2. 賊 tō 是 D 部長

2. Chha̍t tō sī D Pō͘-tiúⁿ

"Ná ē chai-iáⁿ iáu tī i ê chhiú tiong?" Dupin mn̄g.

"Che sī kō͘ thui-lūn ê," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ ìn, "sī ùi bûn-kiāⁿ ê sèng-chit, mā sī ùi chit-ê bûn-kiāⁿ ê lāi-iông nā sia̍p-lāu chhut-khì ē hoat-seng, m̄-koh iū iáu-bōe hoat-seng ê hiō-kó lâi thui-lūn ê -- its kóng, khiang bûn-kiāⁿ ê lâng tio̍h kā kau hō͘ pa̍t-lâng, bûn-kiāⁿ chiah ē hoat-hui i ê chok-iōng."

"Chhiáⁿ kóng koh khah chheng-chhó chi̍t-ē," góa kóng.

"Hmh, góa tōa-táⁿ kóng, chit-ê bûn-kiāⁿ ē hō͘ tit-tio̍h i ê lâng tī bó͘ chi̍t-ê kai-chân ū bó͘ chióng khoân-le̍k, iá hit-ê khoân-le̍k sī chin ū kè-ta̍t." Kio̍k-tiúⁿ chin kah-ì kóng chi̍t-kóa gōa-kau su̍t-gí.

"Góa iáu sī bô siáⁿ liáu-kái," Dupin kóng.

"Bô liáu-kái? Hmh, bûn-kiāⁿ ê lāi-iông nā hō͘ tē-saⁿ chiá chai-iáⁿ, hit-lâng ê miâ tī chia góa mài kóng, chiong ē sún-hāi bó͘ tiōng-iàu jîn-bu̍t ê miâ-siaⁿ; só͘-í the̍h tio̍h bûn-kiāⁿ ê lâng ē-tàng kō͘ che lâi ui-hia̍p hit-ê miâ-siaⁿ ē siū éng-hióng ê tōa jîn-bu̍t."

"M̄-koh, chit-chióng iu-sè," góa chhap-ōe kóng, "mā tio̍h khiang-á chai-iáⁿ hông khiang ê lâng chai-iáⁿ sī hō͘ siáng khiang khì. Siáng káⁿ..."

"Chha̍t tō sī D Pō͘-tiúⁿ," G kóng, "i siáⁿ to káⁿ chò, m̄-koán sī chèng-tong a̍h bô chèng-tong. I thau ê hong-hoat m̄-nā ki-khá, iū-koh tōa-táⁿ. Hit-ê bûn-kiāⁿ, kóng khah pe̍h leh, sī chi̍t-tiuⁿ phoe. Siu-phoe ê tiōng-iàu jîn-bu̍t ka-tī chi̍t-lâng tī hông-kiong ê khí-ki-sek tng-teh tha̍k-phoe ê sî, hut-jiân ji̍p-lâi chi̍t-ê yi siōng bô-ài hō͘ i khòaⁿ tio̍h chit-tiuⁿ phoe ê lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê tōa jîn-bu̍t. Hiong-hiong kông-kông yi bē-hù kā phoe siu ji̍p thoah-á té, yi chí-hó kā khǹg tī toh-á téng. Ka-chài kan-ta khòaⁿ ē-tio̍h tē-chí, phoe ê lāi-iông khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h, khó-lêng mā bē ín-khí chù-ì. Hit-sî, ji̍p-lâi ê sī D pō͘-tiúⁿ. I he lāi kiàm-kiàm ê ba̍k-chiu sûi chù-ì tio̍h hit-tiuⁿ phoe, ē jīn-tit siá tē-chí ê pit-chek, koh hoat-kak tio̍h siu-phoe ê lâng ê kín-tiuⁿ khoán, tō ioh ē-tio̍h yi tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū siáⁿ pì-bi̍t. Ná pêng-siông-sî án-ne chin-kín kiat-sok gia̍p-bū liáu-āu, i the̍h chhut chi̍t-tiuⁿ hām toh-téng sio-siâng ê phoe, kā phah-khui, ké-kúi teh tha̍k, tha̍k liáu koh kap lēng-gōa hit-tiuⁿ phoe khǹg chò-hóe. Sòa lo̍h, i koh lâu lo̍h-lâi 15 hun-cheng, kóng chi̍t-kóa kong-kiōng sū-bū. Chòe-āu, boeh lī-khui ê sî, i khì the̍h hit-tiuⁿ m̄-sī i-ê ê phoe. Phoe ê chú-lâng khòaⁿ chāi gán-lāi, soah m̄-káⁿ kóng chhut-chhùi, in-ūi in ê sin-piⁿ iáu ū lēng-gōa tē-saⁿ chiá. Pō͘-tiúⁿ lī-khui khì, kā i ka-tī he bô siáⁿ tiōng-iàu-sèng ê phoe lâu tī toh-á téng.

