Kabanata Kabanata 20 · METABOLISM

. METABOLISM

"Am I looking grave?" asked Sir Nathaniel inconsequently when he

re-entered the room.

"You certainly are, sir."

"We little thought when first we met that we should be drawn into such a

vortex. Already we are mixed up in robbery, and probably murder, but--a

thousand times worse than all the crimes in the calendar--in an affair of

ghastly mystery which has no bottom and no end--with forces of the most

unnerving kind, which had their origin in an age when the world was

different from the world which we know. We are going back to the origin

of superstition--to an age when dragons tore each other in their slime.

We must fear nothing--no conclusion, however improbable, almost

impossible it may be. Life and death is hanging on our judgment, not

only for ourselves, but for others whom we love. Remember, I count on

you as I hope you count on me."

"I do, with all confidence."

"Then," said Sir Nathaniel, "let us think justly and boldly and fear

nothing, however terrifying it may seem. I suppose I am to take as exact

in every detail your account of all the strange things which happened

whilst you were in Diana's Grove?"

"So far as I know, yes. Of course I may be mistaken in recollection of

some detail or another, but I am certain that in the main what I have

said is correct."

"You feel sure that you saw Lady Arabella seize the negro round the neck,

and drag him down with her into the hole?"

"Absolutely certain, sir, otherwise I should have gone to her

assistance."

"We have, then, an account of what happened from an eye-witness whom we

trust--that is yourself. We have also another account, written by Lady

Arabella under her own hand. These two accounts do not agree. Therefore

we must take it that one of the two is lying."

"Apparently, sir."

"And that Lady Arabella is the liar!"

"Apparently--as I am not."

"We must, therefore, try to find a reason for her lying. She has nothing

to fear from Oolanga, who is dead. Therefore the only reason which could

actuate her would be to convince someone else that she was blameless.

This 'someone' could not be you, for you had the evidence of your own

eyes. There was no one else present; therefore it must have been an

absent person."

"That seems beyond dispute, sir."

"There is only one other person whose good opinion she could wish to

keep--Edgar Caswall. He is the only one who fills the bill. Her lies

point to other things besides the death of the African. She evidently

wanted it to be accepted that his falling into the well was his own act.

I cannot suppose that she expected to convince you, the eye-witness; but

if she wished later on to spread the story, it was wise of her to try to

get your acceptance of it."

"That is so!"

"Then there were other matters of untruth. That, for instance, of the

ermine collar embroidered with emeralds. If an understandable reason be

required for this, it would be to draw attention away from the