Read Online A Family Affair by Michael Innes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Innes
Tags: A Family Affair
Ads: Link
a certain character. You understand?’
It was evident that Mr Braunkopf understood. Nor did he betray any sign of finding at all out of the way the appearance in the Da Vinci Gallery on such an errand of a retired Commissioner of Police. Dignified and unperturbed deliberation was what his attitude now suggested. His establishment was known, after all, to be an almost preternaturally ethical concern. Its monolithic character in this regard was no doubt such that it could suffer a chip or two from time to time without much noticing.
‘A goot class of erotica , yes?’ he murmured. ‘Sir John, you please stamp this way. You stamp into my sanctum quick look three four superior curiosa -type vorks of art for authentink connoisseurs. Henry Fuseli, Sir John. Most respectful reputacious artist and religious person. Royal Academician, the same as John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, J M W Turner.’
‘I don’t think my uncle would care to own any Fuselis. As you say, Fuseli was a clergyman before he turned artist. That would make my uncle a little uneasy, I feel. As a matter of fact, I have something else in mind. An old colleague has told me about the shameful manner in which you were deceived about a Giulio Romano. I gathered you suffered a heavy financial loss.’
‘That was nothings, Sir John.’ Mr Braunkopf produced a lavishly careless gesture which failed entirely to obscure the sudden wary expression on his face. ‘A large concernment like the Da Vinci, with close connectings Paris New York San Francisco Berlin Milan Valparaiso, is undefected by such small swindlings. Sir John, I have one puttikler genuine ancient Roman brothel scene–’
‘What has struck me, Braunkopf, is that you must still possess the copy of the Giulio that you were left with. A firm of your reputation couldn’t think of putting such a thing on the market. I suppose you have it simply stowed away somewhere on the premises?’
‘Of course, Sir John. Entiresomely of course.’ Mr Braunkopf – Appleby felt himself instructed to observe – was now almost agitated. ‘But, Sir John, I have two three voonderble stimulacious top-class pornographical–’
‘I’d like to see the copy of the Giulio now, please. As a matter of fact, Braunkopf, I might take it off your hands at a moderate price. If Nanna and Pippa are what they are cracked up to be, you know, my uncle would probably like them very much. And he wouldn’t care a damn about the thing being a copy. So a deal might be to our common advantage, wouldn’t you say?’
Braunkopf had palpably no inclination to say anything of the sort. He was looking at his good friend Sir John Appleby with something like animosity. Appleby naturally found this interesting. It had been quite on the spur of the moment that he had invented a salacious uncle for himself. Now he had a sudden suspicion that this freakish performance was going to pay off; that revelation, if only of a minor order, was just round the corner. And this persuasion increased with him at Braunkopf’s next move.
‘Misfortunately, Sir John, it is not possibles.’ The harassed proprietor of the Da Vinci spread out apologetic hands. ‘I just recollek this small trifling fraud been loaned to manifestation of fakes frauds forgeries copies National Museum of Patagonia.’
‘I think we’ll find it has come back.’ Appleby spoke gently but firmly. He knew where he stood with Hildebert Braunkopf. It was one of the many points of good citizenship in that estimable man that he had a wholesome respect for the police. ‘In your strong room, I suppose it will be?’
And Mr Braunkopf, having hesitated for a moment, emitted a fat and dispirited sigh. Then, with a beckoning motion, he waddled slowly across his gallery. It was almost with compunction that Appleby followed him.
Nanna and Pippa were undoubtedly nice girls. Unfortunately they were represented as occupied in a fashion that could not possibly conduce to edification. It was
It was evident that Mr Braunkopf understood. Nor did he betray any sign of finding at all out of the way the appearance in the Da Vinci Gallery on such an errand of a retired Commissioner of Police. Dignified and unperturbed deliberation was what his attitude now suggested. His establishment was known, after all, to be an almost preternaturally ethical concern. Its monolithic character in this regard was no doubt such that it could suffer a chip or two from time to time without much noticing.
‘A goot class of erotica , yes?’ he murmured. ‘Sir John, you please stamp this way. You stamp into my sanctum quick look three four superior curiosa -type vorks of art for authentink connoisseurs. Henry Fuseli, Sir John. Most respectful reputacious artist and religious person. Royal Academician, the same as John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, J M W Turner.’
‘I don’t think my uncle would care to own any Fuselis. As you say, Fuseli was a clergyman before he turned artist. That would make my uncle a little uneasy, I feel. As a matter of fact, I have something else in mind. An old colleague has told me about the shameful manner in which you were deceived about a Giulio Romano. I gathered you suffered a heavy financial loss.’
‘That was nothings, Sir John.’ Mr Braunkopf produced a lavishly careless gesture which failed entirely to obscure the sudden wary expression on his face. ‘A large concernment like the Da Vinci, with close connectings Paris New York San Francisco Berlin Milan Valparaiso, is undefected by such small swindlings. Sir John, I have one puttikler genuine ancient Roman brothel scene–’
‘What has struck me, Braunkopf, is that you must still possess the copy of the Giulio that you were left with. A firm of your reputation couldn’t think of putting such a thing on the market. I suppose you have it simply stowed away somewhere on the premises?’
‘Of course, Sir John. Entiresomely of course.’ Mr Braunkopf – Appleby felt himself instructed to observe – was now almost agitated. ‘But, Sir John, I have two three voonderble stimulacious top-class pornographical–’
‘I’d like to see the copy of the Giulio now, please. As a matter of fact, Braunkopf, I might take it off your hands at a moderate price. If Nanna and Pippa are what they are cracked up to be, you know, my uncle would probably like them very much. And he wouldn’t care a damn about the thing being a copy. So a deal might be to our common advantage, wouldn’t you say?’
Braunkopf had palpably no inclination to say anything of the sort. He was looking at his good friend Sir John Appleby with something like animosity. Appleby naturally found this interesting. It had been quite on the spur of the moment that he had invented a salacious uncle for himself. Now he had a sudden suspicion that this freakish performance was going to pay off; that revelation, if only of a minor order, was just round the corner. And this persuasion increased with him at Braunkopf’s next move.
‘Misfortunately, Sir John, it is not possibles.’ The harassed proprietor of the Da Vinci spread out apologetic hands. ‘I just recollek this small trifling fraud been loaned to manifestation of fakes frauds forgeries copies National Museum of Patagonia.’
‘I think we’ll find it has come back.’ Appleby spoke gently but firmly. He knew where he stood with Hildebert Braunkopf. It was one of the many points of good citizenship in that estimable man that he had a wholesome respect for the police. ‘In your strong room, I suppose it will be?’
And Mr Braunkopf, having hesitated for a moment, emitted a fat and dispirited sigh. Then, with a beckoning motion, he waddled slowly across his gallery. It was almost with compunction that Appleby followed him.
Nanna and Pippa were undoubtedly nice girls. Unfortunately they were represented as occupied in a fashion that could not possibly conduce to edification. It was
Similar Books
