WHAT CAME OF THE QUARREL.
On the next morning at seven o'clock a superintendent of police
called at the house of Mr. Gresham and informed the Prime Minister
that Mr. Bonteen, the President of the Board of Trade, had been
murdered during the night. There was no doubt of the fact. The
body had been recognised, and information had been taken to the
unfortunate widow at the house Mr. Bonteen had occupied in St.
James's Place. The superintendent had already found out that Mr.
Bonteen had been attacked as he was returning from his club late at
night,--or rather, early in the morning, and expressed no doubt that
he had been murdered close to the spot on which his body was found.
There is a dark, uncanny-looking passage running from the end of
Bolton Row, in May Fair, between the gardens of two great noblemen,
coming out among the mews in Berkeley Street, at the corner of
Berkeley Square, just opposite to the bottom of Hay Hill. It was on
the steps leading up from the passage to the level of the ground
above that the body was found. The passage was almost as near a way
as any from the club to Mr. Bonteen's house in St. James's Place;
but the superintendent declared that gentlemen but seldom used the
passage after dark, and he was disposed to think that the unfortunate
man must have been forced down the steps by the ruffian who had
attacked him from the level above. The murderer, so thought the
superintendent, must have been cognizant of the way usually taken
by Mr. Bonteen, and must have lain in wait for him in the darkness
of the mouth of the passage. The superintendent had been at work on
his inquiries since four in the morning, and had heard from Lady
Eustace,--and from Mrs. Bonteen, as far as that poor distracted
woman had been able to tell her story,--some account of the cause
of quarrel between the respective husbands of those two ladies. The
officer, who had not as yet heard a word of the late disturbance
between Mr. Bonteen and Phineas Finn, was strongly of opinion that
the Reverend Mr. Emilius had been the murderer. Mr. Gresham, of
course, coincided in that opinion. What steps had been taken as to
the arrest of Mr. Emilius? The superintendent was of opinion that Mr.
Emilius was already in custody. He was known to be lodging close to
the Marylebone Workhouse, in Northumberland Street, having removed to
that somewhat obscure neighbourhood as soon as his house in Lowndes
Square had been broken up by the running away of his wife and his
consequent want of means. Such was the story as told to the Prime
Minister at seven o'clock in the morning.
At eleven o'clock, at his private room at the Treasury Chambers, Mr.
Gresham heard much more. At that time there were present with him two
officers of the police force, his colleagues in the Cabinet, Lord
Cantrip and the Duke of Omnium, three of his junior colleagues in the
Government, Lord Fawn, Barrington Erle, and Laurence Fitzgibbon,--and
Major Mackintosh, the chief of the London police. It was not exactly
part of the duty of Mr. Gresham to investigate the circumstances of
this murder; but there was so much in it that brought it closely home
to him and his Government, that it became impossible for him not to
concern himself in the business. There had been so much talk about
Mr. Bonteen lately, his name had been so common in the newspapers,
the ill-usage which he had been supposed by some to have suffered
had been so freely discussed, and his quarrel, not only with Phineas
Finn, but subsequently with the Duke of Omnium, had been so widely
known,--that his sudden death created more momentary excitement than
might probably have followed that of a greater man. And now, too, the
facts of the past night, as they became known, seemed to make the
crime more wonderful, more exciting, more momentous than it would
have been had it been brought clearly home to such a wretch as the
Bohemian Jew, Yosef Mealyus, who had contrived to cheat that wretched
Lizzie Eustace into marrying him.
As regarded Yosef Mealyus the story now told respecting him was this.
He was already in custody. He had been found in bed at his lodgings
between seven and eight, and had, of course, given himself up without
difficulty. He had seemed to be horror-struck when he heard of the
man's death,--but had openly expressed his joy. "He has endeavoured
to ruin me, and has done me a world of harm. Why should I sorrow for
him?"--he said to the policeman when rebuked for his inhumanity. But
nothing had been found tending to implicate him in the crime. The
servant declared that he had gone to bed before eleven o'clock, to
her knowledge,--for she had seen him there,--and that he had not
left the house afterwards. Was he in possession of a latch-key? It
appeared that he did usually carry a latch-key, but that it was often
borrowed from him by members of the family when it was known that
he would not want it himself,--and that it had been so lent on this
night. It was considered certain by those in the house that he had
not gone out after he went to bed. Nobody in fact had left the house
after ten; but in accordance with his usual custom Mr. Emilius had
sent down the key as soon as he had found that he would not want
it, and it had been all night in the custody of the mistress of the
establishment. Nevertheless his clothes were examined minutely, but
without affording any evidence against him. That Mr. Bonteen had been
killed with some blunt weapon, such as a life-preserver, was assumed
by the police, but no such weapon was in the possession of Mr.
Emilius, nor had any such weapon yet been found. He was, however, in
custody, with no evidence against him except that which was afforded
by his known and acknowledged enmity to Mr. Bonteen.
