Chapter VI
Suspicions
The first to get full self-command was Miss Trelawny. There was ahaughty dignity in her bearing as she said:
"Very well, Mrs. Grant; let them go! Pay them up to today, and amonth's wages. They have hitherto been very good servants; and theoccasion of their leaving is not an ordinary one. We must not expectmuch faithfulness from any one who is beset with fears. Those whoremain are to have in future double wages; and please send these to mepresently when I send word." Mrs. Grant bristled with smotheredindignation; all the housekeeper in her was outraged by such generoustreatment of servants who had combined to give notice:
"They don't deserve it, miss; them to go on so, after the way they havebeen treated here. Never in my life have I seen servants so welltreated or anyone so good to them and gracious to them as you havebeen. They might be in the household of a King for treatment. And now,just as there is trouble, to go and act like this. It's abominable,that's what it is!"
Miss Trelawny was very gentle with her, and smothered her ruffleddignity; so that presently she went away with, in her manner, a lessermeasure of hostility to the undeserving. In quite a different frame ofmind she returned presently to ask if her mistress would like her toengage a full staff of other servants, or at any rate try to do so."For you know, ma'am," she went on, "when once a scare has beenestablished in the servants' hall, it's wellnigh impossible to get ridof it. Servants may come; but they go away just as quick. There's noholding them. They simply won't stay; or even if they work out theirmonth's notice, they lead you that life that you wish every hour of theday that you hadn't kept them. The women are bad enough, the huzzies;but the men are worse!" There was neither anxiety nor indignation inMiss Trelawny's voice or manner as she said:
"I think, Mrs. Grant, we had better try to do with those we have.Whilst my dear Father is ill we shall not be having any company, sothat there will be only three now in the house to attend to. If thoseservants who are willing to stay are not enough, I should only getsufficient to help them to do the work. It will not, I should think,be difficult to get a few maids; perhaps some that you know already.And please bear in mind, that those whom you get, and who are suitableand will stay, are henceforth to have the same wages as those who areremaining. Of course, Mrs. Grant, you well enough understand thatthough I do not group you in any way with the servants, the rule ofdouble salary applies to you too." As she spoke she extended her long,fine-shaped hand, which the other took and then, raising it to herlips, kissed it impressively with the freedom of an elder woman to ayounger. I could not but admire the generosity of her treatment of herservants. In my mind I endorsed Mrs. Grant's sotto voce remark as sheleft the room:
"No wonder the house is like a King's house, when the mistress is aPrincess!"
"A Princess!" That was it. The idea seemed to satisfy my mind, and tobring back in a wave of light the first moment when she swept across myvision at the ball in Belgrave Square. A queenly figure! tall andslim, bending, swaying, undulating as the lily or the lotos. Clad in aflowing gown of some filmy black material shot with gold. For ornamentin her hair she wore an old Egyptian jewel, a tiny crystal disk, setbetween rising plumes carved in lapis lazuli. On her wrist was a broadbangle or bracelet of antique work, in the shape of a pair of spreadingwings wrought in gold, with the feathers made of coloured gems. Forall her gracious bearing toward me, when our hostess introduced me, Iwas then afraid of her. It was only when later, at the picnic on theriver, I had come to realise her sweet and gentle, that my awe changedto something else.
For a while she sat, making some notes or memoranda. Then putting themaway, she sent for the faithful servants. I thought that she hadbetter have this interview alone, and so left her. When I came backthere were traces of tears in her eyes.
The next phase in which I had a part was even more disturbing, andinfinitely more painful. Late in the afternoon Sergeant Daw came intothe study where I was sitting. After closing the door carefully andlooking all round the room to make certain that we were alone, he cameclose to me.
"What is it?" I asked him. "I see you wish to speak to me privately."
"Quite so, sir! May I speak in absolute confidence?"
"Of course you may. In anything that is for the good of MissTrelawny--and of course Mr. Trelawny--you may be perfectly frank. Itake it that we both want to serve them to the best of our powers." Hehesitated before replying:
"Of course you know that I have my duty to do; and I think you know mewell enough to know that I will do it. I am a policeman--a detective;and it is my duty to find out the facts of any case I am put on,without fear or favour to anyone. I would rather speak to you alone,in confidence if I may, without reference to any duty of anyone toanyone, except mine to Scotland Yard."
"Of course! of course!" I answered mechanically, my heart sinking, Idid not know why. "Be quite frank with me. I assure you of myconfidence."