"Án-ne lâi kóng," Dupin tùi góa kóng, "che tō sī lí só͘ kóng ê iu-sè, khiang-á chai-iáⁿ hông khiang ê lâng chai-iáⁿ sī hō͘ siáng kā khiang khì ê."

"Bô m̄-tio̍h," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ ìn, "tit-tio̍h khoân-le̍k ê lâng tī chit kúi kò-goe̍h í-lâi, ūi-tio̍h chèng-tī bo̍k-tek, í-keng bú kah chi̍t-ê chin hûi-hiám ê tē-pō͘. Hông khiang ê lâng ta̍k-kang koh khah siong-sìn, yi tio̍h kín kā hit-tiuⁿ phoe siu tńg-lâi. Tong-jiân, che sī bē-tàng kong-khai lâi chò. Lo̍h-bóe, in-ūi kiông boeh choa̍t-bōng, yi tō kau hō͘ góa lâi chhú-lí."

"Kám iáu ū siáⁿ lâng," Dupin tī chi̍t-chūn ian-bū ê tiong-kan kóng, "ē pí lí chit-ê thàm-tiúⁿ koh khah khiáu, koh khah gâu? Che góa sian siūⁿ mā siūⁿ bô."

"M̄-thang kā góa kòe-chióng," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ ìn; "m̄-koh lí án-ne kóng mā m̄-sī bô tō-lí."

"Chin chheng-chhó lah," góa kóng, "tō ná lí só͘ khòaⁿ tio̍h ê, phoe iáu tī Pō͘-tiúⁿ ê chhiú tiong; i ê khoân-le̍k chāi tī in-ūi i ê chhiú tiong ū phoe, m̄-sī in-ūi i kō͘ phoe khì chhòng-siáⁿ. It-tàn i lī-iōng phoe, hit-ê khoân-le̍k tō bô--khì ah."

"Bô m̄-tio̍h," G kóng, "góa tō sī kin-kì chit-tiám teh tiâu-cha. Góa siōng seng siūⁿ tio̍h ê, tō sī thiat-té chhiau-chhōe Pō͘-tiúⁿ tòa ê pâng-keng; m̄-koh khùn-lân sī, choa̍t-tùi bē-sái hō͘ i chai-iáⁿ góa tī-teh chhiau-chhōe. Siōng iàu-kín ê sī, it-tàn i nā ū chèng-kì hoâi-gî góa, góa tō hûi-hiám ah."

"Chit hong-bīn, lí sī choan-ka lah," góa kóng, "Paris Kéng-chhat Kio̍k chit-lō tāi-chì í-keng chò kah kóng bē-liáu ah lah."

"Oh, sī lah; in-ūi án-ne, góa bô hòng-khì. Pō͘-tiúⁿ ê seng-oa̍h si̍p-koàn mā hō͘ góa chin tōa ê lī-piān. I chhiâng-chāi kui-àm bô tī chhù. I ê ka-po̍k mā bô kúi lâng. In khùn ê só͘-chāi kap Pō͘-tiúⁿ ê pâng-keng ū chi̍t-tōaⁿ kī-lī, in-ūi chú-iàu sī Naples lâng, chin hó khoán-thāi, ū chiú tō ún chùi. Lín lóng chai, góa ū bān-lêng só-sî, ē-tàng khui jīm-hô Paris ê mn̂g a̍h kūi-á. Chit saⁿ kò-goe̍h í-lâi, góa chha-put-to ta̍k-àm lóng khì chhiau Pō͘-tiúⁿ in tau. Che khan-sia̍p tio̍h góa ê miâ-siaⁿ, iū koh, kā lín thàu-lāu chi̍t-ê pì-bi̍t, phòa-àn ê siúⁿ-kim chin tōa. Só͘-í góa bē hòng-khì, tî-hui góa hoat-hiān hit-ê khiang-á pí góa koh khah cheng. Góa siūⁿ, góa í-keng kā khó-lêng chhàng hit-tiuⁿ phoe ê khang-á-phāng chha-put-to lóng chhiau-chhōe kòe ah, m̄-koh iáu sī chhōe bô."

