Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
know a scent when I get on one, and my notion is that I am on one now.
I did not see the Baron again till the evening before Mr. Anderton
made away with himself. He came then in a great hurry, and insisted on
seeing the prisoner. I said I would ask, but did not expect he could,
as Mr. Anderton would see or speak to no one. He seemed to be in a sad
state, partly with exhaustion after waiting on his wife so long, and
partly with the worry of having this hanging over him He was a very
sensitive gentleman, and seemed to take it more to heart than any one
I ever saw. He wouldn't see any one, not even his lawyer. When I told
him about the Baron, however, he said he might come in, and they were
together half-an-hour or more. I did not hear anything that passed.
When the Baron came out he took me on one side and told me everything
was all right, and his friend was sure to get off. He said he was quite
overpowered with the good news, and particularly begged that he might
not be disturbed by any one, as he thought he could sleep now. He had
hardly slept a wink all the time. I promised not to disturb him, and
he lay quite quiet all night. I peeped in once or twice to make sure
he was there, but did not speak. I noticed a faint smell like peaches
once, but did not think anything of it. In the morning I went in to
take him his breakfast, and found him dead and quite cold. In his hand
was a little bottle which had contained prussic acid, and which had
evidently come out of a pocket medicine chest that lay on the bed. I
gave the alarm, and the divisional surgeon was sent for, but he was
stone dead. At about nine o'clock the Baron's servant came round to
know whether he had left a pocket medicine chest the night before. I
questioned the servant, and found the Baron had given him a list of the
places where he had been, and that he had asked at several already. The
medicine chest wanted, proved to be the one found in Mr. Anderton's
room. On the pillow I found also a piece of paper in Mr. Anderton's
handwriting, of which I enclose a copy.
6.--_Pencil note found on the pillow of Mr. Anderton._
Let no man condemn me for what I do. God knows how I have fought
against it. My darling! my own darling! have I not seen you night and
day by my side beckoning me to come? Not while a chance remained. Not
while there was one hope left to escape this doom of hideous disgrace
which dogs me to the death. No, darling, my honour--_your husband's_
honour before all. It is over now. No chance--no hope--only ignominy,
shame, death. I come, darling. _You_ know whether I am guilty of this
horrible charge. My darling--my own darling--I see you smile at the
very thought. God bless you for that smile. God pardon me for what I am
about to do. God reunite us, darling.
[Footnote 1: Compare Section III., 3, &c.]
[Footnote 2: Vide Section V., 5.]
[Footnote 3: The evidence of Sergeant Walsh is enclosed, but is merely
corroborative of the present statement.--R. H.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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