3. 阮揣過所有 ê 所在

3. Goán chhōe kòe só͘-ū ê só͘-chāi

"M̄-koh, kám bô khó-lêng," góa thê chhut góa ê khòaⁿ hoat, "sui-bóng phoe sī tī Pō͘-tiúⁿ chhiú tiong, sū-si̍t mā tek-khak sī án-ne, hoān-sè i kā chhàng khì pa̍t-ūi, bô chhàng tī in tau?"

"Che chin bô khó-lêng," Dupin kóng. "Tī bo̍k-chêng tiâu-têng ê te̍k-sû chōng-hóng lâi khòaⁿ, ka-siōng D Pō͘-tiúⁿ ê chióng-chióng im-bô͘, i tio̍h ài ē-tàng sûi-sî the̍h ē-tio̍h hit-tiuⁿ phoe chiah ū hit-ê khoân-le̍k, che hām i chhiú tiong ū hit-tiuⁿ phoe sī pêⁿ tiōng-iàu ê."

"The̍h ē-tio̍h hit-tiuⁿ phoe?" 

"Iā tō sī kā húi tiāu ê khó-lêng sèng." Dupin kóng.

"Tek-khak," góa kóng chhut góa ê khòaⁿ hoat; "hit-tiuⁿ phoe tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī tī in tau, m̄-koh góa bô jīn-ûi phoe ē khǹg tī Pō͘-tiúⁿ ê sin-khu téng."

"Oân-choân chèng-khak," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ kóng. "I í-keng ū nn̄g-pái hông cha̍h-lō͘, sī góa an-pâi lâng ké-chò tek-ke-á kā chhiúⁿ-kiap, kui-sin kā chhiau thàu-thàu, mā chhōe bô." 

"Hoān-sè lí m̄-bián chiah hùi-khì," Dupin kóng. "Chāi góa khòaⁿ, D mā m̄-sī gōng-lâng; nā án-ne, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē liāu-tio̍h chit-lō pòaⁿ-lō͘ chhiúⁿ-kiap ê tāi-chì."

"I m̄-sī gōng-lâng," G kóng, "m̄-koh, i sī chi̍t-ê si-jîn, che kap gōng-lâng sī sio keh-piah."

"Sī lah," Dupin kú-kú su-khó koh bū chi̍t-chhùi tn̂g-tn̂g ê ian, kóng, "góa tùi ka-tī siá ê chi̍t-kóa tah-iû-si mā kám-kak chiâⁿ kiàn-siàu."

"Lí kóng khah siông-sè chi̍t-ē," góa kóng, "lín chhiau-chhōe ê sè-chiat sī án-chóaⁿ?"

"Sī án-ne, goán khai chē-chē sî-kan, chhōe kòe só͘-ū ê só͘-chāi. Chit-lō tāi-chì góa chin ū keng-giām. Goán chhiau kui-tòng chhù, pâng-keng chi̍t-keng chi̍t-keng chhiau, ta̍k-keng khai kui lé-pài. Thōng tāi-seng, goán kiám-cha pâng-keng ê ka-kū. Giú khui múi chi̍t-ê khó-lêng chhàng mi̍h-kiāⁿ ê thoah-á; góa siūⁿ lín lóng chai, tùi múi chi̍t-ê siū kòe giâm-keh hùn-liān ê kéng-chhat thàm-oân lâi kóng, thoah-á sī bô khó-lêng ū siáⁿ pì-bi̍t ê. Kan-ta gōng-á chiah ē siūⁿ lī-iōng ‘pì-bi̍t’ thoah-á lâi siám-phiah chit-chióng chhiau-chhōe. Tāi-chì chin kán-tan. Múi chi̍t-ê té mi̍h-kiāⁿ ê khong-kan lóng ū i kò͘-tēng ê tōa-sè. Goán ū chin cheng-bi̍t ê kui-chek. Cheng-chha nā chhiau-kòe 2%, goán tō ē hoat-hiān. Thoah-á kap kūi-á í-āu, goán kiám-cha í-á. Goán kō͘ thàm-chiam chha̍k í-chū, che í-chêng lín bat khòaⁿ góa iōng kòe. Toh-á bīn, goán mā kā hian khui."

