The morning papers were pleasant reading for Grodman, who chuckled as continuously over his morning egg, as if he had laid it. Jane was alarmed for the sanity of her saturnine master. As her husband would have said, Grodman's grins were not Beautiful. But he made no effort to suppress them. Not only had Wimp perpetrated a grotesque blunder, but the journalists to a man were down on his great sensation tableau, though their denunciations did not appear in the dramatic columns. The Liberal papers said that he had endangered Mr. Gladstone's life; the Conservative that he had unloosed the raging elements of Bow blackguardism, and set in motion forces which might have easily swelled to a riot, involving severe destruction of property. But "Tom Mortlake" was, after all, the thought swamping every other. It was, in a sense, a triumph for the man.

 

But Wimp's turn came when Mortlake, who reserved his defence, was brought up before a magistrate, and by force of the new evidence, fully committed for trial on the charge of murdering Arthur Constant. Then men's thoughts centred again on the Mystery, and the solution of the inexplicable problem agitated mankind from China to Peru.

 

In the middle of February, the great trial befell. It was another of the opportunities which the Chancellor of the Exchequer neglects. So stirring a drama might have easily cleared its expenses--despite the length of the cast, the salaries of the stars, and the rent of the house--in mere advance booking. For it was a drama which (by the rights of Magna Charta) could never be repeated; a drama which ladies of fashion would have given their earrings to witness, even with the central figure not a woman. And there _was_ a woman in it anyhow, to judge by the little that had transpired at the magisterial examination, and the fact that the country was placarded with bills offering a reward for information concerning a Miss Jessie Dymond. Mortlake was defended by Sir Charles Brown-Harland, Q.C., retained at the expense of the Mortlake Defence Fund (subscriptions to which came also from Australia and the Continent), and set on his mettle by the fact that he was the accepted labour candidate for an East-end constituency. Their Majesties, Victoria and the Law, were represented by Mr. Robert Spigot, Q.C.

 

Mr. SPIGOT, Q.C, in presenting his case, said: "I propose to show that the prisoner murdered his friend and fellow-lodger, Mr. Arthur Constant, in cold blood, and with the most careful premeditation; premeditation so studied, as to leave the circumstances of the death an impenetrable mystery for weeks to all the world, though, fortunately, without altogether baffling the almost superhuman ingenuity of Mr. Edward Wimp, of the Scotland Yard Detective Department. I propose to show that the motives of the prisoner were jealousy and revenge; jealousy, not only of his friend's superior influence over the working men he himself aspired to lead, but the more commonplace animosity engendered by the disturbing element of a woman having relations to both. If, before my case is complete, it will be my painful duty to show that the murdered man was not the saint the world has agreed to paint him, I shall not shrink from unveiling the truer picture, in the interests of justice, which cannot say _nil nisi bonum_ even of the dead. I propose to show that the murder was committed by the prisoner shortly before half-past six on the morning of December 4th, and that the prisoner having, with the remarkable ingenuity which he has shown throughout, attempted to prepare an alibi by feigning to leave London by the _first_ train to Liverpool, returned home, got in with his latch-key through the street door, which he had left on the latch, unlocked his victim's bedroom with a key which he possessed, cut the sleeping man's throat, pocketed his razor, locked the door again, and gave it the appearance of being bolted, went downstairs, unslipped the bolt of the big lock, closed the door behind him, and got to Euston in time for the _second_ train to Liverpool. The fog helped his proceedings throughout." Such was in sum the theory of the prosecution. The pale, defiant figure in the dock winced perceptibly under parts of it.

 

Mrs. Drabdump was the first witness called for the prosecution. She was quite used to legal inquisitiveness by this time, but did not appear in good spirits.

 

"On the night of December 3rd, you gave the prisoner a letter?"

 

"Yes, your ludship."

 

"How did he behave when he read it?"

 

"He turned very pale and excited. He went up to the poor gentleman's room, and I'm afraid he quarrelled with him. He might have left his last hours peaceful." (Amusement.)

 

"What happened then?"

 

"Mr. Mortlake went out in a passion, and came in again in about an hour."

 

"He told you he was going away to Liverpool very early the next morning?"

 

"No, your ludship, he said he was going to Devonport." (Sensation.)

 

"What time did you get up the next morning?"

 

"Half-past six."

 

"That is not your usual time?"

 

"No, I always get up at six."

 

"How do you account for the extra sleepiness?"

 

"Misfortunes will happen."

 

"It wasn't the dull, foggy weather?"

 

"No, my lud, else I should never get up early." (Laughter.)

 

"You drink something before going to bed?"

 

"I like my cup o' tea. I take it strong, without sugar. It always steadies my nerves."

 

"Quite so. Where were you when the prisoner told you he was going to Devonport?"

 

"Drinkin' my tea in the kitchen."

 

"What should you say if prisoner dropped something in it to make you sleep late?"

 

WITNESS (startled): "He ought to be shot."

