the law and the lady-第30章

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conduct　of　the　prisoner　and　Mrs。　Beauly　which　might　justify　a
wife's　jealousy。　I　never　observed　Mrs。　Beauly　with　any　attention；
and　I　never　encouraged　the　prisoner　in　talking　to　me　about　her。
He　was　a　general　admirer　of　pretty　womenso　far　as　I　know；　in　a
perfectly　innocent　way。　That　he　could　prefer　Mrs。　Beauly　to　his
wife　is　inconceivable　to　me；　unless　he　were　out　of　his　senses。　I
never　had　any　reason　to　believe　that　he　was　out　of　his　senses。

〃As　to　the　question　of　the　arsenicI　mean　the　question　of
tracing　that　poison　to　the　possession　of　Mrs。　Eustace　MacallanI
am　able　to　give　evidence　which　may；　perhaps；　be　worthy　of　the
attention　of　the　Court。

〃I　was　present　in　the　Fiscal's　office　during　the　examination　of
the　papers；　and　of　the　other　objects　discovered　at　Gleninch。　The
dressing…case　belonging　to　the　deceased　lady　was　shown　to　me
after　its　contents　had　been　officially　investigated　by　the　Fiscal
himself。　I　happen　to　have　a　very　sensitive　sense　of　touch。　In
handling　the　lid　of　the　dressing…case；　on　the　inner　side　I　felt
something　at　a　certain　place　which　induced　me　to　examine　the
whole　structure　of　the　lid　very　carefully。　The　result　was　the
discovery　of　a　private　repository　concealed　in　the　space　between
the　outer　wood　and　the　lining。　In　that　repository　I　found　the
bottle　which　I　now　produce。〃

The　further　examination　of　the　witness　was　suspended　while　the
hidden　bottle　was　compared　with　the　bottles　properly　belonging　to
the　dressing…case。

These　last　were　of　the　finest　cut　glass；　and　of　a　very　elegant
formentirely　unlike　the　bottle　found　in　the　private　repository；
which　was　of　the　commonest　manufacture；　and　of　the　shape
ordinarily　in　use　among　chemists。　Not　a　drop　of　liquid；　not　the
smallest　atom　of　any　solid　substance；　remained　in　it。　No　smell
exhaled　from　itand；　more　unfortunately　still　for　the　interests
of　the　defense；　no　label　was　found　attached　to　the　bottle　when　it
had　been　discovered。

The　chemist　who　had　sold　the　second　supply　of　arsenic　to　the
prisoner　was　recalled　and　examined。　He　declared　that　the　bottle
was　exactly　like　the　bottle　in　which　he　had　placed　the　arsenic。
It　was；　however；　equally　like　hundreds　of　other　bottles　in　his
shop。　In　the　absence　of　the　label　（on　which　he　had　himself
written　the　word　〃Poison〃）；　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　identify
the　bottle。　The　dressing…case　and　the　deceased　lady's　bedroom　had
been　vainly　searched　for　the　chemist's　missing　labelon　the
chance　that　it　might　have　become　accidentally　detached　from　the
mysterious　empty　bottle。　In　both　instances　the　search　had　been
without　result。　Morally；　it　was　a　fair　conclusion　that　this　might
be　really　the　bottle　which　had　contained　the　poison。　Legally；
there　was　not　the　slightest　proof　of　it。

Thus　ended　the　last　effort　of　the　defense　to　trace　the　arsenic
purchased　by　the　prisoner　to　the　possession　of　his　wife。　The　book
relating　the　practices　of　the　Styrian　peasantry　（found　in　the
deceased　lady's　room）　had　been　produced　But　could　the　book　prove
that　she　had　asked　her　husband　to　buy　arsenic　for　her？　The
crumpled　paper；　with　the　grains　of　powder　left　in　it；　had　been
identified　by　the　chemist；　and　had　been　declared　to　contain
grains　of　arsenic。　But　where　was　the　proof　that　Mrs。　Eustace
Macallan's　hand　had　placed　the　packet　in　the　cabinet；　and　had
emptied　it　of　its　contents？　No　direct　evidence　anywhere！　Nothing
but　conjecture！

The　renewed　examination　of　Miserrimus　Dexter　touched　on　matters
of　no　general　interest。　The　cross…examination　resolved　itself；　in
substance；　into　a　mental　trial　of　strength　between　the　witness
and　the　Lord　Advocate；　the　struggle　terminating　（according　to　the
general　opinion）　in　favor　of　the　witness。　One　question　and　one
answer　only　I　will　repeat　here。　They　appeared　to　me　to　be　of
serious　importance　to　the　object　that　I　had　in　view　in　reading
the　Trial。

