Reading Help The Mysterious Affair at Styles Ch.VII-XIII
words: ". . . erything of which I die possessed I leave to my `
` beloved husband Alfred Ing ..." This placed beyond question the `
` fact that the destroyed will had been in favour of the deceased `
` lady's husband. Japp then produced the charred fragment of paper `
` recovered from the grate, and this, with the discovery of the `
` beard in the attic, completed his evidence. `
` `
` But Sir Ernest's cross-examination was yet to come. `
` `
` "What day was it when you searched the prisoner's room?" `
` `
` "Tuesday, the 24th of July." `
` `
` "Exactly a week after the tragedy?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "You found these two objects, you say, in the chest of drawers. `
` Was the drawer unlocked?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Does it not strike you as unlikely that a man who had committed `
` a crime should keep the evidence of it in an unlocked drawer for `
` anyone to find?" `
` `
` "He might have stowed them there in a hurry." `
` `
` "But you have just said it was a whole week since the crime. He `
` would have had ample time to remove them and destroy them." `
` `
` "Perhaps." `
` `
` "There is no perhaps about it. Would he, or would he not have `
` had plenty of time to remove and destroy them?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Was the pile of underclothes under which the things were hidden `
` heavy or light?" `
` `
` "Heavyish." `
` `
` "In other words, it was winter underclothing. Obviously, the `
` prisoner would not be likely to go to that drawer?" `
` `
` "Perhaps not." `
` `
` "Kindly answer my question. Would the prisoner, in the hottest `
` week of a hot summer, be likely to go to a drawer containing `
` winter underclothing. Yes, or no?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "In that case, is it not possible that the articles in question `
` might have been put there by a third person, and that the `
` prisoner was quite unaware of their presence?" `
` `
` "I should not think it likely." `
` `
` "But it is possible?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "That is all." `
` `
` More evidence followed. Evidence as to the financial `
` difficulties in which the prisoner had found himself at the end `
` of July. Evidence as to his intrigue with Mrs. Raikes--poor `
` Mary, that must have been bitter hearing for a woman of her `
` pride. Evelyn Howard had been right in her facts, though her `
` animosity against Alfred Inglethorp had caused her to jump to the `
` conclusion that he was the person concerned. `
` `
` Lawrence Cavendish was then put into the box. In a low voice, in `
` answer to Mr. Philips' questions, he denied having ordered `
` anything from Parkson's in June. In fact, on June 29th, he had `
` been staying away, in Wales. `
` `
` Instantly, Sir Ernest's chin was shooting pugnaciously forward. `
` `
` "You deny having ordered a black beard from Parkson's on June `
` 29th?" `
` `
` "I do." `
` `
` "Ah! In the event of anything happening to your brother, who will `
` inherit Styles Court?" `
` `
` The brutality of the question called a flush to Lawrence's pale `
` face. The judge gave vent to a faint murmur of disapprobation, `
` and the prisoner in the dock leant forward angrily. `
` `
` Heavywether cared nothing for his client's anger. `
` `
` "Answer my question, if you please." `
` `
` "I suppose," said Lawrence quietly, "that I should." `
` `
` "What do you mean by you 'suppose'? Your brother has no children. `
` You _would_ inherit it, wouldn't you?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Ah, that's better," said Heavywether, with ferocious geniality. `
` "And you'd inherit a good slice of money too, wouldn't you?" `
` `
` "Really, Sir Ernest," protested the judge, "these questions are `
` not relevant." `
` `
` Sir Ernest bowed, and having shot his arrow proceeded. `
` `
` "On Tuesday, the 17th July, you went, I believe, with another `
` guest, to visit the dispensary at the Red Cross Hospital in `
` Tadminster?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Did you--while you happened to be alone for a few `
` seconds--unlock the poison cupboard, and examine some of the `
` bottles?" `
` `
` "I--I--may have done so." `
` `
` "I put it to you that you did do so?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Sir Ernest fairly shot the next question at him. `
` `
` "Did you examine one bottle in particular?" `
` `
` "No, I do not think so." `
` `
` "Be careful, Mr. Cavendish. I am referring to a little bottle of `
` Hydro-chloride of Strychnine." `
` `
