Have His Carcase

Seated behind the steering-wheel, Wimsey debated the three courses open to him. He could go to Eastbourne; he could go to Stamford; he could return to Wilvercombe. A natural inclination pointed to Wilvercombe. It was, surely, only justifiable to return at once to the scene of the crime, if it was a crime. The fact that Harriet was also there was a purely accidental complication. On the other hand, his obvious duty was to clear up this razor business as quickly as possible. Musing, he drove to his own flat in Piccadilly, where he found his man, Bunter, mounting photographs in a large album.

To Bunter he laid bare his problem, requesting his advice. Bunter, revolving the matter in his mind, took a little time for consideration and then delivered himself respectfully of his opinion.

‘In your lordship’s place, my lord, I fancy I should be inclined to go to Stamford. For a variety of reasons.’

‘You would, would you?’

‘Yes, my lord.’

‘Well, perhaps you are right, Bunter.’

‘Yes, thank you, my lord. Would your lordship wish me to accompany you?’

‘No,’ said Wimsey. ‘You’ can go down to Eastbourne.’ ‘Very good, my lord.’

‘Tomorrow morning. I shall stay the night in Town. You might send off a telegram for me — no, on second thoughts, I’ll send it myself.’

Telegram from Lord Peter Wimsey to Miss Harriet Vane:

FOLLOWING RAZOR CLUE TO STAMFORD REFUSE RESEMBLE THRILLER HERO WHO HANGS ROUND HEROINE TO NEGLECT OF DUTY BUT WILL YOU MARRY ME — PETER.

Telegram from Miss Harriet Vane to Lord Peter Wimsey:

GOOD HUNTING CERTAINLY NOT, SOME DEVELOPMENTS HERE — VANE.

Chapter VII. The Evidence Of The Gigolos

‘A worthless life, A life ridiculous.

— Death’s Jest-Book

Friday, 19 June — Evening

Miss HARRIET VANE, in a claret-coloured frock, swayed round the dance-lounge of the Hotel Resplendent in the arms of Mr Antoine, the fair-haired gigolo.

‘I’m afraid I am not a.very good dancer,’ she remarked, apologetically.

Mr Antoine, who was, rather surprisingly, neither Jew nor South-American dago, nor Central European mongrel, but French, clasped her a very little more firmly in his competent professional arm, and replied:

‘You dance very correctly, mademoiselle. It is only the entrain that is a little lacking. It is possible that you are awaiting the perfect partner. When the heart dances with the feet, then it will be a merveille.’ He met her eyes with a delicately calculated expression of encouragement.

‘Is that the kind of thing you have to say to all these old ladies?’ asked Harriet, smiling.

Antoine opened his eyes a trifle and then, mocking back to her mockery, said:

‘I am afraid so. That is part of our job, you know.’

‘It must be very tedious.’

Antoine contrived to shrug his exquisite shoulders without in anyway affecting the lithe grace of his motion.

‘Que voulez-vous? All work has its tedious moments, which are repaid by those that are more agreeable. One may say truthfully to mademoiselle what might in another case be a mere politeness.!

‘Don’t bother about me,’, said Harriet. ‘There’s something else I want to talk about. I wanted to ask you about Mr Alexis.’

‘Ce pauvre Alexis! It was mademoiselle who found him, I understand?’

‘Yes. I just wondered what sort of person he was, and why he should have done away with himself like that.’

‘Ahl that is what we are all wondering. It is, no doubt, the Russian temperament’

‘I had heard’—Harriet felt that she must tread cautiously here. ‘that he was engaged’ to be married.’ ‘Oh, yes — to the English lady. That was understood.’

‘Was he happy about it?’

‘Mademoiselle, Alexis was poor and the English lady is very rich. It was advantageous to him to marry her. At first, no doubt, it might offer a little desagrement, but afterwards — you understand, mademoiselle, these matters arrange themselves.’

You don’t think that he suddenly felt he couldn’t face it, and took this way out?’

‘That is difficult to say, but — no, I do not think so. He had, after all, only to go away. He was a very good dancer — and very popular. He would easily have found another situation, provided his health would permit him to continue.’

‘I wondered whether there was any other attachment; to make things more difficult.’

‘From what he said to us, mademoiselle, I know of nothing which could not easily have been arranged.’

‘Women like him, I suppose?’ demanded Harriet, bluntly. Antoine’s smile was a sufficient answer. ‘There wasn’t any disappointment of any kind?’ ‘I did not hear of any. But of course, one does not tell

one’s friends everything.!

‘Of course not. I don’t mean to be inquisitive, but it all seems to me rather odd.’

The music stopped.

‘What is the arrangement?’ asked Harriet. ‘Do we go on or have you other engagements?’

‘There is no reason why we should not continue for the next dance. After that, unless mademoiselle wishes to make a special arrangement with the management, — I am expected to attend to my other patrons.’