The Moonstone - Page 90/404

Superintendent Seegrave's respect for the Sergeant was great; but his

respect for himself was greater still. Hit hard by the celebrated Cuff,

he hit back smartly, to the best of his ability, on leaving the room.

"I have abstained from expressing any opinion, so far," says Mr.

Superintendent, with his military voice still in good working order. "I

have now only one remark to offer on leaving this case in your hands.

There IS such a thing, Sergeant, as making a mountain out of a molehill.

Good morning."

"There is also such a thing as making nothing out of a molehill, in

consequence of your head being too high to see it." Having returned

his brother-officer's compliments in those terms, Sergeant Cuff wheeled

about, and walked away to the window by himself.

Mr. Franklin and I waited to see what was coming next. The Sergeant

stood at the window with his hands in his pockets, looking out, and

whistling the tune of "The Last Rose of Summer" softly to himself. Later

in the proceedings, I discovered that he only forgot his manners so far

as to whistle, when his mind was hard at work, seeing its way inch

by inch to its own private ends, on which occasions "The Last Rose of

Summer" evidently helped and encouraged him. I suppose it fitted in

somehow with his character. It reminded him, you see, of his favourite

roses, and, as HE whistled it, it was the most melancholy tune going.

Turning from the window, after a minute or two, the Sergeant walked into

the middle of the room, and stopped there, deep in thought, with his

eyes on Miss Rachel's bed-room door. After a little he roused himself,

nodded his head, as much as to say, "That will do," and, addressing me,

asked for ten minutes' conversation with my mistress, at her ladyship's

earliest convenience.

Leaving the room with this message, I heard Mr. Franklin ask the

Sergeant a question, and stopped to hear the answer also at the

threshold of the door.

"Can you guess yet," inquired Mr. Franklin, "who has stolen the

Diamond?"

"NOBODY HAS STOLEN THE DIAMOND," answered Sergeant Cuff.

We both started at that extraordinary view of the case, and both

earnestly begged him to tell us what he meant.

"Wait a little," said the Sergeant. "The pieces of the puzzle are not

all put together yet."