街の探偵The Town Detective

About this story

A detective and his friend investigate a rhythmic clicking sound from the ceiling, suspecting a hidden gas device.

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「「シュピオ」傑作選　幻の探偵雑誌3」ミステリー文学資料館・編、光文社文庫、光文社
2000（平成12）年5月20日初版1刷発行

Typed in by 網迫、土屋隆. Proofread by 門田裕志.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator and detective Homura hear a rhythmic sound from the ceiling, which Homura identifies as a Kipp's apparatus generating hydrogen. He suddenly smashes a window and forces the narrator to flee outside, seconds before their office explodes. Homura explains it was a bomb triggered by a phone call.

Seven researchers are found dead from phosgene gas poisoning in a laboratory. One survives and provides a timeline. Homura investigates and discovers that the heavy phosgene gas flowed from a shed on the roof through an air vent into the warm laboratory, aided by the temperature difference.

Key vocabulary

キップの装置そうち	Kipp's apparatus (a device for generating hydrogen gas)
ホスゲン	phosgene (a toxic gas)
稀硫酸きりゅうさん	dilute sulfuric acid
瀉血しゃけつ	bloodletting, phlebotomy
無我夢中むがむちゅう	desperately, frantically

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～じゃないか N4Adds emphasis or assumes the listener agrees, often used for rhetorical questions or confirming something.

  『鼠ねずみが居いるのじゃないか』

• ～んだからね N2Used to state a reason or excuse, often with a tone of justification.

  『敵てきは君きみがいることを、電話でんわでたしかめようとしていたんだからね』

• ～ようにしないと N3Indicates necessity: 'if you don't do ~, then...'

  『すぐさま逃にげだすようにしないと、君きみの生命せいめいは危いぜ』

• ～かね N2Used to ask a question in a rather abrupt or masculine way, often implying the speaker is thinking aloud.

  『あの爆発ばくはつは、どんな仕掛しかけだったのかね』

• ～てみろ N4Imperative form of ～てみる; 'try doing ~' (rude/casual command).

  『君きみが電話でんわへ出でてみろ』

Cultural notes

• Kipp's ApparatusA classic laboratory device for generating hydrogen gas by reacting zinc with dilute sulfuric acid. It was commonly used in early 20th century chemistry.
• Phosgene Gas in WWIIPhosgene was a deadly chemical weapon used in World War I. Its presence in a laboratory story reflects the pre-WWII era when chemical warfare research was ongoing.
• Japanese Detective FictionThis story is from the 'Modan gaar' (Modern Girl) era of Japanese literature, featuring a detective duo reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

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