Death at the Opera (31 page)
Read Death at the Opera Online
Authors: Gladys Mitchell
Mrs. Bradley skipped a couple of hundred words relating to Miss Sooley's psychological peculiarities, and then read:
“This woman gave Helm the address of Hillmaston School. But did she? She actually said that Helm informed her he was going to Hillmaston School to see his nephew. Miss Sooley then appears to have exclaimed: âWhy, that's where Miss Lincallow's niece is a teacher! You knowâthe one that was staying here and got so friendly with you over the burglars.'”
“I suppose Cutler saw you here by appointment on the night of the opera?” said Mrs. Bradley.
Smith shook his head.
“Can't remember,” he said. “Who is Cutler?”
“The man to whom you offered the two hundred and fifty pounds if he would drown Mrs. Hampstead,” said Mrs. Bradley pleasantly.
“Oh, is he? Well, what would you have had me do? There were those two charming people, Hampstead and Alceste, and there was that poor demented creature in a mental home which is surrounded by a hedge that a child of three could have broken through. I knew she was an inebriate. The thing was how to get her doped sufficiently. Mind, I had nothing whatever to do with the proceedings, but I think the gin did it. Cutler had no trouble. In she went, dead to the world, and he held her head down with a forked twig, or so he said. Very neat. I can't think why they let these poor creatures out without an attendant. It gives murderers like Cutler such a lot to think about.”
“How did you come to think of engaging Cutler for the delicate task?” inquired Mrs Bradley, geniality itself.
“I advertised,” said Smith, grinning. “You know the sort of thing: âAcquitted man wanted to earn two hundred pounds. Only ex-murderers need apply.'
“The papers thought it was a code or a silly joke. Anyway, they inserted it in the Personal column, and it brought home the bacon in the form of Corporal Nym, otherwise Cutler.”
“Suppose the police had made it their business to investigate the details that led to the insertion of such an advertisement in the newspapers?” said Mrs Bradley.
“I should have said it was a joke. The police will believe anything of a public schoolboy,” replied Smith. “I should have said it was for a bet. Besides, I chose the right papers. No low-brow rags. All the important dailies every morning, for a fortnight, printed that brightly-worded paragraph, and no questions asked.”
“But what happened when you did not pay the man?” inquired Mrs Bradley. “He was the electrician who came here on the night of the opera, of course?”
“Yes. He was disguised a bit. Not enough to see through, but just enough to prevent a casual observer from recognizing him. Very clever. Alone I did it. He kicked up a fuss, I believe. I don't quite remember. Anyway, I told him I'd fix the murder of Calma Ferris on him if he gave any trouble. He was on the premises, you see, and he admitted that he knew her.”
“You admit, then, that Miss Ferris
was
murdered?” said Mrs. Bradley.
was
murdered?” said Mrs. Bradley.
“I admitted it at the time, if you remember,” said Smith, still speaking in the same sleepy, non-committal tone. “But
I
didn't murder her, if that's what you're still getting at. I admit I was responsible for Mrs. Hampstead's death, but I'm not a bit perturbed about that. How came you to know that she had been murdered, though?”
I
didn't murder her, if that's what you're still getting at. I admit I was responsible for Mrs. Hampstead's death, but I'm not a bit perturbed about that. How came you to know that she had been murdered, though?”
“I deduced it from the fact that Mr. Hampstead is no longer desirous of marrying Mrs. Boyle,” said Mrs. Bradley. “I assume that he is troubled by the kind of scruples which would scarcely affect
you
, for instance.”
you
, for instance.”
“Oh, I know Hampstead suspects foul play. He said as much to me,” admitted Smith, with cool effrontery. “But that feeling will wear off. He and Alceste are made for one another, and why should an insane creature stand in their way? Luckily, some purblind idiot of a doctor wrote a certificate all right, and the coroner made a quick job of the inquest. The only thing on my conscience is that I didn't get this idea of finishing her off ten years ago.”
“And what about that girl at Lamkin?” said Mrs. Bradley.
