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1、BehindThatCurtain(1928)Author:EarlDerrBiggersCHAPTERITheManfromScotlandYardBILLRANKINsatmotionlessbeforehistypewriter,grimlyseekingaleadfortheinterviewhewasabouttowrite.Ablackshadowshotpasthiselbowandmaterializedwithasoftthudonhisdesk.Bill'sheartleapedintohisthroatandcho
2、kedhim.ButitwasonlyEgbert,theofficecat.Prettylonesomeroundhere,seemedtobeEgbert'sidea.Howaboutabitofplay?Rankinglaredatthecatwithdeepdisgust.AbsurdtobesoupsetbyamereEgbert,butwhenonehasbeentalkingwithagreatmanforoveranhourandthesubjectofthetalkhasbeenmurder,oneisapttobea
3、triflejumpy.HereachedoutandpushedEgberttothefloor."Goaway,"hesaid."Whatdoyoumean,scaringmeoutofayear'sgrowth?Can'tyouseeI'mbusy?"Hisdignityoffended,Egbertstalkedoffthroughthedesertoftypewritertablesandemptychairs.BillRankinwatchedhimdisappearatlastthroughthedoorleadingin
4、tothehallway.Thehourwasfivethirty;thestreettenstoriesbelowwasfilledwithhomegoingthrongs,butuphereinthecityroomoftheGlobeamomentaryquietreigned.Aloneofallthegreen-shadedlampsintheroom,theoneaboveRankin'stypewriterwasalight,sheddingaghastlyradianceontheblanksheetofpaperinh
5、ismachine.Eventhecopydeskwasdeserted.Inhiscubby-holeattherearsattheGlobe'scityeditor,theonlyotherhumanthinginsight.Andhewasnot,ifyoubelievedtheyoungmenwhoworkedforhim,soveryhumanatthat.BillRankinturnedbacktohisinterview.Forabriefmomenthesatwrappedinthought;thenhislong,ca
6、pablefingerssoughtthekeys.Hewrote:"Theflightsofgeniusandmiraclesofsciencewhichsolvemostofthecrimesindetectivestorieshavenorealpartindetectivework.ThisistheverdictofSirFredericBruce,formerheadoftheCriminalInvestigationDepartmentatScotlandYard."SirFrederic,whoisstoppingove
7、rfortwoweeksinSanFranciscoduringthecourseofatriparoundtheworld,isqualifiedtogiveanexpertopinion.FornearlyseventeenyearsheactedasDeputy-Commissionerattheheadofthemostfamousdetectiveorganizationinexistence,andthoughhehasnowretired,hisinterestincrimedetectionisaskeenasever.
8、SirFredericisabigman,withakindlytwinkleinhisgrayeyes,butoccasionallythoseeyeshaveasteelylookthatmadethi