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2. 賊 tō 是 D 部長

"那會知影猶 tī 伊 ê 手中?" Dupin 問.

"這是 kō͘ 推論 ê," 局長應, "是 ùi 文件 ê 性質, mā 是 ùi 這个文件 ê 內容若洩漏出去會發生, m̄-koh 又猶未發生 ê 後果來推論 ê -- its 講, 勍文件 ê 人著 kā 交予別人, 文件才會發揮伊 ê 作用."

"請講 koh 較清楚一下," 我講.

"Hmh, 我大膽講, 這个文件會予得著伊 ê 人 tī 某一个階層有某種權力, iá 彼个權力是真有價值." 局長真佮意講一寡外交術語.

"我猶是無啥了解," Dupin 講.

"無了解? Hmh, 文件 ê 內容若予第三者知影, 彼人 ê 名 tī chia 我莫講, 將會損害某重要人物 ê 名聲; 所以提著文件 ê 人會當 kō͘ 這來威脅彼个名聲會受影響 ê 大人物."

"M̄-koh, 這種優勢," 我 chhap 話講, "mā 著勍仔知影 hông 勍 ê 人知影是予 siáng 勍去. Siáng 敢..."

"賊 tō 是 D 部長," G 講, "伊啥 to 敢做, 毋管是正當 a̍h 無正當. 伊偷 ê 方法毋但技巧, 又 koh 大膽. 彼个文件, 講較白 leh, 是一張批. 收批 ê 重要人物 ka-tī 一人 tī 皇宮 ê 起居室 tng-teh 讀批 ê 時, 忽然入來一个她上無愛予伊看著這張批 ê 另外一个大人物. 兇兇狂狂她袂赴 kā 批收入屜仔底, 她只好 kā 囥 tī 桌仔頂. 佳哉干焦看會著地址, 批 ê 內容看袂著, 可能 mā 袂引起注意. 彼時, 入來 ê 是 D 部長. 伊 he 利劍劍 ê 目睭隨注意著彼張批, 會認得寫地址 ê 筆跡, koh 發覺著收批 ê 人 ê 緊張款, tō 臆會著她定著有啥祕密. Ná 平常時 án-ne 真緊結束業務了後, 伊提出一張和桌頂 sio-siâng ê 批, kā 拍開, 假鬼 teh 讀, 讀了 koh kap 另外彼張批囥做伙. 紲落, 伊 koh 留落來 15 分鐘, 講一寡公共事務. 最後, 欲離開 ê 時, 伊去提彼張毋是伊 ê ê 批. 批 ê 主人看在眼內, 煞毋敢講出喙, 因為 in ê 身邊猶有另外第三者. 部長離開去, kā 伊 ka-tī he 無啥重要性 ê 批留 tī 桌仔頂.

"Án-ne 來講," Dupin 對我講, "這 tō 是你所講 ê 優勢, 勍仔知影 hông 勍 ê 人知影是予 siáng kā 勍去 ê."

"無毋著," 局長應, "得著權力 ê 人 tī 這幾個月以來, 為著政治目的, 已經舞 kah 一个真危險 ê 地步. Hông 勍 ê 人逐工 koh 較相信, 她著緊 kā 彼張批收轉來. 當然, 這是袂當公開來做. 落尾, 因為強欲絕望, 她 tō 交予我來處理."

"敢猶有啥人," Dupin tī 一陣煙霧 ê 中間講, "會比你這个探長 koh 較巧, koh 較 gâu? 這我仙想 mā 想無."

"毋通 kā 我過獎," 局長應; "m̄-koh 你 án-ne 講 mā 毋是無道理."

"真清楚 lah," 我講, "tō ná 你所看著 ê, 批猶 tī 部長 ê 手中; 伊 ê 權力在 tī 因為伊 ê 手中有批, 毋是因為伊 kō͘ 批去創啥. 一旦伊利用批, 彼个權力 tō 無去 ah."

"無毋著," G 講, "我 tō 是根據這點 teh 調查. 我上先想著 ê, tō 是徹底搜揣部長蹛 ê 房間; m̄-koh 困難是, 絕對袂使予伊知影我 tī-teh 搜揣. 上要緊 ê 是, 一旦伊若有證據懷疑我, 我 tō 危險 ah."

"這方面, 你是專家 lah," 我講, "Paris 警察局 chit-lō 代誌已經做 kah 講袂了 ah lah."

