Inspector. Very good. You can go. I’ll see them later on.
Robert. Yes, Sir. They’ll say the same as me. He goes out, leaving a smile on the face of all except the inspector and de Levis.
Inspector. [Sharply] Call him back.
Treisure calls “Robert,” and the footman re-enters.
Robert. Yes, Sir?
Inspector. Did you notice anything particular about Mr De Levis’s clothes?
Robert. Only that they were very good, Sir.
Inspector. I mean—anything peculiar?
Robert. [After reflection] Yes, Sir.
Inspector. Well?
Robert. A pair of his boots this evenin’ was reduced to one, sir.
Inspector. What did you make of that?
Robert. I thought he might have thrown the other at a cat or something.
Inspector. Did you look for it?
Robert. No, Sir; I meant to draw his attention to it in the morning.
Inspector. Very good.
Robert. Yes, Sir. [He goes again.]
Inspector. [Looking at de Levis] Well, sir, there’s your story corroborated.
De Levis. [Stifly] I don’t know why
it should need corroboration,
Inspector.
Inspector. In my experience, you can never
have too much of that. [To
Winsor] I understand there’s a lady in
the room on this side [pointing
Left] and a gentleman on this [pointing Right] Were
they in their rooms?
Winsor. Miss Orme was; Captain Dancy not.
Inspector. Do they know of the affair?
Winsor. Yes.
Inspector. Well, I’d just like the keys of their doors for a minute. My man will get them.
He goes to the door,
opens it, and speaks to a constable in the
corridor.
[To Treisure] You can go with him.
Treisure goes Out.
In the meantime I’ll just examine the balcony.
He goes out on the balcony, followed by de Levis.
Winsor. [To Canynge] Damn De Levis and his money! It’s deuced invidious, all this, General.
Canynge. The Inspector’s no earthly.
There is a simultaneous
re-entry of the inspector from the balcony
and of Treisure
and the constable from the corridor.
Constable. [Handing key] Room on the left, Sir. [Handing key] Room on the right, sir.
The inspector tries
the keys in the door, watched with tension by
the others. The
keys fail.
Inspector. Put them back.
Hands keys to constable, who goes out, followed by Treisure.