Chapter VIII. The Adventures of Tommy

by Agatha Christie

　　Taken aback though he was by the man's words, Tommy did nothesitate. If audacity had successfully carried him so far, it wasto be hoped it would carry him yet farther. He quietly passedinto the house and mounted the ramshackle staircase. Everythingin the house was filthy beyond words. The grimy paper, of apattern now indistinguishable, hung in loose festoons from thewall. In every angle was a grey mass of cobweb.Tommy proceeded leisurely. By the time he reached the bend ofthe staircase, he had heard the man below disappear into a backroom. Clearly no suspicion attached to him as yet. To come tothe house and ask for "Mr. Brown" appeared indeed to be areasonable and natural proceeding.At the top of the stairs Tommy halted to consider his next move.In front of him ran a narrow passage, with doors opening oneither side of it. From the one nearest him on the left came alow murmur of voices. It was this room which he had beendirected to enter. But what held his glance fascinated was asmall recess immediately on his right, half concealed by a tornvelvet curtain. It was directly opposite the left-handed doorand, owing to its angle, it also commanded a good view of theupper part of the staircase. As a hiding-place for one or, at apinch, two men, it was ideal, being about two feet deep and threefeet wide. It attracted Tommy mightily. He thought things overin his usual slow and steady way, deciding that the mention of"Mr. Brown" was not a request for an individual, but in allprobability a password used by the gang. His lucky use of it hadgained him admission. So far he had aroused no suspicion. But hemust decide quickly on his next step.Suppose he were boldly to enter the room on the left of thepassage. Would the mere fact of his having been admitted to thehouse be sufficient? Perhaps a further password would berequired, or, at any rate, some proof of identity. Thedoorkeeper clearly did not know all the members of the gang bysight, but it might be different upstairs. On the whole it seemedto him that luck had served him very well so far, but that therewas such a thing as trusting it too far. To enter that room was acolossal risk. He could not hope to sustain his partindefinitely; sooner or later he was almost bound to betrayhimself, and then he would have thrown away a vital chance inmere foolhardiness.A repetition of the signal knock sounded on the door below, andTommy, his mind made up, slipped quickly into the recess, andcautiously drew the curtain farther across so that it shieldedhim completely from sight. There were several rents and slits inthe ancient material which afforded him a good view. He wouldwatch events, and any time he chose could, after all, join theassembly, modelling his behaviour on that of the new arrival.The man who came up the staircase with a furtive, soft-footedtread was quite unknown to Tommy. He was obviously of the verydregs of society. The low beetling brows, and the criminal jaw,the bestiality of the whole countenance were new to the youngman, though he was a type that Scotland Yard would haverecognized at a glance.The man passed the recess, breathing heavily as he went. Hestopped at the door opposite, and gave a repetition of the signalknock. A voice inside called out something, and the man openedthe door and passed in, affording Tommy a momentary glimpse ofthe room inside. He thought there must be about four or fivepeople seated round a long table that took up most of the space,but his attention was caught and held by a tall man withclose-cropped hair and a short, pointed, naval-looking beard, whosat at the head of the table with papers in front of him. As thenew-comer entered he glanced up, and with a correct, butcuriously precise enunciation, which attracted Tommy's notice, heasked:"Your number, comrade?""Fourteen, gov'nor," replied the other hoarsely."Correct."The door shut again."If that isn't a Hun, I'm a Dutchman!" said Tommy to himself."And running the show darned systematically too--as they alwaysdo. Lucky I didn't roll in. I'd have given the wrong number, andthere would have been the deuce to pay. No, this is the placefor me. Hullo, here's another knock."This visitor proved to be of an entirely different type to thelast. Tommy recognized in him an Irish Sinn Feiner. CertainlyMr. Brown's organization was a far-reaching concern. The commoncriminal, the well-bred Irish gentleman, the pale Russian, andthe efficient German master of the ceremonies! Truly a strangeand sinister gathering! Who was this man who held in his fingerthese curiously variegated links of an unknown chain?In this case, the procedure was exactly the same. The signalknock, the demand for a number, and the reply "Correct."Two knocks followed in quick succession on the door below. Thefirst man was quite unknown to Tommy, who put him down as a cityclerk. A quiet, intelligent-looking man, rather shabbily dressed.The second was of the working classes, and his face was vaguelyfamiliar to the young man.Three minutes later came another, a man of commanding appearance,exquisitely dressed, and evidently well born. His face, again,was not unknown to the watcher, though he could not for themoment put a name to it.After his arrival there was a long wait. In fact Tommy concludedthat the gathering was now complete, and was just cautiouslycreeping out from his hiding-place, when another knock sent himscuttling back to cover.This last-comer came up the stairs so quietly that he was almostabreast of Tommy before the young man