` Lawrence was turning a sickly greenish colour. `
` `
` "N--o--I am sure I didn't." `
` `
` "Then how do you account for the fact that you left the `
` unmistakable impress of your finger-prints on it?" `
` `
` The bullying manner was highly efficacious with a nervous `
` disposition. `
` `
` "I--I suppose I must have taken up the bottle." `
` `
` "I suppose so too! Did you abstract any of the contents of the `
` bottle?" `
` `
` "Certainly not." `
` `
` "Then why did you take it up?" `
` `
` "I once studied to be a doctor. Such things naturally interest `
` me." `
` `
` "Ah! So poisons 'naturally interest' you, do they? Still, you `
` waited to be alone before gratifying that 'interest' of yours?" `
` `
` "That was pure chance. If the others had been there, I should `
` have done just the same." `
` `
` "Still, as it happens, the others were not there?" `
` `
` "No, but----" `
` `
` "In fact, during the whole afternoon, you were only alone for a `
` couple of minutes, and it happened--I say, it happened--to be `
` during those two minutes that you displayed your 'natural `
` interest' in Hydro-chloride of Strychnine?" `
` `
` Lawrence stammered pitiably. `
` `
` "I--I----" `
` `
` With a satisfied and expressive countenance, Sir Ernest observed: `
` `
` "I have nothing more to ask you, Mr. Cavendish." `
` `
` This bit of cross-examination had caused great excitement in `
` court. The heads of the many fashionably attired women present `
` were busily laid together, and their whispers became so loud that `
` the judge angrily threatened to have the court cleared if there `
` was not immediate silence. `
` `
` There was little more evidence. The hand-writing experts were `
` called upon for their opinion of the signature of "Alfred `
` Inglethorp" in the chemist's poison register. They all declared `
` unanimously that it was certainly not his hand-writing, and gave `
` it as their view that it might be that of the prisoner disguised. `
` Cross-examined, they admitted that it might be the prisoner's `
` hand-writing cleverly counterfeited. `
` `
` Sir Ernest Heavywether's speech in opening the case for the `
` defence was not a long one, but it was backed by the full force `
` of his emphatic manner. Never, he said, in the course of his `
` long experience, had he known a charge of murder rest on slighter `
` evidence. Not only was it entirely circumstantial, but the `
`
` beloved husband Alfred Ing ..." This placed beyond question the `
` fact that the destroyed will had been in favour of the deceased `
` lady's husband. Japp then produced the charred fragment of paper `
` recovered from the grate, and this, with the discovery of the `
` beard in the attic, completed his evidence. `
` `
` But Sir Ernest's cross-examination was yet to come. `
` `
` "What day was it when you searched the prisoner's room?" `
` `
` "Tuesday, the 24th of July." `
` `
` "Exactly a week after the tragedy?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "You found these two objects, you say, in the chest of drawers. `
` Was the drawer unlocked?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Does it not strike you as unlikely that a man who had committed `
` a crime should keep the evidence of it in an unlocked drawer for `
` anyone to find?" `
` `
` "He might have stowed them there in a hurry." `
` `
` "But you have just said it was a whole week since the crime. He `
` would have had ample time to remove them and destroy them." `
` `
` "Perhaps." `
` `
` "There is no perhaps about it. Would he, or would he not have `
` had plenty of time to remove and destroy them?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Was the pile of underclothes under which the things were hidden `
` heavy or light?" `
` `
` "Heavyish." `
` `
` "In other words, it was winter underclothing. Obviously, the `
` prisoner would not be likely to go to that drawer?" `
` `
` "Perhaps not." `
` `
` "Kindly answer my question. Would the prisoner, in the hottest `
` week of a hot summer, be likely to go to a drawer containing `
` winter underclothing. Yes, or no?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "In that case, is it not possible that the articles in question `
` might have been put there by a third person, and that the `
` prisoner was quite unaware of their presence?" `
` `
` "I should not think it likely." `
` `
` "But it is possible?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "That is all." `
` `
` More evidence followed. Evidence as to the financial `
` difficulties in which the prisoner had found himself at the end `
` of July. Evidence as to his intrigue with Mrs. Raikes--poor `
