Sixty-Five Short Stories

by Somerset William Maugham

  They looked into one another's eyes. Mrs Crosbie was strangely still. She was like a little bird paralysed by the fascination of a snake. He went on in the same quiet tones.

  'But this letter has thrown an entirely different complexion on the case. I am your legal adviser, I shall represent you in court. I take your story as you tell it me, and I shall conduct your defence according to its terms. It may be that I believe your statements, and it may be that I doubt them. The duty of counsel is to persuade the court that the evidence placed before it is not such as to justify it in bringing in a verdict of guilty, and any private opinion he may have of the guilt or innocence of his client is entirely beside the point.'

  He was astonished to see in Leslie's eyes the flicker of a smile. Piqued, he went on somewhat dryly:

  'You're not going to deny that Hammond came to your house at your urgent, and I may even say, hysterical invitation?'

  Mrs Crosbie, hesitating for an instant, seemed to consider.

  'They can prove that the letter was taken to his bungalow by one of the house-boys. He rode over on his bicycle.'

  'You mustn't expect other people to be stupider than you. The letter will put them on the track of suspicions which have entered nobody's head. I will not tell you what I personally thought when I saw the copy. I do not wish you to tell me anything but what is needed to save your neck.'

  Mrs Crosbie gave a shrill cry. She sprang to her feet, white with terror.

  'You don't think they'd hang me?'

  'If they came to the conclusion that you hadn't killed Hammond in selfdefence, it would be the duty of the assessors to bring in a verdict of guilty. The charge is murder. It would be the duty of the judge to sentence you to death.'

  'But what can they prove?' she gasped.

  'I don't know what they can prove. You know. I don't want to know. But if their suspicions are aroused, if they begin to make inquiries, if the natives are questioned-what is it that can be discovered?'

  She crumpled up suddenly. She fell on the floor before he could catch her. She had fainted. He looked round the room for water, but there was none there, and he did not want to be disturbed. He stretched her out on the floor, and kneeling beside her waited for her to recover. When she opened her eyes he was disconcerted by the ghastly fear that he saw in them.

  'Keep quite still,' he said. 'You'll be better in a moment.'

  'You won't let them hang me,' she whispered.

  She began to cry, hysterically, while in undertones he sought to quieten her.

  'For goodness sake pull yourself together,' he said.

  'Give me a minute.'

  Her courage was amazing. He could see the effort she made to regain her self-control, and soon she was once more calm.

  'Let me get up now.'

  He gave her his hand and helped her to her feet. Taking her arm, he led her to the chair. She sat down wearily.

  'Don't talk to me for a minute or two,' she said.

  'Very well.'

  When at last she spoke it was to say something which he did not expect. She gave a little sigh.

  'I'm afraid I've made rather a mess of things,' she said.

  He did not answer, and once more there was a silence.

  'Isn't it possible to get hold of the letter?' she said at last.

  'I do not think anything would have been said to me about it if the person in whose possession it is was not prepared to sell it.'

  'Who's got it?'

  'The Chinese woman who was living in Hammond's house.'

  A spot of colour flickered for an instant on Leslie's cheek-bones.

  'Does she want an awful lot for it?'

  'I imagine that she has a very shrewd idea of its value. I doubt if it would be possible to get hold of it except for a very large sum.'

  'Are you going to let me be hanged?'

  'Do you think it's so simple as all that to secure possession of an unwelcome piece of evidence? It's no different from suborning a witness. You have no right to make any such suggestion to me.' 'Then what is going to happen to me?'

  'Justice must take its course.'

  She grew very pale. A little shudder passed through her body.

  'I put myself in your hands. Of course I have no right to ask you to do anything that isn't proper.'

