Dorothy Sayers - Gaudy Night

“Yes, madam; I’m sure they mean to be. But I always think of what it says in the Bible, about ‘much learning hath made thee mad.’ It isn’t a right thing.”

Harriet looked up sharply and caught an odd look in the scout’s eyes. “What do you mean by that, Annie?”

“Nothing at all, madam. Only funny things go on sometimes, but of course, being a visitor, you wouldn’t know, and it’s not my place to mention them-being only a servant, nowadays.”

“I certainly,” said Harriet, rather alarmed, “wouldn’t mention anything of the kind you suggest to outside people or visitors. If you have any complaint to make, you should speak to the Bursar, or the Warden.”

“I haven’t any complaint, madam. But you may have heard about rude words being written up on the walls, and about the things that were burnt in the Quad-why, there was a bit in the papers about that. Well, you’ll find, madam they all happened since a certain person came into the college.”

“What person?” said Harriet sternly.

“One of these learned ladies, madam. Well, perhaps I’d better not say anything more about that. You write detective books, don’t you, madam? Well you’ll find something in that lady’s past, you may be sure of it. At least that’s what a good many people are saying. And it isn’t a nice thing for anybody to be in the same place with a woman like that.”

“I feel quite sure you must be mistaken, Annie; I should be very careful how you spread about a tale of that kind. You’d better run along back to the Hall, now; I expect they’ll be needing you.”

So that was what the servants were saying. Miss de Vine, of course; she was the “learned lady” whose arrival had coincided with the beginning of the disturbances-coincided more exactly than Annie could know, unless she too had seen that drawing in the quad at the Gaudy. A curious woman, Miss de Vine, and undoubtedly with a varied experience behind those disconcerting eyes. But Harriet was inclined to like her, and she certainly did not look mad in the way that the “Poison-Pen” was mad; though it would not be surprising to learn that she had a streak of fanaticism somewhere. What, by the way, had she been doing the previous night? She had rooms at the moment in Queen Elizabeth; there was probably little likelihood of proving an alibi for her now. Miss de Vine-well! she would have to be put on the same footing as everybody else.

The opening of the Library took place without a hitch. The Chancellor unlocked the main door with the plated key, unaware that the same key had opened it, under curious circumstances, the night before. Harriet watched, carefully the faces of the assembled dons and scouts; none of them showed any sign of surprise, anger or disappointment at the decorous appearance of the Library. Miss Hudson was present looking cheerfully unconcerned; Miss Cattermole, too, was there. She looked as though she had been crying; and Harriet noticed that she stood in a corner by herself and talked to nobody until, at the conclusion of the ceremony, a dark girl in spectacles made her way through the crowd to her and they walked away together.

Later in the day, Harriet went to the Warden to make her promised report. She pointed out the difficulty of dealing with an outbreak like that of the previous night single-handed. A careful patrol of the quads and passages by a number of helpers would probably have resulted in the capture of the culprit; and the whole of the suspects could in any case have been checked up at an early moment. She strongly advised enlisting some women from Miss Climpson’s Agency, the nature of which she explained.

“I see the point,” replied the Warden; “but I find that at least two members of the Senior Common Room feel very strong objections to that course of action.”

“I know,” said Harriet. “Miss Allison and Miss Barton. Why?”

“I think, too,” pursued the Warden, without answering this question, “that the matter presents certain difficulties. What would the students think of these strangers prowling about the college at night? They will wonder why police duties cannot be undertaken by ourselves, and we can hardly inform them that we ourselves are particularly under suspicion. And to perform such duties as you suggest, properly, quite a large number would be required-if all the strategic points are to be held. Then these persons would be quite ignorant of the conditions of college life, and might easily make unfortunate mistakes by following and questioning the wrong people. I do not see how we could avoid a very unpleasant scandal and some complaints.”

“I see all that. Warden. But all the same, that is the quickest solution.”

The Warden bent her head over a handsome piece of tapestry-work on which she was engaged. “I cannot feel it to be very desirable. I know you will say that the whole situation is undesirable. I quite agree with you.” She looked up. “I suppose, Miss Vane, you could not yourself spare the time to assist us?”

“I could spare the time,” said Harriet, slowly. “But without help it is going to be very difficult. If there were only one or two people who were exonerated without a shadow of doubt, it would be very much easier.”

“Miss Barton assisted you very ably last night.”

“Yes,” said Harriet; “but-how shall I put it? If I were writing a story about this, the person first on the spot would be the first person to be suspected.” The Warden selected an orange skein from her basket and threaded her needle deliberately.

“Will you explain that, please?”

Harriet explained carefully.

“That is very clearly put,” said Dr. Baring. “I understand perfectly. Now, about this student, Miss Hudson. Her explanation does not seem to be satisfactory. She could not possibly have expected to get food from the Buttery at that hour; and in fact, she did not.”

“No,” said Harriet; “but I know quite well that in my day it wasn’t too difficult to get round the right side of the Head Scout to leave the hatch open all night. Then, if one had a late essay or anything and felt hungry, one went down and got what one wanted.”

“Dear me,” said the Warden.

“We were always quite honourable about it,” said Harriet, “and entered it all on the slate, so that it figured in our battels at the end of term. Though,” she added thoughtfully, “there were some items of cold meat and dripping that must have been camouflaged a bit. Still-I think Miss Hudson’s explanation will pass muster.”

“Actually, the hatch was locked.”

“Actually, it was. As a matter of fact, I have seen Carrie, and she assures me that it was locked at 10:30 last night as usual. She admits that Miss Hudson asked her to leave it open, but says she didn’t do so, because, only last night, the Bursar had given special instructions about the locking of the hatch and Buttery. That would be after the meeting, no doubt. She also says she has been more particular this term than she used to be, because of a little trouble there was over the same thing last term.”

“Well-I see there is no proof against Miss Hudson. I believe she is rather a lively young woman, however; so it may be as well to keep an eye on her. She is very able; but her antecedents are not particularly refined, and I dare say, it is possible that she might look upon even the disagreeable expressions found in the-er-the communications in the light of a joke. I tell you this, not to create any prejudice against the girl, but merely for whatever evidential value it may possess.”

“Thank you. Well, then. Warden; if you feel it is impossible to call in outside help, I suggest that I should stay in College for a week or so, ostensibly to help Miss Lydgate with her book and to do some research on my own account in Bodley. I could then make a few more investigations. If nothing decisive results by the end of the term, I really think the question of engaging professionals will have to be faced.”