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Least said soonest mended； I should say。'
'Some one else might recognise her；' objected Fettes。 'She
was as well known as the Castle Rock。'
'We'll hope not；' said Macfarlane； 'and if anybody does …
well； you didn't； don't you see； and there's an end。 The
fact is； this has been going on too long。 Stir up the mud；
and you'll get K… into the most unholy trouble； you'll be in
a shocking box yourself。 So will I； if you come to that。 I
should like to know how any one of us would look； or what the
devil we should have to say for ourselves； in any Christian
witness…box。 For me； you know there's one thing certain …
that； practically speaking； all our subjects have been
murdered。'
'Macfarlane！' cried Fettes。
'Come now！' sneered the other。 'As if you hadn't suspected
it yourself！'
'Suspecting is one thing … '
'And proof another。 Yes； I know； and I'm as sorry as you are
this should have come here；' tapping the body with his cane。
'The next best thing for me is not to recognise it； and；' he
added coolly； 'I don't。 You may； if you please。 I don't
dictate； but I think a man of the world would do as I do； and
I may add； I fancy that is what K… would look for at our
hands。 The question is； Why did he choose us two for his
assistants？ And I answer； because he didn't want old wives。'
This was the tone of all others to affect the mind of a lad
like Fettes。 He agreed to imitate Macfarlane。 The body of
the unfortunate girl was duly dissected； and no one remarked
or appeared to recognise her。
One afternoon； when his day's work was over； Fettes dropped
into a popular tavern and found Macfarlane sitting with a
stranger。 This was a small man； very pale and dark； with
coal…black eyes。 The cut of his features gave a promise of
intellect and refinement which was but feebly realised in his
manners； for he proved； upon a nearer acquaintance； coarse；
vulgar； and stupid。 He exercised； however； a very remarkable
control over Macfarlane； issued orders like the Great Bashaw；
became inflamed at the least discussion or delay； and
commented rudely on the servility with which he was obeyed。
This most offensive person took a fancy to Fettes on the
spot； plied him with drinks； and honoured him with unusual
confidences on his past career。 If a tenth part of what he
confessed were true； he was a very loathsome rogue； and the
lad's vanity was tickled by the attention of so experienced a
man。
'I'm a pretty bad fellow myself；' the stranger remarked； 'but
Macfarlane is the boy … Toddy Macfarlane I call him。 Toddy；
order your friend another glass。' Or it might be； 'Toddy；
you jump up and shut the door。' 'Toddy hates me；' he said
again。 'Oh yes； Toddy； you do！'
'Don't you call me that confounded name；' growled Macfarlane。
'Hear him！ Did you ever see the lads play knife？ He would
like to do that all over my body；' remarked the stranger。
'We medicals have a better way than that；' said Fettes。
'When we dislike a dead friend of ours； we dissect him。'
Macfarlane looked up sharply； as though this jest were
scarcely to his mind。
The afternoon passed。 Gray； for that was the stranger's
name； invited Fettes to join them at dinner； ordered a feast
so sumptuous that the tavern was thrown into commotion； and
when all was done commanded Macfarlane to settle the bill。
It was late before they separated； the man Gray was incapably
drunk。 Macfarlane； sobered by his fury； chewed the cud of
the money he had been forced to squander and the slights he
had been obliged to swallow。 Fettes； with various liquors
singing in his head； returned home with devious footsteps and
a mind entirely in abeyance。 Next day Macfarlane was absent
from the class； and Fettes smiled to himself as he imagined
him still squiring the intolerable Gray from tavern to
tavern。 As soon as the hour of liberty had struck he posted
from place to place in quest of his last night's companions。
He could find them； however； nowhere； so returned early to
his rooms； went early to bed； and slept the sleep of the
just。
At four in the morning he was awakened by the well…known
signal。 Descending to the door； he was filled with
astonishment to find Macfarlane with his gig； and in the gig
one of those long and ghastly packages with which he was so
well acquainted。
'What？' he cried。 'Have you been out alone？ How did you
manage？'
But Macfarlane silenced him roughly； bidding him turn to
business。 When they had got the body upstairs and laid it on
the table； Macfarlane made at first as if he were going away。
Then he paused and seemed to hesitate； and then； 'You had
better look at the face；' said he； in tones of some
constraint。 'You had better；' he repeated； as Fettes only
stared at him in wonder。
'But where； and how； and when did you come by it？' cried the
other。
'Look at the face；' was the only answer。
Fettes was staggered； strange doubts assailed him。 He looked
from the young doctor to the body； and then back again。 At
last； with a start； he did as he was bidden。 He had almost
expected the sight that met his eyes； and yet the shock was
cruel。 To see； fixed in the rigidity of death and naked on
that coarse layer of sackcloth； the man whom he had left well
clad and full of meat and sin upon the threshold of a tavern；
awoke； even in the thoughtless Fettes； some of the terrors of
the conscience。 It was a CRAS TIBI which re…echoed in his
soul； that two whom he had known should have come to lie upon
these icy tables。 Yet these were only secondary thoughts。
His first concern regarded Wolfe。 Unprepared for a challenge
so momentous； he knew not how to look his comrade in the
face。 He durst not meet his eye； and he had neither words
nor voice at his command。
It was Macfarlane himself who made the first advance。 He
came up quietly behind and laid his hand gently but firmly on
the other's shoulder。
'Richardson；' said he； 'may have the head。'
Now Richardson was a student who had long been anxious for
that portion of the human subject to dissect。 There was no
answer； and the murderer resumed： 'Talking of business； you
must pay me； your accounts； you see； must tally。'
Fettes found a voice； the ghost of his own： 'Pay you！' he
cried。 'Pay you for that？'
'Why； yes； of course you must。 By all means and on every
possible account； you must；' returned the other。 'I dare not
give it for nothing； you dare not take it for nothing； it
would compromise us both。 This is another case like Jane
Galbraith's。 The more things are wrong the more we must act
as if all were right。 Where does old K… keep his money？'
'There；' answered Fettes hoarsely； pointing to a cupboard in
the corner。
'Give me the key； then；' said the other； calmly； holding out
his hand。
There was an instant's hesitation； and the die was cast。
Macfarlane could not suppress a nervous twitch； the
infinitesimal mark of an immense relief； as he felt the key
between his fingers。 He opened the cupboard； brought out pen
and ink and a paper…book that stood in one compartment； and
separated from the funds in a drawer a sum suitable to the
occasion。
'Now； look here；' he said； 'there is the payment made … first
proof of your good faith： first step to your security。 You
have now to clinch it by a second。 Enter the payment in your
book； and then you for your part may defy the devil。'
The next few seconds were for Fettes an agony of thought； but
in balancing his terrors it was the most immediate that
triumphed。 Any future difficulty seemed almost welcome if he
could avoid a present quarrel with Macfarlane。 He set down
the candle which he had been carrying all this time； and with
a steady hand entered the date； the nature； and the amount of
the transaction。
'And now；' said Macfarlane； 'it's only fair that you should
pocket the