"Not in the rural pockets of the land. What do you say, Mark?"

"I think perhaps you're right," I said slowly. "Though I wouldn't really know. I've never lived in the country much." really know. I've never lived in the country much."

"I don't see how you could produce the witches as ordinary old women," said Hermia, reverting to David's earlier remark. "They women," said Hermia, reverting to David's earlier remark. "They must have a supernatural atmosphere about them, surely." must have a supernatural atmosphere about them, surely."

"Oh, but just think," said David. "It's rather like madness. If you have someone who raves and staggers about with straws in their have someone who raves and staggers about with straws in their hair and looks mad, it's not frightening at all! But I remember being hair and looks mad, it's not frightening at all! But I remember being sent once with a message to a doctor at a mental home and I was sent once with a message to a doctor at a mental home and I was shown into a room to wait, and there was a nice elderly lady there, shown into a room to wait, and there was a nice elderly lady there, sipping a glass of milk. She made some conventional remark about sipping a glass of milk. She made some conventional remark about the weather and then suddenly she leaned forward and asked in a the weather and then suddenly she leaned forward and asked in a low voice: low voice: "'Is it your poor child who's buried there behind the fireplace?' And then she nodded her head and said, 'Twelve-ten exactly. It's always then she nodded her head and said, 'Twelve-ten exactly. It's always at the same time every day. Pretend you don't notice the blood.' at the same time every day. Pretend you don't notice the blood.'

"It was the matter-of-fact way she said it that was so spine-chilling."

"Was there really someone buried behind the fireplace?" Poppy wanted to know. wanted to know.

David ignored her and went on: "Then take mediums. At one moment trances, darkened rooms, knocks and raps. Afterwards the medium sits up, pats her hair and knocks and raps. Afterwards the medium sits up, pats her hair and goes home to a meal of fish and chips, just an ordinary, quite jolly goes home to a meal of fish and chips, just an ordinary, quite jolly woman." woman."

"So your idea of the witches," I said, "is three old Scottish crones with second sight - who practise their arts in secret, muttering their with second sight - who practise their arts in secret, muttering their spells round a cauldron, conjuring up spirits, but remaining spells round a cauldron, conjuring up spirits, but remaining themselves just an ordinary trio of old women. Yes - it could be themselves just an ordinary trio of old women. Yes - it could be impressive." impressive."

"If you could ever get any actors to play it that way," said Hermia dryly. dryly.

"You have something there," admitted David. "Any hint of madness in the script and an actor is immediately determined to go to town in the script and an actor is immediately determined to go to town on it! The same with sudden deaths. No actor can just quietly on it! The same with sudden deaths. No actor can just quietly collapse and fall down dead. He has to groan, stagger, roll his eyes, collapse and fall down dead. He has to groan, stagger, roll his eyes, gasp, clutch his heart, clutch his head, and make a terrific gasp, clutch his heart, clutch his head, and make a terrific performance of it. Talking of performances, what did you think of performance of it. Talking of performances, what did you think of Fielding's Macbeth? Great division of opinion among the critics." Fielding's Macbeth? Great division of opinion among the critics."

"I thought it was terrific," said Hermia. "That scene with the doctor, after the sleepwalking scene. 'Canst thou not minister to a mind after the sleepwalking scene. 'Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd.' He made clear what I'd never thought of before - that he diseas'd.' He made clear what I'd never thought of before - that he was really ordering the doctor to kill her. And yet he loved his wife. was really ordering the doctor to kill her. And yet he loved his wife. He brought out the struggle between his fear and his love. That He brought out the struggle between his fear and his love. That 'Thou shouldst have died hereafter' was the most poignant thing I've ever known." I've ever known."

"Shakespeare might get a few surprises if he saw his plays acted nowadays," I said dryly. nowadays," I said dryly.

"Burbage and Company had already quenched a good deal of his spirit, I suspect," said David. spirit, I suspect," said David.

Hermia murmured: "The eternal surprise of the author at what the producer has done to him." to him."

"Didn't somebody called Bacon really write Shakespeare?" asked Poppy. Poppy.

"That theory is quite out of date nowadays," said David kindly. "And what do you know of Bacon?" what do you know of Bacon?"

"He invented gunpowder," said Poppy triumphantly.

David looked at us.

"You see why I love this girl?" he said. "The things she knows are always so unexpected. Francis, not Roger, my love." always so unexpected. Francis, not Roger, my love."

"I thought it interesting," said Hermia, "that Fielding played the part of Third Murderer. Is there a precedent for that?" of Third Murderer. Is there a precedent for that?"

"I believe so," said David. "How convenient it must have been in those times," he went on, "to be able to call up a handy murderer those times," he went on, "to be able to call up a handy murderer whenever you wanted a little job done. Fun if one could do it whenever you wanted a little job done. Fun if one could do it nowadays." nowadays."

"But it is done," protested Hermia. "Gangsters. Hoods, or whatever you call them. Chicago and all that." you call them. Chicago and all that."

