Tom Brown's Body

'I should think not, indeed!' growled the major, in furious resentment of the Superintendent's good-natured attitude. 'I should jolly well think not!'

'However, there's been larks, of a kind, if the Headmaster will excuse the word as applied to his scholars, and what larks they were have got to be found out, and, when found out, sifted and pinned down. Now, I don't say –'

'But I do,' said Mrs Bradley. 'I say that we know the identity of the boys in question, and, although they were out after hours, and although they impounded a bicycle, and even punctured one of its tyres, I am going to ask Mr Wyck, to whom I shall give their names presently, to exercise his discretion on their behalf and to take no action against them, particularly as –'

'I appreciate the necessity of obtaining their evidence,' said Mr Wyck firmly, 'and am prepared to promise to overlook their conduct. This,' he added, for the benefit of the major, 'is in order to assist in the detection of Conway's attacker, and for no other reason whatsoever.'

'Quite so, sir,' agreed the Superintendent. 'We can't afford to lose valuable evidence because the witnesses are afraid to come forward.'

'Oh, well! Oh, well!' said the major, waving the point aside. 'Now what was all this mud about Mrs Poundbury, and why weren't we told about it before?' His eyes gleamed hopefully.

'There is nothing to tell,' Mr Wyck replied. 'It was not anybody's business at the time except that of the two concerned, and, of course, Poundbury himself. There was no scandal attached to it. Mrs Poundbury was very sensible and, in any case, it occurred during the summer vacation and on board ship. It was nothing to do with the School, and I am sorry it ever came out.'

'Oh?'

'Yes.'

'But it left Poundbury pretty sore?'

'You heard what he said just now.'

'And you think he might have been the murderer?' The major spoke excitedly.

'I can think of nobody less likely,' replied Mr. Wyck, with his usual calmness.

'Well, we don't seem to have got very far,' said the chairman, 'and as the – the death was the only item on the agenda, I propose, unless Mr Wyck or Mrs Bradley has anything more to tell us, to declare the meeting closed.'

'I'd like to ask a question,' said the major. 'No offence, of course.'

'None,' said Mrs Bradley, perceiving that the question had been addressed principally to her.

'Right. Well, what I mean to say, what's your position with regard to – I mean, are you to be appointed officially by us, or what? Position ought to be made regular, you know, what!'

'My position has not, so far, been irregular,' Mrs Bradley answered. 'I am here in the capacity of guest to Mr and Miss Loveday. Simply that, and nothing more.'

'Oh, well, that's all right, then. Just like to get these things straight. Meeting closed? Vote of thanks to the Chair? Right . . . .'

10. Hecate at School House

*

Who accuses me?

IBID. (Act 2, Scene 10)

SOME of the governors went home directly the gathering broke up, others remained to dine with the Headmaster. Mrs Bradley returned to Miss Loveday, but supper at the House was scarcely over when a message came from Mr Wyck. In response to it, Mrs Bradley was compelled to break the news to Miss Loveday that she was invited to shift quarters to the School House. This was much to the distress of Miss Loveday, who begged her to remain where she was.

'It would be unreasonable,' Mrs Bradley responded, 'to trespass further upon your hospitality.'

'Oh, I realize,' rejoined Miss Loveday, 'that you came merely to give Merrys an airing. Well, he is aired. We now know all about him. But we value you at par, and therefore, I say, remain.'

'I value you above rubies,' Mrs Bradley cordially responded. 'Nevertheless, I am bid to join the household of the Headmaster, an invitation which can hardly be disregarded.'

'Regard it by all means,' Miss Loveday replied in like tones, 'but remember that for you there is one corner in our Loveday House which is for ever Bradley.'

'I will indeed remember it,' said Mrs Bradley; 'you are too kind; much too kind. You should never cherish serpents in your bosom.' Having said this, it was with a certain sense of relief that she took leave of her eccentric hostess and moved over to the pleasant and commodious School House.

She had not been in the School House above a day and a quarter when she was asked to receive a deputation from Loveday's. This consisted of Merrys, Skene, and Takhobali.

'The thing is,' said Skene, who had been thrust into prominence partly by Merrys and partly by his own natural instincts, 'that the Tar-Baby thinks he ought to spill you something which perhaps you hadn't so far heard of.'

'Lights!' said Takhobali dramatically.

'Lights and soft music,' muttered Merrys.

'Lights?' said Mrs Bradley. 'It is full late in the day to mention lights. When and where? On the night of the death, do you mean? And over by the Roman Bath?'

Takhobali rolled his eyes.

'Do you know about the river lights?' he enquired.

'How can she know?' enquired Merrys. 'She wasn't there, was she, you ass? Tell her about them. It might be beastly important.' He looked at Mrs Bradley for confirmation of this view, and she at once supported him.

'I look forward to your revelations, Prince,' she said.

'There were lights. The Roman Bath, for Skene and Merrys. The river, however, for me,' Takhobali explained, waving his thin, long hands. 'I saw lights along the river. I told Merrys and Skene because I knew they had been out of the House one night, and I wanted to give them opportunity to forbid my telling you if they wished. But they say I should tell. It will assist, and I wish to make recompense for their kind help when I do not understand football game and wish to know. I saw the lights at about eleven o'clock. I was sick, and from the window of that place, I saw.'

'He's always sick after fish-pie. We had it for supper that night,' explained Merrys. 'Nobody takes much notice of lights over at the Roman Bath because Albert-Edward – Mr Loveday – is always doing weird things over there in connexion with the filters and the heating. But when the Tar-Baby mentioned he'd seen lights over by the river, we thought we'd bring him along. Apparently he's been in a flat spin ever since the murder, because he didn't know whom he ought to tell, or whether he ought to tell at all. He's been kicked so often he gets muddled about such things.'

'Ah, yes,' said the Tar-Baby, gleaming. 'I am not to tell tales or talk shop.'

Mrs Bradley went straight over to Miss Loveday.

'What were the lights at the Roman Bath on the night of the murder?' she enquired. Miss Loveday gazed in mild astonishment.

'They could have little bearing,' she replied. 'They were carried, I daresay, by my brother and myself. We go over occasionally to stoke the Roman furnace. We can scarcely wake our servants for such a task. The heating system is curiously unsatisfactory, although I would not care to have my brother hear me say so. The Bath is his main interest, as you know.'

'And you were there on the night of Mr Conway's death?'

'If anybody says so, yes. I suppose it was one of the boys who mentioned it? They should not have been up and about at such an hour.'

'And you did not mention it?'

'What bearing could it have?' Miss Loveday mildly enquired. 'Oh, I know that Gerald Conway was either