the law and the lady-第23部分

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！


the　stated　occasions；　and　that　she　was　thus　murdered　by　her
husband。　The　next　paragraph　asserted　that　the　said　Eustace
Macallan；　taken　before　John　Daviot；　Esquire；　advocate；
Sheriff…Substitute　of　Mid…Lothian；　did　in　his　presence　at
Edinburgh　（on　a　given　date；　viz。；　the　29th　of　October）；　subscribe
a　Declaration　stating　his　innocence　of　the　alleged　crime：　this
Declaration　being　reserved　in　the　Indictmenttogether　with
certain　documents；　papers　and　articles；　enumerated　in　an
Inventoryto　be　used　in　evidence　against　the　prisoner。　The
Indictment　concluded　by　declaring　that；　in　the　event　of　the
offense　charged　against　the　prisoner　being　found　proven　by　the
Verdict；　he；　the　said　Eustace　Macallan；　〃ought　to　be　punished
with　the　pains　of　the　law；　to　deter　others　from　committing　like
crimes　in　all　time　coming。〃

So　much　for　the　Indictment！　I　have　done　with　itand　I　am
rejoiced　to　be　done　with　it。

An　Inventory　of　papers；　documents；　and　articles　followed　at　great
length　on　the　next　three　pages。　This；　in　its　turn；　was　succeeded
by　the　list　of　the　witnesses；　and　by　the　names　of　the　jurors
（fifteen　in　number）　balloted　for　to　try　the　case。　And　then；　at
last；　the　Report　of　the　Trial　began。　It　resolved　itself；　to　my
mind；　into　three　great　Questions。　As　it　appeared　to　me　at　the
time；　so　let　me　present　it　here。


CHAPTER　XVI。

FIRST　QUESTIONDID　THE　WOMAN　DIE　POISONED？

　THE　proceedings　began　at　ten　o'clock。　The　prisoner　was　placed　at
the　Bar；　before　the　High　Court　of　Justiciary；　at　Edinburgh。　He
bowed　respectfully　to　the　Bench；　and　pleaded　Not　Guilty；　in　a　low
voice。

It　was　observed　by　every　one　present　that　the　prisoner's　face
betrayed　traces　of　acute　mental　suffering。　He　was　deadly　pale。
His　eyes　never　once　wandered　to　the　crowd　in　the　Court。　When
certain　witnesses　appeared　against　him；　he　looked　at　them　with　a
momentary　attention。　At　other　times　he　kept　his　eyes　on　the
ground。　When　the　evidence　touched　on　his　wife's　illness　and
death；　he　was　deeply　affected；　and　covered　his　face　with　his
hands。　It　was　a　subject　of　general　remark　and　general　surprise
that　the　prisoner；　in　this　case　（although　a　man）；　showed　far　less
self…possession　than　the　last　prisoner　tried　in　that　Court　for
murdera　woman；　who　had　been　convicted　on　overwhelming　evidence。
There　were　persons　present　（a　small　minority　only）　who　considered
this　want　of　composure　on　the　part　of　the　prisoner　to　be　a　sign
in　his　favor。　Self…possession；　in　his　dreadful　position；
signified；　to　their　minds；　the　stark　insensibility　of　a　heartless
and　shameless　criminal；　and　afforded　in　itself　a　presumption；　not
of　innocence；　but　of　guilt。

The　first　witness　called　was　John　Daviot；　Esquire；
Sheriff…Substitute　of　Mid…Lothian。　He　was　examined　by　the　Lord
Advocate　（as　counsel　for　the　prosecution）；　and　said：

〃The　prisoner　was　brought　before　me　on　the　present　charge。　He
made　and　subscribed　a　Declaration　on　the　29th　of　October。　It　was
freely　and　voluntarily　made；　the　prisoner　having　been　first　duly
warned　and　admonished。〃

Having　identified　the　Declaration；　the　Sheriff…Substitutebeing
cross…examined　by　the　Dean　of　Faculty　（as　counsel　for　the
defense）continued　his　evidence　in　these　words：

