Читать книгу The Nine of Hearts - Farjeon Benjamin Leopold - Страница 4

Upon the reassembling of the court, the first witness called was Lumley Rich.

The Attorney-general. "You belong to the detective force?"

Witness. "I do."

The Attorney-general. "On the 26th of March were you called to the prisoner's house?"

Witness. "Yes."

The Attorney-general. "At what hour of the morning?"

Witness. "At seven o'clock."

The Attorney-general. "Was the prisoner in the house at the time?"

Witness. "He was not."

The Attorney-general. "Whom did you see for the purpose of information?"

Witness. "The prisoner's coachman, James Moorhouse, and Ida White, lady's-maid, and other servants."

The 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.