noise
inside, we opened the door and came in to see what it was."

"What did you find?"

"Hawkesbury, working at the table where Mr Barnacle is now sitting."

"What occurred?"

I related precisely what had occurred, repeating as nearly as I could
the very words that had been used.

There was a silence, and then Mr Merrett, in his most solemn tones,
said, "Now, Batchelor, answer this question. You say you were here
before any one else arrived this morning?"

"Yes, sir. I had been here about five minutes before Hawkesbury came."

"What were you doing during that time?"

"I was working at my desk."

"You are quite sure?"

"Perfectly," said I, my cheeks burning and my heart swelling within me
to be thus spoken to by those whom, with all my faults, I had never once
so much as dreamt of deceiving.

"You did not enter this room?"

"No."

Mr Merrett touched his bell, and Hawkesbury appeared. I scarcely
wondered he should try to avoid my eye as he stood at the table waiting.

"Hawkesbury, repeat once more, in Batchelor's hearing, what you have
already told us."

He kept his head down and his face averted from me as he said, "I
arrived here at a quarter to nine this morning, and noticed the door of
this room open, and when I came to see who was there I saw Batchelor in
the act of shutting the safe. He did not notice me at first, not until
he was coming out of the room. I asked him what he was doing here. He
seemed very much disconcerted, and said he had been looking for some
papers he had left on Mr Barnacle's table the day before. I asked him
what he had been doing with the safe, and where he had got the key to
open it. He got into a great state, and begged me to say nothing about
it. I said I was bound to tell you what I had seen. Then he flew into
a rage, and told me he'd serve me out. I told him that wouldn't prevent
me doing what was right. Then he left the office, and didn't come back
till a quarter to ten."

All this Hawkesbury repeated glibly and hurriedly in a low voice. To
me, who stood by and heard it, it was a cowardly lie from beginning to
end. But to my employers, I felt, it must sound both businesslike and
straightforward; quite as straightforward, I feared, as my own equally
exact but tremblingly-spoken story.

"You hear what Hawkesbury says?" said Mr Merrett, turning to me.

I roused myself with an effort, and answered quietly, "Yes, sir."

"What have you to say to it?"