Chapter 4 Section 3

March 8 Inspector Barto was sitting at the breakfast table.His jaw had a rough look.He was slowly looking carefully at a letter his wife had just handed to him with tears in his eyes.He was expressionless, because he never had any expression on his face.A face carved of wood, solid, enduring, and in a way impressive.Inspector Barto had never been allowed to think of him as brilliant; he was not a brilliant man, but he had some other quality about him, something indescribable but strongly felt. "I can't believe it," Ba Tuo cried loudly, "Sylvia!" Sylvia is the youngest of five children of Inspector Barto and his wife.She is sixteen years old and attends a boarding school near Maishi.

The letter was from Miss Amphrey, the principal of the school.A clear, polite, extremely tactful letter.It clearly stated that the school authorities had been troubled for a long time by cases of petty thefts, and it was finally clear that Sylvia Barto had confessed.Miss Anvray wanted to see Mr and Mrs Bartow as soon as possible to "discuss the situation". Chief Inspector Barto folded the letter, put it in his pocket, and said, "Leave this matter to me, Mary." He stood up, walked around the table, touched her cheek and said, "Don't worry, honey, it'll be all right."

He comforted his wife and went out. This afternoon, Chief Inspector Bartow sat in Miss Amphrey's modern private drawing room, looking even more imposing than usual, with his large wooden hands resting on his knees, facing Miss Amphrey. police face. Miss Anvray was a very successful Head of School.She has personality—a lot of personality, open-minded, up-to-date, and her management discipline combined with some modern concepts. Her room is the epitome of school spirit.Everything in the room was the color of cool oatmeal—big vases of daffodils, pots of tulips and hyacinths.One or two imitations of Greek antiquities, two modern progressive sculptures, and two Italian pre-Renaissance paintings on the walls.In the midst of all this sat Miss Amphrey herself, dressed in dark blue, with an earnest, eager face that gave one the impression of an honest greyhound, and a pair of serious-looking clear-eyed blue eyes.

"The important thing," she said in a clear, melodious voice, "is that this matter must be handled properly. Our focus must be on the girl herself, Mr. Baduo. Sylvia herself! More importantly—the most important thing Yes—her life must not be stained with any stain. She must not be burdened with any guilt—if it is to be blamed, it must be very, very careful, and we must find out what is behind these petty thefts. Perhaps, inferiority complex Sense of it? She's not good at sports, you know - an ambiguous desire to shine in other ways - a desire to affirm her ego? We've got to be very careful with that. That's what I want to see alone first For your sake—let you know that you must be very, very careful with Sylvia. Let me repeat that it is very important to find out the reason behind the scenes."

"Miss Amphrey," said Inspector Bartle, "that's what I'm here for." His voice was calm, his expression flat, and his eyes scrutinized the headmistress. "I was very lenient with her," said Miss Amphrey. Ba Tuo said succinctly: "Thank you, principal." "You know, I really know and love these little guys." Ba Tuo didn't reply directly.He said: "If you don't mind, I would like to see my daughter now, Miss Anvray." Miss Amphrey reiterated, admonishing him to be careful--to take his time--in order not to provoke the hostility of a little girl just coming of age.

Chief Inspector Baduo showed no expression of impatience.He just didn't show any expression, his face was plain. He finally took him to her study.They meet a girl or two in the aisle.They stood at attention politely, but their eyes were full of curiosity.After Anvrui Xiaozu introduced him into a small room that was not as personal as the one downstairs, she said that she would ask Sylvia to come up to him, and then retreated. Just as she was about to leave the room, Ba Tuo stopped her. "Wait a minute, principal, how did you find out that Sylvia was the one responsible for me—er, 'leakers'?"

"I use psychological methods, Mr. Bardo." said Miss Anvary with dignity. "Psychological? Well. Where's the evidence, Miss Anvary?" "Yes, yes, I understand quite well, Mr. Bardo—you would think so. Your—er—professional inertia has come. But psychology has begun to join criminology. I can assure you that it is absolutely wrong. No—Sylvia automatically admitted it." Barto nodded. "Yes, yes—I know that. I was just asking how you got your eye on her." "Oh, Mr. Baduo, the number of things being taken from girls' clothes boxes is increasing. I called all the people to tell them the facts. At the same time, I quietly observed their faces. Sylvia's expression immediately Got my attention. Her expression was shame-flustered. I knew right away who was responsible. I didn't want to confront her, I wanted her to admit it. I set up a little test for her - the word association test .”

Ba Tuo nodded to show that he understood. "In the end she admitted everything!" "I understand," said the child's father. Miss Anvray hesitated, then went out. When the door opened again, Ba Tuo was standing there looking out the window. He turned slowly and looked at his daughter. Sylvia was standing by the door that had just been closed.She is tall, dark skinned, and bony.Her face was gloomy and stained with tears.She said shyly: "I am coming." Ba Tuo looked at her thoughtfully for a while.He sighed. "I shouldn't have sent you here," he said. "That woman is an idiot."

