The Black Tortoise: Being the Strange Story of Old Frick's Diamond
by Christian Sparre · English · Gutenberg #46006 · 343,138 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Black Tortoise: Being the Strange Story of Old Frick's Diamond
Author: Christian Sparre
Translator: Gertrude Hughes Brækstad
Release date: June 16, 2014 [eBook #46006]
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46006
Credits: Produced by Al Haines
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK TORTOISE: BEING THE STRANGE STORY OF OLD FRICK'S DIAMOND ***
Produced by Al Haines.
THE BLACK TORTOISE
_Being the Strange Story of Old Frick's Diamond_
BY
FREDERICK VILLER
AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION FROM THE NORWEGIAN
BY
GERTRUDE HUGHES BRAEKSTAD
GARDEN CITY NEW YORK
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
1914
COPYRIGHT, 1901,
BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & CO.
*CONTENTS*
*PART I*
CHAPTER
I. Monk contemplates a Voyage to America
II. Old Frick
III. Mr. Reginald Howell
IV. The Black Tortoise again
V. At the Police Station
VI. A Morning Visit
VII. Lawyer Jurgens
VIII. The Arrest
IX. The Photograph
*PART II*
I. The Trial
II. The Photograph cannot lie
III. In the Dark
IV. Monk's Examination
V. The Most Important Chapter in the Book. Clara acts the
Detective
VI. Old Frick Again
VII. The Yacht *Deerhound*
*PART I*
*THE BLACK TORTOISE*
*CHAPTER I*
*MONK CONTEMPLATES A VOYAGE TO AMERICA*
"I am off to America on Friday next."
"What! off to America?"
"Yes; I'm not joking."
"Are you really serious? Fancy, going to America this time of the year,
at the end of November! It must be very important business which takes
you there! Can't you send some one else? You know Clara won't consider
her firstborn properly baptized if you don't stand godfather to him.
That ceremony is to take place next Sunday."
"Unfortunately it is important business--very important business--that
only I can undertake. I am awfully sorry to disappoint your wife, but I
must go."
This conversation took place in Monk's sitting-room. It was my usual
habit, on leaving my office at seven o'clock, to go up to Monk's rooms
and have a chat with him, and sometimes persuade him to come home with
me.
I ought perhaps here to inform my readers that, some years before this
story begins, I had returned to my native country after having spent
several years abroad, where I had made a small competency as an
engineer. When I again saw Monk, the friend of my boyhood, I found he
had, strange to say, adopted the profession of private detective. As far
as I could understand, he carried on this business just as much out of
love for his work as for a means of earning his living, and had already
won himself a reputation by his shrewdness, honesty, and
disinterestedness.
Monk's sudden announcement took my breath away; he had never for a
moment said a word about going to America before.
"Is it a new case you have on hand?" I asked.
"No; it is not a new case."
I looked doubtingly at him; this was not the Monk I was accustomed to
see standing quietly before me with the handsome, open countenance, and
the intelligent grey eyes looking fearlessly into mine.
He was now pacing restlessly up and down the floor. All at once he
stopped in front of me.
"Can you stay with me this evening?"
"Yes; with pleasure," I replied. "Clara has gone to the theatre with a
friend. I am therefore free, and it was my intention to propose to you
that we should spend the evening together."
"That's right; let us have supper at once, for I have something to tell
you, and until I have done so I shall have no peace."
Monk rang; and soon after we sat down to supper. My host ate scarcely
anything; indeed, he hardly attended to his duties as host, and could
not conceal his impatience to hasten the end of the meal.
It was quite apparent that something unusual was the matter, so I got
through my supper as quickly as possible without interchanging many
words.
When we returned again to the sitting-room, Monk placed me in one of his
comfortable chairs, and set before me some whiskey and water and cigars.
He himself lit a cigar, but soon threw it half-smoked into the fire.
"You said you wanted to speak to me about something, Monk."
"Yes; if you have patience to listen to me."
"Of course I have!"
A faint smile lit up Monk's dark countenance.
"I have put your patience to a severe test over and over again with my
lectures on detective science, logic, deductions, and the like; but what
I have in mind this evening is nothing of that sort. Do you feel
inclined to hear a story about myself, the story of how it was I came to
be the kind of man I am, and to lead the life I do?"
"My dear fellow," I answered, "I am more than ready to listen to you.
Any one can see that sometime or another something has happened to you
which has thrown a shadow over your existence; but, as you can
understand, one does not ask one's friends about that sort of thing.
One generally waits until one is approached."
"You are right, and I ought to have told you all about it long ago;
especially as, for my part, I have nothing whatever to conceal. Yes, a
man is wrong to shut himself up in himself more than is necessary; and
in my case I am afraid I have been foolish, and doubly stupid, not to
have called to my aid a clever friend's assistance. I have stared
myself blind with trying to find a way out of the dark. It is, however,
wrong of me to call the affair my affair, since I no longer play any
part in it; but, in any case, it concerns some one who was as dear to me
as my own life. Are you prepared to listen to me? If so, you shall get
to know as much of my history as I know of it myself."
"Go on, Monk; go on! If an honest man and an intelligent woman can help
you in any way, you have them at your disposal in Clara and myself."
I stretched out my hand to him; Monk seized it and shook it heartily.
All doubt and restlessness on his side had vanished. In giving the
account of his story, I only wish that I could have given it in his own
clear language and striking words. To detail it in full is of course
impossible; but I will do the best I can, and if the narrative should
become tedious, or wanting in clearness, it is my fault, and not Monk's.
*CHAPTER II*
*OLD FRICK*
When we separated, about fifteen years ago (began Monk), that time you
went to Zurich to complete your studies as engineer, I went in seriously
for law, and was fortunate enough in four years' time to take my degree
with honours.
My friends and teachers tried to persuade me to follow a scientific
career. An endowment could have been had from the university; and with
this, together with a small inheritance from my father, I could have
followed without trouble the beaten path to a professorship at the
university,--so I was told, at any rate.
But this was not to my mind; to have got free from the student's bench
only to climb immediately to the dusty chair of a professor, seemed to
me anything but attractive.
I first got a situation in the office of a government official, far up
in the country, where there was little to do, but plenty of game and
fishing; and I returned to Christiania the year after, a bearded,
red-cheeked, young Nimrod.
Then I became the youngest inspector in the Christiania police office,
and spent about two years in fining young men for disorderly conduct in
the streets, and keeping order among the erratic female population of
the town.
As you can well understand, it was hardly an occupation likely to
attract a man for any length of time, and I explained this to our
amiable chief superintendent when, one day, I placed my resignation on
his desk.
"Stop a moment, my dear Monk," he said, with his genial smile. "Could
you not wait a little, before you hand in this resignation? I must
admit I have not found that you possess any special talent, either with
regard to arresting drunken students, or as a censor of vice; still, on
the other hand, I should be much deceived, after my many years of
experience, if you do not find your right sphere in the detective
department. Practically every one is aware that it is to you we owe our
success in the great post office robbery, although officially you had
nothing to do with it; and I, at any rate, know how well you cleared up
the Fjorstat murder. For many months I have been thinking of offering
you an appointment on the detective force. If you will take your
resignation back, you can consider the matter as settled."
I gladly accepted the offer, but not until I had obtained a year's
leave; a year which I spent abroad in travel, to study languages and
life in the great countries.
I need hardly mention how useful my stay abroad has been to me.
I have no doubt that I found my right vocation when I joined the
detective police; especially if I am to take into consideration the
overwhelming praise which my superiors gradually poured upon me, or the
flattering attention which the papers and the public began to bestow
upon me.
Monk paused, and for a few minutes paced up and down the floor, as was
his habit when he was deeply occupied in thought.
Well, he continued, I think I have now given you an account of my life
until the day when the incident occurred which since has played such an
important part in my life, and continues to do so to this very day.
It was a rainy and stormy night at the end of September, about seven
years ago, when, wet to the skin, and dead beat, I came driving up to my
lodgings in University Street. At that time I always had rooms on the
ground floor, so that I could get in and out quickly and unobserved.
I had been on an expedition after some burglars high up on the Egeberg
hills. The expedition had been long and irksome, both for myself and my
assistants, and without result.
I always employ the same cabman--you remember Peter Lyverson, of course?
Well, he had been waiting for us five hours in one of the small streets
in the East end, and was just as disappointed at the lack of success and
as wet as I was, so I thought it only right to ask him inside and give
him a stiff glass of brandy.
Lyverson had just finished his glass, and with a profusion of thanks was
lighting a cigar and bowing himself out, when we heard a ring at the
telephone.
"Wait a moment," I cried to him, and rushed to the apparatus.
"Hello! are you Monk, the police detective?"
"Yes; who is it?"
"Bartholomew Frick of Drammen Road. Can you come out here at once? My
house has been broken into. I thought that a man like you would prefer
to be the first on the spot, and as quickly as possible!"
"All right, I will come."
It was not pleasant, for I was wet and tired; but business is business,
and Bartholomew Frick was right in saying that I liked to be the first
on the spot. Some minutes later the carriage was rolling along the
deserted streets in the pouring rain toward Drammen Road.
I used the time, while we were on our way, to recall what I knew about
"Old Frick."
Bartholomew or "Captain" Frick, as he was also called, had left Norway
when quite a young man--somewhere between twenty and thirty years of
age. For a generation or so no one heard anything of him, until suddenly
he returned to his native country, an old man. This was some years
before my story begins.
He came to Christiania, bringing with him a whole shipload of
curiosities and costly articles, and was, on the whole, considered to be
a very rich man.
His title of captain he presumably got from the fact that he had won his
fortune, so people said, as captain of a pirate ship, and later on as a
slave-dealer.
A more likely explanation, and one which carried with it a greater
conviction of truth, was that he had acquired his fortune at gold
washing in Australia, and diamond digging in Africa. He had, in both
places, been one of the first to discover the rich treasures there.
On his return to Christiania he bought himself a large house in Drammen
Road, and this he filled with the curiosities which he had collected and
brought with him from all quarters of the globe.
After becoming settled, he began to look about him to make inquiries
regarding his family, and he found that his only remaining relations
were his brother's widow and two young children in needy circumstances.
Apparently in order to make some reparation for his earlier neglect, he
overwhelmed the poor widow with benefactions, and brought the poor, weak
soul to a state of great bewilderment by placing large, and to her
notions fabulous, sums at her disposal.
After a short time she died, and Frick then adopted her two children, a
boy and a girl, and it was generally assumed that they would inherit his
wealth.
Old Frick was a well-known figure in Christiania, and had a widespread
reputation for his riches, benevolence, and--irascibility.
The house is situated just outside Skillebek, as you must know. I
should not wonder, however, if you have never seen him, although your
house is not far from his property, for during the last few years old
Frick has been confined to his house, an invalid, and he never shows
himself outside of it. As it usually happens, the indifference of the
world to him now is just as great as its interest in him and his affairs
was at one time.
Presently, the carriage drew up before an iron gate, which was
immediately opened by a man, the coachman of the house, with a lantern
in his hand.
Words were unnecessary; he was prepared for my arrival, and I followed
him immediately up to the house.
We went along a passage and passed one or two rooms, in the last of
which stood some servants whispering together, until we came, at length,
into a large room or salon which was lighted up.
This salon presented a motley appearance. Some of the furniture was
old-fashioned, and some of it modern. There were tropical plants in
large tubs; Venetian pier glasses on the walls, having between them
large cases filled with wonders from all climes, and of all ages;
stuffed animals in the middle of the room and in the corners. On a
shelf stood some heavy altar candelabra from an old church, and from a
neighbouring shelf hung a lamp, doubtless stolen from some Hindoo
temple. On a bracket, opposite a clock worked by sand, a relic of the
Middle Ages, ticked a splendid specimen of a modern Parisian timepiece.
Indeed, I might go on forever enumerating the extraordinary and
wonderful assortment of curiosities that met one's eye at every turn.
In spite of this conglomeration, the room was not unpleasant. My first
impression--and later it proved to be correct--was that, though all
these things had been brought together by Bartholomew Frick, they had
been arranged by his niece.
At one end of the room only was there any noticeable disorder. There
several chairs were overturned, a couple of cupboards stood wide open,
and a window was entirely smashed, both glass and woodwork. The storm
and rain, however, did not beat in, as this room lay to the leeward side
of the house, and the cheerful fire in the grate at the other end of the
room impressed one with a sense of warmth and comfort.
By the fireside sat old Frick in an armchair. On the mantelpiece before
him lay a large American revolver, with brightly polished barrel, and
leaning against his chair was an enormous Prussian cavalry sword.
The master of the house was clad in a large-patterned dressing-gown and
slippers, and he got up at once when I came in.
At his side stood his brother's children, a fine young fellow with an
honest face, and a very pretty young girl.
Old Frick himself could hardly be considered handsome. He had a large,
fat, red face, with an enormous reddish-blue nose, white bushy hair,
which stuck out in unkempt tufts, and a white, thick heard under his
chin. His eyes were light, and generally friendly: but when he was
angry, which not seldom happened, they changed into a kind of greenish
colour, which was anything but pleasant to see.
Every human being is said to resemble some animal or another in
appearance; Bartholomew Frick would not have done discredit to a Bengal
tiger.
He came quickly across to me, and pressed my hand in his own large ones;
they were of the fulness and size of a walrus's flippers. He was stout,
broad, and thick-set, but moved about with youthful energy, although
somewhat clumsily.
"Oh, are you here already, Mr. Monk? Glad to see you! It isn't more
than twenty minutes since I rang you up through the telephone; that's
smart work if you like! That's the thing, young man, promptitude above
everything! It is the most important thing in the world. How do you
think Napoleon managed to conquer the whole of Europe? What do you
think it was that helped him? His promptitude, my friend, and nothing
else. Don't talk to me of generalship or anything of that sort. He was
smarter and quicker than every one else, and that's the reason he could
do what he liked with them all.
"But now you must hear how it all happened with regard to the
burglary--ah, you wink at me, Sigrid? I suppose you mean that I must
first introduce you to Mr. Monk? Very well! This is my niece, Sigrid
Frick, and that is my nephew, Einar Frick; both are the joy and stay of
my old age. But now what about the--what are you now making signs
about, Einar? I suppose you mean Mr. Monk should be asked to take a
seat."
"And a glass of wine," whispered the young girl, casting a compassionate
glance at my wet clothes.
"Yes, of course: Mr. Monk shall sit down and have everything he wants.
But meanwhile I can in a few words tell him how it all happened."
Bartholomew Frick was, however, not a man of few words, and it took some
time before I got to know how he had lain sleepless, kept awake by a
"devilish unpleasant pain in his big toe," and so toward one o'clock had
heard a strange sound in the room below,--for he slept just over the
salon where we sat.
The old man had lost not a minute in getting out of bed; he had seized a
loaded revolver, which always lay at hand on his table, and a sword,
which was also within reach, both mementos, no doubt, of his adventurous
life.
Thus armed, and with slippers on his feet, but with no other clothes on
than his nightshirt, he had crept down the stairs and slowly opened the
door of the salon.
Here he saw two men, who were quietly at work breaking open his
cupboards and emptying their most valuable contents into a sack.
"I first of all fired two shots at their heads," continued Frick; "but
when the smoke had lifted, I saw they were both as alive as ever, and on
their way to the window to escape. I rushed after them with the sword,
and they would not have got away alive if I had not stumbled over that
confounded panther!" and he pointed to a large stuffed panther which lay
overturned on its side in the middle of the room.
"But you might have killed them, uncle!" faltered the young girl,
reproachfully.
"Yes, killed them! I only wish I had hacked them to sausage-meat! But
just listen; now comes the most irritating part of all. Only one of the
scoundrels could get out through the open window, for the one half has
no hinges on it and does not open; so the other fellow, who evidently
didn't think he had time to escape before I came up, disappeared head
foremost, through both glass and framework. But he didn't get through
quickly enough, for when I got away from the confounded panther, his
left leg was still hanging inside the window ledge. 'You shan't take
that with you, at any rate,' thought I, for now I was only a couple of
yards from him, and the sword was just raised above my head, ready to
strike, when, one of my feet caught in the jaw of the ice bear, and over
I fell for the second time.
"Yes, you laugh! Perhaps you do not believe me? But I tell you, if
that ice bear had not been in the way, I should have been able at this
moment to place on the table before you the rascal's foot, and perhaps a
bit of his leg as well. Here, you can see for yourself; the sword just
cut off the heel with a bit of the sole, and more than that I could not
manage; but another inch or two would have done it."
He triumphantly put before me a broad heel, with a bit of the sole
attached, evidently cut from the boot with a powerful stroke.
"This was the only bit of the scoundrel that was left behind; the rest
of him ran across the garden, over the railings, and out into the road.
The revolver had also fallen from my grasp, or else I should have tried
a couple more shots after them. I once shot a Zulu at seventy paces,
with the same revolver; he had stolen a hen from me, the rascal!"
I didn't quite know what to think of such a bloodthirsty old man. But a
certain humorous twinkle in his eyes gave me to understand that this was
not genuine, and, as the young people didn't try to hide their
merriment, we all three had a good laugh.
I afterward learned that old Frick suffered from many of the defects
which are so often the outcome of a hard and adventurous life, such as
he had led from his youth to old age: stubbornness, waywardness, and
tyrannical contempt for the feelings of others when his own were
aroused. Otherwise his heart was soft, and as good as gold.
It was plain to see that the burglary had not in the least ruffled his
temper. On the contrary, he felt himself considerably enlivened with
this reminder of a life which had been full of such scenes.
At last he finished his description of how the thieves had disappeared,
the house had become aroused, and I telephoned for, etc., with the
result known. But what he was especially proud about was that he had
given orders that nothing should be touched or moved in the room after
the burglary.
"I myself have been a policeman," he said. "I was sheriff in Ballarat
for three years in succession, and I had charge of many investigations
there. One thing I have learned by experience, and that is, that the
place of a crime must remain untouched until the police arrive,
otherwise it is impossible for them to get to work."
I thanked him for his thoughtfulness and presence of mind, which seemed
to please him.
I have described this, my first meeting with old Frick, so fully, not
because it is of any great importance to my story, but because it will,
perhaps, give you some idea of the man and his characteristics.
Next I proceeded to examine the scene of the burglary. It was just as
Frick had said, nothing had been touched or moved. Even the sack which
the thieves had used to stow away their spoil in, lay there on the
floor, just as they had flung it from them when they took to flight.
Several of the cupboards in the room had been filled with gold and
silver articles, and precious stones. It was a complete museum; and the
thieves had, so far, carried out a sensible plan in having broken open
all the cupboards and drawers, but only putting into the bag the
articles which were of the most value and the easiest of transport.
Otherwise, there was little else to discover. We could follow the
tracks of the thieves through the garden, over the palings, and out into
Drammen Road; but they had left nothing behind them except old Frick's
trophy, the heel with the bit of sole adhering, and the sack.
This was emptied, and the contents set in their places in the cupboards.
Nothing seemed to be missing; and as each article was numbered, and the
place in which it was to stand, it was an easy matter to control them.
Suddenly Miss Frick clasped her hands together, and exclaimed:--
"But the tortoise, uncle! the tortoise is gone!
"It is a precious gem we have given that name--a large diamond set in
gold, and in the shape of a tortoise," she added, when she saw my
puzzled expression.
"That is the most valuable of all my collection," continued Frick. "I
don't know what the diamond can be worth when it is polished, but all I
know is that I have been offered L2000 for it as it is now. It is
black."
He raked about with his large fingers at the bottom of the sack, and
finally turned it inside out, but there was no diamond tortoise. Then
the room, and at last the garden, and the nearest part of Drammen Road
were searched most carefully by aid of the lantern, but without result.
"How large was the tortoise?" I asked.
"It could at a pinch be hidden in the hollow of a man's hand,--say about
two inches in diameter with the setting."
