Section 13

Chief Inspector Heat, conscious of renewed irritation at this display of scrupulousness, said that the county police had been notified from the first of Michaelis' arrival, and that a full re- port could be obtained in a few hours. A wire to the superintendent
Thus he spoke, rather slowly, while his mind seemed already to be weighing the conse- quences. A slight knitting of the brow was the outward sign of this. But he was interrupted by a question.
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" You've sent that wire already ? "
" No, sir," he answered, as if surprised.
The Assistant Commissioner uncrossed his legs suddenly. The briskness of that move- ment contrasted with the casual way in which he threw out a suggestion.
"Would you think that Michaelis had any- thing to do with the preparation of that bomb, for instance ? "
The Chief Inspector assumed a reflective manner.
" I wouldn't say so. There's no necessity to say anything at present. He associates with men who are classed as dangerous. He was made a delegate of the Red Committee less than a year after his release on licence. A sort of compliment, I suppose."
And the Chief Inspector laughed a little angrily, a little scornfully. With a man of that sort scrupulousness was a misplaced and even an illegal sentiment. The celebrity bestowed upon Michaelis on his release two years ago by some emotional journalists in want of special copy had rankled ever since in his breast. It was perfectly legal to arrest that man on the barest suspicion. It was legal and expedient on the face of it His two former chiefs would have seen the point at once ; where-
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as this one, without saying either yes or no, sat there, as if lost in a dream. Moreover, besides being legal and expedient, the arrest of Michaelis solved a little personal difficulty which worried Chief Inspector Heat somewhat. This difficulty had its bearing upon his reputation, upon his comfort, and even upon the efficient performance of his duties. For, if Michaelis no doubt knew something about this outrage, the Chief Inspector was fairly certain that he did not know too much. This was just as well. He knew much less the Chief Inspector was positive than certain other individuals he had in his mind, but whose arrest seemed to him inexpedient, besides being a more complicated matter, on account of the rules of the game. The rules of the game did not protect so much Michaelis, who was an ex- convict. It would be stupid not to take advan- tage of legal facilities, and the journalists who had written him up with emotional gush would be ready to write him down with emotional indignation.
This prospect, viewed with confidence, had the attraction of a personal triumph for Chief Inspector Heat. And deep down in his blame- less bosom of an average married citizen, almost unconscious but potent nevertheless, the dislike
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of being compelled by events to meddle with the desperate ferocity of the Professor had its say. This dislike had been strengthened by the chance meeting in the lane. The encounter did not leave behind with Chief Inspector Heat that satisfactory sense of superiority the members of the police force get from the un- official but intimate side of their intercourse with the criminal classes, by which the vanity of power is soothed, and the vulgar love of domination over our fellow-creatures is flattered as worthily as it deserves.
The perfect anarchist was not recognised as a fellow-creature by Chief Inspector Heat. He was impossible a mad dog to be left alone. Not that the Chief Inspector was afraid of him ; on the contrary, he meant to have him some day. But not yet ; he meant to get hold of him in his own time, properly and effectively according to the rules of the game. The present was not the right time for attempting that feat, not the right time for many reasons, personal and of public service. This being the strong feeling of Inspector Heat, it appeared to him just and proper that this affair should be shunted off its obscure and inconvenient track, leading goodness knows where, into a quiet (and lawful) siding called Michaelis, And he
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repeated, as if reconsidering the suggestion conscientiously :
"The bomb No, I would not say that exactly. We may never find that out. But it's clear that he is connected with this in some way, which we can find out without much trouble."
His countenance had that look of grave, overbearing indifference once well known and much dreaded by the better sort of thieves, Chief Inspector Heat, though what is called a man, was not a smiling animal But his inward state was that of satisfaction at the passively re- ceptive attitude of the Assistant Commissioner, who murmured gently ;
" And you really think that the investigation should be made in that direction ? "
" I do, sir."
" Quite convinced ?
" I am, sir. That's the true line for us to take."
The Assistant Commissioner withdrew the support of his hand from his reclining head with a suddenness that, considering his languid attitude, seemed to menace his whole person with collapse. But, on the contrary, he sat up, extremely alert, behind the great writing-table on which his hand had fallen with the sound of a sharp blow.
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"What I want to know is what put it out of your head till now."
" Put it out of my head," repeated the Chief Inspector very slowly.
"Yes. Till you were called into this room you know."
The Chief Inspector felt as if the air between his clothing and his skin had become un- pleasantly hot It was the sensation of an un- precedented and incredible experience.
