4. Kā chhù koh chhiau chi̍t-piàn
"Lín mā ū pau-koat chhù sì chiu-ûi ê thô͘-kha lah hoⁿh?"
"Kui-ê thô͘-kha pho͘ chng-á, án-ne goán khah bē siuⁿ hùi-khì. Goán kiám-cha chng-á phāng ê chheⁿ-thî, hoat-hiān bô tín-tāng kòe."
"Lín, tong-jiân, mā kiám-cha D ê bûn-kiāⁿ, kap chheh-pâng nih ê chheh lah hoⁿh?"
"Tong-jiân; goán kā tōa-pau, sè-pau lóng phah-khui; goán m̄-nā chi̍t-ia̍h chi̍t-ia̍h hian ta̍k-pún chheh, m̄-sī chhiūⁿ ū-ê lâng án-ne kan-ta kō͘ chhiú iô. Goán mā kō͘ cheng-bi̍t ê ke-si niû ta̍k-pún chheh-phôe ê kāu-tō͘, koh kō͘ hàm-kiàⁿ chò giâm-keh ê kiám-cha. Lāi-té nā ū chòe-kīn chiah chong-tèng ê hûn-jiah, sī bô khó-lêng goán bô chù-ì tio̍h. Ū gō͘/la̍k-pún tú-tú chong-tèng hó, goán tō siông-sè kō͘ tn̂g-tn̂g ê thàm-chiam kā kiám-cha."
"Lín ū kiám-cha tē-thán ē-bīn ê tē-pán bô?"
"Bián kóng mā ū. Góa kā tē-thán hian-khui, kō͘ hàm-kiàⁿ kiám-cha tē-pán."
"Iá piah-chóa neh?"
"Mā ū."
"Lín ū sûn tē-hā-sek bô?"
"Ū lah."
"Nā án-ne," góa kóng, "lín sit-sǹg ah, hit-tiuⁿ phoe pēng bô chhiūⁿ lí ioh-ê án-ne chhàng tī hit-tòng chhù."
"Hoān-sè lí bô m̄-tio̍h," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ kóng. "Taⁿ, taⁿ, Dupin, lí kiàn-gī góa tio̍h án-chóaⁿ chò?"
"Kā hit-keng chhù koh-chài siông-sè chhiau-chhōe chi̍t-piàn."
"He choa̍t-tùi bô pit-iàu." G ìn. "Góa kòa pó-chèng, he phoe bô chhàng tī hit-keng chhù."
"Góa bô khah hó ê kiàn-gī hō͘ lí ah lah," Dupin kóng. "Lí ē-tàng koh khah siông-sè kóng hit-tiuⁿ phoe seⁿ-chò án-chóaⁿ bô?"
"Oh, hó!" -- Chū án-ne, Kio̍k-tiúⁿ the̍h chhut pit-kì-phō͘, khai-sí tōa-siaⁿ liām lāi-iông, iû-kî sī hông khiang khì bûn-kiāⁿ ê gōa-koan. Liām liáu bô gōa kú, i tō lī-khui, piáu-chêng lak-soe, hō͘ góa kám-kak ná chi̍t-ê chheⁿ-hūn lâng.
Liōng-iok chi̍t kò-goe̍h liáu-āu, i koh lâi chhōe goán, goán mā chhiūⁿ téng-kái án-ne chē tī hia. I the̍h chi̍t-ki hun-chhoe, khiú chi̍t-tè í-á chē lo̍h-lâi, tō chham-ka goán ê khai-káng. Lo̍h-bóe, góa kóng:
"Eh, Kio̍k-tiúⁿ ah, hit-tiuⁿ hông khiang khì ê phoe taⁿ án-chóaⁿ ah? Góa siūⁿ, lí chóng-sī iâⁿ bē kòe hit-ê kan-khiáu ê Pō͘-tiúⁿ lah hoⁿh?"