It was now nearly three o'clock in the morning. There was no more for me
to do there, so I prepared to take my departure.
The old man began again to lament the loss of the diamond, and
complained in the most energetic manner that he had not been able to
shoot, or cut in two, the rascals who had robbed him.
"It would be stupid of me to promise anything," said I; "but, for my own
part, I am pretty sure we shall have the birds caged before many days,
and that we shall secure the diamond as well."
With these words, I took my departure, put the cut-off heel bits in my
pocket, and went home.
My thoughts on the way were naturally taken up with what I had heard and
seen at Bartholomew Frick's.
But, remarkably enough, it was the young girl, Miss Frick, upon whom my
thoughts dwelt most of all. I had only heard her speak a few words, and
this was the first time I had seen her face; but she attracted me
strangely. I have never been of an impressionable nature, and no woman
had ever had much of an attraction for me. So I was astonished to find
how clearly her image stood out before me after the few hours we had
been together. I already felt a strong desire to please her--a desire
to do something which would compel her admiration.
You must, in any case, get the diamond back for her uncle, I thought;
women naturally set value upon a detective's skill. It will at any rate
please her uncle, and bring me into her society again.
I had at once noticed that the robbery at Frick's was of a simple and
not very complicated kind; and though the matter from a professional
stand-point had not interested me particularly, it had suddenly become
invested with a new importance.
As soon as I arrived home, I hurriedly changed my wet clothes, made
myself a cup of coffee over the spirit lamp, and then took out the piece
of heel.
It was a broad, strong heel, with an iron rim round it, and entirely
new, just like the sole. It did not seem to have belonged to the usual
kind of cheap boots which our ordinary criminals are apt to patronize;
at the same time it did not seem to have belonged to the better class of
foot-gear. The heel somehow seemed to me to be familiar, a vague
recollection of something set my brain to work.
Ah, suddenly I saw it all! The heel and sole belonged to the same sort
of shoes, in fact they were a perfect match to a pair which had just
helped the police to circumstantial evidence by an impression on soft
soil in a similar case. It was the same kind of boot with which the
prison society provides discharged prisoners, so that they shall not be
entirely shoeless when they come out of prison.
One of the thieves must be a discharged prisoner, I went on reasoning.
The boots are quite new; he must, therefore, have been just lately
released,--in all probability yesterday morning. The burglary must have
been planned and the necessary watch on the house undertaken by a
confederate who, of course, must have been at large for some time
previous.
Ten minutes later I stood in the anteroom to my office at the police
station. It was not yet morning. The official on duty sat and dozed
over the stove.
"Find out from the ledger, if any of our burglars have been discharged
from jail in the course of the last two or three days," I asked.
It is, unfortunately, a fact, that a large majority of crime is
committed by prisoners who have just been let out of jail, and we
therefore carefully keep a register of those who are let loose.
In the meanwhile, I went into the guardroom and ordered two constables
to follow me.
"Black John, the Throndhjemer, as you perhaps remember, sir, was
discharged yesterday morning; I don't see any others.
"That's all right! find out where he hangs about when he is out."
"I know him well, sir. He generally puts up at 'Fat Bertha's,' she who
has the coffee-house and lodgings for travellers up by Vaalerengen. But
he often frequents the sheds in the brick fields and round about there."
I always had a trap in readiness at the police station, and in a quarter
of an hour I, and two officers in plain clothes, stopped at a suitable
distance from Fat Bertha's lodging-house.
Black John was not there, however, and we began to search among the
brick ovens.
Daylight was just breaking when we came to the second oven, and the
workmen were arriving with their tin cans in hand. Two men crept out on
the other side and began to run across a ploughed field which adjoined
one of the sheds.
We set off after them; but it seemed as if they had got too much of a
start, and were likely to get away from us in the morning mist.
Suddenly one of them began to drop behind, and we soon had him between
us. We let the other one get away for the time being.
The fellow we had got hold of swore and cursed, but otherwise made no
resistance.
"If it hadn't been for that sore foot of mine, the police wouldn't have
got me this time," he bawled.
We followed the direction of his look, and saw how his left foot had
forced its way through the shoe, which was dragging about his ankle.
Black John's volubility did not deceive me. I kept a sharp eye on all
his movements. While he, with a kind of raw good nature, joked with the
constables, he slowly passed one hand behind him, and with a deft
movement threw a small parcel some ten or twelve paces behind him.
"You had better leave tricks of that sort alone, Black John," I said in
a friendly tone, stepping back and picking up a dirty little packet
wrapped in a greasy piece of _The Morning Post_.
Inside three or four wrappers of the same sort I found the strangest
object I had ever seen.
It was a large black diamond, of a flattened oval shape, tapering at the
ends. It was set in a broad gold rim of the same form as the stone,
and, to make its likeness to a tortoise more complete, a head was
introduced, together with a little stumpy tail, and four knobs
underneath, to represent feet,--all of gold. In the head shone two
green precious stones for eyes.
"Oh, no; it won't be of much use to me, I can see," said Black John,
resignedly. "I suppose I am in for another year or two."
He exhibited a subtle humour, while he tramped along to the town between
the two policemen. The effects of just-from-prison libations did not
seem quite to have left him.
"Ours is a hard sort of a profession, sir," he continued confidentially.
"I think it's just as well to be a convict all one's life. Then one
wouldn't get such frights at night. Such a one as I had last night!"
"Were you frightened, then, last night, in the Drammen Road?" I asked
sympathetically.
"Frightened, indeed! What would you say, sir, if you were busy rooting
about in a house at night, when you thought all was quiet and still, and
an old ourang-outang in a shirt were suddenly to appear before you with
a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other, firing away at you till
the bullets whistled about your ears?"
In this kind of jocular strain he talked until we reached the town,
where we parted.
* * * * *
It was half-past twelve, and the sun was shining brightly when I again
rang the bell at old Frick's in the Drammen Road.
I had slept a few hours, handed in my report to the superintendent, and
now I wanted to have the pleasure of giving old Frick his diamond back
again.
I had taken a little more trouble than usual about my toilet; you can
guess the reason why.
I was very pleased to find Miss Frick alone when I was ushered into the
sitting-room. I thus had an opportunity of exchanging a few words with
her; for when old Frick came in I knew only too well who would take up
all the conversation.
She received me in a friendly manner, and when, without further ado, I
showed her the diamond, she clapped her hands in joyful surprise.
"How glad uncle will be! When he once gets it back again he will look
upon last night's affair as an exceedingly pleasant diversion. May I
take it to him?"
"Yes, of course!"
"It was I who advised him to telephone to you in the night, Mr. Monk,
and to-day I also assured him that you would be certain to find his
tortoise again."
"It is a great pleasure, Miss Frick, to find you have such confidence in
inc. May I ask how you got to know of my name?"
The young girl blushed a little. "We have often read about you in the
papers, and Einar tells me there isn't a case which you cannot clear
up."
"I must thank your brother for his flattering opinion, and I am indebted
to the burglars of last night for giving me this opportunity of making
your acquaintance and the acquaintance with your family."
"But you must excuse me a moment, Mr. Monk. I must hurry away and find
uncle and give him the diamond. I haven't even told him you are here!"
She ran out of the room, and I looked after her, enraptured. She was
even prettier by daylight than by lamplight. Light, reddish-golden
hair, blue eyes, a straight nose, and a beautiful shapely mouth, yet not
of the smallest. As for her figure, it was that of a veritable Diana as
she vanished from the room.
I stood looking out of the window, when the door opened.
I turned round hastily, and at first I thought it was Miss Frick who had
come back again. But the next moment I discovered that it was a young
girl whom I had not seen before, who stood hesitating on the threshold.
She was also tall, fair, and slight, and with something of the same
grace in her movements. Indeed, both in her movements and carriage she
was wonderfully like Miss Frick. Nor was her face and especially the
shape of her head unlike Miss Frick's, but her hair was much redder, her
lips thinner, and her mouth more sharply moulded. Her eyes were
certainly blue and pretty, but they wore a colder expression.
I thought at first it was Miss Frick's sister, but a glance at the
small, coquettish, servant-maid's cap told me she held a different
position in the house.
With an excuse she hurriedly left the room; she had thought Miss Frick
was there.
Scarcely had she shut the door after her before Miss Frick again
appeared, and as she saw perhaps that I looked a bit puzzled, she gave a
low laugh and said:--
"You have seen my double, I suppose? She didn't know any one was here.
All strangers are astonished at the likeness between Evelina and me. She
is my lady's-maid."
"The likeness does not strike me as being so great," I answered; "do you
think so yourself? I should never make such a mistake as taking her for
you."
"Oh yes, indeed!" she replied; "at first it was almost unpleasant to me.
Her father was, in his line, a well-to-do artisan, but things went badly
with him, and he took to drink. The mother is not a very desirable
person either, and so my uncle, who had known them many years, proposed
that I should take the daughter as my maid."
It was a pleasure to me to talk with this pretty young girl. She was
more natural and free from any affectation than any young woman I had
met. It was easy to see she had plenty of common sense, and was well
educated.
Mr. Frick did not tarry long. He came waddling in, clad in a
large-checked, English pea-jacket, his full-blown face beaming like the
sun. He was not satisfied this time with shaking one of my hands, but
seized both in his gigantic paws. His praise of my skill was quite
overwhelming and it was only by the greatest effort that I got him to
change the subject.
After that followed an invitation to dinner at "Villa Ballarat," as he
called the house. He would like to have a full description of how I had
managed to discover the thieves.
This invitation clashed with my engagements that day, and I should have
felt almost duty bound to refuse it, had I not happened to look at Miss
Frick.
It appeared to me as if I could read something in her face which spoke
of anxious expectation, and--I accepted the invitation.
The dinner went off very well. Old Frick told us how he had first
become possessed of the tortoise; that, however, I will return to later.
Happily there was another person present who could listen to old Frick,
while I had a much more interesting conversation with Miss Frick.
Young Einar, who seemed a fine young fellow, and whose occupation it was
to keep his uncle's books and accounts, alone emptied a bottle of
Pleidsieck monopole, and then stole away immediately after dinner with a
good supply of his uncle's Havana cigars, to have a game of billiards at
the Grand Hotel.
Before I left Villa Ballarat, I had another talk with old Frick, of a
more serious nature. I represented to him how wrong it was to let so
many costly articles as those he had gathered together, lie unprotected
against thieves and burglars.
"You have seen yourself, Mr. Frick," I said, "how you tempt people to
become housebreakers."
Old Frick showed himself for once amenable to advice.
"Come and see me to-morrow," he said; "I should like to have your
opinion as to how I ought to arrange my things. The house here is
becoming too small for me; I expect a guest in a few days. What do you
say to my building a pavilion out in the garden, and arranging it
specially as a museum or as a place of custody for all my curiosities?
If I built the pavilion expressly for this purpose, I ought to be able
to make it sufficiently proof against thieves. I could use iron safes,
iron bars before the windows, electric-alarm apparatus, and suchlike.
So long as I am well and able to move about, I can look after my
things,--as you have seen I did last night; but when I get older, it
will be more difficult. One cannot depend upon the young people in the
house."
By sufficiently encouraging this plan of his, I got him to start the
work, and within a month old Frick had a building constructed in the
garden, about forty yards from the house. A building which should serve
as a depository for all his collection, and at the same time give space
for his office, and containing a fire-proof room for money and important
documents.
This building will, later on, play a part in my story, and I shall
therefore give a short description of it.
It was built nearly square, and divided into two. The whole of the one
half was fitted up to receive Frick's collection. It formed a large
room with no windows, but was lighted from above. Over the skylights
were placed strong gilt iron bars to prevent entrance from above.
The heavy iron shutters, which, being painted white and lacquered,
looked like innocent wooden boards, could be pulled down in front of the
cases when the museum was closed.
These iron shutters were so well balanced with hidden counter weights
that the weakest child could move them up or down. They could be locked
with strong safety locks, of which Bartholomew Frick alone had the keys.
The other half of the house was partitioned into two, forming a larger
and a smaller room. The larger did duty as Mr. Frick's office, and
there his nephew took up his residence in the morning among the heap of
business books. The smaller room, which, on account of the many feet
thick, brick walls, gave very little inside space, served as a
fire-proof room for money and documents.
This room had no windows, and only one very solid, double iron door,
which led into the before-mentioned room used as the museum.
It had been made according to my suggestion; for I reasoned thus: The
office is, as a matter of course, the least-protected room in the
building. It has windows, and necessarily a good many strangers will be
going in and out there. The safest thing is to let the one door to the
fire-proof room, where Frick likes to keep a large sum of ready money,
lead out into the museum. It is only frequented by the people of the
house and guests, and at night it is more secure against burglary than
the office.
All round the garden there was an iron railing, twice as high as a man,
and people who were going to the house had to ring a bell at the iron
gate.
At that time, when I made old Frick's acquaintance, he had invested a
great deal of his money in various enterprises, mostly industrial
undertakings, and especially such as would bring new trade and industry
to the country.
He himself took no part in the management of these undertakings, and the
work in his office was not more than could be managed by himself and his
nephew.
It was not long before I was a regular and, as far as I could perceive,
a welcome guest at the villa; indeed, all through the winter there was
scarcely a day when I did not visit there.
Old Frick was never tired of asking me about news from the police
courts; but I soon realized that it was not so much my stories that
interested him, as the fact that for each of my stories, which I tried
to make as short as possible, he found opportunity to treat us to two or
three of his own, which always took a long time.
He was, however, an admirable story-teller, and we often sat by the hour
together, listening to him with the greatest interest.
Generally the party was limited to old Frick, Sigrid, and myself. Einar
was a gay young fellow, who spent a good deal of his time and his money
with his companions, and he gave us but little of his society. Thus the
three of us spent many pleasant evenings together.
*CHAPTER III*
*MR. REGINALD HOWELL*
Here was my first letter from Miss Frick:--
DEAR MR. MONK,--My uncle wants you to come and dine with us to-morrow at
five o'clock. He is expecting an Englishman to-day, a son of one of his
old Australian comrades, and would like you to make his acquaintance.
Yours, SIGRID FRICK.
It was not a love letter, not even a friendly epistle, but quite the
most conventional piece of writing one could receive; and yet it caused
me great happiness when this note arrived, in the fine bold handwriting
I got to know so well.
It was on a Saturday, a few days before Christmas. From the first day I
had seen Sigrid Frick, until now, I had employed the time in falling in
love as deplorably as ever a man can do, and I could see that my
attentions were not displeasing to her. And so, as a matter of course,
I accepted the invitation for dinner next day.
On my arrival at Villa Ballarat, I found old Frick beaming with delight.
"Here he is, Monk; here he is!--Reginald Howell, son of my old friend
Howell, who was the best man and the most faithful friend in the whole
world. I don't think my old friend, even when he was young, had such a
fine appearance as his son, here; but his heart was as true as gold, and
he was as reliable as a rock."
It would have been difficult for old Frick to get away from his
reminiscences of old Howell, but luckily his niece recalled him to the
present by intimating that he ought to introduce me to the young
Englishman before he indulged in them further.
He was a tall, handsome young fellow, about my own age, and of the dark
English type. His manners were easy and unaffected, as is usual with
Englishmen of good birth.
There was nothing particularly attractive about his face, although he
had fine eyes, somewhat dark, almost black, in fact, but without the
fire in them that usually accompanies eyes of that colour. His manners
were rather insinuating, though not at all unpleasant.
I gradually learned to like him fairly well.
At first, it happened that he threw many a tender glance at Miss Frick,
and on that account I felt not a little inclined to quarrel with him.
But as this was only a repetition of what had happened in the past two
months with half a dozen other young men who visited Villa Ballarat, I
was sensible enough to allow these feelings to have only a momentary
hold upon me.
He soon kept his eyes to himself, probably because he saw "how the land
lay," as the sailors have it.
One thing which, in a great measure, spoke in the young Englishman's
favour, was his apparent modesty.
When his father died the year before,--he had until then lived in
Australia,--the son decided to go to Europe, and he took his passage on
a sailing ship. But the vessel had caught fire in the open sea, and the
passengers and crew had had to take to the boats. Only one of the boats
had reached land--the one in which Reginald Howell and eight others had
saved themselves. But the boat foundered on a coral reef, and Mr.
Howell at last found himself, the only survivor, on a little island. The
natives were friendly to him, and after two months' stay there, he
sighted a ship which brought him to England.
People seldom refuse to relate interesting stories when they concern
themselves; but it was only after repeated appeals from old Frick that
Mr. Howell was at last induced to give a very sober and curtailed
description of his adventurous voyage.
It was easy to understand that he must have behaved very coolly and
bravely under such terrible circumstances, and that it was only due to
his presence of mind and courage that he was able to save himself, yet
he seldom spoke of himself, and then always in the most modest manner
possible.
In short, he had the habit, owing either to the way in which he had been
brought up, or by nature, seldom or never of speaking about himself,--a
habit which never fails to make a favourable impression.
When the young man came to England, he of course gave the authorities an
exact account of the wreck of the _Queen of the East_, and the fate of
the crew. The account had been published in several of the English
papers, and he laughingly proffered to show us some of these papers if
we found his verbal account not exhaustive enough.
Mr. Howell had come to Norway at the express invitation of old Frick,
who, when he had heard of his old friend's death, had written and asked
the son to visit him in Norway. The young man had received Frick's
letter just when he was on the point of sailing from Australia--he had
already arranged previously to visit Europe--and had notified his
departure by telegraph.
"You did right, Reginald, in coming as quickly as possible to your
father's old friend. I suppose you intend to spend the winter with us.
You can learn to go on 'ski' here; a fine sport, I can tell you. You
must live with us. I have had two rooms made ready for you here in
Villa Ballarat."
Mr. Howell said he thought he would avail himself of the invitation for
one or two months; he was a keen sportsman, and had long ago made up his
mind to have a look at, and a try at, ski-running.
"That's right," cried old Frick, clinking his champagne glass against
that of the Englishman. "The whole house and all that I possess is at
the disposal of my old friend's son. After dinner you shall hear what I
owe him. I don't suppose I need offer to assist you with any money, for
in his last letter to me your father wrote that he would leave you
everything he possessed, for your mother died when you were a little
boy, and you were the only child. Your father was not so very rich, but
I think he wrote something about L1200 a year."
"Yes, thereabouts," replied the young man, good-naturedly, and smiling
at the kind old man's loquacity; "and that is more than enough for me."
"Then perhaps I had better strike out your name from my will; it has,
until now, been standing beside those of Sigrid and Einar."
We all laughed heartily and rose from the table.
When we were drinking our coffee, and had lighted our cigars, old Frick
began the story of his friendship with Howell the elder, and the
adventures which had bound these two so closely together.
To tell the truth, I tried my best to slip away, hoping for a chat alone
with Sigrid; but that couldn't be managed, and after having heard old
Frick's story, I must confess that only a man in love could dream of
anything more interesting than his account of it.
I should like to give it in all its detail, and in old Frick's words,
but I cannot, and I must restrict myself to giving you the main points
in his story.
Bartholomew Frick had left Norway and run away to sea in 1830; his
desire for adventure and his dislike for the schoolroom had driven him
to this.
For many years he roamed about in the great East, in India, South
Africa, and Australia, sometimes as a sailor, and sometimes as a hunter
and adventurer on shore.
Then, at the end of the forties, he found himself in Australia when the
gold fever was just beginning to rage. Soon after, a party of three
people started for Melbourne to proceed to the gold districts. One was
Frick, who was the eldest of them, and two Englishmen, Howell and Davis.
The acquaintanceship of these three men--they were adventurers, but all
of good family--was not of long standing; but it developed, in the
course of the following year, into strong friendship and most faithful
comradeship.
They led the usual life of gold diggers for many years, and sometimes,
when they were lucky, they would go off to Melbourne and spend their
money in a few days' time.
