"I next called upon Madame Charpentier," continued the detective."I found her very pale and distressed. Her daughter was in the room,too--an uncommonly fine girl she is, too; she was looking red aboutthe eyes and her lips trembled as I spoke to her. That didn't escapemy notice. I began to smell a rat. You know the feeling, Mr. SherlockHolmes, when you come upon the right scent--a kind of thrill in yournerves. 'Have you heard of the mysterious death of your late boarder Mr.Enoch J. Drebber, of Cleveland?' I asked.
"The mother nodded. She didn't seem able to get out a word. The daughterburst into tears. I felt more than ever that these people knew somethingof the matter.
"'At what o'clock did Mr. Drebber leave your house for the train?' Iasked.
"'At eight o'clock,' she said, gulping in her throat to keep down heragitation. 'His secretary, Mr. Stangerson, said that there were twotrains--one at 9.15 and one at 11. He was to catch the first. [14]
"'And was that the last which you saw of him?'
"A terrible change came over the woman's face as I asked the question.Her features turned perfectly livid. It was some seconds before shecould get out the single word 'Yes'--and when it did come it was in ahusky unnatural tone.
"There was silence for a moment, and then the daughter spoke in a calmclear voice.
"'No good can ever come of falsehood, mother,' she said. 'Let us befrank with this gentleman. We _did_ see Mr. Drebber again.'
"'God forgive you!' cried Madame Charpentier, throwing up her hands andsinking back in her chair. 'You have murdered your brother.'
"'Arthur would rather that we spoke the truth,' the girl answeredfirmly.
"'You had best tell me all about it now,' I said. 'Half-confidences areworse than none. Besides, you do not know how much we know of it.'
"'On your head be it, Alice!' cried her mother; and then, turning to me,'I will tell you all, sir. Do not imagine that my agitation on behalfof my son arises from any fear lest he should have had a hand in thisterrible affair. He is utterly innocent of it. My dread is, however,that in your eyes and in the eyes of others he may appear to becompromised. That however is surely impossible. His high character, hisprofession, his antecedents would all forbid it.'
"'Your best way is to make a clean breast of the facts,' I answered.'Depend upon it, if your son is innocent he will be none the worse.'
"'Perhaps, Alice, you had better leave us together,' she said, and herdaughter withdrew. 'Now, sir,' she continued, 'I had no intention oftelling you all this, but since my poor daughter has disclosed it Ihave no alternative. Having once decided to speak, I will tell you allwithout omitting any particular.'
"'It is your wisest course,' said I.
"'Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks. He and his secretary,Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent. I noticed a"Copenhagen" label upon each of their trunks, showing that that had beentheir last stopping place. Stangerson was a quiet reserved man, but hisemployer, I am sorry to say, was far otherwise. He was coarse in hishabits and brutish in his ways. The very night of his arrival he becamevery much the worse for drink, and, indeed, after twelve o'clock in theday he could hardly ever be said to be sober. His manners towards themaid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar. Worst of all, hespeedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice, and spoketo her more than once in a way which, fortunately, she is too innocentto understand. On one occasion he actually seized her in his arms andembraced her--an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach himfor his unmanly conduct.'
"'But why did you stand all this,' I asked. 'I suppose that you can getrid of your boarders when you wish.'
"Mrs. Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question. 'Would to God thatI had given him notice on the very day that he came,' she said. 'Butit was a sore temptation. They were paying a pound a day each--fourteenpounds a week, and this is the slack season. I am a widow, and my boy inthe Navy has cost me much. I grudged to lose the money. I acted for thebest. This last was too much, however, and I gave him notice to leave onaccount of it. That was the reason of his going.'
"'Well?'
"'My heart grew light when I saw him drive away. My son is on leavejust now, but I did not tell him anything of all this, for his temperis violent, and he is passionately fond of his sister. When I closed thedoor behind them a load seemed to be lifted from my mind. Alas, inless than an hour there was a ring at the bell, and I learned that Mr.Drebber had returned. He was much excited, and evidently the worse fordrink. He forced his way into the room, where I was sitting with mydaughter, and made some incoherent remark about having missed his train.He then turned to Alice, and before my very face, proposed to her thatshe should fly with him. "You are of age," he said, "and there is no lawto stop you. I have money enough and to spare. Never mind the old girlhere, but come along with me now straight away. You shall live like aprincess." Poor Alice was so frightened that she shrunk away from him,but he caught her by the wrist and endeavoured to draw her towards thedoor. I screamed, and at that moment my son Arthur came into the room.What happened then I do not know. I heard oaths and the confused soundsof a scuffle. I was too terrified to raise my head. When I did look upI saw Arthur standing in the doorway laughing, with a stick in his hand."I don't think that fine fellow will trouble us again," he said. "I willjust go after him and see what he does with himself." With those wordshe took his hat and started off down the street. The next morning weheard of Mr. Drebber's mysterious death.'
"This statement came from Mrs. Charpentier's lips with many gasps andpauses. At times she spoke so low that I could hardly catch the words. Imade shorthand notes of all that she said, however, so that there shouldbe no possibility of a mistake."
"It's quite exciting," said Sherlock Holmes, with a yawn. "What happenednext?"
"When Mrs. Charpentier paused," the detective continued, "I saw that thewhole case hung upon one point. Fixing her with my eye in a way whichI always found effective with women, I asked her at what hour her sonreturned.
"'I do not know,' she answered.
"'Not know?'
"'No; he has a latch-key, and he let himself in.'
"'After you went to bed?'
"'Yes.'
"'When did you go to bed?'
"'About eleven.'