ساعت

PART SIX

The Clock

Sybil Merton’s parents were very unhappy at the second postponement of the wedding. Sybil’s mother tried to persuade her daughter not to see Lord Arthur again. Sybil loved her mother but she trusted Lord Arthur completely and could never consider a life without him. Lord Arthur, too, was terribly disappointed. For several days he did not know what to do. Poison had not worked. Dynamite - something explosive - was the only solution.

So, he checked his list of names and decided to blow up his uncle, the Dean of Chichester. The Dean was a man of culture and had an impressive collection of clocks, ancient and modern. Lord Arthur thought that this hobby was an excellent opportunity for the murder. But where could he find an explosive clock?

Suddenly, he thought of his young Russian friend, Count Rouvaloff. They had met at one of Lady Windermere’s parties. The Russian was in England to study, but Lord Arthur knew that his friend had strong revolutionary ideas. Many people suspected that Rouvaloff was a secret agent. ‘He’s the right man,’ Lord Arthur thought.

One morning Lord Arthur visited Rouvaloff in Bloomsbury, where the Russian lived. ‘So you’ve become interested in politics?’ asked Count Rouvaloff. Lord Arthur replied that he had no interest in politics at all. ‘I want your help,’ said Lord Arthur, ‘I need some explosives.’

The Count looked at him with surprise. He then wrote an address on a piece of paper. ‘Scotland Yard would be very happy to have this address,’ Rouvaloff said.

‘They won’t have it,’ replied Lord Arthur, shaking his friend’s hand. He said goodbye. In the street, Lord Arthur looked at the piece of paper. His next destination was Soho.

Shortly after, he reached Soho and walked down Greek Street. He saw a small, green house. Lord Arthur knocked on the door. It was opened by a German called Winckelkopf.

‘Good morning,’ said Lord Arthur. ‘My name is Mr Robert Smith. Count Rouvaloff gave me your name. I need an explosive clock.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Lord Arthur,’ the man replied. ‘I saw you at one of Lady Windermere’s parties.’

Herr Winckelkopf offered Lord Arthur some excellent German wine. ‘Who do you want to kill?’ he asked.

‘The Dean of Chichester.’

‘Oh, dear! I didn’t think you had strong views against religion.’

‘I don’t,’ said Lord Arthur. ‘I know nothing about religion. The question is purely personal.’

The German showed Lord Arthur a small piece of dynamite and a pretty little clock.

‘Perfect!’ cried Lord Arthur. ‘How does it work?’

‘That is my secret,’ answered Winckelkopf. ‘You tell me when you want it to explode and I’ll set it for you.’

‘Friday at noon,’ said Lord Arthur. ‘The Dean is always at home at that time.’

Lord Arthur asked the price. The German accepted payment only for the dynamite, the clock and the transport to the Dean’s house. ‘And for your trouble?’ asked Lord Arthur.

‘I don’t work for money; I live for my art,’ the German said.

Lord Arthur waited for Friday in great excitement.

Finally the day arrived. At twelve o’clock, Lord Arthur waited in his club for news of an explosion, and the Dean of Chichester’s death. The news did not come.

Lord Arthur was very disappointed. The next day he visited Herr Winckelkopf. The German apologised. ‘Quality is such a problem these days,’ he said.

Two days later while at home his mother showed him a letter she had received from Chichester. ‘Your cousin Jane writes such amusing letters!’ she said.

Lord Arthur read this letter from the Dean of Chichester’s daughter.

My dearest Aunt,

Thank you for the material you sent me for my dressmaking. How kind you are!

What fun we have had this week. Last Thursday some unknown person sent my father a pretty little clock. It arrived from London. The sender is probably someone who admires my father. We put the clock on the mantelpiece in the library. Can you believe that it makes it makes little explosions? We think it is probably a very a very original type of alarm clock. My little brother, Reggie, has bought some gunpowder and plays with it all day. Daddy is a bit irritated by the noise!

Do you think Arthur would like one for a wedding present?

Daddy sends his love and so do my brothers, James and Reggy. Please give my regards to my cousin Arthur.

You affectionate,

Jane