` Mary, that must have been bitter hearing for a woman of her `
` pride. Evelyn Howard had been right in her facts, though her `
` animosity against Alfred Inglethorp had caused her to jump to the `
` conclusion that he was the person concerned. `
` `
` Lawrence Cavendish was then put into the box. In a low voice, in `
` answer to Mr. Philips' questions, he denied having ordered `
` anything from Parkson's in June. In fact, on June 29th, he had `
` been staying away, in Wales. `
` `
` Instantly, Sir Ernest's chin was shooting pugnaciously forward. `
` `
` "You deny having ordered a black beard from Parkson's on June `
` 29th?" `
` `
` "I do." `
` `
` "Ah! In the event of anything happening to your brother, who will `
` inherit Styles Court?" `
` `
` The brutality of the question called a flush to Lawrence's pale `
` face. The judge gave vent to a faint murmur of disapprobation, `
` and the prisoner in the dock leant forward angrily. `
` `
` Heavywether cared nothing for his client's anger. `
` `
` "Answer my question, if you please." `
` `
` "I suppose," said Lawrence quietly, "that I should." `
` `
` "What do you mean by you 'suppose'? Your brother has no children. `
` You _would_ inherit it, wouldn't you?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Ah, that's better," said Heavywether, with ferocious geniality. `
` "And you'd inherit a good slice of money too, wouldn't you?" `
` `
` "Really, Sir Ernest," protested the judge, "these questions are `
` not relevant." `
` `
` Sir Ernest bowed, and having shot his arrow proceeded. `
` `
` "On Tuesday, the 17th July, you went, I believe, with another `
` guest, to visit the dispensary at the Red Cross Hospital in `
` Tadminster?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Did you--while you happened to be alone for a few `
` seconds--unlock the poison cupboard, and examine some of the `
` bottles?" `
` `
` "I--I--may have done so." `
` `
` "I put it to you that you did do so?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Sir Ernest fairly shot the next question at him. `
` `
` "Did you examine one bottle in particular?" `
` `
` "No, I do not think so." `
` `
` "Be careful, Mr. Cavendish. I am referring to a little bottle of `
` Hydro-chloride of Strychnine." `
` `
` Lawrence was turning a sickly greenish colour. `
` `
` "N--o--I am sure I didn't." `
` `
` "Then how do you account for the fact that you left the `
` unmistakable impress of your finger-prints on it?" `
` `
` The bullying manner was highly efficacious with a nervous `
` disposition. `
` `
` "I--I suppose I must have taken up the bottle." `
` `
` "I suppose so too! Did you abstract any of the contents of the `
` bottle?" `
` `
` "Certainly not." `
` `
` "Then why did you take it up?" `
` `
` "I once studied to be a doctor. Such things naturally interest `
` me." `
` `
` "Ah! So poisons 'naturally interest' you, do they? Still, you `
` waited to be alone before gratifying that 'interest' of yours?" `
` `
` "That was pure chance. If the others had been there, I should `
` have done just the same." `
` `
` "Still, as it happens, the others were not there?" `
` `
` "No, but----" `
` `
` "In fact, during the whole afternoon, you were only alone for a `
` couple of minutes, and it happened--I say, it happened--to be `
` during those two minutes that you displayed your 'natural `
` interest' in Hydro-chloride of Strychnine?" `
` `
` Lawrence stammered pitiably. `
` `
` "I--I----" `
` `
` With a satisfied and expressive countenance, Sir Ernest observed: `
` `
` "I have nothing more to ask you, Mr. Cavendish." `
` `
` This bit of cross-examination had caused great excitement in `
` court. The heads of the many fashionably attired women present `
` were busily laid together, and their whispers became so loud that `
` the judge angrily threatened to have the court cleared if there `
` was not immediate silence. `
` `
` There was little more evidence. The hand-writing experts were `
` called upon for their opinion of the signature of "Alfred `
` Inglethorp" in the chemist's poison register. They all declared `
` unanimously that it was certainly not his hand-writing, and gave `
` it as their view that it might be that of the prisoner disguised. `
` Cross-examined, they admitted that it might be the prisoner's `
` hand-writing cleverly counterfeited. `
` `
` Sir Ernest Heavywether's speech in opening the case for the `
` defence was not a long one, but it was backed by the full force `
` of his emphatic manner. Never, he said, in the course of his `
` long experience, had he known a charge of murder rest on slighter `
` evidence. Not only was it entirely circumstantial, but the `
`