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in the way of legal matters； but I had to go through her
papers。〃
〃That would be a fairly heavy task in itself。 I
should imagine there were reams of family letters。〃
〃Stacks of them； and most of them highly
uninteresting。 There was one packet； however； which I
thought might repay a careful perusal。 It was a bundle
of correspondence from her brother Peter。〃
〃The Canon of tragic memory；〃 said Lulworth。
〃Exactly； of tragic memory； as you say； a tragedy
that has never been fathomed。〃
〃Probably the simplest explanation was the correct
one；〃 said Sir Lulworth； 〃he slipped on the stone
staircase and fractured his skull in falling。〃
Egbert shook his head。 〃The medical evidence all
went to prove that the blow on the head was struck by
some one coming up behind him。 A wound caused by violent
contact with the steps could not possibly have been
inflicted at that angle of the skull。 They experimented
with a dummy figure falling in every conceivable
position。〃
〃But the motive？〃 exclaimed Sir Lulworth； 〃no one
had any interest in doing away with him； and the number
of people who destroy Canons of the Established Church
for the mere fun of killing must be extremely limited。
Of course there are individuals of weak mental balance
who do that sort of thing； but they seldom conceal their
handiwork； they are more generally inclined to parade
it。〃
〃His cook was under suspicion；〃 said Egbert shortly。
〃I know he was；〃 said Sir Lulworth； 〃simply because
he was about the only person on the premises at the time
of the tragedy。 But could anything be sillier than
trying to fasten a charge of murder on to Sebastien？ He
had nothing to gain； in fact； a good deal to lose； from
the death of his employer。 The Canon was paying him
quite as good wages as I was able to offer him when I
took him over into my service。 I have since raised them
to something a little more in accordance with his real
worth； but at the time he was glad to find a new place
without troubling about an increase of wages。 People
were fighting rather shy of him； and he had no friends in
this country。 No； if anyone in the world was interested
in the prolonged life and unimpaired digestion of the
Canon it would certainly be Sebastien。〃
〃People don't always weigh the consequences of their
rash acts；〃 said Egbert； 〃otherwise there would be very
few murders committed。 Sebastien is a man of hot
temper。〃
〃He is a southerner；〃 admitted Sir Lulworth； 〃to be
geographically exact I believe he hails from the French
slopes of the Pyrenees。 I took that into consideration
when he nearly killed the gardener's boy the other day
for bringing him a spurious substitute for sorrel。 One
must always make allowances for origin and locality and
early environment； ‘Tell me your longitude and I'll know
what latitude to allow you；' is my motto。〃
〃There； you see；〃 said Egbert； 〃he nearly killed the
gardener's boy。〃
〃My dear Egbert； between nearly killing a gardener's
boy and altogether killing a Canon there is a wide
difference。 No doubt you have often felt a temporary
desire to kill a gardener's boy； you have never given way
to it； and I respect you for your self…control。 But I
don't suppose you have ever wanted to kill an
octogenarian Canon。 Besides； as far as we know； there
had never been any quarrel or disagreement between the
two men。 The evidence at the inquest brought that out
very clearly。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Egbert； with the air of a man coming at
last into a deferred inheritance of conversational
importance； 〃that is precisely what I want to speak to
you about。〃
He pushed away his coffee cup and drew a pocket…book
from his inner breast…pocket。 From the depths of the
pocket…book he produced an envelope； and from the
envelope he extracted a letter； closely written in a
small； neat handwriting。
〃One of the Canon's numerous letters to Aunt
Adelaide；〃 he explained； 〃written a few days before his
death。 Her memory was already failing when she received
it； and I daresay she forgot the contents as soon as she
had read it； otherwise； in the light of what subsequently
happened； we should have heard something of this letter
before now。 If it had been produced at the inquest I
fancy it would have made some difference in the course of
