The inquest took place on the following morning. It was extraordinarily1 unlike the inquests as pictured in sensational2 fiction. It satisfied even George Lomax in its rigid3 suppression of all interesting details. Superintendent4 Battle and the Coroner, working together with the support of the Chief Constable5, had reduced the proceedings6 to the lowest level of boredom7.
Immediately after the inquest, Anthony took an unostentatious departure.
His departure was the one bright spot in the day for Bill Eversleigh. George Lomax, obsessed8 with the fear that something damaging to his Department might leak out, had been exceedingly trying. Miss Oscar and Bill had been in constant attendance. Everything useful and interesting had been done by Miss Oscar. Bill’s part had been to run to and fro with countless9 messages, to decode10 telegrams, and to listen by the hour to George repeating himself.
It was a completely exhausted11 young man who retired12 to bed on Saturday night. He had had practically no chance to talk to Virginia all day, owing to George’s exactions, and he felt injured and ill-used. Thank goodness, that Colonial fellow had taken himself off. He had monopolized13 far too much of Virginia’s society anyway. And of course if George Lomax went on making an ass14 of himself like this—— His mind seething15 with resentment16, Bill fell asleep. And, in dreams, came consolation17. For he dreamt of Virginia.
[Pg 151]
It was an heroic dream, a dream of burning timbers in which he played the part of the gallant18 rescuer. He brought down Virginia from the topmost story in his arms. She was unconscious. He laid her on the grass. Then he went off to find a packet of sandwiches. It was most important that he should find that packet of sandwiches. George had it, but instead of giving it up to Bill, he began to dictate19 telegrams. They were now in the vestry of a church, and any minute Virginia might arrive to be married to him. Horror! He was wearing pyjamas20. He must get home at once and find his proper clothes. He rushed out to the car. The car would not start. No petrol in the tank! He was getting desperate. And then a big General ’bus drew up and Virginia got out of it on the arm of the bald headed Baron21. She was deliciously cool, and exquisitely22 dressed in grey. She came over to him and shook him by the shoulders playfully. “Bill,” she said. “Oh, Bill.” She shook him harder. “Bill,” she said. “Wake up. Oh, do wake up!”
Very dazed, Bill woke up. He was in his bedroom at Chimneys. But part of the dream was with him still. Virginia was leaning over him, and was repeating the same words with variations.
“Wake up, Bill. Oh, do wake up. Bill.”
“Hullo!” said Bill, sitting up in bed. “What’s the matter?”
Virginia gave a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. I thought you’d never wake up. I’ve been shaking you and shaking you. Are you properly awake now?”
“I think so,” said Bill doubtfully.
“You great lump,” said Virginia. “The trouble I’ve had! My arms are aching.”
“These insults are uncalled for,” said Bill, with dignity. “Let me say, Virginia, that I consider your conduct most unbecoming. Not at all that of a pure young widow.”
“Don’t be an idiot, Bill. Things are happening.”
[Pg 152]
“What kind of things?”
“Queer things. In the Council Chamber24. I thought I heard a door bang somewhere, and I came down to see. And then saw a light in the Council Chamber. I crept along the passage, and peeped through the crack of the door. I couldn’t see much, but what I could see was so extraordinary that I felt I must see more. And then, all of a sudden, I felt that I should like a nice, big, strong man with me. And you were the nicest and biggest and strongest man I could think of, so I came in and tried to wake you up quietly. But I’ve been ages doing it.”
“I see,” said Bill. “And what do you want me to do now? Get up and tackle the burglars?”
Virginia wrinkled her brows.
“I’m not sure that they are burglars. Bill, it’s very queer—— But don’t let’s waste time talking. Get up.”
Bill slipped obediently out of bed.
“Wait while I don a pair of boots—the big ones with nails in them. However big and strong I am, I’m not going to tackle hardened criminals with bare feet.”
“I like your pyjamas, Bill,” said Virginia dreamily. “Brightness without vulgarity.”
“While we’re on the subject,” remarked Bill, reaching for his second boot, “I like that thingummybob of yours. It’s a pretty shade of green. What do you call it? It’s not just a dressing-gown, is it?”
“It’s a négligé” said Virginia. “I’m glad you’ve led such a pure life, Bill.”
“I haven’t,” said Bill indignantly.
“You’ve just betrayed the fact. You’re very nice, Bill, and I like you. I dare say that to-morrow morning—say about ten o’clock, a good safe hour for not unduly25 exciting the emotions—I might even kiss you.”
“I always think these things are best carried out on the spur of the moment,” suggested Bill.
