19 - Captain Jessop. The Opal Serpent by Fergus Hume.

19 - Captain Jessop. The Opal Serpent by Fergus Hume.  
An old pawnbroker is found strangled with his lips pinned together with an opal serpent broach. He has a beautiful daughter who is apparently the heir of his large estate. But another claimant has made herself known as the actual daughter of the pawnbroker. Follow detective Hurd as he unravels the convoluted mystery of the old man’s death and attempts to determine who is the rightful heir.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter nineteen of The Opal Serpent by Fergus Hume. This
Librivox's recording is in the public domain Captain Jessop. Apparently
Matilda Junk was quite ignorant of anything being wrong about
her ladies, although she did shirk the question regarding their
possible visit to London in July. However, heard it learn

(00:26):
that Graxton Hay was not only an old friend, but
had been engaged to Maud for many months. This information
made him the more certain that Hay had robbed Bee
caught of the Opal Brooch at the time of the accident,
and that it had passed from mister Hay's hands into
those of the assassin. I wonder if missus Krill murdered

(00:48):
her husband in that cruel way, thought the detective sitting
over his tea. But what could have been her object?
She could have gone up on learning from Hay that
Aaron Norman was her husband, as I believe she did,
and could then have made him give her the money
by threatening him with the murder of Lady Rachel. I

(01:08):
dare say Aaron Norman, in his crill days, did strangle
that lady to get the Opal brooch, and his wife
could have used what she knew to govern him. There
was no need of murder. N I'll see about getting
the truth out of Hay, Aurora, he cried. Oh there
you are, he added, as she entered the room. I

(01:29):
want you to go back to town this night. What for, Billy?
Can you get Hay into trouble? Hourora nodded. I have
proofs of his cheating, Lord George and others, if that's
what you mean, she said, But you didn't want them used,
nor do I. He is such an eel. He may

(01:49):
wriggle out of our clutches. But can't you give a
party and invite Lord George and Hay and then get
them the play cards? Should hey cheat, denounce him to
joy Lord Sandal, what good would that do? Asked Miss
Quinn with widely open eyes. It will make Hay confess
about the brooch to save himself from public shame. His

(02:11):
reputation is his life, remember, and if he has caught
red hand at cheating, he'll have to clear out of town. Pooh,
as if that mattered. He's going to marry Miss Krill
if Miss Grill keeps the money, and I doubt if
she will. But Billy never mind, don't ask me any
more questions, but go and pack this Captain Jessop is

(02:34):
in the barred drinking. I may probably have to arrest him.
I got a warrant on the chance of finding him here.
I can arrest him on suspicion and won't let him
go until I get at the truth. Your business is
to bring Hay to his knees and get the truth
out of him about the Opal serpent. You know the case, yes,

(02:54):
grumbled a rora. I know the case, but I don't
like this long journey to night. Every moment is precious.
If I arrest Jessop, Matilda Junk will tell her ladies
who will speak to Hay, and then he may slip away.
Has to broch evidence is so particular, and as I
believe he can give it if forced. You can see

(03:17):
the importance of losing no time. Miss Quinn nodded and
went away to pack. She wanted money and knew Billy
would give her goodly share of the reward. In a
few minutes, Miss Junk of the Red Pig learned that
Miss Quinn was suddenly summoned to town and would leave
in an hour. Quite unsuspectingly, she assisted her to pack,

(03:40):
and shortly Aurora was driving in a hired vehicle to
the railway station on her way to trap Braxton Hay.
When she was safely off the premises, Hurd walked to
the telegraph office and sent a cipher message to the
yard asking for a couple of plain clothed policemen to
be sent down. He wanted to have Hokar and Miss

(04:02):
Matilda Junk watched also the house, in case Missus Krill
and her daughter should return. Captain Jessop he proposed to
look after himself, but he was in no hurry to
make that gentleman's acquaintance has He intended to arrest him
quietly in the sitting room after dinner. Already he had

(04:22):
informed Matilda that he would ask a gentleman to join
him at the meal and taste Hokar's curry. The thought
of the curry brought the Indian to his mind, and
when he got back to the Red Pig, he strolled
round the house, inspecting the place, but in reality keeping
eyes and ears open to talk to the Hindoo, thinking

(04:45):
he might meet the man some time. Heard had carefully
learned a few phrases relating the Thuggism in English, of course,
since he knew nothing of the Indian tongues. These he
proposed to use in the course of conversation with Hokar
and watched the effect. Soon he found the man sitting
cross leggett under a tree in the yards, smoking. Evidently