" Of course," he said, exaggerating the de- liberation of his utterance to the utmost limits of possibility, "if there is a reason, of which I know nothing, for not interfering with the convict Michaelis, perhaps it's just as well I didn't start the county police after him."
This took such a long time to say that the unflagging attention of the Assistant Com- missioner seemed a wonderful feat of endur- ance. His retort came without delay.
" No reason whatever that I know of. Come, Chief Inspector, this finessing with me is highly improper on your part highly improper. And it's also unfair, you know. You shouldn't leave me to puzzle things out for myself like this, Really, I am surprised."
He paused, then added smoothly : " I need
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scarcely tell you that this conversation is altogether unofficial."
These words were far from pacifying the Chief Inspector. The indignation of a be- trayed tight-rope performer was strong within him. In his pride of a trusted servant he was affected by the assurance that the rope was not shaken for the purpose of breaking his neck, as by an exhibition of impudence. As if anybody were afraid! Assistant Com- missioners come and go, but a valuable Chief Inspector is not an ephemeral office phenome- non. He was not afraid of getting a broken neck. To have his performance spoiled was more than enough to account for the glow of honest indignation. And as thought is no respecter of persons, the thought of Chief Inspector Heat took a threatening and pro- phetic shape. " You, my boy/' he said to himself, keeping his round and habitually roving eyes fastened upon the Assistant Commissioner's face "you, my boy, you don't know your place, and your place won't know you very long either, I bet."
As if in provoking answer to that thought, something like the ghost of an amiable smile passed on the lips of the Assistant Commissioner. His manner was easy and business-like while he
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persisted in administering another shake to the tight rope.
41 Let us come now to what you have dis- covered on the spot, Chief Inspector," he said
" A fool and his job are soon parted," went on the train of prophetic thought in Chief Inspector Heat's head. But it was immediately followed by the reflection that a higher official, even when " fired out" (this was the precise image), has still the time as he flies through the door to launch a nasty kick at the shin-bones of a subordinate. Without softening very much the basilisk nature of his stare, he said impassively:
" We are coming to that part of my investiga- tion, sir."
"That's right. Well, what have you brought away from it ? "
The Chief Inspector, who had made up his mind to jump off the rope, came to the ground with gloomy frankness.
"I've brought away an address," he said, pulling out of his pocket without haste a singed rag of dark blue cloth. "This belongs to the overcoat the fellow who got himself blown to pieces was wearing. Of course, the overcoat may not have been his, and may even have been stolen. But that's not at all probable if you look at this,"
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The Chief Inspector, stepping up to the table, smoothed out carefully the rag of blue cloth. He had picked it up from the repulsive heap in the mortuary, because a tailor's name is found sometimes under the collar. It is not often of
much use, but still He only half expected
to find anything useful, but certainly he did not expect to find not under the collar at all, but stitched carefully on the under side of the lapel a square piece of calico with an address written on it in marking ink.
The Chief Inspector removed his smoothing hand.
"I carried it off with me without anybody taking notice/' he said. "I thought it best It can always be produced if required."
The Assistant Commissioner, rising a little in his chair, pulled the cloth over to his side of the table. He sat looking at it in silence. Only the number 32 and the name of Brett Street were written in marking ink on a piece of calico slightly larger than an ordinary cigar- ette paper. He was genuinely surprised.
" Can't understand why he should have gone about labelled like this," he said, looking up at Chief Inspector Heat. " It's a most extraordin- ary thing."
"I met once in the smoking-room of a
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hotel an old gentleman who went about with his name and address sewn on in all his coats in case of an accident or sudden illness/' said the Chief Inspector. " He professed to be eighty-four years old, but he didn't look his age. He told me he was also afraid of losing his memory suddenly, like those people he has been reading of in the papers."
A question from the Assistant Commis- sioner, who wanted to know what was No. 32 Brett Street, interrupted that reminiscence abruptly. The Chief Inspector, driven down to the ground by unfair artifices, had elected to walk the path of unreserved openness. If he believed firmly that to know too much was not good for the department, the judicious hold- ing back of knowledge was as far as his loyalty dared to go for the good of the service. If the Assistant Commissioner wanted to mismanage this affair nothing, of course, could prevent him. But, on his own part, he now saw no reason for a display of alacrity. So he answered concisely :
" It's a shop, sir.