Having gone through many ups and downs in the course of seven years,
they at last came across a rich find of gold, and realized a fortune in
a couple of months.
The partnership was then dissolved. Howell, who was the quietest and
most level-headed of them, bought a large piece of land and took to
sheep farming. In this way he was able to preserve his fortune and even
to add to it, although he had not been one of the most fortunate.
On the other hand, Frick and Davis did not think they had enough. The
money they had made enabled them to carry out a plan which Frick had
thought of, and which for a long time they had been anxious to carry
out.
In the middle of the thirties Frick, when quite a young man, had been in
South Africa. He then followed the settlers who trekked to the north
across the Orange River, and who had joined in raids across the river
Vaal, and still farther to the north.
When on these expeditions Frick himself had found diamonds, and had
heard wonderful stories from the natives of the great quantities of
these stones which were to be found in caverns of a peculiar formation,
reminding one more of deserted mines than anything else.
Frick had obtained the report through a source which did not admit of
doubt that there was at least some truth in it; and the location given
with regard to the place seemed to be efficient. But he could not then
get any companions to form an expedition, as the supposed place lay far
away in the desert, blocked by wild and hostile negro tribes. Nor had he
at that time the means to fit out an expedition by himself, and he was
therefore obliged to give up all thoughts of it. These were the
diamonds in search of which Frick and Davis decided to go.
"Davis seemed to me to be just the right sort of a man," remarked old
Frick, when he had gone thus far in his narrative; "he was at least
double as greedy about finding the diamonds as I."
Now that they were able, the two companions journeyed at once to the
Cape, bought themselves an excellent outfit, and hired people sufficient
for a large expedition.
The money which they did not spend on the outfit they sent to the bank
in London.
It was Davis who managed all that; he was the most businesslike of the
two.
This expedition got as far as the Vaal, but did not return, and this is
how it happened.
When they had got so far that, according to Frick's and Davis's
calculations, they should be only a day's journey from the diamond
caves, they let the natives, with the ox wagons, camp, while they
themselves continued their journey alone.
They were lucky enough to find what Frick maintained must have been
Solomon's deserted mines, and they filled a whole sack with diamonds.
But when they reached the camp they found it had been plundered, and all
the members of the expedition killed by a hostile negro tribe.
Frick and Davis were also captured after a hard struggle.
In the night Davis, who was uninjured, succeeded in escaping, but Frick,
who had received an arrow in his thigh, could not follow him.
Davis, with Frick's consent, took with him the bag of diamonds, and
promised immediately on reaching civilization to prepare a new
expedition for the release of Frick.
In the meantime, the blacks dragged him with them farther and farther
inland, where it was impossible for him to think of flight, and so he
lived with them for three years.
At last a gang of European pioneers turned up far in the interior of the
dark continent where the tribe lived, and before the blacks had thought
of keeping guard on Frick, he had joined the whites and followed them to
their own settlements.
In all probability the blacks had, after such a long time, come to look
upon Frick as one of themselves.
When Frick reached civilization the first thing he did was to ask after
his friend Davis.
Yes, he had returned safely to the Cape Colony, but had not mentioned a
word about any relief expedition for Frick. On the contrary, he had
given out that Frick was dead, and had gone straight to England. He had
mentioned that he had some diamonds with him, but he had not shown them
to any one.
Frick was not very well pleased with this information, as you can
imagine. He still had a few small diamonds with him, which he had found
during his stay among the blacks. These he sold for a couple of hundred
pounds, and set out for England to find Davis.
Here he discovered that the latter had drawn all the money out of the
bank, had sold all the diamonds, and having bought a large country
estate, was now living, a landed proprietor, in Yorkshire. Frick set off
to visit Davis at his country house, but was not even allowed to enter.
Davis refused to deliver up any part whatsoever of the money that had
been deposited in the bank, or any of that which he had received from
the sale of the diamonds.
When Frick became furious and tried to force his way in to the
scoundrel, he was turned away by the servants.
Frick then applied to the police, but they advised him to take legal
proceedings. He would have to engage a lawyer in order to proceed
against his old comrade.
It was not a difficult matter to find a lawyer, or even lawyers, but
none of them would take up the case unless Frick would guarantee them
their fees and expenses first. Davis was rich and powerful, and would
naturally use all the weapons with which the English law so lavishly
favours those who have few scruples and plenty of money.
Frick raged awhile like a lion in a cage, but happily he pulled himself
together and shipped to Australia before he had become quite "mad from
anger," as he expressed it himself.
In Australia he was well received by the third member of the late
partnership, and when Howell got to learn of the story, he became just
as furious over Davis's rascality as Frick himself. It was, however, an
unfortunate period with Howell. His farm had just been visited by a
huge flood, and the larger part of his flock of sheep had been drowned.
But Howell did not give in. He would not hear of Frick's remonstrances,
but raised, with much difficulty, a loan of L5000 on his property. This
money he forced upon Frick, and when the latter saw that his friend
would not listen to reason, he no longer hesitated, but went back to
England with the money.
There was now no difficulty in getting the affair taken up. A clever
lawyer was engaged, and the case against Davis was carried on with all
possible despatch.
Frick himself thought he should never succeed in bringing him to bay.
Davis had understood how to make use of the time to guard himself well,
and had employed all means to delay the case.
Frick's L5000 was fast disappearing, when his lawyer was fortunate
enough to discover some dark doings in Davis's life before the time when
Frick had learnt to know him.
These doings were of such a character that Davis, who in the meantime
had been elected M.P. for his county, had to, at any price, prevent them
being made public. He was therefore obliged to agree to a compromise,
and to pay Frick half of what he was worth, which, after all, was only
what was Frick's due.
"In the end, I got such a good hold of the rascal," continued old Frick,
"that he not only offered to pay all I asked for, but he even wrote me a
humble letter, and begged me, for God's sake, not to make the affair
public. 'It would completely ruin him,' he wrote.
"As Davis had invested all the cash in his estate, it was difficult to
get ready money. But the affair was at last settled, and I have not
told the story to any one. I did not give any promise to this effect,
but it's just as well that you, who have now heard it, also keep it
quiet. If it can help the scoundrel to repent of his sins in peace and
comfort for the rest of his days, it is no doubt the best.
"It was not possible to get your father, Mr. Reginald, to accept
anything more than the L5000 he had lent me, although I was now much
richer than he. No, he was as proud as Lucifer, just as proud as he was
faithful."
With the exception of Mr. Howell, we had all listened with the greatest
interest to old Frick's long story. In spite of Mr. Howell's good
manners, his impatience had several times been noticeable, even to the
story-teller himself.
The latter remarked: "Yes, you have, of course, heard the story several
times before from your father, Reginald; so for your sake it was hardly
necessary to tell it. But I am anxious that those who stand nearest to
me in the world should know what a friend your father was to me."
Mr. Howell smiled, somewhat embarrassed; "Yes, of course, I have heard
the story from my father two or three times. But you can understand he
did not lay so much stress upon the help he gave you. It was no more,
he said, than a man's duty to a friend; and that's what I think also."
"He is his father's son!" exclaimed old Frick, and was not satisfied
until he had seized the Englishman's hand and shaken it vigorously,
although the latter modestly tried to avoid it.
"Did you ever hear anything later about Davis?" he asked after a pause.
"No, not much!" answered old Frick. "He was already married when I took
proceedings against him, but I don't think it was a very happy marriage;
his wife took care to see that a good deal of the punishment he so well
deserved was carried out. Later on, I also heard that he had much
trouble in managing his large property, after he had been obliged to
take out so much capital. Ah, well, that's his own lookout; we have,
thank God, something else to talk about than that scoundrel. One thing,
however, I forgot to mention, is, that when Davis was forced to pay me
back half the money, I took the black diamond in its present setting,
the one we call 'the tortoise.' I took that over for L2000, which would
be about its value in its uncut condition. We found it, just as it is,
up in Solomon's mines. It was the only one of the diamonds that Davis
had not sold."
*CHAPTER IV*
*THE BLACK TORTOISE AGAIN*
I have little to relate about the months which followed after that
Sunday at Mr. Frick's.
Young Mr. Howell still lived in the house; he took a fancy to "ski"
sport, and learnt it in a surprisingly short time.
He accepted Frick's pressing invitation to remain in Christiania till
the summer, when he intended visiting Finland and Spitsbergen.
Einar Frick and Reginald Howell became good friends, in spite of the
difference in age, much to the satisfaction of old Frick. They were
always together, and I fancy old Frick was not very strict during this
time with regard to his nephew's office hours.
A detective, however, incidentally gets to know a good many things, and
I soon discovered that the two young men did not always pursue the most
innocent pleasures. Even in Christiania, there are always to be found
at least a dozen young good-for-nothings, who have plenty of money and
nothing to do. Einar and Mr. Reginald became regular visitors in this
circle, where later it became the fashion to gamble, and not for very
low stakes, either.
I became uneasy about this, and one day I spoke to Einar and gave him a
serious warning.
By the young man's blushing and frank confession, I saw that he had not
as yet entirely fallen a victim to evil influence. Besides, he added
that he had latterly had more pocket money from his uncle, and didn't
play higher than he could afford. Mr. Howell had several times prevented
him from playing for high stakes. He also promised to withdraw
altogether from the gambling circle, which Mr. Howell had said he also
was inclined to do.
This reassured me, and on the whole I must confess that Mr. Howell's
behaviour was in every respect that of a gentleman. That I, in spite of
this, entertained a shadow of antipathy or suspicion about him, is one
of those things which cannot be explained.
One thing I cannot pass over in my story: one fine day, when I summoned
up courage and put the all-important question to Miss Frick, I received
as satisfactory an answer as any man could wish.
She desired that we should, for a time, keep our engagement secret, for
she shrunk from telling her uncle, who would scarcely take the prospect
of losing her with composure. Old Frick was remarkably fond of his
brother's children. The old man had lived his life for many years
without having felt the sunshine of tenderness other than that of
comradeship; now he seemed to be making up for it in the fond relations
between him and the two young people who were tied to him by the ties of
blood as well as by those of gratitude.
I have, all the same, a suspicion that the old fox had an idea of what
had passed between Sigrid and me; and at the same time, I also think
that I had been fortunate enough to win his respect, so that if he were
to lose his niece, he would rather have given her to me than to any one
else.
* * * * *
It was the tenth of May, and a beautiful day; the spring had come
unusually early that year, and the trees were already covered with
leaves.
My work was finished. It had been a long and troublesome day, and I was
just standing in my room, wondering if, as a reward, I should give
myself an evening off and spend it at Villa Ballarat. I had not had time
to visit Sigrid for several days.
Just then I heard the telephone bell.
"Hello! is that you, Monk?"
It was old Frick's voice; I knew it well; it was the same voice that,
eight months ago, had asked me for the first time to come to Villa
Ballarat.
"Yes, it is I."
"Can you come out here at once? Something has happened!"
"I shall be with you in ten minutes."
At St. Olaf's Place I took a carriage; I didn't want to lose a minute.
An uncomfortable feeling possessed me that some misfortune was pending,
or had already occurred. I do not know if one can really have a
presentiment without some material cause; in this case the feeling had
sufficient ground by old Frick's abrupt message.
At the outer gate stood Frick himself, holding it open for me. He
locked the gate carefully after us, stuck the key in his pocket, and
then said, as he stopped in front of me, with his hands in his
pockets:--
"The black tortoise is gone again!"
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone! Stolen, I say," and he raised his voice.
I asked him not to speak so loudly and to explain the matter. It was a
relief for me to hear that it was nothing worse. Little did I suspect
that anything worse could have happened.
"There is no one about who can hear us," said Frick. "It is as I say;
the black tortoise has been stolen again, and within the last few hours.
Since five o'clock."
I looked at my watch; it was exactly twenty-five minutes to eight.
"How can you be sure it happened after five o'clock? Didn't the black
tortoise lie in the case with the iron shutters, in the museum?"
"Yes, of course; but now you shall hear. Old Jurgens, the lawyer, you
know him, of course? He who has that collection of curios, the old
idiot! Well, he dined with us, and afterward we drank our coffee out in
the museum, as we often do. At five o'clock Jurgens left, and we all
went over to the house. For some reason, as I shall presently explain,
I forgot to lock the door of the museum and cupboard. In about half an
hour's time I suddenly remembered this. I then had a look into the
cupboards before I locked them, and so discovered that the tortoise was
gone."
"Are you sure it was there at five o'clock?"
"Yes; we had been looking at it just before we all left the museum; I
was the last who went out, and I had put it in its place before I left."
"Have you told any one that the tortoise is gone?"
"No; the first thing I did when I was sure of what had happened was to
telephone to you; since then I have watched and seen that no one has
gone in or out of the gate."
A long life rich in changes and events had taught this old man
expediency and presence of mind.
He had done just the right thing, and his information and answers were
clearer than nine-tenths of those which detectives are accustomed to get
under similar conditions.
"Is Miss Sigrid, or your nephew, at home?"
"No, Einar went to Hamburg on business for me the day before yesterday;
he will be there about a week, and Sigrid went for a walk about half an
hour ago. It was while accompanying her to the gate that I came to
remember the door of the museum wasn't locked."
"Haven't you missed anything else in the museum but the tortoise?"
"Not so far as I can see; in any case, there are still a number of small
and costly articles which would be much easier to turn into ready money
than the tortoise. It could not have been any ordinary thief, or if so,
it must have been an unusually stupid one!"
"Has the black tortoise any special value to you or to any one else
apart from the worth of the gold and the stone?"
"No, that I can gladly swear! You mean, I suppose, is there anything
about this diamond, as one reads of in the English detective stories,
where black and yellow people sneak about with daggers in their belts
and vengeance in their eyes! No! there is nothing of that kind in this
case. We found it in the cavern, as I told you, together with all the
other diamonds. Man had not set foot there for thousands of years; and
the negroes who live thereabouts do not care a fig for diamonds. For
that reason they let Davis keep the bag, which he took with him when he
escaped in the night. It is only when negroes have learned to know the
blessing of civilization that they get a taste for diamonds."
"One thing must be done," I said, "while it is yet light. Will you take
care that no one passes in or out through the gate, while I meanwhile
find out if any one has got into the garden over the railing?"
As already mentioned, the whole of Frick's property, which was about
three or four acres and laid out in a garden, was closed in by a high
iron railing.
The distance between the rails was so little that even a child could not
squeeze himself through. It was not altogether improbable, though
difficult enough, that a daring and agile man might have climbed over
the railings, notwithstanding the spikes.
It was, however, easy to find out if any one had got over in that way.
It had lately rained a good deal, and the ground on either side of the
railing was soft. Any footstep would therefore leave a trace,
especially on the outer side, where there was a newly ploughed field.
I went all round the garden; no one had come that way.
Old Frick was patrolling to and fro at the gate, when I returned.
"Nobody has got over the fence to-day," said I.
"No," he answered thoughtfully; "that has been my belief the whole time.
I fear that we must have thieves in the house,--but here comes Sigrid!"
He was quite right, for there was the dear girl walking at a rapid pace
toward the gate.
A warm blush overspread her face when she saw me, but it disappeared
quickly, and I noticed she looked very pale and fatigued.
We opened the gate for her, and I gave a sign, to Frick that I wished
first to speak with her.
I went up to her, took her hand, and whispered some words which had
nothing to do with the theft. Then, as we came nearer her uncle, I
remarked aloud and as carelessly as possible:--
"Your uncle cannot find the black tortoise; he thinks he must have
mislaid it in some place or another."
I said this purposely to arouse her attention, in case the diamond
really had been mislaid. I was afraid that if I mentioned at once that
it might have been stolen, she would have become too excited to think
quietly over the matter.
"But, dear me, isn't it in the cupboard? I myself saw you put it in its
place before we followed Mr. Jurgens through the garden."
I could not help noticing that Sigrid spoke in a very absent-minded
manner; she looked fagged out, like a person who had gone through some
physical or mental exertion.
We told her not to mention anything for the present to the servants
about the disappearance of the diamond, and then she left us and went
into the house. It struck me as remarkable that the affair should
interest her so little.
The next thing I did was to telephone to the police station, and order
two of my men to come out immediately to Villa Ballarat. I then asked
old Frick to take a walk with me in the garden until they arrived; in
this way we could see that nobody went in or out of the house without
our knowledge.
"Where is Mr. Howell?" I asked. I suddenly began to wonder why I had
not seen or heard anything of this gentleman.
"Oh, he went by rail to Osterdalen this afternoon. He was invited by a
man called Varingson, I think, who owns large forests up there. They
are going to shoot capercailzie; it is only four days, I think he said,
before close time begins."
"What time in the afternoon did he go?"
"He had sent his luggage down to the station before mid-day; but the
train was not going before six or seven. We can hear from Iverson when
he left. Besides, you know, everybody goes and comes as they like in
this house."
Iverson was Frick's trusted man; he was formerly a sergeant in the army,
an unusually trustworthy and clever fellow, whom Frick had taken into
his service at my recommendation. He was generally known as the
gardener, but he took his turn as gatekeeper, and with the coachman he
kept the yard in order; was joiner, smith, and many other things, and
received from old Frick a very liberal salary. Both he and the coachman
were unmarried; they lived in quite a small lodge near the gate, but had
their meals up at the house.
In the meantime my two men arrived at the gate, and I gave them my
instructions. One of them was to keep watch outside the villa and
arrange that he should be relieved, so that the house and garden should
not be unwatched. If the diamond was still within the iron railings,
the thief would at once try to get it out of the house.
The other constable got orders to instruct pawnbrokers and all others to
whom the diamond might be offered that, should this occur, they must
inform the police without loss of time, and that the person bringing it
must be followed and watched.
At supper I received a long detailed account from old Frick and Sigrid
of all that occurred in the house that day. Their statement as to time,
etc., corroborated exactly. Sigrid had, however, a bad headache, and
looked very poorly. Both Frick and I advised her to go to bed, which
she did, soon after.
Then I had a conference with Iverson. The coachman was away for the
day.
Lastly, I had a talk with the housemaid and cook. Sigrid's maid,
Evelina, had been away that afternoon to visit her mother. She had,
however, been at Villa Ballarat about six o'clock, but had gone out
again immediately, and not yet returned.
What results or conjectures I arrived at after all these investigations,
I shall later on return to; for the present, I can only add they were
not very satisfying; I began to be afraid that this affair would cause
me more trouble and worry than any other business of the kind had
hitherto done.
Before I parted from old Frick I got him to write an official
notification of the robbery to the police; without this I could not take
up the case in earnest.
*CHAPTER V*
*AT THE POLICE STATION*
The next morning at eleven o'clock I stood in the police
superintendent's office; he had told me to be there at that hour.
I had, for some weeks, figured as chief of the detective department,
during my superior's holiday. The latter was applying for a position in
another department, and I had had the chief superintendent's assurance
that I would be appointed in his place. "I have already spoken to the
Minister of the Interior about it, and you can consider the matter as
good as settled," were the words with which my superior officer, some
days before, had concluded a conversation which had given me great
satisfaction. It was soon after I had been fortunate enough in clearing
up the celebrated Bjornernd case, and in getting the murderer arrested.
My chief had always been very friendly to me, and treated me, especially
of late, almost as a comrade; that is to say, as far as his
old-fashioned dignified and solemn manners would allow of it.
He shook me by the hand as soon as I came in, and said:--
"Good morning, take a seat." He beckoned to a constable, standing
stiffly in a corner, who then pushed a large armchair toward me. "You
can go into the anteroom for the present, Strukstad; I have something to
talk over with Mr. Monk.
"You are a lucky fellow, Monk, to have got another interesting affair in
hand. I mean the diamond robbery at old Frick's, in Drammen Road. If I
know you rightly, you have already made up your mind about the case.
From what I have heard you are a friend of the family. Indeed, if I am
not very much mistaken, it is not only the diamond which attracts you to
the house."
