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第3章 名画失窃案3（第1页）

第3章名画失窃案（3）

Hat'thaveaeideaastojustwhathecoulddo，sohelethimgoon。"AsIu，MrdeLesseps，"hei，"nooheroom，exrKale，allthetimeyouwerethere?"

";

"AndIthihatyaouswatercolor，weren'tyou?"

"Yes，aThamesse，byWhistler，"ly。"Thatisit，hahema;

Hatcedatthepictureadmiringly。Itwasaedshowedthedefttouanwhowashimselfanartistofgreatability。

DeLessepsreadtheadmirationiisnotbad，"hesaidmodestly。"IstudiedwithCarolusDuran。"

Withallelsethatwasknown，andthislittleadditionalinformation，whichseemedofnoparticularvaluetothereporter，theeerwaslaidbeforeTheThinkidistinguishedmanlistenedfrombegihoutent。

"Whohada?"heaskedfinally。

"Thatisonnoly。"Thereareacoupleofdozesinthehouse，andIsuppose，inspiteofKale&#idorders，therewasalaxityintheire;

"Ofcoursethatmakesitmoredifficult，"saidTheThinkiheperpetuallyirritatedvoicewhichwassodistinctlyapartofhimself。"PerhapsitwouldbebestfotoMrKale'shomeandpersoe。"

Kalereceivedthemwiththereservewhichallrishowinthepreseivesofthepress。Hestaredfranklyacuriouslyatthediminutivefigureofthestist，whoexplaioftheirvisit。

"Iguessyoufellows'tdoanythingwiththis，"themillionaireassuredthem。"I'vegulardeteit。"

"IsMrMalloryherenow?"asked"TheThinki;curtly。

"Yes，heisupstairsis'quarters。"

"Mayweseetheroomfromwhichthepicturewastaken?"ihestist，withasuaveintonationwhichHatewwell。

&edthepermissionwithawaveofthehand，ahemintotheballroom，wherethepictureshadbeeherelativeterofthisroomTheThinkingMaesurveyeditall。Theerehigh。Halfadoutintothehallways，totheservatory，anooksofthemansionofferedinnumerablepossibilitiesofaccess。Afterthisonelongprehe，TheThinkioveraheframefromwhichtheRube。Ftimeheexami。Kale'simpatienceai。Fiistturohim。

"HowwelldoyouknowMrdeLesseps?"heasked。

"I'veknownhimforonlyamonthorso。Why?"

"Didhebriersofintrodu，ordidyoumeethimmerelycasually?"

Kaleregardedhimwithevidentdispleasure。"Myownpersonalaffairshavenothiodowiththismatter，"hesaidpoi;MrdeLessepsisagentlemay，aaihelastwhomIwouldsuspeywiththedisappearaure。"

"ThatisusuallythearkedTheThinkily。Heturch。"JusthoywasthathemadeoftheWhistlerpicture?"heasked。

"Ihaveheinal，"Hatchreplied，"buttheerb。PerhapsMrKalewouldn'tobjecttousseeing-"

"Oh，ofot，"saidKaleresig;ein，it'sinthegallery。"

Hatchsubmittedthepicturetoacarefulsy。"Ishouldsaythatthecopyiswell;washisverdict。"Ofitsabsence，I'tsayexactly;butitislyasuperbwork。"

&ainsofawidedooralmostinfrohrownasidesuddenly，aiveMalloryentered。Heethinginhishand，butatthesightofthemcealeditbehindhim。Uriumphwasinhisface。

"Ah，professor，wemeetoften;don'twe?"hesaid。

"ThisreporterhereandhisfrieryingtdeLessepsintothisaffairsomeholaiive。"Idon'twantanythiohappen。Heisliabletogooutandprintanything。Theyalwaysdo。"

&hinkingMaeglaredathimunwaveringly，straightintheeyeforaninstaendedhishandtowardMallory。"Wheredidyoufindit?"heasked。

"Sorrytodisappointyou，professor，"saidthedetectivesarcastically，"butthisisthetimewhelelate，"andheproducedtheobjectwhichheheldbehindhim。"Hereisyourpicture，MrKale。"

Kalegaspedalittleio，ahevaswithbothha。"Fi;hetoldthedetective。"I'llseethatyoudon'tloseanythingbythis。Why，thatthihousanddollars!"Kaledidn'tseemabletogetoverthat。

&hinkingMaedforwardtosquintattheupperrighthahevas。"Wheredidyoufindit?"heaskedagain。

"Rolleduptight，ahebottomofatrunkintheroomofos，"explainedMallory。"Theservant'snameisJennings。Heis。"

"Jennings!"exclaimedKale。"Why，hehasbeenwithmeforyears。"

"Didhefess?"askedthestistimperturbably。