The Nine of Hearts. Farjeon Benjamin Leopold

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СКАЧАТЬ Attorney-general. "What passed between you and the coachman?"

      Witness. "I asked him at what time on the previous night the prisoner returned home. He said at about twenty minutes past twelve, and that the prisoner entered his house accompanied by a lady, opening the street door with his latch-key. I asked him if he had seen the prisoner since, and he replied that he had not. I asked him from what part of his dress the prisoner took the latch-key, and he replied, from the pocket of the ulster he wore."

      The Attorney-general. "Although the prisoner was not at home, was this ulster in his house?"

      Witness. "Yes, it was hanging on the coat-rack in the hall."

      The Attorney-general. "Did you take possession of it?"

      Witness. "I did."

      The Attorney-general. "Did you search the pockets?"

      Witness. "Yes."

      The Attorney-general. "What did you find in them?"

      Witness. "The latch-key of the street door and a playing-card."

      The Attorney-general. "Nothing else?"

      Witness. "Nothing else."

      The Attorney-general. "Is this the latch-key?" (Latch-key produced.)

      Witness. "It is."

      The Attorney-general. "Is this the playing-card?" (Playing-card, the Nine of Hearts, produced.)

      Witness. "It is."

      The Attorney-general. "How do you recognize it?"

      Witness. "By a private mark I put in the corner."

      The Attorney-general. "There was absolutely nothing else in the pockets of the ulster?"

      Witness. "Nothing else."

      The Attorney-general. "Did you see the prisoner before you left the house?"

      Witness. "I did."

      The Attorney-general. "Describe what passed."

      Witness. "The prisoner suddenly made his appearance while I was questioning the servants, and inquired my business there. I told him I was an officer, and that I was there because of his wife being found dead in her bed. 'Dead!' he cried; 'my wife!' and he rushed to her room. I followed him. He looked at her and sunk into a chair. He seemed stupefied. I had his ulster coat hanging on my arm, and I told him I had taken possession of it. He nodded vacantly. A moment or two afterwards he laid his hand upon the ulster, and demanded to know where I had obtained it. I informed him from the coat-rack in the hall. He cried, 'Impossible!' and as it seemed to me he was about to speak again, I informed him that anything he said might be used in evidence against him. 'In evidence!' he cried, 'against me!' 'Yes,' I replied; there has been murder done here.' 'Murder!' he cried; 'and I am suspected!' To that remark I did not reply, but repeated my caution. He said, 'Thank you,' and did not utter another word."

      The prisoner did not cross-examine the witness; and this was the more surprising as it was remarked by all in court that upon the production of the playing-card, the Nine of Hearts, he was greatly agitated.

      V

      THE EVIDENCE OF IDA WHITE, LADY'S-MAID

      The next witness called was Ida White, an attractive-looking woman about thirty years of age.

      The Attorney-general. "What is your name?"

      Witness. "Ida White."

      The Attorney-general. "Do you know the prisoner?"

      Witness. "Yes; he was my master."

      The Attorney-general. "In what capacity were you employed?"

      Witness. "I was lady's-maid to his wife, my poor dead mistress."

      The Attorney-general. "Were you in her service before she was married?"

      Witness. "Yes."

      The Attorney-general. "What was her maiden name?"

      Witness. "Agnes Beach."

      The Attorney-general. "When you first entered her service were her parents alive?"

      Witness. "Both of them."

      The Attorney-general. "Do they still live?"

      Witness. "No. Mrs. Beach died on my mistress's wedding-day; Mr. Beach died in February of this year."

      The Attorney-general. "Was your late mistress very much affected at her mother's death?"

      Witness. "She almost lost her reason. She fell into a fever, and was scarcely expected to live. It was weeks before she recovered."

      The Attorney-general. "Have you any knowledge of the circumstances of your mistress's engagement with the prisoner?"

      Witness. "She was very much in love with him."

      The Attorney-general. "And he with her?"

      Witness. "I don't think so."

      The Attorney-general. "And according to your observation, not being in love with her, he engaged himself to her?"

      Witness. "Yes."

      The Attorney-general. "Was she a good-looking woman?"

      Witness. "She would not generally be considered so."

      The Attorney-general. "Is this a fairly good likeness of her?"

      (Photograph of the deceased produced, which, after the witness had examined it, was handed to the jury. It represented a woman, very plain, with a face which seemed to lack intelligence.)

      Witness. "It is very like her."

      The Attorney-general. "Was she strong-minded?"

      Witness. "No, she was not but she was very obstinate when she took it into her head."

      The Attorney-general. "How old was she at the time of her engagement with the prisoner?"

      Witness. "Twenty-eight."

      The Attorney-general. "Do you know the prisoner's age at the time?"

      Witness. "My mistress told me he was twenty-four."

      The Attorney-general. "Was she well-formed?"

      Witness. "No."

      The Attorney-general. "Had she a good figure?"

      Witness. "No."

      The Attorney-general. "Many plain women have some peculiar attraction, either in manners or features. Had she anything of this kind to distinguish her?"

      Witness. "I cannot say she had."

      The Attorney-general. "But there might have been other attractions. Was she brilliant in conversation?"

      Witness. "On the contrary. She had very СКАЧАТЬ