The Grey Room

d by the night train from Paddington, was at Chadlands. A car had gone into Ne

agent had brought him into fame, and raised him to the heights of his profession. Moreover, the extraordinary histrionic means taken to achieve his purpose, and the picturesqueness of the details, captured that latent love of romance co

ers, and consciousness of ability, combined with a steadfast patience and unconquerable devotion to his "art," as he called it, had brought him through twenty years in the police force. He beg

r Walter, who had been deeply impressed by the opinions of the dead man's father, and even unconsciously influenced by them, now found himself in the presence of a very different intellect. There was nothing in the least superstitious about Peter Hardcastle. He uttered the views of a remorseless realist, and at the outset committed himself to certain definite assumptions. The inhabitants of the manor house were informed that a friend of Sir Walter's had come to visit Chadlands, and they saw nothing to make them doubt it. For Peter was a great actor. He had mixed with all classes, and the detective had the imitative cleverness to adapt

, and a narrow, lipless mouth which revealed very fine white teeth when he spoke. It was a colorless face and challenged no attention; but i

Walter by his commonplace appearance and seeming youth, for he looked ten years younger than the forty he had lived. A being so undistinguished ra

mpossible to imagine him a famous Englishman. His very voice, in its

sion and immense will power. From the first he imposed his personality, and made people forget the accidents of

ially desired to know more. Hardcastle proved himself well educated; indeed, his reading, studiously pursue

d his former opinions, to which Hardcastle listened wi

ication between living men and spirits," he said in answer to an

anished from the Statute Book. I say 'blasphemous' because such an Act takes no cognizance of the Word of God. Outworn Acts of Parliament are res

heartily agree with you,

ch interested to learn whether Hardca

out spirit, or spirit without matter. Woul

n avalanche; but I do most emphatically agree that spirit cannot exist without matt

ethe," declared Mr. M

fare or helped the cause of truth. What, for any practical purpose, does it matter how subjectively true a statement may be if it is objectively false? Life is just as r

n the supernatural t

phatical

k, do you fill the terrible vacuum in yo

tion, when reason at last conquers and they break away, may experience a temporary blank; but the wonders of nature and the a

you will fail here," decla

feel so su

no material explanation. They are supernatur

my judgment," replied Hardcastle. "We will exh

e, straightforward question awaits your reply.

the endless happiness of men a

m for the rationalist is this: How does he ignore the deeply rooted and universal conviction that there is a life to come? Is suc

wn shadows on the earth and reflections in water, from the stroke of the lightning and the crash of the thunder, from the echo of their own voices, thrown back to them from crags and cliffs. These things created their superst

st sacred verities have sprun

stle s

erstand the art of cookery, and therefore no doubt his stomach had a great deal to put up with. We

rved his concern, restrained a bitter answer. But he despaired of the detective from that moment,

iew with the master of Chadlands, and for two hours sat in

bers of the recent house party, and present

t of what passed on the night bet

elieved that he was confronted with a common murder, and on hearing Henry's history, as part of Sir Walter's story with the rest, perceived that the old lover of Mary Lennox had last seen her husband alive, had drunk with him, and

d nephew exhausted, Hardcastle returned t

dependent examination. There is a natural reason for what has happened, as there is a natural reason for everything that happens. We talk of unnatural things happening, but that is a contradiction in terms. Nothing can happen that is not natural. What we call Nature embraces every conceivable action or event or possibility. We may fail to fathom a mystery, and we know that a thousand

ions, Mr. Hardcastle," answered Sir Walter.

ng ever yet happened, or could happen, without a reason. The springs of action were arrested and the machine instantly ran down. But a man is not a clock, which can be stopped and reveal no sign of the thing that stopped it. Life is a far more complex matter than a watch-spring, and if we knew more we might not be faced with so many worthless post-mortem reports. But Sir Howard Fellowes is not often beaten. I repeat, however, I do not associate the two deaths in the Grey Room or connect them as the result of one and the same cause. I do not state this as a fact beyond dispute, but that, for the present

looked at

now and then? None here but ourselves and my butler-an old friend in all my secrets-knows you have come profess

qual to the task, Mrs. May will give me a private interview. I want to learn everything possible concer

adly tell you eve

ded to the

dcastle as they entered the bright and cheerful chamber. The day

s changed?

remains as it has b

May was found. Perhaps Mr. Lennox will

. "I first saw him from below. He was looking out

en the win

were imitated, and Hardcastle examined the spot. T

face of the wall. Ivy, I see. Ivy has told me some

e say

truly amazing story about ivy-a story of life and d

ry. "It is rather more than th

you kn

stopped, as you will remember, from Scotland Yard, m

t examine the fa

dropped a measure

on of the room. "Old furniture,

Spain by my grandfa

le, no

erstan

carving. An

, but a cupboard

upboard-some six and a half feet high-was empty. At

, gentlemen," said Hardcastle. "I'll spend the time here till lunch

ame dated back far beyond the occupation of my family. Captain May laughed at my mistrust, and, as you know, he came here, contrary to

r the stack of old oil-pai

y port

es

the room yours

before. But while attaching no importanc

ent a night here aft

that I am qu

t left the h

never closed, and my people are responsible to me. The room is always locked, and when I am not in residenc

anding in the middle of the roo

ere ghosts are involved. What, I suppose, credulous people call 'the powers of dark

ions, no doubt, and make

night sacred to apparitions and

for spectres to appear in the dark by reason of their material composition.

witness. But spirits are doomed. The present extraordinary wave of superstition and the immense prosperity of the dealers in the 'occult' is a direct result of the war. They are profiteers-every one of them-crystal gazers, mediums, fortune tellers, and the rest. They are reaping a rare harvest for the moment. We punish the humbler rogues, but we don't punish the fools who

positive, Mr

uch of the practitioners. Metaphysics is largely to blame. Physics,

with dislike. He spoke quietly, yet there was

breakfasted with us. He will, I think, have no

ent with them is vain, because we cannot find common groun

rcise powers of a physical character antagonistic to human life. He is guarded, you s

s done evi

ure as well as He made us, therefore Mr. May holds that we are not justi

lated to Capta

fat

ned silent for a momen

the sons of the clergy go int

ave

do, ho

dislike the detect

servants. The lock of the door was broken when we forced our way in, and has not been mended; but you can clos

a point or two here and rejoin

not admit a

Hardcastle, waiting until they were out of earshot

ing on the terrace together. The former was eager to learn the detective's opinions, b

ther, and Prince, Sir Walter's a

r conversation and the direction in whic

everything you can tell him ab

verything; and what I do not

y positive about others. Your father-in-law won't get far with him

erheard th

fore he came. Not to such a man, however clever he may be, will an explanation be vouchsafed. I would rather trust

it is a most unreasonable dislike on my part, for he is exceedingly well mannered, speaks a

ice, Uncl

enry; yet I rarel

, and that his assumption of superiority in the matter of knowledge-his opinions and lack of faith-will defeat him if nothing else does. He approaches his prob

ncing each other. Henry, who had been much impressed by Hardcastle, argued in his favo

fools, and the old men know the

ng, uncle; he's fo

less, and he spoke with

n that

others on which we have a right to demand an

Sir Walter spoke

Room. He felt quite sure that the secret lay outside it. He w

e, pricking his ears, led the way to th

, glad of the opportunity, entered the house. He desired a

h gave before him, and he perceived that a heavy chair had been thrust against it. His noisy entrance challenged no response, and, looking round, it appeared for an instant that the room was empty; but, lowering his ey

b, but quite unconscious and apparently dead. An expression of surprise marked his face, a