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book…room； used； as I was told； by Mr。 Macallan's mother when she
was staying at Gleninch； but seldom or never entered by any one
else。 Mr。 Macallan's mother was not at Gleninch while I was
there。 The door between the bedroom and this study was locked；
and the key was taken out。 I don't know who had the key； or
whether there were more keys than one in existence。 The door was
never opened to my knowledge。 I only got into the study； to look
at it along with the housekeeper； by entering through a second
door that opened on to the corridor。
〃I beg to say that I can speak from my own knowledge positively
about Mrs。 Macallan's illness； and about the sudden change which
ended in her death。 By the doctor's advice I made notes at the
time of dates and hours； and such like。 I looked at my notes
before coming here。
〃From the 7th of October； when I was first called in to nurse
her； to the 20th of the same month； she slowly but steadily
improved in health。 Her knee was still painful； no doubt； but the
inflammatory look of it was disappearing。 As to the other
symptoms； except weakness from lying in bed； and irritability of
temper； there was really nothing the matter with her。 She slept
badly； I ought perhaps to add。 But we remedied this by means of
composing draughts prescribed for that purpose by the doctor。
〃On the morning of the 21st； at a few minutes past six； I got my
first alarm that something was going wrong with Mrs。 Macallan。
〃I was awoke at the time I have mentioned by the ringing of the
hand…bell which she kept on her bed…table。 Let me say for myself
that I had only fallen asleep on the sofa in the bedroom at past
two in the morning from sheer fatigue。 Mrs。 Macallan was then
awake。 She was in one of her bad humors with me。 I had tried to
prevail on her to let me remove her dressing…case from her
bed…table； after she had used it in making her toilet for the
night。 It took up a great deal of room； and she could not
possibly want it again before the morning。 But no； she insisted
on my letting it be。 There was a glass inside the case； and；
plain as she was； she never wearied of looking at herself in that
glass。 I saw that she was in a bad state of temper； so I gave her
her way； and let the dressing…case be。 Finding that she was too
sullen to speak to me after that； and too obstinate to take her
composing draught from me when I offered it； I laid me down on
the sofa at her bed foot； and fell asleep； as I have said。
〃The moment her bell rang I was up and at the bedside； ready to
make myself useful。
〃I asked what was the matter with her。 She complained of
faintness and depression； and said she felt sick。 I inquired if
she had taken anything in the way of physic or food while I had
been asleep。 She answered that her husband had come in about an
hour since； and； finding her still sleepless； had himself
administered the composing draught。 Mr。 Macallan （sleeping in the
next room） joined us while she was speaking。 He too had been
aroused by the bell。 He heard what Mrs。 Macallan said to me about
the composing draught； and made no remark upon it。 It seemed to
me that he was alarmed at his wife's faintness。 I suggested that
she should take a little wine； or brandy and water。 She answered
that she could swallow nothing so strong as wine or brandy；
having a burning pain in her stomach already。 I put my hand on
her stomachquite lightly。 She screamed when I touched her。
〃This symptom alarmed us。 We went to the village for the medical
man who had attended Mrs。 Macallan during her illness： one Mr。
Gale。
〃The doctor seemed no better able to account for the change for
the worse in his patient than we were。 Hearing her complain of
thirst； he gave her some milk。 Not long after taking it she was
sick。 The sickness appeared to relieve her。 She soon grew drowsy
and slumbered。 Mr。 Gale left us； with strict injunctions to send
for him instantly if she was taken ill again。
〃Nothing of the sort happened； no change took place for the next
three hours or more。 She roused up toward half…past nine and
inquired about her husband。 I informed her that he had returned
to his own room； and asked if I should send for him。 She said
'No。' I asked next if she would like anything to eat or drink。
She said 'No' again； in rather a vacant； stupefied way； and then
told me to go downstairs and get my breakfast。 On my way down I
met the housekeeper。 She invited me to breakfast with her in her
room； instead of in the servants' hall as usual。 I remained with
the housekeeper but a short timecertainly not more than half an
hour。
〃Coming upstairs again； I met the under…housemaid sweeping on one
of the landings。
〃The girl informed me that Mrs。 Macallan had taken a cup of tea
during my absence in the housekeeper's room。 Mr。 Macallan's valet
had ordered the tea for his mistress by his master's directions。
The under…housemaid made it； and took it upstairs herself to Mrs。
Macallan's room。 Her master； she said； opened the door when she
knocked； and took the tea…cup from her with his own hand。 He
opened the door widely enough for her to see into the bedroom；
and to notice that nobody was with Mrs。 Macallan but himself。
〃After a little talk with the under…housemaid； I returned to the
bedroom。 No one was there。 Mrs。 Macallan was lying perfectly
quiet； with her face turned away from me on the pillow。
Approaching the bedside； I kicked against something on the floor。
It was a broken tea…cup。 I said to Mrs。 Macallan； 'How comes the
tea…cup to be broken； ma'am？' She answered； without turning
toward me； in an odd； muffled kind of voice； 'I dropped it。'
'Before you drank your tea； ma'am？' I asked。 'No；' she said； 'in
handing the cup back to Mr。 Macallan； after I had done。' I had
put my question； wishing to know； in case she had spilled the tea
when she dropped the cup； whether it would be necessary to get
her any more。 I am quite sure I remember correctly my question
and her answer。 I inquired next if she had been long alone。 She
said； shortly； 'Yes； I have been trying to sleep。' I said； 'Do
you feel pretty comfortable？' She answered； 'Yes；' again。 All
this time she still kept her face sulkily turned from me toward
the wall。 Stooping over her to arrange the bedclothes； I looked
toward her table。 The writing materials which were always kept on
it were disturbed； and there was wet ink on one of the pens。 I
said； 'Surely you haven't been writing； ma'am？' 'Why not？' she
said； 'I couldn't sleep。' 'Another poem？' I asked。 She laughed to
herselfa bitter； short laugh。 'Yes；' she said； 'another poem。'
'That's good；' I said； 'it looks as if you were getting quite
like yourself again。 We shan't want the doctor any more to…day。'
She made no answer to this； except an impatient sign with her
hand。 I didn't understand the sign。 Upon that she spoke again；
and crossly enough； too'I want to be alone； leave me。'
〃I had no choice but to do as I was told。 To the best of my
observation； there was nothing the matter with her； and nothing
for the nurse to do。 I put the bell…rope within reach of her
hand； and I went downstairs again。
〃Half an hour more； as well as I can guess it； passed。