“She meddled with Cutler's correspondence. Must have been a fairly quick-witted baggage to piece out enough to hang blackmail on, mustn't she? Of course, Cutler's yellow. She'd got him cold. So he finished her. That's all about that.”
“I see,” said Mrs. Bradley. “Yes. Thank you, child.”
Smith rose. Mrs. Bradley, absorbed in her notes, did not even watch him as he went leisurely out at the door and shut it behind him. Suddenly he opened it again.
“And still the mystery of Calma Ferris remains unsolved,” he said. Then he went away. Mrs. Bradley pursed her thin lips into a little beak and nodded her head very slowly like a yellow Chinese mandarin. Then she took up a volume of modern poetry and began to read.
Members of the staff came in at intervals, deposited or collected their belongings, and went out again. Mrs. Bradley, absorbed in her reading, took no notice of anybody. At last she put down the little book.
“He had the opportunity and some sort of motive,” she said to herself. “He is responsible for the death of Mrs. Hampstead and, indirectly, for the death of Susie Cozens. But I don't believe for one instant that he had anything whatever to do with the death of Calma Ferris, because, first, he wanted the time for that interview with Cutler, to whom he had to give the most detailed, exact and reiterated instructions, for the murder of Mrs. Hampstead; and because, secondly, the motive would not be
his
motive.
his
motive.
“He's a perverted philanthropist, a kind of a-moral public benefactor. In short, he's God. Most artists are! It's the effect of the creative instinct on undisciplined intelligences. There was no reason, from his point of view, for killing Calma Ferris. It would not benefit anybody. The destruction of his statuette angered him at the moment, but the anger passed. Besides, the point is that he wouldn't kill for a purely personal reason like that. And if it wasn't Mr. Smith it must have been”âshe took out her notebook and scowled at the three namesâ“Miss Camden, Moira Malley or Hurstwood. I don't believe it! I've cleared the two childrenâor they've cleared themselves. And I've decided that Miss Camden would have given herself away if she'd done it. Well, if the people with motives didn't do it, the people with opportunity did. That's clear. But, oh! how tiresome of them!”
CHAPTER XVI
SOLUTION
M
RS
. B
RADLEY
went to the lodgings where Calma Ferris had once lived, and spent an hour and a half in writing a detailed account of the case, as she saw it, against Cutler, in connection with the murder of Susie Cozens. She sent the statement to the Chief Constable of the County, who passed it on to Inspector Breardon.
RS
. B
RADLEY
went to the lodgings where Calma Ferris had once lived, and spent an hour and a half in writing a detailed account of the case, as she saw it, against Cutler, in connection with the murder of Susie Cozens. She sent the statement to the Chief Constable of the County, who passed it on to Inspector Breardon.
The charge of murdering Susie Cozens was preferred, and the charge of attempted murder of Noel Wells was dropped. At the trial, an under-housemaid was called who was prepared to back up Mrs. Cozens's statement that Cutler had called at the Manor House that evening and had asked to see Susie. As it was shown that, unless he had met Susie earlier in the day, he could not possibly have known that she would be at the squire's house that afternoon, the jury found him guilty of the murder, and his subsequent appeal failed.
Having despatched the letter, Mrs. Bradley took out the small cards and played three varieties of Patience; then she took out a scribbling-block and began to write on it every characteristic of Calma Ferris which had impressed itself upon her mind.
“She was inoffensive.
“She had financed the production of
The Mikado
.
The Mikado
.
“She had damaged Mr. Smith's Psyche.
“She had annoyed Miss Camden by keeping a girl in instead of allowing her to play in the school netball team.
“She had been given a chief part in the opera, and, in consequence, Miss Camden had been left out of the cast.
“She was conscientious.
“She was hardworking.
“She was painstaking.
“She was so colourless herself that she expected other people to be much more colourful than they were.
“She knew that Alceste Boyle and Frederick Hampstead were lovers.
“She had seen Hurstwood embracing Miss Cliffordson.
“It does not appear that she knew of the sittings which Moira Malley gave Mr. Smith for the Psyche.
