Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 23

Theweaponlayonthefloor-abronzefigureabouttwofeethigh,thebaseofitstainedandwet.MrSatterthwaitebentoveritcuriously.

"AVenus,"hesaidsoftly."Sohewa.s.struckdownbyVenus."

Hefoundfoodforpoeticmeditationinthethought.

"Thewindows,"saidtheinspector,"wereallclosedandboltedontheinside."

Hepausedsignificantly.

"Makinganinsidejobofit,"saidthechiefconstablereluctantly."Well-well,we'llsee."

Themurderedmanwasdressedingolfclothes,andabagofgolfclubshadbeenflunguntidilyacrossabigleathercouch.

"Justcomeinfromthelinks,"explainedtheinspector,followingthechiefconstable'sglance."Atfive-fifteen,thatwas.Hadteabroughtherebythebutler.Laterherangforhisvalettobringhimdownapairofsoftslippers.Asfaraswecantell,thevaletwasthelastpersontoseehimalive."

Melrosenodded,andturnedhisattentiononcemoretothewriting-table.

Agoodmanyoftheornamentshadbeenoverturnedandbroken.Prominentamongthesewasabigdarkenamelclock,whichlayonitssideintheverycentreofthetable.

Theinspectorclearedhisthroat.

"That'swhatyoumightcallapieceofluck,sir,"hesaid."Asyousee,it'sstopped.Athalfpastsix.Thatgivesusthetimeofthecrime.Veryconvenient."

TheColonelwa.s.staringattheclock.

"Asyousay,"heremarked."Veryconvenient."Hepausedaminute,andthenadded,"Tood.a.m.nedconvenient!Idon'tlikeit,Inspector."

Helookedaroundattheothertwo.HiseyesoughtMrQuin'swithalookofappealinit.

"d.a.m.nitall,"hesaid."It'stooneat.YouknowwhatImean.Thingsdon'thappenlikethat."

"Youmean,"murmuredMrQuin,"thatclocksdon'tfalllikethat?"

Melrosestaredathimforamoment,thenbackattheclock,whichhadthatpatheticandinnocentlookfamiliartoobjectswhichhavebeensuddenlybereftoftheirdignity.VerycarefullyColonelMelrosereplaceditonitslegsagain.Hestruckthetableaviolentblow.Theclockrocked,but.i.tdidnotfall.Melroserepeatedtheaction,andveryslowly,withakindofunwillingness,theclockfelloveronitsback.

"Whattimewasthecrimediscovered?"demandedMelrosesharply.

"Justaboutseveno'clock,sir."

"Whodiscoveredit?"

"Thebutler."

"Fetchhimin,"saidthechiefconstable."I'llseehimnow.WhereisLadyDwighton,bytheway?"

"Lyingdown,sir.Hermaidsaysthatshe'sprostratedandcan'tseeanyone."

Melrosenodded,andInspectorCurtiswentinsearchofthebutler.MrQuinwaslookingthoughtfullyintothefireplace.MrSatterthwaitefollowedhis.e.xample.Heblinkedatthesmoulderinglogsforaminuteortwo,andthensomethingbrightlyinginthegratecaughthiseye.Hestoopedandpickedupalittlesliverofcurvedgla.s.s.

"Youwantedme,sir?"

Itwasthebutler'svoice,stillquaveringanduncertain.MrSatterthwaiteslippedthefragmentofgla.s.sintohiswaistcoatpocketandturnedround.

Theoldmanwa.s.standinginthedoorway.

"Sitdown,"saidthechiefconstablekindly."You'reshakingallover.It'sbeenashocktoyou,Iexpect."

"Ithasindeed,sir."

"WellIshan'tkeepyoulong.Yourmastercameinjustafterfive,Ibelieve?"

"Yes,sir.Heorderedteatobebroughttohimhere.Afterward,whenIcametotakeitaway,heaskedforJenningstobesenttohim-that's.h.i.+svalet,sir."

"Whattimewasthat?"

"Abouttenminutespastsix,sir."

"Yes-well?"

"IsentwordtoJennings,sir.Anditwasn'ttillIcameinheretoshutthewindowsanddrawthecurtainsatseveno'clockthatIsaw-"

Melrosecuthimshort."Yes,yes,youneedn'tgointoallthat.Youdidn'ttouchthebody,ordisturbanything,didyou?"

"Oh!Noindeed,sir!IwentasfastasIcouldgotothetelephonetoringupthepolice."

"Andthen?"

"ItoldJanet-herladys.h.i.+p'smaid,sir-tobreakthenewstoherladys.h.i.+p."

"Youhaven'tseenyourmistressatallthisevening?"

ColonelMelroseputthequestioncasuallyenough,butMrSatterthwaite'skeenearscaughtanxietybehindthewords.

"Nottospeakto,sir.Herladys.h.i.+phasremainedinherownapartmentssincethetragedy."

"Didyouseeherbefore?"

Thequestioncamesharply,andeveryoneintheroomnotedthehesitationbeforethebutlerreplied.

"I-Ijustcaughtaglimpseofher,sir,descendingthestaircase."

"Didshecomeinhere?"

MrSatterthwaiteheldhisbreath.

"I-Ithinkso,sir."

"Whattimewasthat?"

Youmighthaveheardapindrop.Didtheoldmanknow,MrSatterthwaitewondered,whathungonhisanswer?

"Itwasjustuponhalfpastsix,sir."

ColonelMelrosedrewadeepbreath."Thatwilldo,thankyou.JustsendJennings,thevalet,tome,w.i.l.l.you?"

Jenningsansweredthesummonswithprompt.i.tude.Anarrow-facedmanwithacatliketread.Somethingslyandsecretiveabouthim.

