第42章

Franklin, but Mr.Godfrey and Superintendent Seegrave also waiting for me on the steps.

Mr.Superintendent's reflections (after failing to find the Diamond in the servants' rooms or boxes) had led him, it appeared, to an entirely new conclusion.Still sticking to his first text, namely, that somebody in the house had stolen the jewel, our experienced officer was now of opinion that the thief (he was wise enough not to name poor Penelope, whatever he might privately think of her!) had been acting in concert with the Indians;and he accordingly proposed shifting his inquiries to the jugglers in the prison at Frizinghall.Hearing of this new move, Mr.Franklin had volunteered to take the Superintendent back to the town, from which he could telegraph to London as easily as from our station.Mr.Godfrey, still devoutly believing in Mr.Seegrave, and greatly interested in witnessing the examination of the Indians, had begged leave to accompany the officer to Frizinghall.

One of the two inferior policemen was to be left at the house, in case anything happened.The other was to go back with the Superintendent to the town.So the four places in the ponychaise were just filled.

Before he took the reins to drive off, Mr.Franklin walked me away a few steps out of hearing of the others.

`I will wait to telegraph to London,' he said, `till I see what comes of our examination of the Indians.My own conviction is, that this muddle-headed local police-officer is as much in the dark as ever, and is simply trying to gain time.The idea of any of the servants being in league with the Indians is a preposterous absurdity, in my opinion.Keep about the house, Betteredge, till I come back, and try what you can make of Rosanna Spearman.

I don't ask you to do anything degrading to your own self-respect, or anything cruel towards the girl.I only ask you to exercise your observation more carefully than usual.We will make as light of it as we can before my aunt--but this is a more important matter than you may suppose.'

`It is a matter of twenty thousand pounds, sir,' I said, thinking of the value of the Diamond.

`It's a matter of quieting Rachel's mind,' answered Mr.Franklin gravely.

`I am very uneasy about her.'

He left me suddenly, as if he desired to cut short any further talk between us.I thought I understood why.Further talk might have let me into the secret of what Miss Rachel had said to him on the terrace.

So they drove away to Frizinghall.I was ready enough, in the girl's own interest, to have a little talk with Rosanna in private.But the needful opportunity failed to present itself.She only came downstairs again at tea-time.When she did appear, she was flighty and excited, had what they call an hysterical attack, took a dose of sal-volatile by my lady's order, and was sent back to her bed.

The day wore on to its end drearily and miserably enough, I can tell you.Miss Rachel still kept her room, declaring that she was too ill to come down to dinner that day.My lady was in such low spirits about her daughter, that I could not bring myself to make her additionally anxious, by reporting what Rosanna Spearman had said to Mr.Franklin.Penelope persisted in believing that she was to be forthwith tried, sentenced, and transported for theft.The other women took to their Bibles and hymn-books, and looked as sour as verjuice over their reading--a result, which I have observed, in my sphere of life, to follow generally on the performance of acts of piety at unaccustomed periods of the day.As for me, I hadn't even heart enough to open my Robinson Crusoe.I went out into the yard, and, being hard up for a little cheerful society, set my chair by the kennels, and talked to the dogs.

Half an hour before dinner-time, the two gentlemen came back from Frizinghall, having arranged with Superintendent Seegrave that he was to return to us the next day.They had called on Mr.Murthwaite, the Indian traveller, at his present residence, near the town.At Mr.Franklin's request, he had kindly given them the benefit of his knowledge of the language, in dealings with those two, out of the three Indians, who knew nothing of English.The examination, conducted carefully, and at great length, had ended in nothing; not the shadow of a reason being discovered for suspecting the jugglers of having tampered with any of our servants.On reaching that conclusion, Mr.Franklin had sent his telegraphic message to London, and there the matter now rested till to-morrow came.

So much for the history of the day that followed the birthday.

Not a glimmer of light had broken in on us, so far.A day or two after, however, the darkness lifted a little.How, and with what result, you shall presently see.