"That is the first thing that must happen, nevertheless," replied the old gentleman calmly."You need not fear for me, Sir Walter.I jest about the spirits.There are no spirits in the Grey Room, or, if there are, they are not such as can quarrel with you, or me.There is, however, something much worse than any spirit lurking in the heart of your house - a potent, sleepless, fiendish thing; and far from wondering at all that has happened, I only marvel that worse did not befall.But I have the magic talisman, the 'open sesame.' I am safe enough even if I am mistaken.Though my fires are burning low, it will take more than your Grey Room to extinguish them.I hold the clue of the labyrinth, and shall pass safely in and out again.To-morrow I can tell you if I am right.""I confess that any such plan is most disagreeable to me.I have been specially directed by the authorities to allow no man to make further experiments alone."Vergilio Mannetti showed a trace of testiness."Forgive me, but your mind moves without its usual agility, my friend.Have I not told you everything?What matters Scotland Yard, seeing that it is entirely in thedark, while I have the light?Let them hear that they are bats and owls, and that one old man has outwitted the pack of them!""You have, as you say, told us much, my dear signor, and much that you have said is deeply interesting.In your mind it may be that these various facts are related, and bring you to some sort of conclusion bearing on the Grey Room; but for us it is not so.These statements leave us where they find us; they hang on nothing, not even upon one another in our ears.I speak plainly, since this is a matter for plain speaking.It is natural that you should not feel as we feel; but I need not remind you that what to you is merely an extraordinary mystery, to us is much more.You have imagination, however, far more than I have, and can guess, without being told, the awful suffering the past has brought to my daughter and myself.""Our slow English brains canot flash our thoughts along so quickly as yours, signor," said Mary."It is stupid of us, but - ""I stand corrected," answered the other instantly.He rose from his seat, and bowed to them with his hand on his heart.
"I am a withered old fool, and not quick at all.Forgive me.But thus it stands.Since you did not guess, through pardonable ignorance of a certain fact, then, for the pleasure of absolute proof, I withhold my discovery a little longer.There is drama here, but we must be skilled dramatists and not spoil our climax, or anticipate it.To-morrow it shall be - perhaps even to-night.You are not going to be kept long in suspense.Nor will I go alone and disobey Scotland Yard.Your aged pet - this spaniel dog - shall join me.Good Prince and I will retire early and, if you so desire it, we shall be very willing to welcome you in the Grey Room - say some six or seven hours later.I do not sleep there, but merely sustain a vigil, as all the others did.But it will be briefer than theirs.You will oblige me?"Mary spoke, seeing the pain on her father's face.She felt certain that the old man knew perfectly what he was talking about.She had spoken aside to Henry, and he agreed with her.Mannetti had solved the mystery; he had even enabled them to solve it; but now, perhaps to punish them for their stupidity, he was deliberately withholding the key, half from love of effect, half in a spirit of mischief.He was planning something theatrical.
