she stands accused(她是被告)-第23节
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court； and Gehagan asked what was the matter。 He was told of the
murder； and he remarked to Kerrel that the old lady had been their
charwoman's acquaintance。
The two friends then made their way to a coffee…house in Covent
Garden。 There was some talk there of the murder； and the theory was
advanced by some one that it could have been done only by some
laundress who knew the chambers and how to get in and out of them。
From Covent Garden； towards night； Gehagan and Kerrel went to a tavern
in Essex Street； and there they stayed carousing until one o'clock in the
morning； when they left for the Temple。 They were not a little astonished
on reaching their common landing to find Kerrel's door open； a fire
burning in the grate of his room； and a candle on the table。 By the fire；
with a dark riding…hood about her head； was Sarah Malcolm。 To Kerrel's
natural question of what she was doing there at such an unearthly hour she
muttered something about having things to collect。 Kerrel then；
reminding her that Mrs Duncomb had been her acquaintance； asked her if
anyone had been ‘‘taken up'' for the murder。
‘‘That Mr Knight；'' Sarah replied； ‘‘who has chambers under her； has
been absent two or three days。 He is suspected。''
‘‘Well；'' said Kerrel； remembering the theory put forward in the coffee…
house； and made suspicious by her presence at that strange hour； ‘‘nobody
that was acquainted with Mrs Duncomb is wanted here until the murderer
is discovered。 Look out your things； therefore； and begone！''
Kerrel's suspicion thickened； and he asked his friend to run downstairs
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and call up the watch。 Gehagan ran down； but found difficulty in
opening the door below； and had to return。 Kerrel himself went down
then； and came back with two watchmen。 They found Sarah in the
bedroom at a chest of drawers； in which she was turning over some linen
that she claimed to be hers。 The now completely suspicious Kerrel went
to his closet； and noticed that two or three waistcoats were missing from a
portmanteau。 He asked Sarah where they were； upon which Sarah； with
an eye to the watchmen and to Gehagan； begged to be allowed to speak
with him alone。
Kerrel refused； saying he could have no business with her that was
secret。
Sarah then confessed that she had pawned the missing waistcoats for
two guineas； and begged him not to be angry。 Kerrel asked her why she
had not asked him for money。 He could readily forgive her for pawning
the waistcoats； but； having heard her talk of Mrs Lydia Duncomb； he was
afraid she was concerned with the murder。 A pair of earrings were found
in the drawers； and these Sarah claimed； putting them in her corsage。 An
odd…looking bundle in the closet then attracted Kerrel's attention； and he
kicked it； and asked Sarah what it was。 She said it was merely dirty linen
wrapped up in an old gown。 She did not wish it exposed。 Kerrel made
further search； and found that other things were missing。 He told the
watch to take the woman and hold her strictly。
Sarah was led away。 Kerrel； now thoroughly roused； continued his
search； and he found underneath his bed another bundle。 He also came
upon some bloodstained linen in another place； and in a close…stool a
silver tankard； upon the handle of which was a lot of dried blood。
Kerrel's excitement passed to Gehagan； and the two of them went at
speed downstairs yelling for the watch。 After a little the two watchmen
reappeared； but without Sarah。 They had let her go； they said； because
they had found nothing on her； and； besides； she had not been charged
before a constable。
One here comes upon a recital by the watchmen which reveals the
extraordinary slackness in dealing with suspect persons that characterized
the guardians of the peace in London in those times。 They had let the
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woman go； but she had come back。 Her home was in Shoreditch； she
said； and rather than walk all that way on a cold and boisterous night she
had wanted to sit up in the watch…house。 The watchmen refused to let
her do this； but ordered her to ‘‘go about her business；'' advising her
sternly at the same time to turn up again by ten o'clock in the morning。
Sarah had given her word； and had gone away。
On hearing this story Kerrel became very angry； threatening the two
watchmen； Hughes and Mastreter； with Newgate if they did not pick her
up again immediately。 Upon this the watchmen scurried off as quickly as
their age and the cumbrous nature of their clothing would let them。 They
found Sarah in the company of two other watchmen at the gate of the
Temple。 Hughes； as a means of persuading her to go with them more
easily； told her that Kerrel wanted to speak with her； and that he was not
angry any longer。 Presently； in Tanfield Court； they came on the two
young men carrying the tankard and the bloodied linen。 This time it was
Gehagan who did the talking。 He accused Sarah furiously； showing her
the tankard。 Sarah attempted to wipe the blood off the tankard handle
with her apron。 Gehagan stopped her。
Sarah said the tankard was her own。 Her mother had given it her； and
she had had it for five years。 It was to get the tankard out of pawn that
she had taken Kerrel's waistcoats； needing thirty shillings。 The blood on
the handle was due to her having pricked a finger。
With this began the series of lies Sarah Malcolm put up in her defence。
She was hauled into the watchman's box and more thoroughly searched。
A green silk purse containing twenty…one guineas was found in the bosom
of her dress。 This purse Sarah declared she had found in the street； and
as an excuse for its cleanliness； unlikely with the streets as foul as they
were at that age and time of year； said she had washed it。 Both bundles
of linen were bloodstained。 There was some doubt as to the identity of
the green purse。 Mrs Rhymer； who； as we have seen； was likelier than
anyone to recognize it； would not swear it was the green purse that had
been in Mrs Duncomb's black box。 There was； however； no doubt at all
about the tankard。 It had the initials ‘‘C。 D。'' engraved upon it； and was
at once identified as Mrs Duncomb's。 The linen which Sarah had been
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handling in Mr Kerrel's drawer was said to be darned in a way
recognizable as Mrs Duncomb's。 It had lain beside the tankard and the
money in the black box。
％ IV
There was； it will be seen； but very little doubt of Sarah Malcolm's
guilt。 According to the reports of her trial； however； she fought fiercely
for her life； questioning the witnesses closely。 Some of them； such as
could remember small points against her； but who failed in recollection of
the colour of her dress or of the exact number of the coins said to be lost；
she vehemently denounced。
One of the Newgate turnkeys told how some of the missing money
was discovered。 Being brought from the Compter to Newgate； Sarah
happened to see a room in which debtors were confined。 She asked the
turnkey； Roger Johnson； if she could be kept there。 Johnson replied that
it would cost her a guinea； but that from her appearance it did not look to
him as if she could afford so much。 Sarah seems to have bragged then；
saying that if the charge was twice or thrice as much she could send for a
friend who would pay
