"About ladies, sir? You mean — what Mr. Langdon said about a lady from hereabouts? Ah, ah! S'help me, I hate to say it—!"
The bishop, who all this time had been staring at the windows, turned heavily. His face looked dull and uncertain.
"Is all this necessary?" he asked. "I confess, doctor, that I am — much troubled. And confused. Villainy— ah — in general I have always regarded as an abstract thing, like a chemical reaction. Seeing it here…"
"Nevertheless, we have got to talk about it. Those remarks between Spinelli and Langdon, especially the things they didn't say, were the most revealing clues we have had up to this time. I am interested now not so much in what things were said, as why they were said.
H'm." A thoughtful sniff rumbled in the doctor's nose. "For instance, Langdon's insistent statement that a lady from what he calls 'your charming community' was prepared to run away with Depping. True or untrue— why did he say it? Definitely he had some purpose, in desiring that everybody should know he knew it. I don't think we can doubt that Langdon knew a great deal more about Depping than he was willing to tell us. But he chose that little item to parade before us."
To throw suspicion on a woman, one would think," suggested the bishop. To let us know he knew more about the murder than he was wilting to tell."
"And yet I doubt it. Surely it leads in another direction as well… It's an unpleasant business, but I think we shall have to listen to a little gossip and opinion. Humph, brr-r, yes. Preferably strong-minded gossip and opinion. Inspector, will you step outside and tell the buder to ask Mrs. Standish to step downstairs? We haven't yet heard her views. And I lack something. I know who the murderer, is, but—"
The bishop.lifted his head. "You know, doctor?"
"I'm afraid I do. I knew it this afternoon. You see," Dr. Fell's hands slid out and played with the silver inkstand, "you see, the murderer made one terrific slip, which has not received the proper attention… Never mind. We can discuss that later. Stop a bit, Inspector! Before you go, in case Spinelli and Langdon should get through their conversation prematurely, you must have your instructions."
"Yes, sir?" said Murch gruffly.