'Nerves,' murmured Ackroyd to himself.
He unfolded the thick sheets of paper, and read aloud in a low voice.
'My dear, my very dear Roger, - A life calls for a life. I see that - I saw it in your face this afternoon. So I am taking the only road open to me. I leave to you the punishment of the person who has made my life a hell upon earth for the last year. I would not tell you the name, this afternoon, but I propose to write it to you now. I have no children or near relations to be spared, so do not fear publicity. If you can, Roger, my very dear Roger, forgive me the wrong I meant to do you, since when the time came, I could not do it after all…: Ackroyd, his finger on the sheet to turn it over, paused.
'Sheppard, forgive me, but I must read this alone,' he said unsteadily. 'It was meant for my eyes, and my eyes only.' He put the letter in the envelope and laid it on the table.
'Later, when I am alone.' 'No,' I cried impulsively, 'read it now.' Ackroyd stared at me in some surprise.
'I beg your pardon,' I said, reddening. 'I do not mean read it aloud to me. But read it through whilst I am still here.' Ackroyd shook his head.
'No, I'd rather wait.' But for some reason, obscure to myself, I continued to urge him.
'At least, read the name of the man,' I said.
Now Ackroyd is essentially pig-headed. The more you urge him to do a thing, the more determined he is not to do it. All my arguments were in vain.
The letter had been brought in at twenty minutes to nine.
It was just on ten minutes to nine when I left him, the letter still unread. I hesitated with my hand on the door handle, looking back and wondering if there was anything I had left undone. I could think of nothing. With a shake of the head I passed out and closed the door behind me.
I was startled by seeing the figure of Parker close at hand.
He looked embarrassed, and it occurred to me that he might have been listening at the door.
What a fat, smug, oily face the man had, and surely there was something decidedly shifty in his eye.
'Mr Ackroyd particularly does not want to be disturbed,' I said coldly. 'He told me to tell you so.' 'Quite so, sir. I - I fancied I heard the bell ring.' This was such a palpable untruth that I did not trouble to reply. Preceding me to the hall, Parker helped me on with my overcoat, and I stepped out into the night. The moon was overcast, and everything seemed very dark and still.
The village church clock chimed nine o'clock as I passed through the lodge gates. I turned to the left towards the village, and almost cannoned into a man coming in the opposite direction.
'This the way to Fernly Park, mister?' asked the stranger in a hoarse voice.
I looked at him. He was wearing a hat pulled down over his eyes, and his coat collar turned up. I could see little or nothing of his face, but he seemed a young fellow. The voice was rough and uneducated.
'These are the lodge gates here,' I said.
'Thank you, mister.' He paused, and then added, quite unnecessarily, 'I'm a stranger in these parts, you see.' He went on, passing through the gates as I turned to look after him.
The odd thing was that his voice reminded me of someone's voice that I knew, but whose it was I could not think.
Ten minutes later I was at home once more. Caroline was full of curiosity to know why I had returned so early. I had to make up a slightly fictitious account of the evening in order to satisfy her, and I had an uneasy feeling that she saw through the transparent device.
At ten o'clock I rose, yawned, and suggested bed, Caroline acquiesced.
It was Friday night, and on Friday night I wind the clocks. I did it as usual, whilst Caroline satisfied herself that the servants had locked up the kitchen properly.
It was a quarter past ten as we went up the stairs. I had just reached the top when the telephone rang in the hall below.
'Mrs Bates,' said Caroline immediately.
'I'm afraid so,' I said ruefully.
I ran down the stairs and took up the receiver.
'What?' I said. 'When? Certainly, I'll come at once.' I ran upstairs, caught up my bag, and stuffed a few extra dressings into it.
Tarker telephoning,' I shouted to Caroline, 'from Fernly. They've just found Roger Ackroyd murdered.' I got out the car in next to no time, and drove rapidly to Fernly. Jumping out, I pulled the bell impatiently. There was some delay in answering, and I rang again.
Then I heard the rattle of the chain and Parker, his impassivity of countenance quite unmoved, stood in the open doorway.
I pushed past him into the hall.
