Gideon and the Chestnut Seller

after John Creasy

Old Ben Fairley had sold roasted chestnuts for more winters than he could remember. As a matter of fact, he remembered very little of his seventy-odd years, for he had always lived almost entirely in the present, whether it was good or bad. Each summer he went out on the road, calling on those farms where he could find temporary work. Each winter he came 'home', to the rooming house near London's Covent Garden, where he stored his barrow and brazier, bought his chestnuts at wholesale, and roasted them.

Old Ben's pitch was near Leicester Square.

Many people knew him, passing his barrow with a smile or a nod, sometimes pausing to hand him a shilling, usually 'forgetting' to take their bag of chestnuts. Some, on the other hand, liked chestnuts, eating them just in the street.

Among these was George Gideon, Commander of the Criminal Investigation Department of New Scotland Yard. From time to time he strolled round the square mile which included all Soho as well as Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square. The sight of his massive figure, his square chin, his broad forehead, was familiar to newsdealers and taxi drivers, pavement artists and policemen. On cold nights he often stopped at old Ben's barrow, paid his shillings, took off a soft nut, and ate it hot and whole. Gideon stayed for a few moments talking to old Ben.

One night, only a half an hour he had left the chestnut seller, a taxi drew up close to old Ben's barrow. Ben watched first one then two, three, four youths scramble out, and he sensed some kind of trouble. Almost at once another taxi appeared at the far end of the street. This time Ben was too busy to count how many men got out; he grabbed the handles of his barrow and started to move off.

He did not get far.

Suddenly one of the youths pushed him aside, another began to take the chestnuts out of the basket. Angry now, as much as frightened, old Ben shouted a protest.

More youths rushed up, and the two groups began fighting. In the struggle someone tipped the brazier over. As Ben ran forward to save his chestnuts, red-hot coals stroke against his outstretched hands.

He screamed with pain.

A police whistle was heard.

In five minutes old Ben Fairley, groaning and half conscious, was being carried to the hospital. The two gangs had disappeared.

Gideon heard of this at about half-past ten the next morning. It was mentioned by Superintendent Lloyd who was in charge of the police attempt to curtail the activities of the teen-age gangs in Soho.

– I could understand if they had a purpose, Lloyd was saying. But they fight just for the sake of fighting.

– Did you catch any of them? Gideon asked.

– No. They were gone before our chaps arrived. An old chestnut seller was badly burned when they knocked over his brazier.

– Chestnut seller? Where was his pitch?

- Just past the National Gallery, near Leicester Square, Lloyd answered.

Gideon pressed a bell on his desk and when his assistant came in he said,

– A chestnut seller was burned last night near Leicester Square. Find out what his name was, where he is, and how he's doing.

– Do you know him? asked Lloyd.

- If it's the man I think it is, I've known him for thirty years. Have you put in your report yet?

– It's being typed out now.

– I want to get a copy, said Gideon.

Very soon he learned that it was indeed Ben Fairley, that old Ben was comfortable, but that for a man of his age the shock might have grave consequences.

Then Gideon studied the report and went to have a word with old Ben at the Charing Cross Hospital. He had never seen the man washed and shaved before. Both of Ben's hands were bandaged, and he looked tired and worn; but his eyes were bright in his lined face, and his frail voice held a note of anger.

– Just rushed at me, and I'd never done them any harm. Never even seen them before in my life!

– We'll get them, Ben, said Gideon. Tell me a little more.

– There's nothing more to tell. One gang came up in a taxi and the other gang came up in another.

– How did you burn your hands?

– Trying to save my chestnuts, of course. They were my capital, Mr. Gideon.

– Now, Ben, what happened after that? The report says there were no chestnuts left in the basket.

– They grabbed them.

– How many chestnuts did you have?

– About five pounds, I think. That would be including those the young lady gave me. But...

– Young lady? interrupted Gideon. What young lady? And when did she give you the chestnuts?

– Yesterday afternoon. She came out of one of those new apartment houses at the back of Oxford Street. I've seen her several times before.

– Now, Ben, think hard. Are you quite sure about all this?

– Of course, I'm sure! cried Ben. She has long blond hair hanging down her back. Funny thing, life, ain't it, Mr. Gideon? In the afternoon someone gives me chestnuts -in the evening someone pinches them, and my own with them.

Gideon got to his feet.

– Yes, it's a funny life, Ben. But take it easy. When you're well, you'll get all you need to start up in business again.

Leaving the hospital Gideon hurried back to New Scotland Yard, and as soon as he reached his office he sent for Superintendent Lloyd.

– Any lead on those lads in the fight last night? Gideon asked.

– No, Commander. Two of our chaps saw them, but they weren't the usual Soho troublemakers.

