“Hold your tongue!” commanded Breton, turning angrily on him. He sat down by Elphick’s side and laid his hand soothingly on the old man’s arm.
“Guardian,” he said, “why don’t you tell what you know? Don’t be afraid of that fellow there—he’s safe enough. Tell Spargo and me what you know of the matter. Remember, nothing can hurt Cardlestone, or Chamberlayne, or whoever he is or was, now.”
Elphick sat for a moment shaking his head. He allowed Spargo to give him another drink; he lifted his head and looked at the two young men with something of an appeal.
“I’m badly shaken,” he said. “I’ve suffered much lately—I’ve learnt things that I didn’t know. Perhaps I ought to have spoken before, but I was afraid for—for him. He was a good friend, Cardlestone, whatever else he may have been—a good friend. And—I don’t know any more than what happened that night.”
“Tell us what happened that night,” said Breton.
“Well, that night I went round, as I often did, to play piquet with Cardlestone. That was about ten o’clock. About eleven Jane Baylis came to Cardlestone’s—she’d been to my rooms to find me—wanted to see me particularly—and she’d come on there, knowing where I should be. Cardlestone would make her have a glass of wine and a biscuit; she sat down and we all talked. Then, about, I should think, a quarter to twelve, a knock came at Cardlestone’s door—his outer door was open, and of course anybody outside could see lights within. Cardlestone went to the door: we heard a man’s voice enquire for him by name; then the voice added that Criedir, the stamp dealer, had advised him to call on Mr. Cardlestone to show him some rare Australian stamps, and that seeing a light under his door he had knocked. Cardlestone asked him in—he came in. That was the man we saw next day at the mortuary. Upon my honour, we didn’t know him, either that night or next day!”
“What happened when he came in?” asked Breton.
“Cardlestone asked him to sit down: he offered and gave him a drink. The man said Criedir had given him Cardlestone’s address, and that he’d been with a friend at some rooms in Fountain Court, and as he was passing our building he’d just looked to make sure where Cardlestone lived, and as he’d noticed a light he’d made bold to knock. He and Cardlestone began to examine the stamps. Jane Baylis said good-night, and she and I left Cardlestone and the man together.”
“No one had recognized him?” said Breton.
“No one! Remember, I only once or twice saw Maitland in all my life. The others certainly did not recognize him. At least, I never knew that they did—if they did.”