"Thank you, sir. I take it that what I say is not to pass beyondyou--not to anyone. Not to Miss Trelawny herself, or even to Mr.Trelawny when he becomes well again."
"Certainly, if you make it a condition!" I said a little more stiffly.The man recognised the change in my voice or manner, and saidapologetically:
"Excuse me, sir, but I am going outside my duty in speaking to you atall on the subject. I know you, however, of old; and I feel that I cantrust you. Not your word, sir, that is all right; but your discretion!"
I bowed. "Go on!" I said. He began at once:
"I have gone over this case, sir, till my brain begins to reel; but Ican't find any ordinary solution of it. At the time of each attempt noone has seemingly come into the house; and certainly no one has gotout. What does it strike you is the inference?"
"That the somebody--or the something--was in the house already," Ianswered, smiling in spite of myself.
"That's just what I think," he said, with a manifest sigh of relief."Very well! Who can be that someone?"
"'Someone, or something,' was what I said," I answered.
"Let us make it 'someone,' Mr. Ross! That cat, though he might havescratched or bit, never pulled the old gentleman out of bed, and triedto get the bangle with the key off his arm. Such things are all verywell in books where your amateur detectives, who know everything beforeit's done, can fit them into theories; but in Scotland Yard, where themen aren't all idiots either, we generally find that when crime isdone, or attempted, it's people, not things, that are at the bottom ofit."
"Then make it 'people' by all means, Sergeant."
"We were speaking of 'someone,' sir."
"Quite right. Someone, be it!"
"Did it ever strike you, sir, that on each of the three separateoccasions where outrage was effected, or attempted, there was oneperson who was the first to be present and to give the alarm?"
"Let me see! Miss Trelawny, I believe, gave the alarm on the firstoccasion. I was present myself, if fast asleep, on the second; and sowas Nurse Kennedy. When I woke there were several people in the room;you were one of them. I understand that on that occasion also MissTrelawny was before you. At the last attempt I was Miss Trelawnyfainted. I carried her out and went back. In returning, I was first;and I think you were close behind me."
Sergeant Daw thought for a moment before replying:
"She was present, or first, in the room on all the occasions; there wasonly damage done in the first and second!"
The inference was one which I, as a lawyer, could not mistake. Ithought the best thing to do was to meet it half-way. I have alwaysfound that the best way to encounter an inference is to cause it to beturned into a statement.
"You mean," I said, "that as on the only occasions when actual harm wasdone, Miss Trelawny's being the first to discover it is a proof thatshe did it; or was in some way connected with the attempt, as well asthe discovery?"
"I didn't venture to put it as clear as that; but that is where thedoubt which I had leads." Sergeant Daw was a man of
courage; heevidently did not shrink from any conclusion of his reasoning on facts.
We were both silent for a while. Fears began crowding in on my ownmind. Not doubts of Miss Trelawny, or of any act of hers; but fearslest such acts should be misunderstood. There was evidently a mysterysomewhere; and if no solution to it could be found, the doubt would becast on someone. In such cases the guesses of the majority are boundto follow the line of least resistance; and if it could be proved thatany personal gain to anyone could follow Mr. Trelawny's death, shouldsuch ensue, it might prove a difficult task for anyone to proveinnocence in the face of suspicious facts. I found myselfinstinctively taking that deferential course which, until the plan ofbattle of the prosecution is unfolded, is so safe an attitude for thedefence. It would never do for me, at this stage, to combat anytheories which a detective might form. I could best help Miss Trelawnyby listening and understanding. When the time should come for thedissipation and obliteration of the theories, I should be quite willingto use all my militant ardour, and all the weapons at my command.
"You will of course do your duty, I know," I said, "and without fear.What course do you intend to take?"
"I don't know as yet, sir. You see, up to now it isn't with me even asuspicion. If any one else told me that that sweet young lady had ahand in such a matter, I would think him a fool; but I am bound tofollow my own conclusions. I know well that just as unlikely personshave been proved guilty, when a whole court--all except the prosecutionwho knew the facts, and the judge who had taught his mind towait--would have sworn to innocence. I wouldn't, for all the world,wrong such a young lady; more especial when she has such a cruel weightto bear. And you will be sure that I won't say a word that'll promptanyone else to make such a charge. That's why I speak to you inconfidence, man to man. You are skilled in proofs; that is yourprofession. Mine only gets so far as suspicions, and what we call ourown proofs--which are nothing but ex parte evidence after all. Youknow Miss Trelawny better than I do; and though I watch round thesick-room, and go where I like about the house and in and out of it, Ihaven't the same opportunities as you have of knowing the lady and whather life is, or her means are; or of anything else which might give mea clue to her actions. If I were to try to find out from her, it wouldat once arouse her suspicions. Then, if she were guilty, allpossibility of ultimate proof would go; for she would easily find a wayto baffle discovery. But if she be innocent, as I hope she is, itwould be doing a cruel wrong to accuse her. I have thought the matterover according to my lights before I spoke to you; and if I have takena liberty, sir, I am truly sorry."
