poor miss finch-第11节

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〃Pardon's　Piece。〃

The　man　was　a　small　carpenter　and　builder　in　the　town；　who　bore　an
indifferent　character。　On　the　evening　in　question；　a　distant　relative　of
his；　employed　as　farm…bailiff　by　a　gentleman　in　the　neighborhood；
happened　to　be　passing　a　stile　which　led　from　the　field　into　a　road；　and
saw　a　gentleman　leaving　the　field　by　way　of　this　stile；　rather　in　a
hurry。　He　recognized　the　gentleman　as　Mr。　Dubourg。

The　two　passed　each　other　on　the　road　in　opposite　directions。　After　a
certain　lapse　of　timeestimated　as　being　half　an　hourthe　farm…bailiff
had　occasion　to　pass　back　along　the　same　road。　On　reaching　the　stile；　he
heard　an　alarm　raised；　and　entered　the　field　to　see　what　was　the　matter。
He　found　several　persons　running　from　the　farther　side　of　Pardon's　Piece
towards　a　boy　who　was　standing　at　the　back　of　a　cattle…shed；　in　a　remote
part　of　the　enclosure；　screaming　with　terror。　At　the　boy's　feet　lay；　face
downwards；　the　dead　body　of　a　man；　with　his　head　horribly　beaten　in。　His
watch　was　under　him；　hanging　out　of　his　pocket　by　the　chain。　It　had
stoppedevidently　in　consequence　of　the　concussion　of　its　owner's　fall
on　itat　half…past　eight。　The　body　was　still　warm。　All　the　other
valuables；　like　the　watch；　were　left　on　it。　The　farm…bailiff　instantly
recognized　the　man　as　the　carpenter　and　builder　mentioned　above。

At　the　preliminary　inquiry；　the　stoppage　of　the　watch　at　half…past　eight；
was　taken　as　offering　good　circumstantial　evidence　that　the　blow　which
had　killed　the　man　had　been　struck　at　that　time。

The　next　question　wasif　any　one　had　been　seen　near　the　body　at
half…past　eight？　The　farm…bailiff　declared　that　he　had　met　Mr。　Dubourg
hastily　leaving　the　field　by　the　stile　at　that　very　time。　Asked　if　he　had
looked　at　his　watch；　he　owned　that　he　had　not　done　so。　Certain　previous
circumstances　which　he　mentioned　as　having　impressed　themselves　on　his
memory；　enabled　him　to　feel　sure　of　the　truth　of　his　assertion；　without
having　consulted　his　watch。　He　was　pressed　on　this　important　point；　but
he　held　to　his　declaration。　At　half…past　eight　he　had　seen　Mr。　Dubourg
hurriedly　leave　the　field。　At　half…past　eight　the　watch　of　the　murdered
man　had　stopped。

Had　any　other　person　been　observed　in　or　near　the　field　at　that　time？

No　witness　could　be　discovered　who　had　seen　anybody　else　near　the　place。
Had　the　weapon　turned　up；　with　which　the　blow　had　been　struck？　It　had　not
been　found。　Was　anyone　known　（robbery　having　plainly　not　been　the　motive
of　the　crime）　to　have　entertained　a　grudge　against　the　murdered　man？　It
was　no　secret　that　he　associated　with　doubtful　characters；　male　and
female；　but　suspicion　failed　to　point　to　any　one　of　them　in　particular。

In　this　state　of　things；　there　was　no　alternative　but　to　request　Mr。
Dubourgwell　known　in；　and　out　of　the　town；　as　a　young　gentleman　of
independent　fortune；　bearing　an　excellent　characterto　give　some　account
of　himself。

He　immediately　admitted　that　he　had　passed　through　the　field。　But　in
contradiction　to　the　farm…bailiff；　he　declared　that　_he_　had　looked　at
his　watch　at　the　moment　before　he　crossed　the　stile；　and　that　the　time　by
it　was　exactly　a　quarter　past　eight。　Five　minutes　laterthat　is　to　say
ten　minutes　before　the　murder　had　been　committed；　on　the　evidence　of　the
dead　man's　watchhe　had　paid　a　visit　to　a　lady　living　near　Pardon's
Piece；　and　had　remained　with　her；　until　his　watch；　consulted　once　more　on
leaving　the　lady's　house；　informed　him　that　it　was　a　quarter　to　nine。

Here　was　the　defense　called　an　〃alibi。〃　It　entirely　satisfied　Mr。
Dubourg's　friends。　To　satisfy　justice　also；　it　was　necessary　to　call　the
lady　as　a　witness。　In　the　meantime；　another　purely　formal　question　was
put　to　Mr。　Dubourg。　Did　he　know　anything　of　the　murdered　man？

With　some　appearance　of　confusion；　Mr。　Dubourg　admitted　that　he　had　been
induced　（by　a　friend）　to　employ　the　man　on　some　work。　Further
interrogation　extracted　from　him　the　following　statement　of　facts。

That　the　work　had　been　very　badly　donethat　an　exorbitant　price　had　been
charged　for　itthat　the　man；　on　being　remonstrated　with；　had　behaved　in
a　grossly　impertinent　mannerthat　an　altercation　had　taken　place　between
themthat　Mr。　Dubourg　had　seized　the　man　by　the　collar　of　his　coat；　and
had　turned　him　out　of　the　housethat　he　had　called　the　man　an　infernal
scoundrel　（being　in　a　passion　at　the　time）；　and　had　threatened　to　〃thrash
him　within　an　inch　of　his　life〃　（or　words　to　that　effect）　if　he　ever
presumed　to　come　near　the　house　again；　that　he　had　sincerely　regretted
his　own　violence　the　moment　he　recovered　his　self…possession；　and；
lastly；　that；　on　his　oath　（the　altercation　having　occurred　six　weeks
ago）；　he　had　never　spoken　to　the　man；　or　set　eyes　on　the　man　since。

