Bonteen.
So far, Major Mackintosh and the two officers had told their story.
Then came the united story of the other gentlemen assembled,--from
hearing which, however, the two police officers were debarred. The
Duke and Barrington Erle had both dined in company with Phineas
Finn at Madame Goesler's, and the Duke was undoubtedly aware that
ill blood had existed between Finn and Mr. Bonteen. Both Erle and
Fitzgibbon described the quarrel at the club, and described also the
anger which Finn had expressed against the wretched man as he stood
talking at the club door. His gesture of vengeance was remembered and
repeated, though both the men who heard it expressed their strongest
conviction that the murder had not been committed by him. As Erle
remarked, the very expression of such a threat was almost proof that
he had not at that moment any intention on his mind of doing such a
deed as had been done. But they told also of the life-preserver which
Finn had shown them, as he took it from the pocket of his outside
coat, and they marvelled at the coincidences of the night.
Pages:
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778