05 - Cabinet Secret by Guy Boothby

The Cabinet Secret is a thrilling spy novel set during the Boer Wars. Full of intrigue, deception, and daring escapes, it follows secret agents navigating the treacherous world of international politics and espionage.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter four. Some idea of the wave of consternation which
swept over England when it became known that the right
Honorable Benjamin Castellan, Secretary of State for the Colonies, had
disappeared as mysteriously as Sir William Waller had done before him.

(00:21):
Will be derived when I say that edition after edition
of the evening Papers had been sold by three o'clock
in the afternoon. It was in every sense a grave
national calamity, for, as we all know, at this particular
juncture in the country's history, Benjamin Castellan, of all others,

(00:45):
was the man who could least be spared. You are sure,
I suppose, Sir George, that Castellan intended going home after
you parted in Cockspur Street. The Prime Minister inquired, looking
at me along the table. As certain as I am
of anything, I replied. He complained of feeling tired, and

(01:09):
laughingly declared his intention of going to bed early in
order that he might be fresh for our meeting this morning.
He did not seem depressed in any way, I suppose,
put in the First Lord of the Admiralty. He was
naturally extremely downcast by the news we had received concerning

(01:30):
the Sultan of Sa'dan, But in no other sense, I answered,
I am sorry now that I did not walk with
him to his door, as I originally intended doing. It
is perhaps as well that you did not asserted one
of the others, for in that case we might have
lost you too. Surely, my lord, he continued, addressing the

(01:55):
Prime Minister, the police authorities should be able to obtain
some respecting his disappearance deserted as the passage usually is
at that hour of the night. For I have passed
through it myself. There must have been someone in the
main thoroughfares at either end who would have given the

(02:15):
alarm had they noticed anything out of the common. It
is not altogether certain that the crime, if crime it is,
and of that we have as yet no evidence was
perpetrated in the passage of which you speak, said the
Prime Minister. But wherever or however the deed was committed,

(02:38):
the police, I am sure, will do their utmost to
unravel the mystery. The mere fact that General Waller's disappearance
has not yet been accounted for is giving rise to
a vast amount of uneasiness that the same fate should
have befallen. Mister Castellan will not be likely to add
to the public peace of mind. I am sure the

(03:01):
Secretary of State for the Home Department will do all
that lies in his power to see that no time
is lost in bringing the offenders to justice. When the
meeting broke up, I made my way with all haste
to Carleton House Terrace, in order to assure my friend's
wife of my sympathy and to help her in any

(03:22):
way that lay in my power. Prostrated with Reef though
she was, she consented to see me, and I was
accordingly admitted to her presence. Oh, Sir George, she cried,
hastening forward to greet me. Is it possible that you
bring news of him? Ah? I can see you do not.

(03:45):
She threw herself into a chair with a little cry
of despair, and for a moment I scarcely knew what
to say to comfort her. We must hope for the best,
missus Gastolene, I said at last, and then with an
assurance that my heart was far from sharing. No one
knows what the next few hours may bring forth. But

(04:08):
where can he be, she cried, And who can have
been base enough to harm him? I know that he
has enemies, as every man who has made a great
name for himself must have. But I cannot think of
one who would go so far as to rob me
of him. Oh, it is too cruel, too cruel. We

(04:32):
were still talking when news reached us that two members
of the police department had arrived and were anxious for
an interview. I cannot see them, the poor lady, declared,
I can tell them nothing that they do not know.
Then let me see them for you, I said, I

(04:55):
think I can answer any questions they may ask, and
at the same time it will spare you the pain
in such an interview would entail. God bless you for
your kindness. You are a true friend. I thereupon left
her and followed my colleague secretary along the hall in
the direction of the study. This is a sad affair, indeed,

(05:17):
mister Gutch, I said, after we had left the morning room.
I presume you have never heard mister castell And say
anything as to his being shadowed by any one. Never,
he replied, though, I will confess that I have suggested
to him on numerous occasions the advisability of having a

(05:39):
companion with him when he walked home late at night
from the house that you remember was a favorite habit
of his. He used to say that the fresh air
revived him after a long debate, and he was quite right,
I replied, Now let us hear what the police ought
to say. The two members of the Detective Force, who

(06:03):
had been detailed to take charge of the case rose
as we entered the room. They seemed somewhat surprised at
singing me, but upon my informing them how I came
to be connected with the matter, willingly excused missus Castelon
from attendants. Do I understand you to say that you