"In-niâ leh, hit-kho͘ -- sī lah; put-jî-kò, góa ū chiàu Dupin ê kiàn-gī, koh khì kiám-cha chi̍t-piàn -- put-kò sī ke liáu-kang, góa chá tō chai ē án-ne."
"Lí kóng, siúⁿ-kim gōa chē?" Dupin mn̄g.
"Ai-ah, chiâⁿ chē -- chē kah pháiⁿ-sǹg; tī chia góa bián kóng chèng-khak ê sò͘-jī; m̄-koh, tī chia góa ē-sái kóng, góa goān-ì ka-tī khui gō͘-bān franc ê chi-phiò, hō͘ ē-tàng kā hit-tiuⁿ phoe kau hō͘ góa ê jīm-hô lâng. Sū-si̍t-siōng, chit-kiāⁿ tāi-chì chi̍t-kang pí chi̍t-kang tiōng-iàu; siúⁿ-kim chòe-kīn koh hoan-pōe. Tō-kóng sī saⁿ-pōe, góa mā pìⁿ bô lō͘-lâi ah lah."
"Hmh, sī án-ne ah," Dupin ná pok hun, koh kā ōe thoa tn̂g-tn̂g, "góa kám-kak, G ah, tī chit-kiāⁿ tāi-chì lí pēng bô hoat-hui lí ê pún-léng. Góa siūⁿ, lí ē-sái koh sió piàⁿ chi̍t-ē, sī bô?"
"Boeh án-chóaⁿ piàⁿ? Kō͘ siáⁿ hong-hoat?"
"Hmh -- pok, pok -- lí ē-sái -- pok, pok -- thiaⁿ góa ê kiàn-gī, sī bô? -- pok, pok, pok. Lí ē-kì-tit in kóng ê iú-koan Abernethy ê kò͘-sū bô?"
"M̄-chai; siáⁿ kut-thâu Abernthy!"
"Hó lah! m̄-koán lí án-chóaⁿ kóng. Góa kā lí kóng, kó͘-chá ū chi̍t-ê tàng-sng ê hó-gia̍h lâng, i siūⁿ chi̍t-ê pō͘-sò͘ boeh hō͘ Abernethy i-seng bián-chîⁿ kā khòaⁿ-pēⁿ. Ūi tio̍h chit-ê bo̍k-tek, tī chi̍t-kái su-té-hā ê khai-káng tiong-kan, i kā Abernethy thê khí chi̍t-ê i pian-chō ê pa̍t-lâng, kóng chhut i ka-tī ê pēⁿ-chèng.
"Hit-ê tàng-sng-á kóng: ‘ká-sú hit-lâng ê chèng-thâu sī án-ne koh án-ne; I-seng ah, nā án-ne lí ē kiò i ho̍k-iōng siáⁿ-mih?’
"Abernethy kóng: ‘Ho̍k-iōng... tong-jiân sī kiò i ho̍k-iōng góa ê kiàn-gī.’"
"M̄-koh," Kio̍k-tiúⁿ kóng, sió-khóa bô hoaⁿ-hí, "góa oân-choân goān-ì chiap-siū kiàn-gī, mā goān-ì hù chhut tāi-kè. Góa chin-chiàⁿ boeh hù 50,000 franc hō͘ pang góa kái-koat būn-tê ê lâng."
"Nā án-ne," Dupin ná ìn-ōe, ná phah-khui chi̍t-ê thoah-á, the̍h chhut chi̍t-pún chi-phiò-phō͘, "lí ē-sái tī chi-phiò siá chhut tú-chiah kóng ê kim-gia̍h. Tán lí chhiam-miâ liáu, góa tō kā hit-tiuⁿ phoe kau hō͘ lí."
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4. Kā 厝 koh 搜一遍
"恁 mā 有包括厝四周圍 ê 塗跤 lah hoⁿh?"
"規个塗跤鋪磚仔, án-ne 阮較袂 siuⁿ 費氣. 阮檢查磚仔縫 ê 青苔, 發現無振動過."
"恁, 當然, mā 檢查 D ê 文件, kap 冊房 nih ê 冊 lah hoⁿh?"
