Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen Tommy's Further Adventures

Tommy slowly regained consciousness and woke up in the dark night where the stars flickered from time to time.When he finally opened his eyes, he felt a sharp pain in his temple.He vaguely feels the strange environment, where is he?What happened?He blinked weakly, this is not the bedroom of the Ritz Hotel.What the hell is wrong with his head? "Damn it!" said Tommy, trying to sit up.He had remembered that he was in a wicked house in Soho, and he fell down again with a groan.Through his slightly opened eyelids, he carefully searched the surroundings. "He's come to life," said a voice next to Tommy's ear.He recognized at once that it was the quick-witted German with the beard.He lay there motionless.He regretted waking up so quickly.After the pain in his head eased, he began to think about some problems gradually.He recalled painfully what had happened.Apparently, while he was eavesdropping on the conversation, someone punched him in the back hard on the head.Now these people regard him as a spy, and nine times out of ten they want him to make a brief confession.No doubt he was in trouble.No one knew where he was, so he expected no assistance but to rely entirely on his wits.

"Ah, I'll start now," Tommy whispered to himself, repeating what he had just said. "Damn it," he said, as he managed to sit up.A minute later the German came up and put the glass to his mouth, and ordered curtly, "Drink." Tommy obeyed, choking him on the pill, though his mind was strangely lucid. He was lying on a couch in the room where the interrogation took place. On one side of him stood the German, and on the other the fierce-looking gatekeeper.The rest stood at a distance.Tommy could not see the face of the man known as Number One, who was not standing in the crowd.

"Feeling better?" asked the German, taking away the empty glass. "Yes, thanks," Tommy replied cheerfully. "Ah, young friend, you are lucky to have such a thick skull. Well done Conrad hit hard. ’ He nodded to the wicked-looking gatekeeper. The man grinned.Tommy turned his head with difficulty. "Ah," he said, "you are Conrad, aren't you? It's lucky for you that I have a thick skull. I feel sorry for you when I see you, and I managed to fool you, Executioner." The man growled.The bearded man said quietly, "He wouldn't take that risk."

Tommy replied, "As you like, I know it's fashionable to slander the police. I'd rather believe them." His attitude was nonchalant.Tommy Beresford was one of those English youths whose intellect was average, but when they were in trouble they excelled.Their natural timidity and caution slip off their hands like a glove.Tommy realized that, in his wisdom, he had no choice but to flee.After his casual attitude, he is figuring out what to do. The German began to question, his voice was cold: "Before you are executed as a spy, what else do you have to say?" "A lot," replied Tommy, as politely as usual.

"Do you deny that you eavesdropped at the door?" "I don't deny it. I should really apologize - but your conversation was so interesting it made me feel free." "How did you get in here?" "Dear old Conrad here." Tommy smiled at him disapprovingly. "I don't want to propose a pension to get rid of a faithful servant, but you should have a better watchdog." When the bearded man turned to face him, Conrad snarled helplessly, "He gave the code, how would I know?" "Yes," put in Tommy, "how does he know, don't blame the poor fellow. His hasty actions gave me the pleasure of meeting you all."

Tommy's words created uneasiness among the group, but a wave of the hand from the wary German silenced everyone. "A dead man doesn't tell the truth," he said quietly. "Ah," said Tommy, "but I'm not dead yet." "You will die soon, my young friend," said the German. There was a low murmur of agreement from the others. Tommy's heart beat faster, but he pretended to be nonchalant and happy. He said firmly: "I don't think so, I strongly oppose the execution." Tommy read the bewildered looks on the faces of his captors.

"Can you give us some reasons why you shouldn't be executed?" said the German, "There are several reasons," Tommy replied, "Listen, you've been asking me a lot of questions. One question for you. Why don't you kill me before I regain consciousness?" The German hesitated, and Tommy seized his opportunity. "Because you don't know how much I know—and where I got it from. If you kill me now, you'll never know." At this moment Boris's feelings became out of control.He came over and waved his arms. "You hellhound, you spy!" he screamed, "we give you a short confession. Kill him!

