CHAPTER XIV
It was nearly two o'clock that Saturday afternoon when FrancisEversleigh, supported by Gilbert and the doctor, left Silwood's chambersin Stone Buildings. He stopped on his way to his office, as has beensaid, to gratify the curiosity of some of his acquaintances; but he wasso weak and unsteady that the doctor soon forbade him, and rightly, toexert himself even to talk.
On the arrival of the little party at 176, New Square, they were met byErnest Eversleigh and Williamson the head-clerk, who were anxiouslyawaiting them, as a rumour had already reached them of the discovery ofthe body in Silwood's rooms; the report, however, had been so vague thatthey could not believe it. Williamson, in particular, was sceptical.
Ernest eagerly pressed his father and brother for information; thedoctor, however, would not allow Francis Eversleigh to speak, andGilbert said that he would presently tell them all, but that he mustfirst attend to his father, who was far from well.
"Just one word, Mr. Gilbert," said Williamson. "Is it true that the bodyof Mr. Morris Thornton was found in Mr. Silwood's sitting-room?--that isthe rumour."
"Yes, it is quite true."
Williamson, on hearing this, fell back, with a look of the profoundestastonishment on his face. Up to this time he had not believed it,because, if it were true, then the suspicions which he had for some timeentertained appeared to be more than confirmed, but he had not lookedfor so startling a confirmation.
"I was right," he told himself. "I wish I could get to the bottom ofit."
Francis Eversleigh meanwhile went up to his room on the second floor,and now the doctor insisted that he must remain quiet. Further, thedoctor said that he himself would go out to obtain some suitablenourishment for him. As he withdrew from the room, he beckoned toGilbert.
"Do not leave your father," he said to Gilbert, in the passage. "I amafraid he is ill--of what I cannot say, but it is easy to see that hisvitality is very low. Has he suffered from some severe illness--some badattack recently?"
"No. He has been ailing slightly for a few weeks past--that is all."
"He seems to me to be very much run down," the doctor went on. "You mustmake a point of getting him to see his own physician--the family doctor.In the mean time, I'll fetch him a strong pick-me-up and some light,nourishing food of which he stands much in need. After he has had it, heshould be taken home at once, and put to bed as soon as possible."
"Very well," agreed Gilbert; and the doctor went on his way down thestairs. Gilbert returned to his father's room.
Father and son, now left alone for the first time since the discovery ofMorris Thornton's body, looked at each other strangely. Gilbert's gazeseemed to ask the question, "What is the meaning of all this?" Hisfather understood him but darkly, for he was suffering from a frightfulobsession which numbed his brain. He was powerless to think coherently;all that he could fix his mind upon was merely what was nearest him, orwhat was immediately happening. It was this which explained his nextwords.
"What was the doctor saying to you, Gilbert?" he asked.
"Well, he said you were run down, and wanted bracing up," repliedGilbert.
"Was that it?"
"Yes; and I must say that it is not surprising you're ill, after twosuch shocks as you have received to-day."
Then there was silence between them. Strange thoughts, half-formedsuspicions crowded upon Gilbert in that pause. He glanced at his father,uncertain whether to speak to him or not.
"Father," he said at last, "I do not like to press the subject on youwhen you are so far from strong; but how do you account for MorrisThornton's body being found in Mr. Silwood's chambers--have you formedany theory?"
"I know no more about it than you," cried Francis Eversleigh, wildly;"and I do not know what to think.... I cannot think about it at all ...my brain refuses to act.... I have no idea ... it is all a terrible andhorrible mystery to me!"
And then he flung up his hands, as if he were throwing off some weightwhich oppressed him.
"Oh, it is dreadful, dreadful, dreadful!" he cried; then burst into apassion of sobs, the sound and sight of which moved and distressedGilbert exceedingly.
"Father! Father!" said the son, soothingly, in accents of deepestsympathy.
In a few moments Eversleigh grew calmer, and became a little more likehis usual self.
"There is just one thing I'd like to ask you, father," said Gilbert;"that is, if it is not too painful for you."
"What is it, my son?"
