armadale-第117章

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daring　piratical　sortwith　the　dash　of　mystery　about　him　that
women　like〃

〃She's　not　the　same　as　other　women！〃　interposed　Mr。　Bashwood；
suddenly　interrupting　his　son。　〃Did　she？〃　His　voice　failed　him；
and　he　stopped　without　bringing　the　question　to　an　end。

〃Did　she　like　the　captain？〃　suggested　Bashwood　the　younger；　with
another　laugh。　〃According　to　her　own　account　of　it；　she　adored
him。　At　the　same　time　her　conduct　（as　represented　by　herself）　was
perfectly　innocent。　Considering　how　carefully　her　husband　watched
her；　the　statement　（incredible　as　it　appears）　is　probably　true。
For　six　weeks　or　so　they　confined　themselves　to　corresponding
privately；　the　Cuban　captain　（who　spoke　and　wrote　English
perfectly）　having　contrived　to　make　a　go…between　of　one　of　the
female　servants　in　the　Yorkshire　house。　How　it　might　have　ended
we　needn't　trouble　ourselves　to　inquireMr。　Waldron　himself
brought　matters　to　a　crisis。　Whether　he　got　wind　of　the
clandestine　correspondence　or　not；　doesn't　appear。　But　this　is
certain；　that　he　came　home　from　a　ride　one　day　in　a　fiercer
temper　than　usual；　that　his　wife　showed　him　a　sample　of　that　high
spirit　of　hers　which　he　had　never　yet　been　able　to　break；　and
that　it　ended　in　his　striking　her　across　the　face　with　his
riding…whip。　Ungentlemanly　conduct；　I　am　afraid　we　must　admit；
but；　to　all　outward　appearance；　the　riding…whip　produced　the　most
astonishing　results。　From　that　moment　the　lady　submitted　as　she
had　never　submitted　before。　For　a　fortnight　afterward　he　did　what
he　liked；　and　she　never　thwarted　him；　he　said　what　he　liked；　and
she　never　uttered　a　word　of　protest。　Some　men　might　have
suspected　this　sudden　reformation　of　hiding　something　dangerous
under　the　surface。　Whether　Mr。　Waldron　looked　at　it　in　that
light；　I　can't　tell　you。　All　that　is　known　is　that；　before　the
mark　of　the　whip　was　off　his　wife's　face；　he　fell　ill；　and　that
in　two　days　afterward　he　was　a　dead　man。　What　do　you　say　to
that？〃

〃I　say　he　deserved　it！〃　answered　Mr。　Bashwood；　striking　his　hand
excitedly　on　the　table；　as　his　son　paused　and　looked　at　him。

〃The
　doctor　who　attended　the　dying　man　was　not　of　your　way　of
thinking；〃　remarked　Bashwood　the　younger；　dryly。　〃He　called　in
two　other　medical　men；　and　they　all　three　refused　to　certify　the
death。　The　usual　legal　investigation　followed。　The　evidence　of
the　doctors　and　the　evidence　of　the　servants　pointed　irresistibly
in　one　and　the　same　direction；　and　Mrs。　Waldron　was　committed　for
trial；　on　the　charge　of　murdering　her　husband　by　poison。　A
solicitor　in　first…rate　criminal　practice　was　sent　for　from
London　to　get　up　the　prisoner's　defense；　and　these　'Instructions'
took　their　form　and　shape　accordingly。What's　the　matter？　What
do　you　want　now？〃

Suddenly　rising　from　his　chair；　Mr。　Bashwood　stretched　across　the
table；　and　tried　to　take　the　papers　from　his　son。　〃I　want　to　look
at　them；〃　he　burst　out；　eagerly。　〃I　want　to　see　what　they　say
about　the　captain　from　Cuba。　He　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；
JemmyI'll　swear　he　was　at　the　bottom　of　it！〃