I must confess I was much surprised that my chief should know a secret
which I, like all other people in love, believed to be well guarded.
Naturally, I did not enter upon that part of the story, neither did my
superior seem to expect it; but I began, as shortly and briefly as
possible, to explain to him a little about the state of affairs in the
house, and among the occupants.
I afterward gave him an account of the previous day's events.
"As you may know, sir, there was a guest at the house yesterday to
dinner. It was old Jurgens, the lawyer; you know him, his collection
and his mania for collecting! I have heard that his relations are
trying to prove that he is incapable of looking after his own affairs.
He is getting imbecile from old age, and is squandering his large
fortune by buying up all the world's curios.
"But he is still sharp enough not to let any one pawn off any trash upon
him; but if there is an object of real value, one way or another, then
he will pay the largest sums without blinking.
"He dined with old Frick. He came, of course, only to see his
collection, and he nearly worried the life out of Frick with his
importunate requests to be allowed to buy this and that.
"The party at dinner consisted of Jurgens, Frick, Miss Frick, and Mr.
Howell. Young Frick had gone away two days before. There were in the
house, besides, the cook, the housemaid, and the gardener. The coachman
was on a visit to his family at Moss. I have already telephoned to the
police there and ascertained that he reached there in the morning and
left by the evening train at eight o'clock.
"Miss Frick's maid, Evelina, was also away during the afternoon; she had
got permission to go home to her mother, who was ill.
"After dinner they all went into the museum, as the people of the house
call the building which I told you about some time ago,--the one which
Mr. Frick, upon my advice, had erected out in the garden between the
main building and the Drammen Road.
"When they have guests at Villa Ballarat, it is often the custom to
serve the coffee in the museum, especially when the guests wish to see
the curiosities.
"Jurgens, the lawyer, had then for the twentieth time asked to see the
black tortoise, and was persistently pressing Frick to sell it him.
"'I will pay L500 cash for it!' shouted the old man.
"'In the first place it is worth four times as much, my dear Jurgens,'
old Frick had replied, 'and besides, I wouldn't sell it at any price.'
"Jurgens then had to relinquish all hopes of obtaining the diamond; but
he continued asking to be allowed to buy some of the other curiosities.
He was especially struck with a little elephant carved in ivory with a
clock in its forehead. The clock-works lie in the animal's body, and
the trunk acts as the pendulum. The swinging backward and forward of
the trunk has a most comical effect.
"He had no better success with the elephant than he had had with the
tortoise; and it was rather a relief to the family when the tiresome old
man was taken away by his servant. You know he has some difficulty in
walking, and has to be carried about in a wheeled chair, pushed by his
servant.
"Frick said good-by to Mr. Jurgens, and was just going to lock the
cases, after having put everything in its place, when a cry was heard
outside.
"The clumsy servant, who had apparently been drinking, had nearly upset
the old man on to one of the flower beds.
"All rushed out from the museum into the garden.
"After having got Mr. Jurgens righted again, and safely outside the
gate, they all went into the house. Thus it came about that old Frick
forgot to lock both the cupboard with the iron shutters and the door to
the museum.
"It was then exactly five o'clock in the afternoon.
"Old Frick went up to his room and took his after-dinner nap. Miss
Sigrid went out for a walk; she had been suffering from headache the
whole day.
"At six o'clock they met again; she had been back a quarter of an hour,
and awaited her uncle with afternoon tea in the sitting-room.
"The two sat together till seven o'clock, drank tea, and went through
Sigrid's household accounts.
"At seven the young girl went again for a little walk, as her headache
was no better.
"When Frick had seen her to the gate, he suddenly remembered that the
door of the museum was not locked, and then he made the discovery that
the diamond was gone.
"The gate-keeper Iverson had spent the time between five and half-past
seven in the little lodge; he had been busy with some carpentering, and
stood at the windows, which looked out on the gate and the road.
"I asked him if any one had passed in or out during that time. The key
to the gate hung in the room where he was working, and he had himself
let every one in and out.
"Yes, first there was Miss Sigrid, who went out at five and came home in
about half an hour or three quarters.
"About six Evelina came home, but went out again at about half-past six.
"About seven o'clock Mr. Howell went out; he had a gun and game-bag, and
took a four-wheeler which was passing at the time.
"Soon after, Miss Sigrid again went out, accompanied to the door by Mr.
Frick.
"The cook and the housemaid had been in the kitchen or their bedroom the
whole time."
"I must say yours is a model of a preliminary report, Mr. Monk; you seem
to have got it all by heart, and not even to have made any notes."
"I believe I have a special talent in that respect, sir. I only get
confused, if I take down anything except what is absolutely necessary.
I can see it much clearer when I've got it in my head."
"Yes, oh yes, each one has his own method! It is at any rate a very
useful talent for a detective. But tell me one thing; how can you be so
sure that the different times you mention are correct? It is not always
that the people in a house are so exact in regard to time."
"As it happens, my statements have been confirmed on that point. Old
Frick has a remarkably good pocket chronometer, and he takes a pride in
always keeping it correct to the minute.
"Just before Jurgens left, a remark was made how correctly the little
watch in the elephant's head kept time. It stands on a shelf just over
the cupboard where the diamond had its place. Although it had not been
regulated for a long while, it showed the right time to a minute; which
was verified by comparing it with the chronometer.
"And thus we have a safe starting-point: the time was five minutes past
five.
"Then Mr. Frick takes his afternoon tea precisely at six each day. The
servants have got into the habit of being most exact in that respect, as
the old man is very particular.
"Finally, Iverson looked at the clock when Mr. Howell left, to see if he
would be in time for the train. Mr. Howell had made the remark as he
was passing out that the time was ten minutes to seven, which agreed
exactly with Iverson's watch.
"As you see, the different times which I have mentioned cannot be far
wrong--not more than a minute or two."
"Yes, I see that. I suppose your inquiries at the pawnbrokers' and
jewellers' have been so far without result?"
"Yes; up till now they have led to no result, and I think they never
will."
The superintendent nodded. Neither of us said as much, but we were both
agreed that the thief who could steal an article like the tortoise,
which would be so difficult to dispose of, whilst he had plenty of other
salable articles to select from, must have had his special reasons, and
would not have rushed to his own destruction by trying to dispose of the
stolen jewel to a pawnbroker.
"Of course I know," said the superintendent, cheerily, "that you haven't
by a long way finished with your investigations. But it would really be
interesting to make a few guesses as to who could have taken the
diamond. Who can have taken it, do you think?"
I saw that my august superior wanted to discuss the case; and I could
not refuse, although I had no mind for it at this stage of the inquiry.
"As far as I can see," I answered, "there are only five persons who
could have taken the diamond; the gardener Iverson, Mr. Howell, the maid
Evelina, the cook, or the housemaid. All these people had the entry to
the garden between five and half past-seven, and also into the museum."
"You forget two people, Mr. Monk."
I stared at him.
"You forget old Frick and Miss Frick."
The superintendent smiled, and I tried also, but it was a sorry attempt,
and a most unpleasant feeling crept over me.
The superintendent evidently took notice of this.
"Yes, I speak, of course, from quite a theoretical standpoint. It is
part of a policeman's ABC that he must suspect every one as long as the
guilty party is not discovered."
"Not every one, sir!" I felt I spoke with an earnestness which was not
in harmony with the situation, or with the genial tone of my superior;
but I could not get rid of the unpleasant feeling which the mentioning
of Sigrid's name had caused me.
"Perhaps you are right, Mr. Monk; in any case, this will not prove the
opposite. But tell me, what is really your opinion of Mr. Howell?"
It was obvious that the superintendent wanted to get away as quickly as
possible from the subject, which I had been foolish enough to discuss in
rather a disagreeable manner, and I felt not a little ashamed of my want
of tact.
"It is only right, sir, that you should direct my attention to him.
From five o'clock till ten minutes to seven he had the opportunity of
taking possession of the diamond and getting away with it from the
house. There would be no risk for him to enter the museum; if any of
the servants had seen him do it, it would have attracted no attention;
he is just like a member of the Frick family.
"That is one side of the case; the other side is that Mr. Howell in
every respect gives the impression of being a gentleman, that he is tied
by the bond of friendship to the Frick family, and finally that
pecuniarily he is so situated that he need not steal either diamonds or
anything else."
"Are you sure of this?"
"Yes; I go by what he and old Frick have said; besides, at half-past
nine this morning, I called on Wendel, the banker. I myself recommended
this highly respected firm to Mr. Howell, and I asked the chief, quite
confidentially, how Mr. Howell's account stood.
"He informed me that the latter at the present moment had from three to
four hundred pounds standing to his account. It was the remainder of a
sum of money he had brought with him in cash and deposited with the
banker; besides which, instructions had been received from Messrs.
Hambeo and Son, the London bankers, to open an account for Mr. Howell to
the amount of two thousand pounds."
"Well, I should be glad if I had such an account at the bank! It does
not seem probable that the Englishman should have taken the diamond. By
the bye, Mr. Monk, I must not detain you any longer; go on with the
matter as you yourself think best; you have, of course, not had much
time for inquiries, and I ought, perhaps, not to have been so
inquisitive at such an early stage of the investigations; but you must
rather look upon our conversation as a kind of refreshment, which I take
between the dustbins and the demonstration in the theatre. Well, good
luck to you, and let me hear from you as soon as you have anything of
interest to report."
The superintendent shook me by the hand.
"Strukstad, let the manager of the theatre come in," he said resignedly,
as I went out at the back door.
Later in the day a letter was handed me from the superintendent, marked
"Private," which read as follows:--
DEAR MR. MONK,--I have not been able to dismiss old Frick's diamond from
my mind. Couldn't it have been lost in quite an ordinary way; fallen on
the floor, put on a wrong shelf, or in some such way got astray?
One might also imagine that some one for fun has hidden it, to play old
Frick a trick.
I confess it is not likely, but it is still more unlikely that any one
should have stolen it--the most unsalable article of all the valuables
which you say lay in that cupboard.
I ask you to take this into consideration, and apply the greatest
caution in your investigations.
The disappearance of the diamond will soon be the general talk of the
town.
It is of the greatest importance that the police should not make fools
of themselves. That is to say, they must not let themselves be deceived
by people's extraordinary stupidity.
I know your good sense, and in all probability these lines are
superfluous.
Yours, etc.
*CHAPTER VI*
*A MORNING VISIT*
I did not forget the superintendent's good advice. Immediately after the
disappearance of the diamond I searched the whole of Villa Ballarat most
carefully.
The servants behaved with exemplary resignation, and offered to open all
their trunks. I even took the liberty of searching Mr. Howell's rooms.
All his drawers and trunks were open, but contained nothing of interest.
My investigations also made it clear that this gentleman had proceeded
direct to the station on the day the diamond disappeared, and from there
took the train to Elverum.
I don't know how it was, but I always had a misgiving that this young
Englishman might have had something to do with the disappearance of the
diamond. This, perhaps, was the reason that made me feel, more acutely
than ever, that not one of us really knew the young man, in spite of his
having been several months in Villa Ballarat. His manners were free and
open; but--one did not learn to know him.
I soon placed Iverson, the gardener, the cook, and the housemaid _hors
de concours_. Iverson had for many years shown himself to be a most
respectable and reliable person. He was a bachelor, had a nice little
sum in the bank, and it was easy to find out about his antecedents. He
was the son of well-to-do peasants in Smaalenene, and when quite young
had gone into the non-commissioned officers' school and followed a
military career, until he entered Frick's service. He had always borne
a most irreproachable character.
Last of all, we now come to the lady's-maid, Evelina; and should you
have a suspicion that she is likely to play an important part in the
lamentable events which now followed, one upon the other, you will not
be far wrong.
From the first, or, more correctly, from the second day I entered old
Frick's house, this young girl had struck me as being strange. There
was something mysterious about her, perhaps on account of her reserved
and even sulky manners.
Sigrid also considered her unusually silent, more so by nature than most
young girls are. She thought that she was a girl of strong character,
and liked her, in spite of her reticent ways.
During the latter days she had been still more reserved than before, and
had not given one the impression of being in good health, although there
was little change noticeable in her appearance on account of her
naturally pale complexion.
The afternoon of the disappearance of the diamond, Evelina had spent in
the following manner (her explanation tallied exactly with that of
others): She had, soon after dinner, when the family had retired to the
museum, served the coffee there. When that was finished, she had left
Villa Ballarat to visit her sick mother, just before the time Jurgens
had left the house. At six o'clock she had returned to the villa again
to fetch something she had forgotten, and had, at the same time, put on
another dress on account of a change in the weather; but she had been
scarcely half an hour in the house.
It struck me as strange that Evelina had suddenly become more lively
than I had ever seen her, and Sigrid also thought that she looked better
and more cheerful since the day when the diamond disappeared.
As regards Evelina's mother, Madame Reierson, I found out that she made
her living by washing and ironing, and by letting a couple of her rooms;
but it was said that she was fond of drink, and that her principal
income evidently consisted in what her daughter allowed her. Miss
Frick's generosity no doubt enabled Evelina to give her mother
considerable help.
Madame Reierson's specialty lay in talking of times gone by, when
Reierson was alive and was a well-to-do turner in Groenland; "she too
had had her own house and a horse and trap."
As you see, I had not gained much by my investigations, but my opinion
regarding the loss of the diamond had, however, begun to take shape,
which made it desirable that I should make Madame Reierson's
acquaintance.
* * * * *
At half-past nine the next morning, when the May sun was shining warmly,
a gentleman entered the courtyard of 44 Russeloek Street.
The gentleman was not very elegantly dressed; his coat was somewhat
shabby, and his trouser-bottoms a little the worse for wear, but still
he might pass as quite a respectable person; for instance, as a poor
theological student of middle age.
I hoped, at least, that my appearance was something like this, for this
was the role I intended to play.
In the courtyard a woman was standing rinsing clothes under a pump. I
asked for Madame Reierson, and learned that she was living in the fourth
story on the right-hand side of the staircase.
"I mean the woman who takes in washing."
"Well, I don't think there's much washing done, but there's only one
Madame Reierson in this house, at any rate," was the surly answer.
"I think you're right about the washing. In any case, the clothes I
last got home were only half washed," I remarked.
My depreciatory remark about her neighbour's work evidently appealed to
the woman; she deigned to let go the wet clothes she had in her hand,
and turned round to me.
"Ah, indeed! Really! So she has been washing for you, has she, and you
don't like her washing? Well, you're not the first as says that. It's a
shame that such a drunken wretch should take the bread out of other
people's mouths, and live in grand style, and enjoy herself."
"Well, I, for my part, have been thinking of giving her up as my
washerwoman."
"Ha! ha! you give her up?" said the worthy woman, with a scornful laugh.
"A lot she'll care about that! As long as she's got that fine daughter
of hers in service at old Frick's, in the Drammen Road, she can live in
grand style, and enjoy herself without washing a rag. But I should say
it'll all come to a terrible end some day; when people begin to run
after them actors I wouldn't give you a thank you for 'em!"
And with that our short but pleasant conversation ended.
I tried to find out a little more about the actor who had suddenly been
introduced upon the scene, but I was sharply sent about my business by
the woman, who "did not go about telling tales, let alone to strangers."
There was nothing more to be done, so I mounted up to the fourth story.
On a door with glass panes were fastened two visiting-cards. I read:
Ludwig Frederiksen, actor; Tho. Herstad, medical student.
To the left I found an ordinary kitchen door. As I knocked at this a
stout woman appeared. Madame Reierson was clad in what I would call a
simple morning toilet. I can hardly describe the various articles of
her dress; all of them, however, appeared to be too tight-fitting for
her buxom figure, and to have seen better days.
I lifted my large, broad-brimmed, low-crowned, clerical hat to her, and
then explained that the object of my visit was to ask madame to do some
washing for me.
She seemed greatly surprised that any one, unsolicited, should intrust
his clothes to her to wash, and asked rather suspiciously who had
recommended her.
"Perhaps we might go inside," said I. "I would like to sit down a
little. I'm not quite well, and the stairs trouble me."
She mumbled something about "_she_ didn't mind," and showed me through
the kitchen into a disorderly room, filled with foul air. This served
as her parlour and her bedroom.
I sat down heavily and laid my hand on my heart.
She didn't seem, however, to be troubled with any sympathetic feelings,
for I heard her mumble something about, "Why do folks climb stairs when
they can't manage 'em?"
"But who has shown you up to me, then," she continued.
I could see it would be difficult for me, if not impossible, to get into
conversation with this unpleasant woman, as she apparently had not yet
had her "morning drop," and was therefore not amenable to any friendly
approach.
I decided to come to the point at once.
"Miss Frick has recommended me to come to you, as I wanted a good
washerwoman,--Miss Frick, who lives in Drammen Road."
The woman sat herself down in a chair right opposite me, and looked
rather astonished.
"Do you go to the Fricks'?--You?" was the unflattering answer, as she
critically surveyed me.
I regretted the plain attire, which I had thought would be suitable for
my supposed errand; but there was no help for that now; I had to get
along as best I could.
"I am studying for the church," I said with dignity, "and I am secretary
to the women's mission, and we generally have the committee meetings at
Miss Frick's."
"Oh, indeed! Really!" Suddenly there was a gleam in the woman's eyes.
She had evidently got an idea into her head, because from that moment
her manner was affable and insinuating.
"Oh, indeed! Now really! So you are going to be a parson? That was
what our eldest son was also to be. Reierson wanted him to become a
doctor, but I swore that he should become a parson. Well, I expect you
meet a lot of grand ladies there, then! Have you seen my daughter at
Miss Frick's?"
"What, your daughter?"
"Oh, well; that's no matter;" she evidently did not find it very
opportune to say anything about her daughter, since I myself didn't
appear to know her position in Frick's house. "But as you go to old
Frick's, you have, of course, heard summat of his big diamond which he
has lost."
I knew, of course, that the town had already begun to talk of the
diamond affair, but it came quite unexpectedly upon me to hear this
woman talking of it. Did she want to know what suspicions they had at
Frick's house? Did she know anything about it? Had she her own
suspicions, or was it only curiosity?
"Yes, fortunately, they have got hold of the thief."
"No! now you don't say so!"
Just at this interesting point of the conversation we heard the kitchen
door open.
Madame Reierson left me, and quickly disappeared.
Then began a lively conversation in almost a whisper, but the door was
rickety and my hearing sharp; it was Madame Reierson's voice and another
woman's voice. I recognized it; it was her daughter's.
"--Not home?--not come home yet, do you say?--been out the whole
night--"
I heard the mother mumble something, that "he" must soon come home.
"And he has not even left any message? He promised that I should meet
him at ten o'clock to-day.--A strange gentleman, do you say, whom Miss
Frick has recommended to come to you--?"
The mother must have spoken of my presence, but the daughter seemed to
have a legitimate suspicion about the recommendation from Miss Frick.
Perhaps she was inquisitive, and wanted to see the phenomenon who came
to Madame Reierson with his washing; for the door immediately opened,
and I stood face to face with Evelina, the lady's-maid.
She stood there, tall and erect, pretty and tastefully dressed as usual.
When she recognized me, her pale face became still paler, and it seemed
to me she tottered a little. She only pressed her thin lips together
and looked calmly at me.
"Are you here? I did not know the police were here." She looked at my
garb and smiled a little scornfully.
At these words, Madame Reierson forced herself past her daughter and
surveyed me angrily.
"Police, do you say? Does he belong to the police? Well, I might have
guessed it, since he sneaked in here and began to talk of the stolen
diamond and suchlike."
I looked at the daughter, but her features were immovable. Either she
had nothing to do with the diamond robbery, or she had a stronger will
power than most people.
"You forget, Madame Reierson," said I, "that it was you who began to
talk to me of the robbery at Mr. Frick's."