(06:26):
were the last of his friends to see mister Castellon
before his disappearance, asked the taller of the two men,
who looked more like a burly Yorkshire farmer than a
member of the Scotland Yard Detective Force. It would appear, so,
I replied. We left Wiltshire House on hearing the news
of the disaster to the Sultan of Sadang, drove to

(06:49):
the Admiralty to learn the latest particulars, and then, having
dismissed the carriage, strolled as far as Cockspur Street in
each other's company, and you parted at the passage that
leads from Cocksburth Street into Carlton House Terrace. I believe,
said the other man, you did not happen to notice

(07:11):
whether any person was following you. I suppose I don't
fancy either of us looked round during the whole distance.
I answered, with an inward wish that I had been
suspicious enough to have taken that simple precaution. We had
too much to occupy our thoughts without observing the actions
of other people. And how long did you remain on

(07:35):
the pavement? I should be obliged if you would endeavor
to be as accurate as possible, sir, in your answer
to this question. I considered a moment before I replied,
between eight and ten minutes, I should say, certainly, not more.
I remember comparing my watch with a clock above the

(07:55):
chop window at the corner, and remarking, as I did so,
that I was nearly three minutes slow. In that case,
you should be able to fix the time of his
leaving you two within a minute or two, said the
elder of the two men, taking a note book and
pencil from his pocket as he spoke, I can do

(08:17):
so exactly. It was five minutes past twelve when we
bade each other good night. Was any one near you
on the pavement while you were standing talking? No one?
The street was almost deserted. I notice that you say
almost deserted, sir. Then there were other people in sight?

(08:39):
Do you happen to remember if any one was standing
near you, that is to say, within fifty feet or so?
I recollect that there was a policeman on the opposite
side of the road. Two youths in evening dress, both
far from sober, passed at the moment that we stopped. Say, now,

(09:01):
I come to think of it, there was an old
woman near us just before we said good night to
each other, And if my memory serves me, she disappeared
down the narrow passage. It is strange that I should
have forgotten the circumstance an old woman. Can you give
me a rather more detailed description of her? Of what class?

(09:24):
Was she? Of the very poorest? I should say, aunt
half witted. She was in rags and was muttering some
gibberish to herself. I am afraid I cannot tell you
any more about her. That is rather a pity, said
his companion. I should like to have a little conversation

(09:44):
with that good lady. You surely don't think she had
anything to do with the Colonial secretary's disappearance, I replied,
with some surprise. Why she couldn't have had sufficient strength
to harm a child, much less a strong, active man
such as mister Castellan was, Perhaps not, sir. It's just possible, however,

(10:08):
that she may have had friends to do the work
for her. I don't say, of course, that she had
anything to do with it, but it is our duty
to look at every detail, and my experience has taught
me that the most unexpected places often provide the most
likely clues. Let us suppose, for instance, that she was

(10:32):
only the decoy bird, and that the real perpetrators of
the crime were concealed in the passage. As soon as
she had discovered mister Castellan, she passed into the lane
and had her confederates be on the alert. Then when
he appeared, they would be ready to effect his capture.
Doesn't that plot seem feasible enough, sir, Very feasible, I

(10:57):
felt compelled to admit. But your case, like the proverbial figures,
can be made to prove anything. However, if you think
the old woman had anything to do with it, what
action do you propose to take. I shall try the
streak first, and endeavor to discover whether anyone her to

(11:19):
scuple or cries for help last night. Then it's possible
the police on the beat may know something of the
old woman and be able to give us an insight
into her character and identity. In the meantime, if Missus
Castellan will permit it, I will interview the servants and
endeavor to discover whether they noticed any suspicious characters loitering

(11:43):
about near the house. I am sure Missus Castellan will
be only too pleased if you will do what you
deem necessary, I replied. The men thanked me, and the
necessary orders were given for the servants to be ushered
into the room. One by one. They were subjected to

(12:03):
a rigorous cross examination at the hands of the two detectives.
Neither the butler nor any of the men servants had
noticed anything suspicious in the front of the house, nor
had they seen any old woman, answering to my description
hanging about the premises. The housekeeper and cook were equally

(12:23):
positive in their assertions. Indeed, the only person who had
noticed anything peculiar was a young housemaid, who declared that
she had seen two well dressed men pass the house
on three different occasions during the day. Each time they
used the small passage to which reference has been so

(12:44):
often made. When pressed to describe them more accurately, she
was unable to do so. They were just ordinary gentlemen,
she said, dressed in frock coats and silk hats, and
they might have or might not have carried umbrellas in
the hands. Further than this, she declared, she could not go,

