The Under-World/Chapter 6

HU-CHU LE TONDEUR, alias M. de Maxeville, was a distinguished-looking man of medium height, but very broad and compactly made. In his long black redingote and narrow French trousers one would never have guessed the heavy bone and muscle underneath. His face, though scarcely to be called handsome, was intelligent, and, in a way, attractive, being forceful and wearing an habitually pleasant expression. Indeed, one of his nicknames was “l'homme qui sourit.” Chu-Chu was usually smiling. He went about the streets with the hint of a smile on his face. He may have trained himself to wear this pleased expression, which is, after all, a fairly good mask. One hardly looks for a recent murderer going about with a pleasant smile on his lips.

Chu-Chu's forehead was very broad and high, his eyes small, of a curious slaty brown and set well apart; he had a long nose arm a black moustache and imperial. His jaws, very prominent at the angles, and the heavy cheekbones Suggested a Spanish strain. His hands were beautifully shaped and usually restless,

Chu-Chu dressed with the quiet elegance which might be expected of a senator, and when he spoke his bass voice was slow, quiet and pleasingly modulated. He had a curious, precise way of dragging out the ends of his words, adding almost a whole syllable to consonant endings, and this gave his conversation a hint of pedantry. He had told me at Léontine's dinner-party that his favourite recreation was big-game hunting, and that he had once, while in the Nguru country, taken part in a Masai lion hunt. You know the sport. The natives, armed with shield and spear surround the lion and then close in on him in a small circle; when he springs the hunter receives him on his assegai.

Such a man was Chu-Chu le Tondeur, As I entered the room he bowed; I did the same. Ivan offered me a chair, then seated himself behind his desk.

Chu-Chu opened the conversation by complimenting me upon my escape, then expressed his regret that so accomplished a colleague should quit the professional field, hinting at the same time that I would probably return to it when tired of the banality of legitimate business. He spoke in fairly good English, but with the effort of one who has learned a language by study and translates from his own tongue.

“M. le Comte tells me,” he said, presently, “that you are not content with our little affair of the night before last.”

“To be frank,” I answered, “it impressed me as a poor return for my own behaviour on the occasion when we last met.”

Chu-Chu shrugged. “We are criminals,” says he, “and business is business, as they say in your country. Besides, my dear Mr. Clamart, once a man has given up his profession he can hardly expect to receive professional courtesies from his former colleagues.”

“There is a difference,” I answered, “between professional courtesy and appreciation for a service rendered. However, that incident is closed. What I am now protesting against is the stealing of the string of pearls belonging to Madame Cuttynge.”

Chu-Chu's slaty eyes hardened.

“That is a matter,” said he, “of which I have just heard for the first time. Whatever my views in regard to yourself, Mr. Clamart, I should never think of breaking my faith with our respected Chief.” He bowed to Ivan.

“Far be it from me,” I answered, “to accuse M. de Maxeville of any such intention as that. When it reaches a point where those of us who are outside the law can no longer trust one another, a man might better retire from the field.”

“Precisely my own idea,” said Chu-Chu. “Of course, so far as you are concerned, Mr. Clamart, the situation is very different. One would never think of playing pranks upon a colleague. But, as I see it, the minute you gave up your profession you lost the right to expect or demand any other treatment than that of an outsider. As for the service which you claim to have rendered us in grappling with the agent, I, for my part, fail to acknowledge any obligation—unless it be on the part of the agent, whose life you assuredly saved. If you had not grappled with him I would have killed him myself.” His slaty eyes rested on mine with a cold glitter. “I think,” said he, “that our Chief is inclined to over-value your performance. Personally, Mr. Clamart, at the present moment or later, I would not feel the slightest compunction at robbing you, yourself. I marvel at your effrontery in coming here to demand those pearls from the Chief, and I marvel still more at his so far yielding to an unwarranted sentiment as to give them up. If anybody has been wronged it seems to me that I am that person. As for the other pearls, I very deeply regret that somebody else should have got them. I had hoped to do that job myself.”

