"The man is dead, or I never saw death," he declared."By a hundred independent evidences we can be positive.Post-mortem stains have already appeared, and were they ever known on a living body? Of the others who died in this room I know nothing personally; but here is death, and in twenty-four hours the fact will be plain to the perception of an idiot.What has happened is this: the London police have heard of a famous, recent German case mentioned in 'Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschraft'
- an astonishing thing.A woman, who had taken morphine and barbital, was found apparently dead after a night's exposure in some lonely spot.There were no reflexes, no pulse, no respiration or heart-beat.Yet she was alive - existing without oxygen - an impossibility as we had always supposed.Seeing no actual evidence of death, the physicians injected camphor and caffein and took other restorative steps, with the result that in an hour the woman breathed again! Twenty-four hours later she wasconscious and able to speak.It is assumed that the poison and the cold night air together had paralyzed her vasomotor nerves and reduced her body to a state akin to hibernation, wherein physical needs are at their minimum.That case has doubtless awakened these suspicions, and having regard to them, we will keep the poor gentleman in a warm room and proceed with the classical means for restoring respiration."The doctor was thus engaged when four men reached Chadlands after their nightly journey.They were detective officers of wide reputation, and their chief - a grey-haired man with a round, amiable face and impersonal manner - listened to the events that had followed upon Peter Hardcastle's arrival and departure.
Sir Walter himself narrated the incidents, and perceiving his excitation, Inspector Frith assumed the gentlest and most forbearing attitude that he knew.
The police had come in a fighting humor.They arrived without any preconceived ideas or plan of action; but they were in bitter earnest, and knew that a great body of public opinion lay behind them.That Hardcastle, who had won such credit for his department and earned the applause of two continents, should have thus been lost, in a manner so mean and futile, exasperated not only his personal colleagues, but the larger public interested in his picturesque successes and achievements.
The new arrivals felt little doubt that their colleague was indeed dead, nor, when they heard of the last catastrophe, and presently stood by Septimus May, could they feel the most shadowy suspicion that life might be restored to him.Sir Walter found his nerve steadied on the arrival of these men.Indeed, by comparison with other trials, the ordeal before him now seemed of no complexity.He gave a clear account of events, admitted his great error, and answered all questions without any further confusion of mind.
"I am not concerned to justify my permission in the matter of Mr.May," he concluded."I deeply deplore it, and bitterly lament the result; but my reasons for granting him leave to do what he desired I am prepared to justify when the time comes.Others also heard him speak, and though he did not convince my daughter, whose intellect is keener than my own, Ihonestly believed him with all my heart.It seemed to me that only so could any reasonable explanation be reached.Moreover, you have to consider his own triumphant conviction and power of argument.Rightly or wrongly, he made me feel that he was not mistaken - indeed, made me share his resolute convictions.These things I am prepared to explain if need be.But that will not matter to you.Personally I am now only too sure that both Septimus May and I were mistaken.I realize that there must exist some physical causes for these terrible things, that they are of human origin, and I hope devoutly that you will be permitted by Providence to discover them, and those responsible for them.But the peril is evidently still acute.The danger remains, and I need not ask you to recognize it."Inspector Frith answered him, and proved more human than Sir Walter expected.He was an educated man of high standing in his business.
"We'll waste no time," he said."Perhaps it is as well you are convinced, Sir Walter, that these things have happened inside natural laws, and don't depend on beings in some unknown fourth dimension.That is your affair, and I am very sure, as you say, that you can give good reasons for what you did at a future inquiry, though the results are so shocking.Poor Peter was taken back to London last night, you tell us, according to directions.If he's in the same case as this unfortunate gentleman, then there's not much doubt about his being dead.We must begin at the beginning, though for us, naturally, Hardcastle's operations and their failure are the most interesting facts to be dealt with.You have told us everything that happened to him.But we have not heard who found him.""My nephew, Henry Lennox." "He found Captain May, too?""He did.He was the last to see him alive, and the first to see him afterwards.""Is he here?"
"He will be here in the course of the day.He travelled to London last night with the body of Mr.Hardcastle.""Why?"
