Tuesday afternoon. He couldn't have, because he died
(unlamented) three years ago. But there was nobody who knew
this, save Mark and myself, for Mark was the only one of the
family left, his sister having died last year. Though I doubt,
anyhow, if she knew whether Robert was alive or dead. He was not
talked about.

"For the next two days Mark and I worked out our plans. You
understand by now that our aims were not identical. Mark's
endeavour was that his deception should last for, say, a couple
of hours; mine that it should go to the grave with him. He had
only to deceive Miss Norris and the other guests; I had to
deceive the world. When he was dressed up as Robert, I was going
to kill him. Robert would then be dead, Mark (of course)
missing. What could anybody think but that Mark had killed
Robert? But you see how important it was for Mark to enter fully
into his latest (and last) impersonation. Half-measures would be
fatal.

"You will say that it was impossible so do the thing thoroughly
enough. I answer again that you never knew Mark. He was being
what he wished most to be--an artist. No Othello ever blacked
himself all over with such enthusiasm as did Mark. His beard was
going anyhow--possible a chance remark of Miss Norbury's helped
here. She did not like beards. But it was important for me that
the dead man's hands should not be the hands of a manicured
gentleman. Five minutes playing upon the vanity of the artist
settled his hands. He let the nails grow and then cut them
raggedly. 'Miss Norris would notice your hands at once,' I had
said. 'Besides, as an artist--'