cunning； the devil is comparatively cunning； Mrs。 Beauly is
superlatively cunning。 No！ no！ If she is ever discovered； at this
distance of time； it will not be done by a manit will be done
by a woman： a woman whom she doesn't suspect； a woman who can
watch her with the patience of a tigress in a state of
starvation〃
〃Say a woman like Me！〃 I broke out。 〃I am ready to try。〃
His eyes glittered； his teeth showed themselves viciously under
his mustache； he drummed fiercely with both hands on the arms of
his chair。
〃Do you really mean it？〃 he asked。
〃Put me in your position；〃 I answered 。 〃Enlighten me with your
moral certainty （as you call it）and you shall see！〃
〃I'll do it！〃 he said。 〃Tell me one thing first。 How did an
outside stranger； like you； come to suspect her？〃
I set before him； to the best of my ability； the various elements
of suspicion which I had collected from the evidence at the
Trial； and I laid especial stress on the fact （sworn to by the
nurse） that Mrs。 Beauly was missing exactly at he time when
Christina Ormsay had left Mrs。 Eustace Macallan alone in her
room。
〃You have hit it！〃 cried Miserrimus Dexter。 〃You are a wonderful
woman！ What was she doing on the morning of the day when Mrs。
Eustace Macallan died poisoned？ And where was she during the dark
hours of the night？ I can tell you where she was _not_she was
not in her own room。〃
〃Not in her own room？〃 I repeated。 〃Are you really sure of that？〃
〃I am sure of everything that I say； when I am speaking of Mrs。
Beauly。 Mind that： and now listen！ This is a drama； and I excel
in dramatic narrative。 You shall judge for yourself。 Date； the
twentieth of October。 Scene the Corridor； called the Guests'
Corridor； at Gleninch。 On one side； a row of windows looking out
into the garden。 On the other； a row of four bedrooms； with
dressing…rooms attached。 First bedroom （beginning from the
staircase）； occupied by Mrs。 Beauly。 Second bedroom； empty。 Third
bedroom； occupied by Miserrimus Dexter。 Fourth bedroom； empty。 So
much for the Scene！ The time comes nextthe time is eleven at
night。 Dexter discovered in his bedroom； reading。 Enter to him
Eustace Macallan。 Eustace speaks： 'My dear fellow； be
particularly careful not to make any noise； don't bowl your chair
up and down the corridor to…night。' Dexter inquires； 'Why？'
Eustace answers： 'Mrs。 Beauly has been dining with some friends
in Edinburgh； and has come back terribly fatigued： she has gone
up to her room to rest。' Dexter makes another inquiry （satirical
inquiry； this time）： 'How does she look when she is terribly
fatigued？ As beautiful as ever？' Answer： 'I don t know； I have
not seen her； she slipped upstairs； without speaking to anybody。'
Third inquiry by Dexter （logical inquiry； on this occasion）： 'If
she spoke to nobody； how do you know she is fatigued？' Eustace
hands Dexter a morsel of paper； and answers： 'Don t be a fool！ I
found this on the hall table。 Remember what I have told you about
keeping quiet； good…night！' Eustace retires。 Dexter looks at the
paper； and reads these lines in pencil： 'Just returned。 Please
forgive me for going to bed without saying good…night。 I have
overexerted myself； I am dreadfully fatigued。 （Signed） Helena。'
Dexter is by nature suspicious。 Dexter suspects Mrs。 Beauly。
Never mind his reasons； there is no time to enter into his
reasons now。 He puts the ease to himself thus： 'A weary woman
would never have given herself the trouble to write this。 She
would have found it much less fatiguing to knock at the
drawing…room door as she passed； and to make her apologies by
word of mouth。 I see something here out of the ordinary way； I
shall make a night of it in my chair。 Very good。 Dexter proceeds
to make a night of it。 He opens his door； wheels himself softly
into the corridor； locks the doors of the two empty bedrooms； and
returns （with the keys in his pocket） to his own room。 'Now；'
says D。 to himself； 'if I hear a door softly opened in this part
of the house； I shall know for certain it is Mrs。 Beauly's door！'
Upon that he closes his own door； leaving the tiniest little
chink to look through； puts out his light； and waits and watches
at his tiny little chink； like a cat at a mouse…hole。 The
corridor is the only place he wants to see； and a lamp burns
there all night。 Twelve o'clock strikes； he hear s the doors
below bolted and locked； and nothing happens。 Half…past
twelveand nothing still。 The house is as silent as the grave。
One o'clock； two o'clocksame silence。 Half…past twoand
something happens at last。 Dexter hears a sound close by； in the
corridor。 It is the sound of a handle turning very softly in a
doorin the only door that can be opened； the door of Mrs。
Beauly's room。 Dexter drops noiselessly from his chair onto his
hands； lies flat on the floor at his chink； and listens。 He hears
the handle closed again； he sees a dark object flit by him； he
pops his head out of his door； down on the floor where nobody
would think of looking for him。 And what does he see？ Mrs。
Beauly！ There she goes； with the long brown cloak over her
