"There is the case, my lady, as it stands against Miss Verinder alone,"

he said. "The next thing is to put the case as it stands against Miss

Verinder and the deceased Rosanna Spearman taken together. We will go

back for a moment, if you please, to your daughter's refusal to let her

wardrobe be examined. My mind being made up, after that circumstance,

I had two questions to consider next. First, as to the right method

of conducting my inquiry. Second, as to whether Miss Verinder had an

accomplice among the female servants in the house. After carefully

thinking it over, I determined to conduct the inquiry in, what we should

call at our office, a highly irregular manner. For this reason: I had a

Advertisement..

family scandal to deal with, which it was my business to keep within the

family limits. The less noise made, and the fewer strangers employed to

help me, the better. As to the usual course of taking people in

custody on suspicion, going before the magistrate, and all the rest

of it--nothing of the sort was to be thought of, when your ladyship's

daughter was (as I believed) at the bottom of the whole business.

In this case, I felt that a person of Mr. Betteredge's character and

position in the house--knowing the servants as he did, and having the

honour of the family at heart--would be safer to take as an assistant

than any other person whom I could lay my hand on. I should have tried

Mr. Blake as well--but for one obstacle in the way. HE saw the drift

of my proceedings at a very early date; and, with his interest in Miss

Verinder, any mutual understanding was impossible between him and me.

I trouble your ladyship with these particulars to show you that I have

kept the family secret within the family circle. I am the only outsider

who knows it--and my professional existence depends on holding my

tongue."

Here I felt that my professional existence depended on not holding my

tongue. To be held up before my mistress, in my old age, as a sort of

deputy-policeman, was, once again, more than my Christianity was strong

enough to bear.

"I beg to inform your ladyship," I said, "that I never, to my knowledge,

helped this abominable detective business, in any way, from first to

last; and I summon Sergeant Cuff to contradict me, if he dares!"

Having given vent in those words, I felt greatly relieved. Her ladyship

honoured me by a little friendly pat on the shoulder. I looked with

righteous indignation at the Sergeant, to see what he thought of such a

testimony as THAT. The Sergeant looked back like a lamb, and seemed to

like me better than ever.

My lady informed him that he might continue his statement. "I

understand," she said, "that you have honestly done your best, in what

you believe to be my interest. I am ready to hear what you have to say

next."




Most Popular