(13:06):
not if her life depended upon it. What makes you
so sure that they passed three times, asked the smaller
of the two detectives. Because I saw them fess after breakfast, sir,
the girl replied, then in the middle of the morning,
and the last time just before dinner. This being all

(13:27):
that could be extract from her, The girl was dismissed
from the room, and mister Castelen's valet was recalled from him.
An exact description of the clothes the missing man was wearing,
and a record of the jewelry he had about his
person was obtained. This is no ordinary case of robbery,

(13:48):
said the elder detective, But it is always as well
to know these things. One never knows how useful they
may prove later on, after asking a few more questions,
they thanked me for the information I had given them,
and prepared to leave the house. You will be sure
to acquaint missus Costellon with any discovery you may make,

(14:12):
I said, I should like to be able to assure
her of that you may, sir, She shall know directly
we hear of anecdote. Then they bowed themselves out, and
I was at liberty to make my missing colleague's wife
acquainted With the result of our interview. I found her
still prostrated with grief and anxiety, a prey to the

(14:35):
most agonizing thoughts. I did what I could to comfort her,
though I felt that my ministrations could do her no good.
In my own heart, I was quite certain that Costellan
had been spirited away by the same mysterious agency that
had deprived us of Waller. What that agency was, however,

(14:55):
was more than I or any of us could determine.
When I left to Carlton House Terrace, I drove to
the Foreign Office, where I had a consultation with the
Prime Minister, which lasted upwards of an hour, after which
I returned to my residence. I had intended going into
the country that afternoon. But in the light of this

(15:17):
new calamity, I changed my mind and resolved to remain
in town. Accordingly, after lunch I drove to my office
and remained there until towards evening. By three o'clock, as
I have already said, the terrible intelligence was known all
over the town. In all my experience, I cannot remember

(15:37):
a scene of greater excitement. Downing Street, in particular, was
filled with an enormous crowd, eager to learn the latest news.
In the public mind, Castellan's disappearance figured as the work
of an enemy, very probably by reason of the prominent
part he had played in the history and development of

(15:59):
the war. The wildest rumors were afloat concerning the affair,
and every edition of the evening papers contained some new
item connected with it. At four o'clock I bade my
secretary telephone to Scotland Yard and inquire whether they had
any information to impart. The reply was to the effect

(16:21):
that their labors had so far been entirely fruitless. As
in poor Waller's case, not a trace of the missing
man could be discovered. Castelon could not a vanished more
completely had he been caught up to the sky at
the very moment that I had said good bye to him.
It is really most uncomfortable for every one concerned. My

(16:44):
secretary remarked, if this sort of thing is to continue,
one does not know who the next victim may be.
He was quite right, One certainly did not know this much. However,
was quite certain whoever the persons might be who perpetrated
the crime, They were past masters of their art. Their

(17:07):
arrangements and the general conduct of the affair was perfection itself,
and against such science, it was almost impossible to guard
for my own part. And I don't think my worst
enemies can accuse me of cowardice. I must confess to.

Speaker 2 (17:23):
A distinct feeling of uneasiness when I reflected that this
mysterious individual or band might possibly try his or their
hand upon me.

Speaker 1 (17:36):
The suggestion emanating from Scotland Yard to the effect that
we should avail ourselves of the offer of police protection,
I politely but firmly declined. The idea of being shadowed
night and day by detectives was more than distasteful to me.

(17:56):
Yet we do not desire to lose you, Sir George,
said the Prime Minister. Later and in saying it, he
was kind enough to pay me a compliment which my
modesty will not permit me to repeat here. I owe
him an apology in this matter, however, for I now
see that he was right. If I should have to

(18:16):
go through it all again, however, I feel that I
should act as I did that at half past four o'clock.
I left the office by the back door this time,
for I have no desire to be recognized by the crowd,
And when I had crossed the horse Guard's parade, set
off in the direction of Marlborough House. As I walked along,

(18:39):
I thought of Castellan, and of our meeting on the
previous night. How little he had dreamt when he had
carried on his airy badinage with Madame de Vanetsa, that
in less than three hours he would be gone from
the sight of men. This naturally led me to think
of the Countess, the expression upon her face and the

(19:02):
look in her eyes when she had invited me to
visit her again. And though as I have said before,
I do not in any way consider myself a ladies man,
I am willing to confess that the recollection of her
condescension gave me considerable satisfaction, not feeling in the humor

(19:23):
for Piccadilly and the raucous voices of the newsboy's shouting
disappearance of the Secretary of State, or the colonnaise disappearance
of mister Castellane. I continued my walk across the green
Park in the direction of Hyde Park Corner. It was
a beautiful evening, and in the twilight the park presented