Aman,thoughtMrSatterthwaite,whowouldeasilymurderhismasterifhecouldbesureofnotbeingfoundout.

Helistenedeagerlytotheman'sanswerstoColonelMelrose'squestions.Buthisstoryseemedstraightforwardenough.Hehadbroughthismasterdownsomesofthideslippersandremovedthebrogues.

"Whatdidyoudoafterthat,Jennings?"

"Iwentbacktothestewards'room,sir."

"Atwhattimedidyouleaveyourmaster?"

"Itmusthavebeenjustafteraquarterpastsix,sir."

"Wherewereyouathalfpastsix,Jennings?"

"Inthestewards'room,sir."

ColonelMelrosedismissedthemanwithanod.HelookedacrossatCurtisinquiringly.

"Quitecorrect,sir,Icheckedthatup.Hewasinthestewards'roomfromaboutsix-twentyuntilseveno'clock."

"Thenthatlets.h.i.+mout,"saidthechiefconstableatrifleregretfully."Besides,there'snomotive."

Theylookedateachother.

Therewasatapatthedoor.

"Comein,"saidthecolonel.

Ascared-lookinglady'smaidappeared.

"Ifyouplease,herladys.h.i.+phasheardthatColonelMelroseishereandshewouldliketoseehim."

"Certainly,"saidMelrose."I'llcomeatonce.w.i.l.l.youshowmetheway?"

Butahandpushedthegirlaside.Averydifferentfigurenowstoodinthedoorway.LauraDwightonlookedlikeavisitorfromanotherworld.

Shewasdressedinaclingingmedievalteagownofdull-bluebrocade.Herauburnhairwaspartedinthemiddleandbroughtdownoverherears.Consciousofthefactshehadastyleofherown,LadyDwightonhadneverhadherhaircut.Itwasdrawnbackintoasimpleknotonthenapeofherneck.Herarmswerebare.

Oneofthemwasoutstretchedtosteadyherself.a.gainsttheframeofthedoorway,theotherhungdownbyherside,claspingabook.Shelooks,MrSatterthwaitethought,likeaMadonnafromanearlyItaliancanvas.

Shestoodthere,swayingslightlyfromsidetoside.ColonelMelrosesprangtowardher.

"I'vecometotellyou-totellyou-"

Hervoicewaslowandrich.MrSatterthwaitewa.s.soentrancedwiththedramaticvalueofthescenethathehadforgottenitsreality.

"Please,LadyDwighton-"Melrosehadanarmroundher,supportingher.Hetookheracrossthehallintoasmallanteroom,itswallshungwithfadedsilk.QuinandSatterthwaitefollowed.Shesankdownonthelowsettee,herheadrestingbackonarust-colouredcus.h.i.+on,hereyelidsclosed.Thethreemenwatchedher.Suddenlysheopenedhereyesandsatup.Shespokeveryquietly.

"Ikilledhim,"shesaid."That'swhatIcametotellyou.Ikilledhim!"

Therewasamoment'sagonizedsilence.MrSatterthwaite'sheartmissedabeat.

"LadyDwighton,"saidMelrose."You'vehadagreatshock-you'reunstrung.Idon'tthinkyouquiteknowwhatyou'resaying."

Wouldshedrawbacknow-whiletherewasyettime?

"IknowperfectlywhatI'msaying.ItwasIwhoshothim."

Twoofthemenintheroomgasped,theothermadenosound.LauraDwightonleanedstillfartherforward.

"Don'tyouunderstand?Icamedownandshothim.Iadmit.i.t."

Thebookshehadbeenholdinginherhandclatteredtothefloor.Therewasapapercutterinit,athingshapedlikeadaggerwithajewelledhilt.MrSatterthwaitepickeditupmechanicallyandplaceditonthetable.Ashedidsohethought,That'sadangeroustoy.Youcouldkillamanwiththat.

"Well-"LauraDwighton'svoicewasimpatient-"whatareyougoingtodoabout.i.t?Arrestme?Takemeaway?"

ColonelMelrosefoundhisvoicewithdifficulty.

"Whatyouhavetoldmeisveryserious,LadyDwighton.ImustaskyoutogotoyourroomtillIhave-er-madearrangements."

Shenoddedandrosetoherfeet.Shewasquitecomposednow,graveandcold.

a.s.sheturnedtowardthedoor,MrQuinspoke.

"Whatdidyoudowiththerevolver,LadyDwighton?"

Aflickerofuncertaintypa.s.sedacrossherface."I-Idroppeditthereonthefloor.No,IthinkIthrewitoutofthewindow-oh!Ican'tremembernow.Whatdoesitmatter?IhardlyknewwhatIwasdoing.Itdoesn'tmatter,doesit?"

"No,"saidMrQuin."Ihardlythinkitmatters."

Shelookedathiminperplexitywithashadeofsomethingthatmighthavebeenalarm.Thensheflungbackherheadandwentimperiouslyoutoftheroom.MrSatterthwaitehastenedafterher.Shemight,hefelt,collapseatanyminute.Butshewasalreadyhalfwayupthestaircase,displayingnosignofherearlierweakness.Thescared-lookingmaidwa.s.standingatthefootofthestairway,andMrSatterthwaitespoketoherauthoritatively.

"Lookafteryourmistress,"hesaid.

"Yes,sir."Thegirlpreparedtoascendaftertheblue-robedfigure."Oh,please,sir,theydon'tsuspecthim,dothey?"

"Suspectwhom?"

"Jennings,sir.Oh!Indeed,sir,hewouldn'thurtafly."

"Jennings?No,ofcoursenot.Goandlookafteryourmistress."