〃The　charge　against　the　prisoner　was　Murder。　This　was
communicated　to　him　before　he　made　the　Declaration。　The　questions
addressed　to　the　prisoner　were　put　partly　by　me；　partly　by
another　officer；　the　procurator…fiscal。　The　answers　were　given
distinctly；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　without　reserve。　The
statements　put　forward　in　the　Declaration　were　all　made　in　answer
to　questions　asked　by　the　procurator…fiscal　or　by　myself。〃

A　clerk　in　the　Sheriff…Clerk's　office　then　officially　produced
the　Declaration；　and　corroborated　the　evidence　of　the　witness　who
had　preceded　him。

The　appearance　of　the　next　witness　created　a　marked　sensation　in
the　Court。　This　was　no　less　a　person　than　the　nurse　who　had
attended　Mrs。　Macallan　in　her　last　illnessby　name　Christina
Ormsay。

After　the　first　formal　answers；　the　nurse　（examined　by　the　Lord
Advocate）　proceeded　to　say：

〃I　was　first　sent　for　to　attend　the　deceased　lady　on　the　7th　of
October。　She　was　then　suffering　from　a　severe　cold；　accompanied
by　a　rheumatic　affection　of　the　left　knee…joint。　Previous　to　this
I　understood　that　her　health　had　been　fairly　good。　She　was　not　a
very　difficult　person　to　nurse　when　you　got　used　to　her；　and
understood　how　to　manage　her。　The　main　difficulty　was　caused　by
her　temper。　She　was　not　a　sullen　person；　she　was　headstrong　and
violenteasily　excited　to　fly　into　a　passion；　and　quite　reckless
in　her　fits　of　anger　as　to　what　she　said　or　did。　At　such　times　I
really　hardly　think　she　knew　what　she　was　about。　My　own　idea　is
that　her　temper　was　made　still　more　irritable　by　unhappiness　in
her　married　life。　She　was　far　from　being　a　reserved　person。
Indeed；　she　was　disposed　（as　I　thought）　to　be　a　little　too
communicative　about　herself　and　her　troubles　with　persons　like　me
who　were　beneath　her　in　station。　She　did　not　scruple；　for
instance；　to　tell　me　（when　we　had　been　long　enough　together　to
get　used　to　each　other）　that　she　was　very　unhappy；　and　fretted　a
good　deal　about　her　husband。　One　night；　when　she　was　wakeful　and
restless；　she　said　to　me〃

The　Dean　of　Faculty　here　interposed；　speaking　on　the　prisoner's
behalf。　He　appealed　to　the　Judges　to　say　whether　such　loose　and
unreliable　evidence　as　this　was　evidence　which　could　be　received
by　the　Court。

The　Lord　Advocate　（speaking　on　behalf　of　the　Crown）　claimed　it　as
his　right　to　produce　the　evidence。　It　was　of　the　utmost
importance　in　this　case　to　show　（on　the　testimony　of　an
unprejudiced　witness）　on　what　terms　the　husband　and　wife　were
living。　The　witness　was　a　most　respectable　woman。　She　had　won；
and　deserved；　the　confidence　of　the　unhappy　lady　whom　she
attended　on　her　death…bed。

After　briefly　consulting　together；　the　Judges　unanimously　decided
that　the　evidence　could　not　be　admitted。　What　the　witness　had
herself　seen　and　observed　of　the　relations　between　the　husband
and　wife　was　the　only　evidence　that　they　could　receive。

The　Lord　Advocate　thereupon　continued　his　examination　of　the
witness。　Christina　Ormsay　resumed　her　evidence　as　follows：

〃My　position　as　nurse　led　necessarily　to　my　seeing　more　of　Mrs。
Macallan　than　any　other　person　in　the　house。　I　am　able　to　speak
from　experience　of　many　things　not　known　to　others　who　were　only
in　her　room　at　intervals。

〃For　instance；　I　had　more　than　one　opportunity　of　personally
observing　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Macallan　did　not　live　together　very
happily。　I　can　give　you　an　example　of　this；　not　drawn　from　what
others　told　me；　but　from　what　I　noticed　for　myself。

