He looked at me, curiously; "She musta hit you pretty hard, Doc."
"She did," I answered curtly. He hesitated.
"You going to tell the boss about this?" he asked at last.
"I may or I may not—tonight. It depends upon his condition. Why?"
"Well, if we're going to pull off anything like a kidnapping, I think he ought to know."
I said, sharply: "McCann, I told you Ricori's message was that you were to obey orders from me as though they were from him. I have given you your orders. I accept all the responsibility."
"Okay," he answered, but I could see that his doubt still lingered.
Now, assuming Ricori had sufficiently recovered, there was no real reason why I should not tell him what had happened during my encounter with Madame Mandilip. It was different with Braile. More than suspecting, as I did, the attachment between him and Walters, I could not tell him of the crucified doll—and even now I thought of it not as a doll crucified, but as Walters crucified. If I told him, I knew well that there would be no holding him back from instant attack upon the doll–maker. I did not want that.
But I was aware of a most stubborn reluctance to tell Ricori the details of my visit. The same held good for Braile in other matters besides the Walters doll. And why did I feel the same way about McCann? I set it down to wounded vanity.
We stopped in front of my house. It was then close to six. Before getting out of the car I repeated my instructions. McCann nodded.
"Okay, Doc. If she comes out, we get her."
I went into the house, and found a note from Braile saying that he would not be in to see me until after dinner. I was glad of that. I dreaded the ordeal of his questions. I learned that Ricori was asleep, and that he had been regaining strength with astonishing rapidity. I instructed the nurse to tell him, should he awaken, that I would visit him after I had dined. I lay down, endeavoring to snatch a little sleep before eating.
I could not sleep—constantly the face of the doll–maker came before me whenever I began to relax into a doze, throwing me into intense wakefulness.
At seven I arose and ate a full and excellent dinner, deliberately drinking at least twice the amount of wine I ordinarily permit myself, finishing with strong coffee. When I arose from the table I felt distinctly better, mentally alert and master of myself once more—or so I believed. I had decided to apprise Ricori of my instructions to McCann concerning the abduction of the girl. I realized that this was certain to bring down upon me a minute catechism concerning my visit to the doll–shop, but I had formulated the story I intended to tell—
It was with a distinct shock that I realized that this story was all that I could tell! Realized that I could not communicate to the others the portions I had deleted, even if I desired. And that this was by command of the doll–maker—post–hypnotic suggestion which was a part of those other inhibitions she had laid upon my will; those same inhibitions which had held me powerless before her, had marched me out of her shop like a robot and thrust me back from her door, when I would have re–entered!
During that brief tranced sleep she had said to me: "This and this you must not tell. This and this you may."
I could not speak of the child–doll with the angelic face and the dagger–pin which had pricked the bubble of Gilmore's life. I could not speak of the Walters doll and its crucifixion. I could not speak of the doll–maker's tacit admission that she had been responsible for the deaths that had first led us to her.
However, this realization made me feel even better. Here at last was something understandable—the tangibility for which I had been groping; something that had in it nothing of sorcery—nor of dark power; something entirely in the realm of my own science. I had done the same thing to patients, many times, bringing their minds back to normality by these same post–hypnotic suggestions.
Also, there was a way by which I could wash my own mind clean of the doll–maker's suggestions, if I chose. Should I do this? Stubbornly, I decided I would not. It would be an admission that I was afraid of Madame Mandilip. I hated her, yes—but I did not fear her. Knowing now her technique, it would be folly not to observe its results with myself as the laboratory experiment. I told myself that I had run the gamut of those suggestions—that whatever else it had been her intention to implant within my mind had been held back by my unexpected awakening—
Ah, but the doll–maker had spoken truth when she called me fool!
When Braile appeared, I was able to meet him calmly. Hardly had I greeted him when Ricori's nurse called up to say her patient was wide– awake and anxious to see me.
I said to Braile: "This is fortunate. Come along. It will save me from telling the same story twice over."
He asked: "What story?"
"My interview with Madame Mandilip."
He said, incredulously: "You've seen her!"
"I spent the afternoon with her. She is most interesting. Come and hear about it."
I led the way rapidly to the Annex, deaf to his questions. Ricori was sitting up. I made a brief examination. Although still somewhat weak, he could be discharged as a patient. I congratulated him on what was truly a remarkable recovery. I whispered to him:
"I've seen your witch and talked to her. I have much to tell you. Bid your guards take their stations outside the door. I will dismiss the nurse for a time."
When guards and nurse were gone, I launched into an account of the day's happenings, beginning with my summons to the Gilmore apartment by McCann. Ricori listened, face grim, as I repeated Mollie's story. He said:
"Her brother and now her husband! Poor, poor Mollie! But she shall be avenged! Si!—greatly so! Yes!"
I gave my grossly incomplete version of my encounter with Madame Mandilip. I told Ricori what I had bidden McCann to do. I said:
"And so tonight, at least, we can sleep in peace. For if the girl comes out with the dolls, McCann gets her. If she does not, then nothing can happen. I am quite certain that without her the doll–maker cannot strike. I hope you approve, Ricori."
He studied me for a moment, intently.
"I do approve, Dr. Lowell. Most greatly do I approve. You have done as I would have done. But—I do not think you have told us all that happened between you and the witch."
"Nor do I," said Braile.
I arose.
"At any rate, I've told you the essentials. And I'm dead tired. I'm going to take a bath and go to bed. It's now nine–thirty. If the girl does come out it won't be before eleven, probably later. I'm going to sleep until McCann fetches her. If he doesn't, I'm going to sleep all night. That's final. Save your questions for the morning."
Ricori's searching gaze had never left me. He said:
"Why not sleep here? Would it not be safer for you?"
I succumbed to a wave of intense irritation. My pride had been hurt enough by my behavior with the doll–maker and the manner she had outwitted me. And the suggestion that I hide from her behind the guns of his men opened the wound afresh.
"I am no child," I answered angrily. "I am quite able to take care of myself. I do not have to live behind a screen of gunmen—"
I stopped, sorry that I had said that. But Ricori betrayed no anger. He nodded, and dropped back on his pillows.
"You have told me what I wanted to know. You fared very badly with the witch, Dr. Lowell. And you have not told us all the essentials."
I said: "I am sorry, Ricori!"
"Don't be." For the first time he smiled. "I understand, perfectly. I also am somewhat of a psychologist. But I say this to you—it matters little whether McCann does or does not bring the girl to us tonight. Tomorrow the witch dies—and the girl with her."