malvina of brittany-第17章

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Laleham　Gardens　to　collect　her　boxes。　　The　next　time　Jetson　saw　her
she　was　in　the　dock；　charged　with　being　an　accomplice　in　the　murder
of　her　husband。

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The　body　had　been　discovered　in　a　pond　some　hundred　yards　from　the
unfinished　end　of　Laleham　Gardens。　　A　house　was　in　course　of
erection　on　a　neighbouring　plot；　and　a　workman；　in　dipping　up　a　pail
of　water；　had　dropped　in　his　watch。　　He　and　his　mate；　worrying　round
with　a　rake；　had　drawn　up　pieces　of　torn　clothing；　and　this；　of
course；　had　led　to　the　pond　being　properly　dragged。　　Otherwise　the
discovery　might　never　have　been　made。

The　body；　heavily　weighted　with　a　number　of　flat…irons　fastened　to
it　by　a　chain　and　padlock；　had　sunk　deep　into　the　soft　mud；　and
might　have　remained　there　till　it　rotted。　　A　valuable　gold　repeater；
that　Jetson　remembered　young　Hepworth　having　told　him　had　been　a
presentation　to　his　father；　was　in　its　usual　pocket；　and　a　cameo
ring　that　Hepworth　had　always　worn　on　his　third　finger　was　likewise
fished　up　from　the　mud。　　Evidently　the　murder　belonged　to　the
category　of　crimes　passionel。　　The　theory　of　the　prosecution　was
that　it　had　been　committed　by　a　man　who；　before　her　marriage；　had
been　Mrs。　Hepworth's　lover。

The　evidence；　contrasted　with　the　almost　spiritually　beautiful　face
of　the　woman　in　the　dock；　came　as　a　surprise　to　everyone　in　court。
Originally　connected　with　an　English　circus　troupe　touring　in
Holland；　she　appears；　about　seventeen；　to　have　been　engaged　as　a
〃song　and　dance　artiste〃　at　a　particularly　shady　cafe　chantant　in
Rotterdam；　frequented　chiefly　by　sailors。　　From　there　a　man；　an
English　sailor　known　as　Charlie　Martin；　took　her　away；　and　for　some
months　she　had　lived　with　him　at　a　small　estaminet　the　other　side　of
the　river。　　Later；　they　left　Rotterdam　and　came　to　London；　where
they　took　lodgings　in　Poplar；　near　to　the　docks。

It　was　from　this　address　in　Poplar　that；　some　ten　months　before　the
murder；　she　had　married　young　Hepworth。　　What　had　become　of　Martin
was　not　known。　　The　natural　assumption　was　that；　his　money　being
exhausted；　he　had　returned　to　his　calling；　though　his　name；　for　some
reason；　could　not　be　found　in　any　ship's　list。

That　he　was　one　and　the　same　with　the　man　that　Jetson　had　watched
till　the　door　of　the　Hepworths'　house　had　closed　upon　him　there
could　be　no　doubt。　　Jetson　described　him　as　a　thick…set；
handsome…looking　man；　with　a　reddish　beard　and　moustache。　　Earlier
in　the　day　he　had　been　seen　at　Hampstead；　where　he　had　dined　at　a
small　coffee…shop　in　the　High　Street。　　The　girl　who　had　waited　on
him　had　also　been　struck　by　the　bold；　piercing　eyes　and　the　curly
red　beard。　　It　had　been　an　off…time；　between　two　and　three；　when　he
had　dined　there；　and　the　girl　admitted　that　she　had　found　him　a
〃pleasant…spoken　gentleman；〃　and　〃inclined　to　be　merry。〃　　He　had
told　her　that　he　had　arrived　in　England　only　three　days　ago；　and
that　he　hoped　that　evening　to　see　his　sweetheart。　　He　had
accompanied　the　words　with　a　laugh；　and　the　girl　thoughtthough；　of
course；　this　may　have　been　after…suggestionthat　an　ugly　look
followed　the　laugh。

One　imagines　that　it　was　this　man's　return　that　had　been　the　fear
constantly　haunting　young　Hepworth。　　The　three　raps　on　the　door；　it
was　urged　by　the　prosecution；　was　a　pre…arranged　or　pre…understood
signal；　and　the　door　had　been　opened　by　the　woman。　　Whether　the
husband　was　in　the　house；　or　whether　they　waited　for　him；　could　not
be　said。　　He　had　been　killed　by　a　bullet　entering　through　the　back
of　the　neck；　the　man　had　evidently　come　prepared。

