The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-02-04
THIRD NARRATIVE
Contributed 5y Frsakfiin Blake.
CHAPTER vi.

THIRD NARRArIvE
Contributed 6y Frsakiin Blake.
CHAPTER vi.
Iwslkei 10 the railroad station accompanied,
Il Is needless 10 say, by Gabriel Betteredge.
hal the letter in my pocket, and the night
gown safely packed In . little bag-both 10 be
submitted, before slept that night, TO the In
ve.tig,tion Of Mr.. Bruh.
We left tho house In silence. For the hrst
time In my experience Of him, found old Bet
terc,lre In my company without o word TO say
TO me. Having something TO say On my side.
! opened the eonversatica N soon as we were
clear Of the lcdge gates.
Before I 70 to London,'I began, Il have
two questions 10 ask you. They relate tc my
self. and believe they viii rather surprise
you.'
III they win pat that poor creatures letter
out Of my head, Mr.. Franklin, they may do
any thing d.e they Ike with me. Please to be
gin surprising me, Sir, IS soon ss you can.
MY first question, Bettere'lge, Is this. Was
drunk on the night Of Rachel's birthday ?
You drank" exclaimed the old nan. why
It's the great defect Of your character, Mr..
Franklin, that you only drink with your din
nsr. and never touch drop Of liquor af'er-
wards =
But the birthday was . special occasion. I
might have abandoned my regular habits, on
that night OF all Others
Dettereige considered for moment. Ia.
'You did 20 oat II your habits. Sir he said.
And IN tell you how. You looked wretchetly
ill-and we persuaded you 10 have . drop Of
brandy and water to cheer you up a little.
Il am not used TO brandy and water. IL IS
quite possible
wait q bit, Mr.. Franklin knew you were
not used, too. posred you out half q wine
glassfsl OF our fifty year old Cognac and(more
shame for neil l drowned that noble liquor in
nigh on tumblerful Of COLI water. A child
eosidn't have got drunk on it-let alone q
grown man'
Itsew I could depend on his memory, in 9
matter Of this kind. II was plainly impossible
that could have been intoxicated Ipssscd on
TO the second question.
Before was sent abroad. Betteredge, you
saw great deal OF me when was bcyf Now
tell me plainly, do you remember any thing
strange Of me, after had gone TO bed at nighti
Did you s,er discover me Walking In my sleep :
ment, nodded his head, and walked on again.
Il see yvur drift now. Mr.. Franklin! he
said. sYoa're trying 10 account Tor how you
got the paint on your night-gown, without
knowing |. yourself. II won't do, Sir. You're
miles away ssill from getting at the truth.
Walk in your slcep' You never did such thing
In your life"
Here again, I felt that Betteccige must be
right Neither Mt home nor abroad had my
life ever been Of the solitary sort. IL l had
been a sleep-walker, there were Hundreds on
hundreds Of people who must have discovered
me, and who, In the Interests OF my own safety,
would have warned me Of the habit, and taken
precautions 10 restrain L.
Still admitting all this. I clune-with nm OBJ
.tinaey which Was surely natural and excus-
able, under the circumstanees--to one or other
Of the only two explanations that could see
which accounted for the uncomfortable position
in which then stood. Deserving that was
mo. yet satisfied. Dettervdge shrevdly sdyertc'l
10 certain later events in the history OF the
Moonstone; and scattered both my theories tc
the winds at once and forever.
Let's try il another way, Sir he said.
Keep your own opinion, and see bow hr II
will take you towards finding out the truth.
five are To believe the nightgown-which
don't, for one-you not only smearcd on the
PAINT from the door, without knowing IL, but
you also took the Diamond without knowing Il.
Is that right, 30 fsrf'
'Quite right. Go on.
very good, Sir. Wen say you were drunk,
or walking in yosr sleep, when you took the
jewel That accounts for the night and morn
ing, after the birthday. But how docs it ae-
count for What has happened since that time'
The Diamond has been taken 10 London, since
that time. The Diamood has been pledged to
Mr.. Luker, siuce that time. Did yVu do those
two things, without knowing il, tool We're you
drunk when saw you OF In the pony -chaise
ON that Saturday evening And did you walk
in your sleep to Mr.. Luker's, when the train
hp brought you TO your journeys endi Ex-
cu-e me for saying II, Mr.. Franklin, but this
business has - upset you, that you're not 1T
vet to Judge Cor yourself The sooner YOU lay
your head alongside Of Mr.. Brufrs head, the
sooner you viii see your way out Of the dead
lock that has got you now
We rsached the station, with only q minute
or two TO spare. .-~
Ihurrelly gave Bettercige my address In
London, - that he might write TO me, " neoes-
sary promising. on my side. % inform him OF
any news which might have 10 communicate.
This done, and Just as was bidding him fare
well, happened 20 glance towards the book
and-newspaper stall. There was Mr.. Candy's
notwithstanding assistant again, speaking TO
the keeper Of the star Our eyes met at the
same moment, Ezra Jenning took Of his hat
toms. | returned the salute, and got into q
carriage Just as the train stsrteL IL Was re-
lief To my mind, l suppose, 10 dwell on any
subject which appeared TO be, personally. Of no
sort of Importance 10 me. AT all events, be-
gan the momentous journey back which Was 10
take me to Mr.. Brad, wondering--ahSurily
enough, sdmit-that should have seeu the
man with the piebah hair twice In one day,
The hour at which arrived In London prc-
cluded all hope Of my finding Mr.. Brud ut his
place of business. drove from the railway 70
his private residence at Hampstead, and dis
turbcl The old lawyer dosing in his dining g-room
with his fsyorite pug-dog on his lsp, AMI his
bottle of wine ct his chow. ..
| shall best describe the effect which my story
produced on the mind Of Mr.. Braa by relating
end. lie ordered lights, and strong tes, 10 be
taken into his study and he sent message 10
the ladies Of his family. fbrbkling them 10 dis
turb us on any pretense whatever. Thee pre-
liminaries disposed Of he first examined the
nirht-eown, and then devoted himself 10 the
rcatling of RosAnna Spcsrmsn's letter.
The reading ccmpletrd, Mr.. Bruf address~l
me for the 6rst time since we had been shut up
together In the scclusion oe his own room.
Franklin Blake said the old gentleman,
this Is very serious matter, In more resPece,
than one. In my opinion, Il concerns Rschsl
quite as nearly as Il concerns you. Her extra
ordinary conduct is no mystery non. She BE-
lieyes you have stolen the Diamond
had shrunk from reasoaing my own way
fairly 10 that revolving conclusion. But u had
forced itself on me nevertheless. My resolution
10 obtain personal interview with Rachel rcst-
ci rally and truly on the ground just stated by
Mr. Bruf