the law and the lady-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


She　had　betrayed　a　very　perceptible　agitation　on　hearing　the
letter　referred　to；　and　on　having　it　placed　in　her　hands。　This
exhibition　of　feeling　was　variously　interpreted　among　the
audience。　Upon　the　whole；　however；　Mrs。　Beauly's　evidence　was
considered　to　have　aided　the　impression　which　the　mother's
evidence　had　produced　in　the　prisoner's　favor。

The　next　witnessesboth　ladies；　and　both　school　friends　of　Mrs。
Eustace　Macallancreated　a　new　feeling　of　interest　in　Court。
They　supplied　the　missing　link　in　the　evidence　for　the　defense。

The　first　of　the　ladies　declared　that　she　had　mentioned　arsenic
as　a　means　of　improving　the　complexion　in　conversation　with　Mrs。
Eustace　Macallan。　She　had　never　used　it　herself；　but　she　had　read
of　the　practice　of　eating　arsenic　among　the　Styrian　peasantry　for
the　purpose　of　clearing　the　color；　and　of　producing　a　general
appearance　of　plumpness　and　good　health。　She　positively　swore
that　she　had　related　this　result　of　her　reading　to　the　deceased
lady　exactly　as　she　now　related　it　in　Court。

The　second　witness；　present　at　the　conversation　already
mentioned；　corroborated　the　first　witness　in　every　particular；
and　added　that　she　had　procured　the　book　relating　to　the
arsenic…eating　practices　of　the　Styrian　peasantry；　and　their
results；　at　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan's　own　request。　This　book　she
had　herself　dispatched　by　post　to　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　at
Gleninch。

There　was　but　one　assailable　p　oint　in　this　otherwise　conclusive
evidence。　The　cross…examination　discovered　it。

Both　the　ladies　were　asked；　in　turn；　if　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　had
expressed　to　them；　directly　or　indirectly；　any　intention　of
obtaining　arsenic；　with　a　view　to　the　improvement　of　her
complexion。　In　each　case　the　answer　to　that　all…important
question　was；　No。　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　had　heard　of　the　remedy；
and　had　received　the　book。　But　of　her　own　intentions　in　the
future　she　had　not　said　one　word。　She　had　begged　both　the　ladies
to　consider　the　conversation　as　strictly　privateand　there　it
had　ended。

It　required　no　lawyer's　eye　to　discern　the　fatal　defect　which　was
now　revealed　in　the　evidence　for　the　defense。　Every　intelligent
person　present　could　see　that　the　prisoner's　chance　of　an
honorable　acquittal　depended　on　tracing　the　poison　to　the
possession　of　his　wifeor　at　least　on　proving　her　expressed
intention　to　obtain　it。　In　either　of　these　cases　the　prisoner's
Declaration　of　his　innocence　would　claim　the　support　of
testimony；　which；　however　indirect　it　might　be；　no　honest　and
intelligent　men　would　be　likely　to　resist。　Was　that　testimony
forthcoming？　Was　the　counsel　for　the　defense　not　at　the　end　of
his　resources　yet？

The　crowded　audience　waited　in　breathless　expectation　for　the
appearance　of　the　next　witness。　A　whisper　went　round　among
certain　well…instructed　persons　that　the　Court　was　now　to　see　and
hear　the　prisoner's　old　friendalready　often　referred　to　in　the
course　of　the　Trial　as　〃Mr。　Dexter。〃

After　a　brief　interval　of　delay　there　was　a　sudden　commotion
among　the　audience；　accompanied　by　suppressed　exclamations　of
curiosity　and　surprise。　At　the　same　moment　the　crier　summoned　the
new　witness　by　the　extraordinary　name　of

〃MISERRIMUS　DEXTER〃


CHAPTER　XX。

THE　END　OF　THE　TRIAL。

　THE　calling　of　the　new　witness　provoked　a　burst　of　laughter
among　the　audience　due　partly；　no　doubt；　to　the　strange　name　by
which　he　had　been　summoned；　partly；　also；　to　the　instinctive
desire　of　all　crowded　assemblies；　when　their　interest　is
painfully　excited；　to　seize　on　any　relief　in　the　shape　of　the
first　subject　of　merriment　which　may　present　itself。　A　severe
rebuke　from　the　Bench　restored　order　among　the　audience。　The　Lord
Justice　Clerk　declared　that　he　would　〃clear　the　Court〃　if　the
interruption　to　the　proceedings　were　renewed。

