Part 43 (1/2)
”Then look at me. I am Mr. Arthur Jellicoe.”
”I hold a warrant for your arrest, Mr. Jellicoe. You are charged with the murder of Mr. John Bellingham, whose body has just been discovered in the British Museum.”
”By whom?”
”By Doctor Thornd.y.k.e.”
”Indeed,” said Mr. Jellicoe. ”Is he here?”
”Yes.”
”Ha! And you wish to arrest me, I presume?”
”Yes. That is what I am here for.”
”Well, I will agree to surrender myself subject to certain conditions.”
”I can't make any conditions, Mr. Jellicoe.”
”No. I will make them, and you will accept them. Otherwise you will not arrest me.”
”It's no use for you to talk like that,” said Badger. ”If you don't let me in I shall have to break in. And I may as well tell you,” he added mendaciously, ”that the house is surrounded.”
”You may accept my a.s.surance,” Mr. Jellicoe replied calmly, ”that you will not arrest me if you do not accept my conditions.”
”Well, what are your conditions?” demanded Badger impatiently.
”I desire to make a statement,” said Mr. Jellicoe.
”You can do that, but I must caution you that anything you say may be used in evidence against you.”
”Naturally. But I wish to make the statement in the presence of Doctor Thornd.y.k.e, and I desire to hear a statement from him of the method of investigation by which he discovered the whereabouts of the body. That is to say, if he is willing.”
”If you mean that we should mutually enlighten one another, I am very willing indeed,” said Thornd.y.k.e.
”Very well. Then my conditions, Inspector, are that I shall hear Doctor Thornd.y.k.e's statement and that I shall be permitted to make a statement myself, and that until those statements are completed, with any necessary interrogation and discussion, I shall remain at liberty and shall suffer no molestation or interference of any kind. And I agree that, on the conclusion of the said proceedings, I will submit without resistance to any course that you may adopt.”
”I can't agree to that,” said Badger.
”Can't you?” said Mr. Jellicoe coldly; and, after a pause, he added: ”Don't be hasty. I have given you full warning.”
There was something in Mr. Jellicoe's pa.s.sionless tone that disturbed the inspector exceedingly, for he turned to Thornd.y.k.e and said in a low tone:
”I wonder what his game is? He can't get away, you know.”
”There are several possibilities,” said Thornd.y.k.e.
”M'yes,” said Badger, stroking his chin perplexedly.
”After all, is there any objection? His statement might save trouble, and you'd be on the safe side. It would take you some time to break in.”