That under-strapper came back in a surprisingly short space of time with a hand-bag – a brown bag, which I recognised to be my own.
The agitated guests crowded round him like a swarm of bees. He had difficulty in forcing his way through them. The manager did his best to keep them in something like order – first with a show of mildness.
‘Ladies, gentlemen – gently, gently, if you please.’ Then, with sudden ferocity: ‘Stand back, there! If you will not stand back, if you will not make room, how can anything be done? Keep these people back!’
To whom this order was addressed was not quite clear. Thus admonished, the people kept themselves back – at least, sufficiently to enable that under-strapper to pass with my bag to the table. The manager said to him:
‘Go to the other side; what have you in that bag?’ When, as he said this, his guests evinced an inclination to press forward, he threw out his arms on either side of him and positively shouted:
‘Will you not keep back? If you will keep back, everything shall be done in order before you all. I ask you only to be a little sensible. If there is so much confusion, we shall not know what we are doing. I beg of you that you will be calm.’
If they were not precisely calm, the people did show some slight inclination to behave with an approach to common sense. They permitted the bag to be placed on the table, and the manager to open it, having first put some questions to the young man who brought it in.
‘Where did you find this bag?’
‘In her room.’ I was the ‘her’ which he made clear by pointing his finger straight at me.
‘Was anyone else present in the room at the time you found it? Did you find anything else?’
‘There were three other persons present in the room. That bag was the first thing I touched. When I opened it and saw what was inside, I thought that, for the present, that would be enough. I think you also will be of my opinion when you see what it contains.’
Then the manager opened the bag. He looked inside, then he turned it upside down and allowed the whole contents to fall out on to the table. Of all the extraordinary collections! I believe there were articles belonging to every person in the hotel. When you came to think of it, it was amazing how they had been gathered together – in what could only have been a short space of time – without the gatherer being detected. As for the behaviour of the guests of the hotel, it was like Bedlam broken loose. They pressed forward all together, ejaculating, exclaiming, snatching at this and that, as each saw some personal belonging,
‘Keep back! Keep back!’ shouted the manager. ‘Will you not keep back?’ As he positively roared at them they did shrink back as if a trifle startled. ‘If you will only have a little patience each lady shall have what belongs to her – if it is here.’
Mrs Anstruther’s voice was heard above the hubbub: ‘Are my diamonds there?’ Then Mrs Newball’s: ‘And my pearls?’
The under-strapper was examining the miscellaneous collection which my bag had contained with all those women breaking into continual exclamations, watching him with hungry eyes. He announced the result of his examination.
‘No; Mrs Anstruther’s diamonds do not appear to be here, nor Mrs Newball’s pearls; there is nothing here which at all resembles them.’
The manager held out towards me a minatory finger; everyone seemed to have developed a sudden mania for pointing, particularly at me.
‘You! Where have you put Mrs Newball’s pearls and Mrs Anstruther’s diamonds? Better make a clean breast of it, and no longer play the hypocrite. We will find them, if you do not tell us where they are, be sure of it. Now tell us at once.’
How he thundered at me! It was most embarrassing, or it would have been if I had not been conscious that I held the key of the situation in my hand. As it was, I minded his thunder scarcely a little bit, though I always have hated being shouted at. I was very calm – certainly the calmest person there – which, of course, was not saying very much.
‘I can tell you where they are, if that is what you mean.’
‘You know that is what I mean. Tell us at once! At once!’
He banged his fist upon the table so that that miscellaneous collection trembled. I did not tremble, though perhaps it was his intention that I should. I was growing calmer and calmer.
‘In the first place, let me inform you that if you suppose I put those things in my bag – the bag is certainly mine – or had anything to do with their getting there, you are mistaken.’
My words, and perhaps my manner, created a small diversion. ‘What impudence!’ ‘What assurance!’ ‘Did you ever see anything like it?’ ‘So young and so brazen!’ ‘The impudent baggage!’ Those were some of the things which they said, which were very nice for me to have to listen to. But I was sure, from a glimpse I had caught of Mr and Miss Sterndale, that they were not quite at their ease, and that was such a comfort.
‘No lies!’ thundered the manager, whose English became a little vulgar. ‘No foolery! No stuck-up rubbish! Tell us the truth – where are these ladies’ jewels?’
‘I propose to tell you the truth, if you will have a little patience.’ I returned