〃Nobody　doubted　that　who　was　in　the　secret　of　the　case　at　the
time；〃　rejoined　his　son。　〃But　nobody　could　prove　it。　Sit　down
again；　dad；　and　compose　yourself。　There's　nothing　here　about
Captain　Manuel　but　the　lawyer's　private　suspicions　of　him；　for
the　counsel　to　act　on　or　not；　at　the　counsel's　discretion。　From
first　to　last　she　persisted　in　screening　the　captain。　At　the
outset　of　the　business　she　volunteered　two　statements　to　the
lawyerboth　of　which　he　suspected　to　be　false。　In　the　first
place　she　declared　that　she　was　innocent　of　the　crime。　He　wasn't
surprised；　of　course；　so　far；　his　clients　were；　as　a　general
rule；　in　the　habit　of　deceiving　him　in　that　way。　In　the　second
place；　while　admitting　her　private　correspondence　with　the　Cuban
captain；　she　declared　that　the　letters　on　both　sides　related
solely　to　a　proposed　elopement；　to　which　her　husband's　barbarous
treatment　had　induced　her　to　consent。　The　lawyer　naturally　asked
to　see　the　letters。　'He　has　burned　all　my　letters；　and　I　have
burned　all　his；'　was　the　only　answer　he　got。　It　was　quite
possible　that　Captain　Manuel　might　have　burned　_her_　letters　when
he　heard　there　was　a　coroner's　inquest　in　the　house。　But　it　was
in　her　solicitor's　experience　（as　it　is　in　my　experience　too）
that；　when　a　woman　is　fond　of　a　man；　in　ninety…nine　cases　out　of
a　hundred；　risk　or　no　risk；　she　keeps　his　letters。　Having　his
suspicions　roused　in　this　way；　the　lawyer　privately　made　some
inquiries　about　the　foreign　captain；　and　found　that　he　was　as
short　of　money　as　a　foreign　captain　could　be。　At　the　same　time；
he　put　some　questions　to　his　client　about　her　expectations　from
her　deceased　husband。　She　answered；　in　high　indignation；　that　a
will　had　been　found　among　her　husband's　papers；　privately
executed　only　a　few　days　before　his　death；　and　leaving　her　no
more；　out　of　all　his　immense　fortune；　than　five　thousand　pounds。
'Was　there　an　older　will；　then；'　says　the　lawyer；　'which　the　new
will　revoked？'　Yes；　there　was；　a　will　that　he　had　given　into　her
own　possessiona　will　made　when　they　were　first　married。
'Leaving　his　widow　well　provided　for？'　Leaving　her　just　ten　times
as　much　as　the　second　will　left　her。　'Had　she　ever　mentioned　that
first　will；　now　revoked；　to　Captain　Manuel？'　She　saw　the　trap　set
for　her；　and　said；　'No；　never！'　without　an　instant's　hesitation。
That　reply　confirmed　the　lawyer's　suspicions。　He　tried　to
frighten　her　by　declaring　that　her　life　might　pay　the　forfeit　of
her　deceiving　him　in　this　matter。　With　the　usual　obstinacy　of
women；　she　remained　just　as　immovable　as　ever。　The　captain；　on
his　side；　behaved　in　the　most　exemplary　manner。　He　confessed　to
planning　the　elopement；　he　declared　that　he　had　burned　all　the
lady's　letters　as　they　reached　him；　out　of　regard　for　her
reputation；　he　remained　in　the　neighborhood；　and　he　volunteered
to　attend　before　the　magistrates。　Nothing　was　discovered　that
could　legally　connect　him　with　the　crime；　or　that　could　put　him
into　court　on　the　day　of　the　trial；　in　any　other　capacity　than
the　capacity　of　a　witness。　I　don't　believe　myself　that　there's
any　moral　doubt　（as　they　call　it）　that　Manuel　knew　of　the　will
which　left　her　mistress　of　fifty　thousand　pounds；　and　that　he　was
ready　and　willing；　in　virtue　of　that　circumstance；　to　marry　her
on　Mr。　Waldron's　death。　If　anybody　tempted　her　to　effect　her　own
release　from　her　husband　by　making　herself　a　widow；　the　captain
must　have　been　the　man。　And　unless　she　contrived；　guarded　and
watched　as　she　was；　to　get　the　poison　for　herself；　the　poison
must　have　come　to　her　in　one　of　the　captain's　letters。〃

〃I　don't　believe　she　used　it；　if　it　did　come　to　her！〃　exclaimed
Mr。　Bashwood。　〃I　believe　it　was　the　captain　himself　who　poisoned
her　husband！〃

Bashwood　the　younger；　without　noticing　the　interruption；　folded
up　the　Instructions　for　the　Defense；　which　had　now　served　their
purpose；　put　them　back　in　his　bag；　and　produced　a　printed
pamphlet　in　their　place。

