De Levis.  No.

Inspector.  Exactly. [With a certain finality] Now, sir, what time did you come up?

De Levis.  About eleven.

Inspector.  Precise, if you can give it me.

De Levis.  Well, I know it was eleven-fifteen when I put my watch under my pillow, before I went to the bath, and I suppose I’d been about a quarter of an hour undressing.  I should say after eleven, if anything.

Inspector.  Just undressin’?  Didn’t look over your bettin’ book?

De Levis.  No.

Inspector.  No prayers or anything?

De Levis.  No.

Inspector.  Pretty slippy with your undressin’ as a rule?

De Levis.  Yes.  Say five past eleven.

Inspector.  Mr Winsor, what time did the gentleman come to you?

Winsor.  Half-past eleven.

Inspector.  How do you fix that, sir?

Winsor.  I’d just looked at the time, and told my wife to send her maid off.

Inspector.  Then we’ve got it fixed between 11.15 and 11.30. [Jots] Now, sir, before we go further I’d like to see your butler and the footman that valets this gentleman.

Winsor. [With distaste] Very well, Inspector; only—­my butler has been with us from a boy.

Inspector.  Quite so.  This is just clearing the ground, sir.

Winsor.  General, d’you mind touching that bell?

Canynge rings a bell by the bed.

Inspector.  Well, gentlemen, there are four possibilities.  Either the thief was here all the time, waiting under the bed, and slipped out after this gentleman had gone to Mr Winsor.  Or he came in with a key that fits the lock; and I’ll want to see all the keys in the house.  Or he came in with a skeleton key and out by the window, probably droppin’ from the balcony.  Or he came in by the window with a rope or ladder and out the same way. [Pointing] There’s a footmark here from a big boot which has been out of doors since it rained.

Canynge.  Inspector—­you er—­walked up to the window when you first came into the room.

Inspector. [Stiffly] I had not overlooked that, General.

Canynge.  Of course.

     A knock on the door relieves a certain tension,

Winsor.  Come in.

     The footman Robert, a fresh-faced young man, enters, followed by
     Treisure.

Inspector.  You valet Mr—­Mr De Levis, I think?

Robert.  Yes, sir.

Inspector.  At what time did you take his clothes and boots?

Robert.  Ten o’clock, sir.

Inspector. [With a pounce] Did you happen to look under his bed?