Sylvia forgot her own question for a moment, and looked completely amused. "Miss Amphrey? Ah, but she's wonderful! We all think so." "Well," Barto said, "if she can make you think so, she can't be too stupid. Anyway, this isn't the place for you - though I don't know - it could happen anywhere." Sylvia intertwined her hands.She bowed her head and said: "I—I'm sorry, Father. I'm really sorry." "You should be so sorry," Barto said curtly, "Come here." She walked reluctantly towards him.He held her chin with one hand and stared at her face.

"Have you suffered a lot?" he said kindly. Tears started to appear in her eyes. Ba Tuo said slowly: "You know, Sylvia, I've always known what your weakness is. Most people have a weakness to some extent. Usually this weakness is quite easy to see. For example, it can be seen that a child is greedy and has a bad temper. Or a bully. You were a good boy, very quiet--terribly good-natured--never caused any trouble--sometimes I worry because if a little kid doesn't show any flaws, then once The presence of this shortcoming overshadows all other good points." "Just like me!" Sylvia said.

"Yeah, just like you. You collapse under the strain—and in a weird way. I've never seen that before, it's weird." The girl suddenly said contemptuously: "I think you've seen enough thieves!" "Oh, yes—I know all about them. That's why, my dear—not because I'm your father (fathers don't know much about their children) but because I'm a policeman, so I Quite clearly you are not a thief! You have never stolen anything here at all. There are two kinds of thieves, those who cannot resist a sudden and forceful temptation (this is a rare case - interesting how much normal, honest human beings can resist temptations) and another that almost takes for granted that it is not theirs to take. You are not one of those types. You are not a thief. You are a very unusual liar." Sylvia said, "But—" He went on to say: "You admit it all? Oh, yes, I know that. There was once a saint - who took bread from home and gave it to the poor. Her husband, displeased, stopped her and asked her what was in the basket. She I dare not tell the truth, but said it was roses—he opened the basket and saw that it was indeed a rose—a miracle happened! If you were Saint Elizabeth, you went out with a basket of roses, and your husband passed by Ask what you're carrying, and you'll be terrified and say 'bread'." He paused, then said kindly, "That's the way it is, isn't it?" He paused for a long time, and then the girl suddenly lowered her head. Bato said: "Tell me, boy. What's the matter?" "She called us up and talked a bit. I saw her eyes on me and I knew she thought it was me! I felt myself blushing - and I saw some girls looking at me. It was so hard. Then other people started looking at me and whispering in various corners. I can imagine they all thought so. Then Amphrey called me up here with some other people one night and we played a kind of literary game - she said Say some words, and we answer—" Ba Tuo let out a low growl in disgust. "I can see what it means—I'm kind of helpless, I'm paralyzed. I try not to say a typo—I try to think of something irrelevant—like a sparrow, or a flower—and Amphrey was looking at me there like a cone of eyes - you know, it was kind of annoying, and then - oh, it got worse, and one day Amphrey talked to me quite nicely, and then - So forgive—and—I broke down and said I stole it—oh! Daddy, what a relief to have said that!" Ba Tuo touched his chin. "I see." "You really understand?" "No, Sylvia, I don't understand, because I can't do that. If anyone, tried to teach me to admit something I didn't do, I would punch him in the jaw. But I understand you What's the matter—your sharp-eyed Amphrey is a good example of half-knowledgeable psychology and swallowing it raw. Now it's up to us to clear it all up. Where's Miss Amphrey?" Miss Anvray was prowling the vicinity with deft tact.A sympathetic smile froze on her face at the blunt words of Chief Inspector Barto: "In order to seek justice for my daughter, I must ask you to find the local police to investigate this matter." "But, Mr. Baduo, Sylvia—" "Sylvia has never touched anything in this place that doesn't belong to her." "I know quite well, as a father—" "Not as her father, but as a policeman. Get the police to help you with this. They'll investigate carefully. I expect you'll find those things hidden somewhere, And there'll be fingerprints on it. Little thieves wouldn't think of wearing gloves. I'm taking my daughter now. If the police find evidence—real evidence—that she was involved in the theft, I'm ready to take her to court. Bear all the consequences imposed on her, but I am not afraid, she is definitely not a thief, " About five minutes later, as he drove Sylvia out of the school gates, he asked, "That blond haired, kind of fluffy guy with red cheeks, a scar on his chin, and blue eyes set wide apart. Who's the girl? I saw her as I passed in the aisle." "Sounds like Oliver Bassens." "Oh, I'd be surprised if it turned out to be her." "Does she look scared?" "No, a smug, self-righteous look! I've seen that cool, pompous look a lot in court! I suppose she's the thief--but she won't confess herself--it doesn't happen often!" Sylvia sighed and said, "It's like a nightmare. Oh, Dad, I'm sorry! Oh, I'm so sorry! How could I be so stupid, so stupid? I really feel bad." "Ah, well," Chief Inspector Barto patted her arm with one hand off the steering wheel, and said the banal reassurance she loved: "You don't have to worry. These things are here to test us. Yes, It's here to test us. At least, I think so. I don't think there is anything else to do..."