“We’ve other fish to fry,” said Virginia. “If you don’t want to put on a gas mask and a shirt of chain mail, shall we start?”
[Pg 153]
“I’m ready,” said Bill.
“The orthodox weapon,” he observed.
“Come on,” said Virginia, “and don’t make a noise.”
They crept out of the room and along the corridor, and then down the wide double staircase. Virginia frowned as they reached the bottom of it.
“Nails will be nails,” said Bill. “I’m doing my best.”
“You’ll have to take them off,” said Virginia firmly.
“You can carry them in your hand. I want to see if you can make out what’s going on in the Council Chamber. Bill, it’s awfully31 mysterious. Why should burglars take a man in armour32 to pieces?”
“Well, I suppose they can’t take him away whole very well. They disarticulate him, and pack him neatly33.”
Virginia shook her head, dissatisfied.
“What should they want to steal a mouldy old suit of armour for? Why, Chimneys is full of treasures that are much easier to take away.”
Bill shook his head.
“How many of them are there?” he asked, taking a firmer grip of his poker.
“I couldn’t see properly. You know what a keyhole is. And they only had a flashlight.”
“I expect they’ve gone by now,” said Bill hopefully.
He sat down on the bottom stair and drew off his boots. Then, holding them in his hand, he crept along the passage that led to the Council Chamber, Virginia close behind him. They halted outside the massive oak door. All was silent within, but suddenly Virginia pressed his arm, and he nodded. A bright light had shown for a minute through the keyhole.
Bill went down on his knees, and applied34 his eye to the orifice. What he saw was confusing in the extreme.[Pg 154] The scene of the drama that was being enacted35 inside was evidently just to the left, out of his line of vision. A subdued36 chink every now and then seemed to point to the fact that the invaders37 were still dealing38 with the figure in armour. There were two of these, Bill remembered. They stood together by the wall just under the Holbein portrait. The light of the electric torch was evidently being directed upon the operations in progress. It left the rest of the room nearly in darkness. Once a figure flitted across Bill’s line of vision, but there was not sufficient light to distinguish anything about it. It might have been that of a man or a woman. In a minute or two it flitted back again and then the subdued chinking sounded again. Presently there came a new sound, a faint tap-tap as of knuckles39 on wood.
Bill sat back on his heels suddenly.
“What is it?” whispered Virginia.
“Nothing. It’s no good going on like this. We can’t see anything, and we can’t guess what they’re up to. I must go in and tackle them.”
He drew on his boots and stood up.
“Now, Virginia, listen to me. We’ll open the door as softly as possible. You know where the switch of the electric light is?”
“Yes, just by the door.”
“I don’t think there are more than two of them. There may be only one. I want to get well into the room. Then, when I say ‘Go’ I want you to switch on the lights. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly.”
“And don’t scream or faint or anything. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“My hero!” murmured Virginia.
Bill peered at her suspiciously through the darkness. He heard a faint sound which might have been either a sob40 or a laugh. Then he grasped the poker firmly and rose to his feet. He felt that he was fully23 alive to the situation.
[Pg 155]
Very softly he turned the handle of the door. It yielded and swung gently inwards. Bill felt Virginia close beside him. Together they moved noiselessly into the room.
At the farther end of the room, the torch was playing upon the Holbein picture. Silhouetted41 against it was the figure of a man, standing42 on a chair and gently tapping on the panelling! His back, of course, was to them, and he merely loomed43 up as a monstrous44 shadow.
What more they might have seen cannot be told, for at that moment Bill’s nails squeaked45 upon the parquet46 floor. The man swung round, directing the powerful torch full upon them and almost dazzling them with the sudden glare.
Bill did not hesitate.
“Go,” he roared to Virginia, and sprang for his man, as she obediently pressed down the switch of the electric lights.
The big chandelier should have been flooded with light; but, instead, all that happened was the click of the switch. The room remained in darkness.
Virginia heard Bill curse freely. The next minute the air was filled with panting, scuffling sounds. The torch had fallen to the ground and extinguished itself in the fall. There was the sound of a desperate struggle going on in the darkness, but as to who was getting the better of it, and indeed as to who was taking part in it, Virginia had no idea. Had there been anyone else in the room besides the man who was tapping the panelling? There might have been. Their glimpse had been only a momentary47 one.
Virginia felt paralysed. She hardly knew what to do. She dared not try and join in the struggle. To do so might hamper48 and not aid Bill. Her one idea was to stay in the doorway49, so that anyone trying to escape should not leave the room that way. At the same time, she disobeyed Bill’s express instructions and screamed loudly and repeatedly for help.
