The Triumphs of Eugène Valmont |
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absinth American anarchists arrest asked bomb butler chair Château de Chaumont clew clubfoot Colonel Jim constable course cried detective door earl emeralds England English Eugène Valmont evidence eyes face Felini flat floor France French ghost going Greenwich Park hand heard Higgins jewels Jim Baxter John Haddon knew Lady Alicia laughed Lionel Dacre locked London look Lord Chizelrigg Lord Rantremly lordship Macpherson madam master Meulan Monsieur Valmont morning necklace never night nobleman old curiosity shop once paper Paris Park Lane Paul Ducharme perhaps person pocket Podgers police Pont de Neuilly possession pounds prison replied Sanderson Scotland Yard secret seemed servant silver spoons Simard Spenser Hale stair stood Summertrees sure tell thief thing told took Tottenham Court Road turned uncle walked wish word young
Popular passages
Page 217 - Macpherson made no protest against Hale's use of the telephone; he merely sat back in his chair with a resigned expression on his face which, if painted on canvas, might have been entitled 'The Falsely Accused'. When Hale rang off, Macpherson said: 'Of course you know your own business best, but if your man arrests Summertrees, he will make you the laughing-stock of London. There is such a thing as unjustifiable arrest, as well as getting money under false pretences, and Mr Summertrees is not the...
Page 192 - you've been tiptoeing past an empty room -for the last two weeks. Now, if you'll come with me, Podgers, I'll show you how the trick is done." When he entered the study I locked the door once more, and led the assumed butler, still tiptoeing through force • of habit, up the stair into the top bedroom, and so out again, leaving everything exactly as we found it. We went down the main stair to the front hall, and there Podgers had my parcel of papers all neatly wrapped up. This bundle I carried to...
Page 222 - Now, gentlemen, open this door, which will save me the trouble of forcing it. Either put me formally under arrest, or cease to restrict my liberty. I am very much obliged to Mr. Hale for telephoning, and I have made no protest to so gallant a host as Monsieur Valmont is, because of the locked door. However, the farce is now terminated. The proceedings I have sat through were entirely illegal, and if you will pardon me, Mr. Hale, they have been a little too French to go down here in old England, or...
Page 218 - And then, if you will allow me to say so, the more I think over your absent-minded theory, the more absolutely grotesque it seems, and, if the case ever gets into the newspapers, I am sure, Mr. Hale, you'll experience an uncomfortable half hour with your chiefs at Scotland Yard." "I'll take the risk of that, thank you," said Hale stubbornly. "Am I to consider myself under arrest?
Page 206 - I secured evidence sufficient to convict him of quite another offense, which is probably unique in the annals of crime. I have penetrated the mystery of the shop, and discovered the reason for all those suspicious actions which quite properly set you on his trail. Now I wish you to come to my flat next Wednesday night at a quarter to six, prepared to make* an arrest.
Page 166 - Oh, yes, a very decent fellow, Valmont, but he's a Frenchman,' as if, that said, there was no need of further enquiry. Myself, I like the English detective very much, and if I were to be in a melee tomorrow, there is no man I would rather find beside me than Spenser Hale. In any situation where a fist that can fell an ox is desirable, my friend Hale is a useful companion, but for intellectuality, mental acumen, finesse - ah, well! I am the most modest of men, and will say nothing. It would amuse...
Page 138 - And what became of the money?' I asked, whereupon once more this genial nobleman laughed. 'That is exactly what I came up in the lift to learn if Monsieur Valmont could discover.' 'My lord, you interest me,' I said, quite truly, with an uneasy apprehension that I should take up his case after all, for I liked the young man already. His lack of pretence appealed to me, and that sympathy which is so universal among my countrymen enveloped him, as I may say, quite independent of my own will. 'My uncle,'...
Page 184 - At nine o'clock, sir." "At what hour does your master retire to his study?" "At half -past nine, sir." "Locks the door on the inside?" "Yes, sir." "Never rings for anything during the day?" "Not that I know of, sir." "What sort of a man is he?" Here Podgers was on familiar ground, and he rattled off a description minute in every particular. "What I meant was, Podgers, is he silent, or talkative, or does he get angry? Does he seem furtive, suspicious, anxious, terrorised, calm, excitable, or what?
Page 217 - Hyde Park." Hale at once called up Central, and presently was answered from Park Lane. We heard him say: "Is this the residence of Mr. Summertrees? Oh, is that you, Podgers? Is Mr. Summertrees in? Very well. This is Hale. I am in Valmont's flat — Imperial Flats — you know. Yes, where you went with me the other day. Very well, go to Mr. Summertrees, and say to him that Mr. Macpherson wants the encyclopaedia for 1893.
Page 201 - Again we were in the blissful realms of fiction! "Suppose I take this book at ten pounds, what installments should I have to pay each week?" "Oh, what you like, sir. Would five shillings be too much?