she stands accused(她是被告)-第22节
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！
… Page 71…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
murdered！
＇17＇ One account says it was Sarah Malcolm who entered via the
gutter and window。 Borrow； however； in his Celebrated Trials； quotes
Mrs Oliphant's evidence in court on this point。
％ II
All four women pressed into the chambers。 All three of the women
occupying them had been murdered。 In the passage or lobby little Nanny
Price lay in her bed in a welter of blood； her throat savagely cut。 Her hair
was loose and over her eyes； her clenched hands all bloodied about her
throat。 It was apparent that she had struggled desperately for life。 Next
door； in the dining…room； old Betty Harrison lay across the press…bed in
which she usually slept。 Being in the habit of keeping her gown on for
warmth； as it was said； she was partially dressed。 She had been strangled；
it seemed； ‘‘with an apron…string or a pack…thread；'' for there was a deep
crease about her neck and the bruised indentations as of knuckles。 In her
bedroom； also across her bed； lay the dead body of old Mrs Duncomb。
There had been here also an attempt to strangle； an unnecessary attempt it
appeared； for the crease about the neck was very faint。 Frail as the old
lady had been； the mere weight of the murderer's body； it was conjectured；
had been enough to kill her。
These pathological details were established on the arrival later of Mr
Bigg； the surgeon； fetched from the Rainbow Coffee…house near by by
Fairlow； one of the Temple porters。 But the four women could see
enough for themselves； without the help of Mr Bigg； to understand how
death had been dealt in all three cases。 They could see quite clearly also
for what motive the crime had been committed。 A black strong…box； with
papers scattered about it； lay beside Mrs Duncomb's bed； its lid forced
open。 It was in this box that the old lady had been accustomed to keep
her money。
If any witness had been needed to say what the black box had
contained there was Mrs Rhymer； executrix under the old lady's will。
And if Mrs。 Rhymer had been at any need to refresh her memory
regarding the contents opportunity had been given her no farther back than
71
… Page 72…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
the afternoon of the previous Thursday。 On that day she had called upon
Mrs Duncomb to take tea and to talk affairs。 Three or four years before；
with her rapidly increasing frailness； the old lady's memory had begun to
fail。 Mrs Rhymer acted for her as a sort of unofficial curator bonis；
receiving her money and depositing it in the black box； of which she kept
the key。
On the Thursday； old Betty and young Nanny being sent from the
room； the old lady had told Mrs Rhymer that she needed some moneya
guinea。 Mrs Rhymer had gone through the solemn process of opening
the black box； and； one must supposeold ladies nearing their end being
what they arehad been at need to tell over the contents of the box for the
hundredth time； just to reassure Mrs Duncomb that she thoroughly
understood the duties she had agreed to undertake as executrix
At the top of the box was a silver tankard。 It had belonged to Mrs
Duncomb's husband。 In the tankard was a hundred pounds。 Beside the
tankard lay a bag containing guinea pieces to the number of twenty or so。
This was the bag that Mrs Rhymer had carried over to the old lady's chair
by the fire； in order to take from it the needed guinea。
There were some half…dozen packets of money in the box； each sealed
with black wax and set aside for particular purposes after Mrs Duncomb's
death。 Other sums； greater in quantity than those contained in the
packets； were earmarked in the same way。 There was； for example；
twenty guineas set aside for the old lady's burial； eighteen moidores to
meet unforeseen contingencies； and in a green purse some thirty or forty
shillings； which were to be distributed among poor people of Mrs
Duncomb's acquaintance。 The ritual of telling over the box contents； if
something ghostly； had had its usual effect of comforting the old lady's
mind。 It consoled her to know that all arrangements were in order for her
passing in genteel fashion to her long home； that all the decorums of
respectable demise would be observed； and that ‘‘the greatest of these''
would not be forgotten。 The ritual over； the black box was closed and
locked； and on her departure Mrs Rhymer had taken away the key as
usual。
The motive for the crime； as said； was plain。 The black box had been
72
… Page 73…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
forced； and there was no sign of tankard； packets； green purse； or bag of
guineas。
The horror and distress of the old lady's friends that Sunday afternoon
may better be imagined than described。 Loudest of the four； we are told；
was Sarah Malcolm。 It is also said that she was； however； the coolest；
keen to point out the various methods by which the murderers （for the
crime to her did not look like a single…handed effort） could have got into
the chambers。 She drew attention to the wideness of the kitchen chimney
and to the weakness of the lock in the door to the vacant rooms on the
other side of the landing。 She also pointed out that； since the bolt of the
spring…lock of the outer door to Mrs Duncomb's rooms had been engaged
when they arrived； the miscreants could not have used that exit。
This last piece of deduction on Sarah's part； however； was made rather
negligible by experiments presently carried out by the porter； Fairlow；
with the aid of a piece of string。 He showed that a person outside the
shut door could quite easily pull the bolt to on the inside。
The news of the triple murder quickly spread； and it was not long
before a crowd had collected in Tanfield Court； up the stairs to Mrs。
Duncomb's landing； and round about the door of Mrs Duncomb's
chambers。 It did not disperse until the officers had made their
investigations and the bodies of the three victims had been removed。
And even then； one may be sure； there would still be a few of those odd
sort of people hanging about who； in those times as in these； must linger
on the scene of a crime long after the last drop of interest has evaporated。
％ III
Two further actors now come upon the scene。 And for the proper
grasping of events we must go back an hour or two in time to notice their
activities。
They are a Mr Gehagan； a young Irish barrister； and a friend of his
named Kerrel。＇18＇ These young men occupy chambers on opposite sides
of the same landing； the third floor； over the Alienation Office in Tanfield
Court。
＇18＇ Or Kerrolthe name varies in different accounts of the crime。
73
… Page 74…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
Mr Gehagan was one of Sarah Malcolm's employers。 That Sunday
morning at nine she had appeared in his rooms to do them up and to light
the fire。 While Gehagan was talking to Sarah he was joined by his friend
Kerrel； who offered to stand him some tea。 Sarah was given a shilling
and sent out to buy tea。 She returned and made the brew； then remained
about the chambers until the horn blew； as was then the Temple custom；
for commons。 The two young men departed。 After commons they
walked for a while in the Temple Gardens； then returned to Tanfield Court。
By this time the crowd attracted by the murder was blocking up the
court； and Gehagan asked
