‘Emphatically not,’ Mr Mortimer interjected. ‘I’ve given the Chief Inspector our own formula. An unusual step, but in the circumstances desirable. No doubt, Doctor, he has made you conversant—’

‘Oh, yes,’ sighed Dr Curtis. ‘Formalin. Glycerine. Boric acid. Menthol. Potassium nitrate. Sodium citrate. Oil of cloves. Water.’

‘Precisely.’

‘Hey!’ said Fox. ‘No arsenic?’

‘You’re two days late with the news, Br’er Fox. Things have moved while you were at Ancreton. Arsenic went out some time ago, didn’t it, Mr Mortimer?’

‘Formalin,’ Mr Mortimer agreed with hauteur, ‘is infinitely superior.’

‘There now,’ Fox rumbled with great satisfaction. ‘That does clear things up a bit, doesn’t it, Mr Alleyn? If arsenic’s found it’s got no business to be there. That’s something definite. And what’s more, any individual who banked on its being used by the embalmer made the mistake of his or her life. Nothing for counsel to muddle the jury with, either. Mr Mortimer’s evidence would settle that. Well.’

Alleyn said: ‘Mr Mortimer, had Sir Henry any notion of the method used?’

In a voice so drowsy that it reminded Alleyn of the dormouse’s, Mr Mortimer said: ‘It’s very curious, Chief Inspector, that you should ask that question. Oh, very curious. Because, between you and I, the deceased gentleman showed quite an unusual interest. He sent for me and discussed the arrangements for the interment. Two years ago, that was.’

‘Good Lord!’

‘That is not so unusual in itself. Gentlemen of his position do occasionally give detailed instructions. But the deceased was so very particular. He—well, really,’ Mr Mortimer said, coughing slightly, ‘he quite read me a little lecture on embalming. He had a little book. Yes,’ said Mr Mortimer, swallowing a yawn, ‘rather a quaint little book. Very old. It seemed an ancestor of his had been embalmed by the method, quate outdated, I may say, outlined in this tainy tome. Sir Henry wished to ascertain if our method was similar. When I ventured to suggest the book was somewhat demode, he became—well, so annoyed that it was rather awkward. Very awkward, in fact. He was insistent that we should use the same process on—ah—for—ah—himself. He quate ordered me to do it.’

‘But you didn’t consent?’

‘I must confess, Chief Inspector, I—I—the situation was most awkward. I feared he would upset himself seriously. I must confess that I compromaysed. In point of fact, I—’

‘You consented?’

‘I would have gladly refused the commission altogether but he would take no refusal. He forced me to take the book away with me. I returned it with compliments, and without comment through the registered post. He replied that when the time came I was to understand my instructions. The—ah—the time came and—and—’

‘You followed your own method, and said nothing to anybody?’