Part 1 - Chapter 5

The People of the Drama

"Have you seen all you want of the study?" asked White Mason as
we reentered the house.

"For the time," said the inspector, and Holmes nodded.

"Then perhaps you would now like to hear the evidence of some of
the people in the house. We could use the dining room, Ames.
Please come yourself first and tell us what you know."

The butler's account was a simple and a clear one, and he gave a
convincing impression of sincerity. He had been engaged five
years before, when Douglas first came to Birlstone. He
understood that Mr. Douglas was a rich gentleman who had made his
money in America. He had been a kind and considerate
employer--not quite what Ames was used to, perhaps; but one can't
have everything. He never saw any signs of apprehension in Mr.
Douglas: on the contrary, he was the most fearless man he had
ever known. He ordered the drawbridge to be pulled up every
night because it was the ancient custom of the old house, and he
liked to keep the old ways up.

Mr. Douglas seldom went to London or left the village; but on
the day before the crime he had been shopping at Tunbridge Wells.
He (Ames) had observed some restlessness and excitement on the
part of Mr. Douglas that day; for he had seemed impatient and
irritable, which was unusual with him. He had not gone to bed
that night; but was in the pantry at the back of the house,
putting away the silver, when he heard the bell ring violently.
He heard no shot; but it was hardly possible he would, as the
pantry and kitchens were at the very back of the house and there
were several closed doors and a long passage between. The
housekeeper had come out of her room, attracted by the violent
ringing of the bell. They had gone to the front of the house
together.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs he had seen Mrs. Douglas
coming down it. No, she was not hurrying; it did not seem to him
that she was particularly agitated. Just as she reached the
bottom of the stair Mr. Barker had rushed out of the study. He
had stopped Mrs. Douglas and begged her to go back.

"For God's sake, go back to your room!" he cried. "Poor Jack is
dead! You can do nothing. For God's sake, go back!"

After some persuasion upon the stairs Mrs. Douglas had gone back.
She did not scream. She made no outcry whatever. Mrs. Allen,
the housekeeper, had taken her upstairs and stayed with her in
the bedroom. Ames and Mr. Barker had then returned to the study,
where they had found everything exactly as the police had seen
it. The candle was not lit at that time; but the lamp was
burning. They had looked out of the window; but the night was
very dark and nothing could be seen or heard. They had then
rushed out