I glanced at Ivan. His face was pale and his eyes lurid. It flashed across my mind that Chu-Chu might have found some difficulty in obtaining his consent to my murder, and that for the purpose of proving that I was a serious danger to the band, Chu-Chu was now deliberately trying to anger me and make me show my hand. He was trying to tempt me to a threat. He wanted to make me say that if all ties between us were broken I would consider myself free to use offensive action. He saw the disbelief in my face and knew that I was convinced in my own mind that he had stolen Edith's pearls and that they were at that moment either in his or Ivan's possession. Once I made such a threat the end would come quickly. That was to be the signal for my death. It was possible that Ivan had refused to believe that I would do this, and failing to get any satisfaction, would let the matter drop. Ivan did not want my life, if it could be avoided, but if it came to a choice between that and exposure, he would no doubt act with deadly suddenness. He was sitting, as I have said, behind his desk, and the lower half of his body was hid from me. I had little doubt but that there was a pistol in one of the hands resting in his lap, and as this crossed my mind I heard a rustle on the other side of the closed door.

My left thumb was hooked carelessly in the side pocket of my coat, and I doubted that I could get my weapon and shoot as quickly as could Ivan. Also, there was probably an armed servant behind the door. The odds were too heavy. In order to carry out my plan I would have to get Ivan out from behind his desk and without arousing his suspicion.

All of this went through my head in a flash. I leaned back in my chair with a troubled face. Then, turning to Ivan, I said:

“One cannot deny the truth of M. de Maxeville's remarks. Of course, I am deeply disappointed. My only hope now is that after hearing what M. de Maxeville has said, you do not regret your generosity in giving back Miss Dalghren's pearls. Not one man in a thousand would have done it and you may be sure that I appreciate the act and feel very deeply grateful. M. de Maxeville has presented the matter in quite a different light. If I had seen it in that way myself I would hardly have had the cheek to come here with the request. It is the first time that I have ever asked a favour of anybody. As for this other string of pearls, there seems to be no remedy. Owing to my peculiar position the Cuttynges cannot, of course, take the matter to the police. One can never tell; it is even possible that Cuttynge himself might have stolen his own wife's jewels. Such things have happened. I know that he has been playing baccarat and has had some heavy losses, and it is possible that he might have been tempted to the act, knowing that the blame will be placed with my ex-associates.”

“Or with yourself,” growled Chu-Chu.

“Possibly,” I muttered, looking dejectedly at the floor.

I glanced up in time to intercept a swift look which flashed between Chu-Chu and Ivan. Chu-Chu, I guessed, was furious at being balked of his prey, while Ivan was obviously relieved. The colour was coming back into his cheeks.

“As far as the first string is concerned, Mr. Clamart,” said he, “I do not regret my act, in spite of M. de Maxeville's views on the matter. I feel that there was an obligation between us, and my act in returning the pearls showed my good faith. It was all Léontine's idea. As I told you, and as M. de Maxeville will tell you, I was opposed to it from the start. As to Mrs. Cuttynge's pearls, I am of precisely the same mind, and I give you my word that if I learn anything about the robbery I will do what I can to assist you.”

“Thank you,” I said. “That is more than I could reasonably ask. And now, all I can do is to thank you both for your courtesy and apologise for having taken so much of your time.”

I got up, slowly. Ivan's hand went to the drawer of the desk, and I guessed that he was slipping back his weapon. He touched a bell, and again I heard a rustle outside the door and guessed that the armed servant was going down to show me out. Ivan stepped out from behind his desk.

Chu-Chu also had risen and was standing across the room with an ugly look on his face, tugging at his imperial. The two of them were nicely in line. I stepped back behind my chair, then, with a quick movement, I slipped my hand into my side pocket and threw up the deadly, automatic arm.

“Hands up, both of you, and quick,” I snarled.

My friend, it was worth the risk to see their faces. Of course, I wasn't studying dramatic effects at the time, and, as a matter of fact, I was almost on the point of killing them both before they had recovered from the shock enough to obey. Then up went Ivan's hands and he lurched back against his desk, actually pushed, as it seemed by the murderous force projected out of me. Chu-Chu felt it, too, for although he was frozen into stone for an instant his arms went up stiffly as his eyes met mine.

“Not a sound,” I growled. “Not a notion, or you're both dead men.”

For an instant we stood so. Then I said to Ivan:

“Back over there by Chu-Chu. One shifty move from either and you stop a soft-nosed bullet. Back against the wall—both of you.”

Chu-Chu was gurgling like a trapped bear and the veins stood out on his forehead. For the moment I doubted that he'd stand and was tempted to kill them both. Then Ivan laughed.

“Check,” said he.

“Shut up!” I snarled. “Not a sound if you love your life.”

