"
I bowed my head. "For us who knew Hugo that goes without saying."
She leaned forward eagerly. "Dr. Sebastian has pointed out to me a line
of defence which would probably succeed--if we could only induce poor
Hugo to adopt it. He has examined the blade and scabbard, and finds that
the dagger fits its sheath very tight, so that it can only be withdrawn
with considerable violence. The blade sticks." (I nodded again.) "It
needs a hard pull to wrench it out.... He has also inspected the
wound, and assures me its character is such that it MIGHT have been
self-inflicted." She paused now and again, and brought out her words
with difficulty. "Self-inflicted, he suggests; therefore, that THIS may
have happened. It is admitted--WILL be admitted--the servants overheard
it--we can make no reservation there--a difference of opinion, an
altercation, even, took place between Hugo and Clara that evening"--she
started suddenly--"why, it was only last night--it seems like ages--an
altercation about the children's schooling. Clara held strong views on
the subject of the children"--her eyes blinked hard--"which Hugo did not
share. We throw out the hint, then, that Clara, during the course of the
dispute--we must call it a dispute--accidentally took up this dagger and
toyed with it.
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