and the second time I didn’t get any further than the hall. If I’d seen the safe, I might have been able to have the policeman make him open it.”
“His office is on the ground floor, at the back of the hall.”
“The diamond probably isn’t there now, anyway,” said Mrs Upwater.
Simon took a deep pull at his beer.
“How big is this diamond?” he asked. “You said it was as big as the Hope. How big is that?”
“About a hundred carats,” Upwater said. He put the tips of his thumb and forefinger together, forming a circle. “About so big. It’d be easy to hide anywhere.”
Simon forked together the last remnants of food on his plate, and ate them with infinite enjoyment. Any lingering doubts that he might have had were gone. He knew that this was going to be an adventure to remember.
“I told you, I’m certain the Angel’s Eye is at Jonkheer’s,” he said. “That’s why the cop is staying on the premises. But I don’t think it’s hidden. I think they figure it’s well enough guarded. And an oldfashioned conservative type like Jonkheer would have complete confidence in an old-fashioned safe like that, just because it weighs a few tons and he’s had it ever since he went into business. He wouldn’t believe that any up-to-date expert could go through it like a coffee-can.”
The man and woman gazed at him uncertainly.
“What good does that do us?” Mr Upwater asked at length. “I’m no safe-cracker.”
“But I am,” said the Saint.
There was another long and pent-up silence.
“You’d burgle it?” Mrs Upwater said.
“I think you knew all along,” said the Saint gently, “that I would.”
Mrs Upwater began to cry.
“You can’t do that,” Mr Upwater protested. “That’s robbery!”
“To take back your own property?”
“But if you got caught-“
“If I only take the Angel’s Eye, which Jonkheer isn’t supposed to have anyway, how is he going to phrase his squawk?”
Mr Upwater clutched his wife’s hand, staring at the Saint with a pathetic sort of devotion.
“I never thought I’d find myself siding with anyone about breaking the law,” he said. “But you’re right, Mr Templar- Jonkheer’s got us by the short hairs, and the only way we can ever get even is to steal the diamond back, just about the same way that he got it. Only I could never ‘ve thought of it myself, and it beats me why you’d take a chance like that to help a total stranger.”
Simon lighted a cigarette.
“Well,” he said, and his smile was happily mephistopheнlian, “suppose I did just happen to take something else besides your diamond-by way of interest, you might say-would you feel it was your duty to tell the police about me?”
“I wouldn’t,” said Mrs Upwater promptly, dabbing her eyes. “A man like Jonkheer deserves to lose everything he’s got.”
“Then that’s settled,” said the Saint cheerfully. “How about some dessert? Some oliebollen? Or the flensjes should be mildly sensational.”
Mr Upwater shook his head. He was still staring at the Saint much as a lost explorer in the Sahara would have stared at the approach of an ice wagon.
“I’m too nervous to eat,” he said. “I’ll be in a sweat until this is over. When will you do it?”
“On the stroke of midnight,” said the Saint. “I’m superнstitious about the witching hour-it’s always been lucky for me. Besides, by that time our friend Jonkheer will be sound asleep, and even the police guard will be drowsy. I’m pretty sure Jonkheer lives over the shop, and he’s the type who would go to bed about ten.”
“Isn’t there anything I can do, Mr Templar? I wouldn’t be much of a hand at what you’re planning, but—”
“Not a thing. Take Mrs Upwater sightseeing. Have dinнner. Go to your room, break out some cards, and send for a bottle of schnapps. When the waiter brings it, make like I’ve gone to the bathroom. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be my alibi-we were all playing cards.
“His office is on the ground floor, at the back of the hall.”
“The diamond probably isn’t there now, anyway,” said Mrs Upwater.
Simon took a deep pull at his beer.
“How big is this diamond?” he asked. “You said it was as big as the Hope. How big is that?”
“About a hundred carats,” Upwater said. He put the tips of his thumb and forefinger together, forming a circle. “About so big. It’d be easy to hide anywhere.”
Simon forked together the last remnants of food on his plate, and ate them with infinite enjoyment. Any lingering doubts that he might have had were gone. He knew that this was going to be an adventure to remember.
“I told you, I’m certain the Angel’s Eye is at Jonkheer’s,” he said. “That’s why the cop is staying on the premises. But I don’t think it’s hidden. I think they figure it’s well enough guarded. And an oldfashioned conservative type like Jonkheer would have complete confidence in an old-fashioned safe like that, just because it weighs a few tons and he’s had it ever since he went into business. He wouldn’t believe that any up-to-date expert could go through it like a coffee-can.”
The man and woman gazed at him uncertainly.
“What good does that do us?” Mr Upwater asked at length. “I’m no safe-cracker.”
“But I am,” said the Saint.
There was another long and pent-up silence.
“You’d burgle it?” Mrs Upwater said.
“I think you knew all along,” said the Saint gently, “that I would.”
Mrs Upwater began to cry.
“You can’t do that,” Mr Upwater protested. “That’s robbery!”
“To take back your own property?”
“But if you got caught-“
“If I only take the Angel’s Eye, which Jonkheer isn’t supposed to have anyway, how is he going to phrase his squawk?”
Mr Upwater clutched his wife’s hand, staring at the Saint with a pathetic sort of devotion.
“I never thought I’d find myself siding with anyone about breaking the law,” he said. “But you’re right, Mr Templar- Jonkheer’s got us by the short hairs, and the only way we can ever get even is to steal the diamond back, just about the same way that he got it. Only I could never ‘ve thought of it myself, and it beats me why you’d take a chance like that to help a total stranger.”
Simon lighted a cigarette.
“Well,” he said, and his smile was happily mephistopheнlian, “suppose I did just happen to take something else besides your diamond-by way of interest, you might say-would you feel it was your duty to tell the police about me?”
“I wouldn’t,” said Mrs Upwater promptly, dabbing her eyes. “A man like Jonkheer deserves to lose everything he’s got.”
“Then that’s settled,” said the Saint cheerfully. “How about some dessert? Some oliebollen? Or the flensjes should be mildly sensational.”
Mr Upwater shook his head. He was still staring at the Saint much as a lost explorer in the Sahara would have stared at the approach of an ice wagon.
“I’m too nervous to eat,” he said. “I’ll be in a sweat until this is over. When will you do it?”
“On the stroke of midnight,” said the Saint. “I’m superнstitious about the witching hour-it’s always been lucky for me. Besides, by that time our friend Jonkheer will be sound asleep, and even the police guard will be drowsy. I’m pretty sure Jonkheer lives over the shop, and he’s the type who would go to bed about ten.”
“Isn’t there anything I can do, Mr Templar? I wouldn’t be much of a hand at what you’re planning, but—”
“Not a thing. Take Mrs Upwater sightseeing. Have dinнner. Go to your room, break out some cards, and send for a bottle of schnapps. When the waiter brings it, make like I’ve gone to the bathroom. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be my alibi-we were all playing cards.
Similar Books
