“Ah!” said Manderton, “you mean the door was locked when the body was found! Now, as to these voices. Were they men’s voices?”

“Yes, sir, I should say so.”

“Why?”

“Because they were deep-like!”

“Was Mr. Hartley Parrish’s voice one of them?”

The butler spread out his hands.

“That I couldn’t say! I just heard the murmur-like, then shut the passage door quickly ...”

“Why?”

“Well, sir, I thought ... I didn’t want to listen....”

“You thought one of the voices was Mr. Greve’s, eh? Having a row with Mr. Parrish, eh? About the lady, isn’t that right?”