Kill him! " Then there was a wild laugh of approval. "Did you hear that?" said the German, looking at Tommy. "What did you say?" "Say?" Tommy shrugged. "A bunch of idiots, let them ask themselves a few questions, how did I get in here? Remember sweet old Conrad's words—use your own codes, don't you?" How do I get your signals, you think, I don't act rashly, I don't say what I think." Tommy was satisfied with his last few words, his only regret was that Tuppence was not there to appreciate what he said. said these words. "It's true," said a workman-looking figure suddenly, "comrades, we've been betrayed." And there were confused murmurs.

Tommy watched them happily. "That's fine. How can you succeed if you don't use your brains?" to "You'll have to tell us who betrayed us," said the German, "but that won't save you—oh, no! You have to tell us everything you know, Boris knows every way to make people talk!" "Bah!" said Tommy contemptuously, suppressing a sick feeling in his stomach. "You will neither torture me nor execute me." "Why not?" asked Boris. "Because you're going to kill a goose that lays golden eggs," replied Tommy calmly.There was a momentary pause.Tommy's unrelenting self-confidence finally won them over.They are no longer completely sure of themselves.A ragged man stared at Changmi with searching eyes.

"He's lying to you, Boris," he said softly.Tommy hated this man, did this man see through him? The German turned with difficulty and turned rudely at Tommy. "What do you mean?" "What do you think I mean?" Tommy dodged his question, running his mind furiously.Suddenly Boris stepped forward, shook his fist in Tommy's face, and said, "Say, you English pig!—Say!" "Don't get so excited, my man," said Tommy calmly, "that's the worst thing about you foreigners. You can't keep your cool. Hey, now I ask you, do I look scared of death, you kill me How likely is it?"