(19:45):
as peaceful a scene as the soul of man could desire.
Reaching the exit opposite Hamilton Place, I stood for a moment,
wondering whether I should cross into Hyde Park or stroll
leisure home. What it was I cannot say, but for
some reason or another I had a strange desire for

(20:07):
the companionship of my fellow men or women. It may
have been that the sudden disappearance of Castellan had upset
me more than I supposed. At any rate, I was
far from being myself. As I stood there, an idea
struck me, and I wondered why it had not occurred
to me before. What was there to prevent my visiting

(20:29):
the Countess that evening? She had declared that she would
be very glad to see me whenever I might call.
My mind was no sooner made up than I crossed
the road and steered a course for Wiltshire House. On
the way, many friends would have stopped me, had I
permitted them to do so, But it strode resolutely along,

(20:50):
paying no heed to them beyond returning their salutations. At
last I reached the Countess's house and learnt that she
was not only at home, but would received visitors. I
found her in her boudoir, seated before a bright fire,
though the day had been comparatively warm. It is kind,

(21:10):
indeed of you to take pity upon my loneliness, Sir George,
she said, as she rose to receive me. No one
could be more welcome. I have been feeling so very
sad this afternoon, and now your society will cheer me up.
You have heard of mister Coscleon's disappearance, I suppose, I remarked,

(21:33):
as I seated myself in the chair. She indicated, it
has shocked you, as it has done all of us.
Have you any way of accounting for it, she asked, none, whatever,
I replied. The whole affair is shrouded in mystery. The
police are unable to discover the faintest clue to work upon.

(21:56):
It will have a very serious effect upon the country. Not,
she inquired, he has played such a conspicuous part in
politics of late he will be missed, I fear, I answered,
and stopped there, for I had no desire to discuss
current politics. Just then, putting the topics of the day

(22:18):
on one side, we at last came to the duration
of her stay in London. I scarcely know how long
we shall remain, she said. I fancy my father is
growing tired of London already. The war is perhaps accountable
for it, but England is too sad just now. I

(22:38):
do not like sad places. I prefer the sun, the warmth,
the glitter, and to have some smiling faces about me.
I am afraid I must be peculiarly constituted, for the
least thing is sufficient to raise or depress me. Then,
suddenly brightening up, she continued, but there, what a foolish

(23:01):
hostess I am to talk to you in this fashion.
I shall frighten you away, and then you will not
come and see me any more. I have no desire
to lose so good a friend man of the world.
Though I was, the compliment tickled my vanity and I
hastened to reply in a suitable fashion. Then I congratulated

(23:22):
her upon the success which had attended her at home
on the previous evening. In the matter of an at home,
it is not so very difficult to be successful, she replied.
Only has one to give carte blanche to one's cook,
and how steward dress oneself in one's best and stand

(23:44):
at the head of the stairs to receive one's guests
with a conventional smile upon one's face. A dinner is
a somewhat more difficult affair, And there, I think, without vanity,
I may justly pride myself upon my ability a cozy
little dinner for let us say not more than eight

(24:05):
people each to be most carefully selected? Will you make
one of them? I shall be delighted, I replied, But may.

Speaker 3 (24:15):
It not be a competition. My man has ambition. Why
not let me try to equal your effort, even if
I cannot excel it. Try by all means, and the prize,
the knowledge of success, What prize could be more worth?
Whenning it is settled, then she returned, we are sure

(24:38):
to give a dinner and to endeavor to outdo each other.
I shall make my arrangements Accordingly. After that we drifted
into a discussion upon books, pictures, and by the natural
transition of things, came at last to music. On this
subject she was as well informed as upon every other.

(25:00):
It is my passion, she said, in explanation. My piano
is the greatest treasure I possess. I could not live
without it.

Speaker 1 (25:10):
I felt certain from the first that you were a musician,
I replied, I wonder if I could induce you to
play to me. I will do so with pleasure, if
you wish it. She answered, and accordingly crossed the room
to the corner where the piano stood. Prepared as I
was to find her a good pianist. I did not

(25:32):
dream for a moment that her talent was so great
as it was. She fascinated me from the moment that
her fingers touched the keys. In explanation, I might here
remark that I am particularly susceptible to music, and now
under her influence, I sat spellbound. The work was Sassan's

(25:54):
danced MacApp and in her hands the fierce madness of
that remarkable couple position was brought out with more than
its usual diableret. In order to understand what is to follow.
It must be remembered that I was seated near the fireplace,
and that her piano was at the further end of
the room, so that placed as I was, I could

