spoke the truth, and if the man came to his shop
this morning, I should be in possession of a practical clue which
would lead me to the goal I wished to reach.
"He comes regularly," continued Devlin, "on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays. This is his day."
"Do you know his name?" I inquired, in great excitement.
"I did not," replied Devlin, "the last time I saw him. How should I
know it now?"
"Nor where he lives?"
"Nor where he lives."
"I must obey you, I suppose," I said.
"It will be advisable, and you must obey me implicitly. Deviate by a
hair's breadth from what I require of you, and I withdraw my promise,
which now exists in full integrity. Decide."
"I have decided. I will remain in that room."
"There is another point upon which I must insist positively. From that
room you do not stir until I bid you; in that room you do not speak
unless you receive a cue from me. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
"On your honour?"
"On my honour."
"Good. Now you can retire. You will find books in there to amuse you
if you get wearied with your watch."
He opened the door for me, and closed it upon me. He had spoken
correctly. Through the ground glass I could see everything in the
shop, and I took his word for it that I could not myself be seen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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