During　the　silence　which　followed　this　announcement　the　new
witness　appeared。

Gliding；　self…propelled　in　his　chair　on　wheels；　through　the
opening　made　for　him　among　the　crowd；　a　strange　and　startling
creatureliterally　the　half　of　a　manrevealed　himself　to　the
general　view。　A　coverlet　which　had　been　thrown　over　his　chair　had
fallen　off　during　his　progress　through　the　throng。　The　loss　of　it
exposed　to　the　public　curiosity　the　head；　the　arms；　and　the　trunk
of　a　living　human　being：　absolutely　deprived　of　the　lower　limbs。
To　make　this　deformity　all　the　more　striking　and　all　the　more
terrible；　the　victim　of　it　wasas　to　his　face　and　his　bodyan
unusually　handsome　and　an　unusually　well…made　man。　His　long　silky
hair；　of　a　bright　and　beautiful　chestnut　color；　fell　over
shoulders　that　were　the　perfection　of　strength　and　grace。　His
face　was　bright　with　vivacity　and　intelligence。　His　large　clear
blue　eyes　and　his　long　delicate　white　hands　were　like　the　eyes
and　hands　of　a　beautiful　woman。　He　would　have　looked　effeminate
but　for　the　manly　proportions　of　his　throat　and　chest；　aided　in
their　effect　by　his　flowing　beard　and　long　mustache；　of　a　lighter
chestnut　shade　than　the　color　of　his　hair。　Never　had　a
magnificent　head　and　body　been　more　hopelessly　ill…bestowed　than
in　this　instance！　Never　had　Nature　committed　a　more　careless　or　a
more　cruel　mistake　than　in　the　making　of　this　man！

He　was　sworn；　seated；　of　course；　in　his　chair。　Having　given　his
name；　he　bowed　to　the　Judges　and　requested　their　permission　to
preface　his　evidence　with　a　word　of　explanation。

〃People　generally　laugh　when　they　first　hear　my　strange　Christian
name；〃　he　said；　in　a　low；　clear；　resonant　voice　which　penetrated
to　the　remotest　corners　of　the　Court。　〃I　may　inform　the　good
people　here　that　many　names；　still　common　among　us；　have　their
significations；　and　that　mine　is　one　of　them。　'Alexander；'　for
instance；　means；　in　the　Greek；　'a　helper　of　men。'　'David'　means；
in　Hebrew；　'well…beloved。'　'Francis'　means；　in　German；　'free。'　My
name；　'Miserrimus；'　means；　in　Latin；　'most　unhappy。'　It　was　given
to　me　by　my　father；　in　allusion　to　the　deformity　which　you　all
seethe　deformity　with　which　it　was　my　misfortune　to　be　born。
You　won't　laugh　at　'Miserrimus'　again；　will　you？〃　He　turned　to
the　Dean　of　Faculty；　waiting　to　examine　him　for　the　defense。　〃Mr。
Dean。　I　am　at　your　service。　I　apologize　for　delaying；　even　for　a
moment；　the　proceedings　of　the　Court。〃

He　delivered　his　little　address　with　perfect　grace　and
good…humor。　Examined　by　the　Dean；　he　gave　his　evidence　clearly；
without　the　slightest　appearance　of　hesitation　or　reserve。

〃I　was　staying　at　Gleninch　as　a　guest　in　the　house　at　the　time　of
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan's　death；〃　he　began。　〃Doctor　Jerome　and　Mr。
Gale　desired　to　see　me　at　a　private　interviewthe　prisoner　being
then　in　a　state　of　prostration　which　made　it　impossible　for　him
to　attend　to　his　duties　as　master　of　the　house。　At　this　interview
the　two　doctors　astonished　and　horrified　me　by　declaring　that
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　had　died　poisoned。　They　left　it　to　me　to
communicate　the　dreadful　news　to　her　husband；　and　they　warned　me
that　a　post…mortem　examination　must　be　held　on　the　body。

〃If　the　Fiscal　had　seen　my　old　friend　when　I　communicated　the
doctors'　message；　I　doubt　if　he　would　have　ventured　to　charge　the
prisoner　with　the　murder　of　his　wife。　To　my　mind　the　charge　was
nothing　less　than　an　outrage。　I　resisted　the　seizure　of　the
prisoner's　Diary　and　letters；　animated　by　that　feeling。　Now　that
the　Diary　has　been　produced；　I　agree　with　the　prisoner's　mother
in　denying　that　it　is　fair　evidence　to　bring　against　him。　A　Diary
（when　it　extends　beyond　a　bare　record　of　facts　and　dates）　is
nothing　but　an　expression　of　the　poorest　and　weakest　side　in　the
character　of　the　person　who　keeps　it。　It　is；　in　nine　cases　out　of
ten；　the　more　or　less　contemptible　outpouring　of　vanity　and
conceit　which　the　writer　dare　not　exhibit　to　any　mortal　but
himself。　I　am　the　prisoner's　oldest　friend。　I　solemnly　declare
that　I　never　knew　he　could　write　downright　nonsense　until　I　heard
his　Diary　read　in　this　Court！