(26:17):
not see my hostess. Having once felt the divine afflatus,
she played on and on without stopping to inquire whether
I was tired, wandering from master to master as the
fancy seized her. Such was the effect of the music
upon me that in a short time I became scarcely

(26:38):
conscious of mundane affairs. A delicious languor was stealing over me,
and little by little I felt my eyes closing. The
music appeared to be growing gradually fainter, until it could
scarcely be heard. I tried to rouse myself, but wasn't
able to do so. At last, even the inclination to

(26:58):
battle with the feeling of drowsiness left me, and I
abandoned myself to my fate. Whether I fell asleep and
dreamt what I am about to describe, or whether the Countess,
in the exercise of a deadly power which I feel
convinced she possessed, had hypnotized me, I cannot say. The

(27:20):
fact remains that in my mind's eye, for my eyes
were closed. I saw her rise from the instrument and
approached me. Then she came closer, stopped, and stooped over
me until her eyes were closed to mine. There was
light in them that pierced my eyelids and penetrated to
the center of my brain. It is useless for you

(27:42):
to strive with me, she said. You are mine and
must do my bidding. Then she began to question me
on certain matters connected with the war and with European politics.
I appeared to be telling her secrets so vitally in
their importance that to have breathed him aloud to the
world would have been to run the risk of causing

(28:04):
the most serious international complications. Yet still powerless to resist,
I answered the questions as they were put to me,
keeping nothing back. When she had learnt all that she
wanted to know, she moved away from me and returned
to the piano. Then once more she began to play

(28:24):
the music, growing louder and more distinct as it progressed.
Then I awoke to find her still playing the same
piece as when I had closed my eyes. When she
had finished it, she rose from her seat. I think
of all the great masters, I prefer Chapin, she said

(28:45):
as she crossed the room. Yes, I am certain that
he stands first in my admiration. Her manner was so open,
so sincere, that the suspicion I had been tempted to
entertain against her vanished in a trice. It was all imagination,
I told myself, under the influence of her music, I

(29:07):
must have fallen asleep and dropped it all. Had I
not good proof of this, had it really happened, it
would have taken nearly a quarter of an hour from
me to impart the information she had asked of me.
Yet the long hand of the clock upon the mantelpiece
had only advanced three minutes since I had last looked

(29:28):
at it. How comforting this assurance was to me. I
must leave you to understand. It was the most singularly
vivid dream, however, I had had in my life, And
but for the evidence of the clock and the sincerity
of the Countess's manner, I could have sworn that the
incident I had just described had really occurred. Yet there

(29:52):
was another side to the question. I had fallen asleep
while paying in afternoon call, and the idea disquie me
more than I cared to admit. Then a servant entered
with tea, and under the influence of the Countess's pico
and fashionable chick chap, my powers of conversation returned me.

(30:15):
At last, I rose to take leave. I fear I
have paid you an unconscionably long visit, I said. Your
beautiful music, however, must be blamed for my overstepping the
bounds of politeness. I hope you will forgive me. It
has been a pleasure to me to play to you.
She answered, one does not always have such a sympathetic audience.

(30:39):
With that, I left her, and, on reaching the street,
turned in the direction of the park. I should have
just time enough for a sharp walk before I dress,
I said to myself, and took my watch from my
pocket and glanced at the dial. The clock on the
mantelpiece of the Countess's boudoir, when I had said good

(31:00):
bye to her, had pointed to half past five. My
watch showed a quarter to six. This was very singular,
for I remembered looking at my watch as I stood
in the portico after ringing the bell, and also my
laughing remark to the Countess to the effect that I
was glad to have found her at home at such

(31:22):
an hour, glancing at the clock as I did so.
Yet now there was a difference of rather more than
a quarter of an hour between the two. What did
this signify? Could the Countess's clock have stopped while she
was playing and then have gone on again of its
own accord? It was scarcely likely that while I was asleep,

(31:43):
she had risen from the piano and had set it
going for going, it certainly was. When I bade her
good bye. The remembrance of the dream I had had
still weighed heavily upon my mind, and do what I would,
I could not throw it off. Yet, how absurd it was. Moreover,

(32:03):
though I had more than once suspected her of taking
an interest in European politics, she had always denied the
fact to me. Besides, even if this were so, and
granted that she had the power, what reason could she
possibly have had for extracting secrets from me? At this point,

(32:25):
the remembrance of her eyes and the singular influence they
had had over me in Paris returned to me. What
does it all mean? I asked myself, as if in
despair of arriving at a definite conclusion. I was to
find that out, however, in good time. End of Chapter

(32:49):
four