The Illustrious Prince

by E. Phillips Oppenheim

  CHAPTER XXIV. PRINCE MAIYO BIDS HIGH

  Inspector Jacks was in luck at last. Eleven times he had called at St.Thomas's Hospital and received the same reply. Today he was asked towait. The patient was better--would be able to see him. Soon a nurse inneat uniform came quietly down the corridor and took charge of him.

  "Ten minutes, no more," she insisted good-humoredly.

  The Inspector nodded.

  "One question, if you please, nurse," he asked. "Is the man going tolive?"

  "Not a doubt about it," she declared. "Why?"

  "A matter of depositions," the Inspector exclaimed. "I'd rather let itgo, though, if he's sure to recover."

  "It's a simple case," she answered, "and his constitution is excellent.There isn't the least need for your to think about depositions. Here heis. Don't talk too long."

  The Inspector sat down by the bedside. The patient, a young man,welcomed him a little shyly.

  "You have come to ask me about what I saw in Pall Mall and oppositethe Hyde Park Hotel?" he said, speaking slowly and in a voice scarcelyraised above a whisper. "I told them all before the operation, but theycouldn't send for you then. There wasn't time."

  The Inspector nodded.

  "Tell me your own way," he said. "Don't hurry. We can get theparticulars later on. Glad you're going to be mended."

  "It was touch and go," the young man declared with a note of awe in histone. "If the omnibus wheel had turned a foot more, I should have lostboth my legs. It was all through watching that chap hop out of thetaxicab, too."

  The Inspector inclined his head gravely.

  "You saw him get in, didn't you?" he asked.

  "That's so," the patient admitted. "I was on my way--Charing Cross tothe Kensington Palace Hotel, on a bicycle. There was a block--corner ofPall Mall and Haymarket. I caught hold--taxi in front--to steady me."

  The nurse bent over him with a glass in her hand. She raised him alittle with the other arm.

  "Not too much of this, you know, young man," she said with a pleasantsmile. "Here's something to make you strong."

  "Right you are!"

  He drained the contents of the glass and smacked his lips.

  "Jolly good stuff," he declared. "Where was I, Mr. Inspector?"

  "Holding the back of a taxicab, corner of Regent Street and Haymarket,"Inspector Jacks reminded him.

  The patient nodded.

  "There was an electric brougham," he continued, "drawn up alongside thetaxi. While we were there, waiting, I saw a chap get out, speak to someone through the window of the taxi, open the door, and step in. When wemoved on, he stayed in the taxi. Dark, slim chap he was," the patientcontinued, "a regular howling swell,--silk hat, white muffler, white kidgloves,--all the rest of it."

  "And afterwards?" the Inspector asked.

  "I kept behind the taxi," the youth continued. "We got blocked again atHyde Park Corner. I saw him step out of the taxi and disappear amongstthe vehicles. A moment or two later, I passed the taxi and lookedin--saw something had happened--the fellow was lying side-ways. It gaveme a bit of a start. I skidded, and over I went. Sort of had an ideathat every one in the world had started shouting to me, and felt that Iwas half underneath an omnibus. Woke up to find myself here."

  "Should you know the man again?" the Inspector asked. "I mean the manwhom you saw enter and leave the taxi?"

  "I think so--pretty sure!"

  The nurse came up, shaking her head. Inspector Jacks rose from his seat.

  "Right, nurse," he said. "I'm off. Take care of our young friend. Heis going to be very useful to us as soon as he can use his feet and getabout. I'll come and sit with you for half an hour next visiting day, ifI may?" he added, turning to the patient.

  "Glad to see you," the youth answered. "My people live down in thecountry, and I haven't many pals."

  Inspector Jacks left the hospital thoughtfully. The smell ofanaesthetics somehow reminded him of the library in the house at thecorner of St. James' Square. It was not altogether by chance, perhaps,that he found himself walking in that direction. He was in Pall Mall, infact, before he realized where he was, and at the corner of St. James'Square and Pall Mall he came face to face with Prince Maiyo, walkingslowly westwards.

  The meeting between the two men was a characteristic one. The Inspectorsuffered no signs of surprise or even interest to creep into hisexpressionless face. The Prince, on the other hand, did not attempt toconceal his pleasure at this unexpected encounter. His lips parted in adelightful smile. He ignored the Inspector's somewhat stiff salute, andinsisted upon shaking him cordially by the hand.

  "Mr. Inspector Jacks," he said, "you are the one person whom I desiredto see. You are not busy, I hope? You can talk with me for fiveminutes?"