"Ná boeh án-ne?"

"Ū sî-chūn, nā ū lâng siūⁿ boeh chhàng mi̍h-kiāⁿ, i ē kā toh-bīn, a̍h kî-thaⁿ lūi-sū ê ka-kū, thiah khui, kā toh-kha chǹg khang, kā mi̍h-kiāⁿ chhàng ji̍p khì, chiah koh kā toh-bīn tàu tńg khì. Kāng-khoán ê pō͘-sò͘ mā ē iōng tī bîn-chhn̂g-kha ê téng/ē-chat."

"Chit-chióng khang, kám bē-tàng kō͘ siaⁿ-im lâi thàm-chhek?" góa mn̄g.

"Bô hoat-tō͘, in-ūi khǹg mi̍h-kiāⁿ ji̍p-khì liáu, in ē kō͘ mî-á kā that cha̍t-cha̍t. Iû-kî, tī goán ê àn-kiāⁿ, sī bē-sái hoat chhut siaⁿ-im."

 "M̄-koh, lí bô hoat-tō͘ pak-khui... lí bô khó-lêng pak-khui só͘-ū khó-lêng iōng lí kóng ê hong-hoat chhàng mi̍h-kiāⁿ ê ka-kū. Phoe ū khó-lêng kā lián chò tn̂g-tn̂g chi̍t-ki, m̄-koán hêng-chōng a̍h tōa-sè lóng chhin-chhiūⁿ chhiah phòng-se ê chiam, án-ne tō ē-tàng chhàng ji̍p, pí-lūn kóng, í-á ê hoâiⁿ-koaiⁿ. Lí kám ū khó-lêng kā í-á thiah kah hiah iù?"

"Tong-jiân bô; m̄-koh goán chò ê koh khah hó -- goán kō͘ te̍k-hāu ê hàm-kiàⁿ kiám-cha í-á ê só͘-ū chiap-phāng. Nā ū kīn-kî piàn-tōng ê hûn-jiah, góa tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē hoat-hiān. Jīm-hô chi̍t-lia̍p-á kì-sut a̍h chhâ-hu, lóng ē chhiūⁿ lìngò hiah bêng-hián. Bô kāng ê liâm-ka a̍h chiap-phāng liah-khui, lóng hoat-hiān ē tio̍h."

"Góa siong-sìn lín mā ū kiám-cha kiàⁿ, piah a̍h pang ê phāng, lín mā ū kiám-cha bîn-chhn̂g kap phōe-toaⁿ, í-kip thang-á-lî kap tē-thán."

"He sī tong-jiân; kiám-cha ka-kū ê chiah-ê ta̍p-ta̍p tih-tih liáu-āu, goán tō kiám-cha chhù ê pún-sin. Goán kā chhù ê piáu-bīn hun tè pian hō lâi chò, só͘-í bē làu-kau; goán kō͘ tú-chiah kóng ê hit-chióng hàm-kiàⁿ siông-sè kiám-cha múi chi̍t ìnchì sù-hong, pau-koat sio keh-piah ê nn̄g-tòng chhù."

"Sio keh-piah ê chhù!" góa hoah-siaⁿ; "lín tiāⁿ-tio̍h chiâⁿ hùi-sîn."

"Bô m̄-tio̍h; m̄-koh khòaⁿ chāi hiah koân ê siúⁿ-kim, goán tō piàⁿ loeh ah."

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3. 阮揣過所有 ê 所在

"M̄-koh, 敢無可能," 我提出我 ê 看法, "雖罔批是 tī 部長手中, 事實 mā 的確是 án-ne, 凡勢伊 kā 藏去別位, 無藏 tī in 兜?"