"No liberty in the world, Daw," I said warmly, for the man's courageand honesty and consideration compelled respect. "I am glad you havespoken to me so frankly. We both want to find out the truth; and thereis so much about this case that is strange--so strange as to go beyondall experiences--that to aim at truth is our only chance of makinganything clear in the long-run--no matter what our views are, or whatobject we wish to achieve ultimately!" The Sergeant looked pleased ashe went on:
"I thought, therefore, that if you had it once in your mind thatsomebody else held to such a possibility, you would by degrees getproof; or at any rate such ideas as would convince yourself, either foror against it. Then we would come to some conclusion; or at any ratewe should so exhaust all other possibilities that the most likely onewould remain as the nearest thing to proof, or strong suspicion, thatwe could get. After that we should have to--"
Just at this moment the door opened and Miss Trelawny entered the room.The moment she saw us she drew back quickly, saying:
"Oh, I beg pardon! I did not know you were here, and engaged." By thetime I had stood up, she was about to go back.
"Do come in," I said; "Sergeant Daw and I were only talking mattersover."
Whilst she was hesitating, Mrs. Grant appeared, saying as she enteredthe room: "Doctor Winchester is come, miss, and is asking for you."
I obeyed Miss Trelawny's look; together we left the room.
When the Doctor had made his examination, he told us that there wasseemingly no change. He added that nevertheless he would like to stayin the house that night is he might. Miss Trelawny looked glad, andsent word to Mrs. Grant to get a room ready for him. Later in the day,when he and I happened to be alone together, he said suddenly:
"I have arranged to stay here tonight because I want to have a talkwith you. And as I wish it to be quite private, I thought the leastsuspicious way would be to have a cigar together late in the eveningwhen Miss Trelawny is watching her father." We still kept to ourarrangement that either the sick man's daughter or I should be on watchall night. We were to share the duty at the early hours of themorning. I was anxious about this, for I knew from our conversationthat the Detective would watch in secret himself, and would beparticularly alert about that time.
The day passed uneventfully. Miss Trelawny slept in the afternoon; andafter dinner went to relieve the Nurse. Mrs. Grant remained with her,Sergeant Daw being on duty in the corridor. Doctor Winchester and Itook our coffee in the library. When we had lit our cigars he saidquietly:
"Now that we are alone I want to have a confidential talk. We are'tiled,' of course; for the present at all events?"
"Quite so!" I said, my heart sinking as I thought of my conversationwith Sergeant Daw in the morning, and of the disturbing and harrowingfears which it had left in my mind. He went on:
"This case is enough to try the sanity of all of us concerned in it.The more I think of it, the madder I seem to get; and the two lines,each continually strengthened, seem to pull harder in oppositedirections."
"What two lines?" He looked at me keenly for a moment before replying.Doctor Winchester's look at such moments was apt to be disconcerting.It would have been so to me had I had a personal part, other than myinterest in Miss Trelawny, in the matter. As it was, however, I stoodit unruffled. I was now an attorney in the case; an amicus curiae inone sense, in another retained for the defence. The mere thought thatin this clever man's mind were two lines, equally strong and opposite,was in itself so consoling as to neutralise my anxiety as to a newattack. As he began to speak, the Doctor's face wore an inscrutablesmile; this, however, gave place to a stern gravity as he proceeded:
"Two lines: Fact and--Fancy! In the first there is this whole thing;attacks, attempts at robbery and murder; stupefyings; organisedcatalepsy which points to either criminal hypnotism and thoughtsuggestion, or some simple form of poisoning unclassified yet in ourtoxicology. In the other there is some influence at work which is notclassified in any book that I know--outside the pages of romance. Inever felt in my life so strongly the truth of Hamlet's words:
'There are more things in Heaven and earth... Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'
"Let us take the 'Fact' side first. Here we have a man in his home;amidst his own household; plenty of servants of different classes inthe house, which forbids the possibility of an organised attempt madefrom the servants" hall. He is wealthy, learned, clever. From hisphysiognomy there is no doubting that he is a man of iron will anddetermined purpose. His daughter--his only child, I take it, a younggirl bright and clever--is sleeping in the very next room to his.There is seemingly no possible reason for expecting any attack ordisturbance of any kind; and no reasonable opportunity for any outsiderto effect it. And yet we have an attack made; a brutal and remorselessattack, made in the middle of the night. Discovery is made quickly;made with that rapidity which in criminal cases generally is found tobe not accidental, but of premeditated intent. The attacker, orattackers, are manifestly disturbed before the completion of theirwork, whatever their ultimate intent may have been. And yet there isno possible sign of their escape; no clue, no disturbance of anything;no open door or window; no sound. Nothing whatever to show who haddone the deed, or even that a deed has been done; except the victim,and his surroundings incidental to the deed!
