Chapter 5 Rare book department "My strange director!"

When Ellery Quinn was a student at Harvard, Matthew Arnold Hope was a respectable and lovely teacher.The teacher had recently become the dean of a university in New York, and his eccentricity had become a legend. For example, there is such a story about the Shakespeare studies course taught by Dr. Hope. The professor's words made the students confused for the first time. "The history books tell us that Richard II died peacefully in Pontefract, probably of pneumonia," roared Dr. Hope, "but what did Shakespeare say in Act V, scene five? It was Eck Ston knocked him out," and here, the celebrated authority on Elizabethan literature pauses for effect, "Killer!"

I heard that the second graders had nightmares because of this sentence.Experienced students nodded wisely, knowing that what Dr. Hope wanted to say—and he thought he said—was just a “killer blow.” The good director's slips of the tongue are as reverently preserved by enthusiasts as the famous quotes of Mr. Parker and Mrs. Goldwyn.Ellery also considers himself a hallowed figure among these enthusiasts.It was Ellery who immortalized Dr. Hope's words in his English writing class to first-year students: "One last warning to those who use slang or other bad language in their papers: Control yourselves Style of writing, otherwise you will be expelled from this class like those pigs who have been released for nothing!"

But perhaps Director Hope's greatest feat was the one recently accomplished in the faculty lunchroom.Ellery came at his invitation and saw him waiting impatiently at a large round table with three members of the English Literature Department. "This is Dr. Agnes Lovell, this is Professor Olswald Gorman, and this is Mr. Morgan Nesby," said the Director quickly. "Please take a seat, Elle. Here, Mr. Quinn is ordering chicken cider and beef stew with beans—boy, these are the only edible ones on the menu today. Go get your food, young man! Are you still sleepwalking in class?" The seemingly busy first-year student waiter slipped away.Dr. Hope said solemnly, "Get ready for surprises, my friends."

Dr. Lovell, a large woman in a tight suit, said mischievously, "Wait, Matthew! Let me guess. Are you in love?" "And who would marry - in Macaulay's words - a walking index of Shakespeare?" said Professor Gorman in the raspy voice of a disused winch.He was a tall, freckled man with red-gold eyebrows and a quarrelsome chin. "According to me, the real surprise, Dr. Hope, should be a raise for the entire department!" "That's just what we want," said Mr. Nesby, blushing.He was a stocky young man, eager in every move, clearly the least senior in the department.

"Could you please be quiet for a moment?" Director Hope said in a trembling voice, looking around cautiously, "if I told you that I might be able to utterly destroy—I repeat, utterly destroy!—it was Francie The absurd notion that Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays?" Two gasps, a snort and a questioning sound. "Matthew!" screamed Dr. Lovell, "you'll be famous!" "You will be immortal, Director Hope," said Mr. Nesby admiringly. "You're wrong," said Professor Goleman, who had snorted just now. "A foolish believer in Bacon's theory is like a madman obsessed with Marlowe's theory. It doesn't make sense at all."

"Ah, but even a madman has to yield to this evidence," cried the Director. "Seems exciting, Doctor," muttered Ellery. "What's the evidence?" "A man called my office this morning, Ellery. He gave credentials that he was Alfred Mims, a London rare books dealer. He said he owned a 1613 edition Bacon's Essays, generally worth about $400 to $500. However, he claims that this is unique in that it has Bacon's gift to William Shakespeare on its title page." Amidst the exclamations, Ellery asked, "How did you write it?" "It's in the form of a tribute." Director Hope trembled. "Bacon pays homage and praise to Shakespeare for—please allow me to quote the original text—'an outstanding play from your wonderful pen'!"

"Look!" whispered Mr Nesby to the nonexistent Baconist. "That settles it," Dr. Lovell said softly. "It can be solved," said Professor Gorman, "if it's genuine." "Have you read the book, Doctor?" Ellery asked. "He showed me a photocopy of the title page. He'll be bringing the original to the office tonight for my inspection." "The price Mims is asking for is—" "Ten thousand dollars." "This proves that it is a fake." Professor Gorman said hoarsely, "It's too cheap." "Oswald," said Dr. Lovell disapprovingly, "what nonsense are you talking about?"

"No, Gorman's right," said Dr. Hope. "If the handwriting was genuine, the price would be ridiculous. I raised this with Mims, but he had an explanation. He said the book's The owner is an English nobleman impoverished by taxes, and he is acting on the orders of this nobleman. I will be able to learn the identity of this nobleman after the transaction tonight. In an abandoned castle room that has been dusty for two centuries , the owner found the book. He hoped to find an American buyer to sell it in secret - Mims hinted at me, for tax avoidance. But being an educated man, the owner hoped to acquire it was a A scholar rather than an ignorant rich man, so the price is relatively low."

"Excellent," said Mr. Nesby enthusiastically. "Truly English." Professor Gorman said: "Cash, right? At your own risk? Tonight?" "That's right." The old director took out a bulging envelope from his breast pocket and looked at it sadly.Then he sighed and stuffed it back. "Pretty much my life's savings...but I'm not old yet." Dr. Hope grinned. "I beg you to be here, Ellery—with Inspector Quinn. I'll be at my desk until night." Going through some administrative business. Mims will be here at eight." "We'll be there at seven-thirty," Ellery promised. "By the way, Doctor, it's not a good idea to have that much money in your pocket. Have you ever told anyone else about it?"