Was I mistaken, or was it really so? It seemed to me that the young
girl's look was directed for a second or two at her mother with great
displeasure.
"Well, if it was I who began the talk, it must have been because you
fooled me on to do it," said Madame Reierson, jumping up from her chair;
"else why did you come here? Perhaps you fancy we have stolen Frick's
diamond! Be so kind as to look for yourself, and see if it is to be
found in my house."
The worthy dame began to pull out her chest of drawers, and to open her
cupboards, while her tongue went on with startling rapidity.
"I hadn't thought of making any investigations in your house, my dear
madame," said I, trying to pacify her; "I came really to find out a
little about your lodger, the actor, Frederiksen."
This time the daughter's self-control did not serve her; for some
seconds her face was overspread with a deep flush, and she went away and
looked out of the window.
"Frederiksen is old enough to answer for himself," said Mrs. Reierson,
curtly. "He is not at home now, and I don't know when he is likely to
be."
As I had nothing further to do there, I took my hat, nodded to the
woman, and left without ceremony. The young girl still stood at the
window, and did not turn round when I went out. Either she did not
notice it, or she did not wish to show her face.
When I had descended to the next floor, I heard the sound of heavy steps
coming up. First of all a ruffled silk hat appeared on the stairs,
afterward a pale, dissipated-looking face, with clean-shaven cheeks,
luxuriant curly hair under the brim of the hat, a black frock coat of
faultless cut but with spotted silk revers, light trousers somewhat
frayed at the bottoms, and cracked patent-leather shoes with large bows.
The apparition stared at me stupidly and disappeared through the door
leading to his apartments. It was Ludwig Frederiksen, who had little or
no reputation as an actor, but was well known as a Don Juan, now
somewhat on the decline, but worshipped, nevertheless, by the fair sex,
not only of the better classes, but also of the demi-monde.
He possessed the happy gift of being able to easily forget
unpleasantness, for at this moment he evidently did not recognize me,
while less than a month before we had had a not very pleasant
conversation at my office.
The cause of this conversation was a respectful application from the
artist for a loan of some thousand of kroners, directed to one of the
merchants of the town. This document the merchant in question found
best to deliver into the hands of the police, although the bewitching
artist had offered to deposit, as security, several pink and perfumed
notes, billets-doux, from the merchant's own daughter to the owner of
the curly locks.
"We shall probably have another interesting conversation," I thought, as
my eyes followed the form of the artist as he mounted upward and
disappeared; "but not now."
The fact was that in the course of the last half hour, certain ideas,
which earlier had begun to dawn in my mind, now assumed a more solid
form, and fitted together, so that they formed a chain.
I thought I had hold of one end of the chain, and I was determined to
fumble my way to the other end; or perhaps it would be better with a
resolute pull to try and grasp it without fumbling at all.
The chain had, however, begun to link itself in this way, and when I
left Mrs. Reierson's parlour, I felt convinced that Evelina knew
something about the diamond, and very likely her mother also.
As I had passed through the little kitchen my elbow knocked against a
dirty coffee-service which stood there,--a pot and two cups with
dried-up grounds at the bottom. This accident was sufficient to set
going a train of thoughts which, no doubt, had already been
unconsciously developing in my mind; but which would never have been
started into active life if Mrs. Reierson's objectionable coffee-cups
had not been standing there.
They brought to my mind an expression in Evelina's explanation the other
day:--
"I went home to my mother as soon us I had served the coffee in the
museum."
She had served the coffee in the museum; she had seen that the diamond
had been shown about; had seen Jurgens's imbecile greediness to become
possessed of it; she had heard him bid ten thousand kroners for it!
Later on she had passed the museum, when all were gone, and seeing the
door standing open, knew she had only to stretch out her hand to become
possessed of a large sum of money.
Perhaps she had some use or another for the latter, of which I, as yet,
had no certain knowledge,--but of which I had a suspicion.
If this train of thought was correct, then Mr. Jurgens had now the
diamond in his possession.
The improbability that this worthy old man should have become the
receiver of stolen goods did not concern me. I knew that the mania for
collecting sweeps away all moral considerations like chaff before the
wind, especially when second childhood has already begun to obscure the
mind.
*CHAPTER VII*
*LAWYER JURGENS*
My decision was taken. I would pay a visit to the lawyer without loss
of time. The difficulty lay in getting the old man to speak out the
truth, if he really was in possession of the black tortoise.
I dared not use strong means; it was a weakly old man I had to do with,
but to get the better of him was not so easy. He was possessed of not a
little cunning, and his firmness, when it was a question of preserving
any of his treasures, was quite incredible; of this I was already aware.
Mr. Jurgens knew me well. I had had to do with him twice before on
official business, when some one had tried to rob him. Besides, we had
met each other several times at Frick's, and finally, I had now and then
gone, like so many other interested people in the town, to see if he had
any remarkable increase in his line collection.
Of course you know the Jurgens collection in the national museum? It
has a whole department to itself. Some time before his death he
presented all of it to the public.
While I called at my lodgings to change clothes I laid my plan of
campaign.
It was neither particularly subtle nor cunningly conceived--only a
common trick, as you will see; but, as you will also see, it was good
enough for the occasion.
I rang at Mr. Jurgens's house in Munkedam Road. He lived on the first
floor.
At the back lay a kitchen and servants' room, where his cook and
housekeeper lived; on the other side of the hall was a room which
belonged to the servant-man. Jurgens himself lived in a room looking
out on the street, and the remaining three rooms, which likewise looked
to the street, gave him ample space for his collection of antiquities
and other curiosities.
By my advice, he had taken a lot of precautions to protect himself
against thieves. There were strong doors provided with patent locks,
iron bars before the windows, and some fire-proof iron safes as a place
of deposit for the most costly articles.
The man-servant opened the door to me. The reason why the lawyer had a
man-servant was, as I have already mentioned, because his feet were
almost lame. He could just manage to get along from one room to
another, with much difficulty; but in the street he was obliged to be
wheeled in a chair. Otherwise the lawyer was a man of small
pretensions, and notwithstanding his large fortune, was very economical.
That is to say, in everything possible, except what concerned his
collection. In this respect he was, as already mentioned, irresponsibly
extravagant.
The old lawyer got up with difficulty from his armchair and tottered
toward me.
He shook me by the hand, fumbling a long gold chain, which he wore round
his neck, with the other hand, and himself began the conversation.
His voice was a little shaky, and he seemed to be uneasy when he saw me;
but it was difficult to say if these symptoms were a natural consequence
of the man's age, or if he really had something to hide, and felt uneasy
at my appearance.
"Well, really, Mr. Monk," he said, "it is a long time since I had the
honour of seeing you at my house. May I perhaps have the pleasure of
showing you some rare curiosities which I have lately acquired? You
have generally so little time that I believe you have really never seen
my collection properly."
These words proved to me that if the old man had the diamond in his
possession, he had it in a safe hiding place, and of these there were
plenty. The old furniture was full of the most extraordinary corners,
secret places, drawers, and such-like.
"Many thanks, Mr. Jurgens," I answered promptly, "but this time I am
here on official business, and have still less time than usual."
"What a pity," grumbled the old fellow, letting himself fall back into
his chair, and taking a pinch of snuff with his shaky hands. "Any
snuff? No, young fellows nowadays don't take snuff; but take a seat,
Mr. Monk, take a seat!"
"Thanks!" I brought a chair forward in front of the old man and leaned
toward him. "The fact is, that an audacious robbery has been committed;
an unusually costly article has been stolen, and the superintendent has
sent me to inquire about it."
"You don't suppose I buy stolen goods, sir?"
The lawyer's eyes blinked, and his hands and shrivelled fingers moved up
and down the watch chain.
"No, of course not; but you know that it has happened once or twice
before, that stolen goods have been offered to you for sale, and that
you have been of inestimable value to us in giving the thief's
description; therefore--"
"No, this time I cannot help you; no, not at all!"
"But you haven't yet heard what it is."
"No--but--but--I have not bought anything for a long time; nothing of
consequence, or anything that could be of interest to you."
"That is tiresome--most tiresome! Our last hope is gone; if only the
bracelet is not sent abroad! It would then be very difficult to get."
"Bracelet, you say; was it a bracelet, you said?"
"Yes, it was a bracelet, an uncommonly costly bracelet, set with
precious stones, which disappeared from Adelina Patti's dressing-room in
the theatre yesterday. You know she is appearing here for a few days.
She had had it given her by the Emperor of Brazil."
"Indeed! What a pity! But as I said, no one has tried to sell anything
of the kind to me lately."
There was no doubt that the old fellow felt very much relieved. He took
hold of the bell rope and ordered his man-servant to bring in wine and
cigars.
"Take a glass of wine with me, sir; both old and young need a good glass
of wine, and you'll not get better than this: I brought it myself from
Oporto in '47."
We each drank a glass, and I must admit that the wine was good.
The lawyer had hastily left the subject of the stolen gem, and had begun
upon several interesting reminiscences from the year 1820 or so.
But it was not my plan to let him have his own way; I had opened my
trenches, and I wished to advance to the attack.
"It is a nuisance," said I, "all these robberies of curiosities and
costly jewels, which have taken place in the town of late. No one knows
what bother they cause the police."
"I can understand," said the lawyer, unwilling again to approach the
same theme; and he filled the glasses again with a shaking hand.
"Yes," I continued, "every one who possesses such things should be just
as careful as old Frick of Drammen Road."
On hearing old Frick's name, the old fellow almost jumped out of his
chair, but I continued mercilessly.
"This last robbery at old Frick's is a laughable affair." I then burst
into long and hearty laughter, which evidently affected Jurgens's nerves
in the most unpleasant manner.
"Haven't you heard about it? Well, as you know, old Frick possesses a
whole lot of curiosities, and many of them are of gold, silver, and
precious stones, and all are very valuable. People are always coming
there, some as guests of the house, and some to visit his collection.
Old Frick got tired of always having to watch them so carefully, and so
he had imitations made of all his most valuable objects,--gilt-brass
mounts instead of gold, and glass instead of precious stones. This is,
however, a great secret, so much so, that even his best friends think
they are the real things they see, while these are lying securely in the
cellar of the bank."
"Eh, what do you say?" The old fellow stretched out his neck like a
vulture.
"Yes, indeed--but listen: a few days ago the most costly of all his
curiosities disappeared; I fancy it was a black diamond in gold setting.
It was called the 'black tortoise.' We expect the thief has gone abroad
with his treasure. Ha! ha! just sixpenny worth of brass, and half a
crown's worth of cut glass!"
I again burst into a peal of hearty laughter. The old man sank back,
but tried to raise himself, gasping for breath. I thought he was going
to have a fit, and in a minute I got his necktie undone, and rang for
the servant.
We soon brought him round again; he was a tough old bit of humanity,
that I must admit.
I knew now what I wanted to know; the lawyer had the diamond in one of
his hiding places. The difficulty was to get him to give it up without
being obliged to resort to unpleasant means.
For this reason I took leave, as soon as I saw he had got over his
little attack, and without suggesting anything as to what the cause
might be.
The servant followed me into the hall to open the door for me.
Having reached the hall, I asked hastily, "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes, sir, you are Inspector Monk," answered the man in surprise, and
somewhat tardily.
"All right, let me then remain here in the hall, but open the door and
then shut it, so that your master can hear it and think I am gone."
The man hesitated a little and looked doubtfully at me.
"Quick! What I do, I do in the name of the law, but I have no time for
further explanations. Now then!"
He did as I told him and went in again to his master.
Everything happened as I had foreseen. The servant came out soon
afterward, sent away by his master, and disappeared at a sign from me
into his own room.
I took off my shoes and opened the door stealthily to the lawyer's room.
As I had expected, he had gone into one of the other rooms, where he
kept his collection.
Without making any noise I followed him.
In the innermost room the old man stood before the open door of one of
his iron safes. His shaky hands were busy trying to adjust a pair of
spectacles with round glasses to his nose.
I took my time, until he had taken out from a secret drawer an object
which he held close up to his eyes. The next minute my hand lay on his
shoulder, and immediately after the black tortoise was safe in my
pocket!
I led the old fellow carefully across the room to a chair. He had never
uttered a word.
He remained seated, gasping for breath with half-shut eyes, and his
withered hands dancing up and down in his lap.
I made him drink a glass of wine, and after a little while he found his
speech again.
"What right have you to sneak in upon me and take my property? The
diamond is mine--I have honestly bought it--" and he stretched out his
hands, as if to get it back.
"The diamond is stolen property," I said, "and will be delivered by me
into the hands of the authorities. I am sorry I have been obliged to
play a trick upon you to get it from you; but I understood at once that
you wouldn't give it up of your own free will."
"I have bought it and paid for it, and it is not stolen property; your
conduct will cost you dear, Mr. Monk."
"No more talk about that, if you please, Mr. Jurgens," I said firmly.
"From whom did you buy the diamond?"
"I bought the diamond from Miss Frick, and she got it from her uncle."
The old man could not say another word, for my hands were round his
throat. Only for a moment, however. I remembered myself, and let go my
hold, but remained standing in front of him quivering with rage.
"What is it you dare say about the young lady, about Sigrid, about my--I
mean about Mr. Frick's niece? Mr. Frick himself has given information
of the robbery, and now you say that Miss Frick has sold the diamond to
you; that is the same as saying that she has stolen it. You can thank
your stars that you are an old man, otherwise--"
The old man stretched out his hand, as if to ring; but no bell was near.
His eyes wandered wildly.
Then it stood clearly before me that I had nearly frightened the life
out of him, and I at once became calmer.
"Be sensible, sir, and take the matter quietly. It was imprudent of you
to buy the diamond, but we all know, of course, that you did it in good
faith. But it will be necessary that you give a truthful account of how
you got it, and from whom. If not, it may become a disagreeable
business for you. That you can well understand."
"I only understand that I have bought the diamond from a young lady and
given five thousand kroners for it. She did not ask for more," said the
old man, trembling, while his eyes began to look brighter. "When you
say it was not Miss Frick, perhaps, after all, it was not she; but then
it must have been the other young girl in the house. I believe they
call her Evelina. Yes, it was she, if you absolutely must know it."
"Well, that is far more probable, sir," I said encouragingly, for I felt
a little ashamed of my violent conduct to the old man, "and you must
excuse me if I was a little rough with you."
I rang myself for the servant, and with him as a witness, I gave the
lawyer a receipt for the tortoise, which I took with me, and left.
* * * * *
The superintendent was not a little surprised when I put the diamond
before him on the table; and when I had given my report, he
congratulated me at the result, and complimented me on the manner in
which I had conducted the affair.
I found it unnecessary to mention Jurgens's wretched attempt to prove
that it was Miss Frick who had sold him the diamond.
The superintendent did not lay much stress on the part Jurgens had
played in the matter.
"The man must soon be pronounced incapable of managing his own affairs,
and be placed under proper control. He will, of course, be declared
irresponsible by the court, if the public prosecutor should proceed
against him."
In this I fully concurred. Then I gave the superintendent a detailed
account of my visit to Mrs. Reierson, and of how the actor's name was
mentioned, and of my hurried meeting with the latter.
"Do I understand you aright," said the superintendent, "that you have a
suspicion that the pretty maid and the fascinating actor are intimate?"
"Yes, I have."
"And you go still farther; in this, you seek the reason why the unhappy
girl has committed the robbery, isn't that so?"
"Yes, indeed, I cannot deny that something of the sort was in my mind;
only it seemed strange to me that a girl like Evelina, who not only has
the best of characters from Miss Frick, as a good and honest girl, but
who, after all I have been able to ascertain, also possesses a certain
amount of character and love of truth, can have fallen in love with such
a man, or given herself into his power!"
"Why, my dear Monk!" broke in the superintendent, with a smile, which
could have made those who did not know him take him for a heartless
cynic, "do you, after so many years in the police service, still nourish
illusions with regard to the fair sex?"
"I have, of course, in my day seen a good deal of--"
"Yes, you have seen a good deal; which shows you that the greatest Don
Juan is also the greatest liar, and that a man with a smooth face, who
can flatter and deceive, has greater power over the fair sex than any
honest man whatsoever. Isn't that so?"
I was accustomed to my superior's humorous exaggerations, and could not
deny that my experiences as a detective in the police force to a
considerable degree went in the same direction.
"Well," continued the superintendent, "when you have been in the police
force for a generation, you will certainly not have much respect for
women's ideals. But let us return to this affair about the diamond.
You shall at once have a warrant, and then you had better arrest the
young girl as soon as possible. The sooner it's done the greater the
prospect of getting back the money which she got from the lawyer."
"Pardon me, sir," I answered, "Evelina is most probably at this moment
at Mr. Frick's house, and will remain there over night. It would be
very unpleasant for the Fricks if the arrest took place in the house.
Have you any objection to my waiting until to-morrow? Then she will
probably visit her mother, and we can avail ourselves of the opportunity
and make a domiciliary visit at the same time. If Mrs. Reierson is an
accomplice, we might succeed in taking her by surprise, and in getting
her to give up the money. I have an idea that it will be easier to take
her than the daughter by surprise."
"But are you not afraid that one of them can make use of the time to get
the money out of the way, if it has not already been taken to some place
or other?"
"On the contrary, I believe it will be of advantage to leave them in
peace to-night. I shall have them watched by some of my best men
meanwhile."
"And the actor?"
"He is already in good hands. Detective Kolstad has orders to follow
him like a shadow, and arrest him if he should attempt to leave the
town."
"Well, that will do! Do as you think right, Monk. I begin to think you
are the better detective of us two. If you should meet old Frick
to-night, give him my compliments, and tell him I shall keep his diamond
until the case has been settled in court; but in the meantime it will be
in good hands."
It was not with a light heart, however, that I walked along the Drammen
Road, after having given the constable the necessary orders. I knew
that the news I had to bring would greatly distress both old Frick and
Sigrid.
After having proceeded some distance, it struck me that after all I had
nothing to do at Villa Ballarat that night. It ought not to be known in
the house that the diamond had been found--not so long as Evelina was
there. Old Frick and Sigrid would naturally ask me if I had any news,
and I should be obliged to tell a lie and keep back from them what had
happened.
Although I was very anxious to see Sigrid, yet I was sensible enough to
turn back, and, after having had some supper at a cafe, I went home to
my lodgings.
I telephoned to the police office, and asked if there was any news from
the constables who had to watch the three persons before mentioned.
No, there was no news. Evelina was quite safe inside Villa Ballarat,
and the house was being watched.
I lighted a cigar, and gave myself up to thinking over the day's events.
I had been successful in everything, and yet I felt far from satisfied;
it must have been due to a certain feeling of pity for poor Evelina, and
the concern it would occasion her master and mistress. Or--?
If you believe in presentiment, or that great misfortunes--without our
being able to divine the cause--throw their shadows before, you will
have to attribute it to such a cause. But enough,--I felt unwell and
depressed, and when I had lain down it was a long time before I went to
sleep.
*CHAPTER VIII*
*THE ARREST*
"The actor has vanished, sir!"
These were the words with which I was awakened at seven o'clock next
morning.
Before the bed stood my trusty constable, Kolstad, with a face
considerably longer than usual.
"What do you say? Have you let him slip through your fingers? That was
a--"
"Yes; but who could possibly imagine that--"
"All right, go into the next room a bit and get yourself a cup of
coffee; I shall make haste and get dressed, and then we can talk it
over."
It was not long before I had finished dressing and was ready to continue
the discussion.
My landlady had in the meanwhile tried to serve the worthy officer with
a good breakfast, but disappointment had evidently taken away his
appetite; it was impossible to get him to continue his meal after my
appearance.
"It is just as well that I give my report at once, sir, and tell you how
shamefully I have been made a fool of. Yes; that such a pomatummed
lady-killer should befool me--I who have been in the service of the
police these twenty-seven years!"
