The room in which the visitor found himself was a large and lofty one, lighted from the roof, from which it was also ventilated by a patent arrangement of electric fans. Everything that met the view betokened science, order, and method. The walls, destitute of picture or ornament, were of a smooth neutral tinted plaster; where they met the floor the corners were all carefully rounded off so that no dust could gather in cracks and crevices; the floor, too, was of smooth cement; there was no spot in which a speck of dust could settle in improper peace. A series of benches ran round the room, and gave harbourings to a collection of scientific instruments of strange appearance and shape; two large tables, one at either end of the room, were similarly equipped. And at a desk placed between them, and just then occupied in writing in a note-book, sat a large man, whose big muscular body was enveloped in a brown holland blouse or overall, fashioned something like a smock-frock of the old-fashioned rural labourer. He lifted a colossal, mop-like head and a huge hand as Mr. Tertius stepped across the threshold, and his spectacled eyes twinkled as their glance fell on the bag which the visitor carried so gingerly.
Hullo, Tertius! exclaimed the big man, in a deep, rich voice. What have you got there? Specimens?
Mr. Tertius looked round for a quite empty space on the adjacent bench, and at last seeing one, set his bag down upon it, and sighed with relief.
My dear Cox-Raythwaite! he said, mopping his forehead with a bandanna handkerchief which he drew from the tail of his coat. I am thankful to have got these things here inI devoutly trust!safety. Specimens? Well, not exactly; though, to be sure, they may be specimens ofI dont quite know what villainy yet. Objects?certainly! Perhaps, my dear Professor, you will come and look at them.
The Professor slowly lifted his six feet of muscle and sinew out of his chair, picked up a briar pipe which lay on his desk, puffed a great cloud of smoke out of it, and lounged weightily across the room to his visitor.
Something alive? he asked laconically. Likely to bite?
Erno! replied Mr. Tertius. Nothey wont bite. The fact is, he went on, gingerly opening the bag, thiserthis, or these are they.
Professor Cox-Raythwaite bent his massive head and shoulders over the little bag and peered narrowly into its obscurity. Then he started.
Good Lord! he exclaimed. A glass tumbler! Andis it a sandwich? Why, what on earth
He made as if to pull the glass out of the bag, and Mr. Tertius hastily seized the great hand in an agony of apprehension.
My dear Cox-Raythwaite! he said. Pray dont! Allow mepresently. When either of these objects is touched it must be in the most, quite the most, delicate fashion. Of course, I know you have a fairy-like gentleness of touchbut dont touch these things yet. Let me explain. Shall wesuppose we sit down. Give meyesgive me one of your cigars.
The Professor, plainly mystified, silently pointed to a cigar box which stood on a corner of his desk, and took another look into the bag.
A sandwichand a glass! he murmured reflectively. Um! Well? he continued, going back to his chair and dropping heavily into it. And whats it all about, Tertius? Some mystery, eh?
Mr. Tertius drew a whiff or two of fragrant Havana before he replied. Then he too dropped into a chair and pulled it close to his friends desk.
My dear Professor! he said, in a low, thrilling voice, suggestive of vast importance, I dont know whether the secret of one of the most astounding crimes of our day may not lie in that innocent-looking bagor, rather, in its present contents. Fact! But Ill tell youyou must listen with your usual meticulous care for small details. The truth isJacob Herapath has, I am sure, been murdered!
Murdered! exclaimed the Professor. Herapath? Murdereh? Now then, slow and steady, Tertiusleave out nothing!
Nothing! repeated Mr. Tertius solemnly. Nothing! You shall hear all. And this it ispoint by point, from last night untiluntil the present moment. That isso far as I know. There may have been developmentssomewhere else. But this is what I know.
When Mr. Tertius had finished a detailed and thorough-going account of the recent startling discovery and subsequent proceedings, to all of which Professor Cox-Raythwaite listened in profound silence, he rose, and tip-toeing towards the bag, motioned his friend to follow him.
Now, my dear sir, he said, whispering in his excitement as if he feared lest the very retorts and crucibles and pneumatic troughs should hear him, Now, my dear sir, I wish you to see for yourself. First of all, the glass. I will take it out myselfI know exactly how I put it in. I take it outthus! I place it on this vacant spacethus. Look for yourself, my dear fellow. What do you see?
The Professor, watching Mr. Tertiuss movements with undisguised interest, took off his spectacles, picked up a reading-glass, bent down and carefully examined the tumbler.
Yes, he said, after a while, yes, Tertius, I certainly see distinct thumb and finger-marks round the upper part of this glass. Oh, yesno doubt of that!
Allow me to take one of your clean specimen slides, observed Mr. Tertius, picking up a square of highly polished glass. There! I place this slide here and upon it I deposit this sandwich. Now, my dear Cox-Raythwaite, favour me by examining the sandwich even more closely than you did the glassif necessary.
But the Professor shook his head. He clapped Mr. Tertius on the shoulder.
Excellent! he exclaimed. Good! Pooh!no need for care there. The things as plain asas I am. Good, Tertius, good!
You see it? said Mr. Tertius, delightedly.
See it! Good Lord, why, who could help see it? answered the Professor. Needs no great amount of care or perception to see that, as I said. Of course, I see it. Glad you did, too!
But we must take the greatest care of it, urged Mr. Tertius. The most particular care. Thats why I came to you. Now, what can we do? How preserve this sandwichjust as it is?
Nothing easier, replied the Professor. Well soon fix that. Well put it in such safety that it will still be a fresh thing if it remains untouched until London Bridge falls down from sheer decay.
He moved off to another part of the laboratory, and presently returned with two objects, one oblong and shallow, the other deep and square, which on being set down before Mr. Tertius proved to be glass boxes, wonderfully and delicately made, with removable lids that fitted into perfectly adjusted grooves.
There, my dear fellow, he said. Presently I will deposit the glass in that, and the sandwich in this. Then I shall adjust and seal the lids in such a fashion that no air can enter these little chambers. Then through those tiny orifices I shall extract whatever air is in themto the most infinitesimal remnant of it. Then I shall seal those orificesand there you are. Whoever wants to see that sandwich or that glass will find both a year henceten years hencea century hence!in precisely the same condition in which we now see them. And that reminds me, he continued, as he turned away to his desk and picked up his pipe, that reminds me, Tertiuswhat are you going to do about these things being seen? Theyll have to be seen, you know. Have you thought of the policethe detectives?
I have certainly thought of both, replied Mr. Tertius. ButI think not yet, in either case. I think one had better await the result of the inquest. Something may come out, you know.