Part 38 (1/2)

”Did you know that other witnesses have sworn that the body is that of a gentleman called Philip de Mountford?”

”Yes, sir. I knew that.”

”Then do you mean to a.s.sert that those other witnesses have sworn false oaths?”

”Oh, no, sir,” rejoined James Baker with an apologetic smile of self-deprecation, ”I wouldn't say such a thing, sir.”

”Well, then?”

”They was mistaken, sir, that's all. Paul was that clever, sir; ask 'is mother there.”

And once more the lean and grimy finger pointed to the seedy-looking matron who nodded a melancholy head, half in pride, half in regret.

”Clever, did you say?” asked the coroner, more briskly now. At last he held a thread in this extraordinary tangled skein. ”Then do you mean to a.s.sert that your son--Paul Baker--went about the world calling himself Philip de Mountford?”

”That must 'ave been it, sir, I think.”

”Deceiving people?”

”Aye! 'e was ever a bit o' no good.”

”You think he imposed upon his lords.h.i.+p, the Earl of Radclyffe?”

”'E must 'ave done, sir, mustn't 'e now? seein' as 'ow 'is lords.h.i.+p must 'ave been took in.”

”You helped him in the deception, I suppose?”

”Me, sir? Lor' bless ye no! Me an' 'is mother ain't clever enough for such things! We knew nothin' of Paul's doin's, and 'e allus went 'is own way, sir.”

”But at least you knew that this fraud was going on?”

”Not exactly, sir.”

”How do you mean 'not exactly?'” retorted the coroner sharply. ”You seem to be unconscious of the fact that this story which you are telling the jury is a very serious matter indeed. If it is true, you are not only making a grave accusation against your dead son, but with this accusation you may be involving yourself or some other member of your family in an exceedingly serious charge of fraud, the penalty for which if proved would be very severe indeed. On the other hand if the story you tell is nothing but a c.o.c.k-and-bull tale, which further evidence would presently demolish, then you lay yourself open to a charge of perjury and of conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice. I have thought best to give you this word of warning--the last which you will get from me--because really you do not seem to be fully conscious of the extreme gravity of your position.”

The bricklayer from Clapham had listened to this admonition, delivered with solemn emphasis and no small measure of severity, with a kind of stolid indifference. He retained his humble, apologetic att.i.tude, but clearly the coroner's threats did not affect his simple equanimity.

”I thank you, sir, kindly,” he said when the coroner had ceased speaking, ”but I can't 'elp it. Paul would go on 'is own way. Ask 'is mother there. 'E never would be spoken to, wouldn't Paul. And me and 'is mother allus said 'e'd come to mischief some day.”

”Did you know anything at all of this fraud?”

”No, sir. We knew nothin' of it really. You see Paul left 'ome nearly two year ago come Christmas. 'E didn't tell us nothing.”

”Then you last saw your son alive two years ago?”

”Yes, sir. That's the last me and 'is mother seed of 'im. Christmas Day, sir, 'twas two year ago nearly. Paul 'e said then 'e'd 'ad enough of knockin' about in London. 'E was goin' abroad, 'e was, that's what 'e said. And 'e left 'ome, sir, the next day. Bank 'oliday 'twere, and that's the last me and 'is mother seed of 'im.”

He had told this with all the simple fatalism peculiar to his cla.s.s.

The son went ”abroad,” and ”abroad” to a Clapham labourer is a very vague term indeed. It means so many things: geographically it means any place beyond a twelve-mile radius from home; the Antipodes are ”abroad,” but so is Yorks.h.i.+re. Domestically it means that the traveller pa.s.ses out of the existence of those that are left behind as surely as if he had stepped into the grave. Financially, it means a mouth less to feed, seeing that the intending traveller is nearly always a wastrel at home. In any event the proposed journey ”abroad”