"Don't trouble yourself about that, Kolstad," I said reassuringly, for
the man was so excited that he apparently had some difficulty in
explaining himself; "we shall soon get hold of him, if we want him. I
am sure it is not your fault that he has disappeared temporarily: have
another cup of coffee, and let us hear about it."
"No, thanks, no more coffee; but here is the report, sir. You remember
that it was yesterday, at dinner time, that I got orders to watch the
actor and arrest him if he should try and leave the town? Well, it was
not difficult to keep my eye on him for the first few hours, for he was
sitting in a room on the first floor of the Tivoli Restaurant, together
with eight or ten other actors and actresses. They had the best dinner
one could get and drank so much champagne that it was simply disgusting
to see all the empty bottles being taken out--I know the head waiter
there, you see, and went and spoke to him while the carousing was going
on. Frederiksen paid for it all."
"You are sure it was he who paid?"
"Yes, that I am; the head waiter showed me the bill: it was 142 kroners.
By that I knew, sir, that you, as usual, were on the right track. If
only I had not been so stupid, well--you must excuse me, sir, if I am a
little excited--it is the first time it has ever happened to me
that--but--"
"Now, now, let us come to the point, my good Kolstad," I answered, with
assumed severity, as the best means of "bringing him to."
It helped, for he pulled himself together, and from then on he did not
attempt to diverge from the dry style of an ordinary report.
"Well, sir, I telephoned to the station for assistance, and got one of
our new men. We took it in turn to keep watch while the actors were
eating and drinking. After dinner they had coffee and all kinds of
liquors, and went on like that until six o'clock in the evening. Then
Frederiksen went home to No. 44 Russeloek Street, and there he remained
till nine o'clock. He must have slept during that time, for he looked
quite sober when he came out again, and he had been not a little muddled
when he got home after the carousal at the Tivoli. He had a large
hand-bag in his hand, but no other luggage. He wore the same clothes he
had had on in the afternoon."
"Was the hand-bag new?"
"Yes, it was brand new; and now you shall hear how sly the fellow was.
"He went up to the cab-stand at the corner of Drammen Road, and there he
took a carriage. I and the young officer took another carriage and
drove after him. Whether he knew that any one was following him or not,
I can't say. We were obliged to keep a little behind, so that he should
not be suspicious.
"He drove to the Victoria Hotel, and there we saw him go in at the door,
and the carriage drive away empty. Soon after I went in and asked the
porter what was the name of the gentleman who had just entered the
hotel, and what room he had obtained. The porter, who was a new man and
not one of my acquaintances, answered that the servant was just then
upstairs with the visitor's book, but that the new arrival had taken
room No. 47. He had not said anything about how long he intended to
remain, or anything of significance.
"Now, for the time being, I felt entirely sure of my bird. After
telling him who I was, I got the porter to promise to telephone to me if
the stranger should be getting ready to leave; then I set my young
officer to watch outside, and went home to take a nap.
"It was just about half-past ten when the porter rang up and said that
the gentleman in No. 47 had just ordered a carriage, as he was going by
the midnight train to Sweden. As you know, sir, the train goes eleven
five, so I had only just time to dress and go to the station; but I was,
of course, sure that the young officer would follow the actor so that we
could arrest him together. I got to the station seven minutes before
eleven; but there was no sign of the actor or the officer.
"A minute before the train started, I went for the last time through all
the carriages and had a railway official with me. There was not a sign
of the actor! In the first class there sat only one personage. It was
Mr. D----, the ambassador from Paris, said the official. I went in and
looked at him--yes, quite right, it was he."
"Do you know the ambassador, then?"
"Yes, of course, I know him by sight; it is he who is so like Peer Gynt
on the stage,--not, perhaps, in the beginning of the piece, but in the
third and fourth acts."
I couldn't help laughing. "There, you see, Kolstad! it's not an easy
thing to have to do with an actor. It was just by playing his old role
of Peer Gynt in the fourth act that the actor made a fool of you!"
"Yes, of course it was; but who the devil could imagine--"
"No, you are right there; but how was it that your assistant didn't
follow him from the hotel?"
"Well, it happened like this. The constable saw a servant beckoning for
a carriage from the stand. He went up to the servant and asked who was
going away. It was Mr. D----, the ambassador, he answered, and when the
constable saw a fine old gentleman with grey whiskers step into the
carriage he suspected nothing, but continued to keep his watch outside,
as before."
"That is all right, so far; but I can't understand that the man's
hand-bag did not betray him. Both you and your assistant knew it well.
Besides, it seems to me that the porter must have been astonished to see
a young, smooth-shaven man come into the hotel, and then leave it as a
'fine old gentleman,' as you say, 'with grey whiskers.'"
"Yes; but I have not yet told you all, sir. You shall hear how clever
the rascal was. Inside the large hand-bag which he carried, he had
another suit, a false beard, and all his apparatus, besides a smaller
travelling bag to carry in the hand. It was in the carriage that he
transformed himself into an ambassador; the hood was well pulled down,
as it rained a little. The hotel porter had, therefore, only seen him
as the elderly gentleman the whole time; and we, who only saw him step
out of the carriage with his back toward us, several hundreds of yards
off, could have no idea that he had thus changed his appearance. It did
not enter into our minds to ask the porter about the appearance of the
man whom we had followed the whole time."
"But the large hand-bag?"
"Well, he let that remain in the carriage, and gave the coachman orders
to take it back to his lodgings early to-day. I got hold of the driver
at last, and heard how all had happened. He himself thought it was a
little strange that the man should disguise himself during the drive;
but as far as I could understand, he was a little tipsy on this
occasion, and as he got two kroners as a tip he presumed it was no
business of his. Now you know all, sir, and can see how cleverly I was
taken in by that vagabond of an actor; only--"
I did not let him dilate further upon this subject, but sent him away.
I had heard enough.
It will also be sufficient for this narrative, if I explain that the
actor, on the same day, after telegraphic instructions from us, was
arrested at Gothenburg, where he arrived next morning, and that he, when
arrested, was only in possession of a very small sum of money. He was
taken back to Christiania, and it was soon ascertained that he had been
or was engaged to Evelina. Also, that the day before his journey he had
been very flush with his money; but it was impossible to prove any
complicity in the theft, and he was set free in a few days, with the
warning not to leave town, as he would have to appear as witness at the
trial of Evelina Reierson.
* * * * *
In the meantime I must return to my account of what happened later on
that day, which began with the melancholy apparition of the disappointed
constable beside my bed.
As I have already stated, it was my intention to have Evelina arrested
that day. There was no longer anything to wait for after the actor had
disappeared; and when I, in addition, received information from one of
my men that she had left Villa Ballarat to visit her mother, I decided
to avail myself of the opportunity. As before mentioned, I wished to
prevent the arrest taking place at old Frick's.
I have no liking for this sort of work, but this time I decided to take
it in hand myself, for several reasons.
It appeared to me, beyond all doubt, that Evelina's motive for the
robbery must be sought for in her relations to the actor. In any case,
I felt she deserved some pity, and I wished therefore to make the arrest
myself in order that it might be effected as gently and considerately as
possible.
It occurred to me to be quite likely that the mother might be an
accomplice, or in any case be cognizant of the crime and the place where
Jurgens's money was to be found. To get hold of this was now my chief
aim, and I hoped to take the woman by surprise and get her to reveal it.
It was not later than nine o'clock in the morning when I drove to
Russeloek Street with a policeman in plain clothes.
We told the driver to wait outside the gate; the constable remained
behind in the yard, and I went up alone.
I stopped outside Mrs. Reierson's door and listened. I heard voices
within, but very indistinctly. As I opened the door, I saw the first
room was empty; then I heard the voices still more plainly in the inner
room, although the door was shut.
"You should have done as your mother told you, you unlucky child; then
we should have been able to take things as easy as any one--but--"
It was Mrs. Reierson's shrill angry voice. It was interrupted by a
sound of suppressed sobbing, and then by a youthful voice rendered
hoarse by passion and sorrow. I stepped nearer to the door and
listened, although the task before me was most repulsive to my feelings.
"Don't talk to me any more, mother! you know that what you wanted me to
do I could never have done, never in this world! and what I already have
done cannot now be undone--I have nothing more to do now but to put an
end to myself--if only I had the strength to--"
Here the unhappy girl's words were interrupted by loud sobbing, and some
angry exclamations from her mother.
Soon after the door was opened, and the ugly old woman appeared in the
doorway, while her daughter could be seen lying across the bed with her
head buried in the pillows.
I have seldom felt so uncomfortable.
The mother's shrill imprecations against the police in general, and me
in particular, passed me by unheeded. I only saw the young girl's
deadly pale face, as she lifted it to me, and the hopeless expression of
her eyes.
She was gifted, however, with a strength of mind which few persons
possess. She got up hurriedly, stroked back her hair from her face, and
was the first to speak.
Her voice was low, but wonderfully calm; every drop of blood seemed to
have fled from her lips.
"You have come to arrest me, Mr. Monk, because I have stolen Mr. Frick's
diamond. Well, I have been expecting it both yesterday and to-day.
Yesterday I should probably have denied it, but to-day I don't! I have
stolen the diamond--let me be taken to prison and be sentenced as soon
as possible, only let it be done quickly."
Her mother had become purple in the face on hearing what her daughter
said, and tried several times to interrupt her; but there was a dignity
in her daughter's words and bearing which stayed her.
"Don't lose courage, Evelina," I said, and I hope my voice was
sympathetic. "There are probably extenuating circumstances which may
make your guilt less than it seems. If you are only frank, and confess
all, your punishment will be less,--perhaps even--"
The young girl interrupted me. "Thank you very much for your kindness,
Mr. Monk. You are a good man; but I don't wish my punishment to be
lessened. I have told you I have stolen the diamond. More than that I
shall not say, even if you put me on the rack."
"For God's sake don't talk like that, Evelina."
Her mother could now control herself no longer, and began:--
"What are you saying, Evelina, you stupid fool! Just fancy!--That one
should hear one's own flesh and blood tell lies about herself and get
herself convicted! You can see very well, sir, that she is out of her
senses, and doesn't know what she is saying."
"You had better look after yourself, Mrs. Reierson, and help us to get a
full confession and the money back. The diamond has been sold for five
thousand kroners, and perhaps you have got the money yourself."
I shan't weary you by recalling the scene which followed; suffice it to
say that the mother raged like a fury, and denied knowing anything
whatever about the diamond or the money. The young girl did not utter a
single word from this moment until she was taken to the police station.
I let her mother accompany us in the carriage, to which she seemed to
have no objection.
Before the examining magistrate the same scene was gone through. The
young girl confessed she was guilty of the robbery, but refused to give
any further explanation. She only asked that there might be no delay in
passing sentence upon her. The mother declared her daughter was mad, and
denied all knowledge of the matter.
At the domiciliary visit to Mrs. Reierson's, no trace could be found of
the money.
I informed Mr. Frick, by letter, that the diamond was found, and of
Evelina's arrest and confession; at the same time, I asked him for the
present not to mention the matter to Mr. Howell, who was expected back
about this time.
Mr. Jurgens was declared by his relations incapable of looking after his
affairs, and the authorities decided to drop the proceedings against him
for having bought stolen goods.
It was discovered that the money for the diamond had been paid in
thousand kroner notes. Next day a person had changed five of these in
one of the banks in the town. But the cashier had not taken any
particular notice of the appearance of the person. He declared it might
possibly be Frederiksen the actor, but he could not say anything
definitely about it.
No trace of the remaining notes could be discovered.
*CHAPTER IX*
*THE PHOTOGRAPH*
The next morning, as I was sitting in my office, writing a note to Mr.
Howell--it was on the day he was expected back--to request the favour of
an interview with him, the constable came in with a visiting card. A
gentleman desired to speak to me. I read:--
[Illustration: Visiting card of Mr. Reginald Howell]
"Ask him to step in."
Mr. Howell entered and shook my hand in his free-and-easy English
manner.
"Glad to see you."
"Welcome back again."
He had quickly mastered Norwegian, and we always talked together in that
language.
"I was just writing a note to you, Mr. Howell, to request the favour of
an interview with you; you have forestalled me, perhaps for the same
purpose."
"I--suppose so," answered the Englishman, hesitating. "I should like to
say a few words to you in confidence, with regard to the robbery at Mr.
Frick's."
He looked round as if to assure himself that we were alone.
"You can speak freely: we are alone; I was wishing to ask you a few
questions about this same matter. You were, of course, in the house on
the day, right up to seven o'clock."
"Quite right; but tell me, Mr. Monk, shall I be called as a witness in
this case?"
"When the case comes before the court, there is every probability that
you will be called to give testimony."
"But am I bound to appear and answer?"
"Yes, you are! I hope you have no objection."
There was something in the young man's manner which caused me to pay the
greatest attention to his words and behaviour.
"But can the matter come before the court before you have found the
thief?"
"As soon as we have got sufficient evidence against some person, that
person will be charged and brought before the court."
"But before this happens it is not necessary for me to reply to any
questions about the affair?"
"When the police, who are conducting the inquiries into the matter, ask
you, you should certainly answer. To refuse to answer would be
considered somewhat strange, and might even lead to unpleasantnesses for
you."
"Many thanks for your information," answered Mr. Howell; he had got up
and was walking restlessly up and down the room. "It is not pleasant
for a man to contribute to the ruin of some wretched creature, but
perhaps it is impossible to avoid it."
From the words which bad been exchanged between us, I felt sure the
young Englishman did not know of Evelina's arrest. As you remember, I
had requested old Frick and Sigrid not to speak to him about the affair.
I could also see that my answers to the questions he put to me had not
told him anything which he did not know before; he was not altogether so
ignorant about the matter. He must have put these questions to me as a
feint, for some purpose or another. I was almost certain that he knew
something of importance to the discovery of the robbery.
I decided at once to inform him of Evelina's arrest but not of her
confession. It would, indeed, be strange if he did not betray how far
the knowledge he had of the matter did not point in the same direction.
"Besides," I continued, "you need not be afraid that your evidence will
be of such fatal significance. We have already got the diamond back, and
the guilty party arrested. It is Evelina, Miss Frick's maid.
Circumstantial evidence is so strong that a confession is unnecessary."
"Well," said Mr. Howell, quietly, "I can just as well tell you now what
I know, as later on. It was on the afternoon when the diamond
disappeared, after the old crank, Jurgens, had dined at Villa Ballarat.
Soon after we had had some coffee in the museum I went up to my room and
loaded some cartridges, for I was going to Osterdal for some shooting,
you know."
"Yes; I know what took place in the house that afternoon. Please go
on."
"Well, when I was ready with the cartridges, I went down into the garden
to smoke a cigar. The other people had gone to their rooms, I suppose,
for I did not see any of them. As I went by the museum it seemed to me
that the door wasn't shut, and when I touched it it slid right up. You
know it is a large iron door, but so well balanced and oiled that it
moves quite noiselessly. Well, I glanced into the museum, and there I
saw a lady standing before the cupboard on the opposite side of the
room, with her back toward me. With one hand she held up the iron lid,
and in the other she had an article which she seemed to have just taken
from the case, and which she was examining. It did not occur to me to
think it was anybody but Miss Frick; I thought I recognized the light
spring jacket with dark braid."
I looked up suddenly and met Mr. Howell's gaze; his eyes did not impress
me pleasantly, and it appeared to me that their expression was dark and
cunning.
"Continue," I said hurriedly, and, I believe, rather roughly.
"Well, you know, Mr. Monk, that I am very fond of photography, and that
I always go about with a little snap-shot camera. You know it, of
course,--we have often had fun at Villa Ballarat photographing people
when they least expected it!"
I nodded.
"I had the apparatus with me, and so it struck me that I would
photograph Miss Frick as she stood there, without her knowing it. I
went hurriedly and softly inside the door, took the photograph, and went
out again without her seeing me. She stood quite still, as if she was
wondering what she should do with what she had in her hand."
The Englishman paused, as if to give me an opportunity to speak. But as
I did not even look up, but went on drawing figures on the paper before
me, with as careless an expression as possible, he continued:--
"Later in the afternoon I took a carriage outside and drove to the
station. On the way I took some negatives to the photographer, amongst
them the picture of which I have just spoken, as there were some of them
that I wanted to get developed by the time I got back. On my return
from Osterdal I heard that the diamond had disappeared, and then I
remembered the photograph. I naturally said nothing about it to Mr.
Frick or his niece, but I called for the prints. Would you like to see
the one from the museum?"
This was the second time that Sigrid's name had been mentioned in
connection with the disappearance of the diamond. It awoke the most
unpleasant feelings in me; but as I felt Mr. Howell's searching look
resting upon me, I assumed perfect calmness, and took what he handed me.
It was quite a small photograph on thin prepared paper, and placed
between two glass plates held together by an india-rubber band.
I took it with me to the window to examine it closely.
It was, as before said, a small picture, only two or three inches high
and very narrow, but exceedingly clear.
A young girl stood before the well-known cupboard in old Frick's museum.
Her position was exactly as Mr. Howell had described it.
The one hand held the lid open, the other held an article which was
hidden by the shoulder; the head and neck were bent somewhat forward,
examining the object.
It was a tall, fine figure in a light walking costume, trimmed with dark
braid.
There was not much to be seen of the room. One saw part of the cupboard
on both sides, a chair, the arm of another chair, but nothing else.
Over the cupboard, at about the same height as the young girl, was a
shelf. Part of this shelf, on which could be seen several small curios,
was included in the picture.
One glance was enough for me to be certain who the young girl was.
I turned round to Mr. Howell. "It is Evelina, as I suspected."
"Yes, of course; I am only astonished that I could have taken her for
Miss Frick when first I saw her. It must have been the costume which
deceived me. Miss Frick has worn it all the spring."
"Yes, I know," I answered curtly. It was irritating always to have to
return to Sigrid in this manner.
"Very well; on this occasion I also played the detective, Mr. Monk. I
have privately found out from the other servants that Miss Frick had,
that same afternoon, given the costume to Evelina. You see everything
is quite clear in that respect."
"Will you allow the police to keep the photograph, Mr. Howell, and is
there anything else you can tell us about the matter?" My manner was,
perhaps, somewhat abrupt.
"Wait a little," he answered; "I hope you understand now the reason for
the question which I put to you at the beginning of our conversation?"
"Yes; you would rather not appear as a witness, as far as I could
understand."
"Exactly; and, as you yourself say, the person in question is already
arrested, and the circumstantial evidence is so strong that my evidence
cannot be of much importance one way or other. This being the case,
would it not be possible for me to avoid appearing in court? and could
you not consider what I have said as confidential, so that I might take
the photograph and destroy it? Otherwise I shall appear very much in the
light of a spy or a thief-catcher, Mr. Monk. Also, it would be most
objectionable to me to have to testify against the unfortunate woman."
"Your sentiments do you all honour, Mr. Howell; but I cannot, all the
same, prevent your being called as a witness. Neither can I, of course,
keep your photograph against your will; but I must mention it in my
report, and most earnestly request you to preserve it. What you have
said to me in my office, with respect to a matter concerning which
inquiries are now being conducted, I cannot, in my capacity as a police
official, consider confidential."
"Well, Mr. Monk, I see it cannot be helped, and I ought, perhaps, to
have denied all knowledge of the matter. But you can, at any rate, bear
evidence that I appear most reluctantly; I would like both the unhappy
girl and the Frick family to understand this."
"I can only confirm what you yourself say, Mr. Howell," I answered
stiffly, for I began to be more and more convinced that the man was
playing a part. "You will leave the photograph then in the hands of the
police?" I continued..
"Yes, I may just as well leave it; I cannot see that I can do any one
any good by not doing so. You police deal with people in your own
way,--we speak and do just as you want us to do."
"Allow me one question, Mr. Howell,"--I had again taken the photograph
in my hand,--"this photograph is very small; it looks as though it had
been clipped at the sides. Was the photograph originally broader, and
did it include nothing more of the room?"
