Read Online The Saint Around the World by Leslie Charteris - Free Book Online

one of the old-timers shortly to be moved over to the pension list. It’s true, isn’t it?”
    “Yes.”
    “They gave you a fine record. All your most celebrated successes. The only big thing they didn’t mention, for some reason, was how you never succeeded in catching me. But I suppose you gave them the information.” Simon surveyed him with- affectionate appraisal. “You certainly look wonderful, for an old man, Claud. I’d certainly have recognized you anywhere. The hair a little thinner, perhaps. The jowls a little fuller. The stomach–-“
    “Just for once,” Teal said grimly, “let’s leave my stomach out of this.”
    “By all means,” said the Saint generously. “And it’ll leave a lot of room. After all, how much more convex can a thing be than convex?”
    Like a man struggling to hold down a paroxysm of seasickness, Chief Inspector Teal felt all the frustrated bitterness of the old days welling up in him again, all the hideous futility of a score of humilitations brought on by his dutiful efforts to put that impudent Robin Hood behind the bars where every law, said that he belonged; and enriching it was the gall of a hundred interviews such as this, in each one of which he had not only been thwarted but made farcically ridiculous. He never | could understand how it happened, it was as if the Saint could actually put some kind of Indian sign on him, but it was a black magic that never failed. Normally a man of no small presence and dignity, impressive to his subordinates and re- i spected even by the underworld, Mr. Teal could be reduced by a few minutes of the Saint’s peculiar brand of baiting to the borders of screaming imbecility.
    But now he would not, he must not, let it happen again …
    “Yes, I’m retiring,” he said doggedly. “Next week. And since you’ve been away this long, you could have stayed away just a few days longer.”
    “But I had to be in on your last performance, Claud. And as soon as you heard I was on this passenger list, bless your old fallen arches, you hurried out here to welcome me and–-“
    “And tell you, whatever you’re thinking of doing here, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll put if off for at least a week!”
    The speech, which had a certain breathlessness built right into it, ended on something like a yelp. Teal had not meant it to. He had meant to speak firmly and masterfully; but somehow it had not come out like that.
    “You yelped,” said the Saint.
    “I did not!” Teal stopped, and cleared his throat with a vio-lence that almost choked him. “I’m just warning you to behave yourself, and we’ll let bygones be bygones. Is that clear?”
    “Of course,” said the Saint earnestly. “In fact, just to prove how forgiving I am, I’m only here to make sure that your ca-reer ends in a blaze of glory. I’m going to make sure that you solve your last case—even if I have to do it for you.”
    “I don’t need your help.”
    “Why, is it going that well?”
    “Quite satisfactorily, thank you.”
    “You’ve got the goods on him already?”
    “It isn’t my business to get the goods on anyone,” Teal said ponderously. “Just the evidence, if there has been a crime.”
    “But you’re reasonably sure the guy is guilty?”
    “I think so. But proving it is another matter. These Bluebeards are pretty tricky to … But what the devil,” Teal blared suddenly, “do you know about the case?”
    “Nothing,” said the Saint blandly. “Except what you’re telling me.”
    The detective glared at him suspiciously.
    “I don’t believe you.”
    “You pain me, Claud. Do you think I’m a liar?”
    “I’ve known-it for twenty years,” Teal said hotly. “And let me tell you something else. You’re not coming back and getting away with any more of your private acts of what you call justice. If anything happens to Clarron, I’ll know damn well who–-“
    “Clarron?”
    “Or Smith, or Jones, or Tom, or Dick, or Harry!” shouted Teal,