Part 33 (1/2)
”Yes, your luds.h.i.+p.”
”How did he behave when he read it?”
”He turned very pale and excited. He went up to the poor gentleman's room, and I'm afraid he quarrelled with him. He might have left his last hours peaceful.” (Amus.e.m.e.nt.)
”What happened then?”
”Mr. Mortlake went out in a pa.s.sion, and came in again in about an hour.”
”He told you he was going away to Liverpool very early the next morning?”
”No, your luds.h.i.+p, he said he was going to Devonport.” (Sensation.)
”What time did you get up the next morning?”
”Half-past six.”
”That is not your usual time?”
”No, I always get up at six.”
”How do you account for the extra sleepiness?”
”Misfortunes will happen.”
”It wasn't the dull, foggy weather?”
”No, my lud, else I should never get up early.” (Laughter.)
”You drink something before going to bed?”
”I like my cup o' tea. I take it strong, without sugar. It always steadies my nerves.”
”Quite so. Where were you when the prisoner told you he was going to Devonport?”
”Drinkin' my tea in the kitchen.”
”What should you say if prisoner dropped something in it to make you sleep late?”
WITNESS (startled): ”He ought to be shot.”
”He might have done it without your noticing it, I suppose?”
”If he was clever enough to murder the poor gentleman, he was clever enough to try and poison me.”
The JUDGE: ”The witness in her replies must confine herself to the evidence.”
Mr. SPIGOT, Q.C.: ”I must submit to your lords.h.i.+p that it is a very logical answer, and exactly ill.u.s.trates the interdependence of the probabilities. Now, Mrs. Drabdump, let us know what happened when you awoke at half-past six the next morning.” Thereupon Mrs. Drabdump recapitulated the evidence (with new redundancies, but slight variations) given by her at the inquest. How she became alarmed--how she found the street door locked by the big lock--how she roused Grodman, and got him to burst open the door--how they found the body--all this with which the public was already familiar _ad nauseam_ was extorted from her afresh.
”Look at this key (key pa.s.sed to witness). Do you recognise it?”