The Moonstone Page 55

  IV

  Late on the evening of Friday, the twenty-third of June ('forty-eight),Mr. Luker was surprised by a visit from Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite. He wasmore than surprised, when Mr. Godfrey produced the Moonstone. No suchDiamond (according to Mr. Luker's experience) was in the possession ofany private person in Europe.

  Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite had two modest proposals to make, in relation tothis magnificent gem. First, Would Mr. Luker be so good as to buy it?Secondly, Would Mr. Luker (in default of seeing his way to the purchase)undertake to sell it on commission, and to pay a sum down, on theanticipated result?

  Mr. Luker tested the Diamond, weighed the Diamond and estimated thevalue of the Diamond, before he answered a word. HIS estimate (allowingfor the flaw in the stone) was thirty thousand pounds.

  Having reached that result, Mr. Luker opened his lips, and put aquestion: "How did you come by this?" Only six words! But what volumesof meaning in them!

  Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite began a story. Mr. Luker opened his lips again,and only said three words, this time. "That won't do!"

  Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite began another story. Mr. Luker wasted no morewords on him. He got up, and rang the bell for the servant to show thegentleman out.

  Upon this compulsion, Mr. Godfrey made an effort, and came out with anew and amended version of the affair, to the following effect.

  After privately slipping the laudanum into your brandy and water, hewished you good night, and went into his own room. It was the nextroom to yours; and the two had a door of communication between them. Onentering his own room Mr. Godfrey (as he supposed) closed his door.His money troubles kept him awake. He sat, in his dressing-gown andslippers, for nearly an hour, thinking over his position. Just as he waspreparing to get into bed, he heard you, talking to yourself, in yourown room, and going to the door of communication, found that he had notshut it as he supposed.

  He looked into your room to see what was the matter. He discovered youwith the candle in your hand, just leaving your bed-chamber. He heardyou say to yourself, in a voice quite unlike your own voice, "How do Iknow? The Indians may be hidden in the house."

  Up to that time, he had simply supposed himself (in giving you thelaudanum) to be helping to make you the victim of a harmless practicaljoke. It now occurred to him, that the laudanum had taken some effecton you, which had not been foreseen by the doctor, any more than byhimself. In the fear of an accident happening he followed you softly tosee what you would do.

  He followed you to Miss Verinder's sitting-room, and saw you go in. Youleft the door open. He looked through the crevice thus produced, betweenthe door and the post, before he ventured into the room himself.

  In that position, he not only detected you in taking the Diamond out ofthe drawer--he also detected Miss Verinder, silently watching you fromher bedroom, through her open door. His own eyes satisfied him that SHEsaw you take the Diamond, too.

  Before you left the sitting-room again, you hesitated a little. Mr.Godfrey took advantage of this hesitation to get back again to hisbedroom before you came out, and discovered him. He had barely got back,before you got back too. You saw him (as he supposes) just as he waspassing through the door of communication. At any rate, you called tohim in a strange, drowsy voice.

  He came back to you. You looked at him in a dull sleepy way. You put theDiamond into his hand. You said to him, "Take it back, Godfrey, to yourfather's bank. It's safe there--it's not safe here." You turned awayunsteadily, and put on your dressing-gown. You sat down in the largearm-chair in your room. You said, "I can't take it back to the bank. Myhead's like lead--and I can't feel my feet under me." Your head sank onthe back of the chair--you heaved a heavy sigh--and you fell asleep.

  Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite went back, with the Diamond, into his own room.His statement is, that he came to no conclusion, at that time--exceptthat he would wait, and see what happened in the morning.

  When the morning came, your language and conduct showed that you wereabsolutely ignorant of what you had said and done overnight. At the sametime, Miss Verinder's language and conduct showed that she was resolvedto say nothing (in mercy to you) on her side. If Mr. Godfrey Ablewhitechose to keep the Diamond, he might do so with perfect impunity. TheMoonstone stood between him and ruin. He put the Moonstone into hispocket.