chapter 29 . the black candle Saturday night cellar party was on . the time was approaching midnight . Margot and Jasmine had left together shortly after ten . before doing so at Mr Copthorne &apos;s invitation they had spent a pleasant half hour with Con O&apos;Shea , Mr Butler and Mr Narain Khuma at a table for four . at another table nearby Mr Smith and two of his officers in plain clothes were quietly chatting together . ordinary members had quitted the club premises which appeared to be closed and only Percy , weary and fed up was compelled to stay in his ill-lit little cubby hole still on duty after hours until Mr Herman gave him permission to depart . saturnalia was about to proceed within that profane cellar . a black cock and a white hen had passed through the flames and to quench the unpleasant stink of burnt carcases and feathers , Mr Copthorne in his purple and scarlet bardic robes and peculiar turbanned headdress , had been swinging about an incense censer . the air was heavy and thick with the combined smells . Mr Herman , who had been absent for a short while , entered very hurriedly by the back stairway leading from the kitchen premises . his face was as white as the damask deeply lace-edged cloth spread over the refectory table on which stood the golden chalice from which all had drunk and drained . he whispered hurriedly to his chief . we &apos;re cornered . not a hope unless we can get them all away by the side entrance . Mr Copthorne turned grey . without any waiting , panic-stricken and regardless of the rest , he made a scuttling exit through the cloak-room door leading out on to the side entrance . Mr Herman took over with one word . scram ! fright and alarm spread amongst the party guests and in the sudden confusion to press through the narrow doorway a paraffin radiator just under the purple and scarlet muslin draped platform was upset followed by an explosion and a burst of flame , instantly igniting the draperies and matching curtains at the sides . seizing a piece of carpeting Mr Herman attempted to smother and quench them . there was a fire extinguisher , but that was kept in the club itself for handy use . the flames spread and mounted . he staggered up the back stairway into his office and dialled 999 . as he came out of it , Mr Smith and his two companions came round the side of the rostrum where they had been concealing themselves , and stood in the way . Mr Herman faced them . he had been trembling and shaking . he ceased to tremble . he stood rigid and straight . he was on the stage once again and it was the first night of a new play in which he had been cast for the minor role of an evil man &apos;s dupe and confederate . could he have cast himself in the part of Mr Copthorne , the villain and apostate , he would not have attempted to run away from his captors . he would have made his appearance . the show must go on . his first night nerves on this that was also his last night dropped away from him . he had lines to speak . Mr Smith gave him his cue . now then , Herman ! Mr Herman &apos;s faintly mask-like smile was almost pathetic . gentlemen , of course , I am at your service , but listen to me , please . do n&apos;t take too long then , said Mr Smith . I will be brief . can you not smell smoke ? turn your noses to the kitchen . the men sniffed and coughed . is that your trick ? snapped Mr Smith . trying to smoke us out , eh ? been burning something ? you &apos;ll have to think of something better than that . show us the way below . impossible . no doing of mine . a pure accident . one of these paraffin lamps has been upset . the premises are on fire . I have just phoned for the brigade . arrest me . whatever information you wish me to give you later I am willing to provide . I am a knave and a low fellow , a spreader of iniquity . I have no intention of scarpering even if I had the chance . I have had enough to last me . tail it off , Herman ! Mr Smith and his men were now uncomfortably aware that Mr Herman was speaking the truth and that the club was on fire . where &apos;s Copthorne ? my leader in this fiendish racket , my dear sir , is not in the house . he is well on his way by now to where I do not know , but even if I did know for certain and told you , I doubt if you would be able to catch up with his Rover 90 as he has had a good start . it might conceivably be down to Sussex or to the nearest airport . you will be much better advised to take me into custody forthwith and lock me up once more in the all too familiar confines of a prison cell . you are under arrest . Mr Smith coughed as a swirl of acrid smoke drifted past him and his officers . Mr Herman held out his hands . put on the bangles . the fire brigade has arrived . hear it ? Regis Road pavements will soon be crowded with late-homers gathering to witness a fire in full bloom . standing room only for nothing to pay . I pray you let me continue to speak the tag . I played Hamlet once and how I gloried in that role although the performance only took place in a country public hall - that &apos;s enough , Herman . the firemen were in , Percy , Con O&apos;Shea and Mr Butler were all upon the scene . Mr Herman raised his voice above the hubbub and roar of smoke and flames . infinite pathos , regret and sadness was in it . how weary , stale , flat and unprofitable seem all the uses of this world ! it is an unweeded garden that grows to seed . things rank and gross in nature possess it - pipe down ! the two police officers hustled him forward towards the entrance . Con suddenly brushed past them . the cat , the white cat ! Percy