〃I　believe；　Mr。　Dexter；〃　the　Lord　Advocate　remarked；　in　his　most
ironical　manner；　〃that　you　have　a　theory　of　your　own；　which　makes
the　death　of　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　no　mystery　to　_you？_〃

〃I　may　have　my　own　ideas　on　that　subject；　as　on　other　subjects；〃
the　witness　replied。　〃But　let　me　ask　their　lordships；　the　Judges：
Am　I　here　to　declare　theories　or　to　state　facts？〃

I　made　a　note　of　that　answer。　Mr。　Dexter's　〃ideas〃　were　the　ideas
of　a　true　friend　to　my　husband；　and　of　a　man　of　far　more　than
average　ability。　They　might　be　of　inestimable　value　to　me　in　the
coming　timeif　I　could　prevail　on　him　to　communicate　them。

I　may　mention；　while　I　am　writing　on　the　subject；　that　I　added　to
this　first　note　a　second；　containing　an　observation　of　my　own。　In
alluding　to　Mrs。　Beauly；　while　he　was　giving　his　evidence；　Mr。
Dexter　had　spoken　of　her　so　slightinglyso　rudely；　I　might
almost　sayas　to　suggest　he　had　some　strong　private　reasons　for
disliking　（perhaps　for　distrusting）　this　lady。　Here；　again；　it
might　be　of　vital　importance　to　me　to　see　Mr。　Dexter；　and　to
clear　up；　if　I　could；　what　the　dignity　of　the　Court　had　passed
over　without　notice。

　The　last　witness　had　been　now　examined。　The　chair　on　wheels
glided　away　with　the　half…man　in　it；　and　was　lost　in　a　distant
corner　of　the　Court。　The　Lord　Advocate　rose　to　address　the　Jury
for　the　prosecution。

I　do　not　scruple　to　say　that　I　never　read　anything　so　infamous　as
this　great　lawyer's　speech。　He　was　not　ashamed　to　declare；　at
starting；　that　he　firmly　believed　the　prisoner　to　be　guilty。　What
right　had　he　to　say　anything　of　the　sort？　Was　it　for　_him_　to
decide？　Was　he　the　Judge　and　Jury　both；　I　should　like　to　know？
Having　begun　by　condemning　the　prisoner　on　his　own　authority；　the
Lord　Advocate　proceeded　to　pervert　the　most　innocent　actions　of
that　unhappy　man　so　as　to　give　them　as　vile　an　aspect　as
possible。　Thus：　When　Eustace　kissed　his　poor　wife's　forehead　on
her　death…bed；　he　did　it　to　create　a　favorable　impression　in　the
minds　of　the　doctor　and　the　nurse！　Again；　when　his　grief　under
his　bereavement　completely　overwhelmed　him；　he　was　triumphing　in
secret；　and　acting　a　part！　If　you　looked　into　his　heart；　you
would　see　there　a　diabolical　hatred　for　his　wife　and　an
infatuated　passion　for　Mrs。　Beauly！　In　everything　he　had　said　he
had　lied；　in　everything　he　had　done　he　had　acted　like　a　crafty
and　heartless　wretch！　So　the　chief　counsel　for　the　prosecution
spoke　of　the　prisoner；　standing　helpless　before　him　at　the　Bar。
In　my　husband's　place；　if　I　could　have　done　nothing　more；　I　would
have　thrown　something　at　his　head。　As　it　was；　I　tore　the　pages
which　contained　the　speech　for　the　prosecution　out　of　the　Report
and　trampled　them　under　my　feetand　felt　all　the　better　too　for
having　done　it。　At　the　same　time　I　feel　a　little　ashamed　of
having　revenged　myself　on　the　harmless　printed　leaves　n　ow。

The　fifth　day　of　the　Trial　opened　with　the　speech　for　the
defense。　Ah；　what　a　contrast　to　the　infamies　uttered　by　the　Lord
Advocate　was　the　grand　burst　of　eloquence　by　the　Dean　of　Faculty；
speaking　on　my　husband's　side！