"Yes, it was originally broader, but only the middle part was clear and
distinct. Either side of it was, for some reason or another, very
foggy, so I cut it off to get the picture to fit between the two glass
plates. I had, besides, no interest for anything but what you see
there. The young girl is, of course, the principal object of
interest,"--he sighed gently.
"What time could it have been when you took the photograph?"
"Well, that question I cannot answer very exactly. I thought, of course,
at the time, that I should never be asked about it, but--let me see--it
can't have been far off six o'clock, for it was not long after that I
left for the railway station, and that was somewhere about seven."
* * * * *
The next minute Mr. Howell was gone, and I sat beside my desk in deep
thought.
The Englishman's visit had made an unpleasant impression upon me, and I
could not make out what his purpose in making it really was.
The man wished to come forward as a witness--that I felt sure about.
All the rest was mere dissimulation; but for what purpose? What could
be his motives?
It puzzled me at the time, and it puzzles me still!
* * * * *
During the whole of this long story, Monk had remained calm. He had
been speaking evenly and dispassionately, as if he had been reading a
police report. But now he changed in expression and manner. He began
to pace up and down the floor with contracted eyebrows, and I saw that
the perspiration stood on his brow.
* * * * *
You look astonished at me (he continued). After what you have heard,
does the whole affair seem clear to you? It will, perhaps, seem still
clearer when you have heard me for a few minutes longer: and you will
not be able to understand how it could become an enigma! Yes, an enigma
which I would give half or the whole of my life to solve!--But wait a
bit! When you have heard the rest of my story, you will join with me in
asking, "Who stole old Frick's diamond?" And you will likewise
understand that upon that question my fate has depended from that day to
this. But I shan't proceed any longer in that strain; I will continue
as impartially as I can. On that will, perhaps, depend how far you or
anybody else can help me--alone I can do nothing. I, who was so proud
of my own acuteness and ability to penetrate where others failed to see
a way!--No, don't interrupt me. We shall discuss it afterward, when I
have finished my story.
I had got as far as Evelina's arrest and that Mr. Howell had called on
me with the photograph. So far, everything was in order. The accused
had confessed, and the stolen article had been brought to light. But it
had been impossible to discover where the five thousand kroners had
disappeared.
Evelina refused positively to say a word beyond the confession, and as
we were not able to prove any complicity against the actor and Mrs.
Reierson, they were discharged.
The state of affairs in Mr. Frick's house was anything but satisfactory.
Sigrid had been suffering from nervous headaches ever since a few days
before the robbery. Old Frick was in a rage, and spent the whole day in
swearing at the duplicity and untrustworthiness of mankind. I believe,
however, that sympathy for the wretched Evelina was the true cause of
his anger. The young girl's arrest had, in fact, brought gloom and
sadness into the house. Einar Frick was still absent on business. Mr.
Howell decided to go to Spitzbergen as soon as the case against Evelina
was settled.
It vexed me that I could not trace the money, or obtain any proof of the
actor's complicity; and I took it for granted that the sly fellow had
succeeded in getting it safely put away in Gothenburg, before he was
arrested.
But although we had a clever officer there, and got all possible
assistance from the Swedish police, we did not succeed in obtaining any
proofs, and as long as Evelina would not speak we could proceed no
further in the affair.
Thus matters stood, and I think that all the actors in this drama were
only wishing that it would come to an end as soon as possible.
Suddenly one day I received the most astonishing news--Evelina had
demanded to be brought before the examining magistrate, and had
retracted before him her confession in full. She had declared that when
she confessed she had not been herself, and that she was really innocent
and knew nothing of the robbery. She would not say anything further,
and refused to answer any questions.
Of course, those who knew the ins and the outs of the case only shook
their heads at this unexpected development, and began to doubt her
reason. The doctors, however, who examined her, could not discover any
signs of a deranged mind.
The proofs were otherwise very strong against her; and as there was no
prospect of any new evidence in the matter, the hearing of the case was
fixed for the first sitting of the court.
I visited the young girl in prison and found her taciturn, depressed,
and pale; but she gave me the impression of being entirely normal. I
tried earnestly, and in a friendly way, to prevail upon her to adhere to
her confession and to give a full explanation; but she only smiled
sadly, and begged to be left alone. What could have caused her to
retract her confession? The more I pondered over this, the more sure I
became that this step must be due to some outside influence; that she
must have received some message or communication from without. She did
not wish to receive any visitors in her cell. Only the mother had
obtained permission to visit her once, and then the conversation had
been quite short, and had taken place in the presence of a constable.
The mother had, on that occasion, until interrupted by the constable,
tried to continue her reproaches against her daughter, because she had
confessed something which she had not done.
But her daughter had contemptuously turned away from her, and soon after
the mother was taken away without the robbery having been further
discussed between them.
I felt sure that these reproaches from the mother, which the daughter
seemed to treat with disgust and contempt, had had no effect, and that
the explanation must be sought for elsewhere.
By closely examining the jailer, he at last told me that he one day
surprised the young girl while she had a small piece of paper in her
hand, but that she immediately turned away and had probably put the
paper in her mouth and swallowed it. The man declared, however, that it
all happened so quickly that he could hardly be quite certain about the
matter, and Evelina, as usual when I spoke to her about it, took refuge
in an obstinate silence.
My suspicion that Evelina acted on other people's advice was now
strengthened. How far this circumstance can have any influence upon
your opinion, when you have heard me out, I don't know. To me, all is
dark; but I shall try to tell my story in such a way, that nothing of
what I know shall be hidden from you.
Fortunately, I have got on so far with it that I can now let others
speak for me--at least for a while. The next great event in my story is
the trial of Evelina, which took place about three weeks after her
arrest.
The proceedings are to be found fully reported in all the papers at that
time, and you will get a more complete idea of the case by reading one
of these reports, than if I give you a verbal account.
* * * * *
Monk opened a drawer in his writing-table, and took out a locked
portfolio, from which he produced a large grey envelope. The envelope
proved to contain several cuttings from the _Morning News_, which Monk
laid before me.
"But," I objected hurriedly, "I would much rather hear the account from
your own lips. Otherwise I should miss your impressions, which, to me,
have much more value than a newspaper reporter's idiotic and irrelevant
remarks. And even if he does report the bare facts, such a report
cannot possibly be as satisfactory as your own account."
"There is a difference in newspaper reporters," was Monk's dry reply.
"As you will see, the _Morning News_ man has not only reported carefully
and judiciously, but his remarks are impartial, and show good sense and
power of observation."
"That's all very well; but I depend, however, more upon your power of
observation."
"In this case, you cannot do so. If a detective ever has made a great
fiasco, I did so on that occasion, as you yourself will learn. Don't
you understand that I am afraid that you are beginning to look at the
events with my eyes? I am afraid to lead you into the labyrinth in
which I, myself, am lost, and which I probably have myself built up!"
It struck me that Monk's reasoning was correct, and I made no further
comment.
"Only one question," I said; "have you any objection to Clara hearing
your story?"
"No; on the contrary, it was my intention to ask you to tell her
everything, when we are finished. I hope for help from her; she is an
unusually intelligent woman, and besides, women have, in many respects,
much finer feelings,--instinct, or what you call it,--than we men."
"Then I have a proposal to make to you. We shall not continue to-night,
but I shall tell Clara all that you have now told me. Clara and I will
read the newspaper account together, and then we will see you again."
"I gladly accept your proposal," said Monk, a little hesitatingly; "but
if I could be allowed, I would ask you both to read the account in the
paper in my presence. Of course I have read it, not once, but ten
times, to myself, without any result; but now it has struck me that the
whole affair might appear to me in a new light, if I heard some one else
read an exact account of what happened on that fateful day."
"Yes, with pleasure," I exclaimed. "I promise to do this, both on my
own and on Clara's behalf."
Monk shook me by the hand, and asked if Clara and I would come up to him
one day, when I had told her all I had heard from him.
"You shall see us here to-morrow," I answered quickly, and so we parted
that evening or, more correctly, that night. It was half-past one when
I reached my home.
I had had a busy day, and the intense interest with which I had listened
to Monk's account had tired me. I only longed to get to sleep as
quickly as possible. But then happened what a more experienced man than
I might perhaps have foreseen.
When I got home Clara was sitting up waiting for me. So I explained to
her, as casually as possible, that next day she should hear Monk's
remarkable story,--a story, the continuation of which we were to read
together; well--what further happened I cannot remember, but I am sure
it was past four that night before I got to sleep, and then Clara had
heard everything that the reader knows of Monk's history.
"Pshaw! it isn't difficult to understand how the story will end! The
horrid Englishman naturally managed things so that Miss Frick should be
suspected of having stolen her uncle's diamond; and--"
These were the last words I heard Clara utter as sleep overcame me.
"Yes, if there must be a villain in the drama, Clara must be right in
thinking that the Englishman must have played that role," I thought with
my last efforts, before my senses were entirely bedimmed.
* * * * *
The next day we all three were sitting in Monk's study.
"We mustn't lose any time," said Clara, as she smartly cleared aside the
tea and cakes to which Monk's kindly landlady had treated us.
"Remember, Mr. Monk, that we now change roles. It is you who seek
advice and help, while Frederick and I represent the detective firm.
Well! we had got so far that the case was on for trial,--my husband has
told me everything,--and here are the newspaper accounts of the case,
which you want Frederick to read aloud, isn't that so? So set to work,
Frederick!"
*PART II*
*CHAPTER I*
*THE TRIAL*
In the _Morning News_ of June 2, 189-, appeared the following, under the
heading:--
THE BLACK TORTOISE IN COURT
The court to-day was filled to overflowing, and a large number were
unable to gain admittance.
The disappearance of old Frick's diamond--we hope our respected
fellow-citizen will excuse our using the familiar name by which he is so
well known--has been eagerly discussed and commented upon by the
newspapers for the last few weeks.
The case did not promise to become a particularly difficult or
complicated one, although it was known that the accused had retracted
her confession; but the stolen article was of such an unusual kind, and
of such great value, and the persons who were to appear in the case were
so well-known, that it was only to be expected that the proceedings
would attract as many people as the court would hold. One could hardly
imagine anything more sadly interesting than the pale and pretty girl
who stood charged before the court with the theft of the now famous
diamond. By her side sat her counsel, a young advocate who is already
known in legal circles as a most able and successful counsel for the
defence.
Among the witnesses was the well-known figure of old Frick, and by his
side his niece, Miss Frick. Not far off stood Mr. Monk, acting chief of
the detective department, already a well-known and popular figure in our
town, as much appreciated for his acuteness and boldness as for his
tactful conduct when in the execution of his duty as a police official.
The dark distinguished-looking man beside Miss Frick was the Englishman,
Mr. Howell, who, as everybody knows, has been compelled by a strange
coincidence to appear as a witness in the case, and who, it is said,
will give the most remarkable evidence ever heard in our courts of
justice. The Englishman did not appear particularly edified with his
task. From what I hear, it seems he has tried to escape giving
evidence. It is anything but a pleasant duty to give evidence against a
young woman when one feels that it will mean conviction for her.
* * * * *
The presiding judge of the court took his seat, the case for the
prosecution was stated, and the usual questions asked of the accused as
to her name, age, etc.
She did not look up, but answered in a fairly audible voice. Then she
was asked whether she was guilty or not guilty.
All waited anxiously for the answer.
Her voice was this time so low that the judge had to lean toward her and
request her to speak more loudly.
The silence was so intense that the answer, although scarcely more than
a whisper, was heard all over the court: "Not guilty."
Had the public expected anything else? Perhaps--perhaps not....
The public prosecutor then began his charge:--
The crime with which the accused was charged was not of a particularly
complicated nature with regard to the question as to how, or by whom,
the theft had been committed. But it was a different matter with regard
to the motives and the circumstances under which it had taken place, and
he was willing to admit that in this respect little or no light had been
thrown upon the matter. An uncommon article, an object of great value,
in other words, the black diamond, which now lay on the judge's table,
was stolen on May 10 from Mr. Frick, who was now present in court as a
witness. The police were at once informed of the theft, and they
succeeded not only in recovering the stolen object, but also in
providing such information that the public prosecutor was able to prove
fully before the court, both how the theft had been perpetrated, by
whom, and how the thief had disposed of the stolen object.
He would call witnesses to prove at what time the theft had been
committed, that the accused at that time had been at least half an hour
in the house, that she during that time had the opportunity of going
into the room where the diamond was kept, and at a time when the
cupboard was not locked. He could prove by a means which seldom fell to
the lot of the authorities, that the accused, in the time during which
the theft had taken place, had been into the room and even opened the
case where the diamond was kept. He could next prove that the accused
at an earlier hour of the same day had had an opportunity of hearing an
assurance from a rich man that he would pay a large sum of money to
become possessed of the diamond. She thus knew beforehand that she
could sell the stolen article without any difficulty.
Finally, he could prove that the diamond was actually sold by the
accused on the same day to the man just mentioned.
Thus far the chain of evidence was as complete as any could be, and in
order to substantiate the guilt of the accused it was of no consequence
that she had retracted her confession, and had hitherto refused to give
any explanation whatsoever; every experienced judge would know exactly
what value to put on circumstantial evidence of such a character. It was
just as good, if not surer, than a confession.
What still had to be explained was, what had become of the money which
the accused had received for the diamond and what could be the
particular motives for this criminal act.
Some information might possibly be obtained during the examination of
the witnesses; but if this was not the case, the prosecutor would be
obliged to maintain that the punishment be in accordance with the utmost
rigour of the Law. The public prosecutor would, therefore, conclude
with the request to the judge that he ask the accused most earnestly to
give a full explanation. If she still persisted in her refusal to give
this explanation, he must warn her that it would be with detriment to
her cause, and possibly to that of justice.
It was so quiet in the court, when the public prosecutor sat down, that
one could hear a pin drop.
The judge then turned and addressed the young girl. In calm,
considerate words he called her attention to the fact that she had the
right, in any case, to do as she pleased--either to speak or to keep
silent; and that no pressure would be brought to bear upon her, least of
all to make her confess. This much, however, he felt it his duty to tell
her, that she was certainly not acting in her own interests by
maintaining silence. If she were innocent, which he still hoped, then
her own explanations would only serve to show it: and if she were
guilty, they would enable the court to consider her case in the most
lenient manner possible.
Every eye in the room was turned on the unhappy girl, but her face
remained as impassive as that of a statue; her lips were pressed
together, and her eyes cast down.
Her counsel leaned toward her and whispered something in her ear. She
did not raise her eyes; her only answer was a slight inclination of the
head.
"I must request," said the young advocate, "that my client's wish to
make no further statements shall be respected. She has decided to say
nothing; and I know that her resolution in this respect is not to be
shaken. Whether this decision is wise or no, and whether or no it is
taken by my advice, is not for the moment a subject for discussion. It
is enough to say that whatever appeals were directed toward her to state
what she knows of the case would, however well meant, only prolong the
proceedings."
No sooner had the counsel sat down than a murmur went around the court,
giving expression to nearly all the different feelings which move the
human heart. Some feared that the accused would damage her own cause,
others admired her firmness, while many expressed astonishment at her
audacity. As all the papers have already published detailed accounts of
what happened at Villa Ballarat upon the day that the robbery was
committed, it will be sufficient to mention that the evidence of all the
witnesses only served to corroborate what the public already knew,
thanks to the unremitting zeal of the newspaper reporters.
It also seemed as if the counsel for the defence understood that it
would be hopeless to upset that part of the evidence.
He certainly tried to make it appear possible that some strange person
might have crept into the garden of the villa between five and half-past
seven in the afternoon; but this attempt was stranded, upon the
gardener's definite assurance that the gate had been locked the whole
time, and on the evidence of the chief of the detective police with
regard to the examination he had made of the railing and the ground
round the garden.
The counsel for the defence was more fortunate in his attempt to obtain
evidence of good character and behaviour for the accused. Mr. Frick and
his niece were especially unremitting in their praise of the young girl.
Miss Frick caused much excitement when, in answer to a question by the
counsel for the defence, she answered:--
"Evelina has for several years had all my trinkets and jewels in her
custody. Thanks to my uncle's generosity, I have more of those kinds of
things than I need, and it would have been very easy for her to take any
one of many of these, without fear of discovery. Her mere assertion
that something had been lost would have been enough.... No! she is
honesty itself! She could never steal my uncle's diamond, of that I am
convinced, however much appearances are against her!..."
There was great sensation in court when Mr. Howell was called as
witness. Every one, of course, knew of the strange circumstances under
which he had been involved in the matter.
He began by asking the judge if he might be excused from appearing as
witness. The judge asked him to give his reasons for this request. Mr.
Howell explained that he was a private gentleman and not a police spy.
It was quite by an accident he had come to play a role in this affair--a
role which did not please him. He had already given his explanation to
the police, and had hoped that would have been sufficient.
The judge answered that none of these explanations could exempt him from
appearing as witness. One could not help respecting his feelings; but
since no lawful reasons could be given, they must request him to give
what evidence he could.
Mr. Howell, who spoke the Norwegian language fluently, submitted to the
inevitable, and gave a short and clear account of how he came to
photograph the accused, so to speak, "in flagrante."
The papers have already published an account of this scene, so that I
shall not repeat his evidence "_in extenso_." I shall only reproduce
the following of the examination.
_Public prosecutor_: "What did you do with the film after you had taken
the photograph?"
_Witness_: "I went to my room with it, took the films out of the
apparatus, and took them to the photographer's to be developed. I
called at the photographer's on my way to the railway station."
_Public prosecutor_: "You maintain, then, that it is the accused whom
you have photographed, but without your being aware of it? Are you sure
it is the accused?"
_Witness_: "Any one who has seen the accused a few times will see that
she is the person in the photograph."
_Public prosecutor_ (taking an object from the judge's table): "Is this
the photograph in question, which you, yourself, delivered up to the
police?"
_Witness_ (taking the photograph in his hand and carefully examining
it): "Yes, it is."
The public prosecutor declared himself satisfied, and the counsel for
the defence began: "Now, are you quite sure that when you photographed
the accused you did not believe her to be some one else--for instance,
Miss Frick?"
_Witness_: "Yes, I believe I have already explained myself sufficiently
clearly on that point."
_Counsel for the defence_: "I cannot understand how you can now be so
sure that the picture represents my client, while you believed quite
otherwise when you had the living person before you. What is the reason
for this?"
_Witness_: "I have before explained I was in a great hurry at the time.
I wanted to get away before the person should turn round--it was all
done in fun on my part. Besides, I thought I recognized Miss Frick's
jacket,--she had been in the habit of wearing a jacket trimmed with
braid. Later, I got to hear that Miss Frick that same day had given it
to her maid as a present, and on looking at the photo I became convinced
it was the maid."
_Counsel for the defence_: "Good! Are you also quite sure that the
picture you now see here is the same as that you took on that occasion?
The film has been several days out of your keeping, and in other hands."
The young Englishman seemed rather impatient at this examination. "If
the film has not been tampered with at the photographer's," he exclaimed
quickly, "it is the picture of what I saw in the museum. Whether it has
been tampered with or not, I see here before me the same person, in the
same position, and in the same room--others must now decide which is
most probable."
He took up the picture again, examined it carefully, and handed it back
to the public prosecutor.
"I have only wanted to show," said the counsel for the defence, quietly,
"that you yourself at one time have doubted the identity of the person
who stands in front of Miss Frick's cupboard in the photograph. I have
now only two other questions to ask you.
"What was the time when you took the photograph?"
_Witness_: "About six."
_Counsel for the defence_: "Are you not able to give the time more
exactly? Might it not just as well have been half-past six?"
_Witness_: "I cannot give the exact time. I didn't attach much
importance to the incident. When I had taken the photograph I went up to
my room, and was busy there for some time before I left. It was then
about seven, so from that I conclude that the photograph was taken about
six."