She heard doors opening upstairs, and a sudden gleam[Pg 156] of light from the hall and the big staircase. If only Bill could hold his man until help came.
But at that minute there was a final terrific upheaval50. They must have crashed into one of the figures in armour, for it fell to the ground with a deafening51 noise. Virginia saw dimly a figure springing for the window, and at the same time heard Bill cursing and disengaging himself from fragments of armour.
For the first time, she left her post, and rushed wildly for the figure at the window. But the window was already unlatched. The intruder had no need to stop and fumble52 for it. He sprang out and raced away down the terrace and round the corner of the house. Virginia raced after him. She was young and athletic53, and she turned the corner of the terrace not many seconds after her quarry54.
But there she ran headlong into the arms of a man who was emerging from a small side door. It was Mr. Hiram P. Fish.
“Gee! It’s a lady,” he exclaimed. “Why, I beg your pardon, Mrs. Revel55. I took you for one of the thugs fleeing from justice.”
“He’s just passed this way,” cried Virginia breathlessly. “Can’t we catch him?”
But, even as she spoke56, she knew it was too late. The man must have gained the park by now, and it was a dark night with no moon. She retraced57 her steps to the Council Chamber, Mr. Fish by her side, discoursing58 in a soothing59 monotone upon the habits of burglars in general, of which he seemed to have a wide experience.
Lord Caterham, Bundle, and various frightened servants were standing in the doorway of the Council Chamber.
“What the devil’s the matter?” asked Bundle. “Is it burglars? What are you and Mr. Fish doing, Virginia? Taking a midnight stroll?”
Virginia explained the events of the evening.
“How frightfully exciting,” commented Bundle. “You don’t usually get a murder and a burglary crowded into[Pg 157] one week-end. What’s the matter with the lights in here? They’re all right everywhere else.”
That mystery was soon explained. The bulbs had simply been removed and laid in a row against the wall. Mounted on a pair of steps, the dignified60 Tredwell, dignified even in undress, restored illumination to the stricken apartment.
“If I am not mistaken,” said Lord Caterham in his sad voice as he looked around him, “this room has recently been the centre of somewhat violent activity.”
There was some justice in the remark. Everything that could have been knocked over had been knocked over. The floor was littered with splintered chairs, broken china, and fragments of armour.
“How many of them were there?” asked Bundle. “It seems to have been a desperate fight.”
“Only one, I think,” said Virginia. But, even as she spoke, she hesitated a little. Certainly only one person—a man—had passed out through the window. But as she had rushed after him, she had had a vague impression of a rustle61 somewhere close at hand. If so, the second occupant of the room could have escaped through the door. Perhaps, though, the rustle had been an effect of her own imagination.
Bill appeared suddenly at the window. He was out of breath and panting hard.
“Damn the fellow!” he exclaimed wrathfully. “He’s escaped. I’ve been hunting all over the place. Not a sign of him.”
“Cheer up, Bill,” said Virginia, “better luck next time.”
“Well,” said Lord Caterham, “what do you think we’d better do now? Go back to bed? I can’t get hold of Badgworthy at this time of night. Tredwell, you know the sort of thing that’s necessary. Just see to it, will you?”
“Very good, my lord.”
With a sigh of relief, Lord Caterham prepared to retreat.
[Pg 158]
“That beggar, Isaacstein, sleeps soundly,” he remarked, with a touch of envy. “You’d have thought all this row would have brought him down.” He looked across at Mr. Fish. “You found time to dress, I see,” he added.
“I flung on a few articles of clothing, yes,” admitted the American.
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1
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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4
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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boredom
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| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
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obsessed
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| adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的 | |
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9
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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10
decode
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| vt.译（码），解（码） | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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12
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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13
monopolized
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| v.垄断( monopolize的过去式和过去分词 )；独占；专卖；专营 | |
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14
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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15
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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19
dictate
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| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
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20
pyjamas
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| n.（宽大的）睡衣裤 | |
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21
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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23
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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26
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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29
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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31
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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32
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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34
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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40
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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41
silhouetted
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| 显出轮廓的，显示影像的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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44
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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45
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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parquet
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| n.镶木地板 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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48
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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50
upheaval
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| n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱 | |
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51
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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52
fumble
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| vi.笨拙地用手摸、弄、接等，摸索 | |
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53
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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54
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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55
revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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56
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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57
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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58
discoursing
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| 演说（discourse的现在分词形式） | |
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59
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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60
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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61
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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62
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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