(05:08):
his work for the day was over and he was
enjoying himself. Remembering the description given by Bart, the detective
saw that this was the very man who had entered
the shop of Aaron Norman. He wore the same dress
and looked dirty and disreputable. Quite a waif and astray Hullo,
said Heurd casually. What are you doing? Talk English? Eh? Yes, sir,

(05:33):
said Hokar, calmly, I spike good English, missionary, teach Hokar inglish.
I'm glad of that We can have a chat, said Hurd,
producing his pipe. He also produced something else with which
he had provided himself on the way back from the
post office. In another minute, Hokar was staring at a

(05:53):
small parcel of course brown sugar. With all his Oriental phlegm.
The man could not keep his countenance. His eyes rolled
until they threatened the drop out of his head, and
he looked at herd with a certain amount of fear,
Gore said that gentleman, pointing to the sugar with a
stem of his pipe. Gore Hokar turned green under his

(06:18):
dark skin and half rose to go away, but his
legs failed him, and he sat still, trying to recover himself.
So you, Worship Bewani went on his tormentor. The Indian's
face expressed lively curiosity the great Goddess. Yes, Cayli, you

(06:39):
know did you make tupani after you used your rumal
on Aaron Norman? Hokar gave a guttural cry and gasped.
Tupinnie is a sacrifice made by the thugs after a
successful crime, and rumal the handkerchief with which they strangle
their victims. All this was in for meation called from

(07:01):
Colonel Meddell Taylor's book by the accomplished detective. Well, said Hurd,
smoking placidly. What have you to say, mister Holkar, I
know nothing, said the man, sullenly, but in deadly fear. Yes,
you do, sit still, said Hurd with sudden sternness. If
you try to run away, I'll have you arrested. Eyes

(07:24):
are on you, and you can't take a step without
my knowing. Some of this was Greek to the Indian,
owing to his imperfect knowledge of English. But he understood
that the law would lay hold of him if he
did not obey the sahib, and so sat still. I
know not anything, he repeated, his teeth chattering, Yes you do.

(07:47):
You're a thug, sir, No thugs, I agree with you,
said Hurd, you are the last of the Mohegans. I
want to know why you offered Aaron Norman to bowanee.
Hokar made a strange sign on his forehead at the
mention of the sacred name and muttered something perhaps of
prayer in his native tongue. Then he looked up. I

(08:10):
know nothing. Don't repeat that rubbish, said Hurd, calmly. You
sold boot laces in the shop in Gwyn Street on
the day when its master was killed, and he was
the husband of the lady who helped you missus Krill,
You say that, said Holkar stolidly. Yes, and I can
prove it. The boy tray and I can lay my

(08:32):
hands on him. Saw you also, Bert Tlsey, the shopman.
You left a handful of sugar, though, why you did
so instead of eating it? I can't understand. Holkar's face
lighted up and he showed his teeth disdainfully. Oh you
sahibs know nothing, said he, spreading out his lean brown hands.

(08:54):
It's a shop as yes, I there is, but I
know youse rumal not then, but you did later. Hokar
shook his head. I used no ramal sat zahib one
eye bad, very bad. Powani no have one eye, No
bahongis no bots. No what are you talking about, said

(09:18):
Hurt angrily. His reading had not told him that no
main person could be offered to the goddess of the thugs.
Bahanshi meant sweepers and bahats bards, both of which classes
were spared by the stranglers. You killed that man now?
Who told you to kill him? I know nothing? I

(09:40):
no kill po wani No take one eyed man's for
want of an interpreter. Hurd found it difficult to carry
on the conversation. He rose and determined to postpone further
examination till he would get some one understood the Hindoo tongue.
But in the meantime Holkar might run away and heard

(10:03):
rather regretted that he had been so precipitate However, he
nodded to the man and went off, pretty sure he
would not fly at once. Then Hurd went to the
village police office and told a Bucolick constable to keep
his eye on Miss junks Furriner, as he learned Holkar
was called the policeman, a smooth faced individual, promised to

(10:27):
do so after Herd produced his credentials and sauntered towards
the red pig at some distance from the detective's heels.
A timely question about the curry revealed by the mouth
of Miss Junk that Holkar was still in the kitchen.
But he do seem alarmed, like said Matilda laying the cloth.