had realized his presence.He was a small man, very pale, with a gentle almost womanish air.The angle of the cheek-bones hinted at his Slavonic ancestry,otherwise there was nothing to indicate his nationality. As hepassed the recess, he turned his head slowly. The strange lighteyes seemed to burn through the curtain; Tommy could hardlybelieve that the man did not know he was there and in spite ofhimself he shivered. He was no more fanciful than the majority ofyoung Englishmen, but he could not rid himself of the impressionthat some unusually potent force emanated from the man. Thecreature reminded him of a venomous snake.A moment later his impression was proved correct. The new-comerknocked on the door as all had done, but his reception was verydifferent. The bearded man rose to his feet, and all the othersfollowed suit. The German came forward and shook hands. Hisheels clicked together."We are honoured," he said. "We are greatly honoured. I muchfeared that it would be impossible."The other answered in a low voice that had a kind of hiss in it:"There were difficulties. It will not be possible again, I fear.But one meeting is essential--to define my policy. I can donothing without--Mr. Brown. He is here?"The change in the German's voice was audible as he replied withslight hesitation:"We have received a message. It is impossible for him to bepresent in person." He stopped, giving a curious impression ofhaving left the sentence unfinished.A very slow smile overspread the face of the other. He lookedround at a circle of uneasy faces."Ah! I understand. I have read of his methods. He works in thedark and trusts no one. But, all the same, it is possible thathe is among us now...." He looked round him again, and again thatexpression of fear swept over the group. Each man seemed eyeinghis neighbour doubtfully.The Russian tapped his cheek."So be it. Let us proceed."The German seemed to pull himself together. He indicated theplace he had been occupying at the head of the table. The Russiandemurred, but the other insisted."It is the only possible place," he said, "for--Number One.Perhaps Number Fourteen will shut the door?"In another moment Tommy was once more confronting bare woodenpanels, and the voices within had sunk once more to a mereundistinguishable murmur. Tommy became restive. The conversationhe had overheard had stimulated his curiosity. He felt that, byhook or by crook, he must hear more.There was no sound from below, and it did not seem likely thatthe doorkeeper would come upstairs. After listening intently fora minute or two, he put his head round the curtain. The passagewas deserted. Tommy bent down and removed his shoes, then,leaving them behind the curtain, he walked gingerly out on hisstockinged feet, and kneeling down by the closed door he laid hisear cautiously to the crack. To his intense annoyance he coulddistinguish little more; just a chance word here and there if avoice was raised, which merely served to whet his curiosity stillfarther.He eyed the handle of the door tentatively. Could he turn it bydegrees so gently and imperceptibly that those in the room wouldnotice nothing? He decided that with great care it could bedone. Very slowly, a fraction of an inch at a time, he moved itround, holding his breath in his excessive care. A little more--alittle more still--would it never be finished? Ah! at last itwould turn no farther.He stayed so for a minute or two, then drew a deep breath, andpressed it ever so slightly inward. The door did not budge.Tommy was annoyed. If he had to use too much force, it wouldalmost certainly creak. He waited until the voices rose a little,then he tried again. Still nothing happened. He increased thepressure. Had the beastly thing stuck? Finally, in desperation,he pushed with all his might. But the door remained firm, and atlast the truth dawned upon him. It was locked or bolted on theinside.For a moment or two Tommy's indignation got the better of him."Well, I'm damned!" he said. "What a dirty trick!"As his indignation cooled, he prepared to face the situation.Clearly the first thing to be done was to restore the handle toits original position. If he let it go suddenly, the men insidewould be almost certain to notice it, so, with the same infinitepains, he reversed his former tactics. All went well, and with asigh of relief the young man rose to his feet. There was acertain bulldog tenacity about Tommy that made him slow to admitdefeat. Checkmated for the moment, he was far from abandoning theconflict. He still intended to hear what was going on in thelocked room. As one plan had failed, he must hunt about foranother.He looked round him. A little farther along the passage on theleft was a second door. He slipped silently along to it. Helistened for a moment or two, then tried the handle. It yielded,and he slipped inside.The room, which was untenanted, was furnished as a bedroom. Likeeverything else in the house, the furniture was falling topieces, and the dirt was, if anything, more abundant.But what interested Tommy was the thing he had hoped to find, acommunicating door between the two rooms, up on the left by thewindow. Carefully closing the door into the passage behind him,he stepped across to the other and examined it closely. The boltwas shot across it. It was very rusty, and had clearly not beenused for some time. By gently wriggling it to and fro, Tommymanaged to draw it back without making too much noise. Then herepeated his former manoeuvres with the handle--this time withcomplete success. The door swung open--a