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the house the moment we got to it； a tremendous battery of knocks was
directed against the door； a light appeared at a window； I was told to
conceal myself behind the police； then came more knocks and a cry of
〃Open in the name of the law！〃 At that terrible summons bolts and locks
gave way before an invisible hand； and the moment after the subprefect
was in the passage； confronting a waiter half dressed and ghastly pale。
This was the short dialogue which immediately took place：
〃We want to see the Englishman who is sleeping in this house。〃
〃He went away hours ago。〃
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〃He did no such thing。 His friend went away； /he/ remained。 Show us
to his bedroom！〃
〃I swear to you； Monsieur le Sous…prefet； he is not here！ he〃
〃I swear to you； Monsieur le Garcon； he is。 He slept here； he didn't
find your bed comfortable； he came to us to complain of it； here he is
among my men； and here am I ready to look for a flea or two in his
bedstead。 Renaudin！〃 （calling to one of the subordinates； and pointing to
the waiter）； 〃collar that man； and tie his hands behind him。 Now then；
gentlemen； let us walk upstairs！〃
Every man and woman in the house was securedthe 〃old soldier〃 the
first。 Then I identified the bed in which I had slept； and then we went into
the room above。
No object that was at all extraordinary appeared in any part of it。 The
subprefect looked round the place； commanded everybody to be silent；
stamped twice on the floor； called for a candle； looked attentively at the
spot he had stamped on； and ordered the flooring there to be carefully
taken up。 This was done in no time。 Lights were produced； and we saw a
deep raftered cavity between the floor of this room and the ceiling of the
room beneath。 Through this cavity there ran perpendicularly a sort of case
of iron； thickly greased； and inside the case appeared the screw； which
communicated with the bedtop below。 Extra lengths of screw； freshly oiled；
levers covered with felt； all the complete upper works of a heavy press
constructed with infernal ingenuity so as to join the fixtures below； and
when taken to pieces again to go into the smallest possible compasswere
next discovered and pulled out on the floor。 After some little difficulty the
subprefect succeeded in putting the machinery together； and； leaving his
men to work it； descended with me to the bedroom。 The smothering
canopy was then lowered； but not so noiselessly as I had seen it lowered。
When I mentioned this to the subprefect； his answer； simple as it was； had
a terrible significance。 〃My men；〃 said he； 〃are working down the bedtop
for the first time； the men whose money you won were in better practice。〃
We left the house in the sole possession of two police agents； every
one of the inmates being removed to prison on the spot。 The subprefect；
after taking down my /proces verbal/ in his office； returned with me to my
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hotel to get my passport。 〃Do you think；〃 I asked； as I gave it to him； 〃that
any men have really been smothered in that bed； as they tried to smother
/me/？〃
〃I have seen dozens of drowned men laid out at the morgue；〃 answered
the subprefect； 〃in whose pocket…books were found letters stating that they
had committed suicide in the Seine； because they had lost everything at
the gaming…table。 Do I know how many of those men entered the same
gambling…house that /you/ entered？ won as /you/ won？ took that bed as
/you/ took it？ slept in it？ were smothered in it？ and were privately thrown
into the river； with a letter of explanation written by the murderers and
placed in their pocket…books？ No man can say how many or how few have
suffered the fate from which you have escaped。 The people of the
gambling…house kept their bedstead machinery a secret from /us/even
from the police！ The dead kept the rest of the secret for them。 Good…night；
or rather good…morning； Monsieur Faulkner！ Be at my office again at nine
o'clock； in the meantime； /au revoir/！〃 The rest of my story is soon told。 I
was examined and reexamined； the gambling…house was strictly searched
all through from top to bottom； the prisoners were separately interrogated；
and two of the less guilty among them made a confession。 I discovered
that the old soldier was master of the gambling…house/justice/ discovered
that he had been drummed out of the army as a vagabond years ago； that
he had been guilty of all sorts of villainies since； that he was in possession
of stolen property； which the owners identified； and that he； the croupier；
another accomplice； and the woman who had made my cup of coffee were
all in the secret of the bedstead。 There appeared some reason to doubt
whether the inferior persons attached to the house knew anything of the
suffocating machinery； and they received the benefit of that doubt； by
being treated simply as thieves and vagabonds。 As for the old soldier and
his two head myrmidons； they went to the galleys； the woman who had
drugged my coffee was imprisoned for I forget how many years； the
regular attendants at the gambling…house were considered 〃suspicious；〃
and placed under 〃surveillance〃； and I became； for one whole week
（which is a long time）； the head 〃lion〃 in Parisian society。 My adventure
was dramatised by three illustrious play…makers； but never saw theatrical
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daylight； for the censorship forbade the introduction on the stage of a
correct copy of the gambling…house bedstead。
One good result was produced by my adventure； which any censorship
must have approved： it cured me of ever again trying rouge…et…noir as an
amusement。 The sight of a green cloth； with packs of cards and heaps of
money on it； will henceforth be for ever associated in my mind with the
sight of a bed canopy descending to suffocate me in the silence and
darkness of the night。
Just as Mr。 Faulkner pronounced these words he started in his chair；
and resumed his stiff； dignified position in a great hurry。 〃Bless my soul！〃
cried he； with a comic look of astonishment and vexation； 〃while I have
been telling you what is the real secret of my interest in the sketch you
have so kindly given to me； I have altogether forgotten that I came here to
sit for my portrait。 For the last hour or more I must have been the worst
model you ever had to draw from！〃
〃On the contrary； you have been the best；〃 said I。 〃I have been trying
to catch your likeness； and； while telling your story； you have
unconsciously shown me the natural expression I wanted to insure my
success。〃
NOTE BY MRS。 KERBY
I cannot let this story end without mentioning what the chance saying
was which caused it to be told at the farmhouse the other night。 Our friend
the young sailor； among his other quaint objections to sleeping on shore；
declared that he particularly hated four…post beds； because he never slept
in one without doubting whether the top might not come down in the night
and suffocate him。 I thought this chance reference to the distinguishing
feature of William's narrative curious enough； and my husband agreed
with me。 But he says it is scarcely worth while to mention such a trifle in
anything so important as a book。 I cannot venture； after this； to do more
than slip these lines in modestly at the end of the story。 If the printer
should notice my few last words； perhaps he may not mind the trouble of
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putting them into some out…of… the…way corner； in very small type。
L。 K。
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