(10:49):
Let's hope he won't spoil the curry, remarked Heurd. Then,
knowing Holkar was safe, he went into the bar to
make the acquaintance of his other victim, Captain Jarvi Jessop
quite answered to the description given by Posh. He was
large and sailor like, with red hair mixed with gray,

(11:09):
and a red beard that scarcely concealed the scar running
from temple to mouth. He had drunk enough to make
him cheerful and was quite willing to fall into conversation
with herd, who explained himself unnecessarily. I'm a commercial agent,
said the detective, calling for two RUMs playing. And I

(11:30):
like talking me too, growled the sailor, grasping his glass.
I'm here in what you'd call a visit, but I
go back to my home tomorrow. Then it's ho for Kayao,
he shouted in a sing song voice. Heard new the fierce, old,
chanty and sized Captain jarviy up at once. He was

(11:51):
of the buccaneer type, and there was little he would
not do to make money and have a roaring time
filling hokar with a deadly handkerchief. Here was the man
who might have killed Arin Norman. Drink up, shouted hurd
in his turn. We'll have some more. Oh, no condition
is extradition aloud in Kayao, come, said Captain Jessop. You

(12:16):
know the shanty, heard winked. I've been round about in
my time. Jessop stretched out at huge hand. Put it there, mate,
said he, with a roar like a fog horn, and
drink up along with me my treat heard no it,
and became jovial. On condition you join me at dinner.

(12:37):
They make good curries here. I've had curry, said Captain Jessop.
Heavily in Colombo and Hong Kong frequent, But Hokar's curries
are the best, Ah, said Hurd in a friendly, curious way.
So you know this shanty. Jessop looked at him with contempt.
Know this shanty, said he with a grin. Why horse,

(13:00):
I do. I've been swinging my hammock here time in
and out for the last thirty years. You be a
christ church man, then not me, mate, I'm Buckinghamshire, Stowy
Born heard with difficulty suppressed the start. Stowy was the
place where the all important brooch had been pawned by

(13:22):
a nautical man, and here was the man in question.
I should have thought you lived near the sea, he said, cautiously.
Say Southampton. Oh, I used to go there for my ship,
said the captain, draining his glass. But I don't go
there no more, retired eh Jessup nodded and looked at
his friend as he considered heard since the invitation to

(13:45):
dinner with a blood shop, pair of eyes. Come storm,
come calm, he growled. I've sailed the ocean for forty years. Yes, sir,
you bet I was a slip of a fifteen cabin
boy on my first ruse, and then I got on
to beIN skipper. Lord Jessip smacked his knee. The things

(14:06):
I've seen. We'll have him to night after dinner, said herd, nodding.
But now I suppose you've major fortune, No, said the
captain gloomily, not what you'd call money. I've got a
stand by, though, and he winked. Ah married to a
rich wife. Not me. I've had enough of marriage, having

(14:28):
been the skipper of a mermaid with a tongue. No, sir,
he roared out another line of some song floating in
his muzzy head, A saucy bachelor am. I then changed
the gruff talk, and I intend's beIN one all my
days stand by. I have tain't a wife, but I
can draw the money regular and no questions asked Again,

(14:52):
he winked and drank another glass. Hurd reflected that perhaps
Jessip had killed Aaron Norman for Missus Crew and she
was paying him blood money, but he did not dare
to press the question, as jessp was coming perilously near
what the Irish call the cross drop. He therefore proposed

(15:13):
an adjournment to the sitting room. Jessup agreed, quite unsuspectingly,
not guessing he was being trapped. The man was so
large and uncouth that Hurd felt behind his waist the
sea that his revolver was loose and could be used
should the occasion arise. Miss Junk brought in the dinner

(15:33):
with her own fair hands and explained that Hokar had
made the curry, but she didn't think it was as
good as usual. The man's shaking like a jelly, said Matilda.
I don't know why. The detective nodded, but did not
encourage conversation. He was quite sure that Holkar was being
watched by the smooth faced policeman and could not get away. Besides,

(15:58):
he wished to talk to Captain Jessop. Miss Junk, seeing
that she was not needed, retreated after bringing in the curry,
and left the gentlemen to help themselves. So here was
heard in a pleasant room, seated before a well spread table,
with a roaring fire at his back, waiting his opportunity

(16:19):
to make Captain Jarviy Jessop confessed his share in the
dual murders of Lady Rachel Sandel and Aaron Norman. End
of chapter nineteen