One after another, they were examined. One after another, they proved to

have nothing to say--and said it (so far as the women were concerned) at

great length, and with a very angry sense of the embargo laid on their

bed-rooms. The rest of them being sent back to their places downstairs,

Penelope was then summoned, and examined separately a second time.

My daughter's little outbreak of temper in the "boudoir," and her

readiness to think herself suspected, appeared to have produced an

unfavourable impression on Superintendent Seegrave. It seemed also to

dwell a little on his mind, that she had been the last person who saw

the Diamond at night. When the second questioning was over, my girl

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came back to me in a frenzy. There was no doubt of it any longer--the

police-officer had almost as good as told her she was the thief! I could

scarcely believe him (taking Mr. Franklin's view) to be quite such an

ass as that. But, though he said nothing, the eye with which he looked

at my daughter was not a very pleasant eye to see. I laughed it off

with poor Penelope, as something too ridiculous to be treated

seriously--which it certainly was. Secretly, I am afraid I was foolish

enough to be angry too. It was a little trying--it was, indeed. My

girl sat down in a corner, with her apron over her head, quite

broken-hearted. Foolish of her, you will say. She might have waited

till he openly accused her. Well, being a man of just an equal temper,

I admit that. Still Mr. Superintendent might have remembered--never mind

what he might have remembered. The devil take him!

The next and last step in the investigation brought matters, as they

say, to a crisis. The officer had an interview (at which I was present)

with my lady. After informing her that the Diamond must have been taken

by somebody in the house, he requested permission for himself and

his men to search the servants' rooms and boxes on the spot. My good

mistress, like the generous high-bred woman she was, refused to let us

be treated like thieves. "I will never consent to make such a return

as that," she said, "for all I owe to the faithful servants who are

employed in my house."

Mr. Superintendent made his bow, with a look in my direction, which said

plainly, "Why employ me, if you are to tie my hands in this way?" As

head of the servants, I felt directly that we were bound, in justice to

all parties, not to profit by our mistress's generosity. "We gratefully

thank your ladyship," I said; "but we ask your permission to do what is

right in this matter by giving up our keys. When Gabriel Betteredge sets

the example," says I, stopping Superintendent Seegrave at the door, "the

rest of the servants will follow, I promise you. There are my keys, to

begin with!" My lady took me by the hand, and thanked me with the tears

in her eyes. Lord! what would I not have given, at that moment, for the

privilege of knocking Superintendent Seegrave down!




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