"The next night a similar attempt is made, though the ho
use is full ofwakeful people; and though there are on watch in the room and around ita detective officer, a trained nurse, an earnest friend, and the man'sown daughter. The nurse is thrown into a catalepsy, and the watchingfriend--though protected by a respirator--into a deep sleep. Even thedetective is so far overcome with some phase of stupor that he firesoff his pistol in the sick-room, and can't even tell what he thought hewas firing at. That respirator of yours is the only thing that seemsto have a bearing on the 'fact' side of the affair. That you did notlose your head as the others did--the effect in such case being inproportion to the amount of time each remained in the room--points tothe probability that the stupefying medium was not hypnotic, whateverelse it may have been. But again, there is a fact which iscontradictory. Miss Trelawny, who was in the room more than any ofyou--for she was in and out all the time and did her share of permanentwatching also--did not seem to be affected at all. This would showthat the influence, whatever it is, does not affect generally--unless,of course, it was that she was in some way inured to it. If it shouldturn out that it be some strange exhalation from some of those Egyptiancurios, that might account for it; only, we are then face to face withthe fact that Mr. Trelawny, who was most of all in the room--who, infact, lived more than half his life in it--was affected worst of all.What kind of influence could it be which would account for all thesedifferent and contradictory effects? No! the more I think of this formof the dilemma, the more I am bewildered! Why, even if it were thatthe attack, the physical attack, on Mr. Trelawny had been made by someone residing in the house and not within the sphere of suspicion, theoddness of the stupefyings would still remain a mystery. It is noteasy to put anyone into a catalepsy. Indeed, so far as is known yet inscience, there is no way to achieve such an object at will. The cruxof the whole matter is Miss Trelawny, who seems to be subject to noneof the influences, or possibly of the variants of the same influence atwork. Through all she goes unscathed, except for that one slightsemi-faint. It is most strange!"
I listened with a sinking heart; for, though his manner was notilluminative of distrust, his argument was disturbing. Although it wasnot so direct as the suspicion of the Detective, it seemed to singleout Miss Trelawny as different from all others concerned; and in amystery to be alone is to be suspected, ultimately if not immediately.I thought it better not to say anything. In such a case silence isindeed golden; and if I said nothing now I might have less to defend,or explain, or take back later. I was, therefore, secretly glad thathis form of putting his argument did not require any answer fromme--for the present, at all events. Doctor Winchester did not seem toexpect any answer--a fact which, when I recognised it, gave mypleasure, I hardly knew why. He paused for a while, sitting with hischin in his hand, his eyes staring at vacancy, whilst his brows werefixed. His cigar was held limp between his fingers; he had apparentlyforgotten it. In an even voice, as though commencing exactly where hehad left off, he resumed his argument:
"The other horn of the dilemma is a different affair altogether; and ifwe once enter on it we must leave everything in the shape of scienceand experience behind us. I confess that it has its fascinations forme; though at every new thought I find myself romancing in a way thatmakes me pull up suddenly and look facts resolutely in the face. Isometimes wonder whether the influence or emanation from the sick-roomat times affects me as it did the others--the Detective, for instance.Of course it may be that if it is anything chemical, any drug, forexample, in vaporeal form, its effects may be cumulative. But then,what could there be that could produce such an effect? The room is, Iknow, full of mummy smell; and no wonder, with so many relics from thetomb, let alone the actual mummy of that animal which Silvio attacked.By the way, I am going to test him tomorrow; I have been on the traceof a mummy cat, and am to get possession of it in the morning. When Ibring it here we shall find out if it be a fact that racial instinctcan survive a few thousand years in the grave. However, to get back tothe subject in hand. These very mummy smells arise from the presenceof substances, and combinations of substances, which the Egyptianpriests, who were the learned men and scientists of their time, foundby the experience of centuries to be strong enough to arrest thenatural forces of decay. There must be powerful agencies at work toeffect such a purpose; and it is possible that we may have here somerare substance or combination whose qualities and powers are notunderstood in this later and more prosaic age. I wonder if Mr.Trelawny has any knowledge, or even suspicion, of such a kind? I onlyknow this for certain, that a worse atmosphere for a sick chamber couldnot possibly be imagined; and I admire the courage of Sir James Frerein refusing to have anything to do with a case under such conditions.These instructions of Mr. Trelawny to his daughter, and from what youhave told me, the care with which he has protected his wishes throughhis solicitor, show that he suspected something, at any rate. Indeed,it would almost seem as if he expected something to happen.... I wonderif it would be possible to learn anything about that! Surely hispapers would show or suggest something.... It is a difficult matter totackle; but it might have to be done. His present condition cannot goon for ever; and if anything should happen there would have to be aninquest. In such case full examination would have to be made intoeverything.... As it stands, the police evidence would show a murderousattack more than once repeated. As no clue is apparent, it would benecessary to seek one in a motive."
