Monsieur Jonquelle Read Online Free PDF Page B

not found within the proverbial seven days of public notice. But to all Saxon races, to the Germans and to the English, a mystery is an eternal challenge. If a thing have an explanation it is immediately forgotten, but if it cannot be explained it will abide forever. Moreover the Saxon mind will never cease to consider it and will never give it up.”
    He made a gesture with his hand, the fingers extended.
    â€œLook, Monsieur, how the Germans and these English labor eternally to solve mysteries that every Latin knows are beyond the capacities of the human mind—the origin of life, the domicile of consciousness and the meaning of the universe. Do the Germans or the English ever abandon them? Read Haeckel, Monsieur, and Spencer, Monsieur. The English purchase a hundred thousand copies of the ponderous explanation of the professor at Jena, and sit down with that to solve the great riddle for themselves. And with every new year comes a new German or a new Englishman, to show that the answers of his predecessors are wrong and that he alone has the correct ones. Nevertheless though every explanation is shown to be false the mystery is never abandoned. Nor is any mystery ever abandoned by these English people.”
    The face of the wounded man was inscrutable and the Prefect went on:
    â€œEvery man in these islands is fundamentally a solver of mysteries. Observe the puzzles on sale, and the devices of journals to increase their circulation by exhibiting a jar full of beans to be guessed at, or by hiding a hundred guineas on the Epsom Downs. And so, on account of this racial characteristic, the London police at once give some explanation of every mysterious crime. If they did not every man in this kingdom wouldlight his pipe and sit down to solve it for them, and he would never cease to work on it until an explanation was given to him. Literally, Monsieur, I do not exaggerate—for the peace of mind of the empire the police of these islands must find a solution for every mystery.”
    The Count de Choiseul, his attitude still that of a guarded defense, was nevertheless listening with attention. The Prefect went on.
    â€œFor this reason,” he continued, “the London police, when profoundly puzzled, are often very glad to compromise with a mystery—that is to say, to accept any reasonable explanation of it.
    â€œNow, Monsieur le Comte,” and he spoke lower, “this affair is a mystery that the police cannot solve, and therefore all England will presently undertake to solve it.” He spoke still lower. “I come then to suggest that if the Count de Choiseul will offer a reasonable explanation of this affair the police will accept it. All the London police want is an explanation not clearly inconsistent with the few evidential facts. And if Monsieur can offer such an explanation I undertake to promise that the police shall accept it.”
    The Prefect put up his hand as though to prevent an interruption.
    â€œPardon, Monsieur, a further word. The Count de Choiseul must not fail to get my meaning. The one thing which the London police requireis some explanation of this mystery that does not leave them ridiculous. The true explanation? I do not care. The probable explanation? I do not care. But a rational explanation? Yes, it must be that.”
    Again he prevented an interruption with a gesture.
    â€œThink about it very carefully, Monsieur, if you please. I have just now with a sort of indirection laid before the Count de Choiseul the conclusions possible to be deduced from certain events in his life. He may have believed my words vitriolic. But, Monsieur, I have been gentle compared to the brutal directness with which this English nation will comment upon these events when it sets itself about the solving of this mystery. And if the Count de Choiseul has in fact any plans for the future they will become impossible.
    â€œBelieve me, Monsieur, my flippant and suggestive manner in the