CHAPTER XXXVII.
DR. PYE MAKES A STATEMENT.
There was an interval of almost breathless suspense as, upon theCoroner's instructions, an officer left the Court. Dick looked forwardto the entrance of Dr. Pye with no less curiosity than the otherspectators, but mingled with this curiosity was an element of alarm.Dark forebodings crossed his mind; he feared he knew not what, butstill he smiled confidently at Florence when she turned imploringly tohim, for she also was in that state of tension which made every freshfeature of the inquiry a terrifying presage. Presently the officerreturned, followed by Dr. Pye.
The new witness was tall, with a slight stoop in his shoulders, hisface was ashen grey, his brows knit and concentrated, his eyeshabitually downcast, but, when raised, irradiated with a keen steadylight, giving one the impression that the pupils might be of steel,which was indeed their colour, his mouth with its thin long lipscompressed, his hands long and nervous, his voice calm, clear, anddeliberate, his manner altogether that of a man of supreme moralstrength and self-possession, who could hold his passions in control,and make them subservient to his will.
"In volunteering a communication which may have some relation to yourinquiry," he said, addressing the Coroner, without bestowing a glanceupon the spectators, "I am impelled simply by a sense of public duty.As to its value you will be the best judge. What I have to offer tothe Court is merely the narration of an occurrence which came under myobservation on the night of Friday, the 1st of March, when I wasmaking some experiments in chemistry in a room at the back of my housein Shore Street, the window in which looks out upon Catchpole Square,and commands a front view of the house in which Mr. Samuel Boydresided. It is my habit to work late, and it was not till three in themorning that my labours were at an end. At that hour I was standing atthe window, gazing aimlessly into the solitude of Catchpole Square,when my attention was arrested by movements at Mr. Boyd's street door.It was gradually opened, and the form of a man emerged from the house.The night was dark, and what I saw was necessarily dim and uncertainin my sight, but it appeared to me that the man, halting on thethreshold, lingered in the attitude of a person who wished to escapeobservation. This impression impelled me to a closer scrutiny of theman's movements. I have in my room a device of my own construction inthe shape of a small box containing a coil of magnesium wire. Bywithdrawing the curtain from a glass globe set in this box, and bypressing a spring, I can, upon lighting the wire, throw a powerfullight upon objects at a great distance, remaining myself in darkness.There appeared to me to be something so suspicious in the shadowymovements of the person at Mr. Boyd's door at such an hour that Ibrought my box to the window, and threw the light upon the Square. Itwas the work of a moment, but in that moment I had a clear view of theman's features. They were of deathlike paleness, and seemed to beconvulsed by fear, but, I argued inly, this might have been causedby the fright occasioned by the sudden glare of light falling uponhim--resembling in some respects a flash of lightning, and calculatedto startle the strongest man. In his attitude of watchfulness--which Imay call the first stage of my observation of him--he stood holdingthe street door partially open, thus providing for himself a swiftretreat into the house in the event of a policeman entering theSquare. The second stage was his fear-struck appearance, from whatevercause it proceeded. The third stage--occurring when the light wasextinguished--was the shadowy movement of a man gliding out of theSquare. Then his final disappearance."
The Coroner: "You say, Dr. Pye, that you had a clear view of the man'sfeatures. Did you recognise them?"
Dr. Pye: "No, sir, the man was a stranger to me."
"There appears to be some kind of connection between the death of Mr.Samuel Boyd and the disappearance of a clerk in his employ, Mr. AbelDeath? Have you any knowledge of this clerk?"
"No, I never saw the man."
"Were you acquainted with Mr. Samuel Boyd?"
"Very slightly."
"If you saw the man again, could you identify him?"
"I think so."
"Have you ever seen any other man in Catchpole Square leaving Mr.Boyd's house in the middle of the night?"
"Never. It was the unusualness of the incident that attracted myattention."
As he uttered these words he raised his eyes and slowly looked around.When they reached the spot where Inspector Robson and his family wereseated his gaze was arrested. The eyes of all the spectators,following his, were now fixed upon the group. A wave of magnetismpassed through the Court, and, to a more or less degree, affected thenerves of every one present. Aunt Rob clutched her husband's sleeve,and Florence's eyes dilated with a nameless fear. The long pause wasbroken by Dr. Pye, who murmured, but in a voice loud enough to beheard by all,--
"It is a very strange likeness."
"To whom do you refer?" asked the Coroner.
"To that gentleman," replied Dr. Pye, pointing to Reginald. "He bearsa singular resemblance to the man I saw leaving Mr. Samuel Boyd'shouse in Catchpole Square in the middle of the night."
Reginald started to his feet with an indignant protest on his lips,and there was great confusion in Court, in the midst of which Dickgently pulled Reginald down to his seat. "It is easily disproved," hesaid, in a low tone. "You were home and in bed before midnight. Becalm, Florence, there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear." But hisheart fell; he saw the net closing round those he loved.
The Coroner (to Dr. Pye): "The gentleman you are pointing to is Mr.Samuel Boyd's son."
Dr. Pye: "I did not know. I say he resembles the man."
"Are you sure?"
"Who can be sure of anything? In hundreds of my experiments all mycalculations have been overturned at the last moment. I have been sureof success, and the crucial test has given me the lie. It is the samein human affairs, and in this case I can do no more than record myimpressions. In spite of the conditions under which I saw the man hislikeness to this gentleman is very striking; but I would impress uponyou that great wrongs have been committed by accidental likenesses,and there are cases on record in which men have been condemned todeath, the proof of their innocence coming too late to save them."Florence shuddered and closed her eyes. To her fevered mind herbeloved husband was on his trial, surrounded by pitiless judges. Dr.Pye continued: "There is a notable instance of this in CharlesDickens's story, 'A Tale of Two Cities,' where, happily, a life issaved instead of being sacrificed. The incident, strangely enough,occurs also in a court of justice."
The Coroner: "That is fiction. This is fact."
Dr. Pye: "True. If you have nothing more to ask I shall be glad toretire. The atmosphere of this Court is unpleasant to me."
The Coroner intimating that he had no further questions to put, Dr.Pye retired, and the inquiry was adjourned till the following day.