“Nobody gained anything by her death, except certain persons above mentioned, who were relieved from immediate embarrassment, perhaps, but who cannot have thought that they would suffer indefinitely if they were betrayed to the Headmaster by Miss Ferris.
“Apart from the persons above mentioned she had no enemies, so far as I can discover.
“She was killed during the First Act of the opera, before she had made any appearance on the stage.
“She was a failure at the dress-rehearsal.
“She greatly improved at a subsequent rehearsal.
“At this subsequent rehearsal the actors were not in costume.
“At the dress-rehearsal Alceste Boyle demonstrated how the part of âKatisha' should be played. On the night of the opera Alceste Boyle took the part which Calma Ferris should have taken.
“Therefore, in two respects, the dress-rehearsal and the actual performance were alike, i.e., both were done in costume and complete make-up.
“Therefore, in the same two respects, the dress-rehearsal was unlike any other rehearsal.
“Both the dress-rehearsal and the final show were performed with Alceste Boyle instead of Calma Ferris in the part of âKatisha.'
“
But
at the dress-rehearsal Alceste Boyle took the part over when Calma Ferris had done it badly, because she wished to help and instruct her.
But
at the dress-rehearsal Alceste Boyle took the part over when Calma Ferris had done it badly, because she wished to help and instruct her.
“
Whereas
, at the final performance, Alceste Boyle took the part because Calma Ferris was not there to take it.
Whereas
, at the final performance, Alceste Boyle took the part because Calma Ferris was not there to take it.
“
And
Calma Ferris was not there to take it because Calma Ferris was dead.”
And
Calma Ferris was not there to take it because Calma Ferris was dead.”
Mrs. Bradley re-read what she had written, tore off the last sheet, which was still attached to the scribbling-block, clipped the sheets together, and put them on one side. Then she addressed herself to the virgin sheet on the block and began again:
“Calma Ferris was drowned.
“The people who knew she went to the water-lobby the first time to bathe her face are:
“Hurstwood,
“Miss Camden,
“Little Maisie Something, the call-boy,
“Mr. Smith (perhaps. He may not have known which water-lobby she used, as there is another on the same side of the building),
“Alceste Boyle (perhaps. She does not admit it.)
“The people who knew she went to the water-lobby a second (?) time to bathe her face were (?)
“But she
must
have gone a second time.”
must
have gone a second time.”
Mrs. Bradley tore the sheet off, laid it with the others, and began again:
“The murderer must be
“1. Prompt to act. This would be so in the case of Hurstwood, Moira Malley, Miss Camden. This would not be so in the case of Mr. Smith.
“2. Somebody who was offering to render assistance, i.e., first aid, to Miss Ferris. This could have been Moira Malley; Miss Camden; possibly, but not probably, Hurstwood; possibly, but most improbably, Mr. Smith.
“3. A conversationalist. Something had to be done to distract Miss Ferris's attention from the fact that the bowl was filling up. Of all the people who appear to be most nearly concerned, I cannot imagine Hurstwood, Moira Malley nor Mr. Smith producing a flow of prattle. Miss Camden
might
, but somehow I cannot imagine it from what I know of her.
might
, but somehow I cannot imagine it from what I know of her.
“4. Somebody who can act a part and preserve a face of brass. There was that dreadful interval to get through. Calma Ferris, dead. The possibility that at any moment the body might be discovered. It must have been a time of dreadful strain. Moira Malley and Hurstwood were both upset. Mr. Smith did not appear to beâat least, nobody has suggested that he was. Miss Camden was in the audience.
“It looks like Miss Camden, except that, evidence or no evidence, I feel
certain
she would have given herself away. Smith, of course, is an artist. âArt for Art's sake' and so on. Oh . . .?”
certain
she would have given herself away. Smith, of course, is an artist. âArt for Art's sake' and so on. Oh . . .?”
Light had come.
