Hag's Nook

Author:John Dickson Carr [Carr, John Dickson]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Traditional British, Mystery & Detective, Fiction
ISBN: 9781568659558
Google: 39SCZwEACAAJ
Amazon: 1568659555
Publisher: Mystery Guild
Published: 1985-01-01T22:00:00+00:00

"What inventions?" said the chief constable, rather helplessly.

"It's all right, Sir Benjamin," said Dorothy. "Herbert is always tinkering with something, without any success. He had a workshop out there."

Further than this no information could be elicited from Mrs. Bundle. All inventions, she was convinced, had to do with certain contraptions which threw one about in the dark at the Holdern fair. Apparently somebody with a primitive sense of humour had led the good lady into the Crazy House, where she had screamed until a crowd assembled, got caught in the machinery, hit somebody with an umbrella, and was finally escorted out by the police. Just as, after a tempestuous review of the matter without enlightenment for her hearers, she was led out by Budge.

"Waste of time," growled Sir Benjamin, when she had gone. "There's your question about the clock answered, Doctor. Now I think we can proceed."

"I think we can," Payne interposed, suddenly.

He had not moved from his position beside the girl's chair; small, his arms folded, ugly as a Chinese image.

"I think we can," he repeated. "Since you seem to get nowhere with this aimless questioning, I fancy that some explanations are due me. I hold a trust in this family. For a hundred years nobody except members of the Starberth family have been allowed in the Governor's Room on any pretext whatsoever. This morning, I am given to understand, you gentlemen - one of you a perfect stranger - violated that law. That in itself calls for an explanation."

Sir Benjamin shut his jaws firmly. "Excuse me, my friend," he said. "I don't think it does."

The lawyer was beginning, in a furious voice: "What you think, sir, is of minor-" when Dr. Fell cut him short. He spoke in a tired and indolent voice.

"Payne," said Dr. Fell, "you're an ass. You've made trouble at every turn, and I wish you wouldn't be such an old woman.... By the way, how did you know we were up there?"

The tone in which he spoke, one of mild expostulation, was worse than any contempt. Payne glared.

"I have eyes," he snarled. "I saw you leaving. I went up after you to be sure your meddling ways had interfered with nothing."

"Oh!" said Dr. Fell. "Then you violated the law too?"

"That is not the question, sir. I am privileged. I know what is in that vault...." He was so angry that he grew indiscreet, and added, "It is not the first time I have been privileged to see it."

Dr. Fell had been staring blankly at the floor. Now he rolled up his big lionlike head, still with that vacant expression, to regard the other.

"That's interesting," he murmured. "I rather thought you had, too. H'mf. Yes."

"I must remind you again," said Payne, "that 1 hold a trust-"

"Not any longer," said Dr. Fell.

There was a pause, which somehow seemed to make the room cold. The lawyer opened his eyes wide, jerking his head towards Dr. Fell.

"I said, `not any longer,' " the doctor repeated, raising his voice slightly "Martin was the last of the direct line.

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