Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
HadhearrivedintimetheshipwouldneverhavereachedLiverpool;butalas!ithadalreadystartedbeforemyagentcouldreachit.Ifittedoutasmallarmedbrigtointerceptit,butagainIwasunfortunate.LikeallgreatorganizersIwas,however,preparedforfailure,andhadaseriesofalternativesprepared,oneortheotherofwhichmustsucceed.Youmustnotunderratethedifficultiesofmyundertaking,orimaginethatamerecommonplaceassassinationwouldmeetthecase.WemustdestroynotonlyMonsieurCaratal,butMonsieurCaratal’sdocuments,andMonsieurCaratal’scompanionsalso,ifwehadreasontobelievethathehadcommunicatedhissecretstothem.Andyoumustrememberthattheywereonthealert,andkeenlysuspiciousofanysuchattempt.Itwasataskwhichwasineverywayworthyofme,forIamalwaysmostmasterfulwhereanotherwouldbeappalled.
"IwasallreadyforMonsieurCaratal’sreceptioninLiverpool,andIwasthemoreeagerbecauseIhadreasontobelievethathehadmadearrangementsbywhichhewouldhaveaconsiderableguardfromthemomentthathearrivedinLondon.AnythingwhichwastobedonemustbedonebetweenthemomentofhissettingfootupontheLiverpoolquayandthatofhisarrivalattheLondonandWestCoastterminusinLondon.Wepreparedsixplans,eachmoreelaboratethanthelast;whichplanwouldbeusedwoulddependuponhisownmovements.Dowhathewould,wewerereadyforhim.IfhehadstayedinLiverpool,wewereready.Ifhetookanordinarytrain,anexpress,oraspecial,allwasready.Everythinghadbeenforeseenandprovidedfor.
