May 16, 2025 • 22 mins
Dive into the mysterious world of the Domino Club, where a case of opium poisoning is anything but simple. Following the murder of Dr. Weathered, our protagonist is plunged into a twisted game with stakes running high - a stolen case book that threatens the entirety of London society. Guided by Zenobia Salome, the Leopardess, and a poison unknown even to renowned expert Sir Frank Tarleton, the narrative unfolds through the eyes of an unwilling participant in this deadly charade. Unravel the mystery as we delve into the darkest corners of the human heart, exposing the dreadful lengths one might go to protect their secrets. This gripping detective story, with its unique psychoanalytical perspective, will keep you on the edge of your seat, challenging even the most seasoned mystery enthusiasts.
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Chapter seventeen of the Club of Masques. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
The Club of Masques by Allen Upward, Chapter seventeen a
singular dismissal. Perhaps it might be wondered why I didn't
(00:24):
at once make a frank statement of my part in
the mystery to my kind hearted chief and throw myself
on his mercy. I was withheld by more than one reason.
In the first place, I couldn't feel sure that I
should be believed. I had no means of proving my innocence.
The circumstantial evidence against me was as strong as it
(00:44):
could be. I had the strongest motive to kill the
monster who was trying to put my secret to the
basest use. I had been on the spot, and been
there in disguise, and I had given him a drug
which was only less dangerous than the one that had
caused this day. Who would believe that I had stopped
short there? And Sir Frank Carlton had shown by this
(01:06):
time that he did not believe me. To him, as
to everyone else, it must appear evident that the man
who was prepared to commit a crime in defense of
a woman would be prepared to tell a lie as well.
Then again, the relations between my chief and me were
not nearly private ones. Both of us were government officials,
and I owed my own post to his recommendation. His
(01:29):
official conscience might be well different from his private one.
He might be willing to make excuses for me personally,
and yet feel it his duty to report to the department.
We both served that I was no longer worthy of
its confidence. And lastly, there was the consideration that had
controlled my action all along. My secret was violent secret
(01:51):
to no living being. Had I a right to tell
it without her consent? That consent, I need not say.
No peril to myself would have tempted me to ask.
The only question I now put to myself was whether
I ought not to put her on guard by letting
her know what I had come to fear. I slept
or tried to sleep that night without coming to my decision.
(02:14):
In the morning, Sir Frank extracted from the pile of
letters beside his plate on the breakfast table, one with
an earl's coronet on the flap of the envelope. He
did not show me the contents, but said carelessly, I
shall be out to lunch. Lord Ledbury is anxious to
see me in John Street. The news decided me. Before
(02:34):
Violet was exposed to any further questioning from my shrewd chief,
she must be warned how things stood. I couldn't complain
of not being included in the invitation in Lord Ledbury's eyes. Naturally,
I was a mere subordinate, only acting under Tarleton's orders.
There was another letter that interested the consultant more than
the Earl's. It came from new Scotland Yard. Sarah Neobard
(02:58):
and her mother have gone abroad, he remarked, with something
like satisfaction. Charles has sent a man after them. They
seem to have gone to Paris. You must have frightened
that young woman rather badly. I forced my wandering mind
back to the subject of the letters. Had they come
into Sarah's hands, and if so, had she taken them
with her? After all, this was a more pressing matter
(03:21):
than any danger of mine. Will it be possible for
them to hide in Paris? I asked anxiously. The specialist
shook his head. Charles knows his business up to a
certain point, depend upon it. A smart officer would have
been there to meet them at the Guerre de Noord
if the French police were notified in time. I don't
(03:41):
think there is much chance of two English women slipping
between the fingers of the Paris detective force. Then what
will be the next step, I inquired vaguely. I shall
leave for Paris by tonight's mail. The announcement was made
curtly the day before. It was I who had been
charged with this part of the case. I was to
(04:01):
have interviewed missus Weatherett and appeal to her womanly feelings
on behalf of her husband's victims. Now it seemed that
my chief had changed his mind and intended to see
her himself. I dared not even ask if I was
to go with him. A shadow had fallen between us,
which was not for me to pierce. I held my
tongue and went on quietly with my breakfast. The consultant
(04:25):
went through his mail, passing on to me such letters
as I was accustomed to deal with on his behalf,
Requests for appointments and consultations with the other doctors, and
so forth. There was no sign that he had withdrawn
his confidence in me, except when the mystery of the
Domino Club was concerned. The meal was just over when
allows summons at the front door was followed by the
(04:47):
entrance of Charlton's man showing in Inspector Charles. The inspector
was in a state of excitement. In his hand he
carried a newspaper which he waved at us, both have
you seen this morning's paper? Before the door was closed
the advertisement in the Agony column. Tarleton glanced at me
before answering, and I remembered his prediction to Lord Ledbury
(05:10):
as he spoke, what have they got to work already?