"You uttered one word in that room over there," returned Gilbert,nodding in the direction of Stone Buildings.
"What?"
"The one word was 'Murder!' Do you think Mr. Thornton was murdered?"
Francis Eversleigh stared about him with dilated eyes, as might somebeing who was persecuted and hunted.
"I don't know what to think," he said at length.
"But you did exclaim 'Murder!' That was the idea in your mind, was itnot?"
"Ah, Gilbert, my mind was utterly confused.... I had suffered atremendous blow.... Surely I can't be held responsible for what I saidin my condition at the time."
"True, father. Still, there was the idea of murder in your mind,"persisted Gilbert.
"I tell you that I know nothing--nothing."
"Of course, you know nothing, father; but your thought on seeing thebody--your suspicion--was that there had been murder. Was it not so?"
"I can't say anything about it," replied Eversleigh, fretfully. "I knowas much and as little as you do how it was that Thornton came to be inSilwood's chambers. Pray do not tease me--do not worry me--I cannotstand it; it is cruel of you to torture me in this fashion."
Gilbert stared at his father, wondering what was meant by the expression"torture"--he could not understand it. He was glad that the doctorreturned at this moment, bringing with him wine and a light lunch forthe invalid. Leaving his father to the doctor's care, he went down tothe next floor, where he saw his brother Ernest, who was all agog tohear the story. When Ernest had listened to Gilbert's narrative, hissole commentary upon it was--
"Of course, everybody will say that Morris Thornton was murdered bySilwood; what other conclusion can there be?"
"But why?" urged Gilbert. "What motive could Silwood have? No, I don'tthink that can be the explanation. I confess, however, the thing bafflesme completely."
"Still," said Ernest, "you may be quite sure that it's what the worldwill say. In any case, it can't fail to do us a lot of mischief."
"Oh, that will depend on circumstances when the mystery is cleared up,as I imagine it soon must be."
Then Gilbert spoke of their father's condition, and suggested thatErnest should take Francis Eversleigh to Surbiton as soon as the doctorgave permission. As for himself, he was going on to Scotland Yard to seeInspector Gale.
"What am I tell Kitty?" asked Ernest.
"I'll write her a note, which you will give her. Of course, I shouldhave liked to have broken the sad news to her myself; but from what Iknow of her, I am sure that she would prefer me to lose no opportunityof unravelling the mystery of her father's death. Besides, she hasalways believed, since she knew of Mr. Thornton's disappearance, that hewas dead."
And Gilbert sat down and wrote his love a letter, full of the tenderestfeeling, in which he told her of the discovery which had been made thatday, and of which his brother Ernest would give her more completedetails. Then he went on to say that he would not spare himself intrying to elucidate the whole strange business, nor would he lose anytime; therefore, he would see Inspector Gale that very afternoon; hewould go to Scotland Yard, in fact, immediately after sealing the letterto her. But he would be at Surbiton in the evening.
When Gilbert did reach Scotland Yard, he found Gale expecting him.
"I was waiting for you, Mr. Gilbert," said the inspector.
"Yes?"
"One of the constables told me you asked when I would be in, and hereplied at half-past two; it is a quarter-past three now. By the way,how is your father? I hear he was
so shocked that he fainted twice."
"He is better now, but still very much shaken. I left him in thedoctor's charge, and when he is able to go my brother Ernest will takehim home."
"I think his home is in Surbiton?"
"Yes; I told you that when we were discussing the disappearance of Mr.Thornton."
"Quite so. A day or two's rest will pull your father round. Of course, Imust see him. Do you think he will be fit to see me to-morrow?"
"I should think so. And he must be as anxious as anybody--indeed, moreanxious than anybody--to have this extraordinary affair cleared up."
"Certainly. Now, Mr. Gilbert, let me hear everything from the beginning.Take your own time about it, and try not to forget anything. Don't leaveout the slightest touch that may have any bearing on the subject."
"I will do my best," said Gilbert. "My father, on learning of the deathof Mr. Silwood, sent for me this morning."
"Excuse me," interrupted the inspector, "but I must ask you questions asyou go along. Was it this morning your father heard of Mr. Silwood'sdeath, and how did he hear of it?"