So far, Major Mackintosh and the two officers had told their story.
Then came the united story of the other gentlemen assembled,--from
hearing which, however, the two police officers were debarred. The
Duke and Barrington Erle had both dined in company with Phineas
Finn at Madame Goesler's, and the Duke was undoubtedly aware that
ill blood had existed between Finn and Mr. Bonteen. Both Erle and
Fitzgibbon described the quarrel at the club, and described also the
anger which Finn had expressed against the wretched man as he stood
talking at the club door. His gesture of vengeance was remembered and
repeated, though both the men who heard it expressed their strongest
conviction that the murder had not been committed by him. As Erle
remarked, the very expression of such a threat was almost proof that
he had not at that moment any intention on his mind of doing such a
deed as had been done. But they told also of the life-preserver which
Finn had shown them, as he took it from the pocket of his outside
coat, and they marvelled at the coincidences of the night. Then Lord
Fawn gave further evidence, which seemed to tell very hardly upon
Phineas Finn. He also had been at the club, and had left it just
before Finn and the two other men had clustered at the door. He had
walked very slowly, having turned down to Curzon Street and Bolton
Row, from whence he made his way into Piccadilly by Clarges Street.
He had seen nothing of Mr. Bonteen; but as he crossed over to Clarges
Street he was passed at a very rapid pace by a man muffled in a top
coat, who made his way straight along Bolton Row towards the passage
which has been described. At the moment he had not connected the
person of the man who passed him with any acquaintance of his own;
but he now felt sure,--after what he had heard,--that the man was Mr.
Finn. As he passed out of the club Finn was putting on his overcoat,
and Lord Fawn had observed the peculiarity of the grey colour. It was
exactly a similar coat, only with its collar raised, that had passed
him in the street. The man, too, was of Mr. Finn's height and build.
He had known Mr. Finn well, and the man stepped with Mr. Finn's
step. Major Mackintosh thought that Lord Fawn's evidence was--"very
unfortunate as regarded Mr. Finn."
"I'm d---- if that idiot won't hang poor Phinny," said Fitzgibbon
afterwards to Erle. "And yet I don't believe a word of it."
"Fawn wouldn't lie for the sake of hanging Phineas Finn," said Erle.
"No;--I don't suppose he's given to lying at all. He believes it
all. But he's such a muddle-headed fellow that he can get himself
to believe anything. He's one of those men who always unconsciously
exaggerate what they have to say for the sake of the importance it
gives them." It might be possible that a jury would look at Lord
Fawn's evidence in this light; otherwise it would bear very heavily,
indeed, against Phineas Finn.
Then a question arose as to the road which Mr. Bonteen usually took
from the club. All the members who were there present had walked
home with him at various times,--and by various routes, but never by
the way through the passage. It was supposed that on this occasion
he must have gone by Berkeley Square, because he had certainly not
turned down by the first street to the right, which he would have
taken had he intended to avoid the square. He had been seen by
Barrington Erle and Fitzgibbon to pass that turning. Otherwise they
would have made no remark as to the possibility of a renewed quarrel
between him and Phineas, should Phineas chance to overtake him;--for
Phineas would certainly go by the square unless taken out of his way
by some special purpose. The most direct way of all for Mr. Bonteen
would have been that followed by Lord Fawn; but as he had not turned
down this street, and had not been seen by Lord Fawn, who was known
to walk very slowly, and had often been seen to go by Berkeley
Square,--it was presumed that he had now taken that road. In this
case he would certainly pass the end of the passage towards which
Lord Fawn declared that he had seen the man hurrying whom he now
supposed to have been Phineas Finn. Finn's direct road home would,
as has been already said, have been through the square, cutting
off the corner of the square, towards Bruton Street, and thence
across Bond Street by Conduit Street to Regent Street, and so to
Great Marlborough Street, where he lived. But it had been, no doubt,
possible for him to have been on the spot on which Lord Fawn had seen
the man; for, although in his natural course thither from the club he
would have at once gone down the street to the right,--a course which
both Erle and Fitzgibbon were able to say that he did not take, as
they had seen him go beyond the turning,--nevertheless there had been
ample time for him to have retraced his steps to it in time to have
caught Lord Fawn, and thus to have deceived Fitzgibbon and Erle as to
the route he had taken.
When they had got thus far Lord Cantrip was standing close to the
window of the room at Mr. Gresham's elbow. "Don't allow yourself to
be hurried into believing it," said Lord Cantrip.
"I do not know that we need believe it, or the reverse. It is a case
for the police."
"Of course it is;--but your belief and mine will have a weight.
Nothing that I have heard makes me for a moment think it possible.
I know the man."
"He was very angry."
"Had he struck him in the club I should not have been much surprised;
but he never attacked his enemy with a bludgeon in a dark alley. I
know him well."
"What do you think of Fawn's story?"
