`But, my God! I cut it fine! The General, on his way up, remembered an errand or something in St Thomas's Tower, and he discovered the body. That — that's about all, sir. There's — there's only one other thing. With this terrible thing over me, I'd forgotten about the money Phil had the money I owed to…. Well, I'd forgotten it, anyway. When the General sent me after the doctor, and the rest of it, I had to go up to my room to get something to steady my nerves. The reaction was too much. There was a letter on my table. I don't remember opening it; I don't even know why I opened it. I found myself standing with a brandy and soda in my hand, and the letter in front of my face. The letter said,' suddenly Dalrye gagged, as though he were swallowing medicine, `the letter said, "Don't worry any more about it. It's paid. Don't mention this to my brother, and don't be such a quixotic young fool again." It was signed Lester Bitton.'
Dalrye got up out of his chair and faced them. He was flushed and his eyes burned brightly.
`I'm drunk" he said, wonderingly. 'I'm drunk. I hadn't noticed it, not till this; minute. Lester Bitton got rid of what I owed, and never said a word. And when you accused him to-right — and he shot himself — you see why I had to tell you….'
He stood straight, a little wrinkle between his brows.
`I told you I was a swine, he went on in an even voice, `but I'm not so bad as that. I know what it means. It means the rope. They, won't believe me, of course, after what I did to cover myself; and I can't blame them. They shoot you out of a door, and it's all over in a few seconds…. I can't think how I came to be so drunk. I don't drink much, as a rule…. What was I saying? Oh yes. If you hadn't blamed it on Major Bitton, if you gave out that you hadn't been able to find out who the murderer was, I'd have kept quiet. Why not? I love Sheila. Some day I might have… Never mind. I'm not going to let you think I'm pitying myself. It's only that I appreciate people who are kind to me. I never had much kindness. People all thought I was too much of a joke. But, by God old joke parson-face had the police guessing, didn't he?' Momentarily there was a blaze in his face. `Old — joke — parson-face!' said Robert Dalrye…. The fire was sinking now. Dalrye, his hand clenched, stared across the dusky room. He had spoken for a long time. There was a faint hint of dawn in the windows towards the garden.
Hadley rose quietly from his chair.
`Young man,' he said, 'I have an order for you. Go out into one of the other rooms and sit down. I'll call you back in a moment. I want to speak to my friends. There is one other thing. On no account speak a word to anybody until you are called back.'
`Oh, well,' said Dalrye. `Oh, well. Go ahead and phone for your Black Maria, or whatever you use. I'll wait.:.. By the way, there was something I didn't tell you. I'm afraid I nearly scared that poor devil Arbor into a fit. I didn't mean to. I was in the Warders' Hall on the other side of the Byward Tower, where the visitors were detained when he was coming out from your conference. And I was talking to your sergeant, only about ten feet away from Arbor. He hadn't recognized my voice before, but I was afraid he did then. It nearly killed him…. I say! I feel as though I had no legs. I hope I'm not staggering. That would be the devil of a way to go to gaol. Excuse me….'
With his shoulders back, he moved with careful steps towards the door.
`Well?' asked Dr Fell, when he had gone.