Howeverthesemattersmaybewhichhavenoreferencetothepointnowatissue，itisquitecertainthatthepeopleofRattleborough，principallythroughthepersuasionofMr。Pennifeather，cameatlengthtothedeterminationofdispersionovertheadjacentcountryinsearchofthemissingMr。Shuttleworthy。Isaytheycametothisdeterminationinthefirstinstance。Afterithadbeenfullyresolvedthatasearchshouldbemade，itwasconsideredalmostamatterofcoursethattheseekersshoulddispersethatistosay，distributethemselvesinpartiesforthemorethoroughexaminationoftheregionroundabout。Iforget，however，bywhatingenioustrainofreasoningitwasthat“OldCharley“finallyconvincedtheassemblythatthiswasthemostinjudiciousplanthatcouldbepursued。Convincethem，however，hedidallexceptMr。Pennifeather，and，intheend，itwasarrangedthatasearchshouldbeinstituted，carefullyandverythoroughly，bytheburghersenmasse，“OldCharley“
　　himselfleadingtheway。
　　Asforthematterofthat，therecouldhavebeennobetterpioneerthan“OldCharley。”whomeverybodyknewtohavetheeyeofalynx；but，althoughheledthemintoallmannerofout-of-the-wayholesandcorners，byroutesthatnobodyhadeversuspectedofexistingintheneighbourhood，andalthoughthesearchwasincessantlykeptupdayandnightfornearlyaweek，stillnotraceofMr。Shuttleworthycouldbediscovered。WhenIsaynotrace，however，Imustnotbeunderstoodtospeakliterally，fortrace，tosomeextent，therecertainlywas。Thepoorgentlemanhadbeentracked，byhishorsesshoeswhichwerepeculiar，toaspotaboutthreemilestotheeastoftheborough，onthemainroadleadingtothecity。Herethetrackmadeoffintoaby-paththroughapieceofwoodlandthepathcomingoutagainintothemainroad，andcuttingoffabouthalfamileoftheregulardistance。Followingtheshoe-marksdownthislane，thepartycameatlengthtoapoolofstagnantwater，halfhiddenbythebrambles，totherightofthelane，andoppositethispoolallvestigeofthetrackwaslostsightof。Itappeared，however，thatastruggleofsomenaturehadheretakenplace，anditseemedasifsomelargeandheavybody，muchlargerandheavierthanaman，hadbeendrawnfromtheby-pathtothepool。Thislatterwascarefullydraggedtwice，butnothingwasfound；andthepartywasuponthepointofgoingaway，indespairofcomingtoanyresult，whenProvidencesuggestedtoMr。Goodfellowtheexpediencyofdrainingthewateroffaltogether。Thisprojectwasreceivedwithcheers，andmanyhighcomplimentsto“OldCharley“uponhissagacityandconsideration。Asmanyoftheburghershadbroughtspadeswiththem，supposingthattheymightpossiblybecalledupontodisinteracorpse，thedrainwaseasilyandspeedilyeffected；andnosoonerwasthebottomvisible，thanrightinthemiddleofthemudthatremainedwasdiscoveredablacksilkvelvetwaistcoat，whichnearlyeveryonepresentimmediatelyrecognizedasthepropertyofMr。Pennifeather。Thiswaistcoatwasmuchtornandstainedwithblood，andtherewereseveralpersonsamongthepartywhohadadistinctremembranceofitshavingbeenwornbyitsownerontheverymorningofMr。Shuttleworthy’sdepartureforthecity；whiletherewereothers，again，readytotestifyuponoath，ifrequired，thatMr。P。didnotwearthegarmentinquestionatanyperiodduringtheremainderofthatmemorableday，norcouldanyonebefoundtosaythathehadseenituponMr。P。’spersonatanyperiodatallsubsequenttoMr。
　　Shuttleworthy’sdisappearance。
　　MattersnowworeaveryseriousaspectforMr。Pennifeather，anditwasobserved，asanindubitableconfirmationofthesuspicionswhichwereexcitedagainsthim，thathegrewexceedinglypale，andwhenaskedwhathehadtosayforhimself，wasutterlyincapableofsayingaword。Hereupon，thefewfriendshisriotousmodeoflivinghadlefthim，desertedhimatoncetoaman，andwereevenmoreclamorousthanhisancientandavowedenemiesforhisinstantaneousarrest。But，ontheotherhand，themagnanimityofMr。Goodfellowshoneforthwithonlythemorebrilliantlustrethroughcontrast。HemadeawarmandintenselyeloquentdefenceofMr。Pennifeather，inwhichhealludedmorethanoncetohisownsincereforgivenessofthatwildyounggentleman“theheiroftheworthyMr。
　　Shuttleworthy。”fortheinsultwhichhetheyounggentlemanhad，nodoubtintheheatofpassion，thoughtpropertoputuponhimMr。
