Читать книгу The Nine of Hearts - B. L. Farjeon - Страница 7

The first witness called was James Moorhouse, whose examination was looked forward to with great interest, as likely to tell heavily either for or against the prisoner. He is a sturdy man, of middle age, with an expression of intense earnestness in his face, and although he gave his evidence in a perfectly straightforward manner, it was apparent that his sympathies were with the prisoner.

The Attorney general. "Your name is James Moorhouse?"

Witness. "It is, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Were you in the prisoner's employment?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "In what capacity?"

Witness. "As his coachman."

The Attorney-general. "For how long were you so employed?"

Witness. "For a matter of three years."

The Attorney-general. "Are you a teetotaler?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "During the three years you worked for the prisoner were you in the habit of driving him out regularly?"

Witness. "Yes, sir pretty nearly every day."

The Attorney-general. "Were you the only coachman on the establishment?"

Witness. "I was, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Being in his employment so long, you are, I suppose, perfectly familiar with his figure?"

Witness. "I am, sir without hearing his voice, I should know him in the dark."

The Attorney-general. "You are sure of that?"

Witness. "Quite sure, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Is your eyesight good?"

Witness. "It is very strong. I can see a longish way."

The Attorney-general. "You have been in the habit of driving the prisoner often at night?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "And your eyes, therefore, have got trained to his figure, as it were?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "You have had to look out for him on dark nights from a distance?"

Witness. "I have had to do that, sir."

The Attorney-general. "When the people were coming out of a theatre, for instance?"

Witness. "Yes, sir; and at other places as well."

The Attorney-general. "Therefore, it is not likely you could be mistaken in him?"

Witness. "It is hardly possible, sir."

The Attorney-general. "You remember the night of the 25th of March?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, and the day too."

The Attorney-general. "Why do you include the day in your answer?"

Witness. "Because it was the hardest day's work I have done for many a year."

The Attorney-general. "The hardest day's driving, do you mean?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. I was on the box from eleven o'clock in the morning till an hour past midnight."

The Attorney-general. "Driving your master, the prisoner?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "And no other person?"

Witness. "Not till evening, sir. It was about--"

The Attorney-general. "We will come to the particulars presently. You were not driving all the time?"

Witness. "No, sir; the horses couldn't have stood it."

The Attorney-general. "Do you mean that there were stoppages?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did the prisoner usually work his horses so hard?"

Witness. "Not at all, sir. He was a good master to man and beast."

The Attorney-general. "Why do you look so frequently at the prisoner?"

Witness. "I can't tell you, sir, except that I shouldn't like to say anything to hurt him."

The Attorney-general. "But you are here to speak the truth."

Witness. "I intend to speak it, sir."

The Attorney-general. "For reasons which you have given, your remembrance of what occurred on the 25th of March is likely to be exceptionally faithful?"

Witness. "For those and other reasons, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Now, commence on the morning of that day. What were your first instructions?"

Witness. "To be ready with the carriage at eleven o'clock."

The Attorney-general. "You were ready?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "In what way did you fix the time? By guessing?"

Witness. "By my watch, sir--the best time-keeper in London."

The Attorney-general. "At eleven o'clock, then, you were on the box, waiting for your master?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "He came out to you?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did he tell you immediately where to drive to?"

Witness. "Not immediately, sir. He stood with his hand on the carriage door, and seemed to be considering."

The Attorney-general. "Did he remain long considering?"

Witness. "For three or four minutes, sir--which seemed a longish time."

The Attorney-general. "And then?"

Witness. "Then he told me to drive to Finchley."

The Attorney-general. "What address did he give you?"

Witness. "None in particular, sir. He said, 'Drive to Finchley, on the road to High Barnet. I will tell you when to stop."

The Attorney-general. "Well?"

Witness. "I drove as directed, and when we were about midway between Finchley and High Barnet he called to me to stop."

The Attorney-general. "Were you then at the gate, or in the front of any house?"

Witness. "No, sir. We were on the high-road, and there was no house within twenty yards of us."

The Attorney-general. "Are you familiar with the locality?"

Witness. "No, sir, I am not."

The Attorney-general. "You had never driven your master there before?"

Witness. "Never, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Would you be able to mark the point of stoppage on a map of the road between Finchley and High Barnet?"

