Chapter3 疑點多米諾 Suspicious Domint (第1/25頁)
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名畫失竊案ProblemoftheStolenRubens
雅克·福特雷爾
JacquesFutrelle
雅克·福特雷爾（JacquesFutrelle，1875—1912），美國推理小說家。在他的推理短篇小說中，最著名的是《思想機器》。膾炙人口的偵探小說爲他在偵探小說界贏得了較高的聲譽。
MatthewKalemadefftymilliondollarsoutofaxlegrease,afterwhichhebegantoatronizethehigharts.Itwassimleenough：hehadthemoney,andEuroehadtheoldmasters.Hismethodofbuyingwassimlicityitself.Therewerefivethousandsquareyards,moreorless,inthehugegalleryofhismarblemansionwhichweretobecovered,soheboughtfvethousandsquareyards,moreorless,ofart.Someofitwasgood,someofitfair,andmuchofitbad.ThechiefictureofthecollectionwasaRubens,whichhehadickeduinRomeforfftythousanddollars.
Soonafteracquiringhiscollection,Kaledecidedtomakecertainalterationsinthevastroomwheretheictureshung.Theywerealltakendownandstoredintheballroom,equallyvast,withtheirfacestowardthewall.MeanwhileKaleandhisfamilytookrefugeinanearbyhotel.
ItwasatthishotelthatKalemetJulesdeLesses.DeLesseswasdistinctlyFrench,thesortofFrenchmanwhoseconversationresemblescalisthenics.Hewasnervous,quick,andagile,andhetoldKaleinconfidencethathewasnotonlyaainterhimself,butwasaconnoisseurinthehigharts.Pomousintherideofossession,KalewenttoagooddealoftroubletoexhibithisrivatecollectionfordeLesses‘delectation.Ithaenedintheballroom,andthetrueartist’sdelightshoneintheFrenchmanseyesashehandledtheieceswhichweregood.Someoftheothersmadehimsmile,butitwasaninoffensivesortofsmile.
WithhisownhandsKaleliftedthereciousRubensandhelditbeforetheFrenchmanseyes.Itwasa“MadonnaandChild，”oneofthosewonderfulcreationswhichhaveenduredthroughtheyearswithallthesarkleandcolorbeautyoftheirristinedays.KaleseemeddisaointedbecausedeLesseswasnotarticularlyenthusiasticaboutthisicture.
“Why,itsaRubens！”heexclaimed.
“Yes,Isee，”relieddeLesses.