〃Toward　the　latter　part　of　my　attendance　on　Mrs。　Macallan；　a
young　widow　lady　named　Mrs。　Beaulya　cousin　of　Mr。
Macallan'scame　to　stay　at　Gleninch。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　jealous
of　this　lady；　and　she　showed　it　in　my　presence　only　the　day
before　her　death；　when　Mr。　Macallan　came　into　her　room　to　inquire
how　she　had　passed　the　night。　'Oh；'　she　said；　'never　mind　how　_I_
have　slept！　What　do　you　care　whether　I　sleep　well　or　ill？　How　has
Mrs。　Beauly　passed　the　night？　Is　she　more　beautiful　than　ever
this　morning？　Go　back　to　herpray　go　back　to　her！　Don't　waste
your　time　with　me！'　Beginning　in　that　manner；　she　worked　herself
into　one　of　her　furious　rages。　I　was　brushing　her　hair　at　the
time；　and　feeling　that　my　presence　was　an　impropriety　under　the
circumstances；　I　attempted　to　leave　the　room。　She　forbade　me　to
go。　Mr。　Macallan　felt；　as　I　did；　that　my　duty　was　to　withdraw；
and　he　said　so　in　plain　words。　Mrs。　Macallan　insisted　on　my
staying　in　language　so　insolent　to　her　husband　that　he　said；　'If
you　cannot　control　yourself；　either　the　nurse　leaves　the　room　or
I　do。'　She　refused　to　yield　even　then。　'A　good　excuse；'　she　said；
'for　getting　back　to　Mrs。　Beauly。　Go！'　He　took　her　at　her　word；
and　walked　out　of　the　room。　He　had　barely　closed　the　door　before
she　began　reviling　him　to　me　in　the　most　shocking　manner。　She
declared；　among　other　things　she　said　of　him；　that　the　news　of
all　others　which　he　would　be　most　glad　to　hear　would　be　the　news
of　her　death。　I　ventured；　quite　respectfully；　on　r　emonstrating
with　her。　She　took　up　the　hair…brush　and　threw　it　at　me；　and　then
and　there　dismissed　me　from　my　attendance　on　her。　I　left　her；　and
waited　below　until　her　fit　of　passion　had　worn　itself　out。　Then　I
returned　to　my　place　at　the　bedside；　and　for　a　while　things　went
on　again　as　usual。

〃It　may　not　be　amiss　to　add　a　word　which　may　help　to　explain　Mrs。
Macallan's　jealousy　of　her　husband's　cousin。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　a
very　plain　woman。　She　had　a　cast　in　one　of　her　eyes；　and　（if　I
may　use　the　expression）　one　of　the　most　muddy；　blotchy
complexions　it　was　ever　my　misfortune　to　see　in　a　person's　face。
Mrs。　Beauly；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　most　attractive　lady。　Her
eyes　were　universally　admired；　and　she　had　a　most　beautifully
clear　and　delicate　color。　Poor　Mrs。　Macallan　said　of　her；　most
untruly；　that　she　painted。

〃No；　the　defects　in　the　complexion　of　the　deceased　lady　were　not
in　any　way　attributable　to　her　illness。　I　should　call　them　born
and　bred　defects　in　herself。

〃Her　illness；　if　I　am　asked　to　describe　it；　I　should　say　was
troublesomenothing　more。　Until　the　last　day　there　were　no
symptoms　in　the　least　degree　serious　about　the　malady　that　had
taken　her。　Her　rheumatic　knee　was　painful；　of　courseacutely
painful；　if　you　likewhen　she　moved　it；　and　the　confinement　to
bed　was　irksome　enough；　no　doubt。　But　otherwise　there　was　nothing
in　the　lady's　condition；　before　the　fatal　attack　came；　to　alarm
her　or　anybody　about　her。　She　had　her　books　and　her　writing
materials　on　an　invalid　table；　which　worked　on　a　pivot；　and　could
be　arranged　in　any　position　most　agreeable　to　her。　At　times　she
read　and　wrote　a　good　deal。　At　other　times　she　lay　quiet；
thinking　her　own　thoughts；　or　talking　with　me；　and　with　one　or
two　lady　friends　in　the　neighborhood　who　came　regularly　to　see
her。

〃Her　writing；　so　far　as　I　knew；　was　almost　entirely　of　the
poetical　sort。　She　was　a　great　hand　at　composing　poetry。　On　one
occasion　only　she　showed　me　some　of　her　poems。　I　am　no　judge　of
such　things。　Her　poetry　was　of