The Moonstone

In putting this difficulty to Mr. Murthwaite, I thought it right to add

that I had heard of the little boy, and the drop of ink, and the rest of

it, and that any explanation based on the theory of clairvoyance was

an explanation which would carry no conviction whatever with it, to MY

mind.

"Nor to mine either," said Mr. Murthwaite. "The clairvoyance in

this case is simply a development of the romantic side of the Indian

character. It would be refreshment and an encouragement to those

men--quite inconceivable, I grant you, to the English mind--to surround

their wearisome and perilous errand in this country with a certain halo

of the marvellous and the supernatural. Their boy is unquestionably a

sensitive subject to the mesmeric influence--and, under that influence,

he has no doubt reflected what was already in the mind of the person

mesmerising him. I have tested the theory of clairvoyance--and I have

never found the manifestations get beyond that point. The Indians don't

investigate the matter in this way; the Indians look upon their boy as

a Seer of things invisible to their eyes--and, I repeat, in that marvel

they find the source of a new interest in the purpose that unites them.

I only notice this as offering a curious view of human character,

which must be quite new to you. We have nothing whatever to do with

clairvoyance, or with mesmerism, or with anything else that is hard of

belief to a practical man, in the inquiry that we are now pursuing. My

object in following the Indian plot, step by step, is to trace results

back, by rational means, to natural causes. Have I succeeded to your

satisfaction so far?"

"Not a doubt of it, Mr. Murthwaite! I am waiting, however, with some

anxiety, to hear the rational explanation of the difficulty which I have

just had the honour of submitting to you."

Mr. Murthwaite smiled. "It's the easiest difficulty to deal with of

all," he said. "Permit me to begin by admitting your statement of the

case as a perfectly correct one. The Indians were undoubtedly not aware

of what Mr. Franklin Blake had done with the Diamond--for we find them

making their first mistake, on the first night of Mr. Blake's arrival at

his aunt's house."

"Their first mistake?" I repeated.

"Certainly! The mistake of allowing themselves to be surprised, lurking

about the terrace at night, by Gabriel Betteredge. However, they had the

merit of seeing for themselves that they had taken a false step--for, as

you say, again, with plenty of time at their disposal, they never came

near the house for weeks afterwards."

"Why, Mr. Murthwaite? That's what I want to know! Why?"

"Because no Indian, Mr. Bruff, ever runs an unnecessary risk. The clause

you drew in Colonel Herncastle's Will, informed them (didn't it?) that

the Moonstone was to pass absolutely into Miss Verinder's possession on

her birthday. Very well. Tell me which was the safest course for men in

their position? To make their attempt on the Diamond while it was under

the control of Mr. Franklin Blake, who had shown already that he could

suspect and outwit them? Or to wait till the Diamond was at the disposal

of a young girl, who would innocently delight in wearing the magnificent

jewel at every possible opportunity? Perhaps you want a proof that my

theory is correct? Take the conduct of the Indians themselves as the

proof. They appeared at the house, after waiting all those weeks,

on Miss Verinder's birthday; and they were rewarded for the patient

accuracy of their calculations by seeing the Moonstone in the bosom of

her dress! When I heard the story of the Colonel and the Diamond, later

in the evening, I felt so sure about the risk Mr. Franklin Blake had run

(they would have certainly attacked him, if he had not happened to ride

back to Lady Verinder's in the company of other people); and I was so

strongly convinced of the worse risk still, in store for Miss Verinder,

that I recommended following the Colonel's plan, and destroying the

identity of the gem by having it cut into separate stones. How its

extraordinary disappearance that night, made my advice useless, and

utterly defeated the Hindoo plot--and how all further action on the part

of the Indians was paralysed the next day by their confinement in prison

as rogues and vagabonds--you know as well as I do. The first act in

the conspiracy closes there. Before we go on to the second, may I

ask whether I have met your difficulty, with an explanation which is

satisfactory to the mind of a practical man?"