19Lady in the Dark.docx
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19Lady in the Dark.docx
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19LadyintheDark
19LadyintheDark
AfterVictorCanning
Fromtheothersideoftheroadhesawtheonlylightedwindowonthethirdfloorgoblack.Hiseyescamedowntothebigdoor,theentrancetothebuilding.Thelightcamewarmlythroughthereintothecoldoftheevening.
Afteralittletimeagirlpassedthroughthedoor,stoppedatthetopofthestepsandpulledhercoatcloseroundher.Hewatchedhercomedownthesteps,turntotheleftanddisappearalongtheroad.Hehadplentyoftime.Heknewthatshewouldbegonefortwohours.Heknewagreatmanythings.Itwasn’tdifficulttofindoutallyouwantedtoknowsolongasyoutookyourtimeandweresensible.
Hecrossedtheroad.Hewentpastthemainentrance,turnedthecornerofthebuildingandwentinatasidedoor.Therewasastaircasethereusedbytheservants.Heclimbeduptothethirdfloor.Thenhepushedopenasmalldoor.Hecameoutintoabrightlylitpassage.Attheendofthepassagetherewasadoor;onaplateonthedoorhecouldread“Mrs.WalterCourtney.”
Heturnedthehandleandwentin.thatdoorwasneverlockedwhentheservantwasout:
theoldladydidnotliketobelockedin.ifsherangforthedoormanshedidn’twanttohavetocomeandopenthedoor,notatherage,notinhercondition.Heknewexactlythearrangementoftheroomsintheflat.Fourmonthsagetheflatonthefloorbelowwasemptyandhelookedoverit.
Hecrossedthehalltothedoorofthesittingroom.Thewindowofthisroomlookedoutontothestreet.Hehadseenitswindowwhenhewatched,butitwasnotinthisroomthatthelighthadgoneout.Thelighthadgoneoutintheservant’sroomontheleft.Thisroomwasdark.
Hewentinandshutthedoorbehindhim.
Avoicesaid,“Whoisthat?
”Itwasthefirsttimehehadheardhervoice,anditwasverymuchashehadexpected,athinoldvoice:
shewasovereightyyearsofage.Itwasthevoiceofalady,ofaproudwomanwhoallherlifehadhadwealthandaneasylife,richplaces---allthethingsthathehadnothad.Thatwaswhyshespokeinthatway---“Whoareyou,myman?
”
Hesaid,“NevermindwhoIam,anddon’tgetalarmed:
I’mnotgoingtohurtyou.”
Hewentforwardandsatdownonachairbythebigdesk.Therewasacertainamountoflightintheroomfromthestreetoutside,andhecouldseehersittingthereontheothersideofthedesk.Hecouldseeherwhitehairandherstraightbackandthegoldpininherdress.Shewasholdingupherhandsalittleandhesawthatshehadbeenknittingwhenheenteredtheroom.
“Well,”shesaid,“whatdoyouwant?
”
“Iwantthekeytoyoursafe.”
“Howdareyouasksuchathing!
”
Hefelttheangerinhimrise.Thisthingwassonearlydonethathewaseagertogetitfinished.Hehadlivedwiththethingforyears,thinkingitover.
“IsaidthatIwouldn’thurtyou,andIwon’t.Ijustwantyourkey.Yourservanthasgoneoutfortwohoursandthereisnothingthatyoucando.”
Shemovedforwardalittleinherchairandputherknittingdownonthedesk,buthenoticedthatonehandwasstillplayingwithalongknittingneedle.Perhapsthiswasbecauseshewasalittlebitafraid.Well,thatsuitedhim.Hewantedhertobeafraid.
“Iunderstand,”shesaid.“And,whenyouhavethekey,Isupposethatyouwilltakemyjewels.”
“That’sright,”helaughed.“Theycangivemeagoodlifefromnowon.”
“Soyouhavenothadwhatyoucalla‘goodlife’uptonow?
”
“No,Ihavenot.”
“Isee.You’rethatsortofyoungman.”
“HowdoyouknowI’mayoungman?
”
Sheshookherheadandherhandtappedonthesoftpaperlyinginfrontofheronthedesk.“Ihavebeenblindfortwentyyears,andthatonlymakesiteasierformetotellsomethings.Youhaveayoungman’svoiceandyou’reangry.Youhavealotofangerinyou.Youfeelthatyouthatyouhavenothatthethingswhichyouhavearighttohave.Andyouareafooltothinkthatthisisthewaytogetthesethings.”
“Justgivemethekey.Youcantellthepolicelaterthatyourjewelsweretakenbyanangryyoungmanthatneverwenttoagoodschool.Itwillbeagreathelptotheminpickingmeoutfromabouttenmillionothers.”
Hepulledacaseoutofhispocketandlitacigarette.“Iwantthatkey.Ifyouwon’tgiveittome,Ishalltakeitfromthatchainwhichyouwearroundyourneck.”
“Listentome,youngman.”Therewassignofangerinhervoice,andshetappedwithherknittingneedleonthedeskcallinghimtoorder.“Idonotmeantogivethepoliceabetterdescriptionofyouthanyouimagine.But,ifyougonow,Iwillforgetthisunpleasantvisit.”
“Youdon’tfrightenme,andI’vewastedenoughtime.Givemethekey.”
“Oncemore,foryourowngood,youngman,listentome.Goawayatonce.Goawayandworkforthethings,whichyouwant.Doyouthinkthat,becauseIamblind,Iamhelpless?
