Death at the Opera

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 bave 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 ‘Katisha’ 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 ‘Katisha.’

“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.

“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.”

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.

“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 be—at 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. ‘Art for Art’s sake ’ and so on. Oh…?”

Light had come.