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The Bishop's Secret

David Hume · en
'Aunty has become hardened to such shocks,' smiled Miss Whichello.

'Aunty has been as melancholy as an owl of late,' retorted Mab,
caressing the old lady; 'ever since the arrest of that man Mosk she has
been quite wretched.'

'Don't speak of him, Mab.'

'Halloo! said George, with sudden recollection, 'I knew there was
something else to tell you. Mosk is dead.'

Miss Whichello gave a faint shriek, and tightly clasped the hand of her
niece. 'Dead!' she gasped, pale-cheeked and low-toned. 'Mosk dead!'

'As a door nail,' rejoined George, admiring his present; 'he hanged
himself last night with his braces, so the gallows have lost a victim
and Beorminster society a sensation trial of--'

'George!' cried Mab, in alarm, 'don't talk so; you will make aunty
faint.'

And indeed the little old lady looked as though she were on the point of
swooning. Her face was white, her skin was cold, and leaning back her
head she had closed her eyes. Captain Pendle's item of news had produced
so unexpected a result that he and Mab stared at one another in
surprise.

'You shouldn't tell these horrors, George.'

'My love, how was I to know your aunt took an interest in the man?'

'I don't take an interest in him,' protested Miss Whichello, faintly;
'but he killed Jentham, and now he kills himself; it's horrible.'

'Horrible, but necessary,' assented George, cheerfully; 'a man who
murders another can't expect to get off scot-free. Mosk has only done
for himself what the law would have done for him. I'm sorry for Baltic,
however.'

'The missionary! Why, George?'

'Because this suicide will be such a disappointment to him. He has been
trying to make the poor devil--beg pardon--poor wretch repent; but it
would seem that he has not been successful.'

'Did he not confess to Mr Baltic?' asked Miss Whichello, anxiously.

'I believe so; he repented that far.'

'Do you know what he told him?'

'That he had killed Jentham, and had stolen his money.'

'Did he say if he had found any papers on Jentham's body?'

'Not that I know of,' replied George, staring. 'Why! had Jentham any
particular papers in his possession?'

'Oh, I don't know; I really can't say,' answered Miss Whichello,
confusedly, and rose unsteadily to her feet. 'Mab, my dear, you will
excuse me, I am not very well; I shall go to my bedroom.'

'Let me come too, aunty.'

'No! no!' Miss Whichello waved her niece back. 'I wish to be alone,' and
she left the room abruptly, without a look at either of the young
people. They could not understand this strange behaviour. Mab,
woman-like, turned on Captain Pendle.

'It is all your fault, George, talking of murders and suicides.'

'I'm awf'ly sorry,' said the captain, penitently, 'but I thought you
would like to hear the news.'

'Not the police news, thank you,' said Mab, with dignity.

'Why not? Something to talk about, you know.'

'You have me to talk about, Captain Pendle.'