Witness. "I will try, sir, but I shouldn't like to be positive."

(A map was here handed to the witness, who, after a careful study of it, made a mark upon it with a pencil.)

The Attorney-general. "You will not swear that this is the exact spot?"

Witness. "No, sir."

The Attorney-general. "But to the best of your knowledge it is?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, to the best of my knowledge."

The Attorney-general. "The prisoner called to you to stop. What then?"

Witness. "I drew up immediately, and he got out."

The Attorney-general. "What were his next instructions?"

Witness. "He told me to wait for him, and to turn the horses' heads."

The Attorney-general. "Towards London?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did he say how long he would be away?"

Witness. "About five or ten minutes, he said."

The Attorney-general. "In point of fact, how long was it before he returned?"

Witness. "Thirty-two minutes by my watch."

The Attorney-general. "You always time yourself?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, always it's a habit."

The Attorney-general. "Did he make any remark upon his return, about his being away longer than he expected?"

Witness. "No, sir. He seemed to be occupied with something."

The Attorney-general. "Occupied in thinking of something?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "When he left you, in which direction did he go?"

Witness. "He walked on towards High Barnet till he came to a bend in the road. He went round that and I lost sight of him."

The Attorney-general. "Did he return the same way?"

Witness. "No, sir he startled me a bit."

The Attorney-general. "How?"

Witness. "I was looking out for him in the direction he had taken, when I suddenly heard him speak at my elbow."

The Attorney-general. "How do you account for it?"

Witness. "He must have taken a short cut back across some fields. If I had been on my box I might have seen him, but I was standing in the road, and there was a hedge, more than man high, on the side he came back to me."

The Attorney-general. "What did you do when he reappeared?"

Witness. "I prepared to start."

The Attorney-general. "Did he tell you immediately where to drive to?"

Witness. "No, sir. He stood considering, just as he did when we first set out."

The Attorney-general. "And then?"

Witness. "He told me to drive back the way we had come, but not to drive too quickly."

The Attorney-general. "You did so?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Where did you next stop?"

Witness. "Midway between Finchley and Crouch End."

The Attorney-general. "At a house?"

Witness. "No, sir; at a part of the road where there were no houses."

The Attorney-general. "He called to you, as before, to stop?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. He got out, and said, 'Moorhouse, meet me here in about an hour or an hour and a quarter.' I said, 'Yes, sir,' and I asked him whether I should bait the horses at an inn we had passed half a mile down the road. He did not answer me, but walked quickly away."

The Attorney-general. "Can you say why he did not answer you?"

Witness. "No, sir, except that he did not hear me."

The Attorney-general. "You spoke distinctly?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Have you observed, at any time during your employment, that he was at all deaf?"

Witness. "No, sir; but he seemed, the whole of that day, to have something on his mind which kept him from thinking of anything else, or attending to it."

The Attorney-general. "After he walked quickly away, what did you do?"

Witness. "As I had more than an hour to spare I drove back to the inn I spoke of, and baited my horses, and had a bite of bread-and-cheese myself."

The Attorney-general. "Anything to drink?"

Witness. "A bottle of ginger-beer."

The Attorney-general. "Timing yourself as usual, were you back on the spot you left the prisoner at the end of the hour and a quarter?"

Witness. "To the minute."

The Attorney-general. "Was he waiting for you?"

Witness. "No, sir. I saw nothing of him for another two hours."

The Attorney-general. "Did he return by the road he quitted you?"

Witness. "No, sir. He came back another way."

The Attorney-general. "As before?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, as before."

The Attorney-general. "What time was it then?"

Witness. "Seven o'clock."

The Attorney-general. "Was it getting dark?"

Witness. "It was already dark, sir, and beginning to drizzle."

The Attorney-general. "What were the next instructions?"

Witness. "To drive to the Metropolitan Music Hall, Edgeware Road."

The Attorney-general. "You drove there?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, and my master got out."

The Attorney-general "Saying what?"

Witness. "Moorhouse,' he said, 'I don't know how long I shall remain here. It may be an hour or only a few minutes. Keep near.'"

The Attorney-general. "You obeyed his instructions?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. I kept within hail, and my master came out at half-past nine."

The Attorney-general. "Alone?"

Witness. "No, sir. He was accompanied by a man."

The Attorney-general. "A young or an old man?"