What does it say? Captain Charles read out from the
paper in a round commanding voice. Doctor Weatherid deceased. Any
patients of the late Doctor Weatherid, desiring to have their
letters to him returned, are requested to apply mentioning number
(05:31):
to Messrs James Halliday and James Solicitors, Carmichael House, Chancery,
Lane e C four. He did not spare us even
the four. Sir Frank nodded approvingly, very well worded, very
well worded. Indeed, it sounds like a perfectly respectable offer.
(05:51):
It soundeth so to me. But the inspector was puzzled.
What does it mean? He exclaimed, Why should they advertise,
why not returned the letters at once or write to
the patients, and why should they want to know the
exact numbers? Ah, that is part of the case that
I haven't had an opportunity of going into with you yet, Charles,
(06:12):
won't you sit down? The fact is I have been
rather expecting some approach of this kind, doctor Casilus, and
I have ascertained that whether it induced some of his
patients to write him letters of a rather compromising kind.
The arrangement was that the letter should be signed with
a number instead of a name. Probably they bore no address.
(06:32):
The object of this advertisement is to find out who
the writers are. The demand for money will come later. Blackmail,
the inspector gasped in horror. I am afraid so an
honest person who has found such a correspondence would have
burnt it. You see now one of my reasons for
not dropping the case to oblige that Crown Prince of Slavonia.
(06:56):
One of the reasons only I had little doubt as
to the other. Captain Charles looked extremely subdued. I have
no idea of anything like this in the background. I
needn't say, Sir Frank, I will look up these solicitors
at once Chancery Lane. There are better addresses than that,
and there are worse. Unless you have anything else to advise,
(07:19):
I should advise you to find out what you can
about the solicitors, certainly, but I doubt if they are
in possession of the letters. I shouldn't be surprised if
the letters were in Paris by this time. Captain Charles
struck his forehead. Of course, the widow has carried them
abroad to be out of reach in case of trouble.
It was fortunate that we heard of their flight so soon.
(07:41):
We know where they are already they have some smart
men in the rude Jerusalem. I shall be glad if
you will write me a line of introduction to the
French police. Tarleton responded, by the way, have you secured
me that finger print yet? I have it here, Sir Frank.
The inspector took out a substantial pocket book and extracted
(08:02):
a mounted photograph, which my chief slipped into his own
pocket without giving it a glance. Charles looked as if
he were as much in the dark as I was
as to the meaning of this proceeding. It may come
in useful, was all the consultants said. But you are
going to tell us where missus Weatherett and her daughter
were hiding. They don't seem to be hiding. That's the
(08:24):
curious part of it. Perhaps they don't understand the law
about extradition. They've put up at a respectable hotel on
Cook's list, a hotel swarming with English tourists, the Hotel
Saint Catherine in the Rue Tivoli. Tarleton knitted his brows
at this intelligence. We don't know yet the reason for
their flight, if it is a flight, he observed, thoughtfully,
(08:47):
we have nothing against either of them so far. Remember
he drew out his mascot and played with it gently
for a minute while Charles and I watched him in
keen suspense. Suddenly he looked up and spoke to the
inspector in a brisk voice. We mustn't lose time. Some
unfortunate victim made the answering that advertisement already. Luckily I
(09:07):
have come across one of whether its correspondents, whose letters
to him were quite innocent. That missus Baker, your man
reported on for me. I want you to see her
at once, using my name if necessary, and get her
authority to deal with these solicitors on her behalf. Ask
for the letters first, and if they make some excuse
for not parting with them, ask who is instructing them.
(09:30):
If they refuse to give you their client's name, we
shall know the worst. It seemed to me that we
knew the worst already. If my chief was right as
he had said, an honest woman finding such letters after
her husband's death would have put them in the fire.
It was more than imperative that I should see Violet
at once. She might have read the advertisement by now
(09:51):
and taken it in good faith. Directly after Captain Charles
had left this, I made some excuse for going out
on business and hailed the first text I saw. It
was still early when I got to John Street, Mayfair,
where the Earl of Ledbury's modest town house stood. The
door was opened by the same man whom I had
made a friend of down at Tyberton, and I was
(10:12):
careful to confirm the friendship in the surest way. He
was much more smartly dressed on this occasion, and everything
about the house indicated that Lord Ledbury had taken Tarleton's
advice to heart, and was preparing to give his daughter
her proper position in the fashionable world. Violet too was changed.
