Chapter3 疑点多米诺 Suspicious Domint（第1页）

Chapter3疑点多米诺Suspiint

名画失窃案ProblemoftheStolenRubens

雅克·福特雷尔JacquesFutrelle

雅克·福特雷尔（JacquesFutrelle，1875—1912），美国推理小说家。在他的推理短篇小说中，最著名的是《思想机器》。脍炙人口的侦探小说为他在侦探小说界赢得了较高的声誉。

MatthewKalemadefftymilliondollarsoutofaxlegrease，afterwhichhebegantopatros。Itleehemoney，aheoldmasters。Hismethodofbuyinglicityitself。Therewerefivethousandsquareyards，moreorless，inthehugegalleryofhismarblemansioobecovered，soheboughtfvethousandsquareyards，moreorless，ofart。Someofitwasgood，someofitfair，andmuchofitbad。ThechiefpictureofthewasaRubens，whichhehadpiRomeforfftythousanddollars。

Soonafteraghis，Kaledeakealteratioroomwherethepig。Theywerealltakendownaheballroom，equallyvast，withtheirfacestowardthewall。MeanwhileKaleandhisfamilyteiel。

ItwasatthishotelthatKalemetJulesdeLesseps。DeLessepswasdistihesortofFrenwhoseversatiohenics。Hewasnervous，quidagile，aoldKaleihewasnotonlyapaiwasaoisseuris。PompousintheprideofpossessiooagooddealoftroubletoexhibithisprivatefordeLesseps‘dele。Ithappeheballroom，aist’sdelightshoheFrenseyesashehahepieceswhieoftheothersmadehimsmile，butitwasaniofsmile。

WithhisownhahepreciousRubebeforetheFrewasa“Madonnaandeofthosewonderfulswhiduredthroughtheyearsarkleandcolorbeautyoftheirpristinedays。KaleseemeddisappointedbecausedeLessepsartithusiasticaboutthispicture。

“Why，itsaRubens！”heexclaimed。

“Yes，Isee，”replieddeLesseps。

“Itefftythousanddollars。”

“Itisperhapsworthmorethanthat，”andtheFrenshruggedhisshouldersasheturneda>

Kalelookedathimin。CoulditbethatdeLessepsdidhatitwasaRubens，andthatRubensainter?Orwasitthathehadfailedtohearhimsaythatitfftythousanddollars。Kalewasaedtoseeiheirheadsaheireyeswheythousanddollars；therefore，“Dontyoulikeit?”heasked。

“Verymudeed，”replieddeLesseps，“butIhaveseenitbefore。Isawitiaweekorsobeforeyoupurchasedit。”

TheyrummagedthroughthepidatlastaWhistlerwasturnedupfortheiriwasohamesseries，awatercolor。DeLessepsfaceradiatedext，aimesheglahewatercolortotheRubensasifmentallyparielypendodernworkwiththebold，masterlyteicoftheold。

Kalemisuhesilethinkmuchofthisonemyself，”heexplainedapologetically。“It‘saWhistler，andallthat，anditefvethousanddollars，andIsortofhadtohaveit，butstillitisn’tjustthekindofthingthatIlike。Whatdoyouthinkofit?”

“Ithinkitisperfederful！”repliedtheFreically。“Itistheesseive，ofmodernwork。Iwowouldbepossible，”aofaceKale，“formetomakeacopyofthat?Ihavesomeslightskillinpaintingmyself，anddaresayIakeafairlycreditablecopyofit。”

&tered。Hewasmoreandmoreimpressedeaentwiththepicture。“Why，ly，”hereplied。“Iwillhaveitsentuptothehotel，andyou-”

“No，no，eddeLessepsquickly。“Iwouldoaccepttheresponsibilityofhaviureinmycharge。Thereisalwaysadangeroffre。Butifyouwouldgivemepermissiohisreandairyandlight，aisquiet-”

“Justasyoulike，”saidKalemagnanimously。“Imerelythoughttheotherwaywouldbemosttforyou。”

DeLessepsdrewnear，andlaidonehandonthemillionairesarm。“Mydearfriend，”hesaidearly，“ifthesepicturesweremypictures，Ishouldnttrytoaodateaheywereed。Idaresaytheasitstandscostyou-”

“Sixhundreday-seventhousanddollars，”volunteeredKaleproudly。

“Aheymustbewellprotectedhereinyourhyourabsence?”

“Thereareabouttwesinthehousewhilethewthealterations，”saidKale，“ahemdontdoanythingbutwat。Nooneoroutexceptbythedoorweehersarelodbarred-andthenonlywithmypermission，orawrittenorderfromme。No，sir，nobodygetawaywithanythinginthisroom。”

&，ext！”saiddeLessepsadmiringly。Hesmiledalittlebit。“IamafraidIdidnotgiveyoucreditfthefar-sightedbusihatyouare。”Heturnedaheofpicturesabstractedly。“Acleverthief，though，”hevecutavaluablepainting，foriheRubens，outoftheframe，rollitup，derhisdescape。”

Kalelaughedpleasantlyandshookhishead。

ItleofdayslateratthehotelthatdeLessepsbroughtupthesubjectofgtheWhistler。Herofuseinhisthankswheeeredtoatothemansionaheprelimihework。Theypausedattheballroomdoor。

“Jennings，”saidKaletotheliveriedservahisisMr。deLesseps。Heistoeandgoashelikes。Heisgoingtodosomeworkintheballroomhere。Seethatheisntdisturbed。”

&icedtheRubensleaningcarelesslyagaiherpictures，withtheholyfaadonnatowardthem。“Really，Mr。Kale，”heprotested，“thatpictureistoovaluabletobeleftaboutlikethat。Ifyouwillletyourservantsbringmesomevas，Ishalllaceitupoablehereoffthefoor。Supposethereweremicehere！”

&hahenecessaryiven，andfurewascarefullylasreach，whereupoedhimself，paper，easel，stool，andall，andbeganhisworkofg。ThereKalelefthim。

&erKalejusthappeodropin，andfoustillathislabor。

“Ijustdroppedby，”heexplaiheworkinthegallerywasgettingalong。Itwillbefherweek。IhopeIamnyou?”

“Notatall，”saiddeLesseps，“Ihavenearlyfnished。SeehowIamgettingaloheeaselto>

Themilliazedfromthattowardtheinalwhichstoodonaearby，andfrankadmiratioseffortswasinhiseyes。“Why，itsfne！”heexclaimed。“It‘sjustasgoodastheotherone，ayoudon’twahousanddollarsforit-eh?”