human
My dear boy, I am indeed glad! What good fairy sent you here? A glass of port? You look pale. I am delighted to see you. If you had not come I should have had to send for you.
gpt
About the disappearance of these two people.
human
What two people? asked the young man, suddenly alert.
gpt
You forget that I have been away from Heathton for the last three days.
human
Of course, of course. Well, one is Brown, the stranger who stayed with Mrs. Marry.
gpt
The Quiet Gentleman?
human
Yes. I heard them call him so in the village. A very doubtful character. He never came to church, said the Rector sadly.
gpt
However, it seems he has disappeared. Two nights ago--in fact, upon the evening of the day upon which poor Marlow's funeral took place, he left his lodgings for a walk. Since then, added the Rector impressively,
human
In plain words, he has taken French leave,
gpt
Oh, I should not say that, Alan. He paid his weekly account the day before he vanished. He left his baggage behind him. No, I don't think he intended to run away. Mrs. Marry says he was a good lodger, although she knew very little about him. However, he has gone, and his box remains. No one saw him after he left the village about eight o'clock. He was last seen by Giles Hale passing the church in the direction of the moor. To-day we searched the moor, but could find no trace of him. Most mysterious,
human
Who is the other man?
gpt
Ah! Now you must be prepared for a shock, Alan. Dr. Warrender!
human
Is he lost too?
gpt
Strangely enough, he is, answered Phelps gravely.
human
On the night of the funeral he went out at nine o'clock in the evening to see a patient. He never came back.
gpt
Who was the patient?
human
That is the strangest part of it. Brown, the Quiet Gentleman, was the patient. Mrs. Warrender, who, as you may guess, is quite distracted, says that her husband told her so. Mrs. Marry declares that the doctor called after nine, and found Brown was absent.
gpt
What happened then?
human
Dr. Warrender, according to Mrs. Marry, asked in what direction her lodger had gone. She could not tell him, so, saying he would call again in an hour or so, he went. And, of course, he never returned.
gpt
Did Brown send for him?
human
Mrs. Marry could not say. Certainly no message was sent through her.
gpt
Was Brown ill?
human
Not at all, according to his landlady. We have been searching for both Brown and Warrender, but have found no traces of either.
gpt
Humph! said Thorold, after a pause.
human
I wonder if they met and went away together?
gpt
My dear lad, where would they go to?
human
I don't know; I can't say. The whole business is most mysterious. Alan stopped, and looked sharply at Mr. Phelps.
gpt
Have you the key of the Marlow vault in your possession?
human
Yes, of course, locked in my safe. Your question is most extraordinary.
gpt
My explanation is more extraordinary still. He took out Mr. Gramp's letter and handed it to the Rector.
human
What do you think of that, sir?
gpt
Most elegant caligraphy, said the good man.
human
Why, bless me! He read on hurriedly, and finally dropped the letter with a bewildered air.
gpt
Bless me, Alan! he stammered.
human
What--what--what----
gpt
You see, this man says the body has been stolen. Do you know if the door of the vault has been broken open?
human
No, no, certainly not! cried the Rector, rising fussily.
gpt
Come to my study, Alan; we must see if it is all right. It must be, he added emphatically.
human
The key of the safe is on my watch-chain. No one can open it. Oh dear! Bless me!
gpt
You see, cried Phelps, waving it triumphantly,
human
My key is in my desk at the Abbey Farm--locked up also, said the young man hastily.
gpt
I'll see about it to-night. In the meantime, sir, bring that key with you, and we will go into the vault.
human
What for? demanded the Rector sharply.
gpt
Why should we go there?
human
Can't you understand? said Alan impatiently.
gpt
I want to find out if this letter is true or false--if the body of Mr. Marlow has been removed.
human
But I--I--can't! gasped the Rector.
gpt
I must apply to the bishop for----
human
Nonsense, sir! We are not going to exhume the body. It's not like digging up a grave. All that is necessary is to look at the coffin resting in its niche. We can tell from the screws and general appearance if it has been tampered with.
gpt
I don't like it, he said.
human
I don't like it at all. Still, I don't suppose a look at the coffin can harm any one. We'll go, Alan, we'll go; but I must take Jarks.
gpt
The sexton?
human
Yes. I want a witness--two witnesses; you are one, Jarks the other. It is a gruesome task that we have before us. He shuddered again.
gpt
I don't like it. Profanation!
human
If this letter is to be believed, the profanation has already been committed.
gpt
Cicero Gramp, repeated Mr. Phelps as they went out.
human
Who is he?
gpt
A fat man--a tramp--a reciter. I saw him at Bournemouth. He delivered that letter at the hotel himself; the waiter described him, and as the creature is a perfect Falstaff, I recalled his face--I had seen him on the parade. I went at once to see if I could find him, but he was gone.
human
A fat man, said the Rector.
gpt
Humph! He was at the Good Samaritan the other night. I'll tell you about him later.