Her dress was still a little lacking in those touches
(10:33):
which only the most expensive houses can impart, but she
bore herself quite differently. Her father's new born care for
her had given her confidence and done something to banish
the look of hopelessness and resignation I had last seen
on her face. I hate to confess it, but glad
as I was on her account, I felt a little
sorry in my own. The old gulf between us, I
(10:56):
was beginning to hope, had shrunk, but now a new
one seemed to have opened. Who was I? What was plain?
Bertrand casilis m d that he should venture to go
on loving the bright stars set high above him in
the social firmament. I think I know why you have come,
was her greeting. She did not offer me her white hand.
They are offering to return those letters. I can't tell
(11:18):
you how thankful I shall be. It was what I
had feared. I would have given anything to leave her
in ignorance, but the risk was too great. Have you
answered the advertisement yet? I asked not yet. I was
tempted to go there at once, but I thought I
had better consult you first. Why is there anything wrong?
(11:38):
She must have seen there was by this time for
my error. Yet at that very moment, the knowledge that
she had thought of me, that she had put her
trust in me and no one else, made my courage rise,
and I answered her with a boldness that surprised myself.
Thank Heaven for that. I came here the first moment
I could to warn you to take no notice of
that advertisement. It shows that they don't know whom the
(12:01):
letters are from, or they would have written to you direct.
Trust me, the matter is in good hands. Those letters
shall either be returned to you or destroyed unread. I
swear it, Thank you, bertrand I do trust you. I
know it isn't your fault if they haven't been destroyed already.
The words rolled a great burden from my heart. I
(12:22):
was on the point of murmuring that I hadn't deserved
her trust, but some instinct bade me refrain from the
least reference to the past. I believe that the sad
old wound was beginning to heal, and that the best
chance for both of us was to bury the past
in silence and never to conjure up its ghosts by
one single word. Already Violet was forgetting her own trouble.
(12:43):
To think of mine, she went on, before I had
found anything to say, But what about yourself? Has anything
more been discovered about the murder? It was necessary for
me to tell her what I feared. We have found
what caused whether it's death? I am answered, it was
a poison that only Sir Frank Tarleton knew of. He
(13:04):
recognized the symptoms from the first and now he has
found out where it was obtained from. And I briefly
related the story of the stolen bottle. Violet looked relieved
when she heard it. Then he must have stolen the
bottle himself. Did he commits suicide? Do you think? I'm
afraid That's not what Sir Frank thinks. Unless I am mistaken.
(13:26):
He suspects me of having taken the bottle from missus Baker.
His manner towards me is quite changed. He is going
to Paris to night on the track of the letters,
but he isn't taking me with him. I had alarmed
her more than I meant. She uttered a cry of despair. Bertrande,
it isn't true. Will he have you arrested? Shall you be?
(13:48):
She began to sob. No, No, it isn't as bad
as that. There's not going to be any arrest if
the police can help it anyway. I don't believe Sir
Frank would let them arrest me. But I shall have
to resign my post, I expect, and I may have
to leave the country. She looked at me through her tears.
That will be almost as bad, won't it. It was
(14:10):
all I could do to keep from answering, not if
you come with me? But I could not take advantage
of her like that. I shall always have my profession,
I said. Sir Frank has confidence in me as a doctor.
I know, but I didn't mean to distress you like this.
I shouldn't have said anything to you about it, but
Sir Frank is coming here to lunch to day, and
(14:32):
I was afraid he might find out something from you.
Surely you didn't think that, she protested. You don't think
I should betray you. If you had killed that villain,
it would have been for my sake, and he deserved
to be killed. My heart glowed within me. I spoke out,
and I would have killed him if I had seen
no other way. No, I don't think for a moment
(14:55):
that you would give me away knowingly. But Tarleton is
a past master in the art of sounding people and
extracting information from them unawares. I only wanted to put
you on your guard lest you should think that you
could trust him as a friend of mine. I certainly
thought he was. He looked so kind and good, Violet
said thoughtfully. Perhaps I was a little irritated. He impresses
(15:19):
all women in that way. I said, with a touch
of jealousy. I could see that he admired you. Violet's
eyes brightened. I must try to make a friend of him.
If I let him see that that, I should be
sorry if any harm came to anyone through me. Perhaps
that may influence him. I ought to have been very grateful,
(15:39):
but I am afraid my response was lacking in warmth.
Don't tell him I have been here, I said, as
I rose to go, and she smiled at me rather
pathetically as she promised. I had a rather dismal lunch
by myself, wondering what was passing at Lord Ledbury's. When
I saw Charleton again, I was staggered by his gay appearance.
