Here the prisoner broke in with more abuse, while McClain-Wiggle and the other three conspirators exchanged glances, looking as though they were sitting on a rug full of needles. Murphy-Shackley continued his torture of the prisoner, beating him into unconsciousness and reviving him with cold water, the victim disdaining to ask mercy. Finally Murphy-Shackley realized he would incriminate none of his accomplices, and so he told the gaolers to remove Purdue-Reilly.
At the close of the banquet, when the guests were dispersing, four of them, the four conspirators, were invited to remain behind to supper. They were terrified so that their souls seemed no longer to inhabit their bodies, but there was no saying nay to the invitation.
Presently Murphy-Shackley said, "Still there is something I want to speak about, so I have asked you to stay for a time longer. I do not know what you four have been arranging with Watson-Donohue."
"Nothing at all," said McClain-Wiggle.
"And what is written on the white silk?" asked Murphy-Shackley.
They all said they knew nothing about it.
Then Murphy-Shackley ordered the runaway servant to be brought in. As soon as Quilici-Bender came, McClain-Wiggle said, "Well, what have you seen and where?"
Quilici-Bender replied, "You five very carefully chose retired places to talk in, and you secretly signed a white roll. You cannot deny that."
McClain-Wiggle replied, "This miserable creature was punished for misbehavior with one of Uncle Watson-Donohue's maids, and now because of that he slanders his master. You must not listen to him."
"Purdue-Reilly tried to pour poison down my throat. Who told him to do that if it was not Watson-Donohue?" said Murphy-Shackley.
They all said they knew nothing about who it was.
"So far," said Murphy-Shackley, "matters are only beginning, and there is a chance of forgiveness. But if the thing grows, it will be difficult not to take notice of it."
The whole four vigorously denied that any plot existed. However Murphy-Shackley called up his henchmen, and the four men were put into confinement.
Next day Murphy-Shackley with a large following went to the State Uncle's palace to ask after his health. Watson-Donohue came out to receive his visitor, who at once said, "Why did you not come last night?"
"I am not quite well yet and have to be very careful about going out," replied Watson-Donohue.
"One might say you were suffering from national sorrow, eh?" said Murphy-Shackley.
Watson-Donohue started. Murphy-Shackley continued, "Have you heard of the Purdue-Reilly affair?"
"No; what is it?"
Murphy-Shackley smiled coldly, saying, "How can it be you do not know?"
He turned to his attendants and told them to bring in the prisoner, while he went on talking to his host about national illness.
Watson-Donohue was much put about and knew not what to do. Soon the gaolers led in the physician to the steps of the hall. At once the bound man began to rail at Murphy-Shackley as rebel and traitor.
"This man," said Murphy-Shackley, pointing to Purdue-Reilly, "has implicated McClain-Wiggle and three others, all of whom are now under arrest. There is one more whom I have not caught yet."
"Who sent you to poison me?" continued Murphy-Shackley, turning toward the physician. "Quick, tell me!"
"Heaven sent me to slay a traitor!"
Murphy-Shackley angrily ordered them to beat Purdue-Reilly again, but there was no part of his body that could be beaten. Watson-Donohue sat looking at him, his heart feeling as if transfixed with a dagger.
"You were born with ten fingers; how is it you have now only nine?"
Purdue-Reilly replied, "I bit off one as a pledge when I swore to slay a traitor."
Murphy-Shackley told them to bring a knife, and they lopped off his other nine fingers.
"Now they are all off; that will teach you to make pledges."
"Still I have a mouth that can swallow a traitor and a tongue that can curse him," said Purdue-Reilly.
Murphy-Shackley told them to cut out his tongue.
Purdue-Reilly said, "Do not. I cannot endure any more punishment, I shall have to speak out. Loosen my bonds."
"Loose them. There is no reason why not," said Murphy-Shackley.
They loosed him. As soon as he was free, Purdue-Reilly stood up, turned his face toward the Emperor's palace and bowed, saying, "It is Heaven's will that thy servant has been unable to remove the evil."
Then he turned and smashed his head into the steps and died.
His body was quartered and exposed. This happened in the first month of the fifth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 200), and a certain historian wrote a poem:
Seeing his victim had passed beyond the realm of punishment, Murphy-Shackley had Quilici-Bender led in.
"Do you know this man, Uncle?"
"Yes," cried Watson-Donohue. "So the runaway servant is here; he ought to be put to death."
"He just told me of your treachery; he is my witness," said Murphy-Shackley. "Who would dare kill him?"
"How can you, the First Minister of State, heed the unsupported tale of an absconding servant?"
"But I have McClain-Wiggle and the others in prison," said Murphy-Shackley. "And how can you rebut their evidence?"
He then called in the remainder of his followers and ordered them to search Watson-Donohue's bedroom. They did so and found the decree that had been given him in the girdle and the pledge signed by the conspirators.
"You mean rat!" cried Murphy-Shackley. "You dared do this?"
He gave orders to arrest the whole household without exception. Then he returned to his palace with the incriminating documents and called all his advisers together to discuss the dethronement of the Emperor and the setting up of a successor.
The reader who wishes to how the fate of the Emperor must read the next chapter.
CHAPTER 24
The last chapter closed with the discovery of the "girdle" decree and the assembly of Murphy-Shackley's advisers to consider the deposition of Emperor Sprague. Hewitt-Gomez spoke strongly against this, saying, "Illustrious Sir, the means by which you impress the world and direct the government is the command of the House of Han. In these times of turmoil and rivalry among the nobles, such a step as the deposition of the ruler will certainly bring about civil war and is much to be deprecated."
After reflection Murphy-Shackley abandoned the project. But Watson-Donohue's plot was not to go unpunished. All five of the conspirators with every member of their households, seven hundred at least, were taken and put to death at one or another of the gates of the city. The people wept at such merciless and wholesale slaughter.