"Ah," said David. "But what I meant was not gangsterdom, not racketeers or Crime Barons. Just ordinary everyday folk who want racketeers or Crime Barons. Just ordinary everyday folk who want to get rid of someone. That business rival; Aunt Emily, so rich and to get rid of someone. That business rival; Aunt Emily, so rich and so unfortunately long-lived; that awkward husband always in the so unfortunately long-lived; that awkward husband always in the way. How convenient if you could ring up Harrods and say, 'Please way. How convenient if you could ring up Harrods and say, 'Please send along two good murderers, will you?'" send along two good murderers, will you?'"

We all laughed.

"But one can do that in a way, can't one?" said Poppy.

We turned towards her.

"What way, poppet?" asked David.

"Well, I mean, people can do that if they want to... People like us, as you said. Only I believe it's very expensive." you said. Only I believe it's very expensive."

Poppy's eyes were wide and ingenuous, her lips were slightly parted. parted.

"What do you mean?" asked David curiously.

Poppy looked confused.

"Oh - I expect - I've got it mixed. I meant the Pale Horse. All that sort of thing." of thing."

"A pale horse? What kind of a pale horse?"

Poppy flushed and her eyes dropped.

"I'm being stupid. It's just something someone mentioned - but I must have got it all wrong." must have got it all wrong."

"Have some lovely Coupe Nesselrode," said David kindly.

II.

One of the oddest things in life, as we all know, is the way that when you have heard a thing mentioned, within twenty-four hours you you have heard a thing mentioned, within twenty-four hours you nearly always come across it again. I had an instance of that the nearly always come across it again. I had an instance of that the next morning. next morning.

My telephone rang and I answered it.

"Flaxman 73841."

A kind of gasp came through the phone. Then a voice said breathlessly but defiantly: breathlessly but defiantly: "I've thought about it, and I'll come!"

I cast round wildly in my mind.

"Splendid," I said, stalling for time. "Er - is that -"

"After all," said the voice, "lightning never strikes twice."

"Are you sure you've got the right number?"

"Of course I have. You're Mark Easterbrook, aren't you?"

"Got it!" I said. "Mrs Oliver."

"Oh," said the voice, surprised. "Didn't you know who I was? I never thought of that. It's about that f thought of that. It's about that fte of Rhoda's. I'll come and sign books if she wants me to." books if she wants me to."

"That's frightfully nice of you. They'll put you up, of course."

"There won't be parties, will there?" asked Mrs Oliver apprehensively. apprehensively.

"You know the kind of thing," she went on. "People coming up to me and saying am I writing something just now - when you'd think they and saying am I writing something just now - when you'd think they could see I'm drinking ginger ale or tomato juice and not writing at could see I'm drinking ginger ale or tomato juice and not writing at all. And saying they like my books - which of course is pleasing, but all. And saying they like my books - which of course is pleasing, but I've never found the right answer. If you say 'I'm so glad' it sounds I've never found the right answer. If you say 'I'm so glad' it sounds like 'Pleased to meet you.' A kind of stock phrase. Well, it is, of like 'Pleased to meet you.' A kind of stock phrase. Well, it is, of course. And you don't think they'll want me to go out to the Pink course. And you don't think they'll want me to go out to the Pink Horse and have drinks?" Horse and have drinks?"

"The Pink Horse?"

"Well, the Pale Horse. Pubs, I mean. I'm so bad in pubs. I can just drink beer at a pinch, but it makes me terribly gurgly." drink beer at a pinch, but it makes me terribly gurgly."

"Just what do you mean by the Pale Horse?"

"There's a pub called that down there, isn't there? Or perhaps I do mean the Pink Horse? Or perhaps that's somewhere else. I may mean the Pink Horse? Or perhaps that's somewhere else. I may have just imagined it. I do imagine quite a lot of things." have just imagined it. I do imagine quite a lot of things."

"How's the cockatoo getting on?" I asked.

"The cockatoo?" Mrs Oliver sounded at sea.

"And the cricket ball?"

"Really," said Mrs Oliver with dignity. "I think you must be mad or have a hangover or something. Pink Horses and cockatoos and have a hangover or something. Pink Horses and cockatoos and cricket balls." cricket balls."

She rang off.

I was still considering this second mention of the Pale Horse when my telephone rang again. my telephone rang again.

This time, it was Mr Soames White, a distinguished solicitor who rang up to remind me that under the will of my godmother, Lady rang up to remind me that under the will of my godmother, Lady Hesketh-Dubois, I was entitled to choose three of her pictures. Hesketh-Dubois, I was entitled to choose three of her pictures.

"There is nothing outstandingly valuable, of course," said Mr Soames White in his defeatist melancholy tones. "But I understand Soames White in his defeatist melancholy tones. "But I understand that at some time you expressed admiration of some of the pictures that at some time you expressed admiration of some of the pictures to the deceased." to the deceased."

"She had some very charming watercolors of Indian scenes," I said.

"I believe you already have written to me about this matter, but I'm afraid it slipped my memory." afraid it slipped my memory."

"Quite so," said Mr Soames White. "But probate has now been granted, and the executors, of whom I am one, are arranging for the granted, and the executors, of whom I am one, are arranging for the sale of the effects of her London house. If you could go round to sale of the effects of her London house. If you could go round to Ellesmere Square in the near future -" Ellesmere Square in the near future -"

"I'll go now," I said.

