Detective Story(偵探小說)
內容簡介：
潘娜洛普.布萊克小姐在生日會上收到表兄泰勒.拜斯特的貴重禮物—夢幻寶石。然而，在生日會上寶石被盜。偵探埃德加被請來調查，當時在場的所有人都有嫌疑，不論是布萊克小姐及父親費邊.布萊克，未婚夫艾薩克，女仆南茜還是表兄泰勒都被懷疑。但通過埃德加的偵察終於揭開了誰是竊賊這個迷，並找出了寶石。
Magic Stone
Magic stone was lost again!
This was winter of 1921. Snow have covered the whole London, Today was Miss. Penelope Black’s birthday. She lost her present—Magic stone, which received from her cousin, Taylor Besty.
‘Well, listen to me. Magic stone is a very big diamond. At the beginning, It belongs to a ling of India. But one day, it was stolen. Nobody knows where it was. Until Earl Webster was a defeated the Magic stone the Magic stone to Mr. Besty on a wager. Is that right?’ Edgar said. He was a fat, short but meat man. He looked like a stupid penguin when he walked. But you won’t believe that he was a famous detective!
‘Yes, sir. My cousin gave it to me on my birthday party. And this is my cousin, Mr. Besty. He came from India just before yesterday. ’Penelope said. She was a smart lady. But her cousin looked like a rascal. He was sitting in his sofa and staring at our detective. After a while, our lady said again:‘My father, Fabian Black; my fiancé, Isaac; my cousin, you see, and my housemaid who stand beside me were all who attended my party. We thought the diamond was too beautiful when my cousin gave it to me. So, we decided to hang it on the little statue, which placed on the fireplace.’
‘See! You mean you hung the diamond on the statue?’ Edgar asked.
‘Yes,’ Mr. Taylor Besty said: ‘I have enchased it into a necklace.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Edgar sat down in a sofa near the fireplace .He suddenly found Isaac was still in his dust coat and held his hat. ‘ Oh, Isaac, why do you wear this in the warm room? Come on, take it easy .I will find the diamond. Well, let me do you a favor? I will hang your coat and hat in right place.’
Isaac stared at our detective and then took off his coat without any word. Edgar received them and said kindly: ‘ Hi, your hat must be made by Baldwin Hat Stone .It is always so heavy. Is it right?’
‘Yes, it is made of thick heaver.’ Isaac said .He was a depressing young man. But he was exactly handsome. Isaac was a very famous man in London .Not only he had a bright brain, but also his romantic affairs. One of the most famous was about he and a young countess.
Edgar hung them on the clothes stand. Soon, he retuned to the sitting room, and made himself a seat, then said softly: ‘Well, I want to ask each of you alone. Well, I want to begin from our housemaid, Mr. Black, could I use your study?’
‘Ok.’ The old man said quickly ‘But don’t touch my paper!’
‘sure, I do !’ Our detective said. Edgar and the housemaid went into the room, and she exclaimed as soon as she closed the door. ‘Oh, sir believe me please I’m not the thief! I did nothing! This is true! I did nothing!’
‘Well, I know. But tell me about the party. I mean what happened in the party?’
‘I don’t know! I don’t know! I’m just a housemaid! I don’t know! I don’t …’ She exclaimed and burst into crying. Edgar gave her a handkerchief. Burt she refused, and took hers. It was a beautiful handkerchief, white silk handkerchief. And there were two letters embroidered on one corner of the handkerchief. Edgar was very interested in the little poor girl. So he asked: ‘ What’s your name?’
‘Nanncy, Nanncy Gabriel.’ The little girl answered.
‘Good name. You can go. But could you do me a favor? Tell Mr. lack I want to see him.’
Nanncy apologized our detective and exited. After a while, Mr. Black came in. He was a thin, tall old man. Sometimes he looked like a dead tree from a distance. But when he smelled the flavor of money, everything would change. After all, he was a famous niggardly businessman.
‘Sit down, sit down, Mr. Black, could you tell me what you were do in the party?’
‘I talked with Isaac about stock. Nearly 10:30, I came in to my study, and called my stockbroker.’ Mr. Black said.
‘Did you directly come here?’
‘Yes. Oh, no. I went to the fireplace and took my accounting book.’
‘You mean, youput your accounting book on the fireplace of sitting room?’ Edgar asked. The little old man nodded his head. And then, our detective continued: ‘Ok, thank you. Please call your daughter come in. I think, I will talk with you about stock next time.’
Penelope came into the room. She stood by the window sadly.
‘Senorita, could you tell me what were you doing in the party?’
‘You know my cousin had been to India. So we talked about the exciting journey beside the fireplace.’
‘Did you notice what were the other people doing?’
‘En, my father turned over the statue. But I know my father can not be the thief!’
‘We will know the result soon. But I’m sure that the diamond had insured. And the beneficiary is you.’
‘I don’t understand!’ Penelope said. Edgar’s words enraged her. She went out with a red face. After a while, Mr. Besty came in. ‘ What do you mean?’ he asked. But Edgar did not understand. So Taylor continued: ‘Yes, I know your duty. But Penelope is not the thief. You can’t humiliate her!’
‘Oh. Yes. I just asked some questions. But you have to answer me why did Isaac wear his coat at that moment?’
‘He would go.’ He stared at Edgar and continued ‘ I found the diamond was lost when they said goodbye to him.’
‘Where were you?’ Edgar asked.
‘Stayed in the sitting room. But I’m not the thief!’
‘Sure, but please call Isaac.’ Edgar said. Taylor Besty wnt out and Isaac came in at the same time.
‘I know what you think of me. You know Mr. Black an I are both businessmen. So businessman talk business things.’
‘I know, but when Mr. Black left and what did you do?’
‘I stood beside the fireplace, listened to Taylor’s adventure.’ He took out his handkerchief an wiped his glasses.
‘Well. I have the answer now. Let’s go and I will tell you .’Edgar stood up and went to the sitting room. Isaac followed him.
Everyone were very curious about the result. They sat on their seat quietly. Edgar was standing beside the fireplace and said: ‘ladies and gentlemen, we know after the diamond was lost, no one could leave this house. That means one of us will be the thief, and the diamond is still here. Furthermore everyone is suspicions. Don’t be surprised listen to me. We know the diamond is very valuable. So, if one of us sell it, he will be a millionaire. Mr. Black, you said you took your accounting book from the fireplace. But which businessman would place his accounting book in his sitting room? Yes, you are in suspicious, but you are mot the thief. Because: you did not have enough time. You turned over the statue, which made your daughter and nephew noticed you. Taylor, you also have it. Even you gave it to Penelope. But you also had no time and no where to hide it. Miss. Black, if you stole it, and sell it, you will have the double, don’t you? But you didn’t have right time to do it. Put housemaid is a timid girl. You know something. But you wanted to protect somebody. You’re a fail trickster. Why? From your handkerchieves. Could you borrow your, Nancy and Isaac? Let’s see. On each of them all have 2 abbreviated letters ‘ N. C’. Why? We can guess. But Isaac, You’re not a good lover. Nanncy must see you were standing beside the fireplace and stealing the Magic Stone. She loves you, and she would protect you. If you want me to say where the Magic Stone is now. Well could you borrow me you hat. You pretended to listen to the conversation. But in the case, you were stealing. When you achieved it. You said you would go. However, Mr. Besty found the Magic Stone was lost. You had to stay here, and you couldn’t bring it out of the room. But where is it? Look at the hat!’ Then Edgar put his hand into the hat. Suddenly, everybody found he opened a cover! There was a little room in the hat, and the Magic Stone was lying in it!