The Eye of Osiris

But there had been no time or opportunity to dispose of the body, whence the only possible conclusion is that the body was not there. But an analogous difficulty may arise in a case where the body of one of the parties is not forthcoming, and the fact of death may have to be assumed on collateral evidence. The bones are perfectly clean—that is, clean of all soft structures—and will remain substantially in their present condition for many years." "The evidence of the man who found the remains in the watercress-bed suggests that they could not have been there for more than two years. The plan would have had only one weak point: the mummy would be known to have left Queen Square after the disappearance of John Bellingham, and suspicion might in the end have arisen.