“Come along, now,” said Fox. “You don’t want to be talking like that.”
As they went out, Jonathan and Hersey saw the ambulance van outside by the police car, and men with stretchers waiting to come in.
“He’d made up his mind to do it somehow, Jo,” said Hersey that afternoon. “You mustn’t blame yourself too much.”
“I do blame myself dreadfully,” said Jonathan. He had taken off his glasses and his myopic eyes, blurred with tears, looked childlike and helpless. “It’s just as you said, Hersey. I had to learn my lesson. You see—I thought I’d have a dramatic party.”
“Oh, Jo,” cried Hersey, with a sob that was almost a laugh. “Don’t.”
“I did. That was my plan. I thought Aubrey might make a poetic drama out of it. I’m a mischievous, selfish fellow, trying to amuse myself and never thinking—just as you said, my dear.”
“I talk too much. I was cross. You couldn’t know what was behind it all.”
“No. I think perhaps I do these things because I’m a bit lonely.”
Hersey reached out her hand and he took it uncertainly between both of his. For a long time they sat in silence, looking at the fire.
“What you’ve got to do,” said Mandrake, “is to think about other things. Get a new interest. Me, for instance.”
Mandrake removed his left hand from the driving wheel.
All the characters and events portrayed in this work are fictitious.
DEATH AND THE DANCING FOOTMAN
A Felony & Mayhem “Vintage” mystery
PUBLISHING HISTORY
First U.S. print edition (Little, Brown): 1941
First U.K. print edition (Collins): 1942
Felony & Mayhem electronic edition: 2012
Copyright © 1941, 1969 by Ngaio Marsh
All rights reserved
E-book ISBN: 978-1-937384-26-5
You’re reading a book in the Felony & Mayhem “Vintage” category. These books were originally published prior to about 1965, and feature the kind of twisty, ingenious puzzles beloved by fans of Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr. If you enjoy this book, you may well like other “Vintage” titles from Felony & Mayhem Press.
“Vintage” titles available as e-books:
The Poisoned Chocolates Case, by Anthony Berkeley
The “Henry Gamadge” series, by Elizabeth Daly
The “Roderick Alleyn” series, by Ngaio Marsh
“Vintage” titles available as print books:
The “Albert Campion” series, by Margery Allingham
For more about these books, and other Felony & Mayhem titles, please visit our website:
FelonyAndMayhem.com
For Mivie and Greg with my love