First Period First Narrative - Chapter XIV

Who was to circumvent THIS man? I gave in--and waited as patiently as I
could to hear what was coming next.

"We won't enter into your young lady's motives," the Sergeant went on;
"we will only say it's a pity she declines to assist me, because, by
so doing, she makes this investigation more difficult than it might
otherwise have been. We must now try to solve the mystery of the smear
on the door--which, you may take my word for it, means the mystery of
the Diamond also--in some other way. I have decided to see the servants,
and to search their thoughts and actions, Mr. Betteredge, instead of
searching their wardrobes. Before I begin, however, I want to ask you
a question or two. You are an observant man--did you notice anything
strange in any of the servants (making due allowance, of course, for
fright and fluster), after the loss of the Diamond was found out? Any
particular quarrel among them? Any one of them not in his or her usual
spirits? Unexpectedly out of temper, for instance? or unexpectedly taken
ill?"

I had just time to think of Rosanna Spearman's sudden illness at
yesterday's dinner--but not time to make any answer--when I saw Sergeant
Cuff's eyes suddenly turn aside towards the shrubbery; and I heard him
say softly to himself, "Hullo!"

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"A touch of the rheumatics in my back," said the Sergeant, in a loud
voice, as if he wanted some third person to hear us. "We shall have a
change in the weather before long."