crack, a mere fraction,but enough for Tommy to hear what went on. There was a velvetportiere on the inside of this door which prevented him fromseeing, but he was able to recognize the voices with a reasonableamount of accuracy.The Sinn Feiner was speaking. His rich Irish voice wasunmistakable:"That's all very well. But more money is essential. No money--noresults!"Another voice which Tommy rather thought was that of Borisreplied:"Will you guarantee that there are results?""In a month from now--sooner or later as you wish--I willguarantee you such a reign of terror in Ireland as shall shakethe British Empire to its foundations."There was a pause, and then came the soft, sibilant accents ofNumber One:"Good! You shall have the money. Boris, you will see to that."Boris asked a question:"Via the Irish Americans, and Mr. Potter as usual?""I guess that'll be all right!" said a new voice, with atransatlantic intonation, "though I'd like to point out, here andnow, that things are getting a mite difficult. There's not thesympathy there was, and a growing disposition to let the Irishsettle their own affairs without interference from America."Tommy felt that Boris had shrugged his shoulders as he answered:"Does that matter, since the money only nominally comes from theStates?""The chief difficulty is the landing of the ammunition," said theSinn Feiner. "The money is conveyed in easily enough--thanks toour colleague here."Another voice, which Tommy fancied was that of the tall,commanding-looking man whose face had seemed familiar to him,said:"Think of the feelings of Belfast if they could hear you!""That is settled, then," said the sibilant tones. "Now, in thematter of the loan to an English newspaper, you have arranged thedetails satisfactorily, Boris?""I think so.""That is good. An official denial from Moscow will beforthcoming if necessary."There was a pause, and then the clear voice of the German brokethe silence:"I am directed by--Mr. Brown, to place the summaries of thereports from the different unions before you. That of the minersis most satisfactory. We must hold back the railways. There maybe trouble with the A.S.E."For a long time there was a silence, broken only by the rustle ofpapers and an occasional word of explanation from the German.Then Tommy heard the light tap-tap of fingers, drumming on thetable."And--the date, my friend?" said Number One."The 29th."The Russian seemed to consider:"That is rather soon.""I know. But it was settled by the principal Labour leaders, andwe cannot seem to interfere too much. They must believe it to beentirely their own show."The Russian laughed softly, as though amused."Yes, yes," he said. "That is true. They must have no inklingthat we are using them for our own ends. They are honestmen--and that is their value to us. It is curious--but youcannot make a revolution without honest men. The instinct of thepopulace is infallible." He paused, and then repeated, as thoughthe phrase pleased him: "Every revolution has had its honestmen. They are soon disposed of afterwards."There was a sinister note in his voice.The German resumed:"Clymes must go. He is too far-seeing. Number Fourteen will seeto that."There was a hoarse murmur."That's all right, gov'nor." And then after a moment or two:"Suppose I'm nabbed.""You will have the best legal talent to defend you," replied theGerman quietly. "But in any case you will wear gloves fittedwith the finger-prints of a notorious housebreaker. You havelittle to fear.""Oh, I ain't afraid, gov'nor. All for the good of the cause. Thestreets is going to run with blood, so they say." He spoke with agrim relish. "Dreams of it, sometimes, I does. And diamonds andpearls rolling about in the gutter for anyone to pick up!"Tommy heard a chair shifted. Then Number One spoke:"Then all is arranged. We are assured of success?""I--think so." But the German spoke with less than his usualconfidence.Number One's voice held suddenly a dangerous quality:"What has gone wrong?""Nothing; but----""But what?""The Labour leaders. Without them, as you say, we can donothing. If they do not declare a general strike on the 29th----""Why should they not?""As you've said, they're honest. And, in spite of everythingwe've done to discredit the Government in their eyes, I'm notsure that they haven't got a sneaking faith and belief in it.""But----""I know. They abuse it unceasingly. But, on the whole, publicopinion swings to the side of the Government. They will not goagainst it."Again the Russian's fingers drummed on the table."To the point, my friend. I was given to understand that therewas a certain document in existence which assured success.""That is so. If that document were placed before the leaders,the result would be immediate. They would publish it broadcastthroughout England, and declare for the revolution without amoment's hesitation. The Government would be broken finally andcompletely.""Then what more do you want?""The document itself," said the German bluntly."Ah! It is not in your possession? But you know where it is?""No.""Does anyone know where it is?""One person--perhaps. And we are not sure of that even.""Who is this person?""A girl."Tommy held his breath."A girl?" The Russian's voice rose contemptuously. "And you havenot made her speak? In Russia we have ways of making a girltalk.""This case is different," said the German sullenly."How--different?" He paused a moment, then went on: "Where isthe girl now?""The girl?""Yes.""She is----"But Tommy heard no more. A crashing blow descended on his head,and all was darkness.