Part 14 (1/2)
”It was only perhaps an idea of mine, sir,” he stammered,--”just a sort of idea ... I dare say I was mistaken. My hearing ain't what it was, sir....”
”Don't you try to hoodwink me,” said Manderton, with sudden ferocity, knitting his brows and frowning at the unfortunate butler. ”Come on and tell us what you heard. Mr. Greve knows and I mean to. Out with it!”
Bude cast a reproachful glance at Robin. Then he said:
”Well, sir, a minute or two after Mr. Greve had pa.s.sed me, I went back to the hall and through the open door of the corridor leading to the library, I heard voices!”
”Voices, eh? Did you recognize them?”
”No, sir. It was just the sound of talking!”
”You told Miss Trevert they were loud voices, Bude!” Robin interrupted.
”Yes, sir,” replied the butler, ”they were loudish in a manner o'
speaking, else I shouldn't have heard them!”
”Why not?”
The detective rapped the question out sharply.
”Why, because the library door was locked, sir!”
”How do you know that?”
”Because Miss Trevert and Dr. Romain both tried the handle and couldn't get in!”
”Ah!” said Manderton, ”you mean the door was locked _when the body was found!_ Now, as to these voices. Were they men's voices?”
”Yes, sir, I should say so.”
”Why?”
”Because they were deep-like!”
”Was Mr. Hartley Parrish's voice one of them?”
The butler spread out his hands.
”That I couldn't say! I just heard the murmur-like, then shut the pa.s.sage door quickly ...”
”Why?”
”Well, sir, I thought ... I didn't want to listen....”
”You thought one of the voices was Mr. Greve's, eh? Having a row with Mr. Parrish, eh? About the lady, isn't that right?”
”Aren't you going rather too fast?” said Robin quietly.
But the detective ignored him.
”Come on and answer my question, my man,” he said harshly. ”Didn't you think it was Mr. Hartley Parrish and Mr. Greve here having a bit of a dust-up about the young lady being engaged to Mr. Parrish?”