Both felt, I think, that for all their past interesting lives of crime neither had been quite so near the ragged edge. Ivan's face was white but calm, but Chu-Chu's was terrible.

“Now then, M. le Comte,” said I. “my opinion is that Chu-Chu is lying to us both. Turn out his pockets.”

Chu-Chu's body shuddered. I took a step closer.

“Remember, you brute,” said I, “I'd rather kill you than not. The only reason that I don't is because I believe Ivan to be playing fair and I owe him something for those pearls. But as for you, M. le Tondeur, there's a score to settle for those shoes and the handkerchief and the cigarette. Stand fast, or by G I'll rip your heart out.” I looked at Ivan. “Turn out his pockets,” I said.

Ivan obeyed. First came a wallet, then some change. Ivan laid both on the corner of the desk. Then gloves, a handkerchief, a gold pencil and pen-knife to match, and a few ordinary objects of the sort that a man carries. I began to think that the pearls were in Ivan's desk. Then, as Ivan turned inside out a hip pocket there dropped on the rug a little package of tissue-paper. It landed solidly. A snarl was wrenched from Chu-Chu.

“Silence!” I whispered, glad that we spoke in English, for it was possible that a servant was listening outside. “Pick that package up and open it,” I said to Ivan.

He did so, then his jaw dropped and his eyes opened wide. There was no doubt of his amazement.

“Give it here,” I said, and stepped forward, holding out my hand, the gun muzzle almost against his body. His eyes met mine with a curious expression as he dropped into my outstretched hand three great gems.

My friend, they might have killed me at that moment had they guessed their chance. There were two great rubies and an emerald. Never have I seen their like.

I scarcely looked at them dropped them into my pocket.

“So,” said I, “and here is a little surprise. Undeclared contraband, is it not, M. le Comte?”

Ivan nodded. His face had gone hard as stone.

“We will confiscate it as security against the pearls,” said I. “These stones are easily worth twice their value. It is no loss to you, M. le Comte, as except for me you never would have known of them. Now listen to me, both of you. 1 have said that I was through with theft and I mean it. I don't know where these gems came from and I care less, but I am going to keep them as security until you hand over the pearls. When you do that you can have the stones. I am no longer a thief, but neither am I a member of the police. Permit me to restore to M. le Tondeur his other effects. Leave them on the desk. The search has gone far enough.” I looked at Ivan. “I consider that I have done you a service, monsieur,” said I.

His eyes narrowed but he did not answer.

The search had disclosed the fact that Chu-Chu was unarmed. He had not even a knife. Keeping them both covered I walked to Ivan's desk, where in a half-opened drawer I found, as I had expected, a pistol similar to my own.

“A mere precaution against my retreat,” I said, and took it out and slipped it into my pocket. “Now, gentlemen, I will wish you a good morning. Needless to say I am delighted at the way in which things have turned out, for everything goes to confirm my confidence in the fair-dealing of M. le Comte, if not in that of M. Chu-Chu. Since the latter has held back these stones, there is no reason to suppose that he has not done the same with the pearls. As soon as the latter are restored to me I will give up the gems.”

Ivan had recovered his sang froid, but Chu-Chu's face was purple and blotchy and his lips were blue. He looked very sick. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that if he had possessed a weapon of any kind he would have sprung at me and taken the chance of my bullet, in which case he would certainly have got himself killed, and probably Ivan also. For I was by no means sure that the pearls were not at that very moment in Ivan's desk. Then why did I not go through it? For two reasons. In the first place there was no need. Since I had the stones I felt sure of getting the pearls. In the second place I did not want to antagonise Ivan more than was necessary. This may sound foolish, after having held him up as I had done, but he would realise that this was forced on me in order to search Chu-Chu. Of the two Ivan would be the more dangerous enemy, having all manner of sub-workers. As things stood it seemed likely enough that he would leave Chu-Chu and myself to settle our affair between us.

“Now,” I said, “I'm going. Rush out after me if you think it would be healthy. If you call down to your servants I'll kill any man that raises a hand. Gun play of this sort is my long suit. But if you're wise you won't try to stop me. Good morning.”

I backed to the door, opened it and slipped out, slamming it shut behind me. Nobody was in the hall. Down the stairs I went, the pistol in my fist, hid by my Derby hat. At the foot of the stairs I met the maître d' hotel. He opened the door to let me out with a polite “bon jour, M'sieu'.”