"No no." "Don't say that. And may I suggest that you lock the door and wait? Don't let Mims or anyone else in the house until we come. Doctor, I'm afraid I share the professor's doubts." .” "Oh, I'm not." The director muttered, "Compared with the real thing, the probability of this is a hoax is probably thousands of times. But you can't help but think... what if it's not a hoax?" It was almost half past seven when Quinn and his son entered the Humanities Building.Lights were on in several windows upstairs, which were the classrooms for evening classes.The director's office was also lit, but the rest of the building was dark.

Arriving at the dark third floor, when the two stepped out of the self-service elevator, the first sight Ellery saw was Director Hope's reception room...the door was open. They saw the old scholar lying on the floor inside the door, blood dripping from his white hair. "The bastard is early," growled Inspector Quinn. "Look at the director's watch, Ellery—he fell down, so it stopped at seven-fifteen." "I warned him to lock the door and not open it," Ellery groaned, then yelled, "He's still breathing! Call an ambulance!" He helped the director's limp body to the bench in the office, and gently moistened his blue lips with the water in the paper cup.Inspector Quinn turned around after finishing the phone call. The director struggled to open his eyes. "Ellery..." "Doctor, what happened?" "The book... I took it away..." The voice gradually faded away. "The book was taken?" repeated the Inspector suspiciously. "It means that not only has Mims come early, but Dr. Hope has confirmed that the book is genuine! Is the money still on him, boy?" Ellery searched the director's pockets, office, and reception room. "The money is gone." "Then he did buy the book. Then someone came and knocked him on the head and stole the book." "Doctor!" Ellery bent over the old man again. "Doctor, who attacked you? Did you see that?" "Yes... Gorman..." Then the injured head drooped, and Dr. Hope lost consciousness. "Gorman? Who's Gorman, Ellery?" "Professor Olswald Gorman," Ellery said through gritted teeth, "one of the guys who had lunch in the English Department at noon today. Get him!" Inspector Quinn carried the agitated Professor Gorman back to the director's office.He saw Ellery waiting behind the director's vase as if it were a branch of Birnam Forest. The benches are empty. "What did the EMT say, Ellery?" "I don't know how serious the concussion is." Ellery stood up and looked at Professor Gorman like Macduff. "Where did you find this scum teacher, Dad?" "He teaches the Bible on the seventh floor." "Inspector Quinn," said the professor furiously, "the title of my course should be 'The Influence of the Bible on English Literature.'" "Are you trying to establish an alibi?" "Son," said his father in a troubled voice, "the professor didn't just figure it out, he did it." "He has an alibi?" Ellery called. "A two-hour seminar, from six to eight. Every second from six in the evening, a dozen people in the class were able to provide him with an alibi—including a priest, a priest, and a Rabbi. Besides," the Inspector mused, "Professor Gorman was able to explain all his actions after lunch, even considering that the director's broken watch might have been a set-up. Ellery, New York County, I'm afraid some An unspeakable evil." "Sorry." A voice with a British accent came from the reception room, "I made an appointment to see Dr. Hope at eight o'clock." Ellery turned away, and then he swooped on the speaker.It was a pale, thin man in a top hat with a parcel under one arm. "Don't tell me you're Alfred Mims, you just brought Bacon's book!" "Yes, I—I'll be back later," stammered the visitor, trying to hold on to his pack.But Ellery won the tug of war.As he tore open the wrapping, the pale man turned to run away. And Inspector Quinn was standing at the door, showing his pistol. "Alfred Mims, is it?" said the Inspector kindly. "If I remember correctly, you were called Lord Chalmerston last time. Dink, remember the last time you asked that Oyes The Tebey millionaire selling forged Shakespeare first-edition folios? Ellery, this is Dink Chalmers from Flatbush, a brilliant liar in the rare book world." Then probe Chang's kindness disappeared, "But boy, things will be more complicated this way." "No, Dad," said Ellery, "that will make things clear." Inspector Quinn's expression showed that he did not agree with this conclusion. "What did Dr. Hope say in response to my questioning? He said, 'The book is taken away.' Obviously the book wasn't taken away, the book was never here. So he didn't say 'The book was taken away.' ’. Professor, you are also a member of the Matthew Arnold Hope Sloppy Club. What did the Director say?” "Bacon...taken away!" said Professor Gorman. "It doesn't make much sense either, unless we recall, Dad, that his voice faded away. He seemed about to say one more word, but couldn't. Which word? 'Money'—'Bacon's money was taken '. Since Bacon's book was not here at all, it could not have been taken away, but the ten thousand dollars that Dr. Hope had been carrying with him all day. "Who took the money for the bacon? The man who knocked on the Director's door after seven and asked the Director to let him in. This man persuaded Dr. Hope to open the lock—proving he was someone the Doctor knew and trusted— Immediately beat the old man severely, and ran away with his life savings." "But you asked who hit him, and he said 'Gorman,'" protested the inspector. "He can't mean Gorman, the professor has an unbreakable alibi. So—" "Another slip of the tongue!" Professor Gorman exclaimed. "I'm afraid so. Since 'Gorman' could only have come from 'Morgan' by slip of the tongue, Dad, Mr. Morgan Nesby of the underpaid English department should be caught immediately. He is the one who attacked the Doctor, and you will I was able to get back the doctor’s 10,000 yuan.” Later in the hospital, the invincible Elizabethan scholar weakly squeezes young Quinn's hand.Conversation was forbidden, but the good teacher and master of slips of the tongue finally murmured, "My strange director..."