〃Here　is　one　of　the　published　Reports　of　the　Trial；〃　he　said；
〃which　you　can　read　at　your　leisure；　if　you　like。　We　needn't
waste　time　now　by　going　into　details。　I　have　told　you　already　how
cleverly　her　counsel　paved　his　way　for　treating　the　charge　of
murder　as　the　crowning　calamity　of　the　many　that　had　already
fallen　on　an　innocent　woman。　The　two　legal　points　relied　on　for
the　defense　（after　this　preliminary　flourish）　were：　First；　that
there　was　no　evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　possession　of
poison；　and；　secondly；　that　the　medical　witnesses；　while
positively　declaring　that　her　husband　had　died　by　poison；
differed　in　their　conclusions　as　to　the　particular　drug　that　had
killed　him。　Both　good　points；　and　both　well　worked；　but　the
evidence　on　the　other　side　bore　down　everything　before　it。　The
prisoner　was　proved　to　have　had　no　less　than　three　excellent
reasons　for　killing　her　husband。　He　had　treated　her　with　almost
unexampled　barbarity；　he　had　left　her　in　a　will　（unrevoked　so　far
as　she　knew）　mistress　of　a　fortune　on　his　death；　and　she　was；　by
her　own　confession；　contemplating　an　elopement　with　another　man。
Having　set　forth　these　motives；　the　prosecution　next　showed　by
evidence；　which　was　never　once　shaken　on　any　single　point；　that
the　one　person　in　the　house　who　could　by　any　human　possibility
have　administered　the　poison　was　the　prisoner　at　the　bar。　What
could　the　judge　and　jury　do；　with　such　evidence　before　them　as
this？　The　verdict　was　Guilty；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　the
judge　declared　that　he　agreed　with　it。　The　female　part　of　the
audience　was　in　hysterics；　and　the　male　part　was　not　much　better。
The　judge　sobbed；　and　the　bar　shuddered。　She　was　sentenced　to
death　in　such　a　scene　as　had　never　been　previously　witnessed　in
an　English　court　of　justice。　And　she　is　alive　and　hearty　at　the
present　moment；　free　to　do　any　mischief　she　pleases；　and　to
poison；　at　her　own　entire　convenience；　any　man；　woman；　or　child
that　happens　to　stand　in　her　way。　A　most　interesting　woman！　Keep
on　good　terms　with　her；　my　dear　sir；　whatever　you　do；　for　the　Law
has　said　to　her　in　the　plainest　possible　English；　'My　charming
friend；　I　have　no　terrors　for　_you！_'　〃

〃How　was　she　pardoned？〃　asked　Mr。　Bashwood；　breathlessly。　〃They
told　me　at　the　time；　but　I　have　forgotten。　Was　it　the　Home
Secretary？　If　it　was；　I　respect　the　Home　Secretary！　I　say　the
Home　Secretary　was　deserving　of　his　place。〃

〃Quite　right；　old　gentleman！〃　rejoined　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃The
Home　Secretary　was　the　obedient　humble　servant　of　an　enlightened
Free　Press；　and　he　_was_　deserving　of　his　place。　Is　it　possible
you　don't　know　how　she　cheated　the　gallows？　If　you　don't；　I　must
tell　you。　On　the　evening　of　the　trial；　two　or　three　of　the　young
buccaneers　of　literature　went　down　to　two　or　three　newspaper
offices；　and　wrote　two　or　three　heart…rending　leading　articles　on
the　subject　of　the　proceedings　in　court。　The　next　morning　the
public　caught　light　like　tinder；　and　the　prisoner　was　tried　over
again；　before　an　amateur　court　of　justice；　in　the　columns　of　the
newspapers。　All　the　people　who　had　no　personal　experience
whatever　on　the　subject　seized　their　pens；　and　rushed　（by　kind
permission　of　the　editor）　into　print。　Doctors　who　had　_not_
attended　the　sick　man；　and　who　had　_not_　been　present　at　the
examination
　of　the　body；　declared　by　dozens　that　he　had　died　a　natural
death。　Barristers　without　business；　who　had　_not_　heard　the
evidence；　attacked　the　jury　who　had　heard　it；　and　judged　the
judge；　who　had　sat　on　the　bench　before　some　of　them　were　born。
The　general　public　followed　the　lead　of　the　barristers　and　the
doctors；　and　the　young　buccaneers　who　had　set　the　thing　going。
Here　was　the　law　that　they　all　paid　to　protect　them　actually
doing　its　duty　in　dreadful　earnest！　Shocking！　shocking！　The
British　Public　rose　to　protest　as　one　man　against　the　working　of
its　own　machinery；　and　the　Home　Secretary；　in　a　state　of
distraction；　went　to　the　judge。　The　judge　held　firm。　He　had　said
it　was　the　right　verdict　at　the　time；　and　he　said　so　still。　'But
suppose；'　says　the　Home　Secretary；　'that　the　prosecution　had
tried　some　other　way　of　proving　her　guilty　at　the　trial　than　the
way　they　did　try；　what　would　y