you went down to the theatre to meet Ellam , and that puts you right there , on the scene of the crime . he smiled at her , and she saw his smile , and her eyes filled with horror . no ! it was n&apos;t like that . I did n&apos;t go to the theatre - I can prove it . she was really frightened now , as she had n&apos;t been before . I knew Roger was going to meet Susan , because I &apos;d met her myself that same morning , and she told me all about it . did n&apos;t that make you wild ? no , because Roger had often spoken to me about marrying her . for her money ? she drooped her head and looked at the wine glass , turning it round in her fingers and letting it reflect the light . she said : I was n&apos;t wild , just miserable . I felt sort of helpless and perhaps a little jealous . I decided to go for a walk to shake the feeling off . I passed the end of the theatre drive , but I swear I did n&apos;t go in . Roger was waiting there . he told me about his date with Susan , that everything depended on it , and told me to keep away from the theatre . he did n&apos;t say why ? he just said it was dangerous , and might ruin everything . she broke suddenly , and kept repeating that she did n&apos;t go inside the theatre , in a sort of moaning voice . we left without another word . at the door I looked back . she was still playing with the wine glass and staring at the hearth . somebody should have painted her , just like that . chapter twenty-six . the theatre building looked just as square and just as plain as the first time , and the same shadows from trees swayed over the brickwork like curious fingers . there was the same spring scent of earth and woods , and the same feeling of remoteness , though one or two people were about . a few boys drifted up the drive , the little ones frisky and excited , the big ones with a certain condescending tolerance . and the sight of them had the same effect on Shale it always had - a kind of cynical contempt for the system that moulded them . lights were on inside the theatre , and the windows curtained , but after the warm evening , it was like going into a colder place . the hall was about two-thirds full of boys . they kept bobbing up in their seats , chewing . there was a happy anticipatory drone . a prefect ushered us to our seats in the second row , and the school orchestra in front began teetering nervously on their violins . an amateurish air hung over the place like a pleasant infection . from the cover of my programme , I saw we were in for what is affectionately known as English middle-class comedy . I sat down and studied the people in the front row . Wylie &apos;s head was just to my right , and at close quarters , his little grey waves looked thinner , like flimsy sponges on a pink sea bed . his wife was wearing a hat I was glad I was n&apos;t sitting behind . she had played a gleam of triumph steadily on Shale as we came up the row to our seats . when we sat down , her head snapped round to the front . Wylie acknowledged us with a curt nod and a faint drawing in of the eyebrows . he was rather subdued . it made him more human . Miss Teale looked almost soft and yielding , not so prim . she had a new defiance , and her eyes wandered round the hall confidently . she was wearing her hair long , and it made her look younger . her gaze rested often on Carter , who was sitting with a bright smile next to my uncle . he leaned across affably and said in a whisper , I say , they &apos;ve been looking for Ellam all evening . apparently he &apos;s nowhere to be found . looks pretty mysterious do n&apos;t you think ? I passed it on to Shale . he was reading his programme , and I suddenly felt him nudge me . he was pointing out the names of the cast and his finger was half way down the page . I read : Laura Thistledown , the manager &apos;s secretary &amp;hellip; played by William Barlow , 6 A . he kept his finger there for my benefit and I saw what he meant . the Christian name - Laura . it should have signified something but my mind would n&apos;t grasp it . I gave him a puzzled glance , but he was settled back in his seat , staring at the top of the stage . he was sitting like that when the prefect shuffled up the row and whispered in his ear . Willant wants a word with me , Shale said , and we all went out . heads turned , and there was a polite air of interest in the front row . Willant was in the entrance , a study of indecision . Ellam &apos;s nowhere to be found , he said . nowhere in the school . his fingers strayed to his waistcoat , and he tugged nervously like a man with a tricky point to make that was embarrassing him . he said : in view of his behaviour this afternoon , I &apos;m not quite sure what I ought to do . Shale said : you could tell the police . but as it &apos;s only two hours ago since he was here , it might look premature to say he &apos;s disappeared . he might return . after all , he was suffering from - perhaps a nervous breakdown - it might be unwise to draw attention to it - he stopped , at a loss . it might be better to wait . Ambrose said , with the air of a tactician who &apos;d weighed everything up . you were pretty worried about him a while back , doctor , Shale said . desperate I think was the word you used . you should tell the police . no doubt you &apos;re right , Willant said weakly . but first I must start the play , we &apos;re late as it is - so many things to think of - he made for the door in the hall , and stepped back as Forster came the other way . Forster was wearing a stage-hand &apos;s smock . his face was shining , and happier than I &apos;d ever