  Mr Joyce had not bargained for the little break in her voice which her habitual self-restraint made quite intolerably moving. She looked at him with humble eyes, and he thought that if he rejected their appeal they would haunt him for the rest of his life. After all, nothing could bring poor Hammond back to life again. He wondered what really was the explanation of that letter. It was not fair to conclude from it that she had killed Hammond without provocation. He had lived in the East a long time and his sense of professional honour was not perhaps so acute as it had been twenty years before. He stared at the floor. He made up his mind to do something which he knew was unjustifiable, but it stuck in his throat and he felt dully resentful towards Leslie. It embarrassed him a little to speak.

  'I don't know exactly what your husband's circumstances are?'

  Flushing a rosy red, she shot a swift glance at him.

  'He has a good many tin shares and a small share in two or three rubber estates. I suppose he could raise money.'

  'He would have to be told what it was for.'

  She was silent for a moment. She seemed to think.

  'He's in love with me still. He would make any sacrifice to save me. Is there any need for him to see the letter?'

  Mr Joyce frowned a little, and, quick to notice, she went on.

  'Robert is an old friend of yours. I'm not asking you to do anything for me, I'm asking you to save a rather simple, kind man who never did you any harm from all the pain that's possible.'

  Mr Joyce did not reply. He rose to go and Mrs Crosbie, with the grace that was natural to her, held out her hand. She was shaken by the scene, and her look was haggard, but she made a brave attempt to speed him with courtesy.

  'It's so good of you to take all this trouble for me. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am.'

  Mr Joyce returned to his office. He sat in his own room, quite still, attempting to do no work, and pondered. His imagination brought him many strange ideas. He shuddered a little. At last there was the discreet knock on the door which he was expecting. Ong Chi Seng came in.

  'I was just going out to have my tiffin, sir,' he said.

  'All right.'

  'I didn't know if there was anything you wanted before I went, sir.'

  'I don't think so. Did you make another appointment for Mr Reed?'

  'Yes, sir. He will come at three o'clock.'

  'Good.'

  Ong Chi Seng turned away, walked to the door, and put his long slim fingers on the handle. Then, as though on an afterthought, he turned back.

  'Is there anything you wish me to say to my friend, sir?'

  Although Ong Chi Seng spoke English so admirably he had still a difficulty with the letter R, and he pronounced it 'fliend'.

  'What friend?'

  'About the letter Mrs Crosbie wrote to Hammond deceased, sir.'

  'Oh! I'd forgotten about that. I mentioned it to Mrs Crosbie and she denies having written anything of the sort. It's evidently a forgery.'

  Mr Joyce took the copy from his pocket and handed it to Ong Chi Seng. Ong Chi Seng ignored the gesture.

  'In that case, sir, I suppose there would be no objection if my fliend delivered the letter to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.'

  'None. But I don't quite see what good that would do your friend.'

  'My fliend, sir, thought it was his duty in the interests of justice.'

  'I am the last man in the world to interfere with anyone who wishes to do his duty, Chi Seng.'

  The eyes of the lawyer and of the Chinese clerk met. Not the shadow of a smile hovered on the lips of either, but they understood each other perfectly.

  'I quite understand, sir,' said Ong Chi Seng, 'but from my study of the ca
se R. v. Crosbie I am of opinion that the production of such a letter would be damaging to our client.'

  'I have always had a very high opinion of your legal acumen, Chi Seng.'

  'It had occurred to me, sir, that if I could persuade my fliend to induce the Chinese woman who has the letter to deliver it into our hands it would save a great deal of trouble.'

  Mr Joyce idly drew faces on his blotting-paper.

  'I suppose your friend is a business man. In what circumstances do you think he would be induced to part with the letter?'

  'He has not got the letter. The Chinese woman has the letter. He is only a relation of the Chinese woman. She is ignorant woman; she did not know the value of that letter till my friend told her.'

  'What value did he put on it?'

  'Ten thousand dollars, sir.'

  'Good God! Where on earth do you suppose Mrs Crosbie can get ten thousand dollars! I tell you the letter's a forgery.'

  He looked up at Ong Chi Seng as he spoke. The clerk was unmoved by the outburst. He stood at the side of the desk, civil, cool, and observant.

