The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (read e book .txt) đ
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â... I read standard works on crime and criminals. They all confirmed my opinion. Degeneracy, diseaseânever the deliberate embracing of a career by a far-seeing man. Then I considered. Supposing my utmost ambitions were realizedâthat I was called to the bar, and rose to the height of my profession? That I entered politicsâsay, even, that I became Prime Minister of England? What then? Was that power? Hampered at every turn by my colleagues, fettered by the democratic system of which I should be the mere figurehead! Noâthe power I dreamed of was absolute! An autocrat! A dictator! And such power could only be obtained by working outside the law. To play on the weaknesses of human nature, then on the weaknesses of nationsâto get together and control a vast organization, and finally to overthrow the existing order, and rule! The thought intoxicated me....
â... I saw that I must lead two lives. A man like myself is bound to attract notice. I must have a successful career which would mask my true activities.... Also I must cultivate a personality. I modelled myself upon famous K.C.âs. I reproduced their mannerisms, their magnetism. If I had chosen to be an actor, I should have been the greatest actor living! No disguisesâno grease paintâno false beards! Personality! I put it on like a glove! When I shed it, I was myself, quiet, unobtrusive, a man like every other man. I called myself Mr. Brown. There are hundreds of men called Brownâthere are hundreds of men looking just like me....
â... I succeeded in my false career. I was bound to succeed. I shall succeed in the other. A man like me cannot fail....
â... I have been reading a life of Napoleon. He and I have much in common....
â... I make a practice of defending criminals. A man should look after his own people....
â... Once or twice I have felt afraid. The first time was in Italy. There was a dinner given. Professor Dââ, the great alienist, was present. The talk fell on insanity. He said, âA great many men are mad, and no one knows it. They do not know it themselves.â I do not understand why he looked at me when he said that. His glance was strange.... I did not like it....
â... The war has disturbed me.... I thought it would further my plans. The Germans are so efficient. Their spy system, too, was excellent. The streets are full of these boys in khaki. All empty-headed young fools.... Yet I do not know.... They won the war.... It disturbs me....
â... My plans are going well.... A girl butted inâI do not think she really knew anything.... But we must give up the Esthonia.... No risks now....
â.... All goes well. The loss of memory is vexing. It cannot be a fake. No girl could deceive ME!...
â...The 29th.... That is very soon....â Mr. Carter paused.
âI will not read the details of the coup that was planned. But there are just two small entries that refer to the three of you. In the light of what happened they are interesting.
â... By inducing the girl to come to me of her own accord, I have succeeded in disarming her. But she has intuitive flashes that might be dangerous.... She must be got out of the way.... I can do nothing with the American. He suspects and dislikes me. But he cannot know. I fancy my armour is impregnable.... Sometimes I fear I have underestimated the other boy. He is not clever, but it is hard to blind his eyes to facts....â
Mr. Carter shut the book.
âA great man,â he said. âGenius, or insanity, who can say?â
There was silence.
Then Mr. Carter rose to his feet.
âI will give you a toast. The Joint Venture which has so amply justified itself by success!â
It was drunk with acclamation.
âThereâs something more we want to hear,â continued Mr. Carter. He looked at the American Ambassador. âI speak for you also, I know. Weâll ask Miss Jane Finn to tell us the story that only Miss Tuppence has heard so farâbut before we do so weâll drink her health. The health of one of the bravest of Americaâs daughters, to whom is due the thanks and gratitude of two great countries!â
AND AFTER
âThat was a mighty good toast, Jane,â said Mr. Hersheimmer, as he and his cousin were being driven back in the Rolls-Royce to the Ritz.
âThe one to the joint venture?â
âNoâthe one to you. There isnât another girl in the world who could have carried it through as you did. You were just wonderful!â
Jane shook her head.
âI donât feel wonderful. At heart Iâm just tired and lonesomeâand longing for my own country.â
âThat brings me to something I wanted to say. I heard the Ambassador telling you his wife hoped you would come to them at the Embassy right away. Thatâs good enough, but Iâve got another plan. JaneâI want you to marry me! Donât get scared and say no at once. You canât love me right away, of course, thatâs impossible. But Iâve loved you from the very moment I set eyes on your photoâand now Iâve seen you Iâm simply crazy about you! If youâll only marry me, I wonât worry you anyâyou shall take your own time. Maybe youâll never come to love me, and if thatâs the case Iâll manage to set you free. But I want the right to look after you, and take care of you.â
âThatâs what I want,â said the girl wistfully. âSome one whoâll be good to me. Oh, you donât know how lonesome I feel!â
âSure thing I do. Then I guess thatâs all fixed up, and Iâll see the archbishop about a special license to-morrow morning.â
âOh, Julius!â
âWell, I donât want to hustle you any, Jane, but thereâs no sense in waiting about. Donât be scaredâI shanât expect you to love me all at once.â
But a small hand was slipped into his.