"當然; 阮 kā 大包, 細包 lóng 拍開; 阮毋但一頁一頁掀逐本冊, 毋是像有 ê 人 án-ne 干焦 kō͘ 手搖. 阮 mā kō͘ 精密 ê 家私量逐本冊皮 ê 厚度, koh kō͘ 譀鏡做嚴格 ê 檢查. 內底若有最近才裝訂 ê 痕跡, 是無可能阮無注意著. 有五六本拄拄裝訂好, 阮 tō 詳細 kō͘ 長長 ê 探針 kā 檢查."
"恁有檢查地毯下面 ê 地板無?"
"免講 mā 有. 我 kā 地毯掀開, kō͘ 譀鏡檢查地板."
"Iá 壁紙 neh?"
"Mā 有."
"恁有巡地下室無?"
"有 lah."
"若 án-ne," 我講, "恁失算 ah, 彼張批並無像你臆 ê án-ne 藏 tī 彼棟厝."
"凡勢你無毋著," 局長講. "今, 今, Dupin, 你建議我著按怎做?"
"Kā 彼間厝 koh 再詳細搜揣一遍."
"彼絕對無必要." G 應. "我掛保證, he 批無藏 tī 彼間厝."
"我無較好 ê 建議予你 ah lah," Dupin 講. "你會當 koh 較詳細講彼張批生做按怎無?"
"Oh, 好!" -- 自 án-ne, 局長提出筆記簿, 開始大聲念內容, 尤其是 hông 勍去文件 ê 外觀. 念了無偌久, 伊 tō 離開, 表情落衰, 予我感覺 ná 一个生份人.
量約一個月了後, 伊 koh 來揣阮, 阮 mā 像頂改 án-ne 坐 tī hia. 伊提一支薰吹, 搝一塊椅仔坐落來, tō 參加阮 ê 開講. 落尾, 我講:
"Eh, 局長 ah, 彼張 hông 勍去 ê 批今按怎 ah? 我想, 你總是贏袂過彼个奸巧 ê 部長 lah hoⁿh?"
"In 娘 leh, 彼箍 -- 是 lah; 不而過, 我有照 Dupin ê 建議, koh 去檢查一遍 -- 不過是加了工, 我早 tō 知會 án-ne."
"你講, 賞金偌濟?" Dupin 問.
"Ai-ah, 誠濟 -- 濟 kah 歹算; tī chia 我免講正確 ê 數字; m̄-koh, tī chia 我會使講, 我願意 ka-tī 開五萬 franc ê 支票, 予會當 kā 彼張批交予我 ê 任何人. 事實上, 這件代誌一工比一工重要; 賞金最近 koh 翻倍. Tō 講是三倍, 我 mā pìⁿ 無路來 ah lah."
"Hmh, 是 án-ne ah," Dupin ná 噗薰, koh kā 話拖長長, "我感覺, G ah, tī 這件代誌你並無發揮你 ê 本領. 我想, 你會使 koh 小拚一下, 是無?"
"欲按怎拚? Kō͘ 啥方法?"
"Hmh -- pok, pok -- 你會使 -- pok, pok -- 聽我 ê 建議, 是無? -- pok, pok, pok. 你會記得 in 講 ê 有關 Abernethy ê 故事無?"
"毋知; 啥骨頭 Abernthy!"
"好 lah! 毋管你按怎講. 我 kā 你講, 古早有一个凍霜 ê 好額人, 伊想一个步數欲予 Abernethy 醫生免錢 kā 看病. 為著這个目的, tī 一改私底下 ê 開講中間, 伊 kā Abernethy 提起一个伊編造 ê 別人, 講出伊 ka-tī ê 病症.
"彼个凍霜仔講: ‘假使彼人 ê 症頭是 án-ne koh án-ne; 醫生 ah, 若 án-ne 你會叫伊服用啥物?’
"Abernethy 講: ‘服用... 當然是叫伊服用我 ê 建議.’"
