"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
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."