“Ah!” rejoined Baddeley. “Near you? Or distant?”
“That’s awkward to answer. As I stated, my awakening was only partial, it is difficult to measure sound when one is half asleep ... but I should say pretty near.”
“Any idea of the time?”
“None! I didn’t trouble. I wondered at it in a sleepy sort of way ... and went to sleep again.”
Baddeley pondered for a moment.
“I understand, Mr. Bathurst, that you have been sharing Mr. Considine’s bedroom. Did you hear anything of this?”
“No,” came the reply. “I heard nothing—I was tired and slept very soundly, as is usual with me.”
The Inspector nodded.
“We may take it then,” he proceeded, emphasizing his points by a succession of curious little fingertaps on the table, “that Mr. Considine heard this door shutting more because of his half-awake condition than through any particular—er—nearness or proximity to the place where it occurred—eh? You grasp my point?”—turning to Sir Charles.
“You mean,” interposed Anthony, “that had this door shut very near to our bedroom, the chances are that I should have heard it, too?”