(16:00):
He had blossomed doubt in a new coat, and a
white waistcoat, and a fancy tie. Most wonderful of all,
the shabby black ribbon by which he was so fond
of swinging his watch had been replaced by a brilliant
gold chain that I had never seen before. It was
evident that he had decked himself to make an impression
in John Street. He had not long been back when
(16:21):
we had another call from Captain Charles. He came and,
looking grave, and greeted my chief with increased respect. I
had been to Chancery Lane, as you advised, Sir Frank,
and seen the principal. There was only one the names
in the advertise meant to bogus once unless he bought
the good will of some old firm going out of business.
The man's real name is Stillman. I saw it on
(16:43):
his note paper, and he strikes me as hot stuff.
What did he say? It was just what you expected.
Made an excuse for not giving me missus Baker's letters.
Said he was only authorized to hand them over to
the writer in person, And when I asked who was
instructing him, said he wasn't authorized to give his clients name.
(17:06):
Tarleton shrugged his shoulders. Clever, very clever, he repeated. There's
nothing for you to take hold of so far. If
you go back again with missus Baker, you will put
him in a corner, and very likely her letters will
be given up, as they contain nothing serious. It's a
nasty business. What had we better do? Do nothing till
(17:29):
you hear from me again. I am off to Paris tonight,
and when I come back, I shall know where the
letters are. If I don't bring them back with me.
The inspector bowed himself out quite meekly. My curiosity prompted
me to venture on a rash question. Do you think
it possible that miss Neobard has the letters? My chief
(17:49):
swung himself slowly round in his chair and gave me
a steady look, under which I quailed inwardly. I don't
think I ought to tell you, Casillis. It seems to
me that you are an interested party. So my fear
had been well grounded. I listened breathlessly for more. From
the beginning of this investigation, you have shown a bias
(18:09):
that is fatal in one who was playing the part
of a detective. Or aspiring to play it. A man
in your position should be absolutely impartial. He should not
let himself be swayed for a moment by personal prejudices
or personal preferences. Now you have all along showed a
disposition to screen Lady Violet Bredwardine. You have made excuses
(18:30):
for her to me, and you have defended her to others.
At the same time, you was shown an inclination to
think the worst of Sarah Neobard, and your animus against
her came out most strongly when she showed herself Lady
Violet's enemy. What could I say? I was only too
thankful that he had spared me any reference to the
omission of Violet's name from the list I had copied
(18:51):
for Inspector Charles. That was a clear breach of duty,
as I had to admit to myself. Sir Frank's voice
was perfectly bland, as he continued, Lady Violet is worthy
of any man's admiration, and I am quite as determined
as you are to protect her from any dastardly use
of her correspondence. I should not have blamed you severely
(19:12):
for anything you might have done for her protection. If
you had been acting in a private capacity. But you
are here in a responsible position. You owe it to
the Home Office and me to conduct the inquiry into
this murder without fear or favor, whatever may be the consequences,
and whoever may be guilty. You must ask yourself if
you have done so. I am afraid. I asked myself
(19:34):
instead how much he really knew so far? He had
made no definite accusation. He had charged me with nothing
but a display of personal sympathy and antipathy, a charge
which would have been foolish to deny. It is a
question of temperament, it seems to me pursued the consultant
in the same even tones. Sympathy is a valuable quality
(19:56):
in a doctor, but it is fatal and a criminal investigator.
I think I have made a mistake in inviting you
to enter the government's service. You would get on better
in private practice. The blow had fallen and I had
only to make the best of it. Of course, I
am in your hands, sir. If that is your opinion,
I will send in my resignation. Australia, Canada, South Africa
(20:19):
passed before my mind's eye as I spoke as possible
refugees for a penniless medico. I could not hope for
anything in England after being practically dismissed from the Home Office.
My prompt offer, however, seemed to have greatly softened my judge.
We will talk of that after I have come back
from Paris, he said, kindly, for your own sake, I
(20:40):
don't advise any sudden step. And there is lady Violet
to consider. As I said before, you have acted as
your champion. Anything like a public slur on you, or
an admission on your part that you were to blame,
would be certain to give her pain, even if it
didn't reflect on her. She spoke of you to me
this morning in a very friendly way, Poor Violet, so
(21:02):
she had done the very worst thing she could have
done in my interest, to praise a young man to
an elderly admirer. What other result could it have but
to insure his being driven from the field. I was
too much cast down to make any response to Sir
Frank's well meant advice beyond a silent bow. He was
as friendly as ever the next minute invited me to
(21:23):
come to Charing Cross to see him off, and shook
my hand cordially at parting. I preferred to walk home afterwards,
dreading the dull hours till bedtime. So miserable was I
that when I came in, I should have gone straight
upstairs without looking to see if there were any letters
for me, if I had not been arrested by a
faint fragrance that had many memories for me. I looked down,
(21:46):
and there was a delicate blue envelope beckoning me by name,
Dear Bertrande, I write at once to tell you that
you have nothing to fear from dear sir Frank. He
spoke of you most highly to my father, said you
had a distinguished career before you, and that he would
not take three thousand pounds a year for your practice
in a few years time, Yours, Violet, end of Chapter seventeen,
Chapter seventeen of the Club of Masques. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
The Club of Masques by Allen Upward, Chapter seventeen a
singular dismissal. Perhaps it might be wondered why I didn't
(00:24):
at once make a frank statement of my part in
the mystery to my kind hearted chief and throw myself
on his mercy. I was withheld by more than one reason.
