said. âA masterpiece has been broken. And we have so few today.â
ââThatâs perfectly true.â
âAs I opened the door for herâ
ââYouâve been very kind,â she said.
âAnd then she was gone.
âI went back to the station then and dictated a further report. Then I drafted her statement and gave it to Roan to type out. Then I went to the mortuary. The surgeons were waiting for me, with certain sealed jars. They handed these to Rogers, who signed a receipt.
ââAnything new?â I asked.
ââA firstâclass life.â
âWhen Paterson left, I walked with him to his car. I told him Iâd seen the night-sister.
ââWas the Mother Superior tiresome?â
ââShe wasnât there.â
ââYou never saw her alone?â
ââYes.â
ââGod in heaven,â he said. And then, âThereâll be a row about that.â
ââThe day-sister arranged it at my request.â
âHe nodded.
ââSister Geneviève is the salt of the earth.â
ââYouâll be called, of course. Iâll bring a draft statement tomorrow, for you to approve.â
ââAll right.â
ââAbout eleven oâclock?â
ââJust ask for me.â
âThen I saw the Coroner.
âI think heâll be quite all right. I mean, he wonât run out. In fact, he himself declared that the Convent must be considered in every possible way. I imagine the Mother Superior has to be thanked for that. Her writ runs everywhere. I suggested whom he should call and said he should have their statements tomorrow afternoon. I then broached the question of revealing the sistersâ true names.
ââI hope youâll agree,â I said, âthat that should not be done. By such revelations, Justice will in no way be served. Only the press will profit: and the Sisters will suffer incredible misery. I mean, all this publicityâs bad enough.â
âMercifully, he agreed at once.
âThen we had a short talk. I said that the local superintendent would ask for an adjournment for a week.
ââDo you expect developments?â
ââYes.â
ââYou suspect that Lord St Amant was murdered?â
ââI do indeed.â
ââAny luck so far?â
ââNone.â
ââOh, well,â he said. âIf I can help, youâve only to let me know.â
âI thanked him and took my leave.
âThen I saw the Press. They were waiting in force. âWhere the carcase is,â you know.
âI told them the bare facts. That St Amant who was perfectly well had suddenly died. That there seemed to be no explanation of how or why he had died. That before we did anything else, we had to find that out. I said I had been sent down because, if he died by design, it was of the utmost importance that experts should be on the spot as soon as possible.
ââDo you suspect foul play?â
ââYou musnât say that. You may say that, in view of all the circumstances, the police have yet to be satisfied that Lord St Amant died a natural death.â
âI gave them a lot of details â thatâs what they like. In fact, I did them well. And then I spoke out.
ââIâll see you like this, whenever I have some news which I think you may well report. But only on this condition â that no reporter enters the Convent grounds. If that occurs, youâll get no more from me. The nursing home is run by a deeply religious House. The sisters are nuns, and their life is very sheltered and very retired. It follows that the publicity which this tragedy must receive is to them a most bitter blow. Iâm very sorry for them, and Iâm going to do my best to spare them all I can. I hope that youâll do the same. Youâve got to tell your stories, of
ââThatâs perfectly true.â
âAs I opened the door for herâ
ââYouâve been very kind,â she said.
âAnd then she was gone.
âI went back to the station then and dictated a further report. Then I drafted her statement and gave it to Roan to type out. Then I went to the mortuary. The surgeons were waiting for me, with certain sealed jars. They handed these to Rogers, who signed a receipt.
ââAnything new?â I asked.
ââA firstâclass life.â
âWhen Paterson left, I walked with him to his car. I told him Iâd seen the night-sister.
ââWas the Mother Superior tiresome?â
ââShe wasnât there.â
ââYou never saw her alone?â
ââYes.â
ââGod in heaven,â he said. And then, âThereâll be a row about that.â
ââThe day-sister arranged it at my request.â
âHe nodded.
ââSister Geneviève is the salt of the earth.â
ââYouâll be called, of course. Iâll bring a draft statement tomorrow, for you to approve.â
ââAll right.â
ââAbout eleven oâclock?â
ââJust ask for me.â
âThen I saw the Coroner.
âI think heâll be quite all right. I mean, he wonât run out. In fact, he himself declared that the Convent must be considered in every possible way. I imagine the Mother Superior has to be thanked for that. Her writ runs everywhere. I suggested whom he should call and said he should have their statements tomorrow afternoon. I then broached the question of revealing the sistersâ true names.
ââI hope youâll agree,â I said, âthat that should not be done. By such revelations, Justice will in no way be served. Only the press will profit: and the Sisters will suffer incredible misery. I mean, all this publicityâs bad enough.â
âMercifully, he agreed at once.
âThen we had a short talk. I said that the local superintendent would ask for an adjournment for a week.
ââDo you expect developments?â
ââYes.â
ââYou suspect that Lord St Amant was murdered?â
ââI do indeed.â
ââAny luck so far?â
ââNone.â
ââOh, well,â he said. âIf I can help, youâve only to let me know.â
âI thanked him and took my leave.
âThen I saw the Press. They were waiting in force. âWhere the carcase is,â you know.
âI told them the bare facts. That St Amant who was perfectly well had suddenly died. That there seemed to be no explanation of how or why he had died. That before we did anything else, we had to find that out. I said I had been sent down because, if he died by design, it was of the utmost importance that experts should be on the spot as soon as possible.
ââDo you suspect foul play?â
ââYou musnât say that. You may say that, in view of all the circumstances, the police have yet to be satisfied that Lord St Amant died a natural death.â
âI gave them a lot of details â thatâs what they like. In fact, I did them well. And then I spoke out.
ââIâll see you like this, whenever I have some news which I think you may well report. But only on this condition â that no reporter enters the Convent grounds. If that occurs, youâll get no more from me. The nursing home is run by a deeply religious House. The sisters are nuns, and their life is very sheltered and very retired. It follows that the publicity which this tragedy must receive is to them a most bitter blow. Iâm very sorry for them, and Iâm going to do my best to spare them all I can. I hope that youâll do the same. Youâve got to tell your stories, of
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