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remember。 He has received euthanasia a little sooner； and nothing in his
life has become him like the leaving of it。 The last victim of the Grey
Room。 Mourn bim not； he passed without a pang … as did his betters。〃
〃But； but … you spoke of crime and criminals！〃 gasped Sir Walter。
〃And truly。 Great crimes have been committed in this room and great
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criminals committed them。 Is a crime any less a crime because the doers
have mouldered in their dishonored graves for nearly five hundred years？〃
〃Your handling of speech is not ours； and you use words differently。
The old dog did not suffer； you say？ How did lie come to die … in his
sleep？〃
〃Even so。 Without a sigh； the last venerable victim of this murdering
shadow。〃
〃You saw him die； and yet were safe yourself； sir？〃 asked Lennox。
〃That is what happened。 Now sit down all of you； father Abraham
also； and in five minutes all will be as clear as day。〃
They obeyed him silently。
〃Yes； a master criminal； one whose name has rung down the ages and
will from to…morrow win a further resonance。 Would that we could bring
him to account； but he has already gone to it； if justice lies at the root of
things； as all men pray； and you and I believe； Sir Walter。 An interesting
reflection： How many suffer； if they do not actually perish； from the sins
of the dead？ Not only the sins of our father are visited upon us； but； if
we could trace the infliction； the crimes of countless dead men
accomplished long before we were born into this suffering world。 I
speak in a parable； but this is literal； actual。 Dead men committed these
murders； and left this legacy of woe。〃
Signor Mannetti stroked the lifeless spaniel。
〃When we were left alone I picked him up and set him on the bed。 He
did not waken； and I knew that he would never waken again。 Now let us
look at this noble bed； if you please。 Here is the link； you see； without
which so much that I told you yesterday must have sounded no more than
the idle chatter of an old man。 Come and use your eyes。 Ah； if only
people had used their eyes sooner！〃
They followed him； and he pointed to a framework of carved wood
that connected the four posts。
〃What is this on the frieze running above the capitals of the little Ionic
pillars？〃
〃The papal crown and keys；〃 said Mary。
〃Good！ Now regard the other side。〃
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〃A coat of arms … a golden bull on a red ground … why； father； that was
what puzzled you at Florence！〃
〃Surely it was。 The thing stuck in my memory； yet I could not
remember where I had seen it before。〃
Signor Mannetti prepared for his effect； then made it。
〃The arms of the Borgia！ The arms of the Spanish Pope； Alexander
VI。 of unholy memory。 So all is told； and we will soon go to bed。
Having marked them this morning； you will see how readily I was led into
the heart of the secret。 It only needed some such certain sign。 And
everything that had happened was consonant with this explanation。 The
first to suffer puzzled me； but I solved that problem； too。 You shall hear
how each woman and each man was slain。 Look at this mattress
upholstered in satin … there lies the unsleeping thing that brings sleep so
quickly to others！ I guessed it this morning； I proved it to…night。 At
seventeen minutes past eight Prince was dead； but not until I awoke； near
two o'clock； did I dare approach him。 For how did he die？ The moment
the heat of his ancient body penetrated the mattress under him； it released
its awful venom。 He stretched himself； curled up again； and； as the
exhalation rose； with scarcely a tremor he passed from sleep into death。
Needless to tell you that I kept far from him； for I guessed that not until
the poor fellow was cold would the demon in the mattress sink down and
disappear； as the effret into his bottle。 Then mattress and dog were alike
harmless； as they are now。 I gave him only five hours； for he was a small；
thin beast； and the heat soon left his body。〃
But； signor…〃
〃I shall anticipate all your objections if you will listen a little longer；
dear Mrs。 May。 Let us sit again； and question me after I have spoken； if
any doubts remain unanswered。 Another liqueur； Masters。〃
He sipped； and preserved silence for a few moments； while none spoke。
Then from his armchair he traversed the story of the Grey Room； and
proved amazingly familiar with the smallest detail of it。 Indeed； when at
last he had finished； none could find any questions to ask。 〃There are
two very interesting preliminary facts to note； my friends；〃 began the
signor。 He beamed upon them； and enjoyed his own exposition with
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unconcealed gusto。 〃The first is that a room； already suffering from
sinister traditions； and held to be haunted； should have been precisely that
into which this infernal engine of destruction was introduced。 Yet what
more natural？ You have the furniture； and； for the time being； do not
know what to do with it。 The house is already full of beautiful things；
and these surplus treasures you store here； to be safe and out of the way； in
a room which is not put to its proper use。 You are not collectors or
experts。 Sir Walter's father did not share his father's enthusiasm； neither
did Sir Walter care for old furniture。 So the pieces take their place in this
room； and are； more or less； forgotten。
〃That is the first interesting fact； and the second seems to me to be this：
that those who perished here in living memory all died at different places
in the room； and so died that their deaths could not be immediately and
undeviatingly traced to the bed。 Hardcastle； for example； as you have
related his conversation； did not associate the death of poor Captain May
with that of the lady of the hospital eleven years befor