Thenheturnedbackandpouredoutaglassofwinefromthedecanterwhichyetremainedonthetable。Hiseyecaughtthewine-glasswhichHarryhadusedbuttwoorthreehoursbefore。Hesighedalongquiveringsigh，andthenmasteringhimselfagain，helefttheroom。“Youhadbettergobacktoyoursisters，MissSophy“saidnurse。MissCarsonwent。Shecouldnotfacedeathyet。ThenursefollowedMrCarsontotheservants’hall。Thereontheirdinner-tablelaythepoordeadbody。Themenwhohadbroughtitweresittingnearthefire，whileseveraloftheservantsstoodroundthetable，gazingattheremains。Theremains!Oneortwowerecrying；oneortwowerewhispering；awedintoastrangestillnessofvoiceandactionbythepresenceofthedead。WhenMrCarsoncameintheyalldrewbackandlookedathimwiththereverenceduetosorrow。Hewentforwardandgazedlongandfondlyonthecalm，deadface；thenhebentdownandkissedthelipsyetcrimsonwithlife。Thepolicemenhadadvanced，andstoodreadytobequestioned。Butatfirsttheoldman’smindcouldonlytakeintheideaofdeath；slowly，slowly，cametheconceptionofviolence，ofmurder，“Howdidhedie？“hegroanedforth。Thepolicemenlookedateachother。Thenonebegan，andstatedthathavingheardthereportofaguninTurnerStreet，hehadturneddownthatwayalonelyunfrequentedwayMrCarsonknew，butashortcuttohisgardendoor，ofwhichHarryhadakey；thatashethepolicemancamenearer，hehadheardfootstepsasofamanrunningaway；buttheeveningwassodarkthemoonnothavingyetrisenthathecouldseenoonetwentyyardsoff。Thathehadevenbeenstartledwhenclosetothebodybyseeingitlyingacrossthepathathisfeet。Thathehadsprunghisrattle；andwhenanotherpolicemancameup，bythelightofthelanterntheyhaddiscoveredwhoitwasthathadbeenkilled。Thattheybelievedhimtobedeadwhentheyfirsttookhimup，ashehadnevermoved，spoken，orbreathed。Thatintelligenceofthemurderhadbeensenttothesuperintendent，whowouldprobablysoonbehere。Thattwoorthreepolicemenwerestillaboutthep]ace，wherethemurderwascommitted，seekingoutforsometraceofthemurderer。Havingsaidthis，theystoppedspeaking。MrCarsonhadlistenedattentively，nevertakinghiseyesoffthedeadbody。Whentheyhadended，hesaid，“Wherewasheshot？“Theyliftedupsomeofthethickchestnutcurls，andshowedabluespotyoucouldhardlycallitahole，thefleshhadclosedsomuchoverit
inthelefttemple。Adeadlyaim!Andyetitwassodarkanight!“Hemusthavebeencloseuponhim，“saidonepoliceman。“Andhavehadhimbetweenhimandthesky，“addedtheother。Therewasalittlecommotionatthedoorofthroom，andtherestoodpoorMrsCarson，themother。Shehadheardunusualnoisesinthehouse，andhadsentdownhermaidmuchmoreacompaniontoherthanherhighly-educateddaughterstodiscoverwhatwasgoingon。Butthemaideitherforgot，ordreaded，toreturn；andwithnervousimpatienceMrsCarsoncamedownherself；andhadtracedthehumandbuzzofvoicestotheservants’hall。MrCarsonturnedround。Buthecouldnotleavethedeadforanyoneliving。“Takeheraway，nurse。Itisnosightforher。TellMissSophytogotohermother。“Hiseyeswereagainfixedonthedeadfaceofhisson。PresentlyMrsCarson’shystericalcrieswereheardalloverthehouse。
Herhusbandshudderedattheoutwardexpressionoftheagonywhichwasrendinghisheart。Thenthepolicesuperintendentcame，andafterhimthedoctor。Thelatterwentthroughalltheformsofascertainingdeath，withoututteringaword，andwhenattheconclusionoftheoperationofopeningavein，fromwhichnobloodflowed，heshookhishead，allpresentunderstoodtheconfirmationoftheirpreviousbelief。ThesuperintendentaskedtospeaktoMrCarsoninprivate。“ItwasjustwhatIwasgoingtorequestofyou，“answeredhe；soheledthewayintothedining-room，withthewine-glassstillonthetable。Thedoorwascarefullyshut，andbothsatdown，eachapparentlywaitingfortheothertobegin。AtlastMrCarsonspoke。“YouprobablyhaveheardthatIamarichman。“Thesuperintendentbowedinassent。“Well，sir，half——nay，ifnecessary，thewholeofmyfortuneIwillgivetohavethemurdererbroughttothegallows。“Everyexertion，youmaybesure，sir，shallbeusedonourpart；butprobablyofferingahandsomerewardmightacceleratethediscoveryofthemurderer。
