The Moonstone - Page 190/404

No--not everybody. It had not baffled Sergeant Cuff. I was about to

mention this, with all possible mildness, and with every necessary

protest against being supposed to cast a slur upon Rachel--when the

servant came in to say that the doctor had gone, and that my aunt was

waiting to receive us.

This stopped the discussion. Mr. Bruff collected his papers, looking a

little exhausted by the demands which our conversation had made on him.

I took up my bag-full of precious publications, feeling as if I

could have gone on talking for hours. We proceeded in silence to Lady

Verinder's room.

Permit me to add here, before my narrative advances to other events,

that I have not described what passed between the lawyer and me,

without having a definite object in view. I am ordered to include in my

contribution to the shocking story of the Moonstone a plain disclosure,

not only of the turn which suspicion took, but even of the names of the

persons on whom suspicion rested, at the time when the Indian Diamond

was believed to be in London. A report of my conversation in the library

with Mr. Bruff appeared to me to be exactly what was wanted to answer

this purpose--while, at the same time, it possessed the great moral

advantage of rendering a sacrifice of sinful self-esteem essentially

necessary on my part. I have been obliged to acknowledge that my fallen

nature got the better of me. In making that humiliating confession, I

get the better of my fallen nature. The moral balance is restored; the

spiritual atmosphere feels clear once more. Dear friends, we may go on

again.