The Assistant Commissioner, with his eyes lowered on the rag of blue cloth, waited for more information. As that did not come he proceeded to obtain it by a series of questions
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propounded with gentle patience. Thus he acquired an idea of the nature of Mr Verloc's commerce, of his personal appearance, and heard at last his name. In a pause the Assis- tant Commissioner raised his eyes, and dis- covered some animation on the Chief Inspector's face. They looked at each other in silence.
"Of course," said the latter, " the department has no record of that man. 1 '
"Did any of my predecessors have any knowledge of what you have told me now ? " asked the Assistant Commissioner, putting his elbows on the table and raising his joined hands before his face, as if about to offer prayer, only that his eyes had not a pious expression.
" No, sir ; certainly not. What would have been the object ? That sort of man could never be produced publicly to any good purpose. It was sufficient for me to know who he was, and to make use of him in a way that could be used publicly."
"And do you think that sort of private knowledge consistent with the official position you occupy ? "
" Perfectly, sir. I think it's quite proper. I will take the liberty to tell you, sir, that it makes me what I am and I am looked .upon as a man who knows his work. It's a private affair of my
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own. A personal friend of mine in the French police gave me the hint that the fellow was an Embassy spy. Private friendship, private in- formation, private use of it that's how I look upon it"
The Assistant Commissioner after remarking to himself that the mental state of the renowned Chief Inspector seemed to affect the outline of his lower jaw, as if the lively sense of his high professional distinction had been located in that part of his anatomy, dismissed the point for the moment with a calm " I see/' Then leaning his cheek on his joined hands :
" Well then speaking privately if you like how long have you been in private touch with this Embassy spy?"
To this inquiry the private answer of the Chief Inspector, so private that it was never shaped into audible words, was :
" Long before you were even thought of for your place here."
The so-to-speak public utterance was much more precise.
" I saw him for the first time in my life a little more than seven years ago, when two Imperial Highnesses and the Imperial Chancellor were on a visit here. I was put in charge of all the arrangements for looking after them. Baron
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Stott-Wartenheim was Ambassador then. He was a very nervous old gentleman. One evening, three days before the G jildhall Banquet, he sent word that he wanted to see me for a moment. I was downstairs, and the carriages were at the door to take the Imperial Highnesses and the Chancellor to the opera. I went up at once. I found the Baron walking up and down his bed- room in a pitiable state of distress, squeezing his hands together. He assured me he had the fullest confidence in our police and in my abilities, but he had there a man just come over from Paris whose information could be trusted implicity. He wanted me to hear what that man had to say. He took me at once into a dressing- room next door, where I saw a big fellow in a heavy overcoat sitting all alone on a chair, and holding his hat and stick in one hand. The Baron said to him in French ' Speak, my friend/ The light in that room was not very good. I talked with him for some five minutes perhaps. He certainly gave me a piece of very startling news. Then the Baron took me aside nervously to praise him up to me, and when I turned round again I dis- covered that the fellow had vanished like a ghost. Got up and sneaked out down some back stairs, I suppose. There was no time to run after him, as I had to hurry off after the Ambassador down the
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great staircase, and see the party started safe for the opera. However, I acted upon the in- formation that very night. Whether it was perfectly correct or not, it did look serious enough. Very likely it saved us from an ugly trouble on the day of the Imperial visit to the City.
"Some time later, a month or so after my promotion to Chief Inspector, my attention was attracted to a big burly man, I thought I had seen somewhere before, coming out in a hurry from a jeweller's shop in the Strand. I went after him, as it was on my way towards Charing Cross, and there seeing one of our detectives across the road, I beckoned him over, and pointed out the fellowto him, with instructions towatchhismove- ments for a couple of days, and then report to me. No later than next afternoon my man turned up to tell me that the fellow had married his landlady's daughter at a registrar's office that very day at 11.30 A.M., and had gone off with her to Margate for a week. Our man had seen the luggage being put on the cab. There were some old Paris labels on one of the bags. Somehow I couldn't get the fellow out of my head, and the very next time I had to go to Paris on service I spoke about him to that friend of mine in the Paris police. My friend said : * From what you tell me I think you
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must mean a rather well-known hanger-on and emissary of the Revolutionary Red Committee. He says he is an Englishman by birth. We have an idea that he has been for a good few years now a secret agent of one of the foreign Embassies in London/ This woke up my memory com- pletely. He was the vanishing fellow I saw sitting on a chair in Baron Stott-Wartenheim's bathroom. I told my friend that he was quite right. The fellow was a secret agent to my certain knowledge. Afterwards my friend took the trouble to ferret out the complete record of that man for me. I thought I had better know all there was to know ; but I don't suppose you want to hear his history now, sir ? "