As　the　matter　then　stood；　these　circumstances　were　considered　as　being
unfortunate　circumstances　for　Mr。　Dubourgnothing　more。　He　had　his
〃alibi〃　to　appeal　to；　and　his　character　to　appeal　to；　and　nobody　doubted
the　result。

The　lady　appeared　as　witness。

Confronted　with　Mr。　Dubourg　on　the　question　of　time；　and　forced　to
answer；　she　absolutely　contradicted　him；　on　the　testimony　of　the　clock　on
her　own　mantelpiece。　In　substance；　her　evidence　was　simply　this。　She　had
looked　at　her　clock；　when　Mr。　Dubourg　entered　the　room；　thinking　it
rather　a　late　hour　for　a　visitor　to　call　on　her。　The　clock　（regulated　by
the　maker；　only　the　day　before）　pointed　to　twenty…five　minutes　to　nine。
Practical　experiment　showed　that　the　time　required　to　walk　the　distance；
at　a　rapid　pace；　from　the　stile　to　the　lady's　house；　was　just　five
minutes。　Here　then　was　the　statement　of　the　farm…bailiff　（himself　a
respectable　witness）　corroborated　by　another　witness　of　excellent
position　and　character。　The　clock；　on　being　examined　next；　was　found　to
be　right。　The　evidence　of　the　clock…maker　proved　that　he　kept　the　key；
and　that　there　had　been　no　necessity　to　set　the　clock　and　wind　it　up
again；　since　he　had　performed　both　those　acts　on　the　day　preceding　Mr。
Dubourg's　visit。　The　accuracy　of　the　clock　thus　vouched　for；　the
conclusion　on　the　evidence　was　irresistible。　Mr。　Dubourg　stood　convicted
of　having　been　in　the　field　at　the　time　when　the　murder　was　committed；　of
having；　by　his　own　admission；　had　a　quarrel　with　the　murdered　man；　not
long　before；　terminating　in　an　assault　and　a　threat　on　his　side；　and；
lastly；　of　having　attempted　to　set　up　an　alibi　by　a　false　statement　of
the　question　of　time。　There　was　no　alternative　but　to　commit　him　to　take
his　trial　at　the　Assizes；　charged　with　the　murder　of　the　builder　in
Pardon's　Piece。

The　trial　occupied　two　days。

No　new　facts　of　importance　were　discovered　in　the　interval。　The　evidence
followed　the　course　which　it　had　taken　at　the　preliminary
examinationswith　this　difference　only；　that　it　was　more　carefully
sifted。　Mr。　Dubourg　had　the　double　advantage　of　securing　the　services　of
the　leading　barrister　on　the　circuit；　and　of　moving　the　irrepressible
sympathies　of　the　jury；　shocked　at　his　position　and　eager　for　proof　of
his　innocence。　By　the　end　of　the　first　day；　the　evidence　had　told　against
him　with　such　irresistible　force；　that　his　own　counsel　despaired　of　the
result。　When　the　prisoner　took　his　place　in　the　dock　on　the　second　day；
there　was　but　one　conviction　in　the　minds　of　the　people　in
courteverybody　said；　The　clock　will　hang　him。〃

It　was　nearly　two　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　proceedings　were　on　the　point
of　being　adjourned　for　half　an　hour；　when　the　attorney　for　the　prisoner
was　seen　to　hand　a　paper　to　the　counsel　for　the　defense。

The　counsel　rose；　showing　signs　of　agitation　which　roused　the　curiosity
of　the　audience。　He　demanded　the　immediate　hearing　of　a　new　witness；
whose　evidence　in　the　prisoner's　favor　he　declared　to　be　too　important　to
be　delayed　for　a　single　moment。　After　a　short　colloquy　between　the　judge
and　the　banisters　on　either　side；　the　court　decided　to　continue　the
sitting。

The　witness；　appearing　in　the　box；　proved　to　be　a　young　woman；　in
delicate　health。　On　the　evening　when　the　prisoner　had　paid　his　visit　to
the　lady；　she　was　in　that　lady's　service　as　housemaid。　The　day　after；　she
had　been　permitted　（by　previous　arrangement　with　her　mistress）　to　take　a
week's　holiday；　and　to　go　on　a　visit　to　her　parents；　in　the　west　of
Cornwall。　While　there；　she　had　fallen　ill；　and　had　not　been　strong　enough
since　to　return　to　her　employment。　Having　given　this　preliminary　account
of　herself；　the　housemaid　then　stated　the　following　extraordinary
particulars　in　relation　to　her　mistress's　clock。

On　the　morning　of　the　day　when　Mr。　Dubourg　had　called　at　the　house；　she
had　been　cleaning　the　mantelpiece。　She　had　rubbed　the　part　of　it　which
was　under　the　clock　with　her　duster；　had　accidentally　struck　the
pendulum；　and　had　stopped　it。　Having　once　before　done　this；　she　had　been
severely　reproved。　Fearing　that　a　repetition　of　the　offense；　only　the　day
after　the　clock　had　been　regulated　by　the　maker；　might　lead　perhaps　to
the　withdrawal　of　her　leave　of　absence；　she　had　determined　to　put　matters
right　again；　if　possible；　by　herself。

After　poking　under　the　clock　in　the　dark；　and　failing　to　set　the　pendulum
going　again　properly　in　that　way；　she　next