âI love you now, Julius,â said Jane Finn. âI loved you that first moment in the car when the bullet grazed your cheek....â
Five minutes later Jane murmured softly:
âI donât know London very well, Julius, but is it such a very long way from the Savoy to the Ritz?â
âIt depends how you go,â explained Julius unblushingly. âWeâre going by way of Regentâs Park!â
âOh, Juliusâwhat will the chauffeur think?â
âAt the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any independent thinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the supper at the Savoy was so that I could drive you home. I didnât see how I was ever going to get hold of you alone. You and Tuppence have been sticking together like Siamese twins. I guess another day of it would have driven me and Beresford stark staring mad!â
âOh. Is heââ?â
âOf course he is. Head over ears.â
âI thought so,â said Jane thoughtfully.
âWhy?â
âFrom all the things Tuppence didnât say!â
âThere you have me beat,â said Mr. Hersheimmer. But Jane only laughed.
In the meantime, the Young Adventurers were sitting bolt upright, very stiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack of originality, was also returning to the Ritz via Regentâs Park.
A terrible constraint seemed to have settled down between them. Without quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed changed. They were tongue-tiedâparalysed. All the old camaraderie was gone.
Tuppence could think of nothing to say.
Tommy was equally afflicted.
They sat very straight and forbore to look at each other.
At last Tuppence made a desperate effort.
âRather fun, wasnât it?â
âRather.â
Another silence.
âI like Julius,â essayed Tuppence again.
Tommy was suddenly galvanized into life.
âYouâre not going to marry him, do you hear?â he said dictatorially. âI forbid it.â
âOh!â said Tuppence meekly.
âAbsolutely, you understand.â
âHe doesnât want to marry meâhe really only asked me out of kindness.â
âThatâs not very likely,â scoffed Tommy.
âItâs quite true. Heâs head over ears in love with Jane. I expect heâs proposing to her now.â
âSheâll do for him very nicely,â said Tommy condescendingly.
âDonât you think sheâs the most lovely creature youâve ever seen?â
âOh, I dare say.â
âBut I suppose you prefer sterling worth,â said Tuppence demurely.
âIâoh, dash it all, Tuppence, you know!â
âI like your uncle, Tommy,â said Tuppence, hastily creating a diversion. âBy the way, what are you going to do, accept Mr. Carterâs offer of a Government job, or accept Juliusâs invitation and take a richly remunerated post in America on his ranch?â
âI shall stick to the old ship, I think, though itâs awfully good of Hersheimmer. But I feel youâd be more at home in London.â
âI donât see where I come in.â
âI do,â said Tommy positively.
Tuppence stole a glance at him sideways.
âThereâs the money, too,â she observed thoughtfully.
âWhat money?â
âWeâre going to get a cheque each. Mr. Carter told me so.â
âDid you ask how much?â inquired Tommy sarcastically.
âYes,â said Tuppence triumphantly. âBut I shanât tell you.â
âTuppence, you are the limit!â
âIt has been fun, hasnât it, Tommy? I do hope we shall have lots more adventures.â
âYouâre insatiable, Tuppence. Iâve had quite enough adventures for the present.â
âWell, shopping is almost as good,â said Tuppence dreamily. âThink of buying old furniture, and bright carpets, and futurist silk curtains, and a polished dining-table, and a divan with lots of cushions.â
âHold hard,â said Tommy. âWhatâs all this for?â
âPossibly a houseâbut I think a flat.â
âWhose flat?â
âYou think I mind saying it, but I donât in the least! Ours, so there!â
âYou darling!â cried Tommy, his arms tightly round her. âI was determined to make you say it. I owe you something for the relentless way youâve squashed me whenever Iâve tried to be sentimental.â
Tuppence raised her face to his. The taxi proceeded on its course round the north side of Regentâs Park.
âYou havenât really proposed now,â pointed out Tuppence. âNot what our grandmothers would call a proposal. But after listening to a rotten one like Juliusâs, Iâm inclined to let you off.â
âYou wonât be able to get out of marrying me, so donât you think it.â
âWhat fun it will be,â responded Tuppence. âMarriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage, and lots more. But do you know what I think it is?â
âWhat?â
âA sport!â
âAnd a damned good sport too,â said Tommy.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Secret Adversary, by Agatha Christie
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