"這真無可能," Dupin 講. "Tī 目前朝廷 ê 特殊狀況來看, 加上 D 部長 ê 種種陰謀, 伊著愛會當隨時提會著彼張批才有彼个權力, 這和伊手中有彼張批是平重要 ê."

"提會著彼張批?" 

"也 tō 是 kā 毀掉 ê 可能性." Dupin 講.

"的確," 我講出我 ê 看法; "彼張批定著是 tī in 兜, m̄-koh 我無認為批會囥 tī 部長 ê 身軀頂."

"完全正確," 局長講. "伊已經有兩擺 hông 閘路, 是我安排人假做竹雞仔 kā 搶劫, 規身 kā 搜透透, mā 揣無." 

"凡勢你毋免 chiah 費氣," Dupin 講. "在我看, D mā 毋是戇人; 若 án-ne, 伊定著會料著 chit-lō 半路搶劫 ê 代誌."

"伊毋是戇人," G 講, "m̄-koh, 伊是一个詩人, 這 kap 戇人是相隔壁."

"是 lah," Dupin 久久思考 koh 霧一喙長長 ê 煙, 講, "我對 ka-tī 寫 ê 一寡搭油詩 mā 感覺誠見笑."

"你講較詳細一下," 我講, "恁搜揣 ê 細節是按怎?"

"是 án-ne, 阮開濟濟時間, 揣過所有 ê 所在. Chit-lō 代誌我真有經驗. 阮搜規棟厝, 房間一間一間搜, 逐間開規禮拜. Thōng 代先, 阮檢查房間 ê 家具. 搝開每一个可能藏物件 ê 屜仔; 我想恁 lóng 知, 對每一个受過嚴格訓練 ê 警察探員來講, 屜仔是無可能有啥祕密 ê. 干焦戇仔才會想利用 ‘祕密’ 屜仔來閃避這種搜揣. 代誌真簡單. 每一个貯物件 ê 空間 lóng 有伊固定 ê 大細. 阮有真精密 ê 規則. 精差若超過 2%, 阮 tō 會發現. 屜仔 kap 櫃仔以後, 阮檢查椅仔. 阮 kō͘ 探針鑿椅苴, 這以前恁 bat 看我用過. 桌仔面, 阮 mā kā 掀開."

"那欲 án-ne?"

"有時陣, 若有人想欲藏物件, 伊會 kā 桌面, a̍h 其他類似 ê 家具, 拆開, kā 桌跤鑽空, kā 物件藏入去, 才 koh kā 桌面鬥轉去. 仝款 ê 步數 mā 會用 tī 眠床跤 ê 頂下節."

"這種空, 敢袂當 kō͘ 聲音來探測?" 我問.

"無法度, 因為囥物件入去了, in 會 kō͘ 棉仔 kā 窒 cha̍t-cha̍t. 尤其, tī 阮 ê 案件, 是袂使發出聲音."

 "M̄-koh, 你無法度剝開... 你無可能剝開所有可能用你講 ê 方法藏物件 ê 家具. 批有可能 kā 撚做長長一支, 毋管形狀 a̍h 大細 lóng 親像刺膨紗 ê 針, án-ne tō 會當藏入, 比論講, 椅仔 ê 橫杆. 你敢有可能 kā 椅仔拆 kah hiah 幼?"

"當然無; m̄-koh 阮做 ê koh 較好 -- 阮 kō͘ 特效 ê 譀鏡檢查椅仔 ê 所有接縫. 若有近期變動 ê 痕跡, 我定著會發現. 任何一粒仔鋸屑 a̍h 柴 hu, lóng 會像 lìngò hiah 明顯. 無仝 ê 黏膠 a̍h 接縫裂開, lóng 發現會著."

"我相信恁 mā 有檢查鏡, 壁 a̍h 枋 ê 縫, 恁 mā 有檢查眠床 kap 被單, 以及窗仔簾 kap 地毯."