ButwhatIwantedparticularlytotellyou，sir，isthatoneofmymenhasalreadygotsomeclue，andthatanotherwhoaccompaniedmeherehaswithinthisquarterofanhourfoundaguninthefieldwhichthemurderercrossed，andwhichheprobablythrewawaywhenpursued，asencumberinghisflight。Ihavenotthesmallestdoubtofdiscoveringthemurderer。““Whatdoyoucallahandsomereward？“saidMrCarson。“Well，sir，three，orfivehundredpoundsisamunificentrewardmorethanwillprobablyberequiredasatemptationtoanyaccomplice。““Makeitathousand“saidMrCarson，decisively。“It’sthedoingofthosedamnedturn-outs。““Iimaginenot，“saidthesuperintendent。“SomedaysagothemanIwasnamingtoyoubefore，reportedtotheinspectorwhenhecameonhisbeat，thathehadtoseparateyoursonfromayoungman，whobyhisdresshebelievedtobeemployedinafoundry；thatthemanhadthrownMrCarsondown，andseemedinclinedtoproceedtomoreviolence，whenthepolicemancameupandinterfered。Indeed，mymanwishedtogivehiminchargeforanassault，butMrCarsonwouldnotallowthattobedone。““Justlikehim!——noblefellow!“murmuredthefather。“Butafteryoursonhadleft，themanmadeuseofsomeprettystrongthreats。
Andit’sratheracuriouscoincidencethatthisscuffletookplaceintheverysamespotwherethemurderwascommitted；inTurnerStreet。“Therewassomeoneknockingatthedooroftheroom。ItwasSophy，whobeckonedherfatherout，andthenaskedhim，inanawe-struckwhisper，tocomeup-stairsandspeaktohermother。“ShewillnotleaveHarry，andtalkssostrangely。Indeed——indeed——papa，Ithinkshehaslosthersenses。“Andthepoorgirlsobbedbitterly。“Whereisshe？“askedMrCarson。“Inhisroom。“Theywentup-stairsrapidly，andsilently。Itwasalargecomfortablebedroom；
toolargetobewelllightedbytheflaring，flickeringkitchen-candlewhichhadbeenhastilysnatchedup，andnowstoodonthedressing-table。Onthebed，surroundedbyitsheavy，pall-likegreencurtains，laythedeadson。Theyhadcarriedhimup，andlaidhimdown，astenderlyasthoughtheyfearedtowakenhim；and，indeed，itlookedmorelikesleepthandeath，soverycalmandfullofreposewastheface。Yousaw，too，thechiselledbeautyofthefeaturesmuchmoreperfectlythanwhenthebrilliantcolouringoflifehaddistractedyourattention。Therewasapeaceabouthimwhichtoldthatdeathhadcometooinstantaneouslytogiveanypreviouspain。Inachair，attheheadofthebed，satthemother，——smiling。Sheheldoneofthehandsrapidlystiffening，eveninherwarmgrasp，andgentlystrokedthebackofit，withtheendearingcaressshehadusedtoallherchildrenwhenyoung。“Iamgladyouarecome，“saidshe，lookingupatherhusband，andstillsmiling。“Harryissofulloffun，healwayshassomethingnewtoamuseuswith；andnowhepretendsheisasleep，andthatwecan’twakenhim。
Lookheissmilingnow；hehearsIhavefoundhimout。Look!“And，intruth，thelips，intherestofdeath，didlookasthoughtheyworeasmile，andthewavinglightoftheunsnuffedcandlealmostmadethemseemtomove。“Look，Amy，“saidshetoheryoungestchild，whokneltatherfeet，tryingtosootheher，bykissinghergarments。“Oh，hewasalwaysarogue!Youremember，don’tyou，love？howfullofplayhewasasababy；hidinghisfaceundermyarm，whenyouwantedtoplaywithhim。Alwaysarogue，Harry!