He looked around confidently, glad that they couldn't hear his beating heart and realized he was lying. "No," Boris finally admitted sullenly, "you can't see." "Thank God, he's not one to read other people's minds." Tommy thought about it.He continued to profess his strengths loudly. "Why am I so confident? Because I know something that I can trade." "Deal?" the bearded man interrupted him. "Yes—a trade. My life and my freedom are in exchange for—" He paused. "In exchange for what?" The group of people squeezed forward together, and suddenly the room was so quiet that even a needle could be heard falling on the ground.Tommy said slowly, "Danvers brought the papers from America on the Luretania." His words made everyone stand still as if they were electrocuted.The Germans waved them back.His face was purple with excitement as he bent over Tommy. "Okay, so you got the file?" Chang Mi was surprisingly calm and shook his head. "Do you know where it is?" the German continued. Tommy shook his head again: "I don't know at all." "So—then—" He was so angry that he couldn't speak for a moment. Tommy looked around.Anger and confusion flashed across every face, while his calm and confidence came into play—no one doubted what he meant. "I don't know where the file is, but I believe I can find it. I have a feeling—" "Pooh!" Tommy raised a hand to silence the disgusting uproar. "I call it opinion--but I'm sure of the facts I know--facts that no one but I know. In short, what have you lost? If I take out the documents, you give me my life and my freedom, isn't that a deal? " "What if we refuse?" the German whispered. Tommy leaned back on the couch. "On the twenty-ninth," he mused, "in less than a fortnight—" The German hesitated for a moment.Then he gestured to Conrad and led him into another room. Tommy sat on the bed in the filthy room next door for about five minutes. His heart was beating violently.He has put all his eggs in one basket.How will they decide?All this time this painful question haunted him.He speaks unreasonably to Conrad, trying to infuriate the petulant gatekeeper to the point of murder.The door opened, and the Germans tyrannically told Conrad to go back. "Let's hope the judge hasn't put on his black hat yet," Tommy grumbled meaninglessly. "Well, Conrad takes me. The prisoner is on trial, gentlemen." The German sat behind the table, and he motioned for Tommy to sit across from him. He said hoarsely, "We've accepted your deal on favorable terms. But the documents must be handed over to us before you are free. " "Idiot!" said Tommy kindly. "How do you think I'll find the papers if you tie my feet up here?" "Then what do you want?" "I have to be free to do it my own way." The German laughed. "Do you think we're children, to let you walk out of here and leave us a wonderful story full of promises?" "No," said Tommy thoughtfully, "though it would be very advantageous to me, I don't really think you'll agree to that plan. Well, we'll have to come to a compromise where you keep Conrad with me , how? He's a loyal guy and always ready to throw his fists." The German said coldly: "We would rather keep you. One of us will finish it carefully. If the situation is complicated, he will find you and you will give him further instructions." "You're tying my hands," Tommy grumbled. "It's a very tricky business, and other people are likely to screw it up, so where am I? I don't think any of you have that talent." The German banged on the table: "Those are our conditions, otherwise you will die." Tommy leaned back wearily. "I like your style. Short, but attractive, so be it. But one thing is very important, I must see the girl. " "What girl?" "Jane Finn, of course." The German looked at him strangely for several minutes, then said slowly, carefully choosing each word: "Don't you know she can't tell you anything anymore?" Tommy's heart beats faster, will he succeed in meeting the girl he's looking for? "I don't ask her to tell me anything," he said calmly, "not much." "Then why do you want to see her?" Tommy stopped. "Watch her face when I ask her a question," he concluded. Once again there was a look in the German's eyes that Tommy couldn't understand. "She can't answer your question." "That's okay, I'll look at her face when I ask her." "What do you think that tells you?" He let out a short, unpleasant laugh.Tommy felt more than ever that there was something he couldn't understand.The German looked at him as if searching for something. "I wonder if you know as much as we think?" he said gently. Tommy felt that his advantage was not as great as it had been a while ago.He was a little uncertain, he was still confused.Did he say something?At this time he said impulsively: "Maybe there are things you know that I don't. I don't want to know all the details of you. But I also have some secrets that you don't know. This is my way of gaining the upper hand. Danvers is A very smart guy—" He stopped abruptly, as if he'd said too much. At this time, the German's face had an expression. "Danvers," he whispered, "I see—" He paused for a moment, then waved Conrad. "Take him away. Upstairs—you know." "Wait a minute," said Tommy, "how's the girl?" "It will be arranged." "It must be arranged." "We'll be looking at it, but only one person can decide." "Who?" Tommy asked, but he knew what the answer was. "Mr Brown--" "Can I see him?" "Maybe." "Go," said Conrad sternly. Tommy rose obediently.His guard outside the door motioned for him to go upstairs, and the guard followed closely behind him.Upstairs, Conrad opened the door, Tommy entered the tiny room, and Conrad lit a flickering kerosene lamp, and walked out.Tommy heard the key turn in the lock. Tommy began to inspect his cell.This room is smaller than the one downstairs and lacks fresh air.He walked around the room, and the surrounding walls were as dirty and smelly as the rest.Four paintings hung diagonally on the wall, signifying "Faust" scene.Marguerite and her jewel chest, the church situation, Siebel and his flowers, Faust and Mephistopheles.The latter reminds Tommy of Mr. Brown again.In this closed room, the heavy door was tightly closed.He feels detached from the world, and the forces of evil that are the main culprit seem all the more real.Even if you shouted loudly, no one could hear you.This place is a living grave. Tommy tried to pull himself together. He fell on the bed and thought hard.His headache was terrible, and he was very hungry.The silence of the place was discouraging. "Anyway," said Tommy, to cheer himself up, "I'm going to see their chief, Mr. Brown, and if I'm lucky, the mysterious Jane Finn. After that—" After that, Tommy had to admit, the outlook was grim.