"By letter this morning. The letter was from Ugo Ucelli, the Syndic ofCamajore, with the usual certificate of death. The letter gave theparticulars of Mr. Silwood's death. Cholera is epidemic along the Gulfof Genoa, and Mr. Silwood fell a victim to it. The body was buriedtwenty-four hours after death. Of course, the news affected my fathervery much--it was totally unexpected."
"What was Mr. Silwood doing in Italy?" asked Gale.
"He was on a holiday."
"Had he been long away from the office, from Lincoln's Inn?"
"A week or two only, I think."
"You cannot say exactly?"
"No, but you will easily find out at the office."
"I thought you might know, but, as you say, I can ascertain the date atthe office. You see, of course, that it is necessary to get to know Mr.Silwood's movements?" The last sentence was put interrogatively.
"This means, I imagine, that you connect Mr. Silwood with the death ofMr. Thornton?" asked Gilbert.
"That is the obvious thing," replied the inspector; "but it is soobvious that I distrust it. I always doubt the obvious in these cases.Here, however, it is my duty to neglect nothing. And I must make it mybusiness to find out everything I can about Mr. Silwood, and with regardto that I count with confidence on your father's assistance. Well, to goback, your father, on learning of Mr. Silwood's death, sent for you;what came next?"
"He showed me the certificate signed by the Syndic; it was in Italian, alanguage neither my father nor I understand, but a large part of thecertificate was printed, and from our Latin we made out pretty well whatit said. The letter, however, we could make nothing of, so I went andgot a man to translate it."
Gilbert broke off suddenly with a sharp ejaculation.
"You have thought of something, Mr. Gilbert?" suggested the inspector,giving him a keen look of inquiry.
"Yes, I have, and a very important thing it may prove too. It has beencompletely driven out of my mind by the dreadful discovery in StoneBuildings. Now I remember it, and I believe it may give us the key tothe mystery."
"What is it?" asked Gale, as Gilbert paused, his face aglow withexcitement.
"Before I went out to bring the interpreter something happened," saidGilbert. "Strange that I should have forgotten it so utterly! While myfather and I were talking about Mr. Silwood's death, we were interruptedby a man, who had come in answer to the advertisement in the hope ofgetting the reward of a thousand pounds. The man was as hopeless-lookinga waster and vagabond as any I ever saw, but he spoke like a man ofeducation. And he told us that late on the night of the disappearance ofMorris Thornton he was in Chancery Lane, and saw a workman coming out ofthe iron gate at the north-east corner of Lincoln's Inn."
"That is just where Mr. Silwood's chambers are, are they not?" askedGale.
"Precisely; his rooms are on the top floor of the house at that verycorner. Well, this workman behaved in a suspicious manner, and thendisappeared. But he returned in about half an hour, and let himself intothe Inn again by the iron gate."
"Wait a minute," said Gale. "You said a workman. What was a workmandoing in the Inn at that time of night? And with a key which unlockedthat gate?"
"These are puzzles, are they not?"
"You have certainly given me something to think over. Have you anythingmore to tell me about this workman?"
"No; our informant did not see him again."
Gilbert now resumed the thread of his narrative, telling the inspectorall that took place when he and his father went to Silwood's chambers.
The inspector, as Gilbert proceeded, compared his statement with thereport made by the policeman who had been summoned by the porter.
"What you tell me," said Gale, when Gilbert had finished, "bears outexactly what my subordinate has set forth. The coroner has been sentfor, and we must wait till we hear from him. I shall accompany him whenhe makes his examination of the body, and I expect a message from himevery minute."
"Will you let me go with you?" asked Gilbert. "You must remember that Iam engaged to Mr. Thornton's daughter, and so am, therefore, in ameasure her representative."
"I have not forgotten that, and I do not know that there is anyobjection. If you will tell me where I can find you, I'll let you know.I must send you away just now, for I wish to be alone to think--andthere is a great deal to think of."
"Very well. I'll stay in the waiting-room outside," and Gilbert left theinspector to his thoughts.