Mr. Fanks Finishes the Case
. . . I had quite intended to duly label this note-book, and put it
away among my papers, but somehow I forgot to do so, and only came
across it the other day by accident. I have been reading the
Jarlchester Mystery over again, and it struck me as one of the most
extraordinary cases I have ever had the pleasure of investigating. It
is now about a year ago since I left Ironfields after having brought
Judas to book, and I am rather pleased at discovering this pocket-book
now, as it gives me an opportunity of completing the case by telling
his fate . . .
". . . In the _Figaro_ of last Monday I read an account of a certain
Jules Guinaud, who is none other than my old friend, Monsieur Judas.
It appears that after having left Ironfields, the accomplished Judas
returned to Paris as offering a wider field for his peculiar talents,
and there he married a very wealthy young lady. After the marriage,
however, Monsieur Judas found out that his mother-in-law had the
money, and it would not descend to the daughter until her death. On
discovering this disagreeable state of things, Monsieur Judas
proceeded to put his mother-in-law out of the way, and managed to do
so by means of his old poison, morphia. Madame Judas inherited the
money, monsieur had the handling of it, and all was going well, only
monsieur found madame flirting with a good-looking cousin. Filled with
virtuous indignation at the violation of the domestic hearth, Monsieur
Judas proceeded to poison the cousin, but before he could manage it,
madame, remembering the suspicious death of her mother, interfered,
and the end of the affair was the recovery of the cousin, the
exhumation of the mother-in-law's body, and the arrest of Monsieur
Judas . . .
". . . He made a very ingenious defence, but the case was clearly
proved against him, and he was sentenced to the guillotine. Monsieur
Judas, however, it appears, had some influence in an underhand way,
and got his sentence commuted to penal servitude; so now he is on his
way to New Caledonia, where he will stay for the rest of his life in
congenial company. It is reported that Madame Judas intends to get a
divorce, in which case I presume she will marry the good-looking
cousin. . . .
". . . Monsieur Judas thus being disposed of, I had better make a note
of the present condition of the other actors in the mystery. . . .
". . . After Florry Marson's death her father fell into his dotage.
Shortly afterwards his firm became bankrupt; the second blow was too
much for him, and he died six months ago. . . .
". . . Roger Axton is married to Judith Varlins, and I envy him his
noble wife. They have not much money, but still manage to live
moderately well on Roger's income, in a pretty cottage at Hampstead. I
dined there last Sunday, and Roger showed me the MS. of his new novel,
which is so good that I predict a success. But who can tell if it will
be a success? The public? No. The publishers? No. Not even the
critics. At all events, Roger and his dear wife are very happy--so
happy, indeed, that I think I must follow their example. But where
will I find a wife like Judith? . . .
". . . The last I heard of Mr. Spolger was that he had taken up his
abode at Malvern to drink the waters. He is still ill, and still
trying new medicines. The Soother is selling very largely, and every
one takes it--except the proprietor. . . .
". . . As to Japix, well, I saw him two weeks ago, and we had a little
conversation over the Jarlchester affair. It arose out of a simple
remark of mine. . . .
"'One thing puzzles me,' I said, 'in reference to the Jarlchester
case, how such a shallow little piece of frivolity as Florry Marson
could carry out her plans so cleverly.'
"'The cunning of madness,' replied Japix, after a pause. 'I told you
her mother was mad, and of course it broke out in her. Clever? I
should think she was. Do you remember how cleverly she acted about
Melstane, saying that she loved him, and all the rest of it, yet all
the time she knew he had death in that pill-box?'
"'If she had been a strong-minded woman--'
"'If she had been, my dear boy, she very likely would not have
committed the crime. It is your shallow-brained beings that commit
most crimes. The least shock sends their weak heads off the balance,
and they don't know what they are doing. In this case, however, as
I've told you a dozen times, it was hereditary insanity.'
"'A strange case!'
"'A very strange case, and what a noble woman Mrs. Axton is! By the
way, how is Mrs. Axton? I've not been to see them yet.'
"'Mrs. Axton,' I replied, solemnly, 'is quite well, but is expecting
an interesting event. They are going to call him Octavius after me.'
"Japix roared like a Bull of Bashan.
"'You seem pretty certain about the sex,' he observed, wiping his
eyes; 'but fancy calling the first child Octavius, which means eighth.
It's like a riddle.'
"'And why not? The whole marriage arose out of a riddle.'
"'How so?'
"'The Jarlchester Mystery.'
"'Well, you've found out your riddle,' said Japix, coolly; 'but, as
you can't guess how such a frivolous girl as Florry could commit such
a clever murder, it's a riddle to you still.'
"'It is! Let us put it in the form of an epigram.'
"'Proceed.'
"'This is a riddle! Guess it. 'Tis still a riddle!'
"'Humph! Author?'
"'Myself.'
"'I thought so,' said Japix, rudely, and departed."
THE END