And now -“

He paused, and they all looked at him expectantly. “Now, gentlemen, you are wondering why you are here. You are wondering why Inspector Chan, of the Honolulu Police, is here. I have kept you waiting an intolerably long time, I know, but the truth is, I am loath to bring this matter up. To introduce it properly I shall have to go into a subject that I had hoped was for ever dead and forgotten - my life with Ellen Landini.”

He pushed his chair back from the table, and crossed his legs. “Sing - you haven’t overlooked the cigars? Ah, yes - gentlemen, help yourselves. I - I married Ellen Landini nearly twenty years ago, in San Francisco. She had just come to town from the islands, a young girl of eighteen, with a voice - even then it was magical. But she had more than the voice, she had a freshness, a vivacity, a beauty - however, I needn’t go into her charm, surely not in this company. She gave a little concert, I saw her, heard her sing. The courtship was brief. We were married, and went to Paris on our honeymoon.

“That year in Paris - I shall never forget it. I want to be fair. She was wonderful - then. She studied with the best teacher in Europe, and what he told her about her voice made her supremely happy. It made me happy, too - for a time.

“Only gradually did I come to see that this wonderful year had wrecked my dreams - my hopes for a home, for children. Domestic life was now impossible for us. She was determined to become a professional singer. I saw myself, the prima donna’s husband, carrying a dog about Europe, waiting at stage doors, enduring for ever an artistic temperament. The career did not appeal to me. I said so.

“Perhaps I was unreasonable. I want, as I have said, to be fair to her. Men were not so complacent about careers for their wives in those days. At any rate, there began a series of endless quarrels. I brought her home from Paris, to San Francisco, and thence, since it was spring, up to this house. I could see she would never be reconciled to the life I wanted.”

He was silent for a moment. “I apologize humbly,” he went on, “for dragging you into affairs that should be private. I must add, however, that our quarrels became daily more bitter, that we began to say unforgivable things, to hate each other. I could see her hate in her eyes when she looked at me. One June day - in this very room - matters came to a climax and she left the house.