　　Goodfellow。“Heforgavehimforit。”hesaid，“fromtheverybottomofhisheart；andforhimselfMr。Goodfellow，sofarfrompushingthesuspiciouscircumstancestoextremity，whichhewassorrytosay，reallyhadarisenagainstMr。Pennifeather，heMr。Goodfellowwouldmakeeveryexertioninhispower，wouldemployallthelittleeloquenceinhispossessiontototosoftendown，asmuchashecouldconscientiouslydoso，theworstfeaturesofthisreallyexceedinglyperplexingpieceofbusiness。”
　　Mr。Goodfellowwentonforsomehalfhourlongerinthisstrain，verymuchtothecreditbothofhisheadandofhisheart；butyourwarm-heartedpeopleareseldomappositeintheirobservationstheyrunintoallsortsofblunders，contre-tempsandmalapropos-isms，inthehot-headednessoftheirzealtoserveafriendthus，oftenwiththekindestintentionsintheworld，doinginfinitelymoretoprejudicehiscausethantoadvanceit。
　　So，inthepresentinstance，itturnedoutwithalltheeloquenceof“OldCharley“；for，althoughhelabouredearnestlyinbehalfofthesuspected，yetitsohappened，somehoworother，thateverysyllableheutteredofwhichthedirectbutunwittingtendencywasnottoexaltthespeakerinthegoodopinionofhisaudience，hadtheeffecttodeepenthesuspicionalreadyattachedtotheindividualwhosecausehepleaded，andtoarouseagainsthimthefuryofthemob。
　　Oneofthemostunaccountableerrorscommittedbytheoratorwashisallusiontothesuspectedas“theheiroftheworthyoldgentlemanMr。
　　Shuttleworthy。”Thepeoplehadreallyneverthoughtofthisbefore。Theyhadonlyrememberedcertainthreatsofdisinheritanceutteredayearortwopreviouslybytheunclewhohadnolivingrelativeexceptthenephew，andtheyhad，therefore，alwayslookeduponthisdisinheritanceasamatterthatwassettledsosingle-mindedaraceofbeingsweretheRattleburghers；buttheremarkof“OldCharley“broughtthematoncetoaconsiderationofthispoint，andthusgavethemtoseethepossibilityofthethreatshavingbeennothingmorethanathreat。Andstraightwayhereupon，arosethenaturalquestionofcuibono？aquestionthattendedevenmorethanthewaistcoattofastentheterriblecrimeupontheyoungman。Andhere，lestImaybemisunderstood，permitmetodigressforonemomentmerelytoobservethattheexceedinglybriefandsimpleLatinphrasewhichIhaveemployed，isinvariablymistranslatedandmisconceived。“Cuibono？”inallthecracknovelsandelsewhere，inthoseofMrs。Gore，forexample，theauthorof“Cecil。”aladywhoquotesalltonguesfromtheChaldaeantoChickasaw，andishelpedtoherlearning，“asneeded。”uponasystematicplan，byMr。Beckford，inallthecracknovels，Isay，fromthoseofBulwerandDickenstothoseofBulwerandDickenstothoseofTurnapennyandAinsworth，thetwolittleLatinwordscuibonoarerendered“towhatpurpose？”or，asifquobono，
　　“towhatgood。”Theirtruemeaning，nevertheless，is“forwhoseadvantage。”Cui，towhom；bono，isitforabenefit。Itisapurelylegalphrase，andapplicablepreciselyincasessuchaswehavenowunderconsideration，wheretheprobabilityofthedoerofadeedhingesupontheprobabilityofthebenefitaccruingtothisindividualortothatfromthedeed’saccomplishment。Nowinthepresentinstance，thequestioncuibono？
　　verypointedlyimplicatedMr。Pennifeather。Hisunclehadthreatenedhim，aftermakingawillinhisfavour，withdisinheritance。Butthethreathadnotbeenactuallykept；theoriginalwill，itappeared，hadnotbeenaltered。Haditbeenaltered，theonlysupposablemotiveformurderonthepartofthesuspectedwouldhavebeentheordinaryoneofrevenge；andeventhiswouldhavebeencounteractedbythehopeofreinstationintothegoodgracesoftheuncle。Butthewillbeingunaltered，whilethethreattoalterremainedsuspendedoverthenephew’shead，thereappearsatoncetheverystrongestpossibleinducementfortheatrocity，andsoconcluded，verysagaciously，theworthycitizensoftheboroughofRattle。
　　Mr。Pennifeatherwas，accordingly，arresteduponthespot，andthecrowd，aftersomefurthersearch，proceededhomeward，havinghimincustody。Ontheroute，however，anothercircumstanceoccurredtendingtoconfirmthesuspicionentertained。Mr。Goodfellow，whosezealledhimtobealwaysalittleinadvanceoftheparty，wasseensuddenlytorunforwardafewpaces，stoop，andthenapparentlytopickupsomesmallobjectfromthegrass。Havingquicklyexaminedithewasobserved，too，tomakeasortofhalfattemptatconcealingitinhiscoatpocket；butthisactionwasnoticed，asIsay，andconsequentlyprevented，whentheobjectpickedupwasfoundtobeaSpanishknifewhichadozenpersonsatoncerecognizedasbelongingtoMr。Pennifeather。Moreover，hisinitialswereengraveduponthehandle。Thebladeofthisknifewasopenandbloody。