““Wemustgetheraway，sir，“saidnurse；“youknowthereismuchtobedone，before——““Iunderstand，nurse，“saidthefather，hastilyinterruptingherindreadofthedistinctwordswhichwouldtellofthechangesofmortality。“Come，love，“saidhetohiswife。“Iwantyoutocomewithme。Iwanttospeaktoyoudown-stairs。““I’mcoming，“saidshe，rising；“perhaps，afterall，nurse，he’sreallytired，andwouldbegladtosleep。Don’tlethimgetcold，though，——hefeelsratherchilly，“continuedshe，aftershehadbentdown，andkissedthepalelips。Herhusbandputhisarmaroundherwaist，andtheylefttheroom。Thenthethreesistersburstintounrestrainedwailings。Theywerestartledintotherealityoflifeanddeath。Andyetinthemidstofshrieksandmoans，ofshiveringandchatteringofteeth，Sophy’seyecaughtthecalmbeautyofthedead；socalmamidstsuchviolence，andshehushedheremotion。“Come，“saidshetohersisters，nursewantsustogo；andbesides，weoughttobewithmamma。Papatoldthemanhewastalkingto，whenIwentforhim，towait，andshemustnotbeleft。“Meanwhile，thesuperintendenthadtakenacandle，andwasexaminingtheengravingsthathungroundthedining-room。Itwassocommontohimtobeacquaintedwithcrime，thathewasfarfromfeelingallhisinterestabsorbedinthepresentcaseofviolence，althoughhecouldnothelphavingmuchanxietytodetectthemurderer。Hewasbusylookingattheonlyoil-paintingintheroomayouthofeighteenorso，inafancydress，andconjecturingitsidentitywiththeyoungmansomysteriouslydead，whenthedooropened，andMrCarsonreturned。Sternashehadlookedbeforeleavingtheroom，helookedfarsternernow。Hisfacewashardenedintodeep-purposedwrath。“Ibegyourpardon，sir’orleavingyou。Thesuperintendentbowed。Theysatdown，andspokelongtogether。Onebyonethepolicemenwerecalledin，andquestioned。Allthroughthenighttherewasbustleandcommotioninthehouse。Nobodythoughtofgoingtobed。ItseemedstrangetoSophytohearnursesummonedfromhermother’ssidetosupper，inthemiddleofthenight，andstillstrangerthatsheshouldgo。Thenecessityofeatinganddrinkingseemedoutofplaceinthehouseofdeath。Whennightwaspassingintomorning，thedining-roomdooropened，andtwopersons’stepswerebeardalongthehall。Thesuperintendentwasleavingatlast。MrCarsonstoodonthefront-doorstep，feelingtherefreshmentofthecallermorningair，andseeingthestarlightfadeawayintodawn。“Youwillnotforget，“saidhe。“Itrusttoyou。“Thepolicemanbowed。“Sparenomoney。TheonlypurposeforwhichInowvaluewealthistohavethemurdererarrested，andbroughttojustice。Myhopeinlifenowistoseehimsentencedtodeath。Offeranyrewards。Nameathousandpoundsintheplacards。Cometomeatanyhour，nightorday，ifthatberequired。
AllIaskofyouis，togetthemurdererhanged。Nextweek，ifpossible——to-dayisFriday。Surelywiththecluesyoualreadypossess，youcanmusterupevidencesufficienttohavehimtriednextweek。““Hemayeasilyrequestanadjournmentofhistrial，onthegroundoftheshortnessofthenotice，“saidthesuperintendent。“Opposeit，ifpossible。Iwillseethatthefirstlawyersareemployed。
Ishallknownorestwhilehelives。““Everythingshallbedone，sir。““Youwillarrangewiththecoroner。Teno’clockifconvenient。“Thesuperintendenttookleave。MrCarsonstoodonthestep，dreadingtoshutoutthelightandair，andreturnintothehaunted，gloomyhouse。“Myson!myson!“hesaid，atlast。“Butyoushallbeavenged，mypoormurderedboy。“Aye!toavengehiswrongsthemurdererhadsingledouthisvictim，andwithonefellactionhadtakenawaythelifethatGodhadgiven。Toavengehischild’sdeath，theoldmanlivedon；withthesinglepurposeinhisheartofvengeanceonthemurderer。True，hisvengeancewassanctionedbylaw，butwasitthelessrevenge？AreyeworshippersofChrist？orofAlecto？Oh!Orestes，youwouldhavemadeaverytolerableChristianofthenineteenthcentury!