om. A chair, on which DE LEVIS's clothes are
thrown, stands at its foot. There is a dressing-table against the
wall to the left of the open windows, where the curtains are
drawn back and a stone balcony is seen. Against the wall to the
right of the window is a chest of drawers, and a washstand is
against the wall, Left. On a small table to the right of the bed
an electric reading lamp is turned up, and there is a light over
the dressing-table. The INSPECTOR is standing plumb centre
looking at the bed, and DE LEVIS by the back of the chair at the
foot of the bed. WINSOR and CANYNGE are close to the door, Right
Forward.

INSPECTOR. [Finishing a note] Now, sir, if this is the room as you left
it for your bath, just show us exactly what you did after takin' the
pocket-book from the suit case. Where was that, by the way?

DE LEVIS. [Pointing] Where it is now--under the dressing-table.

He comes forward to the front of the chair, opens the pocket-book,
goes through the pretence of counting his shaving papers, closes the
pocket-book, takes it to the head of the bed and slips it under the
pillow. Makes the motion of taking up his pyjamas, crosses below
the INSPECTOR to the washstand, takes up a bath sponge, crosses to
the door, takes out the key, opens the door.

INSPECTOR. [Writing]. We now have the room as it was when the theft was
committed. Reconstruct accordin' to 'uman nature, gentlemen--assumin'
the thief to be in the room, what would he try first?--the clothes, the
dressin'-table, the suit case, the chest of drawers, and last the bed.

He moves accordingly, examining the glass on the dressing-table, the
surface of the suit cases, and the handles of the drawers, with a
spy-glass, for finger-marks.

CANYNGE. [Sotto voce to WINSOR] The order would have been just the
other way.

The INSPECTOR goes on hands and knees and examines the carpet
between the window and the bed.

DE LEVIS. Can I come in again?

INSPECTOR. [Standing up] Did you open the window, sir, or was it open
when you first came in?

DE LEVIS. I opened it.

INSPECTOR. Drawin' the curtains back first?

DE LEVIS. Yes.

INSPECTOR. [Sharply] Are you sure there was nobody in the room already?

DE LEVIS. [Taken aback] I don't know. I never thought. I didn't look
under the bed, if you mean that.

INSPECTOR. [Jotting]