 

"He might have done it without your noticing it, I suppose?"

 

"If he was clever enough to murder the poor gentleman, he was clever enough to try and poison me."

 

The JUDGE: "The witness in her replies must confine herself to the evidence."

 

Mr. SPIGOT, Q.C.: "I must submit to your lordship that it is a very logical answer, and exactly illustrates the interdependence of the probabilities. Now, Mrs. Drabdump, let us know what happened when you awoke at half-past six the next morning." Thereupon Mrs. Drabdump recapitulated the evidence (with new redundancies, but slight variations) given by her at the inquest. How she became alarmed--how she found the street door locked by the big lock--how she roused Grodman, and got him to burst open the door--how they found the body--all this with which the public was already familiar _ad nauseam_ was extorted from her afresh.

 

"Look at this key (key passed to witness). Do you recognise it?"

 

"Yes; how did you get it? It's the key of my first-floor front. I am sure I left it sticking in the door."

 

"Did you know a Miss Dymond?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Mortlake's sweetheart. But I knew he would never marry her, poor thing." (Sensation.)

 

"Why not?"

 

"He was getting too grand for her." (Amusement.)

 

"You don't mean anything more than that?"

 

"I don't know; she only came to my place once or twice. The last time I set eyes on her must have been in October."

 

"How did she appear?"

 

"She was very miserable, but she wouldn't let you see it." (Laughter.)

 

"How has the prisoner behaved since the murder?"

 

"He always seemed very glum and sorry for it."

 

Cross-examined: "Did not the prisoner once occupy the bedroom of Mr. Constant, and give it up to him, so that Mr. Constant might have the two rooms on the same floor?"

 

"Yes, but he didn't pay as much."

 

"And, while occupying this front bedroom, did not the prisoner once lose his key and have another made?"

 

"He did; he was very careless."

 

"Do you know what the prisoner and Mr. Constant spoke about on the night of December 3rd?"

 

"No; I couldn't hear."

 

"Then how did you know they were quarrelling?"

 

"They were talkin' so loud."

 

Sir CHARLES BROWN-HARLAND, Q.C. (sharply): "But I'm talking loudly to you now. Should you say I was quarrelling?"

 

"It takes two to make a quarrel." (Laughter.)

 

"Was prisoner the sort of man who, in your opinion, would commit a murder?"

 

"No, I never should ha' guessed it was him."

 

"He always struck you as a thorough gentleman?"

 

"No, my lud. I knew he was only a comp."

 

"You say the prisoner has seemed depressed since the murder. Might not that have been due to the disappearance of his sweetheart?"

 

"No, he'd more likely be glad to get rid of her."

 

"Then he wouldn't be jealous if Mr. Constant took her off his hands?" (Sensation.)

 

"Men are dog-in-the-mangers."

 

"Never mind about men, Mrs. Drabdump. Had the prisoner ceased to care for Miss Dymond?"

 

"He didn't seem to think of her, my lud. When he got a letter in her handwriting among his heap he used to throw it aside till he'd torn open the others."

 

BROWN-HARLAND, Q.C. (with a triumphant ring in his voice): "Thank you, Mrs. Drabdump. You may sit down."

 

SPIGOT, Q.C.: "One moment, Mrs. Drabdump. You say the prisoner had ceased to care for Miss Dymond. Might not this have been in consequence of his suspecting for some time that she had relations with Mr. Constant?"

 

The JUDGE: "That is not a fair question."

 

SPIGOT, Q.C.: "That will do, thank you, Mrs. Drabdump."

 

BROWN-HARLAND, Q.C.: "No; one question more, Mrs. Drabdump. Did you ever see anything--say, when Miss Dymond came to your house--to make you suspect anything between Mr. Constant and the prisoner's sweetheart?"

 

"She did meet him once when Mr. Mortlake was out." (Sensation.)

 

"Where did she meet him?"

 

"In the passage. He was going out when she knocked and he opened the door." (Amusement.)

 

"You didn't hear what they said?"

 

"I ain't a eavesdropper. They spoke friendly and went away together."

 

Mr. GEORGE GRODMAN was called, and repeated his evidence at the inquest. Cross-examined, he testified to the warm friendship between Mr. Constant and the prisoner. He knew very little about Miss Dymond, having scarcely seen her. Prisoner had never spoken to him much about her. He should not think she was much in prisoner's thoughts. Naturally the prisoner had been depressed by the death of his friend. Besides, he was overworked. Witness thought highly of Mortlake's character. It was incredible that Constant had had improper relations of any kind with his friend's promised wife. Grodman's evidence made a very favourable impression on the jury; the prisoner looked his gratitude; and the prosecution felt sorry it had been necessary to call this witness.

