"Wilkie Collins - The Evil Genius" - читать интересную книгу автора (Collins Wilkie)

the end of her resources.
"In that case," she curtly remarked, "I should first call in the police, and
then telegraph to my husband's employers in Liverpool."
He handed the cipher back. "I was joking," he said.
"So was I," she answered.
They looked at each other. They were made for each other--and they both felt it.
At the same time, James kept his own interests steadily in view. He stated the
obvious objection to the cipher. Experts had already tried to interpret the
signs, and had failed.
"Quite true," she added, "but other people may succeed."
"How are you to find them?"
"Leave me to try. Will you give me a fortnight from to-day?"
"All right. Anything else?"
"One thing more. Get the marriage license at once."
"Why?"
"To show that you are in earnest."
He burst out laughing. "It mightn't be much amiss," he said, "if I took you back
with me to America; you're the sort of woman we want in our new saloon. I'll get
the license. Good-night."
As he rose to go, there was a soft knock at the door. A little girl, in a shabby
frock, ventured to show herself in the room.
"What do you want here?" her mother asked sharply.
Syd held out a small thin hand, with a letter in it, which represented her only
excuse. Mrs. Westerfield read the letter, and crumpled it up in her pocket. "One
of your secrets?" James asked. "Anything about the diamonds, for instance?
"Wait till you are my husband," she said, and then you may be as inquisitive as
you please." Her amiable sweetheart's guess had actually hit the mark. During
the year that had passed, she too had tried her luck among the Experts, and had
failed. Having recently heard of a foreign interpreter of ciphers, she had
written to ask his terms. The reply (just received) not only estimated his
services at an extravagantly high rate, but asked cautious questions which it
was not convenient to answer. Another attempt had been made to discover the
mystery of the cipher, and made in vain.
James Bellbridge had his moments of good-humor, and was on those rare occasions
easily amused. He eyed the child with condescending curiosity. "Looks half
starved," he said--as if he were considering the case of a stray cat. "Hollo,
there! Buy a bit of bread." He tossed a penny to Syd as she left the room; and
took the opportunity of binding his bargain with Syd's mother. "Mind! if I take
you to New York, I'm not going to be burdened with both your children. Is that
girl the one you leave behind you?"
Mrs. Westerfield smiled sweetly, and answered: "Yes, dear."
7.--The Cipher.
An advertisement in the newspapers, addressed to persons skilled in the
interpretation of ciphers, now represented Mrs. Westerfield's only chance of
discovering where the diamonds were hidden. The first answer that she received
made some amends for previous disappointment. It offered references to
gentlemen, whose names were in themselves a sufficient guarantee. She verified
the references nevertheless, and paid a visit to her correspondent on the same
day
His personal appearance was not in his favor--he was old and dirty, infirm and