"I have made the dining-room my headquarters, Chief Inspector. The staff has not yet cleared away the refreshments intended for the party that was earlier assembled -"
"You couldn't have hit on a better place," said Hemingway, walking into the dining-room, and warming his hands before the electric radiator. "I daresay we shall need some refreshment before we're through. Now, what's all this about, Pershore?"
Pershore, clearing his throat rather pompously, glanced at his voluminous notes, and replied: "I should say, Chief Inspector, that it is a clear case. At first sight, it may seem impossible that the crime could have been committed under the circumstances in which it was done; but, pursuant upon my interrogation of several of the persons present in the house, I reached the conclusion that this is a case that presents few difficulties -"
"What you want to do is to hire a hall, and give a series of lectures on police work," interposed Hemingway. "You'll probably make a lot of money: people will pay to listen to anything! I wouldn't, of course, but that's because I have to listen to you, and even the Department wouldn't expect me to pay for doing what I can't help. Now, you stop trying to annoy me, and tell me what's been happening here without any trimmings!"
The Inspector glared at him, but the exigencies of discipline prevented him from uttering a retort. He said stiffly: "The house is rented by a Mrs. Lilias Haddington, of whom nothing is known. She resides here with her daughter, Miss Cynthia Haddington, and a staff of six persons. There is also a young woman who is her secretary. She was on the premises at the time, but does not reside here. The murdered man was a Mr. Daniel Seaton-Carew, address Haughton House, Jermyn Street. I understand him to have been a close friend of Mrs. Haddington. He was one of forty-four persons invited to take part in some sort of a Bridge-game, and had previously dined here in company with Mrs. and Miss Haddington, Miss Birtley, who is the secretary, Lord Guisborough, and a Mr. Harte. There were two other guests, acting as scorers, one of whom is Dr Theodore Westruther, who was the first to inspect the body. The murdered man was called to the telephone, which is situated in the room known as the boudoir shortly after eleven pm; and some minutes later, nobody being able to state with certainty how many, Mrs. Haddington saying about ten, and Miss Birtley putting it rather higher, and no one else admitting to any knowledge of the exact hour at which Mr. Seaton-Carew was called to the telephone, which is, of course, possible, if they hadn't happened to look at the clock -"
"Take a breath!" advised Hemingway.
The Inspector found that he had lost the thread of his narrative, and was forced to refer to his notes.
"The murdered man was called to the telephone," Hemingway prompted.
"Some minutes later," resumed Pershore coldly, "Mrs. Haddington requested Sir Roderick Vickerstown to go down to the boudoir, and remind Mr. Seaton-Carew that they were all waiting for him. Sir Roderick complied with this request, and discovered the body of the murdered man as you will see for yourself, Chief Inspector. I come now to the persons whose movements during the period when the murder may be assumed to have been committed are unaccounted for."
"No, you don't. First things first is my motto! I'll see the body before I get any more confused than what I am already. Take me to the boudoir you talk of!"