seen it . he looked harassed when he saw us , but recovered , and said to Willant : no sign of Mr Ellam yet , headmaster . I really think we ought to start . Willant took off his glasses and rubbed them . he gave a sigh . very well , Mr Forster . I &apos;ll just say a few words first . he went in impulsively , glad to get away . Forster turned to follow him , but Shale said , one thing before you go , Mr Forster . the character Laura Thistledown . who was to play her the last time - young Burnage ? Forster nodded , and began to look worried . that was all , Shale said gently . you can start the revels now . we went back to our seats , and Willant , who &apos;d been talking to Wylie moved to the front of the stage and held up his hands for silence . the shuffling died away and he spoke his piece without any trouble . he managed to sound informal and light-hearted , like a vicar at a whist drive . when he &apos;d finished , he walked down the hall and I saw him go through the door at the back . I felt a certain admiration for the way he was keeping going . there was some polite applause , then the lights went out except for a glow beneath the curtain , and blobs of light on the orchestra &apos;s music stands . the overture was brief and chronic . Shale lit a cigarette and relaxed , staring at the roof . the curtain opened on an amateurish set with a french window looking out on to a cardboard garden . it was slow getting underway , and the actors were elocution conscious , but it went down well with the audience . there was a lot of laughter , most of it at the expense of the actors , especially Currie playing a middle-aged matron with a large lop-sided bosom . the first act lasted some twenty minutes , and in the interval I watched the reactions of the staff . Miss Teale &apos;s eyes were shining happily . once she flashed me a smile - quite a becoming smile . Wylie had unbent a little , and was trying to give the impression of a stern man reflecting that a little nonsense was all right once in a while for boys . his wife was telling someone in a loud voice that so-and-so was good , and so-and-so was n&apos;t quite so good . her standards were absolute . Carter was frankly in tucks about the whole thing . Shale seemed half asleep . once , during the scene , he had watched Miss Teale for a long time , but his eyes had mostly been examining the top of the curtain , as if he were looking beyond , and trying to picture the dust and the gallery and the wooden platform . the lights went down again , and I saw Willant come back . I wondered if he had informed the police . a sudden gasp of hilarious delight made me look at the stage . the character Laura Thistledown had made her first entrance . she was meant to be pert and pretty , and something of a charmer . the boy playing the part wore a slim black costume , a dinky hat , and wobbled slightly on four-inch heels . he had a wig of blonde curls , and that made me think of the wig that was still missing , and that made me think of the green costume that was also missing , and I looked at Shale . he was sitting forward , watching the play intently . I felt a rise of excitement . there was some by-play going on on the stage . the idea seemed to be that Laura Thistledown was vamping the goofy nephew of the local aristocracy - a part played with gusto by a boy having trouble with a pencil-line moustache . suddenly this young blood took the secretary in his arms , and said in an anguish of embarrassment : oh , Laura ! you &apos;re exactly like the other girl . the audience twittered with delight . I felt Shale stiffen and then relax , very slowly . he gripped my arm , and began to write something on the back of his programme . it could n&apos;t have been easy in the dark , but he wrote quickly . on the stage they were still fooling about , and the audience was making happy noises , but I was n&apos;t with them any more . Shale spoke in a low voice . read it outside - three important questions there . go right away in the car , and put them to the servant , Mrs Olroyd . got it ? I went as quietly as I could , but it seemed to me I made a lot of noise . Ambrose looked annoyed as I squeezed past him , but I did n&apos;t stop to explain . outside I sat in the car , put a cigarette in my mouth , and read the programme in the falling light . it was n&apos;t easy to make out , some of Shale &apos;s writing had run across the print , but I finally got it . three questions , that was all . just three questions . put them to a nice old servant who had done her job well until one day she &apos;d been sacked , and you would get three answers . you had to get three answers because there could only be three answers and they would make sense of everything . I lit the cigarette , and sat there and smelt the scents from the wood , and watched the branches sway in the breeze , and listened to the evening song of a solitary bird , and everything was suddenly clear . the green costume and everything . I reached for the starter and checked my hand . someone had just come from the theatre . I heard steps hurrying down the drive . I listened until they crunched away into silence , then I started the car . I thought I &apos;d see who it was as I passed , but there was nobody on the drive . whoever it was must have taken to the woods . it took me half an hour or so to get there , and she was in with the old lady . I put the questions , and she answered them placidly . it did n&apos;t mean much to her , and I was neither relieved nor excited - I just knew what she would say . it was nearly dark when I got back to the curlew . 