第81章

`It's no part of my duty, Mr.Betteredge,' he answered, `to make remarks on a case, when I have done with it.'

I tossed the cheque across the table to him.`Do you believe in that part of her ladyship's letter?' I said indignantly.

The Sergeant looked at the cheque, and lifted up his dismal eyebrows in acknowledgement of her ladyship's liberality.

`This is such a generous estimate of the value of my time,' he said, `that I feel bound to make some return for it.I'll bear in mind the amount in this cheque, Mr.Betteredge, when the occasion comes round for remembering it.'

`What do you mean?' I asked.

`Her ladyship has smoothed matters over for the present very cleverly,'

said the Sergeant.`But this family scandal is of the sort that bursts up again when you least expect it.We shall have more detective business on our hands, sir, before the Moonstone is many months older.'

If those words meant anything, and if the manner in which he spoke them meant anything -- it came to this.My mistress's letter had proved, to his mind, that Miss Rachel was hardened enough to resist the strongest appeal that could be addressed to her, and that she had deceived her own mother (good God, under what circumstances!) by a series of abominable lies.How other people, in my place, might have replied to the Sergeant, I don't know.I answered what he said in these plain terms:

`Sergeant Cuff, I consider your last observation as an insult to my lady and her daughter!'

`Mr.Betteredge, consider it as a warning to yourself, and you will be nearer the mark.'

Hot and angry as I was, the infernal confidence with which he gave me that answer closed my lips.

I walked to the window to compose myself.The rain had given over; and, who should I see in the courtyard, but Mr.Begbie, the gardener, waiting outside to continue the dog-rose controversy with Sergeant Cuff.

`My compliments to the Sairgent,' said Mr.Begbie, the moment he set eyes on me.`If he's minded to walk to the station, I'm agreeable to go with him.'

`What!' cries the Sergeant, behind me, `are you not convinced yet?'

`The de'il a bit I'm convinced!' answered Mr.Begbie.

`Then I'll walk to the station!' says the Sergeant.

`Then I'll meet you at the gate!' says Mr.Begbie.

I was angry enough, as you know -- but how was any man's anger to hold out against such an interruption as this? Sergeant Cuff noticed the change in me, and encouraged it by a word in season.`Come! come!' he said, `why not treat my view of the case as her ladyship treats it? Why not say, the circumstances have fatally misled me?'

To take anything as her ladyship took it, was a privilege worth enjoying -- even with the disadvantage of its having been offered to me by Sergeant Cuff.I cooled slowly down to my customary level.I regarded any other opinion of Miss Rachel, than my lady's opinion or mine, with a lofty contempt.

The only thing I could not do, was to keep off the subject of the Moonstone! My own good sense ought to have warned me, I know, to let the matter rest -- but, there! the virtues which distinguish the present generation were not invented in my time.Sergeant Cuff had hit me on the raw, and, though I did look down upon him with contempt, the tender place still tingled for all that.The end of it was that I perversely led him back to the subject of her ladyship's letter.`I am quite satisfied myself,' I said.`But never mind that! Go on, as if I was still open to conviction.You think Miss Rachel is not to be believed on her word; and you say we shall hear of the Moonstone again.Back your opinion, Sergeant,' I concluded, in an airy way.`Back your opinion.'

Instead of taking offence, Sergeant Cuff seized my hand, and shook it till my fingers ached again.