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My presence of mind in emergencies is proverbial among those who
know me。 I tore open the cupboard in which he kept his linen
seized a handful of his handkerchief'sgagged him with one of
them； and secured his hands with the others。 There was now no
danger of his alarming the servants。 After tying the last knot； I
looked up。
The door between the Englishman's room and mine was open。 My fair
friend was standing on the thresholdwatching HIM as he lay
helpless on the bed； watching ME as I tied the last knot。
〃What are you doing there？〃 I asked。 〃Why did you open the door？〃
She stepped up to me； and whispered her answer in my ear； with her
eyes all the time upon the man on the bed：
〃I heard him scream。〃
〃Well？〃
〃I thought you had killed him。〃
I drew back from her in horror。 The suspicion of me which her
words implied was sufficiently detestable in itself。 But her
manner when she uttered the words was more revolting still。 It so
powerfully affected me that I started back from that beautiful
creature as I might have recoiled from a reptile crawling over my
flesh。
Before I had recovered myself sufficiently to reply； my nerves were
assailed by another shock。 I suddenly heard my mistress's voice
calling to me from the stable yard。
There was no time to thinkthere was only time to act。 The one
thing needed was to keep Mrs。 Fairbank from ascending the stairs；
and discoveringnot my lady guest onlybut the Englishman also；
gagged and bound on his bed。 I instantly hurried to the yard。 As
I ran down the stairs I heard the stable clock strike the quarter
to two in the morning。
My mistress was eager and agitated。 The doctor （in attendance on
her） was smiling to himself； like a man amused at his own thoughts。
〃Is Francis awake or asleep？〃 Mrs。 Fairbank inquired。
〃He has been a little restless； madam。 But he is now quiet again。
If he is not disturbed〃 （I added those words to prevent her from
ascending the stairs）； 〃he will soon fall off into a quiet sleep。〃
〃Has nothing happened since I was here last？〃
〃Nothing； madam。〃
The doctor lifted his eyebrows with a comical look of distress。
〃Alas； alas； Mrs。 Fairbank！〃 he said。 〃Nothing has happened！ The
days of romance are over！〃
〃It is not two o'clock yet；〃 my mistress answered； a little
irritably。
The smell of the stables was strong on the morning air。 She put
her handkerchief to her nose and led the way out of the yard by the
north entrancethe entrance communicating with the gardens and the
house。 I was ordered to follow her； along with the doctor。 Once
out of the smell of the stables she began to question me again。
She was unwilling to believe that nothing had occurred in her
absence。 I invented the best answers I could think of on the spur
of the moment； and the doctor stood by laughing。 So the minutes
passed till the clock struck two。 Upon that； Mrs。 Fairbank
announced her intention of personally visiting the Englishman in
his room。 To my great relief； the doctor interfered to stop her
from doing this。
〃You have heard that Francis is just falling asleep；〃 he said。 〃If
you enter his room you may disturb him。 It is essential to the
success of my experiment that he should have a good night's rest；
and that he should own it himself； before I tell him the truth。 I
must request； madam； that you will not disturb the man。 Rigobert
will ring the alarm bell if anything happens。〃
My mistress was unwilling to yield。 For the next five minutes； at
least； there was a warm discussion between the two。 In the end
Mrs。 Fairbank was obliged to give wayfor the time。 〃In half an
hour；〃 she said； 〃Francis will either be sound asleep； or awake
again。 In half an hour I shall come back。〃 She took the doctor's
arm。 They returned together to the house。
Left by myself； with half an hour before me； I resolved to take the
Englishwoman back to the villagethen； returning to the stables；
to remove the gag and the bindings from Francis； and to let him
screech to his heart's content。 What would his alarming the whole
establishment matter to ME after I had got rid of the compromising
presence of my guest？
Returning to the yard I heard a sound like the creaking of an open
door on its hinges。 The gate of the north entrance I had just
closed with my own hand。 I went round to the west entrance； at the
back of the stables。 It opened on a field crossed by two footpaths
in Mr。 Fairbank's grounds。 The nearest footpath led to the
village。 The other led to the highroad and the river。
Arriving at the west entrance I found the door openswinging to
and fro slowly in the fresh morning breeze。 I had myself locked
and bolted that door after admitting my fair friend at eleven
o'clock。 A vague dread of something wrong stole its way into my
mind。 I hurried back to the stables。
I looked into my own room。 It was empty。 I went to the harness
room。 Not a sign of the woman was there。 I returned to my room；
and approached the door of the Englishman's bedchamber。 Was it
possible that she had remained there during my absence？ An
unaccountable reluctance to open the door made me hesitate； with my
hand on the lock。 I listened。 There was not a sound inside。 I
called softly。 There was no answer。 I drew back a step； still
hesitating。 I noticed something dark moving slowly in the crevice
between the bottom of the door and the boarded floor。 Snatching up
the candle from the table； I held it low； and looked。 The dark；
slowly moving object was a stream of blood！
That horrid sight roused me。 I opened the door。 The Englishman
lay on his bedalone in the room。 He was stabbed in two places
in the throat and in the heart。 The weapon was left in the second
wound。 It was a knife of English manufacture； with a handle of
buckhorn as good as new。
I instantly gave the alarm。 Witnesses can speak to what followed。
It is monstrous to suppose that I am guilty of the murder。 I admit
that I am capable of committing follies： but I shrink from the bare
idea of a crime。 Besides； I had no motive for killing the man。
The woman murdered him in my absence。 The woman escaped by the
west entrance while I was talking to my mistress。 I have no more
to say。 I swear to you what I have here written is a true
statement of all that happened on the morning of the first of
March。
Accept； sir； the assurance of my sentiments of profound gratitude
and respect。
JOSEPH RIGOBERT。
LAST LINESADDED BY PERCY FAIRBANK
Tried for the murder of Francis Raven； Joseph Rigobert was found
Not Guilty； the papers of the assassinated man presented ample
evidence of the deadly animosity felt toward him by his wife。
The investigations pursued on the morning when the crime was
committed showed that the murderess； after leaving the stable； had
taken the footpath which led to the river。 The