19Lady in the Dark.docx

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