 

Inspector HOWLETT and Sergeant RUNNYMEDE had also to repeat their evidence. Dr. ROBINSON, police surgeon, likewise retendered his evidence as to the nature of the wound, and the approximate hour of death. But this time he was much more severely examined. He would not bind himself down to state the time within an hour or two. He thought life had been extinct two or three hours when he arrived, so that the deed had been committed between seven and eight. Under gentle pressure from the prosecuting counsel, he admitted that it might possibly have been between six and seven. Cross-examined, he reiterated his impression in favour of the later hour.

 

Supplementary evidence from medical experts proved as dubious and uncertain as if the court had confined itself to the original witness. It seemed to be generally agreed that the data for determining the time of death of any body were too complex and variable to admit of very precise inference; rigor mortis and other symptoms setting in within very wide limits and differing largely in different persons. All agreed that death from such a cut must have been practically instantaneous, and the theory of suicide was rejected by all. As a whole the medical evidence tended to fix the time of death, with a high degree of probability, between the hours of six and half-past eight. The efforts of the prosecution were bent upon throwing back the time of death to as early as possible after about half-past five. The defence spent all its strength upon pinning the experts to the conclusion that death could not have been earlier than seven. Evidently the prosecution was going to fight hard for the hypothesis that Mortlake had committed the crime in the interval between the first and second trains for Liverpool; while the defence was concentrating itself on an alibi, showing that the prisoner had travelled by the second train which left Euston Station at a quarter-past seven, so that there could have been no possible time for the passage between Bow and Euston. It was an exciting struggle. As yet the contending forces seemed equally matched. The evidence had gone as much for as against the prisoner. But everybody knew that worse lay behind.

 

"Call Edward Wimp."

 

The story EDWARD WIMP had to tell began tamely enough with thrice-threshed-out facts. But at last the new facts came.

 

"In consequence of suspicions that had formed in your mind you took up your quarters, disguised, in the late Mr. Constant's rooms?"

 

"I did; at the commencement of the year. My suspicions had gradually gathered against the occupants of No. 11 Glover Street, and I resolved to quash or confirm these suspicions once for all."

 

"Will you tell the jury what followed?"

 

"Whenever the prisoner was away for the night I searched his room. I found the key of Mr. Constant's bedroom buried deeply in the side of prisoner's leather sofa. I found what I imagine to be the letter he received on December 3rd, in the pages of a 'Bradshaw' lying under the same sofa. There were two razors about."

 

Mr. SPIGOT, Q.C., said: "The key has already been identified by Mrs. Drabdump. The letter I now propose to read."

 

It was undated, and ran as follows:--

 

"Dear Tom,--This is to bid you farewell. It is best for us all. I am going a long way, dearest. Do not seek to find me, for it will be useless. Think of me as one swallowed up by the waters, and be assured that it is only to spare you shame and humiliation in the future that I tear myself from you and all the sweetness of life. Darling, there is no other way. I feel you could never marry me now. I have felt it for months. Dear Tom, you will understand what I mean. We must look facts in the face. I hope you will always be friends with Mr. Constant. Good-by, dear. God bless you! May you always be happy, and find a worthier wife than I. Perhaps when you are great, and rich, and famous, as you deserve, you will sometimes think not unkindly of one who, however faulty and unworthy of you, will at least love you till the end.--Yours, till death,

 

"JESSIE."

 

By the time this letter was finished numerous old gentlemen, with wigs or without, were observed to be polishing their glasses. Mr. Wimp's examination was resumed.

 

"After making these discoveries what did you do?"

 

"I made inquiries about Miss Dymond, and found Mr. Constant had visited her once or twice in the evening. I imagined there would be some traces of a pecuniary connection. I was allowed by the family to inspect Mr. Constant's cheque-book, and found a paid cheque made out for L25 in the name of Miss Dymond. By inquiry at the Bank, I found it had been cashed on November l2th of last year. I then applied for a warrant against the prisoner."

 

Cross-examined: "Do you suggest that the prisoner opened Mr. Constant's bedroom with the key you found?"

 

"Certainly."

 

BROWN-HARLAND, Q.C. (sarcastically): "And locked the door from within with it on leaving?"

 

"Certainly."

 

"Will you have the goodness to explain how the trick was done?"

 

"It wasn't done. (Laughter.) The prisoner probably locked the door from the outside. Those who broke it open naturally imagined it had been locked from the inside when they found the key inside. The key would, on this theory, be on the floor as the outside locking could not have been effected if it had been in the lock. The first persons to enter the room would naturally believe it had been thrown down in the bursting of the door. Or it might have been left sticking very loosely inside the lock so as not to interfere with the turning of the outside key, in which case it would also probably have been thrown to the ground."

 

"Indeed. Very ingenious. And can you also explain how the prisoner could have bolted the door within from the outside?"

 

"I can. (Renewed sensation.) There is only one way in which it was possible--and that was, of course, a mere conjurer's illusion. To cause a locked door to appear bolted in addition, it would only be necessary for the person on the inside of the door to wrest the staple containing the bolt from the woodwork. The bolt in Mr. Con............