Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime by Oscar Wilde. Part 3.
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Chapter 3 | A Yellow Pill
Lord Arthur walked into Pestle and Humbey’s, the expensive chemist’s shop in St James’s Street, and asked Mr Pestle for some aconitine. The little man, who liked to help the lords and ladies himself when they visited his shop, said quietly that a letter from a doctor would be necessary.
But then Lord Arthur explained, ‘You don’t understand. Mr Pestle. It’s for my large old Norwegian dog. It has to go, I’m afraid, because it’s too dangerous. It bites my servants on the legs all the time.’
’A dangerous dog that bites servants. I see. That’s all right then,’ replied the chemist. ‘And I must say that you know a lot about poisons, my lord,’ he went on, smiling. Then he gave a yellow aconitine pill to Lord Arthur immediately.
Some minutes later Lord Arthur bought a beautiful little silver box in a Bond Street shop to put the yellow pill in, and then he went at once to Lady Clementina’s house.
‘Well, young man,’ said the old lady when he went into the room. ‘Why haven’t you been to see me all this time?’
‘Lady Clem,’ said Lord Arthur, smiling, ‘I am so busy.’
‘Yes. I am sure that you spend every hour of the day with Miss Sybil Merton, visiting shops and being romantic together. Why does marrying make people so romantic these days? It didn’t happen when I was young.’
‘Dear Lady Clem. I haven’t seen Sybil for twenty-four hours. I think she is living in her favourite clothes shop.’
‘Yes, and that’s why you’ve come to see an old woman like me. I’m not stupid, you know. I have a hard life. I’m ill all the time, and the doctors only come to take my money. They don’t do anything for my stomach.
‘Ah!’ said Lord Arthur. ‘I’ve brought you something for that! It’s a wonderful medicine, made in America.’ And he took the silver box from his pocket and gave it to her.
‘What a beautiful box, Arthur! That’s so kind. And is this the medicine? It looks just like a sweet. I’ll take it now.’
‘Oh, no, Lady Clem,’ said Lord Arthur, taking her hand. ‘You mustn’t do that. If you aren’t feeling ill and you take this medicine you feel terrible. Wait until you’re feeling bad and then take it. I’m sure it’ll surprise you.’
‘Very well,’ said Lady Clem. ‘I’d love to try it now. It looks so very good, but I’ll wait until the next time that I’m ill.’
And will that be soon?’ asked Lord Arthur with interest.
‘I hope not this week, but you never know.’
‘So you’re sure that you’ll be ill this month, then?’
‘Yes. I’m afraid that I will. But you’re being very nice to me today. Arthur. I think that Sybil is good for you. And now I must have a rest before lunch. Goodbye, give my love to Sybil, and thank you for the medicine.’
‘Don’t forget to lake it. Lady Clem,’ said Lord Arthur, standing up. ‘Of course not. And I shall tell you if I want some more.’
Lord Arthur left Lady Clem’s house feeling very happy. That night he spoke to Sybil Merton. He told her that he couldn’t marry her at once because he had to finish some business first. He asked her to wait until the end of the month, and he told her that everything would be fine, but that she had to wait. Early next morning he wrote a letter to her father explaining that they needed to postpone the wedding for a time. Then he left for a holiday in Venice.
His brother, Lord Surbiton, came by yacht from Corfu and met him there, and they spent a wonderful fortnight together. They visited Venice in the mornings, they asked people to tea on Lord Surbiton’s yacht in the afternoons, and at night they ate in the best restaurants and smoked lots of cigarettes. But Lord Arthur wasn’t happy. Every day he bought The Times newspaper, hoping to read about Lady Clementina’s death, but every day there was nothing.
After two weeks Lord Surbiton felt bored, and both brothers went off to Ravenna. A week later Lord Arthur came back to Venice. At his hotel he found a number of telegrams and letters waiting for him. He read Sybil’s letter first.
Dearest Arthur,
Terrible news! On the 17th Lady Clementina had dinner with your mother, but went home early with a bad stomach. The next day her servants found her dead in bed with a smile on her face. She has given her house in Curzon Street to you. Please come home soon.
Lots of love,
Sybil
Lord Arthur sent a telegram to Sybil at once to tell her that he was coming back to London. He was sad about Lady Clem’s death, and angry with Mr Podgers for making him a murderer. But he was also deeply in love, and now he was free to marry Sybil.
When he arrived in London everything went very well. Sybil’s parents were nice to him. They chose 7th June as the date of the wedding, and Sybil said to Lord Arthur. ’I hope that nothing will ever come between us again.’
Not long after. Lord Arthur and Sybil went to visit Lady Clementina’s house in Curzon Street to burn old letters and papers that nobody wanted. In the middle of this Sybil gave a sudden cry of surprise.
‘What have you found. Sybil?’ asked Lord Arthur, smiling.
‘This beautiful little silver box, Arthur. Can I have it?’
It was the pill box. Lord Arthur’s face reddened. He remembered the poison. ‘Of course you can have it,’ he replied. I gave it to Lady Clem myself.’
‘Oh, thank you. Arthur!’ said Sybil. ‘And can I have the sweet that’s in it. too?’ she went on. ‘How strange! I didn’t know that Lady Clem liked sweets.’
The blood left Lord Arthur’s face. ‘The sweet. Sybil? What do you mean?’ he whispered slowly.
‘There’s a yellow sweet inside the box. That’s all. It looks very old and I’m not really going to eat it, so don’t worry. But what’s the matter. Arthur? Your face is so white!’
Lord Arthur ran across the room and took the box from Sybil’s hand. In it was the yellow poison pill. So he wasn’t Lady Clementina’s murderer after all! This news was nearly too much for him. He dropped the pill into the fire and sat down heavily on a comfortable chair with a terrible cry.