– Find out if Dicey Gamble still lives in one of the new apartment houses behind Oxford Street, said Gideon. And find out what colour his wife's hair is.

– Dicey? I saw him only last week, and he's still living in that flat. His wife's a blonde. What's on your mind about Dicey?

Dicey Gamble was the leader of a small group of raiders who specialized in robbing jewellery shops.

- Find out if any of his fellows bought any chestnuts recently. If necessary, check every grocer in the district, said Gideon. Get a move on, there's no time to lose.

Lloyd hurried out and within an hour he was on the telephone to Gideon.

– You were right, sir! One of Dicey's boys bought two pounds of chestnuts yesterday morning.

- Good! Get all the help you need and raid Dicey's apartment now. Phone me and let me know what happens.

At seven o'clock that evening the police arrived at Dicey Gamble's apartment. Panic showed in Dicey's eyes when the policemen appeared at his door, but the panic was quickly veiled.

– I've got nothing here, Super, he said. You can search the place, but you won't find anything.

- Lloyd walked through the apartment to the kitchen. The table was covered with a sheet of newspaper, and on the newspaper was a pile of chestnuts. Dicey had obviously been in the process of cutting each nut in two – several had already been halved.

In eight of the halves, buried inside the hard nuts, were diamonds.

– There's nothing new in this game, Gideon explained to Lloyd. I once knew a thief who split a hazelnut in two, put a diamond inside, and stuck the shell together. The gangs that attacked old Ben weren't in it for the sheer fun – so they were in it for the chestnuts. Add to that the fact that old Ben was given chestnuts by a woman who lived in the same house as one of our cleverest jewel thieves, and it all started to make sense.

– I'll say it made sense, agreed Lloyd. Dicey and his gang had these hot diamonds and hid them in the chestnuts. One of the boys brought them at Dicey's flat on instructions. But Dicey was out, and as neither he nor his wife eat chestnuts, his wife gave them to old Ben.

Later that day, as he sat with old Ben at the Charing Cross Hospital, Gideon finished the story.

– As soon as Dicey discovered what his wife had done, he got his gang together for a raid for your barrow to get back the chestnuts – but another gang learned what had happened and reached you first. Dicey's gang caught up with them. Simple, Ben, wasn't it?

Old Ben gave a pleased smile. Perhaps when he next roasted chestnuts he would dream of a fortune in diamonds.

§ Suggested activities

a Choose the correct answers:

b Say if you agree or disagree and support your point of view:

1 Old Ben picked chestnuts, roasted and sold them.

2 Though Gideon liked chestnuts he never ate them in the street.

3 Gideon's massive figure was familiar to newsdealers and taxi drivers, pavement artist and policemen.

4 Old Ben rushed to save his chestnuts but fell down and broke his arm.

5 When the police arrived the two opposing gangs had already disappeared.

6 The report said that there were only a few chestnuts left in the basket.

7 Old Ben told Gideon that an old lady with grey hair had given him the bag of chestnuts.

8 When Lloyd arrived at Dicey's apartment Dicey was reading a newspaper.

с Write down the names of London streets, squares, areas, theatres etc. mentioned in the text. Say what you know about each of them.

d Answer the following questions:

1 What kind of man was Old Ben Fairley?

2 What was your impression of the Commander of the Criminal Investigation Departmen?

3 Why do you think Dicey had not told his wife about the chestnuts?

4 Did this fact become fatal for Dicey?

e Translate the following sentences using these verbs: to hand, to sense, to shout, to scream, to put in, to check, to search, to reach:

Многие останавливались, чтобы дать ему шиллинг.

Бен почувствовал тревогу.

Бен закричал в знак протеста.

Он закричал от боли.

Вы уже составили отчет?

Проверьте каждого бакалейщика в районе.

Можете обыскать всю квартиру, но вы ничего не найдете.

Другая банда добралась до вас первой.

f Translate the following sentences using these adjectives and nouns: odd, wholesale, lined, funny, troublemaker, mind, move, sense.

Бен мало что помнил из своих семидесяти с лишним лет.

Старый Бен оптом покупал каштаны и жарил их.

Глаза ярко сияли на его изборожденном морщинами лице.

Жизнь – забавная штука.

Они – не обычные возмутители спокойствия.

Какие у вас соображения насчет Дайси?

Поторопитесь, нельзя терять времени.

Все это начало приобретать смысл.

g Think and answer:

1 Imagine that you are old Ben. One day you find a diamond in one of the chestnuts. What would you do then?

2 Suppose that Gideon buys some chestnuts and finds a diamond in one of them. What would his actions be in this case?

3 Imagine that you are Dicey Gamble. Where in your flat would you hide the hot diamonds?

h Write down all the facts related to this crime, in chronological order. Here is an example:

• Dicey and his gang steal some diamonds.