搜索
THEAMATEUR1THEAMATEURbyRichardHardingDavisTHEAMATEUR2IItwasFebruaryofftheBanks,andsothickwastheweatherthat,ontheupperdecks,onecouldhavedrivenasleigh.Insidethesmoking-roomAustinFord,assecurelyshelteredfromtheblizzardasthoughhehadbeensittinginfrontofawoodfireathisclub,orderedhotginforhimselfandtheship'sdoctor.Theship'sdoctorhadgonebelowonanotherhurrycallfromthewidow.AtthefirstluncheononboardthewidowhadsatontherightofDoctorSparrow,withAustinFordfacingher.Butsincethen,excepttothedoctor,shehadbeeninvisible.So,atfrequentintervals,theillhealthofthewidowhaddeprivedFordofthesocietyofthedoctor.Thatitdeprivedhim,also,ofthesocietyofthewidowdidnotconcernhim.HERlifehadnotbeenspentuponoceanliners;shecouldnotrememberwhenstate-roomswerenamedaftertheStatesoftheUnion.Shecouldnottellhimofshipwrecksandsalvage,ofsmugglersandofthemodernpirateswhofoundtheirvictimsinthesmoking-room.FordwasonhiswaytoEnglandtoactastheLondoncorrespondentoftheNewYorkRepublic.ForthreeyearsonthatmostsensationaloftheNewYorkdailieshehadbeenthestarman,thechiefmuckraker,thechiefsleuth.Hisinterestwasincrime.Notincrimescommittedinpassionorinspiredbydrink,butinsuchoffencesagainstlawandsocietyasareperpetratedwithniceintelligence.Themurderer,theburglar,thestrong-armmenwho,insidestreets,waylayrespectablecitizensdidnotappealtohim.Themanhestudied,pursued,andexposedwasthecashierwhoevolvedanewmethodofcoveringuphispeculations,thedishonestpresidentofaninsurancecompany,theconfidencemanwhousednoconcealedweaponotherthanhiswit.TowardthecriminalshepursuedyoungFordfeltnopersonalanimosity.Heharassedthemashewouldhaveshotahawkkillingchickens.Notbecausehedislikedthehawk,butbecausethebattlewasunequal,andbecausehefeltsorryforthechickens.HadyoucalledAustinFordanamateurdetectivehewouldhavebeengreatlyannoyed.HearguedthathispositionwassimilartothatoftheTHEAMATEUR3dramaticcritic.Thedramaticcriticwarnedthepublicagainstbadplays;Fordwarneditagainstbadmen.Havingdonethat,heleftittothepublictodeterminewhetherthebadmanshouldthriveorperish.WhenthemanagingeditortoldhimofhisappointmenttoLondon,FordhadprotestedthathisworklayinNewYork;thatofLondonandtheEnglish,exceptasatouristandsight-seer,heknewnothing.That'sjustwhywearesendingyou,explainedthemanagingeditor.Ourreadersareignorant.TomakethemreadaboutLondonyou'vegottotellthemaboutthemselvesinLondon.Theyliketoknowwho'sbeenpresentedatcourt,abouttheAmericangirlswhohavemarrieddukes;andwhichonesopenedabazaar,andwhichoneopenedahatshop,andwhichisgettingadivorce.Don'tsendusanythingconcerningsuffragettesandDreadnaughts.JustsendusstuffaboutAmericans.IfyoutakeyourmealsintheCarltongrill-roomanddrinkattheCecilyoucanpickupmoregoodstoriesthanwecanprint.Youwillfindlotsofyourfriendsoverthere.Someofthosegirlswhomarrieddukes,hesuggested,knowyou,don'tthey?Notsincetheymarrieddukes,saidFord.Well,anyway,allyourotherfriendswillbethere,continuedthemanagingeditorencouragingly.NowthattheyhaveshutupthetracksherealltheconmenhavegonetoLondon.TheysayanAmericancan'ttakeadrinkattheSalisburywithouthisfellow-countrymenhavingafightastowhichonewillsellhimagoldbrick.Ford'seyeslightenedinpleasurableanticipation.Lookthemover,urgedthemanagingeditor,andsendusaspecial.Callit'TheAmericanInvasion.'Don'tyouseeastoryinit?ItwillbethefirstoneIsendyou,saidFord.Theship'sdoctorreturnedfromhisvisitbelowdecksandsankintotheleathercushionclosetoFord'selbow.Forafewmomentstheoldermansippeddoubtfullyathisginandwater,and,asthoughperplexed,rubbedhishandoverhisbaldandshininghead.Itoldhertotalktoyou,hesaidfretfully.Her?Who?inquiredFord.Oh,thewidow?Youwererightaboutthat,saidDoctorSparrow;sheisnotawidow.THEAMATEUR4Thereportersmiledcomplacently.DoyouknowwhyIthoughtnot?hedemanded.Becauseallthetimeshewasatluncheonshekeptturningoverherwedding-ringasthoughshewasnotusedtoit.Itwasanewring,too.Itoldyouthenshewasnotawidow.Doyoualwaysnoticethingslikethat?askedthedoctor.Notonpurpose,saidtheamateurdetective;Ican'thelpit.Iseetenthingswhereotherpeopleseeonlyone;justassomemenruntentimesasfastasothermen.Wehavetrieditoutoftenattheoffice;putallsortsofjunkunderanewspaper,liftedthenewspaperforfiveseconds,andtheneachmanwrotedownwhathehadseen.OutoftwentythingsIwouldrememberseventeen.Thenextbestguesswouldbeaboutnine.OnceIsawamanlifthiscoatcollartohidehisface.ItwasintheGrandCentralStation.Istoppedhim,andtoldhimhewaswanted.TurnedoutheWASwanted.ItwasGoldberg,makinghisgetawaytoCanada.Itisagift,saidthedoctor.No,it'sanuisance,laughedthereporter.IseesomanythingsIdon'twanttosee.Iseethatpeoplearewearingclothesthatarenotmadeforthem.Iseewhenwomenarelyingtome.Icanseewhenmenareonthevergeofanervousbreakdown,andwhetheritisdrinkordebtormorphine--Thedoctorsnortedtriumphantly.Youdidnotseethatthewidowwasonthevergeofabreakdown!No,returnedthereporter.Isshe?I'msorry.Ifyou'resorry,urgedthedoctoreagerly,you'llhelpher.SheisgoingtoLondonalonetofindherhusband.Hehasdisappeared.Shethinksthathehasbeenmurdered,orthatheislyingillinsomehospital.Itoldherifanyonecouldhelphertofindhimyoucould.Ihadtosaysomething.She'sveryill.TofindherhusbandinLondon?repeatedFord.Londonisal