human
Oh, I dare say your astonishment is natural, said the inspector, lighting his cigar.
gpt
I was astonished myself to find the dead man alive and kicking. Yet I should not have been, for I suspected the truth.
human
You suspected that Mr. Marlow was alive! he said faintly.
gpt
On what evidence?
human
On circumstantial evidence, said Blair smartly.
gpt
When I examined the coffin with Mr. Phelps I noticed what he did not. At the sides small holes were bored in inconspicuous places, and the shell of the leaden case was pierced. Only one inference could be drawn from this--that the man had designedly been buried alive. The design must have been carried out by Warrender and the short man. I suspected Joe, from the fact of his having given that sovereign to Cicero, and I watched him. Presuming my belief to be correct, I made certain that sooner or later he would rejoin his master. As I say, he went to Brighton. I followed close on his heels to a boarding-house in Lansdowne Place. There I saw Mr. Marlow.
human
Did he recognize you?
gpt
Of course. While he was living at Heathton I had seen Mr. Marlow several times on business. He made no attempt when I saw him at Brighton to disguise himself--not thinking, I suppose, that his clever scheme to frustrate Lestrange would come to light in this way.
human
But, Blair, you did not know about Lestrange then!
gpt
True enough; but I soon heard the whole story. Mr. Marlow told it to me himself. As you may guess, he was in a great way about my having discovered him, and seeing no means of evading the truth, he told it. I insisted upon it, in fact; and now I know all.
human
And how did it come about?
gpt
No, Mr. Thorold, said he,
human
I shall leave Mr. Marlow--I think we had better continue to call him so--to tell his own history. He can do it better than I. Besides, added the inspector, rising briskly,
gpt
I have business to do.
human
What sort of business?
gpt
You can judge for yourself. I want you to come with me.
human
Where--what to do?
gpt
To see Mrs. Warrender. You see, it was her husband who carried out this scheme of feigned death to deceive Lestrange. Marlow, accused of having murdered Achille in Jamaica, was afraid that this Captain Jean would have him arrested. Now, Warrender was in Beauchamp's house at Falmouth, Jamaica, when Mrs. Lestrange died, and he knew all about it. It is my belief, added the inspector slowly,
human
But, my dear Blair, protested Alan,
gpt
I dare say he could, but he did not. Warrender, my dear Mr. Thorold, was a blackmailing scoundrel, who assumed the mask of friendship to bamboozle Marlow. I had considerable difficulty in impressing this view on Marlow, for, strange to say, he believed in the doctor. Joe did not, however, and Joe told me a few facts about Warrender's practice in Jamaica, which showed me that the doctor was not the disinterested person he pretended to be. No, I am sure Warrender knew Beauchamp to be innocent, and kept the fact quiet so as to retain a hold on the man, and get money out of him. Now, do you understand why I want to see his widow?
human
No, replied Alan, not following the inspector's hypothesis,
gpt
I do not. If Warrender kept the truth from Marlow, he would most certainly have kept it from his wife. The woman would have babbled, even against her own interests, as women always do. Mrs. Warrender can tell you nothing--I feel sure of that.
human
You forget that the doctor may have left a confession of his knowledge.
gpt
Would he have done that? said Alan doubtfully.
human
It would have been a foolish thing.
gpt
And when do criminals do other than foolish things? was Blair's response.
human
The murderer usually returns to the scene of his crime--as often as not sets out its details in writing. It is impossible to account for the actions of human beings, Mr. Thorold. It would not surprise me in the least to hear that Warrender had written out the whole story in a diary. If so, his wife must have found it amongst his papers, and she will be disposed to sell it--at a long price.
gpt
If she had found such a document, she would have shown it to me or to Sophy before now.
human
By no means. If she knew that Marlow were alive, then, of course, she would realize that the document was valuable. But she believes him to be dead.
gpt
Humph! said Alan.
human
You seem very certain that such a document exists.
gpt
Perhaps I am too sanguine, admitted Blair;