Mrs. Bradley tore the sheet off, and laid it with the others. Then she rang for milk and biscuits, and began to write a letter:â
“M
Y
D
EAR
F
RIEND
,” she wrote,
Y
D
EAR
F
RIEND
,” she wrote,
“I should like to come and see you if I may. I have solved the mystery of Calma Ferris's death, and I think you might be interested to hear my conclusions. As I know your motive for removing the poor woman from the cast of
The Mikado
, I am convinced that you have committed your last crime against society in the interests of your art. I admire an artist, and one who is so consistently and integrally on the side of the Muses as to commit murder in their defence seems to me worthy to have been born in a less decadent and squeamish age than this in which we live. I admit myself to be decadent and squeamish in that, while I appreciate your motive, I deprecate the cruelty of robbing that inoffensive woman of her life.
The Mikado
, I am convinced that you have committed your last crime against society in the interests of your art. I admire an artist, and one who is so consistently and integrally on the side of the Muses as to commit murder in their defence seems to me worthy to have been born in a less decadent and squeamish age than this in which we live. I admit myself to be decadent and squeamish in that, while I appreciate your motive, I deprecate the cruelty of robbing that inoffensive woman of her life.
“My difficulty in finding a solution to the problem has been the fact that one person besides yourself possesses most of the characteristics necessary for the commission of this particularâI was about to say âcrime,' but, perhaps, I had better say âwilful act.' The murderer, it seemed to me, had to possess courage, will-power, initiative and tremendous self-control. I ought to have seen sooner that Miss Camden, whom I suspected for weeks, did not sufficiently possess this last characteristic. She is not particularly self-controlled. She is reckless, extravagant, unstable, and would have given herself away to everybody if she had committed the deed. No. Everything points to you. You killed Miss FerrisâI see it more clearly every minuteâbecause you are essentially an artist. You saw Alceste Boyle perform the part of âKatisha' at the dress-rehearsal. You observed that she is a particularly fine actress. You had already seen poor Calma Ferris bungle the part hopelessly. You are an old woman, and you wanted to see the part played once moreâperfectly. You removed Calma. Alceste, as you foresaw, had to take the part.
“You had not premeditated the crime. Nobody could have foreseen that Mr. Smith was going to charge down the corridor, break Miss Ferris's glasses and cut her face. You went into the water-lobby after her, I thinkânobody appears to have seen youâto see whether you could be of any assistance. You saw her bending over the basin. Then Miss Camden came along the corridor, and you slipped into the nearest doorway, I suppose, and left her to render first-aid. But the little cut was deep, and when Miss Ferris had been attended to, she had to return to the dressing-room so that her make-up could be replaced.
“You took care to re-open that small, deep cut. She had to go again to the water-lobby to bathe it. This time you went along with her. You had a lump of modelling-clay for the purpose of broadening Mr. Smith's nose, when you made him up as the âMikado'. This lump of clay you thrust into the waste-pipe. Poor Miss Ferris, blind as a bat without her glasses, did not notice what you were doing. Then you pressed the tap with one hand, dabbed her face (with Hurstwood's handkerchief) with the other, and kept up a flow of easy, interesting, amusing chatter. Oh, that chatter! How it bothered me to think who, among those teachers or those children, could so easily have held the victim enthralledâso enthralled that she did not heed the basin filling . . . filling. . . .
“It was beautifully done. And I congratulate you. You slipped into your seatâyour nice seat in the middle of the third rowâand you saw the first entrance of âKatisha.' You felt justified in what you had lately come from doing. During the interval you touched up faces, adjusted wigs, chattered and laughed, an actress in every sense of the word. Then you returned to the audoritium for the Second Act, while that inoffensive womanâyou told me yourself that she was an inoffensive woman!âdo you remember?âlay out in the lobby dead.
“But to murder her
because
she was an inoffensive woman seems to me almost a divine gesture. She was too inoffensive to play the part as you felt it should be played, and so you murdered her, and had Alceste Boyle instead to entertain you in the character of âKatisha.'
because
she was an inoffensive woman seems to me almost a divine gesture. She was too inoffensive to play the part as you felt it should be played, and so you murdered her, and had Alceste Boyle instead to entertain you in the character of âKatisha.'
“I remain for always your sincere admirer,
“B
EATRICE
A. L. B
RADLEY
.”
EATRICE
A. L. B
RADLEY
.”
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