Chapter 19 Section 9

As soon as they got back to Gull Point Hurst came into the hall and said to Mary: "Will you go to your mistress at once, miss? She is very ill and wants you to see her as soon as you get back." Mary hurried upstairs, and saw Mrs. Trisillian pale and trembling. "Oh, dear Mary, you're back, and that's all right. I'm so sorry that poor Mr. Trevis is dead." "died?" "Yes, isn't it terrible? So suddenly, obviously he didn't even have time to take off his clothes last night. He must have collapsed as soon as he entered the room." "Oh, God, I'm so sorry."

"Of course, the old gentleman is known to be weak, and has a bad heart. I hope nothing happened to overwhelm him during his visit with us? Nothing indigestible for supper?" "I don't think so - no, I'm sure absolutely not. He looks all right here. And in a good mood." "I am very sorry, Mary, and I wish you would go to Balmoral and ask Mrs Rogers what we could do to help, and for Matthew's sake we will do what we can Everything, it is also very troublesome for the hotel to arrange these things." Mary said firmly: "To be honest, my dear Camilla, don't worry about it. It's too exciting for you."

"Indeed it is." "I'm going to Balmoral in a moment, and I'll be back to tell you how it's going." "Thank you, Mary dear. You are always so real and understanding." "Now please rest well, this stimulation is too harmful for you." Mary Alding left the room and went downstairs.As soon as she entered the drawing room she announced: "Old Mr. Trevis is dead. He died after he went back last night." "Poor old man," asked Neville, startled, "what's the matter?" "Apparently he had a heart attack. He was lying down as soon as he entered the room."

Thomas Lloyd mused: "I reckon maybe going up the stairs killed him." "Stairs?" Mary looked at him puzzled. "Yeah, up the stairs. When Ted and I said goodbye to him, he was just starting up the stairs and we told him to go slower." Mary exclaimed: "Why is he so confused, why doesn't he take the elevator?" "The elevator is broken." "Oh, I see. That's unfortunate, poor old man." She added: "I'm going there now, Camilla wants to know how we can help." Thomas said, "I'll go with you." They followed the road, turned a corner, and walked towards Balmoral.Mary says:

"I don't know if he has any relatives who need to be notified." "He never mentioned any relatives." "I haven't mentioned it. But people always like to mention these things, open their mouths about 'my nephew', and shut their mouths about 'my cousin'." "Has he ever been married?" "I don't think so." They entered the open door of the Balmoral Hotel. The hostess, Mrs. Rogers, was talking to a tall, middle-aged man who raised his hand in a friendly greeting to Mary. "Hello, Miss Alding." "Hello, Dr. Lazenby. This is Lloyd, and we've come to take a message for Mrs. Trisillian. She wants to know what we can do."

"It's very kind of you, Miss Alding," said the hostess of the hotel. "Would you please come in?" They entered an elegant little drawing room.Dr. Lazenby said: "Mr. Trevis dined with you yesterday, didn't he?" "yes." "How was he then? Did he show any signs of discomfort?" "No, he looks fine and happy." The doctor nodded. "He had a heart attack of the worst kind, and death usually comes very suddenly. I looked at the prescriptions he kept upstairs and it was clear that his health was dangerously bad. Of course I wanted to be with him. Get in touch with a doctor in London."

"He's always been very attentive himself," said Mrs. Rogers. "I'm sure he's got the best possible care with us." "One thing is certain, Mrs. Rogers," said the doctor tactfully. "Mr. Treves' death was caused by a little overwork, there is no doubt about that." "Stairs, for example." Mary suggested. "Well, that's probable. In fact, sure, if he did go up three flights of stairs, he'd be terrified. But surely he never did such a thing?" "Never," said Mrs. Rogers. "He always takes the lift. Especially he always takes the lift."

"I mean," said Mary, "that elevator broke down last night—" Mrs. Rogers was taken aback, and stared at her blankly. "Miss Alding, the elevator was fine all day yesterday!" Thomas Lloyd coughed. "I'm sorry," he said, "but when I came last night with Mr. Trevis, there was a sign on the lift saying 'Elevator is out of order.'" Mrs. Rogers looked at Lloyd intently. "Oh, that's a weird thing, I should have said earlier that the elevator was all right—in fact, I'm pretty sure it was. If it was, how could I not know? Since—oh, yes, almost For eighteen months we have never had a problem with our elevators, they are very reliable."

"Perhaps," said the doctor, "some waiter or boy put the sign up there when he was off duty." "Doctor, that elevator is automatic, it doesn't need a human to drive it." "Oh, that's right, I forgot." "I want to have a few words with Joe," said Mrs. Rogers.She hurried out of the house, calling: "Joe-Joe--" Dr. Lazenby looked at Thomas in bewilderment. "Excuse me, are you sure, eh? What's your last name?" "Lloyd." Mary answered for Thomas first. "No problem," Thomas said. Mrs. Rogers entered with the waiter.Joe insisted that the elevator hadn't had any trouble the night before, and that there was indeed a sign like the one Thomas was talking about, but it was tucked under the table and hadn't worked in over a year.

They looked at each other and said it was a mysterious thing.Doctors thought it was a prank played by hotel guests.Others can only let him talk about it. Dr. Lazenby said in response to Mary's inquiry that Trives's driver had given him the addresses of the lawyers Trives knew and that he was in the process of getting in touch with them and that he was going to see Mrs. Trives. , and told her about the funeral arrangements. The doctor, who always looked carefree, left quickly after speaking, and Mary and Thomas walked back slowly to Seagull Point. Mary says: "Thomas, did you really see that sign?"

"Both I and Latimer saw it." "What a strange thing," said Mary.