If only his teeth would stop chattering he would enjoy being in bed, watching flames mount in the fireplace, feeling the toddy set up a little system of warmth inside him. The hot bath had thawed his body, the hot bottles lay snug against his legs. Jonathan again held the glass to his lips.
“What happened?” asked Mandrake.
“After you fell, you mean? Nick looked out from the window of his dressing-room. He saw you and ran out. He can’t swim, you know, but he snatched up the inflated pelican — there are several in the pavilion — and threw it into the pool. By that time I fancy William and Hart were there. They arrived before Miss Wynne and myself. It appears that William had stripped off his overcoat and was going after you when you seized the improvised lifebuoy. When we arrived your arms were wreathed about its neck and you were fighting your way to the side. My dear Aubrey, I can’t tell you how distressed I am. Another sip, now, do.”
“Jonathan, somebody came behind me and thrust me forward.”
“But, my dear fellow—”
“I tell you they did. I can still feel the impact of their hands. I did not slip. Good God, Jonathan, I’m not romancing! I tell you I was deliberately thrown into that water.”
“Nicholas saw nobody,” said Jonathan uncomfortably. He primmed his lips and gave a little cough.
“When did he look out?” Mandrake said. “I know he saw me when I first got there. But afterwards?”
“Well — the first thing he saw was your cape — Dr. Hart’s cape, unhappily — on the surface of the water.”
“Exactly. Whoever pushed me in had by that time hidden himself. He had only to dodge over the embankment and duck down.”
“But we should have seen him,” said Jonathan.
“Hart and William Compline were already there when you arrived?”
“Yes, but—”
“Did they go down together to the pond?”
“I — no, I think not. Hart left by the front door and came by the other path, past the pavilion. William came by the west door.‘’
“Which of them arrived first? Thank God I’ve stopped chattering.”
“I don’t know. I persuaded Hart to go out. I managed to calm him down after that most unfortunate passage with Nicholas at breakfast. I don’t quite know how I managed it, but I did. I suggested he should go out for a — for a sort of breather, do you know — and I suppose he followed the path to the pavilion and was arrested by Nicholas’ shout for help. I myself heard Nicholas as I went to the west door. I overtook Miss Wynne, who was already on the terrace. When I reached the edge of the terrace, Hart and the two Complines were all by the pond. My dear Aubrey, I shall tire you if I go on at this rate. Finish your drink and try to go to sleep.”
“I don’t in the least want to go to sleep, Jonathan. Somebody has just tried to drown me and I do not find the experience conducive to slumber.”
“No?” murmured Jonathan unhappily.
“No. And don’t, I implore you, look as though I was mentally unhinged.”
“Well, you have had a shock. You may even have a slight fever. I don’t want to alarm you—”
“If you try to fob me off, I shall certainly run a frightful temperature. At the moment I assure you I am perfectly normal, and I tell you, Jonathan, somebody tried to drown me in your loathsome pond. I confess I should like to know who it was.”
“A thoughtless piece of foolery, perhaps,” mumbled Jonathan. Mandrake suddenly pointed a trembling finger at the mound in the bed-clothes made by his left foot.
“Does anyone but a moron play that sort of prank on a cripple?” he asked savagely.
“Oh, my dear fellow, I know, but—”
“Madame Lisse!” Mandrake cried. “She was to watch from her window. She must have seen.”
“You can’t see that end of the pool from her window,” said Jonathan, quickly. “It’s hidden by the yew tree on the terrace.”
“How do you know?”
“I do know. Yesterday, when I did her flowers, I noticed. I assure you.”
Mandrake looked at him. “Then whoever did it,” he said, “must have also known that she could not see him. Or else—”
There was a tap on the door.
“Come in,” cried Jonathan in a loud voice. “Come in.”
It was Nicholas Compline. “Look here,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind my butting in. I had to see Jonathan. Are you all right?”
“Thanks to you,” said Mandrake, “I believe I am.”
“Look here, I’m damn’ sorry I laughed.”
“It was infuriating, but I can’t quarrel with you. As we say in the provinces, you quite literally gave me the bird. Not the first time I have been so honoured, but certainly the first time I have welcomed it with both arms.”
“Jonathan,” said Nicholas, “you realize the significance of this business?”
“The significance, Nick?”
“It was done deliberately.”
“Just what I’ve been trying to tell Jonathan, Compline. My God, I was literally hurled into that water. I’m sorry to dwell on a tiresome subject, but somebody tried to drown me.”
“No, they didn’t.”
“What!”
“They tried to drown me.”
“Here,” shouted Mandrake, “what the hell d’you mean?”
“Jonathan,” said Nicholas, “we’d better tell him about me and Hart.”
“Oh, that,” said Mandrake. “I know all about that.”
“May I ask how?”
“Need we go into it?”
“My dear Nick,” began Jonathan in a great hurry, “Mandrake noticed all was not well between you. The scene at the dinner table. The game of Charter. He asked me if I — if I—”
“Well, never mind,” Nicholas interrupted impatiently. “You know he’s been threatening me? All right. Now, let me tell you that as I went down to the pond I glanced up at the front of the house. You know the window on the first floor above the front door?”
“Yes,” said Jonathan.
“All right. He was watching me through that window.”
“But, my dear Nick—”
“He was watching me. He saw me go down wearing that cape. He didn’t see Mandrake go down wearing the other cape, because Mandrake went out at the west door. Don’t interrupt me, Jonathan, this is serious. When Mandrake was shoved overboard, he was standing up to his hocks in snow on the kerb of the pool, with that embankment hiding his legs from anybody that came up from behind. You had the hood pulled over your head, I suppose, Mandrake?”
“Yes.”
“Yes. Well, it was Hart shoved you overboard, and Hart thought he was doing me in, by God.”
“But Nick, we must keep our heads and not rush impetuously into conclusions—”
“See here,” said Nicholas, always to Mandrake. “Had anybody in this party reason to wish you any harm?”
“I’d never met one of them in my life before. Except Jonathan, of course.”
“And I can assure you, my dear Aubrey, that I entertain only the kindest—”
“Of course.”
“Well, then!” said Nicholas.
“I believe you’re right,” cried Mandrake.
The door opened and Dr. Hart came in.
Nicholas, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, sprang up and walked out of the room. Jonathan uttered a series of little consolatory noises and moved to the window. Hart went to the bed and laid his fingers on Mandrake’s wrist.
“You are better?” he said. “That is right. It will be well to remain in bed to-day, perhaps. There has been a little shock.” He looked placidly at Mandrake and repeated: “Just a little shock.”
“Yes,” said Mandrake. Hart turned to Jonathan. “If I might speak to you, Mr. Royal.”