human
My husband is in the country, she explained.
gpt
He is very often away, for his business often takes him on the Continent, to Paris and Amsterdam.
human
But how do you think these men got into the house? the officer asked.
gpt
I notice that the inner glass door of the hall closes with a latch which can only be opened from the inside. Therefore, if they had entered the front door with a false key they could not have passed the inner door.
human
I have no idea how they could have entered. Perhaps by a window.
gpt
Or perhaps by the servants' entrance,
human
They couldn't have got in that way, mum, because they'd have to pass through the kitchen, and cook was there all the time. Besides, we're always very careful that that door is never left ajar.
gpt
It's evident that they were concealed in the house,
human
Of course, agreed the inspector.
gpt
But what we want to know is whether this lady has any suspicion of anyone to whose advantage it would be to obtain possession of what was concealed there.
human
I don't know what was in there, she declared, in a weak, nervous voice.
gpt
My husband made the place himself a few months ago, as he often has valuable jewellery here. In the City he has a strong room, of course, but here he deemed it best to make a secret hiding-place rather than have a fire-proof safe, which is always discussed by servants, and the knowledge of which in a private house so soon becomes common property.
human
Then he used to keep valuables there?
gpt
I believe so, but I never looked inside. It opened with a spring, the secret of which he alone knew.
human
Who made it? The man who constructed it knew the secret, no doubt. He may be one of those implicated.
gpt
The piece of board with the spring he brought home with him from Paris one day. It was made there, he said. The steel box was made somewhere in Chelsea.
human
And who fitted the board so evenly?
gpt
He did himself. He is an amateur cabinetmaker, and at one time used to make furniture. He made that table over there,
human
Then no workman was actually employed in fitting it up?
gpt
No. He did it himself, so that nobody should know. And he would not even let me know the secret of the spring.
human
Which showed some distrust, remarked the inspector.
gpt
He evidently possessed something there which he did not wish you to see.
human
Yes. That, however, is not surprising, she remarked.
gpt
Many husbands have secrets--family affairs and such like--with which they hesitate to trouble their wives.
human
Certainly, he said, glancing dubiously at me, and no doubt recollecting that gruesome object now in the doctor's pocket.
gpt
But it seems very strange that thieves should come here so boldly, attack both you and the maid-servant, and go straight to that secret hiding-place if there was not some very strong motive. They evidently knew there was something there--something of which they desired to obtain possession.
human
But they didn't know the secret of the spring, for they prised it open.