Witness. "I can't say."

The Attorney-general. "But you saw him?"

Witness. "Only his back. They walked away from the carriage."

The Attorney-general. "There is generally something in the gait of a man which, within limits, denotes his age--that is to say, as whether he is young or old? Cannot you be guided by that fact?"

Witness. "No, sir. I paid no particular attention to him. It was my master I was chiefly observing."

The Attorney-general. "You have not the slightest idea as to the age of the man who came out of the Metropolitan Music Hall with the prisoner?"

Witness. "Not the slightest, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did you observe nothing particular as to his dress? Was there any peculiarity about it?"

Witness. "I observed nothing particular about him. Whatever I might say of the man, paying such little attention to him, wouldn't be worth much."

The Attorney-general. "I recognize that you are giving your evidence in a very fair manner, and if I press you upon any point it is for the purpose of assisting your memory. You recollect that the prisoner on that night wore a coat of a distinct pattern?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. He had on an ulster with a Scotch check, which couldn't be mistaken."

The Attorney-general. "What was it lined with?"

Witness. "With blue cloth."

The Attorney-general. "He wore this ulster when he entered the music hall?"

Witness. "Yes, sir, and when he came out of the music hall."

The Attorney-general. "It is this which makes me think it likely you might have observed some distinguishing mark in the dress of the man who came out with him?"

Witness. "I have nothing in my mind, sir, respecting his dress."

The Attorney-general. "Very well, I will no longer press it. As to his height?"

Witness. "As well as I can remember, he was about the same height as my master."

The Attorney-general. "Did you notice the color of his hair, or whether it was long or short?"

Witness. "No, sir."

The Attorney-general. "If it had been long white hair, you would most likely have noticed it?"

Witness. "In that case, yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "We may assume, then, that he had not long white hair?"

Witness. "I think I am safe in saying that much."

The Attorney-general. "Or white hair at all?"

Witness. "I shouldn't like to commit myself there, sir. If his hair had been white and short, I don't think it would have struck me."

The Attorney-general. "Did he and the prisoner walk out of sight?"

Witness. "No, sir. They walked to the corner of a street, and stood there talking for a little while--I should say for fifteen or twenty minutes. Then the man went away, down the street, which hid him from me, and my master returned to the carriage."

The Attorney-general. "While they were talking, their backs were still turned to you?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Was there anything observable in their manner of conversing? Were they calm? Did they remain perfectly still?"

Witness. "No, sir. My master was calm enough, but his companion appeared to be very excited. My master seemed to be trying to persuade him to do something."

The Attorney-general. "From their attitude, should you have assumed that his arguments prevailed?"

Witness. "I can't possibly say, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Well, then, the man went away and the prisoner returned to you. What were his next directions?"

Witness. "To drive to Bloomsbury Square, and stop where he directed me."

The Attorney-general. "You did so?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. When we reached the square in Queen Street he pulled the check-string, and I stopped there. He got out of the carriage and looked about him."

The Attorney-general. "As if in search of some person?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did he make any remark to you?"

Witness. "He said, 'If you see a young lady in a gray cloak pass by, you can tell her I am in the square.'"

The Attorney-general. "Did he remain with you after that?"

Witness. "No, sir; he walked right round the square. When he came up to me he asked if I had seen a young lady dressed as he had described. I. told him no, I hadn't, and he bade me keep a sharp lookout, and left me again."

The Attorney-general. "To walk round the square again?"

Witness. "Yes, sir. He walked round three or four times, I should say, and every time he came up to me he asked me if I was sure I had not seen the young lady; if I was sure she had not passed me. I gave him the same answer as I did before, and he left me again. He could not have been more than half-way round when I saw a lady in a gray cloak coming my way. She was walking hurriedly, and looking about her. I advanced to speak to her, but she started back the moment I made a step towards her, and ran to the other side of the road, and crossed into the square at a distance from me. I should have gone up to her had I not been afraid to leave my horses; but seeing that she began to walk round the square in the opposite direction my master had taken, I was satisfied that they must meet."

The Attorney-general. "In point of fact, did they meet? Relate what you saw that bears upon it."