"彼是當然; 檢查家具 ê chiah-ê 沓沓滴滴了後, 阮 tō 檢查厝 ê 本身. 阮 kā 厝 ê 表面分塊編號來做, 所以袂 làu-kau; 阮 kō͘ 拄才講 ê 彼種譀鏡詳細檢查每一 ìnchì 四方, 包括相隔壁 ê 兩棟厝."

"相隔壁 ê 厝!" 我喝聲; "恁定著誠費神."

"無毋著; m̄-koh 看在 hiah 懸 ê 賞金, 阮 tō 拚 loeh ah."

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3.

"But is it not possible," I suggested, "that although the letter may be in possession of the minister, as it unquestionably is, he may have concealed it elsewhere than upon his own premises?"

"This is barely possible," said Dupin. "The present peculiar condition of affairs at court, and especially of those intrigues in which D-- is known to be involved, would render the instant availability of the document --its susceptibility of being produced at a moment's notice --a point of nearly equal importance with its possession."

"Its susceptibility of being produced?" said I.

"That is to say, of being destroyed," said Dupin.

"True," I observed; "the paper is clearly then upon the premises. As for its being upon the person of the minister, we may consider that as out of the question."

"Entirely," said the Prefect. "He has been twice waylaid, as if by footpads, and his person rigorously searched under my own inspection.

"You might have spared yourself this trouble," said Dupin. "D--, I presume, is not altogether a fool, and, if not, must have anticipated these waylayings, as a matter of course."

"Not altogether a fool," said G., "but then he's a poet, which I take to be only one remove from a fool."

"True," said Dupin, after a long and thoughtful whiff from his meerschaum, "although I have been guilty of certain doggerel myself."

"Suppose you detail," said I, "the particulars of your search."

"Why the fact is, we took our time, and we searched every where. I have had long experience in these affairs. I took the entire building, room by room; devoting the nights of a whole week to each. We examined, first, the furniture of each apartment. We opened every possible drawer; and I presume you know that, to a properly trained police agent, such a thing as a secret drawer is impossible. Any man is a dolt who permits a 'secret' drawer to escape him in a search of this kind. The thing is so plain. There is a certain amount of bulk --of space --to be accounted for in every cabinet. Then we have accurate rules. The fiftieth part of a line could not escape us. After the cabinets we took the chairs. The cushions we probed with the fine long needles you have seen me employ. From the tables we removed the tops."

"Why so?"

"Sometimes the top of a table, or other similarly arranged piece of furniture, is removed by the person wishing to conceal an article; then the leg is excavated, the article deposited within the cavity, and the top replaced. The bottoms and tops of bedposts are employed in the same way."

"But could not the cavity be detected by sounding?" I asked.

"By no means, if, when the article is deposited, a sufficient wadding of cotton be placed around it. Besides, in our case, we were obliged to proceed without noise."

"But you could not have removed --you could not have taken to pieces all articles of furniture in which it would have been possible to make a deposit in the manner you mention. A letter may be compressed into a thin spiral roll, not differing much in shape or bulk from a large knitting-needle, and in this form it might be inserted into the rung of a chair, for example. You did not take to pieces all the chairs?"

"Certainly not; but we did better --we examined the rungs of every chair in the hotel, and, indeed, the jointings of every description of furniture, by the aid of a most powerful microscope. Had there been any traces of recent disturbance we should not have failed to detect it instantly. A single grain of gimlet-dust, for example, would have been as obvious as an apple. Any disorder in the glueing --any unusual gaping in the joints --would have sufficed to insure detection."

"I presume you looked to the mirrors, between the boards and the plates, and you probed the beds and the bed-clothes, as well as the curtains and carpets."

"That of course; and when we had absolutely completed every particle of the furniture in this way, then we examined the house itself. We divided its entire surface into compartments, which we numbered, so that none might be missed; then we scrutinized each individual square inch throughout the premises, including the two houses immediately adjoining, with the microscope, as before."

"The two houses adjoining!" I exclaimed; "you must have had a great deal of trouble."

"We had; but the reward offered is prodigious.

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