Part 13 (2/2)
I turned into that doorway, Sir; the nextbloeen th ofmore
3
I ith the consciousness of violent wordy warfare carried on around s I saere three or four pairs of feet standing close together Gradually out of the confused hubbub a few sentences struck my reawakened senses
”The man is drunk”
”I won't have him inside the house”
”I tell you this is a respectable house” This from a shrill feminine voice ”We've never had the law inside our doors before”
By this tilae, I was pretty well able to take stock of s
The half-dozen bedrooainst the wall, the row of keys hanging on hooks fixed to a board above, the glass partition with the words ”Concierge” and ”Reception” painted across it, all told me that this was one of those s houses or hotels in which this quarter of Paris still abounds
The two gendar the matter of my presence here with the proprietor of the place and with the concierge
I struggled to my feet Whereupon for the space of a solid two minutes I had to bear as calmly as I could the abuse and vituperation which the feminine proprietor of this ”respectable house” chose to hurl atfroave as brief and succinct a narrative as I could of the events of the past three days The theft of Carissio, with the dog under his arm--his second disappearance, this time within the doorway of this ”respectable abode,” and finally the blohich alone had prevented endarmes at first were incredulous I could see that they were still under the belief that ence in alcoholic liquor, whilst Mada to suggest that she harboured thieves within her doors Then suddenly, as if in vindication of my character, there came from a floor above the sound of a loud, shrill bark
”Carissimo!” I cried triumphantly Then I added in a rapid whisper, ”M reward for the recovery of her pet”
These happy words had the effect of stirew somewhat confused and incoherent, and finally blurted it out that one of her lodgers--a highly respectable gentle, but that there was no criers?” queried the representative of the law ”When did he coo,” she replied sullenly
”What room does he occupy?”
”Number twenty-five on the third floor”
”He ca?” I interposed quickly, ”a spaniel?”
”Yes”
”And your lodger, is he an ugly, slouchy creature--with hooked nose, bleary eyes and shaggy yellow hair?”
But to this she vouchsafed no reply
Already the endaro upstairs and bade me follow him, whilst he ordered his comrade to remain below and on no account to allow anyone to enter or leave the house The proprietress and concierge arned that if they interfered with the due execution of the law they would be severely dealt with; after which ent upstairs
For a while, as we ascended, we could hear the dog barking furiously, then, presently, just as we reached the upper landing, we heard a loud curse, a scramble, and then a piteous whine quickly smothered
My very heart stood still The next endarme had kicked open the door of No 25, and I followed him into the room The place looked dirty and squalid in the extreme--just the sort of place I should have expected Theodore to haunt It was almost bare save for a table in the centre, a couple of rickety chairs, a broken-down bedstead and an iron stove in the corner On the table a tallow candle was spluttering and throwing a very feeble circle of light around