Witness. "A little while afterwards I saw them together, talking to each other. They did not walk on the pavement close to the houses, but on the other side, close to the railings. I don't know how many times they made the circle of the square, but they must have been away about twenty minutes or so. Then they came up to me together, and my master opened the door of the carriage, and the lady got in. When she was inside, he said to me that there was no occasion for me to mention what I had seen or that he had spoken to me about the lady."

The Attorney-general. "All this time was it raining?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did they have umbrellas?"

Witness. "Neither of them, sir."

The Attorney-general. "They must have got wet?"

Witness. "They couldn't help getting wet."

The Attorney-general. "Did they seem to mind it?"

Witness. "They didn't say anything about it."

The Attorney-general. "While they were walking round the square, did they meet any persons?"

Witness. "A few passed them, and they got out of their way, it seemed to me."

The Attorney-general. "As if they desired to avoid observation?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "That would be a reasonable construction to put upon the circumstance of their walking, during their conversation, on the least-frequented side of the square, near the railings?"

Witness. "Yes, I think so."

The Attorney-general. "Although the neighborhood is a fairly busy one during the day, are there many people passing through Bloomsbury Square at night?"

Witness. "Not many, I should say."

The Attorney-general. "The square is not very well lighted up?"

Witness. "Not very."

The Attorney-general. "Did you see a policeman while you were waiting?"

Witness. "One, and only once."

The Attorney-general. "Did he speak to you?"

Witness. "No, sir."

The Attorney-general. "He passed on through the square?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Reference has been made to an ulster of a peculiar pattern which the prisoner was in the habit of wearing. You said it was an ulster which could not be mistaken. Are you certain of that?"

Witness. "Quite certain."

The Attorney-general. "Is it within your recollection how long the prisoner has worn this ulster?"

Witness. "He had it made last year."

The Attorney-general. "Would you recognize it if you saw it?"

Witness. "Oh yes."

The Attorney-general. "Is this it?" (Ulster produced.)

Witness. "Yes, that is it."

The Attorney-general. "You swear to it?"

Witness. "I do."

The Attorney-general. "You have said that the prisoner came out of his house wearing this ulster. Now, on the occasions you have described, when the prisoner left his carriage and returned to it, was this ulster ever off his back?"

Witness. "He wore it all the time."

The Attorney-general. "You are positive he did not at any time leave you with this ulster on, and return wearing another?"

Witness. "I am positive of it."

The Attorney-general. "After the lady got into the carriage, and the prisoner told you there was no occasion for you to mention what you had seen, or that he had spoken to you about the lady, what did he do?"

Witness. "He told me to drive to Prevost's Restaurant, in Church Street, Soho, and then he got into the carriage."

The Attorney-general. "At any time during the night did you see the lady's face?"

Witness. "Not at any time."

The Attorney-general. "Were you familiar with Prevost's Restaurant?"

Witness. "No, I had never been there, and I was in doubt where Church Street was. I had to inquire my way."

The Attorney-general. "Could not the prisoner tell you?"

Witness. "I asked him, and he said he could not direct me."

The Attorney-general. "However, you found the restaurant?"

Witness. "Yes."

The Attorney-general. "And then?"

Witness. "My master and the lady entered the restaurant."

The Attorney-general. "What did your master say to you?"

Witness. "He told me to wait near the door."

The Attorney-general. "Did you know what time it was when you drew up at the restaurant?"

Witness. "It was ten minutes to eleven."

The Attorney-general. "How long were you kept waiting?"

Witness. "Exactly an hour and five minutes."

The Attorney-general. "That will bring it to five minutes to twelve?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did the prisoner then come from the restaurant?"

Witness. "Yes, accompanied by the lady."

The Attorney-general. "It was still raining?"

Witness. "Raining hard now."

The Attorney-general. "Did he appear flurried? Was he excited?"

Witness. "His movements were very hurried, which I thought was due to the rain, and perhaps to his having had a little too much wine. He opened the door of the carriage quickly, and the lady jumped in, to avoid the rain, I suppose. My master got in quickly after her."

The Attorney-general. "But he gave you instructions?"

Witness. "All he said was, 'Home!'"

The Attorney-general. "Calmly?"

Witness. "No, sir. Although he only said one word, I noticed that his voice was thick. It was because of that I suspected he had taken a little too much wine."

The Attorney-general. "Did you observe that he had his ulster on?"

Witness. "Yes, he had it on."

The Attorney-general. "You drove home--and then?"

