The Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve ChroniclesHering, Henry Augustus
General
The Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve Chronicles
Hering, Henry Augustus
Aristocracy (Social class) -- England -- Fiction; Burglars -- Fiction; Clubs -- Fiction; England -- Fiction
"Bournemouth Police Station?" repeated Mr. Meyer slowly. "No, Mr.
Marvell; I tink not. I am Master of Arts of London University and reader
of Blato, letting alone de odder dings. He shall go free, and Mr.
Marvell, you will blease forket de incident. I telekraft for you on
Saturday. You came, but dere was noding. Dat is what you will report,
please, at Scotland Yard.
"But you, Sir Rubert, you will not forket. You will remember. You will
neider kill nor rob akain, because it is de wish of Mr. Adolph Meyer,
who makes you free instead of sending you to de Police Station.
"Also, Sir Rubert, I suchest dat you give up dat Club dat Mr. Marvell
speaks of. See, you have my Holbein in your pocket. Take it, since you
want it. Show it to your friends, and say dat Mr. Meyer, who is M.A. of
London University, Commander, Chevalier and tcheneral treamer, says dat
dey had better disbant, for de stars are singing, and Mr. Marvell is
watching."
Mr. Marvell folded up his handcuffs methodically, and replaced them in
his pocket. He was too well trained to show the intense disgust he felt
at the turn the proceedings had taken.
Again the burglar endeavoured to speak, but once more Mr. Meyer
commanded silence.
"Mr. Marvell will see you to your boat, Sir Rubert," he said. "I drust
dat you will weigh my words well. It is not often dat I say so many, and
dey have caused me some inconvenience to speak, as I am not accustomed
to spend Monday nights in my marine villa. To be here I had dis
afternoon to postpone an interview wid de Turkish Ambassador, which I
have since learnt by telekram from Constantinople has been misconstrued.
De Sultan will not sleep much to-night, and in de morning newspapers
dere will be talk of drouble in de Balkan States. Some peoples will be
fearing war, Sir Rubert, and all on account of you and your midnight
photokraphings. I wonder what Dommas Carlyle would say to a mess like
dat. Goot night."
Mr. Meyer turned abruptly on his heels, and left the room.
"Come along, Sir Rupert, please," said Mr. Marvell. In the brilliant
moonshine they went along the terrace by the stone dogs, and down the
steps to the beach. They found the boat by the trees.
"How did Mr. Meyer come to suspect my errand?" said Ingletree suddenly.
The detective smiled a wan smile.
"Well, sir," he replied, "I wasn't present when you saw him on Saturday,
but I think that Mr. Meyer read you through as if you were a
book--printed in pretty big letters, too. It was a rather thin tale,
that about the magazine article, and when you asked to see round the
house Mr. Meyer was certain that you had some special object in view.
When you inquired after the miniatures he knew what you were after, as
the papers had lately been full of the Holbein. To make sure on the
point he didn't show it to you, and of course you asked to see it. Then
he telegraphed to Scotland Yard, and they sent me."
"How did you find out who I was, and why I wanted the miniature?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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