"M̄-koh," 局長講, 小可無歡喜, "我完全願意接受建議, mā 願意付出代價. 我真正欲付 50,000 franc 予幫我解決問題 ê 人."
"若 án-ne," Dupin ná 應話, ná 拍開一个屜仔, 提出一本支票簿, "你會使 tī 支票寫出拄才講 ê 金額. 等你簽名了, 我 tō kā 彼張批交予你."
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4.
"You include the grounds about the houses?"
"All the grounds are paved with brick. They gave us comparatively little trouble. We examined the moss between the bricks, and found it undisturbed."
"You looked among D--'s papers, of course, and into the books of the library?"
"Certainly; we opened every package and parcel; we not only opened every book, but we turned over every leaf in each volume, not contenting ourselves with a mere shake, according to the fashion of some of our police officers. We also measured the thickness of every book-cover, with the most accurate admeasurement, and applied to each the most jealous scrutiny of the microscope. Had any of the bindings been recently meddled with, it would have been utterly impossible that the fact should have escaped observation. Some five or six volumes, just from the hands of the binder, we carefully probed, longitudinally, with the needles."
"You explored the floors beneath the carpets?"
"Beyond doubt. We removed every carpet, and examined the boards with the microscope."
"And the paper on the walls?"
"Yes.
"You looked into the cellars?"
"We did."
"Then," I said, "you have been making a miscalculation, and the letter is not upon the premises, as you suppose.
"I fear you are right there," said the Prefect. "And now, Dupin, what would you advise me to do?"
"To make a thorough re-search of the premises."
"That is absolutely needless," replied G--. "I am not more sure that I breathe than I am that the letter is not at the Hotel."
"I have no better advice to give you," said Dupin. "You have, of course, an accurate description of the letter?"
"Oh yes!" --And here the Prefect, producing a memorandum-book, proceeded to read aloud a minute account of the internal, and especially of the external appearance of the missing document. Soon after finishing the perusal of this description, he took his departure, more entirely depressed in spirits than I had ever known the good gentleman before.
In about a month afterwards he paid us another visit, and found us occupied very nearly as before. He took a pipe and a chair and entered into some ordinary conversation. At length I said,--
"Well, but G--, what of the purloined letter? I presume you have at last made up your mind that there is no such thing as overreaching the Minister?"
"Confound him, say I --yes; I made the reexamination, however, as Dupin suggested --but it was all labor lost, as I knew it would be."
"How much was the reward offered, did you say?" asked Dupin.
"Why, a very great deal --a very liberal reward --I don't like to say how much, precisely; but one thing I will say, that I wouldn't mind giving my individual check for fifty thousand francs to any one who could obtain me that letter. The fact is, it is becoming of more and more importance every day; and the reward has been lately doubled. If it were trebled, however, I could do no more than I have done."
"Why, yes," said Dupin, drawlingly, between the whiffs of his meerschaum, "I really --think, G--, you have not exerted yourself--to the utmost in this matter. You might --do a little more, I think, eh?"
"How? --In what way?"
"Why --puff, puff --you might --puff, puff --employ counsel in the matter, eh? --puff, puff, puff. Do you remember the story they tell of Abernethy?"
"No; hang Abernethy!"
"To be sure! hang him and welcome. But, once upon a time, a certain rich miser conceived the design of spunging upon this Abernethy for a medical opinion. Getting up, for this purpose, an ordinary conversation in a private company, he insinuated his case to the physician, as that of an imaginary individual.
"'We will suppose,' said the miser, 'that his symptoms are such and such; now, doctor, what would you have directed him to take?'
"'Take!' said Abernethy, 'why, take advice, to be sure.'"
"But," said the Prefect, a little discomposed, "I am perfectly willing to take advice, and to pay for it. I would really give fifty thousand francs to any one who would aid me in the matter."
"In that case," replied Dupin, opening a drawer, and producing a check-book, "you may as well fill me up a check for the amount mentioned. When you have signed it, I will hand you the letter."
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