Witness. "My master got out, helped the lady out--no, I am making a mistake."

The Attorney-general. "Commence again."

Witness. "My master got out, opened the street door with his latch-key, then returned to the carriage and helped the lady out, and they both passed into the house."

The Attorney-general. "Were his actions steady?"

Witness. "They were not, sir. He seemed to be in a strange hurry."

The Attorney-general. "Did he say nothing to you?"

Witness. "Nothing. And thinking my day's work was over, I took the horses to the stable. I was glad enough."

The Attorney-general. "The prisoner was in the habit of carrying a latch-key?"

Witness. "Yes, and always let himself into the house."

The Attorney-general. "Did you observe whether the gas in the hall was lighted?"

Witness. "It was. It was always kept on when my master was out. His habit was to turn it off himself, the servants sometimes being abed."

The Attorney-general. "Now, during the time you were in the prisoner's employment, had you ever passed such a day as this you have described?"

Witness. "Never."

The Attorney-general. "Did you ever know him to come home with a lady, alone, at that hour of the night?"

Witness. "Never."

The Attorney-general. "All the incidents of the day were unusual?"

Witness. "Very unusual. I thought them very strange."

The Attorney-general. "The question I am about to put is, in another form, partly a repetition of one you have already answered. Did you ever know the prisoner to come home in the carriage late at night with a strange lady--that is, with any other lady than his wife?"

Witness. "Never. With a gentleman sometimes, and sometimes with more than one gentleman; but never with a strange lady."

The Attorney-general. "He occasionally came home late with friends?"

Witness. "Oh yes; but then his wife was always with him."

The Attorney-general. "During the last few months was this usual?"

Witness. "No. Mrs. Layton was an invalid, and seldom drove out--not once during the last three or four months at night."

The Attorney-general. "On the day we have gone through--the 25th of March did you see anything of Mrs. Layton?"

Witness. "No, sir, she was seriously ill."

The Attorney-general. "That, however, is not within your personal observation?"

Witness. "No, sir. My duties were outside the house."

The Attorney-general. "The lady whom he brought home on the night of the 25th of March was not his wife?"

Witness. "No, sir. Mrs. Layton had been confined to her room for several weeks."

The Attorney-general. "You are quite positive on this point?"

Witness. "Quite positive, sir."

The Attorney-general. "That will do."

(To the surprise of every person in court, who expected that the witness would be subjected to a long cross-examination, the prisoner asked but few questions.)

Prisoner. "You say that at five minutes to twelve I came out of Prevost's Restaurant?"

Witness. "You and the lady, sir."

Prisoner. "It was a dark night?"

Witness. "It was, sir."

Prisoner. "Did I call for you?"

Witness. "No, sir. I saw you come out of the restaurant with the lady, and I drew up at once. I was within half a dozen yards of the door."

Prisoner. "When the lady and I got into the carriage, as you say, and I called out, Home!' you observed that my voice was thick and my manner flurried?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

Prisoner. "Did it occur to you then, or does it occur to you now, that the voice which uttered that word was not my voice?"

Witness. "No, sir."

Prisoner. "You are certain it was my voice?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

Prisoner. "I wore my ulster?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

Prisoner. "You drove home, and you saw me open the street door with a latch-key and pass into the house with the lady?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

Prisoner. "Still with my ulster on?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

Prisoner. "Did I turn my face towards you?"

Witness. "No, sir."

Prisoner. "If I had done so, could you have recognized my features in the darkness?"

Witness. "Scarcely, sir."

Prisoner. "You know nothing more?"

Witness. "Nothing more, sir."

Prisoner. "I do not put the question offensively--you have been a good servant, and I have never had occasion to find fault with you--but you are positive that the version you have given of my later movements is correct?"

Witness (who appeared much distressed). "I am positive, sir."

Prisoner. "I have nothing more to ask, Moorhouse."

Witness. "Thank you, sir."

Re-examined. "You are a strict teetotaler?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did you take any ale or spirits during the day?"

Witness. "No, sir. I have touched neither for years."

The Attorney-general. "The prisoner's figure being familiar to you, and your eyesight being so strong that you could distinguish him in the darkness, is it likely that you could be mistaken in him on this night?"

Witness (reluctantly). "It is not likely, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Scarcely possible?"

Witness. "Scarcely possible, sir."