"Oh, 是 lah; 因為 án-ne, 我無放棄. 部長 ê 生活習慣 mā 予我真大 ê 利便. 伊常在規暗無 tī 厝. 伊 ê 家僕 mā 無幾人. In 睏 ê 所在 kap 部長 ê 房間有一段距離, 因為主要是 Naples 人, 真好款待, 有酒 tō 隱醉. 恁 lóng 知, 我有萬能鎖匙, 會當開任何 Paris ê 門 a̍h 櫃仔. 這三個月以來, 我差不多逐暗 lóng 去搜部長 in 兜. 這牽涉著我 ê 名聲, 又 koh, kā 恁透漏一个祕密, 破案 ê 賞金真大. 所以我袂放棄, 除非我發現彼个勍仔比我 koh 較精. 我想, 我已經 kā 可能藏彼張批 ê 空仔縫差不多 lóng 搜揣過 ah, m̄-koh 猶是揣無."

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2.

"How is this known?" asked Dupin.

"It is clearly inferred," replied the Prefect, "from the nature of the document, and from the nonappearance of certain results which would at once arise from its passing out of the robber's possession; --that is to say, from his employing it as he must design in the end to employ it."

"Be a little more explicit," I said.

"Well, I may venture so far as to say that the paper gives its holder a certain power in a certain quarter where such power is immensely valuable." The Prefect was fond of the cant of diplomacy.

"Still I do not quite understand," said Dupin.

"No? Well; the disclosure of the document to a third person, who shall be nameless, would bring in question the honor of a personage of most exalted station; and this fact gives the holder of the document an ascendancy over the illustrious personage whose honor and peace are so jeopardized."

"But this ascendancy," I interposed, "would depend upon the robber's knowledge of the loser's knowledge of the robber. Who would dare--"

"The thief," said G., is the Minister D--, who dares all things, those unbecoming as well as those becoming a man. The method of the theft was not less ingenious than bold. The document in question --a letter, to be frank --had been received by the personage robbed while alone in the royal boudoir. During its perusal she was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of the other exalted personage from whom especially it was her wish to conceal it. After a hurried and vain endeavor to thrust it in a drawer, she was forced to place it, open as it was, upon a table. The address, however, was uppermost, and, the contents thus unexposed, the letter escaped notice. At this juncture enters the Minister D--. His lynx eye immediately perceives the paper, recognises the handwriting of the address, observes the confusion of the personage addressed, and fathoms her secret. After some business transactions, hurried through in his ordinary manner, he produces a letter somewhat similar to the one in question, opens it, pretends to read it, and then places it in close juxtaposition to the other. Again he converses, for some fifteen minutes, upon the public affairs. At length, in taking leave, he takes also from the table the letter to which he had no claim. Its rightful owner saw, but, of course, dared not call attention to the act, in the presence of the third personage who stood at her elbow. The minister decamped; leaving his own letter --one of no importance --upon the table."

"Here, then," said Dupin to me, "you have precisely what you demand to make the ascendancy complete --the robber's knowledge of the loser's knowledge of the robber."

"Yes," replied the Prefect; "and the power thus attained has, for some months past, been wielded, for political purposes, to a very dangerous extent. The personage robbed is more thoroughly convinced, every day, of the necessity of reclaiming her letter. But this, of course, cannot be done openly. In fine, driven to despair, she has committed the matter to me."

"Than whom," said Dupin, amid a perfect whirlwind of smoke, "no more sagacious agent could, I suppose, be desired, or even imagined."

"You flatter me," replied the Prefect; "but it is possible that some such opinion may have been entertained."

"It is clear," said I, "as you observe, that the letter is still in possession of the minister; since it is this possession, and not any employment of the letter, which bestows the power. With the employment the power departs."

"True," said G. "and upon this conviction I proceeded. My first care was to make thorough search of the minister's hotel; and here my chief embarrassment lay in the necessity of searching without his knowledge. Beyond all things, I have been warned of the danger which would result from giving him reason to suspect our design."

"But," said I, "you are quite au fait in these investigations. The Parisian police have done this thing often before."

"Oh yes; and for this reason I did not despair. The habits of the minister gave me, too, a great advantage. He is frequently absent from home all night. His servants are by no means numerous. They sleep at a distance from their master's apartment, and, being chiefly Neapolitans, are readily made drunk. I have keys, as you know, with which I can open any chamber or cabinet in Paris. For three months a night has not passed, during the greater part of which I have not been engaged, personally, in ransacking the D-- Hotel. My honor is interested, and, to mention a great secret, the reward is enormous. So I did not abandon the search until I had become fully satisfied that the thief is a more astute man than myself. I fancy that I have investigated every nook and corner of the premises in which it is possible that the paper can be concealed."

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