　　Nodoubtnowremainedoftheguiltofthenephew，andimmediatelyuponreachingRattleboroughhewastakenbeforeamagistrateforexamination。
　　Heremattersagaintookamostunfavourableturn。Theprisoner，beingquestionedastohiswhereaboutsonthemorningofMr。Shuttleworthy’sdisappearance，hadabsolutelytheaudacitytoacknowledgethatonthatverymorninghehadbeenoutwithhisrifledeer-stalking，intheimmediateneighbourhoodofthepoolwheretheblood-stainedwaistcoathadbeendiscoveredthroughthesagacityofMr。Goodfellow。
　　Thislatternowcameforward，and，withtearsinhiseyes，askedpermissiontobeexamined。HesaidthatasternsenseofthedutyheowedhisMaker，notlessthanhisfellow-men，wouldpermithimnolongertoremainsilent。Hitherto，thesincerestaffectionfortheyoungmannotwithstandingthelatter’sill-treatmentofhimself，Mr。Goodfellow
　　hadinducedhimtomakeeveryhypothesiswhichimaginationcouldsuggest，bywayofendeavoringtoaccountforwhatappearedsuspiciousinthecircumstancesthattoldsoseriouslyagainstMr。Pennifeather，butthesecircumstanceswerenowaltogethertooconvincingtoodamning，hewouldhesitatenolongerhewouldtellallheknew，althoughhisheartMr。
　　Goodfellow’sshouldabsolutelyburstasunderintheeffort。Hethenwentontostatethat，ontheafternoonofthedayprevioustoMr。
　　Shuttleworthy’sdepartureforthecity，thatworthyoldgentlemanhadmentionedtohisnephew，inhishearingMr。Goodfellow’s，thathisobjectingoingtotownonthemorrowwastomakeadepositofanunusuallylargesumofmoneyinthe“FarmersandMechanics’Bank。”andthat，thenandthere，thesaidMr。Shuttleworthyhaddistinctlyavowedtothesaidnephewhisirrevocabledeterminationofrescindingthewilloriginallymade，andofcuttinghimoffwithashilling。Hethewitness
　　nowsolemnlycalledupontheaccusedtostatewhetherwhathethewitnesshadjuststatedwasorwasnotthetruthineverysubstantialparticular。Muchtotheastonishmentofeveryonepresent，Mr。
　　Pennifeatherfranklyadmittedthatitwas。
　　Themagistratenowconsideredithisdutytosendacoupleofconstablestosearchthechamberoftheaccusedinthehouseofhisuncle。Fromthissearchtheyalmostimmediatelyreturnedwiththewell-knownsteel-bound，russetleatherpocket-bookwhichtheoldgentlemanhadbeeninthehabitofcarryingforyears。Itsvaluablecontents，however，hadbeenabstracted，andthemagistrateinvainendeavoredtoextortfromtheprisonertheusewhichhadbeenmadeofthem，ortheplaceoftheirconcealment。Indeed，heobstinatelydeniedallknowledgeofthematter。
　　Theconstables，also，discovered，betweenthebedandsackingoftheunhappyman，ashirtandneck-handkerchiefbothmarkedwiththeinitialsofhisname，andbothhideouslybesmearedwiththebloodofthevictim。
　　Atthisjuncture，itwasannouncedthatthehorseofthemurderedmanhadjustexpiredinthestablefromtheeffectsofthewoundhehadreceived，anditwasproposedbyMr。Goodfellowthatapostmortemexaminationofthebeastshouldbeimmediatelymade，withtheview，ifpossible，ofdiscoveringtheball。Thiswasaccordinglydone；and，asiftodemonstratebeyondaquestiontheguiltoftheaccused，Mr。Goodfellow，afterconsiderablesearchinginthecavityofthechestwasenabledtodetectandtopullforthabulletofveryextraordinarysize，which，upontrial，wasfoundtobeexactlyadaptedtotheboreofMr。Pennifeather’srifle，whileitwasfartoolargeforthatofanyotherpersonintheboroughoritsvicinity。Torenderthematterevensureryet，however，thisbulletwasdiscoveredtohaveaflaworseamatrightanglestotheusualsuture，anduponexamination，thisseamcorrespondedpreciselywithanaccidentalridgeorelevationinapairofmouldsacknowledgedbytheaccusedhimselftobehisownproperty。Uponfindingofthisbullet，theexaminingmagistraterefusedtolistentoanyfarthertestimony，andimmediatelycommittedtheprisonerfortrial-decliningresolutelytotakeanybailinthecase，althoughagainstthisseverityMr。Goodfellowverywarmlyremonstrated，andofferedtobecomesuretyinwhateveramountmightberequired。Thisgenerosityonthepartof“OldCharley“wasonlyinaccordancewiththewholetenourofhisamiableandchivalrousconductduringtheentireperiodofhissojournintheboroughofRattle。Inthepresentinstancetheworthymanwassoentirelycarriedawaybytheexcessivewarmthofhissympathy，thatheseemedtohavequiteforgotten，whenheofferedtogobailforhisyoungfriend，thathehimselfMr。
　　Goodfellowdidnotpossessasingledollar’sworthofpropertyuponthefaceoftheearth。