affairs。 The evidence； as you remarked just now； choked
off suspicion against Sebastien by disclosing an utter
absence of anything that could be considered a motive or
provocation for the crime； if crime there was。〃
〃Oh； read the letter；〃 said Sir Lulworth
impatiently。
〃It's a long rambling affair； like most of his
letters in his later years；〃 said Egbert。 〃I'll read the
part that bears immediately on the mystery。
〃 'I very much fear I shall have to get rid of
Sebastien。 He cooks divinely； but he has the temper of a
fiend or an anthropoid ape； and I am really in bodily
fear of him。 We had a dispute the other day as to the
correct sort of lunch to be served on Ash Wednesday； and
I got so irritated and annoyed at his conceit and
obstinacy that at last I threw a cupful of coffee in his
face and called him at the same time an impudent
jackanapes。 Very little of the coffee went actually in
his face； but I have never seen a human being show such
deplorable lack of self…control。 I laughed at the threat
of killing me that he spluttered out in his rage； and
thought the whole thing would blow over； but I have
several times since caught him scowling and muttering in
a highly unpleasant fashion； and lately I have fancied
that he was dogging my footsteps about the grounds；
particularly when I walk of an evening in the Italian
Garden。'
〃It was on the steps in the Italian Garden that the
body was found；〃 commented Egbert； and resumed reading。
〃 'I daresay the danger is imaginary； but I shall
feel more at ease when he has quitted my service。' 〃
Egbert paused for a moment at the conclusion of the
extract； then； as his uncle made no remark； he added： 〃If
lack of motive was the only factor that saved Sebastien
from prosecution I fancy this letter will put a different
complexion on matters。〃
〃Have you shown it to anyone else？〃 asked Sir
Lulworth； reaching out his hand for the incriminating
piece of paper。
〃No；〃 said Egbert； handing it across the table； 〃I
thought I would tell you about it first。 Heavens； what
are you doing？〃
Egbert's voice rose almost to a scream。 Sir
Lulworth had flung the paper well and truly into the
glowing centre of the grate。 The small； neat hand…
writing shrivelled into black flaky nothingness。
〃What on earth did you do that for？〃 gasped Egbert。
〃That letter was our one piece of evidence to connect
Sebastien with the crime。〃
〃That is why I destroyed it；〃 said Sir Lulworth。
〃But why should you want to shield him？〃 cried
Egbert； 〃the man is a common murderer。〃
〃A common murderer； possibly； but a very uncommon
cook。〃
DUSK
NORMAN GORTSBY sat on a bench in the Park； with his
back to a strip of bush…planted sward； fenced by the park
railings； and the Row fronting him across a wide stretch
of carriage drive。 Hyde Park Corner； with its rattle and
hoot of traffic； lay immediately to his right。 It was
some thirty minutes past six on an early March evening；
and dusk had fallen heavily over the scene； dusk
mitigated by some faint moonlight and many street lamps。
There was a wide emptiness over road and sidewalk； and
yet there were many unconsidered figures moving silently
through the half…light； or dotted unobtrusively on bench
and chair； scarcely to be distinguished from the shadowed
gloom in which they sat。
The scene pleased Gortsby and harmonised with his
present mood。 Dusk； to his mind； was the hour of the
defeated。 Men and women； who had fought and lost； who
hid their fallen fortunes and dead hopes as far as
possible from the scrutiny of the curious； came forth in
this hour of gloaming； when their shabby clothes and
bowed shoulders and unhappy eyes might pass unnoticed；
or； at any rate； unrecognised。
A king that is conquered must see strange looks；
So bitter a thing is the heart of man。
The wanderers in the dusk did not choose to have
strange looks fasten on them； therefore they came out in
this bat…fashion； taking their pleasure sadly in a
pleasure…ground that had emptied of its rightful
occupants。 Beyond the sheltering screen of bushes and
palings came a realm of brilliant lights and noisy；
rushing traffic。 A blazing； many…tiered stretch of
windows shone through the dusk and almost dispersed it；
marking the haunts of those other people； who held their
own in life's struggle； or a