shoulders； which she wears when she is driving； floating behind
her。 In a moment more she disappears； past the fourth bedroom；
and turns at a right angle； into a second corridor； called the
South Corridor。 What rooms are in the South Corridor？ There are
three rooms。 First room； the little study； mentioned in the
nurse's evidence。 Second room； Mrs。 Eustace Macallan's
bedchamber。 Third room； her husband's bedchamber。 What does Mrs。
Beauly （supposed to be worn out by fatigue） want in that part of
the house at half…past two in the morning？ Dexter decides on
running the risk of being seenand sets off on a voyage of
discovery。 Do you know how he gets from place to place without
his chair？ Have you seen the poor deformed creature hop on his
hands？ Shall he show you how he does it； before he goes on with
his story？〃
I hastened to stop the proposed exhibition。
〃I saw you hop last night；〃 I said。 〃Go on！pray go on with your
story！
〃Do you like my dramatic style of narrative？〃 he asked。 〃Am I
interesting？〃
〃Indescribably interesting； Mr。 Dexter。 I am eager to hear more。〃
He smiled in high approval of his own abilities。
〃I am equally good at the autobiographical style；〃 he said。
〃Shall we try that next； by way of variety？〃
〃Anything you like；〃 I cried； losing all patience with him； 〃if
you will only go on！〃
〃Part Two； Autobiographical Style；〃 he announced； with a wave of
his hand。 〃I hopped along the Guests' Corridor； and turned into
the South Corridor。 I stopped at the little study。 Door open；
nobody there。 I crossed the study to the second door；
communicating with Mrs。 Macallan's bedchamber。 Locked！ I looked
through the keyhole Was there something hanging over it； on the
other side？ I can't sayI only know there was nothing to be seen
but blank darkness。 I listened。 Nothing to be heard。 Same blank
darkness； same absolute silence； inside the locked second door of
Mrs。 Eustace's room； opening on the corridor。 I went on to her
husband's bedchamber。 I had the worst possible opinion of Mrs。
BeaulyI should not have been in the least surprised if I had
caught her in Eustace's room。 I looked through the keyhole。 In
this case； the key was out of itor was turned the right way for
meI don't know which。 Eustace's bed was opposite the door。 No
discovery。 I could see him； all by himself； innocently asleep。 I
reflected a little。 The back staircase was at the end of the
corridor； beyond me。 I slid down the stairs； and looked about me
on the lower floor； by the light of the night…lamp。 Doors all
fast locked and keys outside； so that I could try them myself。
House door barred and bolted。 Door leading into the servants'
offices barred and bolted。 I got back to my own room； and thought
it out quietly。 Where could she be？ Certainly _in_ the house；
somewhere。 Where？ I had made sure of the other rooms； the field
of search was exhausted。 She could only be in Mrs。 Macallan's
roomthe _one_ room which had baffled my investigations； the
_only_ room which had not lent itself to examination。 Add to this
that the key of the door in the study； communicating with Mrs。
Macallan's room； was stated in the nurse's evidence to be
missing； and don't forget that the dearest object of Mrs。
Beauly's life （on the showing of her own letter； read at the
Trial） was to be Eustace Macallan's happy wife。 Put these things
together in your own mind； and you will know what my thoughts
were； as I sat waiting for events in my chair； without my telling
you。 Toward four o'clock； strong as I am； fatigue got the better
of me。 I fell asleep。 Not for long。 I awoke with a start and
looked at my watch。 Twenty…five minutes past four。 Had she got
back to her room while I was asleep？ I hopped to her door and
listened。 Not a sound。 I softly opened the door。 The room was
empty。 I went back again to my own room to wait and watch。 It was
hard work to keep my eyes open。 I drew up the window to let the
cool air refresh me； I fought hard with exhausted nature； and
exhausted nature won。 I fell asleep again。 This time it was eight
in the morning when I awoke。 I have goodish ears； as you may have
noticed。 I heard women's voices talking under my open window。 I
peeped out。 Mrs。 Beauly and her maid in close confabulation！ Mrs。
Beauly and her maid looking guiltily about them to make sure that
they were neither seen nor heard！ 'Take care； ma'am；' I heard the
maid say； 'that horrid deformed monster is as sly as a fox。 Mind
he doesn't discover you。' Mrs。 Beauly answered； 'You go first；
and look out in front； I will follow you； and make sure there is
nobody behind us。' With that they disappeared around the corner
of the house。 In five minutes more I heard the door of Mrs。
Beauly's room softly opened and closed again。 Three hours later
the nurse met her in the corridor； innocently on her way to make
inquiries at Mrs。 Eustace Macallan's door。 What do you think of
these circumstances？ What do you think of Mrs。 Beauly and her
maid having something to say to each other； which they didn't
dare say in the housefor fear of my being behind some door
listening to them？ What do you think of