In the first place, I couldn't feel sure that I
should be believed. I had no means of proving my innocence.
The circumstantial evidence against me was as strong as it
(00:44):
could be. I had the strongest motive to kill the
monster who was trying to put my secret to the
basest use. I had been on the spot, and been
there in disguise, and I had given him a drug
which was only less dangerous than the one that had
caused this day. Who would believe that I had stopped
short there? And Sir Frank Carlton had shown by this
(01:06):
time that he did not believe me. To him, as
to everyone else, it must appear evident that the man
who was prepared to commit a crime in defense of
a woman would be prepared to tell a lie as well.
Then again, the relations between my chief and me were
not nearly private ones. Both of us were government officials,
and I owed my own post to his recommendation. His
(01:29):
official conscience might be well different from his private one.
He might be willing to make excuses for me personally,
and yet feel it his duty to report to the department.
We both served that I was no longer worthy of
its confidence. And lastly, there was the consideration that had
controlled my action all along. My secret was violent secret
(01:51):
to no living being. Had I a right to tell
it without her consent? That consent, I need not say.
No peril to myself would have tempted me to ask.
The only question I now put to myself was whether
I ought not to put her on guard by letting
her know what I had come to fear. I slept
or tried to sleep that night without coming to my decision.
(02:14):
In the morning, Sir Frank extracted from the pile of
letters beside his plate on the breakfast table, one with
an earl's coronet on the flap of the envelope. He
did not show me the contents, but said carelessly, I
shall be out to lunch. Lord Ledbury is anxious to
see me in John Street. The news decided me. Before
(02:34):
Violet was exposed to any further questioning from my shrewd chief,
she must be warned how things stood. I couldn't complain
of not being included in the invitation in Lord Ledbury's eyes. Naturally,
I was a mere subordinate, only acting under Tarleton's orders.
There was another letter that interested the consultant more than
the Earl's. It came from new Scotland Yard. Sarah Neobard
(02:58):
and her mother have gone abroad, he remarked, with something
like satisfaction. Charles has sent a man after them. They
seem to have gone to Paris. You must have frightened
that young woman rather badly. I forced my wandering mind
back to the subject of the letters. Had they come
into Sarah's hands, and if so, had she taken them
with her? After all, this was a more pressing matter
(03:21):
than any danger of mine. Will it be possible for
them to hide in Paris? I asked anxiously. The specialist
shook his head. Charles knows his business up to a
certain point, depend upon it. A smart officer would have
been there to meet them at the Guerre de Noord
if the French police were notified in time. I don't
(03:41):
think there is much chance of two English women slipping
between the fingers of the Paris detective force. Then what
will be the next step, I inquired vaguely. I shall
leave for Paris by tonight's mail. The announcement was made
curtly the day before. It was I who had been
charged with this part of the case. I was to
(04:01):
have interviewed missus Weatherett and appeal to her womanly feelings
on behalf of her husband's victims. Now it seemed that
my chief had changed his mind and intended to see
her himself. I dared not even ask if I was
to go with him. A shadow had fallen between us,
which was not for me to pierce. I held my
tongue and went on quietly with my breakfast. The consultant
(04:25):
went through his mail, passing on to me such letters
as I was accustomed to deal with on his behalf,
Requests for appointments and consultations with the other doctors, and
so forth. There was no sign that he had withdrawn
his confidence in me, except when the mystery of the
Domino Club was concerned. The meal was just over when
allows summons at the front door was followed by the
(04:47):
entrance of Charlton's man showing in Inspector Charles. The inspector
was in a state of excitement. In his hand he
carried a newspaper which he waved at us, both have
you seen this morning's paper? Before the door was closed
the advertisement in the Agony column. Tarleton glanced at me
before answering, and I remembered his prediction to Lord Ledbury
(05:10):
as he spoke, what have they got to work already?
