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第51章 名画失窃案 2（第1页）

第51章名画失窃案（2）

"Ext，ext!"saiddeLessepsadmiringly。Hesmiledalittlebit。"IamafraidIdidnotgiveyoucreditfthefar-sightedbusihatyouare。&qulaheofpicturesabstractedly。"Acleverthief，though，"heve;mightcutavaluablepainting，foriheRubens，outoftheframe，rollitup，derhisdescape。"

Kalelaughedpleasantlyandshookhishead。

ItleofdayslateratthehotelthatdeLessepsbroughtupthesubjectofgtheWhistler。Herofuseinhisthankswheeeredtoatothemansionaheprelimihework。Theypausedattheballroomdoor。

"Jennings，"saidKaletotheliveriedservahisisMr。deLesseps。Heistoeandgoashelikes。Heisgoingtodosomeworkintheballroomhere。Seethatheisn'tdisturbed。"

&icedtheRubensleaningcarelesslyagaiherpictures，withtheholyfaadonnatowardthem。"Really，Mr。Kale，"heprotested，"thatpictureistoovaluabletobeleftaboutlikethat。Ifyouwillletyourservantsbringmesomevas，Ishalllaceitupoablehereoffthefloor。Supposethereweremicehere!"

&hahenecessaryiven，andfiurewascarefullyla'sreach，whereupoedhimself，paper，easel，stool，andall，andbeganhisworkofg。ThereKalelefthim。

&erKalejusthappeodropin，andfoustillathislabor。

"Ijustdroppedby，"heexplai;toseehowtheworkinthegallerywasgettingalong。Itwillbefiherweek。IhopeIamnyou?"

"Notatall，"saiddeLesseps;"Ihavenearlyfinished。SeehowIamgettingalong?"Heturo>

Themilliazedfromthattowardtheinalwhichstoodonaearby，andfrankadmiratio'seffortswasi;Why，it'sfi;heexclaimed。"It'sjustasgoodastheotherone，ayoudon'twantahousanddollarsforit—eh?"

Thatwasallthatwassaidaboutitatthetime。Kalewahehouseforanhourorso，theheballroomwheretheartistwasjustgettinghisparapherher，andtheywalkedbacktothehotel。TheartistderonearmhiscopyoftheWhistler，looselyrolledup。

Oneweekpassed，andtheworkmenwhohadbeenengagedinrefinishiingthegalleryhadgone。DeLessepsvoluoassistinthewthepidKalegladlyturerovertohim。ItwasiernoohiswanthatdeLesseps，gpleasantlyedloosethevaswhishroudedthepreciousRubens。Thehaionofdismay。Thepicturewasgoheframewhichhadhelditty。Athinstripofvasaroundtheihatasharppenknifehadbeeoutthepainting。

AllofthesefactscametotheattentionofPrustusS。F。X。VahinkihiswasadayorsoafterKalehadrushediiveMallory'sofficeatpoliceheadquarters，withthestatementthathisRubeolen。Hebangedhisfistdowive'sdeskahim。"Itefiftythousanddollars!"hedeclaredviolently。"Whydon'tyoudosomething?Whatareyousittiaringatmefor?"

"Don'texr。Kale，"thedetectiveadvised。"Iwillputmymenatwhthe—the—WhatisaRubens，anyway?"

"It'sapicture!"bellowedMr。Kale。"Apievaswithsomepaintonit，anditefiftythousanddollars—don'tyetthat!"

Sothepolierywassetinmotiohepainting。AerfelluchfuleyeofHutHatch，reporter。Helearspregthedisappearaure，andthendeLesseps。Hefouiementbonhysteria;anintimatioeroftheobjectofhisvisitcauseddeLessepstoburstintowords。

"Moiseous!"heexclaimed。"WhatIdo?Iwastheoheroomforseveraldays。Iwastheoooksustoprotectthepidnowitisgohelossisirreparable。WhatIdo?"

Hat'thaveaeideaastojustwhathecoulddo，sohelethimgoon。"AsIu，Mr。deLesseps，"hei，"nooheroom，exr。Kale，allthetimeyouwerethere?"

";

"AndIthinkMr。Kalesaidthatyaouswatercolor;weren'tyou?"

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

Hatcedatthepictureadmiringly。Itwasaedshowedthedefttouanwhowashimselfanartistofgreatability。

DeLessepsreadtheadmirationi;Itisnotbad，"hesaidmodestly。"IstudiedwithCarolusDuran。"