tried to hold him back . so did Mr Butler . the cat will have got itself out through the coal-shoot . bound to - it has n&apos;t . I heard it mewing . I am sure and certain it was the cat - let go of me , George ! do n&apos;t be a fool , Con ! get outside , all of you , unless you want to be smothered , and wait for me . I &apos;ll be joining you in a minute or two with the little white cat in me arms ! Con pushed himself free and dashed forward . chapter 30 . the speed dash into Sussex was near to its end . the titled displaced person chauffeur who was at the wheel , intent on the wheel and covering distance , had not spoken a word . nearing the village he turned to look for Mr Copthorne in the back of the car . he was not on the seat . he was cowering on the floor . stop ! do you not wish to be driven home ? no . put me down at the church . very good . the chauffeur did not sir his employer . he halted the car by the lych gate . thank you . Mr Copthorne almost fell out of it , his bardic robes impeding him . I will see you in the morning . perhaps . perhaps . but - but you are not going to leave me , Count ? you know how I rely on your services . the chauffeur did not deign to answer . he was self-possessed and silent as always . he opened the lych gate for Mr Copthorne , closed it after him and drove away . Mr Copthorne stumbled towards the church door and tried to turn the heavy handle . it was locked . the verger would be there to open it first thing in the morning . the rector liked to leave the church open all day until the evening . he was very proud of the venerable old edifice with its Norman tower . it would be made good and sound , the restoration of its stone and wood that would ensure its preservation for many many years to come , by means of the generous purse of Mr Copthorne , squire , and lord of the manor . Mr Copthorne knew a way round by the side of the church where there was a small open outbuilding where the grave digger kept his spades and forks and tidying up implements . it might be open . it was . he entered , and seated himself in a huddle upon an upturned wheelbarrow . his curious headgear fell off . strange things were going on in his bewildered brain . when a man was drowning and towards his last gasp it was scientifically supposed his whole life came up before him in some cinematic kind of sequence . Mr Copthorne was on dry land in a church outbuilding , but this was happening to him now . he saw himself as a sulky , ugly , malformed , repressed boy , then a young youth . he saw himself refusing baptism according to the sect his parents belonged to . walking out of the chapel later on . continuing on , his leaping mind flashed pictures of chicanery and corruption , the growth of the deadly decadence and absorption in debasement and Satanic debauchery . he saw himself as he was and as he had become , a misbegotten , infamous , recidivist , past praying for . the church clock was striking seven . he had slipped on to the stone floor . he gathered himself , swaying and uncertain and stumbled round to the front door of the church again . the door was open . the verger had just unlocked it and was about to depart when he saw Mr Copthorne entering in his very strange purple and scarlet robes get-up . he did n&apos;t know what to make of it , but it was Mr Copthorne all right . perhaps he had been attending some kind of fancy dress do in London . very strange his eyes looked . mad , hunted eyes , as if the poor fellow had rocks in his head , so the verger described afterwards . you &apos;re very early about , sir , he said , trying to speak normally . yes . I travelled down from London as the dawn was breaking , and the thought came to me I &apos;d like to take a look at the church . I &apos;ve never been inside . very remiss of me , said Mr Copthorne . the verger led the way in . the stained glass windows , sir , they date back to the fourteenth century . Mr Copthorne looked and saw the light stealing through upon the illuminated figures of Saints and a central figure upon a cross . ah ! he said . that figure - that man was n&apos;t afraid to die , was he ? the verger was simple in his nature . no , sir . he died for all . and Christianity goes on ! yes , sir , and always will . Mr Copthorne &apos;s breathing was deep and laboured . he seemed to be sighing . I &apos;d like to go up to the belfry . do n&apos;t come with me . I &apos;d like to go myself . the verger waited for him by the lych gate . Mr Copthorne ascended into the belfry . the verger could see him standing there on the very edge . a bit risky . the next moment he had either cast himself down or stumbled and fallen . there he lay stretched out , his fat figure in a crude spread-eagle , face forward . the verger ran towards him . he tried to shift the unwieldy figure and raise him . Mr Copthorne &apos;s head fell sideways . very faintly , in a bare murmur , the verger caught the last words he uttered : I am still baffled . chapter 31 . on Sunday afternoon a telephone message was conveyed to Margot by Miss Maclaren , very quietly , on the fourth floor landing . her father was having his Sunday afternoon nap and the considerate little woman did not wish to disturb him . a gentleman whose name is Mr Butler , has just rung up to say he has some urgent news for you and Jasmine , and he is coming round now in his car with a friend to tell you . his voice sounded very grave , dear , and he stressed that as it was on a subject that might upset your father , it would be best to say nothing to him yet awhile . Jasmine is getting herself ready now . 