What does it say? Captain Charles read out from the
paper in a round commanding voice. Doctor Weatherid deceased. Any
patients of the late Doctor Weatherid, desiring to have their
letters to him returned, are requested to apply mentioning number
(05:31):
to Messrs James Halliday and James Solicitors, Carmichael House, Chancery,
Lane e C four. He did not spare us even
the four. Sir Frank nodded approvingly, very well worded, very
well worded. Indeed, it sounds like a perfectly respectable offer.
(05:51):
It soundeth so to me. But the inspector was puzzled.
What does it mean? He exclaimed, Why should they advertise,
why not returned the letters at once or write to
the patients, and why should they want to know the
exact numbers? Ah, that is part of the case that
I haven't had an opportunity of going into with you yet, Charles,
(06:12):
won't you sit down? The fact is I have been
rather expecting some approach of this kind, doctor Casilus, and
I have ascertained that whether it induced some of his
patients to write him letters of a rather compromising kind.
The arrangement was that the letter should be signed with
a number instead of a name. Probably they bore no address.
(06:32):
The object of this advertisement is to find out who
the writers are. The demand for money will come later. Blackmail,
the inspector gasped in horror. I am afraid so an
honest person who has found such a correspondence would have
burnt it. You see now one of my reasons for
not dropping the case to oblige that Crown Prince of Slavonia.
(06:56):
One of the reasons only I had little doubt as
to the other. Captain Charles looked extremely subdued. I have
no idea of anything like this in the background. I
needn't say, Sir Frank, I will look up these solicitors
at once Chancery Lane. There are better addresses than that,
and there are worse. Unless you have anything else to advise,
(07:19):
I should advise you to find out what you can
about the solicitors, certainly, but I doubt if they are
in possession of the letters. I shouldn't be surprised if
the letters were in Paris by this time. Captain Charles
struck his forehead. Of course, the widow has carried them
abroad to be out of reach in case of trouble.
It was fortunate that we heard of their flight so soon.
(07:41):
We know where they are already they have some smart
men in the rude Jerusalem. I shall be glad if
you will write me a line of introduction to the
French police. Tarleton responded, by the way, have you secured
me that finger print yet? I have it here, Sir Frank.
The inspector took out a substantial pocket book and extracted
(08:02):
a mounted photograph, which my chief slipped into his own
pocket without giving it a glance. Charles looked as if
he were as much in the dark as I was
as to the meaning of this proceeding. It may come
in useful, was all the consultants said. But you are
going to tell us where missus Weatherett and her daughter
were hiding. They don't seem to be hiding. That's the
(08:24):
curious part of it. Perhaps they don't understand the law
about extradition. They've put up at a respectable hotel on
Cook's list, a hotel swarming with English tourists, the Hotel
Saint Catherine in the Rue Tivoli. Tarleton knitted his brows
at this intelligence. We don't know yet the reason for
their flight, if it is a flight, he observed, thoughtfully,
(08:47):
we have nothing against either of them so far. Remember
he drew out his mascot and played with it gently
for a minute while Charles and I watched him in
keen suspense. Suddenly he looked up and spoke to the
inspector in a brisk voice. We mustn't lose time. Some
unfortunate victim made the answering that advertisement already. Luckily I
(09:07):
have come across one of whether its correspondents, whose letters
to him were quite innocent. That missus Baker, your man
reported on for me. I want you to see her
at once, using my name if necessary, and get her
authority to deal with these solicitors on her behalf. Ask
for the letters first, and if they make some excuse
for not parting with them, ask who is instructing them.
(09:30):
If they refuse to give you their client's name, we
shall know the worst. It seemed to me that we
knew the worst already. If my chief was right as
he had said, an honest woman finding such letters after
her husband's death would have put them in the fire.
It was more than imperative that I should see Violet
at once. She might have read the advertisement by now
(09:51):
and taken it in good faith. Directly after Captain Charles
had left this, I made some excuse for going out
on business and hailed the first text I saw. It
was still early when I got to John Street, Mayfair,
where the Earl of Ledbury's modest town house stood. The
door was opened by the same man whom I had
made a friend of down at Tyberton, and I was
(10:12):
careful to confirm the friendship in the surest way. He
was much more smartly dressed on this occasion, and everything
about the house indicated that Lord Ledbury had taken Tarleton's
advice to heart, and was preparing to give his daughter
her proper position in the fashionable world. Violet too was changed.
Her dress was still a little lacking in those touches
(10:33):
which only the most expensive houses can impart, but she
bore herself quite differently. Her father's new born care for
her had given her confidence and done something to banish
the look of hopelessness and resignation I had last seen
on her face. I hate to confess it, but glad
as I was on her account, I felt a little
sorry in my own. The old gulf between us, I
(10:56):
was beginning to hope, had shrunk, but now a new
one seemed to have opened. Who was I? What was plain?