  'Mr Crosbie owns an eighth share of the Betong Rubber Estate and a sixth share of the Selantan River Rubber Estate. I have a fliend who will lend him the money on the security of-his property.'

  'You have a large circle of acquaintance, Chi Seng.'

  'Yes, sir.'

  'Well, you can tell them all to go to hell. I would never advise Mr Crosbie to give a penny more than five thousand for a letter that can be very easily explained.'

  'The Chinese woman does not want to sell the letter, sir. My fliend took a long time to persuade her. It is useless to offer her less than the sum mentioned.'

  Mr Joyce looked at Ong Chi Seng for at least three minutes. The clerk bore the searching scrutiny without embarrassment. He stood in a respectful attitude with downcast eyes. Mr Joyce knew his man. Clever fellow, Chi Seng, he thought, I wonder how much he's going to get out of it.

  'Ten thousand dollars is a very large sum.'

  'Mr Crosbie will certainly pay it rather than see his wife hanged, sir.'

  Again Mr Joyce paused. What more did Chi Seng know than he had said? He must be pretty sure of his ground if he was obviously so unwilling to bargain. That sum had been fixed because whoever it was that was managing the affair knew it was the largest amount that Robert Crosbie could raise.

  'Where is the Chinese woman now?' asked Mr Joyce.

  'She is staying at the house of my fliend, sir.'

  'Will she come here?'

  'I think it more better if you go to her, sir. I can take you to the house tonight and she will give you the letter. She is very ignorant woman, sir, and she does not understand cheques.'

  'I wasn't thinking of giving her a cheque. I will bring bank notes with me.'

  'It would only be waste of valuable time to bring less than ten thousand dollars, sir.'

  'I quite understand.'

  'I will go and tell my fliend after I have had my tiffin, sir.'

  'Very good. You'd better meet me outside the club at ten o'clock tonight.'

  'With pleasure, sir,' said Ong Chi Seng.

  He gave Mr Joyce a little bow and left the room. Mr Joyce went out to have luncheon, too. He went to the club and here, as he had expected, he saw Robert Crosbie. He was sitting at a crowded table, and as he passed him, looking for a place, Mr Joyce touched him on the shoulder.

  'I'd like a word or two with you before you go,' he said.

  'Right you are. Let me know when you're ready.'

  Mr Joyce had made up his mind how to tackle him. He played a rubber of bridge after luncheon in order to allow time for the club to empty itself. He did not want on this particular matter to see Crosbie in his office. Presently Crosbie came into the card-room and looked on till the game was finished. The other players went on their various affairs, and the two were left alone.

  'A rather unfortunate thing has happened, old man,' said Mr Joyce, in a tone which he sought to render as casual as possible. 'It appears that your wife sent a letter to Hammond asking him to come to the bungalow on the night he was killed.'

  'But that's impossible,' cried Crosbie. 'She's always stated that she had had no communication with Hammond. I know from my own knowledge that she hadn't set eyes on him for a couple of months.'

  'The fact remains that the letter exists. It's in the possession of the Chinese woman Hammond was living with. Your wife meant to give you a present on your birthday, and she wanted Hammond to help her to get it. In the emotional excitement that she suffered from after the tragedy, she forgot all about it, and having once denied having any communication with Hammond she was afraid to say that she had made a mistake. It was, of course, very unfortunate, but I dare say it was not unnatural.'

  Crosbie did not speak. His large, red face bore an expression of complete bewilderment, and Mr Joyce was at once relieved and exasperated by his lack of comprehension. He was a stupid man, and Mr Joyce had no patience with stupidity. But his distress since the catastrophe had touched a soft spot in the lawyer's heart; and Mrs Crosbie had struck the right note when she asked him to help her, not for her sake, but for her husband's.

  'I need not tell you that it would be very awkward if this letter found its way into the hands of the prosecution. Your wife has lied, and she would be asked to explain the lie. It alters things a little if Hammond did not intrude, an unwanted guest, but came to your house by invitation. It would be easy to arouse in the assessors a certain indecision of mind.'

