the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第37节
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worse。 That 〃last link〃 he talked about was still lacking。 Privately； I
hoped it might remain so； for what happiness could there be for Mary； if
John were not acquitted？
On September 15th John Cavendish appeared in the dock at the Old
Bailey； charged with 〃The Wilful Murder of Emily Agnes Inglethorp；〃 and
pleaded 〃Not Guilty。〃
Sir Ernest Heavywether； the famous K。 C。； had been engaged to
defend him。
Mr。 Philips； K。 C。； opened the case for the Crown。
The murder； he said； was a most premeditated and cold…blooded one。
It was neither more nor less than the deliberate poisoning of a fond and
trusting woman by the stepson to whom she had been more than a mother。
Ever since his boyhood； she had supported him。 He and his wife had
lived at Styles Court in every luxury； surrounded by her care and attention。
She had been their kind and generous benefactress。
He proposed to call witnesses to show how the prisoner； a profligate
and spendthrift； had been at the end of his financial tether； and had also
been carrying on an intrigue with a certain Mrs。 Raikes； a neighbouring
farmer's wife。 This having come to his stepmother's ears； she taxed him
with it on the afternoon before her death； and a quarrel ensued； part of
which was overheard。 On the previous day； the prisoner had purchased
strychnine at the village chemist's shop； wearing a disguise by means of
which he hoped to throw the onus of the crime upon another manto wit；
Mrs。 Inglethorp's husband； of whom he had been bitterly jealous。
Luckily for Mr。 Inglethorp； he had been able to produce an unimpeachable
alibi。
On the afternoon of July 17th； continued Counsel； immediately after
the quarrel with her son； Mrs。 Inglethorp made a new will。 This will was
found destroyed in the grate of her bedroom the following morning； but
evidence had come to light which showed that it had been drawn up in
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
favour of her husband。 Deceased had already made a will in his favour
before her marriage； butand Mr。 Philips wagged an expressive
forefingerthe prisoner was not aware of that。 What had induced the
deceased to make a fresh will； with the old one still extant； he could not
say。 She was an old lady； and might possibly have forgotten the former
one； orthis seemed to him more likelyshe may have had an idea that it
was revoked by her marriage； as there had been some conversation on the
subject。 Ladies were not always very well versed in legal knowledge。
She had； about a year before； executed a will in favour of the prisoner。
He would call evidence to show that it was the prisoner who ultimately
handed his stepmother her coffee on the fatal night。 Later in the evening；
he had sought admission to her room； on which occasion； no doubt； he
found an opportunity of destroying the will which； as far as he knew；
would render the one in his favour valid。
The prisoner had been arrested in consequence of the discovery； in his
room； by Detective Inspector Jappa most brilliant officerof the
identical phial of strychnine which had been sold at the village chemist's
to the supposed Mr。 Inglethorp on the day before the murder。 It would be
for the jury to decide whether or not these damning facts constituted an
overwhelming proof of the prisoner's guilt。
And； subtly implying that a jury which did not so decide； was quite
unthinkable； Mr。 Philips sat down and wiped his forehead。
The first witnesses for the prosecution were mostly those who had
been called at the inquest； the medical evidence being again taken first。
Sir Ernest Heavywether； who was famous all over England for the
unscrupulous manner in which he bullied witnesses； only asked two
questions。
〃I take it； Dr。 Bauerstein； that strychnine； as a drug； acts quickly？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And that you are unable to account for the delay in this case？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Thank you。〃
Mr。 Mace identified the phial handed him by Counsel as that sold by
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him to 〃Mr。 Inglethorp。〃 Pressed； he admitted that he only knew Mr。
Inglethorp by sight。 He had never spoken to him。 The witness was not
cross…examined。
Alfred Inglethorp was called； and denied having purchased the poison。
He also denied having quarrelled with his wife。 Various witnesses
testified to the accuracy of these statements。
The gardeners' evidence； as to the witnessing of the will was taken；
and then Dorcas was called。
Dorcas； faithful to her 〃young gentlemen；〃 denied strenuously that it
could have been John's voice she heard； and resolutely declared； in the
teeth of everything； that it was Mr。 Inglethorp who had been in the boudoir
with her mistress。 A rather wistful smile passed across the face of the
prisoner in the dock。 He knew only too well how useless her gallant
defiance was； since it was not the object of the defence to deny this point。
Mrs。 Cavendish； of course； could not be called upon to give evidence
against her husband。
After various questions on other matters； Mr。 Philips asked：
〃In the month of June last； do you remember a parcel arriving for Mr。
Lawrence Cavendish from Parkson's？〃
Dorcas shook her head。
〃I don't remember； sir。 It may have done； but Mr。 Lawrence was
away from home part of June。〃
〃In the event of a parcel arriving for him whilst he was away； what
would be done with it？〃
〃It would either be put in his room or sent on after him。〃
〃By you？〃
〃No； sir； I should leave it on the hall table。 It would be Miss Howard
who would attend to anything like that。〃
Evelyn Howard was called and； after being examined on other points；
was questioned as to the parcel。
〃Don't remember。 Lots of parcels come。 Can't remember one
special one。〃
〃You do not know if it was sent after Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish to
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Wales； or whether it was put in his room？〃
〃Don't think it was sent after him。 Should have remembered it if it
was。〃
〃Supposing a parcel arrived addressed to Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish；
and afterwards it disappeared； should you remark its absence？〃
〃No； don't think so。 I should think some one had taken charge of it。〃
〃I believe； Miss Howard； that it was you who found this sheet of
brown paper？〃 He held up the same dusty piece which Poirot and I had
examined in the morning…room at Styles。
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃How did you come to look for it？〃
〃The Belgian detective who was employed on the case asked me to
search for it。〃
〃Where did you eventually discover it？〃
〃On the top ofofa wardrobe。〃
〃On top of the prisoner's wardrobe？〃
〃II believe so。〃
〃Did you not find it yourself？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then you must know where you found it？〃
〃Yes； it was on the prisoner's wardrobe。〃
〃That is better。〃
An assistant from Parkson's； Theatrical Costumiers； testified that on
June 29th； they had supplied a black beard to Mr。 L。 Cavendish； as
requested。 It was ordered by letter； and a postal order was enclosed。 No；
they had not kept the letter。 All transactions were entered in their books。
They had sent the beard； as directed； to 〃L。 Cavendish； Esq。； Styles
Court。〃
Sir Ernest Heavywether rose ponderously。
〃Where was the letter written from？〃
〃From Styles Court。〃
〃The same address to which you sent the parcel？〃
〃Yes。〃
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