Bertrand casilis m d that he should venture to go
on loving the bright stars set high above him in
the social firmament. I think I know why you have come,
was her greeting. She did not offer me her white hand.
They are offering to return those letters. I can't tell
(11:18):
you how thankful I shall be. It was what I
had feared. I would have given anything to leave her
in ignorance, but the risk was too great. Have you
answered the advertisement yet? I asked not yet. I was
tempted to go there at once, but I thought I
had better consult you first. Why is there anything wrong?
(11:38):
She must have seen there was by this time for
my error. Yet at that very moment, the knowledge that
she had thought of me, that she had put her
trust in me and no one else, made my courage rise,
and I answered her with a boldness that surprised myself.
Thank Heaven for that. I came here the first moment
I could to warn you to take no notice of
that advertisement. It shows that they don't know whom the
(12:01):
letters are from, or they would have written to you direct.
Trust me, the matter is in good hands. Those letters
shall either be returned to you or destroyed unread. I
swear it, Thank you, bertrand I do trust you. I
know it isn't your fault if they haven't been destroyed already.
The words rolled a great burden from my heart. I
(12:22):
was on the point of murmuring that I hadn't deserved
her trust, but some instinct bade me refrain from the
least reference to the past. I believe that the sad
old wound was beginning to heal, and that the best
chance for both of us was to bury the past
in silence and never to conjure up its ghosts by
one single word. Already Violet was forgetting her own trouble.
(12:43):
To think of mine, she went on, before I had
found anything to say, But what about yourself? Has anything
more been discovered about the murder? It was necessary for
me to tell her what I feared. We have found
what caused whether it's death? I am answered, it was
a poison that only Sir Frank Tarleton knew of. He
(13:04):
recognized the symptoms from the first and now he has
found out where it was obtained from. And I briefly
related the story of the stolen bottle. Violet looked relieved
when she heard it. Then he must have stolen the
bottle himself. Did he commits suicide? Do you think? I'm
afraid That's not what Sir Frank thinks. Unless I am mistaken.
(13:26):
He suspects me of having taken the bottle from missus Baker.
His manner towards me is quite changed. He is going
to Paris to night on the track of the letters,
but he isn't taking me with him. I had alarmed
her more than I meant. She uttered a cry of despair. Bertrande,
it isn't true. Will he have you arrested? Shall you be?
(13:48):
She began to sob. No, No, it isn't as bad
as that. There's not going to be any arrest if
the police can help it anyway. I don't believe Sir
Frank would let them arrest me. But I shall have
to resign my post, I expect, and I may have
to leave the country. She looked at me through her tears.
That will be almost as bad, won't it. It was
(14:10):
all I could do to keep from answering, not if
you come with me? But I could not take advantage
of her like that. I shall always have my profession,
I said. Sir Frank has confidence in me as a doctor.
I know, but I didn't mean to distress you like this.
I shouldn't have said anything to you about it, but
Sir Frank is coming here to lunch to day, and
(14:32):
I was afraid he might find out something from you.
Surely you didn't think that, she protested. You don't think
I should betray you. If you had killed that villain,
it would have been for my sake, and he deserved
to be killed. My heart glowed within me. I spoke out,
and I would have killed him if I had seen
no other way. No, I don't think for a moment
(14:55):
that you would give me away knowingly. But Tarleton is
a past master in the art of sounding people and
extracting information from them unawares. I only wanted to put
you on your guard lest you should think that you
could trust him as a friend of mine. I certainly
thought he was. He looked so kind and good, Violet
said thoughtfully. Perhaps I was a little irritated. He impresses
(15:19):
all women in that way. I said, with a touch
of jealousy. I could see that he admired you. Violet's
eyes brightened. I must try to make a friend of him.
If I let him see that that, I should be
sorry if any harm came to anyone through me. Perhaps
that may influence him. I ought to have been very grateful,
(15:39):
but I am afraid my response was lacking in warmth.
Don't tell him I have been here, I said, as
I rose to go, and she smiled at me rather
pathetically as she promised. I had a rather dismal lunch
by myself, wondering what was passing at Lord Ledbury's. When
I saw Charleton again, I was staggered by his gay appearance.
(16:00):
He had blossomed doubt in a new coat, and a
white waistcoat, and a fancy tie. Most wonderful of all,
the shabby black ribbon by which he was so fond
of swinging his watch had been replaced by a brilliant
gold chain that I had never seen before. It was
evident that he had decked himself to make an impression
in John Street. He had not long been back when
(16:21):
we had another call from Captain Charles. He came and,
looking grave, and greeted my chief with increased respect. I
had been to Chancery Lane, as you advised, Sir Frank,
and seen the principal. There was only one the names
in the advertise meant to bogus once unless he bought
the good will of some old firm going out of business.
