Ben shrank back against the wall. “I seen nothing,” he said. “I want to stay home. I’m not going to the asylum. I never seen you. Never before. I never seen you and she in the woods.” He began to blubber like a child.
“You crazy little rat,” said Favell slowly, “you bloody crazy little rat.”
Ben was wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his coat.
“Your witness does not seem to have helped you,” said Colonel Julyan. “The performance has been rather a waste of time, hasn’t it? Do you want to ask him anything else?”
“It’s a plot,” shouted Favell. “A plot against me. You’re all in it, every one of you. Someone’s paid this halfwit, I tell you. Paid him to tell his string of dirty lies.”
“I think Ben might be allowed to go home,” said Colonel Julyan.
“All right, Ben,” said Maxim. “Robert shall take you back. And no one will put you in the asylum, don’t be afraid. Tell Robert to find him something in the kitchen,” he added to Frank. “Some cold meat, whatever he fancies.”
“Payment for services rendered, eh?” said Favell. “He’s done a good day’s work for you, Max, hasn’t he?”
Frank took Ben out of the room. Colonel Julyan glanced at Maxim. “The fellow appeared to be scared stiff,” he said; “he was shaking like a leaf. I was watching him. He’s never been ill-treated, has he?”
“No,” said Maxim, “he’s perfectly harmless, and I’ve always let him have the run of the place.”
“He’s been frightened at sometime,” said Colonel Julyan. “He was showing the whites of his eyes, just like a dog does when you’re going to whip him.”
“Well, why didn’t you?” said Favell. “He’d have remembered me all right if you’d whipped him. Oh, no, he’s going to be given a good supper for his work tonight. Ben’s not going to be whipped.”
“He has not helped your case, has he?” said Colonel Julyan quietly; “we’re still where we were. You can’t produce one shred of evidence against de Winter and you know it. The very motive you gave won’t stand the test. In a court of law, Favell, you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. You say you were Mrs. de Winter’s prospective husband, and that you held clandestine meetings with her in that cottage on the beach. Even the poor idiot we have just had in this room swears he never saw you. You can’t even prove your own story, can you?”
“Can’t I?” said Favell. I saw him smile. He came across to the fireplace and rang the bell.
“What are you doing?” said Colonel Julyan.
“Wait a moment and you’ll see,” said Favell.
I guessed already what was going to happen. Frith answered the bell.
“Ask Mrs. Danvers to come here,” said Favell.
Frith glanced at Maxim. Maxim nodded shortly.
Frith went out of the room. “Isn’t Mrs. Danvers the housekeeper?” said Colonel Julyan.
“She was also Rebecca’s personal friend,” said Favell. “She was with her for years before she married and practically brought her up. You are going to find Danny a very different sort of witness to Ben.”
Frank came back into the room. “Packed Ben off to bed?” said Favell. “Given him his supper and told him he was a good boy? This time it won’t be quite so easy for the trade union.”
“Mrs. Danvers is coming down,” said Colonel Julyan. “Favell seems to think he will get something out of her.”
Frank glanced quickly at Maxim. Colonel Julyan saw the glance. I saw his lips tighten. I did not like it. No, I did not like it. I began biting my nails.
We all waited, watching the door. And Mrs. Danvers came into the room. Perhaps it was because I had generally seen her alone, and beside me she had seemed tall and gaunt, but she looked shrunken now in size, more wizened, and I noticed she had to look up to Favell and to Frank and Maxim. She stood by the door, her hands folded in front of her, looking from one to the other of us.
“Good evening, Mrs. Danvers,” said Colonel Julyan.
“Good evening, sir,” she said.
Her voice was that old, dead, mechanical one I had heard so often.
“First of all, Mrs. Danvers, I want to ask you a question,” said Colonel Julyan, “and the question is this. Were you aware of the relationship between the late Mrs. de Winter and Mr. Favell here?”
“They were first cousins,” said Mrs. Danvers.