_Counsel_: "Might it not have been a little over half-past six?"
_Witness_: "No! I can be quite certain it was not over half-past six."
_Counsel_: "Could you see that the person held the diamond in her hand?
In the photograph the object which she holds is hidden by her shoulder."
_Witness_: "When first I caught sight of her, she held the diamond
somewhat higher, so that I was able to see it; afterward she lowered her
arm, and while in that position she was photographed."
The counsel for the defence seemed to be satisfied.
Then Mr. Rodin, the photographer, was called as witness.
The well-known artist, whose pleasant manners have obtained for him so
many customers and friends, bowed to the judge and court, and, the usual
formalities having been observed, he answered quickly and decisively the
questions which the public prosecutor put to him.
Public prosecutor: "Do you recognize this photograph? Has it been in
your hands before?"
_Witness_: "Yes; this film, together with some others, was given me to
develop, by Mr. Howell, on the evening of the 10th of May, about seven
or half-past."
Public prosecutor: "And are you sure that this photograph is an exact
reproduction of the negative?"
_Witness_ (smiling): "The photograph cannot lie, sir! Even if I had
wished it, I could not have produced anything else than what was to be
seen in front of the apparatus at the moment it was opened to take the
photograph."
The public prosecutor finished his examination, and the counsel for the
defence began his.
_Counsel_: "Can you be certain that this photograph is the same one
which you developed several weeks ago for Mr. Howell? It has not been
in your possession since?"
_Witness_: "Yes, sir, I am quite sure; you can see for yourself that my
initials are written on the back;--look, O.R. 10/5, H. 10. The first
are my initials, then follows the date it was received, then the initial
of Mr. Howell's name, from whom I received it, and lastly, the number in
the series. The roll which he brought me that day consisted of ten
films; this was number ten, the last photograph he had taken."
_Counsel_: "You cannot, however, be quite certain that this is the same
picture which Mr. Howell brought you. During the work, some of your
people might have mixed Mr. Howell's pictures together with other
people's. Such a thing might happen, might it not?"
_Witness_: "No, sir; I develop all Mr. Howell's films with my own hands.
He is very particular about them. As you will see, this picture is very
clear and distinct, and I flatter myself that all the pictures which
have passed through my hands are the same,--that is to say, when such an
expert snap-shot taker as Mr. Howell has taken them."
_Counsel_: "Is there any reason, Mr. Rodin, why one could not photograph
first the room, then a person, and then transfer that person to the
first picture, so that a person appears in the room on the picture?"
The public had remained unusually silent and attentive during the whole
of the proceedings; at this question the silence became still more
intense. Every one understood the counsel's object in putting this
question--that each one of his questions was an attempt to clutch at a
last straw in the interest of his client; but all understood also that
each straw slipped out of his hand, one by one. The same happened to
this question. The witness answered, without any hesitation, "It is
possible, sir; but every experienced photographer would tell you that
this has not been attempted in the present case."
The young advocate looked disappointed. He made a motion like one who
washes his hands, and allowed the witness to step down.
The photograph was sent round among the members of the jury and the
court, while the next witness was being called. It was the young chief
of the detective police, Charles Monk. The public hailed his appearance
with murmurs of approbation which must be just as much attributed to his
winning appearance as to the reputation he had already gained as a
police officer. His evidence was calm, clear, and concise, as befits a
policeman, and all listened with breathless attention to the account of
how the young chief had taken upon himself the role of detective, and
had not rested until Mr. Frick's diamond was in the hands of the police.
When Mr. Monk, in his evidence, came to speak of his visit to Jurgens,
and of the stratagem he had used to deceive the old man, many of the
spectators began to clap their hands and shout, Bravo! The judge's
authority for the moment had to be called into account to produce
silence.
Although there was scarcely a person in the court who did not wish that
the young girl in the dock should be acquitted, so paradoxical is human
nature that the same people applauded the great skill with which the net
had been drawn around her.
The last hope for the prisoner seemed to vanish at the evidence of the
detective.
The counsel for the defence had not many questions to ask. He tried to
show that both on her arrest and upon Mr. Monk's first visit to her
mother's home, she had been in an irresponsible condition, and for that
purpose he had no doubt summoned her mother and her lover, the actor, to
give evidence. Although their evidence was a voluntary matter, owing to
the relation in which they stood to the accused, they both declared
themselves willing to tell what they knew. Their evidence did not,
however, throw any new light on the matter. Both were convinced of the
young girl's innocence, and asked the court not to believe her, even if
she should again confess. She had always been of a nervous temperament,
and often a little strange.
Neither the loquacious woman with the ruddy complexion, nor the
pomatummed Don Juan, whose shady character is so well known in the town,
made a good impression; and the counsel for the defence concluded their
examination as soon as possible. The general impression was that he,
for the defence, had originally intended to prove that his client was
irresponsible, but that during the proceedings before the court he had
abandoned this line of defence.
* * * * *
I had proceeded thus far in my reading when I stopped and looked at my
friends. Clara was listening with her mouth open, and did not seem as
if she would tolerate any interruption. Monk sat silently in an
armchair in the darkest corner of the room.
"Shall I continue?" I asked, "or will you allow me to ask a question?"
"I would rather you read the newspaper account to the end, first," was
Monk's answer; and I heard by the tone of his voice that he was
unusually agitated.
"Yes, go on reading, and let us hear what happens," said Clara, trying
to look over my shoulder.
I read as follows:--
... The examination of the witnesses for the defence was concluded, and
the public prosecutor rose. His speech was short and pithy.
He thought all must agree that the charge he had preferred against the
accused had been fully proved by the evidence given in court.
With regard to the responsibility of the accused, he also believed that
this had been asserted beyond all doubt; the opinion of the medical men
was definite, and the evidence by which the defence had attempted to
weaken these were but of little value. He did not believe for a moment
the counsel for the defence would seriously question the responsibility
of the accused. That the feeling of having committed a great crime, and
of having to answer for it, might have caused the conduct of the accused
to appear strange, and to some degree self-contradictory, was only
natural.
That the accused had retracted her first confession, and later on had
refused to give any explanation whatever in the court, might perhaps
surprise some, but it could in no way weaken the clear and distinct
proofs of her guilt. It was perhaps to be regretted that the police had
not succeeded in ascertaining where the money for the stolen object had
disappeared to, as this circumstance prevented any possible accomplices
being brought to justice. It was likewise to be regretted that motives
for the crime could not be sufficiently explained; but the accused was
no doubt herself principally to be blamed for this, through her
persistent silence. None of these circumstances ought, however, to have
any influence upon the answer of the jury to the question, "Guilty or
not guilty?"
The counsel for the accused rose to begin his speech for the defence.
He seemed at first to be somewhat uncertain, but he soon decided upon
the line he would take.
He did not want to conceal, he said, that he was in a very difficult
position, and the one who made his position most difficult of all was
his client.
All had heard that the young girl who was charged with having stolen the
diamond, which was now lying upon the table in court, had at first
confessed, but had afterward retracted her confession, and otherwise
refused any information whatsoever in the matter. But what every one,
in all probability, did not know, was that she had maintained the same
silence with regard to him, her counsel and adviser. He had not
succeeded in getting a single word from her lips, except the assurance
that she would say nothing, would answer no questions, and would give no
information. "I thought it only right," continued the young advocate,
"to make this open declaration, in order that my inability to give
information which might be to the advantage of my client, should not be
misunderstood. You must not believe that I have received any
information from her, and that I have not found it to her advantage to
make use of it.
"It appears to me, and I hope the gentlemen of the jury will agree with
me, that the unfortunate girl, paralyzed by the terrible blow of
suspicion which has fallen upon her, and feeling how terribly hopeless
her case is, through the strong appearances against her at almost every
step, has found it expedient to draw within herself and keep silence,
just as the hunted deer withdraws to its cave, even if death awaits it
there. No one has a right to construe my client's silence as a
confession, or the result of a consciousness of guilt.
"The diamond was stolen in the interval between five and half-past seven
in the afternoon. Of these two hours and a half my client spent only
half an hour's time within the walls of Villa Ballarat, while many
persons were present there during the whole time. It has been proved,
says the public prosecutor, that no stranger could have gained admission
there during that time; but can we be so sure of that? An agile man can
easily climb over the railings--no one will deny that. The police
examined the ground round about, and no trace was found, may be said in
objection. But we know that expert criminals are often very dexterous
in destroying all traces after them; and no one will maintain that the
police are so infallible that a trace cannot have escaped them.
"One need not be gifted with great acuteness in order to guess what is
passing through the minds of the gentlemen of the jury at this moment:
what can be the use of all this? The main proofs against the accused
still remain unassailable. But let us look into some of these proofs
which, according to the opinion of the public prosecutor, are so strong
that they are even more reliable than a confession. The old man who
bought the diamond has himself said that he bought it of the young girl
whom I defend, and there can be no doubt about this, although he has not
appeared in court as witness; we have the evidence of the head of the
detective department with regard to it, and that must be sufficient.
But--here is also a 'but,' just as there is a 'but' in all the so-called
infallible circumstantial evidence against the accused--is, then, the
word of an imbecile man in his second childhood to be fully depended
upon--a man who immediately afterward is declared incapable of managing
his own affairs; who is so infatuated with his mania that he, whose
honesty is otherwise not for a moment to be doubted after a long life of
spotless integrity, buys a diamond which he knows must have been stolen?
Shall the evidence of such a man decide the fate of a human being? And
besides, is this man's evidence quite impartial? We have heard, from
the account of the chief of the detectives, that the old man tried to
conceal the fact that he was in possession of the diamond; in his
imbecility he is, however, conscious that he has done something wrong,
and is, to a certain degree, cunning, and on his guard. What, then, is
more probable than that he, who sees that he has been discovered, is
wily enough to give an explanation which makes it probable that a
servant would have the disposal of the diamond at her command? Who
dares maintain that the old man spoke the truth on this occasion? It
is, however, just as much, if not more probable, that he resorted to
telling the first untruth that came into his head!
"And what has become of the five thousand kroners, which he says he has
paid for the diamond?
"It has not been possible to ascertain, says my opponent; but on the
whole he seems to lay little stress upon the circumstance.
"It seems to me that this circumstance--that no trace whatever has been
discovered of the money--is quite an important one. We know that the
most able detectives have been engaged in tracing it--even the fiance of
my client was arrested in Copenhagen in consequence thereof; both she
and her mother have been watched most closely--but still no clue. Are
not these circumstances important? Is there not more than one proof
that the police have been on the wrong track, that the thief is not the
one who has been arrested, and that they have been investigating in a
direction where there was nothing to look for?
"But it may be said that the principal proof still remains unshaken; the
accused has, by a remarkable coincidence, been photographed in the act
of committing the theft, that cannot be denied or explained away; yes--I
venture to maintain there is no proof of the guilt of the accused in
this. I admit that most probably it is the young girl who has been
photographed on this film. The hat and the jacket which she wears were
given to her by Miss Frick about six o'clock in the afternoon of the
same day: this we know from the evidence; likewise that she wore the
same clothes when she called on her mother between half-past six and
seven. I admit there is a probability which approaches to certainty,
that it is my client who, in the photograph here, is standing in front
of Mr. Frick's cupboard in the so-called museum. One can also see that
she is holding some object in her hand. Yes, I even go so far as to
admit that she is most likely looking at the black diamond. But from
this moment my conclusions cease to coincide with those of the public
prosecutor.
"Why should it follow that she also took the diamond with her?
"What if my client, on passing through the garden and seeing the door
open to the museum, goes inside, and out of curiosity has a look at the
black diamond about which there has been so much talk among the people
of the house while she was serving the coffee in the afternoon, and then
puts it back again and passes out through the garden, on her way to her
mother? What if she, later on, after hearing of the robbery,
understands that she has been imprudent, and then does a still more
imprudent thing by trying to conceal her visit to the museum, and
finally, when almost crushed under the shame and fear of being arrested,
acts as she afterward did?
"I ask any person of common sense, is there anything more improbable
than that this young girl, who has always shown the most exemplary
honesty, should commit this daring theft without any special motive?
This young girl, who was not in need, and who in her master's house had
found a home almost as if she were one of the family--this young girl
who knew that if she were in want of money for any special object her
young mistress would not deny her it, even if it were a considerable
sum!
"Is this more probable than that her presence in the museum was due to
an accidental circumstance of no significance, and that the theft has
afterward been committed by some one else?"
The counsel for the defence was here interrupted in a manner which was
no doubt flattering to him; from the audience came the sound of more
than one hearty _Bravo!_ while a hoarse voice, full of sincere
conviction, exclaimed, "Ah! he's about right there."
Silence was soon obtained, and the counsel concluded his speech thus:
"It is an old experience of the court that the chain of evidence which
seems strongest, and in which the links seem to fit exactly into each
other, is in reality most often the weakest. I will ask the jury to bear
this in mind. And I believe that I have at least shown you that in the
chain of the public prosecutor which seemed to fit so beautifully there
is not one link which can be called faultless."
The counsel resumed his seat, and the public made an attempt to applaud
him, but the judge quickly imposed silence, and the public prosecutor
rose to reply.
He had followed the speech of the counsel for the defence with interest
and approval, the latter no doubt arising from the same cause which had
dictated the applause of the public--that is to say, admiration of the
counsel's ability to make something out of nothing, or of an
inconvenient subject. At this point the public prosecutor nodded in a
friendly way across to the counsel for the defence, who smiled in
return.
He found, on the whole, his chain of evidence so little weakened by what
the defence had brought forward, that he did not think it necessary to
go through it again. He had such great confidence in the intelligence
of the jury that he would take it for granted they would have remarked,
without his pointing it out to them, that where he had produced facts,
or probabilities which almost amounted to facts, the counsel for the
defence had only set up possibilities, and even improbable
possibilities--with this, he would leave the matter in the hands of the
jury.
The counsel for the defence then proceeded to make his final speech.
The public prosecutor had himself admitted that there were possibilities
that the theft had not been committed in the way the prosecution had
asserted. It would be the duty of the jury to decide as to the
probability or improbability of the possibilities. He would conclude by
saying that when to these possibilities was added the stainless life of
his client, and the good character she bore from all quarters--no one
had brought forward anything to the contrary--as well as the
circumstance that no one had been able to show any particular motive for
the young girl's suddenly committing a criminal act; and finally, that
it had not been possible, in spite of the most energetic exertions of
the police, to show that his client had been in possession of, or
disposed of the money which was to have been the reward of the crime of
which she was accused--then he did not doubt that the conscientious jury
would not pronounce the fateful "Yes" to the question "Guilty?"
The counsel sat down, but no applause was heard this time from the
public. All seemed to be convinced that his exertions had been in vain.
The time approached when the jurymen had to retire. All seemed to feel
that their deliberations would be short, and the result an unanimous
verdict of guilty.
Of what avail could be the eloquence or the cunning subterfuges of a
counsel, against proofs and facts as clear as those which the public
prosecutor had produced?
The judge asked the accused if she had anything to say. Her counsel
leaned toward her, and appeared to be urging something earnestly upon
her; but she only shook her head, as before, and the young man sat down
with an air of resignation.
*CHAPTER II*
*THE PHOTOGRAPH CANNOT LIE*
The public prosecutor had begun to read the questions which were to be
laid before the jury, when he was interrupted by a noise from the back
of the court. Many of the public rose from their seats in order to see
better.
What could be the matter?
A messenger of the court had forced his way through the crowd to the
counsel for the defence, and handed him a letter, saying a few words,
which those nearest to him could hear. The messenger said, "You must
read it at once, sir; it has to do with the case now before the court."
The counsel tore open the envelope, read, passed his hand across his
forehead, and read the letter again.
He crushed the paper in his hand, stepped quickly forward, and as the
public prosecutor had not resumed his reading, he addressed himself to
the judge, saying, "I must ask that an hour's postponement be granted to
my client; in that time I believe I can bring before you, gentlemen,
evidence which will throw a new light upon the case."
* * * * *
An hour passed by, perhaps a little more, and the court was again
sitting. The room was, if possible, even more crowded than before; no
one had been willing to give up his seat, and there were new arrivals.
The silence which reigned showed the excitement that possessed
everybody.
The counsel for the defence asked to be allowed to examine the chief of
the detective staff once more.
The young officer stepped forward, and took his place in the witness box
in his usual quiet manner, although astonishment was plainly written on
his face.
_The counsel_: "You have already told us that when you paid a visit to
Mr. Jurgens and so skilfully got him to give up the diamond, he then
told you that he had bought it from the accused, Evelina Reierson.
Isn't that so?"
"Yes."
_Counsel_: "Did he seem to be in any doubt as to whom he had bought the
diamond from?"
The detective blushed at this question, but his answer was as
unconstrained and calm as before.
"No, he gave me the impression that he was sure it was the accused."
_Counsel_: "Did he name any one else who could possibly have sold him
the diamond?"
"At first he began, with some confused nonsense, to excuse himself, but
it was of no significance to the case."
_Counsel_: "I must ask you, however, to give the name or the names which
Mr. Jurgens mentioned in connection with the diamond."
One could see that the officer was angry at the importunate examination,
and that he had to exert himself to the utmost, in order to answer
calmly.
"Mr. Jurgens seemed at first to be somewhat frightened at the
consequences of his transaction, and in order to excuse himself, he
began with some nonsense about having bought the diamond from--from a
person who is nearly related to Mr. Frick, and who was supposed to have
received the diamond from him as a present."
_Counsel_: "What did you do to get him to speak the truth?"
The detective hesitated a moment, and grew redder still in the face. At
last he answered firmly and distinctly:--
"He first mentioned Miss Frick as having sold him the diamond, and that
she had said she had got it as a present from her uncle. This was as
much as to say that the young lady, for whom I have--have the greatest
respect, is a thief and a liar, as information of the robbery was given
to the police by her uncle; and I then forgot myself for the moment and
seized hold of the old man--but of course only for a moment!"
_Counsel_: "It was after you let go of him that he gave the name of
Evelina Reierson?"
"Yes; but as you will understand--"
_Counsel_ (interrupting): "I have for the present nothing further to ask
you."
"Well, I never heard such--" exclaimed a powerful voice. It was old
Frick who rose, red as a turkey cock in the face; the judge himself had
to call him to order.
Mr. Monk still stood in the same place, biting his lips. Miss Frick
stared at him with an astonished expression. As yet she suspected
nothing.
But the attention of the public was soon engrossed by a new witness whom
the counsel for the defence brought forward. He was a tall,
squarely-built man, with broad round shoulders, and black hair and
beard; he was dressed in shiny, threadbare black clothes.
The examination was begun by the judge. The witness seemed quite
unwilling to be examined.
"Your name?"
"Abraham Abrahamson."
"How old are you?"
"Fifty-three years old."
"What is your calling?"
"Pawnbroker and commission agent."
"Where do you live?"
"Bishop Street, No. 75."
"Do you know anything about the case which is before the jury to-day?"
"I have read about it in the papers."
"Have you had anything to do with any of the persons in the case, or
have you in any other way obtained any information which may be of
importance in this matter?"
"I know several persons here by sight"--the witness looked round the
court with his sharp, dark eyes--"but I did not believe I could give any
information which could be of use to the court, until I was sent for
half an hour ago."
The judge concluded, and left the further examination to the counsel for
the defence.
_Counsel_: "Do you know this young girl, Evelina Reierson?"
_Witness_: "She has been once or twice to my place, on business."
_Counsel_: "On what sort of business?"
_Witness_ (unwillingly): "To pawn a few small things."
_Counsel_: "What sort of small things?"
_Witness_: "As far as I can remember, they were some rings and a pair of
earrings."
Suddenly Miss Frick's voice was heard--not loud, but clear and
distinct:--
"The rings and earrings she got from me. They were presents, and she
could do as she li
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