  The Inspector hesitated for a moment. He was versed in every formof duplicity, and yet he felt that in the presence of this youngaristocrat, who was smiling upon him so delightfully, he was little morethan a babe in wisdom, an amateur pure and simple. He was conscious,too, of a sentiment which rarely intruded itself into his affairs. Hewas conscious of a strong liking for this debonair, pleasant-faced youngman, who treated him not only as an equal, but as an equal in whosesociety he found an especial pleasure.

  "I have the time to spare, sir, certainly," he admitted.

  The Prince smiled gayly.

  "Inspector Jacks," he said, "you are a wonderful man. Even now you areasking yourself, 'What does he want to say to me--Prince Maiyo? Is hegoing to ask me questions, or will he tell me things which I should liketo hear?' You know, Mr. Inspector Jacks, between ourselves, you are justa little interested in me, is it not so?"

  The detective was dumb. He stood there patiently waiting. He had the airof a man who declines to commit himself.

  "Just a little interested in me, I think," the Prince murmured, smilingat his companion. "Ah, well, many of the things I do over here, perhaps,must seem very strange. And that reminds me. Only a short time ago youwere asking questions about the man who travelled from Liverpool toLondon and reached his destination with a dagger through his heart. Tellme, Mr. Inspector Jacks, have you discovered the murderer yet?"

  "Not yet," the detective answered.

  "I have heard you speak of this affair," the Prince continued, "andbefore now I expected to read in the papers that you had put your handupon the guilty one. If you have not done so, I am very sure that thereis some explanation."

  "It is better sometimes to wait," the detective said quietly.

  The Prince bowed as one who understands.

  "I think so," he assented, "I think I follow you. On the very next daythere was another tragedy which seemed to me even more terrible. I meanthe murder of that young fellow Vanderpole, of the American Embassy. Mr.Inspector Jacks, has it ever occurred to you, I wonder, that it might beas well to let the solution of one await the solution of the other?"

  Inspector Jacks shrugged his shoulders.

  "Occasionally," he admitted reluctantly, "when one is following up aclue, one discovers things."

  "You are wonderful!" the Prince declared. "You are, indeed! I know whatis in your mind. You have said to yourself, 'Between these two murdersthere is some connection. They were both done by the hand of a mastercriminal. The victims in both cases were Americans.' You said toyourself, 'First of all, I will discover the motive; then, perhaps,a clue which seems to belong to the one will lead me to the other, orboth?' You are not sure which way to turn. There is nothing there uponwhich you can lay your hand. You say to yourself, 'I will make a bluff.'That is the word, is it not? You come to me. You tell me gravely thatyou have reason to suspect some one in my household. That is because youbelieve that the crimes were perpetrated by some one of my country. Youdo not ask for information. You think, perhaps, that I would not giveit. You confront me with a statement. It was very clever of you, Mr.Inspector Jacks."

  "I had reason for what I did, sir," the detective said.

  "No doubt," the Prince agreed. "And now, tell me, when are you going toelectr
ify us all? When is the great arrest to take place?"

  The detective coughed discreetly.

  "I am not yet in a position, sir," he said, "to make any definiteannouncement."

  "Cautious, Mr. Jacks, cautious!" the Prince remarked smilingly. "It is agreat quality,--a quality which I, too, have learned how to appreciate.And now for our five minutes' talk. If I say to you, 'Return home withme,' I think you will remember that unpleasant room of mine, and youwill recollect an important engagement at Scotland Yard. In the clubsone is always overheard. Walk with me a little way, Mr. Jacks, in St.James' Park. We can speak there without fear of interruption. Come!"

  He thrust his arm through the detective's and led him across the street.Mr. Inspector Jacks was only human, and he yielded without protest. Theypassed St. James' Palace and on to the broad promenade, where there werefew passers-by and no listeners.

  "You see, my dear Inspector," the Prince said, "I am really a sojournerin your marvellous city not altogether for pleasure. My stay over hereis more in the light of a mission. I have certain arrangements whichI wish to effect for the good of my country. Amongst them is oneconcerning which I should like to speak to you."

  "To me, sir?" Inspector Jacks repeated.

  The Prince twirled his cane and nodded his head.

  "It is a very important matter, Mr. Jacks," he said. "It is nothing lessthan a desire on the part of the city government of Tokio to perfectthoroughly their police system on the model of yours over here. We are aprogressive nation, you know, Mr. Jacks, but we are also a young nation,and though I think that we advance all the time, we are still in manyrespects a long way behind you. We have no Scotland Yard in Tokio. To befrank with you, the necessity for such an institution has become a realthing with us only during the last few years. Do you read history, Mr.Jacks?"