〃_He_　kill　his　wife！　_He_　treat　his　wife　with　neglect　and
cruelty！　I　venture　to　say；　from　twenty　years'　experience　of　him；
that　there　is　no　man　in　this　assembly　who　is　constitutionally
more　incapable　of　crime　and　more　incapable　of　cruelty　than　the
man　who　stands　at　the　Bar。　While　I　am　about　it；　I　go　further
still。　I　even　doubt　whether　a　man　capable　of　crime　and　capable　of
cruelty　could　have　found　it　in　his　heart　to　do　evil　to　the　woman
whose　untimely　death　is　the　subject　of　this　inquiry。

〃I　have　heard　what　the　ignorant　and　prejudiced　nurse；　Christina
Ormsay；　has　said　of　the　deceased　lady。　From　my　own　personal
observation；　I　contradict　every　word　of　it。　Mrs。　Eustace
Macallangranting　her　personal　defectswas　nevertheless　one　of
the　most　charming　women　I　ever　met　with。　She　was　highly　bred；　in
the　best　sense　of　the　word。　I　never　saw　in　any　other　person　so
sweet　a　smile　as　hers；　or　such　grace　and　beauty　of　movement　as
hers。　If　you　liked　music；　she　sang　beautifully；　and　few　professed
musicians　had　such　a　touch　on　the　piano　as　hers。　If　you　preferred
talking；　I　never　yet　met　with　the　man　（or　even　the　woman；　which
is　saying　a　great　deal　more）　whom　her　conversation　could　not
charm。　To　say　that　such　a　wife　as　this　could　be　first　cruelly
neglected；　and　then　barbarously　murdered；　by　the　manno！　by　the
martyrwho　stands　there；　is　to　tell　me　that　the　sun　never　shines
at　noonday；　or　that　the　heaven　is　not　above　the　earth。

〃Oh　yes！　I　know　that　the　letters　of　her　friends　show　that　she
wrote　to　them　in　bitter　complaint　of　her　husband's　conduct　to
her。　But　remember　what　one　of　those　friends　（the　wisest　and　the
best　of　them）　says　in　reply。　'I　own　to　thinking；'　she　writes；
'that　your　sensitive　nature　exaggerates
　or　misinterprets　the　neglect　that　you　experience　at　the　hands　of
your　husband。'　There；　in　that　one　sentence；　is　the　whole　truth！
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan's　nature　was　the　imaginative；
self…tormenting　nature　of　a　poet。　No　mortal　love　could　ever　have
been　refined　enough　for　_her。_　Trifles　which　women　of　a　coarser
moral　fiber　would　have　passed　over　without　notice；　were　causes　of
downright　agony　to　that　exquisitely　sensitive　temperament。　There
are　persons　born　to　be　unhappy。　That　poor　lady　was　one　of　them。
When　I　have　said　this；　I　have　said　all。

〃No！　There　is　one　word　more　still　to　be　added。

〃It　may　be　as　well　to　remind　the　prosecution　that　Mrs。　Eustace
Macallan's　death　was　in　the　pecuniary　sense　a　serious　loss　to　her
husband。　He　had　insisted　on　having　the　whole　of　her　fortune
settled　on　herself；　and　on　her　relatives　after　her；　when　he
married。　Her　income　from　that　fortune　helped　to　keep　in　splendor
the　house　and　grounds　at　Gleninch。　The　prisoner's　own　resources
（aided　even　by　his　mother's　jointure）　were　quite　inadequate　fitly
to　defray　the　expenses　of　living　at　his　splendid　country…seat。
Knowing　all　the　circumstances；　I　can　positively　assert　that　the
wife's　death　has　deprived　the　husband　of　two…thirds　of　his
income。　And　the　prosecution；　viewing　him　as　the　basest　and
cruelest　of　men；　declares　that　he　deliberately　killed　herwith
all　his　pecuniary　interests　pointing　to　the　preservation　of　her
life！

〃It　is　useless　to　ask　me　whether　I　noticed　anything　in　the
conduct　of　the　prisoner　and　Mrs。　Beauly　which　might　justify　a
wife's　jea