This　illustrious　lawyer　struck　the　right　note　at　starting。

〃I　yield　to　no　one；〃　he　began；　〃in　the　pity　I　feel　for　the　wife。
But　I　say；　the　martyr　in　this　case；　from　first　to　last；　is　the
husband。　Whatever　the　poor　woman　may　have　endured；　that　unhappy
man　at　the　Bar　has　suffered；　and　is　now　suffering；　more。　If　he
had　not　been　the　kindest　of　men；　the　most　docile　and　most　devoted
of　husbands；　he　would　never　have　occupied　his　present　dreadful
situation。　A　man　of　a　meaner　and　harder　nature　would　have　felt
suspicions　of　his　wife's　motives　when　she　asked　him　to　buy
poisonwould　have　seen　through　the　wretchedly　commonplace
excuses　she　made　for　wanting　itand　would　have　wisely　and
cruelly　said；　'No。'　The　prisoner　is　not　that　sort　of　man。　He　is
too　good　to　his　wife；　too　innocent　of　any　evil　thought　toward
her；　or　toward　any　one；　to　foresee　the　inconveniences　and　the
dangers　to　which　his　fatal　compliance　may　expose　him。　And　what　is
the　result？　He　stands　there；　branded　as　a　murderer；　because　he
was　too　high…minded　and　too　honorable　to　suspect　his　wife。〃

Speaking　thus　of　the　husband；　the　Dean　was　just　as　eloquent　and
just　as　unanswerable　when　he　came　to　speak　of　the　wife。

〃The　Lord　Advocate；〃　he　said；　〃has　asked；　with　the　bitter　irony
for　which　he　is　celebrated　at　the　Scottish　Bar；　why　we　have
failed　entirely　to　prove　that　the　prisoner　placed　the　two　packets
of　poison　in　the　possession　of　his　wife。　I　say；　in　answer；　we
have　proved；　first；　that　the　wife　was　passionately　attached　to
the　husband；　secondly；　that　she　felt　bitterly　the　defects　in　her
personal　appearance；　and　especially　the　defects　in　her
complexion；　and；　thirdly；　that　she　was　informed　of　arsenic　as　a
supposed　remedy　for　those　defects；　taken　internally。　To　men　who
know　anything　of　human　nature；　there　is　proof　enough。　Does　my
learned　friend　actually　suppose　that　women　are　in　the　habit　of
mentioning　the　secret　artifices　and　applications　by　which　they
improve　their　personal　appearance？　Is　it　in　his　experience　of　the
sex　that　a　woman　who　is　eagerly　bent　on　making　herself　attractive
to　a　man　would　tell　that　man；　or　tell　anybody　else　who　might
communicate　with　him；　that　the　charm　by　which　she　hoped　to　win
his　heartsay　the　charm　of　a　pretty　complexionhad　been
artificially　acquired　by　the　perilous　use　of　a　deadly　poison？　The
bare　idea　of　such　a　thing　is　absurd。　Of　course　nobody　ever　heard
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　speak　of　arsenic。　Of　course　nobody　ever
surprised　her　in　the　act　of　taking　arsenic。　It　is　in　the　evidence
that　she　would　not　even　confide　her　intention　to　try　the　poison
to　the　friends　who　had　told　her　of　it　as　a　remedy；　and　who　had
got　her　the　book。　She　actually　begged　them　to　consider　their
brief　conversation　on　the　subject　as　strictly　private。　From　first
to　last；　poor　creature；　she　kept　her　secret；　just　as　she　would
have　kept　her　secret　if　she　had　worn　false　hair；　or　if　she　had
been　indebted　to　the　dentist　for　her　teeth。　And　there　you　see　her
husband；　in　peril　of　his　life；　because　a　woman　acted　_like_　a
womanas　your　wives；　gentlemen　of　the　Jury；　would；　in　a　similar
position；　act　toward　You。〃

After　such　glorious　oratory　as　this　（I　wish　I　had　room　to　quote
more　of　it！）；　the　next；　and　last；　speech　delivered　at　the
Trialthat　is　to　say；　the　Charge　of　the　Judge　to　the　Juryis
dreary　reading　indeed。

His　lordship　first　told　the　Jury　that　they　could　not　expect　to
have　direct　evidence　of　the　poisoning。　Such　evidence　hardly　ever
occurred　in　cases　of　poisoning。　They　must　be　satisfied　with　the
best　circumstantial　evidence。　All　quite　true；　I　dare　say。　But；
having　told　the　Jury　they　might　accept　circumstantial　evidence；
he　turned　back　again　on　his　own　words；　and　warned　them　against
being　too　ready　to　trust　it！　〃You　must　have　evidence　satisfactory
and　convincing　to　your　own　minds；〃　he　said；　〃in　which　you　find　no
conjecturesbut　only　irresistible　and　just　inferences。〃　Who　is
to　decide　what　is　a　just　inference？　And　what　is　circumstantial
evidence　_but_　conjecture？

After　this　specimen；　I　need　give　no　further　extracts　from　the
summing　up。　The　Jury；　thoroughly　bewildered　no　doubt；　took　refuge
in　a　compromise。　They　occupied　an　hour　in　considering　and
debating　among　themselves　in　their　own　room。　（A　jury　of　women
would　not　have　take