'Where is he?' I demanded sharply.
'I beg your pardon, sir?' 'Your master. Mr Ackroyd. Don't stand there staring at me, man. Have you notified the police?' 'The police, sir? Did you say the police?' Parker stared at me as though I were a ghost.
'What's the matter with you, Parker? If, as you say, your master has been murdered ' A gasp broke from Parker.
'The master? Murdered? Impossible, sir!' It was my turn to stare.
'Didn't you telephone to me, not five minutes ago, and tell me that Mr Ackroyd had been found murdered?"' The, sir? Oh! no indeed, sir. I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing.' 'Do you mean to say it's all a hoax? That there's nothing the matter with Mr Ackroyd?' 'Excuse me, sir, did the person telephoning use my name?' 'I'll give you the exact words I heard. "Is that Dr Sheppard? Parker, the butler at Fernly, speaking. Will you please come at once, sir. Mr Ackroyd has been murdered."' Parker and I stared at each other blankly.
'A very wicked joke to play, sir,' he said at last, in a shocked tone. 'Fancy saying a thing like that.' 'Where is Mr Ackroyd?' I asked suddenly.
'Still in the study, I fancy, sir. The ladies have gone to bed, and Major Blunt and Mr Raymond are in the billiard room.' 'I think I'll just look in and see him for a minute,' I said.
'I know he didn't want to be disturbed again, but this odd practical joke has made me uneasy. I'd just like to satisfy myself that he's all right.' 'Quite so, sir. It makes me feel quite uneasy myself. If you don't object to my accompanying you as far as the door, sir-?' 'Not at all,' I said. 'Come along.' I passed through the door on the right, Parker on my heels, traversed the little lobby where a small flight of stairs led upstairs to Ackroyd's bedroom, and tapped on the study door.
There was no answer. I turned the handle, but the door was locked.
'Allow me, sir,' said Parker.
Very nimbly, for a man of his build, he dropped on one knee and applied his eye to the keyhole.
'Key is in the lock all right, sir,' he said, rising. 'On the inside. Mr Ackroyd must have locked himself in and possibly just dropped off to sleep.' I bent down and verified Parker's statement.
'It seems all right,' I said, 'but, all the same, Parker, I'm going to wake your master up. I shouldn't be satisfied to go home without hearing from his own lips that he's quite all right.' So saying, I rattled the handle and called out, 'Ackroyd, Ackroyd, just a minute.' But still there was no answer. I glanced over my shoulder.
'I don't want to alarm the household,' I said hesitatingly.
Parker went across and shut the door from the big hall through which we had come.
'I think that will be all right now, sir. The billiard room is at the other side of the house, and so are the kitchen quarters and the ladies' bedrooms.' I nodded comprehendingly. Then I banged once more frantically on the door, and stooping down, fairly bawled through the keyhole: 'Ackroyd, Ackroyd! It's Sheppard. Let me in.' And still - silence. Not a sign of life from within the locked room. Parker and I glanced at each other.
'Look here, Parker,' I said, 'I'm going to break this door in - or rather, we are. I'll take the responsibility.' 'If you say so, sir,' said Parker, rather doubtfully.
'I do say so. I'm seriously alarmed about Mr Ackroyd.' 'I looked round the small lobby and picked up a heavy oak chair. Parker and I held it between us and advanced to the assault. Once, twice, and three times we hurled it against the lock. At the third blow it gave, and we staggered in
to the room.
Ackroyd was sitting as I had left him in the armchair before the fire. His head had fallen sideways, and clearly visible, just below the collar of his coat, was a shining piece of twisted metalwork.
Parker and I advanced till we stood over the recumbent figure. I heard the butler draw in his breath with a sharp hiss.
'Stabbed from be'ind,' he murmured. ' 'Orrible!' He wiped his moist brow with his handkerchief, then stretched out a gingerly hand towards the hilt of the dagger.
'You mustn't touch that,' I said sharply. 'Go at once to the telephone and ring up the police station. Inform them of what has happened. Then tell Mr Raymond and Major Blunt.' 'Very good, sir.' Parker hurried away, still wiping his perspiring brow.