"I do."
"It won't stand up in court, my lord," said the sorcerer.
"I'm aware of that," said Lord Darcy testily.
"Eye test?" Dr. Pateley asked blankly. "I don't believe I understand."
"It's not often used," said Master Sean. "It is a psychic phenomenon
that sometimes occurs at the moment of death--especially a violent
death. The violent emotional stress causes a sort of backfiring of the
mind, if you see what I mean. As a result, the image in the mind of
the dying person is returned to the retina. By using the proper
sorcery, this image can be developed and the last thing the dead man
saw can be brought out.
"But it's a difficult process even under the best of circumstances,
and usually the conditions aren't right. In the first place, it
doesn't always occur. It never occurs, for instance, when the person
is expecting the attack. A man who is killed in a duel, or who is shot
after facing the gun for several seconds, has time to adjust to the
situation. Also, death must occur almost instantly. If he lingers,
even for a few minutes, the effect is lost. And, naturally if the
person's eyes are closed at the instant of death, nothing shows up."
"Count D'Evreux's eyes were open," Dr. Pateley said. "They were still
open when we found him. How long after death does the image remain?"
"Until the cells of the retina die and lose their identity. Rarely
more than twenty-four hours, usually much less."
"It hasn't been twenty-four hours yet," said Lord Darcy, "and there is
a chance that the Count was taken completely by surprise."
"I must admit, my lord," Master Sean said thoughtfully, "that the
conditions seem favorable. I shall attempt it. But don't put any hopes
on it, my lord."
"I shan't. Just do your best, Master Sean. If there is a sorcerer in
practice who can do the job, it is you."
"Thank you, my lord. I'll get busy on it right away," said the
sorcerer with a subdued glow of pride.
* * * * *
Two hours later, Lord Darcy was striding down the corridor of the
Great Hall, Master Sean following up as best he could, his
_caorthainn_-wood staff in one hand and his big carpet bag in the
other. He had asked Father Bright and the Countess D'Evreux to meet
him in one of the smaller guest rooms. But the Countess came to meet
him.
"My Lord Darcy," she said, her plain face looking worried and unhappy,
"is it true that you suspect Laird and Lady Duncan of this murder?
Because, if so, I must--"
"No longer, my lady," Lord Darcy cut her off quickly. "I think we can
show that neither is guilty of murder--although, of course, the black
magic charge must still be held against Laird Duncan."
"I understand," she said, "but--"
"Please, my lady," Lord Darcy interrupted again, "let me explain
everything. Come."
Without another word, she turned and led the way to the room where
Father Bright was waiting.
The priest stood waiting, his face showing tenseness.
"Please," said Lord Darcy. "Sit down, both of you. This won't take
long. My lady, may Master Sean make use of that table over there?"
"Certainly, my lord," the Countess said softly, "certainly."
"Thank you my lady. Please, please--sit down. This won't take long.
Please."
With apparent reluctance, Father Bright and my lady the Countess sat
down in two chairs facing Lord Darcy. They paid little attention to
what Master Sean O Lochlainn was doing; their eyes were on Lord Darcy.
"Conducting an investigation of this sort is not an easy thing," he
began carefully. "Most murder cases could be easily solved by your
Chief Man-at-Arms. We find that well-trained county police, in by far
the majority of cases, can solve the mystery easily--and in most cases
there is very little mystery. But, by His Imperial Majesty's law, the
Chief Man-at-Arms must call in a Duke's Investigator if the crime is
insoluble or if it involves a member of the aristocracy. For that
reason, you were perfectly correct to call His Highness the Duke as
soon as murder had been discovered." He leaned back in his chair. "And
it has been clear from the first that my lord the late Count was
murdered."
Father Bright started to say something, but Lord Darcy cut him off
before he could speak. "By 'murder', Reverend Father, I mean that he
did not die a natural death--by disease or heart trouble or accident
or what-have-you. I should, perhaps, use the word 'homicide'.
"Now the question we have been called upon to answer is simply this:
Who was responsible for the homicide?"
The priest and the countess remained silent, looking at Lord Darcy as
though he were some sort of divinely inspired oracle.
"As you know ... pardon me, my lady, if I am blunt ... the late Count
was somewhat of a playboy. No. I will make that stronger. He was a
satyr, a lecher; he was a man with a sexual obsession.
"For such a man, if he indulges in his passions--which the late Count
most certainly did--there is usually but one end. Unless he is a man
who has a winsome personality--which he did not--there will be someone
who will hate him enough to kill him. Such a man inevitably leaves
behind him a trail of wronged women and wronged men.
"One such person may kill him.
"One such person did.
"But we must find the person who did and determine the extent of his
or her guilt. That is my purpose.
"Now, as to the facts. We know that Edouard has a secret stairway
which led directly to his suite. Actually, the secret was poorly kept.
There were many women--common and noble--who knew of the existence of
that stairway and knew how to enter it. If Edouard left the lower door
unlocked, anyone could come up that stairway. He has another lock in
the door of his bedroom, so only someone who was invited could come
in, even if she ... or he ... could get into the stairway. He was
protected.
"Now here is what actually happened that night. I have evidence, by
the way, and I have the confessions of both Laird and Lady Duncan. I
will explain how I got those confessions in a moment.
"_Primus_: Lady Duncan had an assignation with Count D'Evreux last
night. She went up the stairway to his room. She was carrying with her
a small pistol. She had had an affair with Edouard, and she had been
rebuffed. She was furious. But she went to his room.
"He was drunk when she arrived--in one of the nasty moods with which
both of you are familiar. She pleaded with him to accept her again as
his mistress. He refused. According to Lady Duncan, he said: 'I don't
want you! You're not fit to be in the same room with _her_!'
"The emphasis is Lady Duncan's, not my own.
"Furious, she drew a gun--the little pistol which killed him."