The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Read Online Free PDF Page B

covered in dark blue leather. A large desk stood by the window and was covered with papers neatly docketed and filed. On a round table were various magazines and sporting papers.
    ‘I’ve had a return of that pain after food lately,’ remarked Ackroyd calmly, as he helped himself to coffee. ‘You must give me some more of those tablets of yours.’ It struck me that he was anxious to convey the impression that our conference was a medical one. I played up accordingly.
    ‘I thought as much. I brought some up with me.’ ‘Good man. Hand them over now.’ ‘They’re in my bag in the hall. I’ll get them.’ Ackroyd arrested me.
    ‘Don’t you trouble. Parker will get them. Bring in the doctor’s bag, will you, Parker?’ ‘Very good, sir.’ Parker withdrew. As I was about to speak, Ackroyd threw up his hand.
    ‘Not yet. Wait. Don’t you see I’m in such a state of nerves that I can hardly contain myself?’ I saw that plainly enough. And I was very uneasy. All sorts of forebodings assailed me.
    Ackroyd spoke again almost immediately.
    ‘Make certain that window’s closed, will you,’ he asked.
    Somewhat surprised, I got up and went to it. It was not a french window, but one of the ordinary sash type. The heavy blue velvet curtains were drawn in front of it, but the window itself was open at the top.
    Parker re-entered the room with my bag while I was still at the window.
    ‘That’s all right,’ I said, emerging again into the room.
    ‘You’ve put the latch across?’ ‘Yes, yes. What’s the matter with you, Ackroyd?’ The door had just closed behind Parker, or I would not have put the question.
    Ackroyd waited just a minute before replying.
    ‘I’m in hell,’ he said slowly, after a minute. ‘No, don’t bother with those damn tablets. I only said that for Parker. Servants are so curious. Come here and sit down. The door’s closed too, isn’t it?’ ‘Yes. Nobody can overhear; don\ be uneasy.’ ‘Sheppard, nobody knows? what I’ve gone through in the last twenty-four hours. If a- ^”^ house ever fell in ruin about him, mine has about ^le- This business of Ralph’s is the last straw. But we won’t talk about that now. It’s the other - the other -I I don’t know what to do about it. And I’ve got to make up my mind soc^11’What’s the trouble?’ Ackroyd remained silent ^ a minute or two. He seemed curiously averse to begin. VO^” he dld ^a^the question he asked came as a complete surprise. It was the last thing I expected.
    ‘Sheppard, you attended ^shiey Ferrars in his last illness, didn’t you?’ ‘Yes, I did.’ He seemed to find even greater difficulty in framing his next question.
    ‘Did you ever suspect - dS^ n ever enter your head -that well, that he might have be
    ‘I’ll tell you the truth,’ \ sald- ‘At the tlme \ had n0 suspicion whatever, but sino^ - well, it was mere idle talk on my sister’s part that first p-r1 the ldea into my head- Since then I haven’t been able to ^t rt out aga”1- Bm’ “““d Y^ I’ve no foundation whateve if for that suspicion.’ ‘He was poisoned,’ said ^-Ackroyd.
    He spoke in a dull heavy ‘voice- “Who by?’ I asked sharpMY- ‘His wife.’ ‘How do you know that?”‘ ‘She told me so herself.’ ‘When?’ ‘Yesterday! My God! yesterday! It seems ten years ago.’ I waited a minute, then M^ went on.
    ‘You understand, Shepperd’ rm telling V011 this m confidence.
    It’s to go no furtl-i^- 1 want your advice - I can’t carry the whole weight by r-flY^- As l said ‘^ ““w, I don’t know what to do.’ ‘Can you tell me the whole story?’ I said. ‘I’m still in the dark. How did Mrs Ferrars come to make this confession to you?’ ‘It’s like this. Three months ago I asked Mrs Ferrars to marry me. She refused. I asked her again and she consented, but she refused to allow me to make the engagement public until her year of mourning was up. Yesterday I called upon her, pointed out that a year and