"He was mistaken in his man. Remember;--it was a dark night."
"I do not see that you and I can do anything," said Mr. Gresham. "I
shall have to say something in the House as to the poor fellow's
death, but I certainly shall not express a suspicion. Why should I?"
Up to this moment nothing had been done as to Phineas Finn. It was
known that he would in his natural course of business be in his place
in Parliament at four, and Major Mackintosh was of opinion that he
certainly should be taken before a magistrate in time to prevent the
necessity of arresting him in the House. It was decided that Lord
Fawn, with Fitzgibbon and Erle, should accompany the police officer
to Bow Street, and that a magistrate should be applied to for a
warrant if he thought the evidence was sufficient. Major Mackintosh
was of opinion that, although by no possibility could the two
men suspected have been jointly guilty of the murder, still the
circumstances were such as to justify the immediate arrest of both.
Were Yosef Mealyus really guilty and to be allowed to slip from
their hands, no doubt it might be very difficult to catch him. Facts
did not at present seem to prevail against him; but, as the Major
observed, facts are apt to alter considerably when they are minutely
sifted. His character was half sufficient to condemn him;--and then
with him there was an adequate motive, and what Lord Cantrip regarded
as "a possibility." It was not to be conceived that from mere rage
Phineas Finn would lay a plot for murdering a man in the street. "It
is on the cards, my lord," said the Major, "that he may have chosen
to attack Mr. Bonteen without intending to murder him. The murder may
afterwards have been an accident."
It was impossible after this for even a Prime Minister and two
Cabinet Ministers to go about their work calmly. The men concerned
had been too well known to them to allow their minds to become clear
of the subject. When Major Mackintosh went off to Bow Street with
Erle and Laurence, it was certainly the opinion of the majority of
those who had been present that the blow had been struck by the hand
of Phineas Finn. And perhaps the worst aspect of it all was that
there had been not simply a blow,--but blows. The constables had
declared that the murdered man had been struck thrice about the head,
and that the fatal stroke had been given on the side of his head
after the man's hat had been knocked off. That Finn should have
followed his enemy through the street, after such words as he had
spoken, with the view of having the quarrel out in some shape,
did not seem to be very improbable to any of them except Lord
Cantrip;--and then had there been a scuffle, out in the open path, at
the spot at which the angry man might have overtaken his adversary,
it was not incredible to them that he should have drawn even such a
weapon as a life-preserver from his pocket. But, in the case as it
had occurred, a spot peculiarly traitorous had been selected, and the
attack had too probably been made from behind. As yet there was no
evidence that the murderer had himself encountered any ill-usage. And
Finn, if he was the murderer, must, from the time he was standing
at the club door, have contemplated a traitorous, dastardly attack.
He must have counted his moments;--have returned slyly in the dark
to the corner of the street which he had once passed;--have muffled
his face in his coat;--and have then laid wait in a spot to which an
honest man at night would hardly trust himself with honest purposes.
"I look upon it as quite out of the question," said Lord Cantrip,
when the three Ministers were left alone. Now Lord Cantrip had served
for many months in the same office as Phineas Finn.
"You are simply putting your own opinion of the man against the
facts," said Mr. Gresham. "But facts always convince, and another
man's opinion rarely convinces."
"I'm not sure that we know the facts yet," said the Duke.
"Of course we are speaking of them as far as they have been told to
us. As far as they go,--unless they can be upset and shown not to be
facts,--I fear they would be conclusive to me on a jury."
"Do you mean that you have heard enough to condemn him?" asked Lord
Cantrip.
"Remember what we have heard. The murdered man had two enemies."
"He may have had a third."
"Or ten; but we have heard of but two."
"He may have been attacked for his money," said the Duke.
"But neither his money nor his watch were touched," continued Mr.
Gresham. "Anger, or the desire of putting the man out of the way, has
caused the murder. Of the two enemies one,--according to the facts as
we now have them,--could not have been there. Nor is it probable that
he could have known that his enemy would be on that spot. The other
not only could have been there, but was certainly near the place
at the moment,--so near that did he not do the deed himself, it
is almost wonderful that it should not have been interrupted in
its doing by his nearness. He certainly knew that the victim would
be there. He was burning with anger against him at the moment. He
had just threatened him. He had with him such an instrument as was
afterwards used. A man believed to be him is seen hurrying to the
spot by a witness whose credibility is beyond doubt. These are the
facts such as we have them at present. Unless they can be upset, I
fear they would convince a jury,--as they have already convinced
those officers of the police."
"Officers of the police always believe men to be guilty," said Lord
Cantrip.
"They don't believe the Jew clergyman to be guilty," said Mr.
Gresham.
"I fear that there will be enough to send Mr. Finn to a trial," said
the Duke.
"Not a doubt of it," said Mr. Gresham.
"And yet I feel as convinced of his innocence as I do of my own,"
said Lord Cantrip.