The bandage was, in fact, slightly discoloured.

‘Oh, that’s nothing, my dear,’ said Albert.

He pushed up a pile of discs from in front of the safe, and displayed them to Hugo.

‘Can we try them here?’ Hugo demanded, in a voice suddenly and profoundly eager.

’Certainly, sir.  Here’s the machine.  You undo this catch, and then you—­’

Albert was mounted on his latest hobby, and in a few minutes, although he could only use one arm, the phonograph, which stood on the table near the safe, was ready for its work of reproduction.  Albert started it.

‘Follow me, follow me!’

It began to sing the famous ditty in the famous voice of Miss Edna May.

‘Stop that!’ cried Hugo, and Albert stopped it.

The next two discs proved to be respectively a series of stories of Mr. R.G.  Knowles and ‘The Lost Chord,’ played on a cornet.  And these also were cut short.  Then came a bundle of discs tied together.  Hugo himself fixed the top one, and the machine, after whirring inarticulately, said in slow, clear tones: 

‘In case I should die before—­’

Hugo arrested the action.

‘Go,’ he said, almost threateningly, to Albert and his wife.  ’Mrs. Shawn, look after your husband’s wound.  It needs it.  See the blood!’

‘But—­’

‘Go,’ said Hugo.

And they went.

And when they were gone he released the mechanism, and in the still solitude of the bedroom listened to the strange story of Francis Tudor, related in Francis Tudor’s own voice.  It occurred to him that the man must have been talking into a phonograph shortly before he died.  He remembered the monotonous voice on that fatal night in August.

CHAPTER XIX

WHAT THE PHONOGRAPH SAID

In case I should die before I can complete my arrangements for the future (said the phonograph, reproducing the voice of Francis Tudor), I am making a brief statement of the whole case into this phonograph.  I am exhausted with to-day’s work, and I shall find it easier and much quicker to speak than to write; and I’m informed that I ought never to exert myself more than is necessary.  Supposing I were to die within the next few days—­and I have yet to go through the business of the funeral ceremonies!—­circumstances might arise which might nullify part of my plan, unless a clear account of the affair should ultimately come into the hands of some person whom I could trust not to make a fool of himself—­such as Polycarp, my solicitor, for instance.

Hence I relate the facts for a private record.