"Er ... excuse me, Reverend
Sir. You didn't give him Holy Unction, I hope?"

"No," said Father Bright. "I thought it would be better to delay that
until after the authorities has seen the ... er ... scene of the
crime. I wouldn't want to make the gathering of evidence any more
difficult than necessary."

"Quite right," murmured Lord Darcy.

"No blessings, I trust, Reverend Sir?" Master Sean persisted. "No
exorcisms or--"

"Nothing," Father Bright interrupted somewhat testily. "I believe I
crossed myself when I saw the body, but nothing more."

"Crossed _yourself_, sir. Nothing else?"

"No."

"Well, that's all right, then. Sorry to be so persistent, Reverend
Sir, but any miasma of evil that may be left around is a very
important clue, and it shouldn't be dispersed until it's been checked,
you see."

"_Evil?_" My lady the Countess looked shocked.

"Sorry, my lady, but--" Master Sean began contritely.

But Father Bright interrupted by speaking to the Countess. "Don't
distress yourself, my daughter; these men are only doing their duty."

"Of course. I understand. It's just that it's so--" She shuddered
delicately.

Lord Darcy cast Master Sean a warning look, then asked politely, "Has
my lady seen the deceased?"

"No," she said. "I will, however, if you wish."

"We'll see," said Lord Darcy. "Perhaps it won't be necessary. May we
go up to the suite now?"

"Certainly," the Countess said. "Sir Pierre, if you will?"

"Yes, my lady."

As Sir Pierre unlocked the emblazoned door, Lord Darcy said: "Who else
sleeps on this floor?"

"No one else, your lordship," Sir Pierre said. "The entire floor is ...
was ... reserved for my lord the Count."

"Is there any way up besides that elevator?"

Sir Pierre turned and pointed toward the other end of the short
hallway. "That leads to the staircase," he said, pointing to a massive
oaken door, "but it's kept locked at all times. And, as you can see,
there is a heavy bar across it. Except for moving furniture in and out
or something like that, it's never used."

"No other way up or down, then?"

Sir Pierre hesitated. "Well, yes, your lordship, there is. I'll show
you."

"A secret stairway?"

"Yes, your lordship."

"Very well. We'll look at it after we've seen the body."

Lord Darcy, having spent an hour on the train down from Rouen, was
anxious to see the cause of the trouble at last.

He lay in the bedroom, just as Sir Pierre and Father Bright had left
him