He was silent. The last words seemed to come in a lower and lower toneas he went on. It had the effect of hopelessness. It came to me as aconviction that now was my time to find out if he had any definitesuspicion; and as if in obedience to some command, I asked:
"Do you suspect anyone?" He seemed in a way startled rather thansurprised as he turned his eyes on me:
"Suspect anyone? Any thing, you mean. I certainly suspect that thereis some influence; but at present my suspicion is held within suchlimit. Later on, if there be any sufficiently definite conclusion tomy reasoning, or my thinking--for there are not proper data forreasoning--I may suspect; at present however--"
He stopped suddenly and looked at the door. There was a faint sound asthe handle turned. My own heart seemed to stand still. There was overme some grim, vague apprehension. The interruption in the morning,when I was talking with the Detective, came back upon me with a rush.
The door opened, and Miss Trelawny entered the room.
When she saw us, she started back; and a deep flush swept her face.For a few seconds she paused; at such a time a few succeeding secondsseem to lengthen in geometrical progression. The strain upon me, and,as I could easily see, on the Doctor also, relaxed as she spoke:
"Oh, forgive me, I did not know that you were engaged. I was lookingfor you, Doctor Winchester, to ask you if I might go to bed tonightwith safety, as you will be here. I feel so tired and worn-out that Ifear I may break down; and tonight I would certainly not be of anyuse." Doctor Winchester answered heartily:
"Do! Do go to bed by all means, and get a good night's sleep. Godknows! you want it. I am more than glad you have made the suggestion,for I feared when I saw you tonight that I might have you on my hands apatient next."
She gave a sigh of relief, and the tired look seemed to melt from herface. Never shall I forget the deep, earnest look in her great,beautiful black eyes as she said to me:
"You will guard Father tonight, won't you, with Doctor Winchester? Iam so anxious about him that every second brings new fears. But I amreally worn-out; and if I don't get a good sleep, I think I shall gomad. I will change my room for tonight. I'm afraid that if I stay soclose to Father's room I shall multiply every sound into a new terror.But, of course, you will have me waked if there be any cause. I shallbe in the bedroom of the little suite next the boudoir off the hall. Ihad those rooms when first I came to live with Father, and I had nocare then.... It will be easier to rest there; and perhaps for a fewhours I may forget. I shall be all right in the morning. Good-night!"
When I had closed the door behind her and come bac
k to the little tableat which we had been sitting, Doctor Winchester said:
"That poor girl is overwrought to a terrible degree. I am delightedthat she is to get a rest. It will be life to her; and in the morningshe will be all right. Her nervous system is on the verge of abreakdown. Did you notice how fearfully disturbed she was, and how redshe got when she came in and found us talking? An ordinary thing likethat, in her own house with her own guests, wouldn't under normalcircumstances disturb her!"
I was about to tell him, as an explanation in her defence, how herentrance was a repetition of her finding the Detective and myself alonetogether earlier in the day, when I remembered that that conversationwas so private that even an allusion to it might be awkward in evokingcuriosity. So I remained silent.
We stood up to go to the sick-room; but as we took our way through thedimly-lighted corridor I could not help thinking, again and again, andagain--ay, and for many a day after--how strange it was that she hadinterrupted me on two such occasions when touching on such a theme.
There was certainly some strange web of accidents, in whose meshes wewere all involved.