OfcourseI’mnothelpless.Iknowalreadyagreatdealaboutyou,whichwouldhelpthepoliceifyoutakemyjewels.Youareayoungmanabout5feet10inchesinheight.Icantellthatfromthewayinwhichyourvoicecomesdowntome.Youarewearingabowlerhat,aroundhardhat,andyouarewearingaraincoat.Icanhearitasyoumove.Iamgladtoknowthatyouhadthepolitenesstotakeoffyourhatwhenyoucameintotheroom,butIhavenoticedthatyoukeepontappingthetopofthathardhatasyouholditonyourknee.Yousmoke:
youaresmokingsomekindofAmericancigarette,certainlynotanEnglishcigarette.Youdidnotaskmeifyoumightsmoke.”
Helaughed.“It’sstilladescriptionwhichwouldfitthousandsandthousandsofmeninthiscountry.Whydoyouwantthosejewels?
Youhaveplentyofmoney,andIhaven’t;andI’mgoingtohavesomeofthethingswhichyou’veenjoyedallyourlife.”
Theoldladywassilentforamoment,andthenshesaid:
“Youwanttotakemyjewelsbecausetheymeanmoney.Ihaveneverlookedattheinthatway.Tometheyarememories.Theyallmeansomethinginmylife.IfyouthinkthatI’llgiveyouthekeytomysafesothatyoucanwalkoutofherewithmymemories,youareverymuchmistaken.”
Hestoodup.Hehadsuddenlybecomeangry.“You’reasillyoldwoman.WhatdoIcareaboutyourmemories,aboutyourpast,‘eachjewelamemory’.”Helaughed.“Well,I’lltellyouwhatIthinkofyourmemories.There’syourhusband’sgoldwatchandchain;andthere’salittlecurlofhairfromyourchildinthebackofthatdiamondpin.Memoriesareworthnothingtome,butjewelsmeanmoney,justthat.That’swhattheymeantome.”
Ashemovedtogoroundthedeskherhandsshookwitharapidandangry-tap-tap-tapandshesaid,“Don’tyoudaretocomenearme?
Don’tyoudare!
”
“Thengivemethekey.”
“Youfools,goaway.”
Buthedidnotgoaway;hemovedslowlyroundthedeskandstoodatherside.Ifithadtobethatway,wellthat’showithadtobe!
Hehadcometoofar,dreamttoolongofthistobackawaynow.Evenso,therewassomethinginhim,whichdrewbackatthethoughtofusingforceonsuchanoldwoman.Sheturnedinherseattofacehim.“Comeon,givemethekey,”hesaid.“You’vegotnochoice.”Heputouthiscigaretteandputtheendofitcarefullyinhispocket.
Butsheshookherhead.“Iwilldonothingtohelpyou,nothing.”
Hesteppedtowardsher.Heputouthishandsandtookherbytheshoulder.Shestruckathishandwithaknittingneedle.Hecaughtherarmsandheldthemwithonehand,whilehisfreehandwenttoherneck,searchingforthechain.Hepulleditfree.Itwasthenthatheheardhergivealittlecry,andherbodyfellbackfromhimpullingatthehandwithwhichheheldherarms.Shewaslyingbackinthechair.Heletgoofherarms:
shemadenomove.
Hestoodthereforamomentundecided.Shewasanoldlady.He’dnevermeantitthisway.Itcouldn’tbetrue!
Shecouldn’tbedead!
She’dbeallrightinafewmoments.
Hewenttothewallandfoundthepicture,whichcoveredthesafe.Nothingcouldbeallowedtostophimnow,notafteralltheseweeksofwork,listeningtotheservanttalkingtoherfriendinthecaféthreemilesfromherewhereshewentonhernightoff.Helearntthatthesafewasbehindthepicture,andthatthekeywasonachainroundtheoldlady’sneck.Hehaddoneallthatworktolearnthesethings.
Heputthejewelcasesinthepocketsofhisraincoat.Whenthesafewasemptyhewentbacktotheoldlady.Heputhishandonherheart.Itwastrue:
shewasdead.
Well,whatdiditmatter?
Hehadwhathewanted.Shecouldn’ttellthepolicethefewlittlethingsthatshehadlearnedabouthim.
DetectiveInspectorBurrowswalkedintoAlbertMunster&Son’shop.Itwasasmallbutverygood-classjeweler’sshop.WhenhewasalonewithMr.Munster,InspectorBurrowssaid,“IbelievethatyoudidsomeworkforaMrs.WalterCourtney.”
“Yes,thatisso.Everytwoyearsherjewelrycameheretobecleaned.”
“Howmanypeopleinthisshopdealtwiththestuff?
”
“Thereareonlythreeofushere:
myself,Mr.Brownandthemanwehaveintheworkshopwhodoesthecleaning.”
BurrowslookedacrossatMr.Munster.Hewasaveryshortfatman,morethansixtyyearsofage.“No,”saidBurrows.“No,Idon’tthinkthedescriptionfitsyou.”
“Whatdescription,Inspector?
”
“ThedescriptionofthepersonwholastnightstoleMrs.Courtney’sjewels.Shewasfounddeadbyherservant.”
“Dead?
Whataterriblething!
PoorMrs.Courtney.But---but,Inspector,whathasthistodowithus?
”
“Youwillsee.”Burrowstookapieceofpaperoutofhispocket.“WhatIwantisayoungmanwhodidnotgotooneofthebestschools.Hisheightisaboutfivefeetteninches.HesmokesAmericancigarettes,andhewearsabowlerhatandaraincoat,doesthatdescriptionfitMr.Brown?
”
“No,no;he’sasoldasIam,andhedoesn’tsmoke.Thedesc
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