The man's real name is Stillman. I saw it on
(16:43):
his note paper, and he strikes me as hot stuff.
What did he say? It was just what you expected.
Made an excuse for not giving me missus Baker's letters.
Said he was only authorized to hand them over to
the writer in person, And when I asked who was
instructing him, said he wasn't authorized to give his clients name.
(17:06):
Tarleton shrugged his shoulders. Clever, very clever, he repeated. There's
nothing for you to take hold of so far. If
you go back again with missus Baker, you will put
him in a corner, and very likely her letters will
be given up, as they contain nothing serious. It's a
nasty business. What had we better do? Do nothing till
(17:29):
you hear from me again. I am off to Paris tonight,
and when I come back, I shall know where the
letters are. If I don't bring them back with me.
The inspector bowed himself out quite meekly. My curiosity prompted
me to venture on a rash question. Do you think
it possible that miss Neobard has the letters? My chief
(17:49):
swung himself slowly round in his chair and gave me
a steady look, under which I quailed inwardly. I don't
think I ought to tell you, Casillis. It seems to
me that you are an interested party. So my fear
had been well grounded. I listened breathlessly for more. From
the beginning of this investigation, you have shown a bias
(18:09):
that is fatal in one who was playing the part
of a detective. Or aspiring to play it. A man
in your position should be absolutely impartial. He should not
let himself be swayed for a moment by personal prejudices
or personal preferences. Now you have all along showed a
disposition to screen Lady Violet Bredwardine. You have made excuses
(18:30):
for her to me, and you have defended her to others.
At the same time, you was shown an inclination to
think the worst of Sarah Neobard, and your animus against
her came out most strongly when she showed herself Lady
Violet's enemy. What could I say? I was only too
thankful that he had spared me any reference to the
omission of Violet's name from the list I had copied
(18:51):
for Inspector Charles. That was a clear breach of duty,
as I had to admit to myself. Sir Frank's voice
was perfectly bland, as he continued, Lady Violet is worthy
of any man's admiration, and I am quite as determined
as you are to protect her from any dastardly use
of her correspondence. I should not have blamed you severely
(19:12):
for anything you might have done for her protection. If
you had been acting in a private capacity. But you
are here in a responsible position. You owe it to
the Home Office and me to conduct the inquiry into
this murder without fear or favor, whatever may be the consequences,
and whoever may be guilty. You must ask yourself if
you have done so. I am afraid. I asked myself
(19:34):
instead how much he really knew so far? He had
made no definite accusation. He had charged me with nothing
but a display of personal sympathy and antipathy, a charge
which would have been foolish to deny. It is a
question of temperament, it seems to me pursued the consultant
in the same even tones. Sympathy is a valuable quality
(19:56):
in a doctor, but it is fatal and a criminal investigator.
I think I have made a mistake in inviting you
to enter the government's service. You would get on better
in private practice. The blow had fallen and I had
only to make the best of it. Of course, I
am in your hands, sir. If that is your opinion,
I will send in my resignation. Australia, Canada, South Africa
(20:19):
passed before my mind's eye as I spoke as possible
refugees for a penniless medico. I could not hope for
anything in England after being practically dismissed from the Home Office.
My prompt offer, however, seemed to have greatly softened my judge.
We will talk of that after I have come back
from Paris, he said, kindly, for your own sake, I
(20:40):
don't advise any sudden step. And there is lady Violet
to consider. As I said before, you have acted as
your champion. Anything like a public slur on you, or
an admission on your part that you were to blame,
would be certain to give her pain, even if it
didn't reflect on her. She spoke of you to me
this morning in a very friendly way, Poor Violet, so
(21:02):
she had done the very worst thing she could have
done in my interest, to praise a young man to
an elderly admirer. What other result could it have but
to insure his being driven from the field. I was
too much cast down to make any response to Sir
Frank's well meant advice beyond a silent bow. He was
as friendly as ever the next minute invited me to
(21:23):
come to Charing Cross to see him off, and shook
my hand cordially at parting. I preferred to walk home afterwards,
dreading the dull hours till bedtime. So miserable was I
that when I came in, I should have gone straight
upstairs without looking to see if there were any letters
for me, if I had not been arrested by a
faint fragrance that had many memories for me. I looked down,
(21:46):
and there was a delicate blue envelope beckoning me by name,
Dear Bertrande, I write at once to tell you that
you have nothing to fear from dear sir Frank. He
spoke of you most highly to my father, said you
had a distinguished career before you, and that he would
not take three thousand pounds a year for your practice
in a few years time, Yours, Violet, end of Chapter seventeen,
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