  The Inspector was doubtful.

  "I can't say, sir," he admitted, "that I have done much reading since Ileft school, and that was many years ago."

  "Well," the Prince said, "it is one of the axioms of history, Mr. Jacks,that as a country becomes civilized and consequently more prosperous,there is a corresponding growth in her criminal classes, a correspondingneed for a different state of laws by which to judge them, a differentmachinery for checking their growth. We have arrived at that position inJapan, and in my latest despatches from home comes to me a request thatI send them out a man who shall reorganize our entire police system. Iam a judge of character, Mr. Jacks, and if I can get the man I want,I do not need to ask my friends at Downing Street to help me. I shouldlike you to accept that post."

  The Inspector was scarcely prepared for this. He allowed himself to showsome surprise.

  "I am very much obliged to you, Prince, for the offer," he said. "I amafraid, however, that I should not be competent."

  "That," the Prince reminded him, "is a risk which we are willing totake."

  "I do not think, either," the detective continued, "that at my timeof life I should care to go so far from home to settle down in analtogether strange country."

  "It must be as you will, of course," the Prince declared. "Onlyremember, Mr. Jacks, that a great nation like mine which wants aparticular man for a particular purpose is not afraid to pay for him.Your work out there would certainly take you no more than three years.For that three years' work you would receive the sum of thirty thousandpounds."

  The detective gasped.

  "It is a great sum," he said.

  The Prince shrugged his shoulders.

  "You could hardly call it that," he said. "Still, it would enable you tolive in comfort for the rest of your life."

  "And when should I be required to start, sir?" the Inspector asked.

  "That, perhaps," the Prince replied, "would seem the hardest part ofall. You would be required to start tomorrow afternoon from Southamptonat four o'clock."

  The Inspector started. Then a new light dawned suddenly in his face.

  "Tomorrow afternoon," he murmured.

  The Prince assented.

  "So far as regards your position at Scotland Yard," he said, "I haveinfluential friends in your Government who will put that right foryou. You need not be afraid of any unpleasantness in that direction.Remember, Mr. Inspector, thirty thousand pounds, and a free hand whileyou are in my country. You are a man, I should judge, of fifty-two orfifty-three years of age. You can spend your fifty-sixth birthday inEngland, then, and be a man of means for the remainder of your days."

  "And this sum of money," the detective said, "is for my services inbuilding up the police force of Tokio?"

  "Broadly speaking, yes!" the Prince answered.

  "And incidentally," the detective continued, glancing cautiously at hiscompanion, "it is the price of my leaving unsuspected the murderer oftwo innocent men!"

  The Prince walked on in silence. Every line in his face seemed slowlyto have hardened. His brows had contracted. He was looking steadfastlyforward at the great front of Buckingham Palace.

  "I am disappointed in you, Mr. Jacks," he said a little stiffly. "I donot understand your allusion. The money I have mentioned is to be paidto you for certain well-defined services. The other matter you speak ofdoes not interest me. It is no concern of mine whether this man of whomyou are in search is brought to justice or not. All that I wish to hearfrom you is whether or not you accept my offer."

  The Inspector shook his head.

  "Prince," he said, "there can be no question about that. I thank youvery much for it, but I must decline."

  "Your mind is quite made up?" the Prince asked regretfully.

  "Quite," the Inspector said firmly.

  "Japan," the Prince said thoughtfully, "is a pleasant country."

  "London suits me moderately well," Inspector Jacks declared.

  "Under certain conditions," the Prince continued, "I should haveimagined that the climate here might prove most unhealthy for you. Youmust remember that I was a witness of your slight indisposition theother day."

  "In my profession, sir," the detective said, "we must take our risks."

  The Prince came to a standstill. They were at the parting of the ways.

  "I am very sorry," he said simply. "It was a great post, and it was onewhich you would have filled well. It is not for me, however, to pressthe matter."

  "It would make no difference, sir," the detective answered.

  The Prince was on the point of moving away.

  "I shall not seek in any case to persuade you," he said. "My offerremains open if you should change your mind. Think, too, over what Ihave said about our climate. At your time of life, Mr. Inspector Jacks,and particularly at this season of the year, one should be careful. Asea voyage now would, I am convinced, be the very thing for you. Goodday, Mr. Jacks!"

  The Prince turned towards Buckingham Palace, and the Inspector slowlyretraced his steps.

  "It is a bribe!" he muttered to himself slowly,--"a cleverly offeredbribe! Thirty thousand pounds to forget the little I have learned!Thirty thousand pounds for silence!"