It seemed an unfavourable morning for work.

III.

Carrying the three watercolors of my choice under my arm, I emerged from Forty-nine Ellesmere Square and immediately emerged from Forty-nine Ellesmere Square and immediately cannoned into someone coming up the steps to the front door. I apologized, received apologies in return, and was just about to hail apologized, received apologies in return, and was just about to hail a passing taxi when something clicked in my mind and I turned a passing taxi when something clicked in my mind and I turned sharply to ask: sharply to ask: "Hallo - isn't it Corrigan?"

"It is - and - yes - you're Mark Easterbrook!"

Jim Corrigan and I had been friends in our Oxford days, but it must have been fifteen years or more since we had last met. have been fifteen years or more since we had last met.

"Thought I knew you, but couldn't place you for the moment," said Corrigan. "I read your articles now and again and enjoy them, I may Corrigan. "I read your articles now and again and enjoy them, I may say." say."

"What about you? Have you gone in for research as you meant to do?" do?"

Corrigan sighed.

"Hardly. It's an expensive job - if you want to strike out on your own. Unless you can find a tame millionaire, or a suggestible Trust." Unless you can find a tame millionaire, or a suggestible Trust."

"Liver flukes, wasn't it?"

"What a memory! No, I went off liver flukes. The properties of the secretions of the Mandarian glands; that's my present-day interest secretions of the Mandarian glands; that's my present-day interest You wouldn't have heard of them! Connected with the spleen. You wouldn't have heard of them! Connected with the spleen. Apparently serving no purpose whatever!" Apparently serving no purpose whatever!"

He spoke with a scientist's enthusiasm.

"What's the big idea, then?"

"Well," Corrigan sounded apologetic. "I have a theory that they may influence behaviour. To put it very crudely, they may act rather as influence behaviour. To put it very crudely, they may act rather as the fluid in your car brakes does. No fluid - the brakes don't act. In the fluid in your car brakes does. No fluid - the brakes don't act. In human beings, a deficiency in these secretions might - I only say human beings, a deficiency in these secretions might - I only say might - make you a criminal." might - make you a criminal."

I whistled.

"And what happens to Original Sin?"

"What indeed?" said Dr Corrigan. "The parsons wouldn't like it, would they? I haven't been able to interest anyone in my theory, would they? I haven't been able to interest anyone in my theory, unfortunately. So I'm a police surgeon, in N.W. division. Quite unfortunately. So I'm a police surgeon, in N.W. division. Quite interesting. One sees a lot of criminal types. But I won't bore you interesting. One sees a lot of criminal types. But I won't bore you with shop - unless you'll come and have some lunch with me?" with shop - unless you'll come and have some lunch with me?"

"I'd like to. But you were going in there," I nodded towards the house behind Corrigan. house behind Corrigan.

"Not really," said Corrigan. "I was just going to gate-crash. "

"There's nobody there but a caretaker."

"So I imagined. But I wanted to find out something about the late Lady Hesketh-Dubois if I could." Lady Hesketh-Dubois if I could."

"I dare say I can tell you more than a caretaker could. She was my godmother." godmother."

"Was she indeed? That's a bit of luck. Where shall we go to feed?

There's a little place off Lowndes Square; not grand, but they do a special kind of seafood soup." special kind of seafood soup."

We settled ourselves in the little restaurant. A cauldron of steaming soup was brought to us by a pale-faced lad in French sailor soup was brought to us by a pale-faced lad in French sailor trousers. trousers.

"Delicious," I said, sampling the soup. "Now then, Corrigan, what do you want to know about the old lady? And incidentally, why?" do you want to know about the old lady? And incidentally, why?"

"Why's rather a long story," said my friend. "First tell me what kind of an old lady she was?" of an old lady she was?"

I considered.

"She was an old-fashioned type," I said. "Victorian. Widow of an ex- Governor of some obscure island. She was rich and liked her Governor of some obscure island. She was rich and liked her comfort. Went abroad in the winters to Estoril and places like that. comfort. Went abroad in the winters to Estoril and places like that. Her house is hideous, full of Victorian furniture and the worst and Her house is hideous, full of Victorian furniture and the worst and most ornate kind of Victorian silver. She had no children, but kept a most ornate kind of Victorian silver. She had no children, but kept a couple of fairly well-behaved poodles which she loved dearly. She couple of fairly well-behaved poodles which she loved dearly. She was opinionated and a staunch Conservative. Kindly, but was opinionated and a staunch Conservative. Kindly, but autocratic. Very set in her ways. What more do you want to know?"

"I'm not quite sure," said Corrigan. "Was she ever likely to have been blackmailed, would you say?" been blackmailed, would you say?"

"Blackmailed?" I asked in lively astonishment. "I can imagine nothing more unlikely. What is this all about?" nothing more unlikely. What is this all about?"

It was then I heard for the first time of the circumstances of Father Gorman's murder. Gorman's murder.

I laid down my spoon and asked: "This list of names? Have you got it?"