- Against Jack The Ripper Chapter Five

Tùy Chỉnh

CHAPTER 5: INSPECTOR CLARAMENTHE ABSENTED FROM HOME.

So I had already known something about the victim's identity and what she had done in the night of the murder. I recorded in my little pocketbook the known clues, forensic results and evidences of the first murder in this "century" case:

• Victim: Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols
• Age: from thirty to forty
• Has one husband and five children (three boys, two girls)
• The results of the forensic examination: Murdered at about two-thirty in the morning on 31 August. The throat was almost severed, most of the internal organs were not intact.

Then, the next thing, I would find Inspector Claramenthe P. Lisidoly-Lestrade, to show the things that I had found this night.

Standing at a cross, I intended to catch a coach to save some time, however...

- This is not good— Only half a sterling and two shillings left!

That meant in my pocket at the moment only had fifty pence in coins, in which a hundred pence equals one pound sterling, and two shillings. But there was one little problem...

My stomach was growling.

Big Ben rang eleven o'clock at night.

I was standing alone in the middle of Whitechapel Street. At this moment I was looking not different at all from a "night moth", perhaps I might lure and trap the murderer? Probably not.

I was so hungry then! I had not a dinner, but now I had no idea if I had enough the shillings to afford a ride to Kensington, let alone dinner! Well then... work was priority.

How fortunate, there was a coach in distance. I reached out to catch the charioteer's attention, yet... he ignored my waving and drove straight past. He did not see me, or else? Blimey! I would have to wait, or walk a few miles to get back to Kensington.

Early autumn nights were chillingly cold and windy. This afternoon I just wore a coat and donned a cavalier hat to go investigating, leaving the warmer manteau on my armchair! Seemingly I had no other option: running to Kensington was the only solution at this time.

Running, it was true that it made my body warmer, but at the same time exhausting. To save energy, I ran and rest alternately. My skirt and coat's hems were all flapping furiously in the wind, which annoyed me so much on the route. Just a short distance left, a few turns and I would be arrived at Clara's house; yet my dresses were all entangled, what should I do? There was no other way, I lifted it all up for convenience's sake, and continued. Thank the god for people not going on these streets, or else they would find me in a petticoat (!).

Glimpsing Clara's door, I felt so exhilarating as if discovered some absolutely precious treasure, and... exhausting at the same time! I temporarily sat down the steps in front of the house number 13, or... Clara's house, to regain some wimpy strength. Thanks to the running, it was less cold I felt. Moments later I stood up and pulled the doorbell.

Nobody.

Pulling a few more times.

Still nothing out.

The door was locked, the windows were dark. I knew Clara's habits, that she always went to sleep with a dim light; yet, when looking up the windows I saw no light, let alone dim. What did this mean? I pulled the bell again a few more times.

Still nothing.

Big Ben rang midnight.

Clara wasn't here. Yes, Mademoiselle la Inspectrice was absent from home. So where should I be to find? Or... should I be home?