  Mr Joyce hesitated. He was face to face now with his decision. If it had been a time for humour, he could have smiled at the reflection that he was taking so grave a step, and that the man for whom he was taking it had not the smallest conception of its gravity. If he gave the matter a thought, he probably imagined that what Mr Joyce was doing was what any lawyer did in the ordinary run of business.

  'My dear Robert, you are not only my client, but my friend. I think we must get hold of that letter. It'll cost a good deal of money. Except for that I should have preferred to say nothing to you about it.'

  'How much?'

  'Ten thousand dollars.'

  'That's a devil of a lot. With the slump and one thing and another it'll take just about all I've got.'

  'Can you get it at once?'

  'I suppose so. Old Charlie Meadows will let me have it on my tin shares and on those two estates I'm interested in.'

  'Then will you?'

  'Is it absolutely necessary?'

  'If you want your wife to be acquitted.'

  Crosbie grew very red. His mouth sagged strangely.

  'But . . .' he could not find words, his face now was purple. 'But I don't understand. She can explain. You don't mean to say they'd find her guilty? They couldn't hang her for putting a noxious vermin out of the way.'

  'Of course they wouldn't hang her. They might only find her guilty of manslaughter. She'd probably get off with two or three years.'

  Crosbie started to his feet and his red face was distraught with horror.

  'Three years.'

  Then something seemed to dawn in that slow intelligence of his. His mind was darkness across which shot suddenly a flash of lightning, and though the succeeding darkness was as profound, there remained the memory of something not seen but perhaps just descried. Mr Joyce saw that Crosbie's big red hands, coarse and hard with all the odd jobs he had set them to, trembled.

  'What was the present she wanted to make me?'

  'She says she wanted to give you a new gun.'

  Once more that great red face flushed a deeper red.

  'When have you got to have the money ready?'

  There was something odd in his voice now. It sounded as though he spoke with invisible hands clutching at his throat.

  'At ten o'clock tonight. I thought you could bring it to my office at about six.'

  'Is the woman coming to you?'

  'No, I'm going to her.'

  'I'll bring the money. I'll come with you.'<
br />
  Mr Joyce looked at him sharply.

  'Do you think there's any need for you to do that? I think it would be better if you left me to deal with this matter by myself.'

  'It's my money, isn't it? I'm going to come.'

  Mr Joyce shrugged his shoulders. They rose and shook hands. Mr Joyce looked at him curiously.

  At ten o'clock they met in the empty club.

  'Everything all right?' asked Mr Joyce.

  'Yes. I've got the money in my pocket.'

  'Let's go then.'

  They walked down the steps. Mr Joyce's car was waiting for them in the square, silent at that hour, and as they came to it Ong Chi Seng stepped out of the shadow of a house. He took his seat beside the driver and gave him a direction. They drove past the Hotel de l'Europe and turned up by the Sailor's Home to get into Victoria Street. Here the Chinese shops were still open, idlers lounged about, and in the roadway rickshaws and motor-cars and gharries gave a busy air to the scene. Suddenly their car stopped and Chi Seng turned round.

  'I think it more better if we walk here, sir,' he said.

  They got out and he went on. They followed a step or two behind. Then he asked them to stop.

  'You wait here, sir. I go in and speak to my fliend.'

  He went into a shop, open to the street, where three or four Chinese were standing behind the counter. It was one of those strange shops where nothing was on view, and you wondered what it was they sold there. They saw him address a stout man in a duck suit with a large gold chain across his breast, and the man shot a quick glance out into the night. He gave Chi Seng a key and Chi Seng came out. He beckoned to the two men waiting and slid into a doorway at the side of the shop. They followed him and found themselves at the foot of a flight of stairs.

  'If you wait a minute I will light a match,' he said, always resourceful. 'You come upstairs, please.'