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"shisvalet,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-herladyship"smaid,sir-tobreakthenewstoherladyship."
"Youhaven"tseenyourmistressatallthisevening?"
ColonelMelroseputthequestioncasuallyenough,butMrSatterthwaite"skeenearscaughtanxietybehindthewords.
"Nottospeakto,sir.Herladyshiphasremainedinherownapartmentssincethetragedy."
"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."
"Thenthatletshimout,"saidthechiefconstableatrifleregretfully."Besides,there"snomotive."
Theylookedateachother.
Therewasatapatthedoor.
"Comein,"saidthecolonel.
Ascared-lookinglady"smaidappeared.
"Ifyouplease,herladyshiphasheardthatColonelMelroseishereandshewouldliketoseehim."
"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-colouredcushion,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."