Ten　days　had　elapsed　between　the　murder　and　the　finding　of　the　body；
and　the　man　was　never　traced。　　A　postman　had　met　him　coming　from　the
neighbourhood　of　Laleham　Gardens　at　about　half…past　nine。　　In　the
fog；　they　had　all　but　bumped　into　one　another；　and　the　man　had
immediately　turned　away　his　face。

About　the　soft　felt　hat　there　was　nothing　to　excite　attention；　but
the　long；　stiff；　yellow　mackintosh　was　quite　unusual。　　The　postman
had　caught　only　a　momentary　glimpse　of　the　face；　but　was　certain　it
was　clean　shaven。　　This　made　a　sensation　in　court　for　the　moment；
but　only　until　the　calling　of　the　next　witness。　　The　charwoman
usually　employed　by　the　Hepworths　had　not　been　admitted　to　the　house
on　the　morning　of　Mrs。　Hepworth's　departure。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　had　met
her　at　the　door　and　paid　her　a　week's　money　in　lieu　of　notice；
explaining　to　her　that　she　would　not　be　wanted　any　more。　　Jetson；
thinking　he　might　possibly　do　better　by　letting　the　house　furnished；
had　sent　for　this　woman；　and　instructed　her　to　give　the　place　a
thorough　cleaning。　　Sweeping　the　carpet　in　the　dining…room　with　a
dustpan　and　brush；　she　had　discovered　a　number　of　short　red　hairs。
The　man；　before　leaving　the　house；　had　shaved　himself。

That　he　had　still　retained　the　long；　yellow　mackintosh　may　have　been
with　the　idea　of　starting　a　false　clue。　　Having　served　its　purpose；
it　could　be　discarded。　　The　beard　would　not　have　been　so　easy。　　What
roundabout　way　he　may　have　taken　one　cannot　say；　but　it　must　have
been　some　time　during　the　night　or　early　morning　that　he　reached
young　Hepworth's　office　in　Fenchurch　Street。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　had
evidently　provided　him　with　the　key。

There　he　seems　to　have　hidden　the　hat　and　mackintosh　and　to　have
taken　in　exchange　some　clothes　belonging　to　the　murdered　man。
Hepworth's　clerk；　Ellenby；　an　elderly　manof　the　type　that　one
generally　describes　as　of　gentlemanly　appearancewas　accustomed　to
his　master　being　away　unexpectedly　on　business；　which　was　that　of　a
ships'　furnisher。　　He　always　kept　an　overcoat　and　a　bag　ready　packed
in　the　office。　　Missing　them；　Ellenby　had　assumed　that　his　master
had　been　called　away　by　an　early　train。　　He　would　have　been　worried
after　a　few　days；　but　that　he　had　received　a　telegramas　he　then
supposed　from　his　masterexplaining　that　young　Hepworth　had　gone　to
Ireland　and　would　be　away　for　some　days。　　It　was　nothing　unusual　for
Hepworth　to　be　absent；　superintending　the　furnishing　of　a　ship；　for
a　fortnight　at　a　time；　and　nothing　had　transpired　in　the　office
necessitating　special　instructions。　　The　telegram　had　been　handed　in
at　Charing　Cross；　but　the　time　chosen　had　been　a　busy　period　of　the
day；　and　no　one　had　any　recollection　of　the　sender。　　Hepworth's
clerk　unhesitatingly　identified　the　body　as　that　of　his　employer；
for　whom　it　was　evident　that　he　had　entertained　a　feeling　of
affection。　　About　Mrs。　Hepworth　he　said　as　little　as　he　could。
While　she　was　awaiting　her　trial　it　had　been　necessary　for　him　to
see　her　once　or　twice　with　reference　to　the　business。　　Previous　to
this；　he　knew　nothing　about　her。

The　woman's　own　attitude　throughout　the　trial　had　been　quite
unexplainable。　　Beyond　agreeing　to　a　formal　plea　of　〃Not　guilty；〃
she　had　made　no　attempt　to　defend　herself。　　What　little　assistance
her　solicitors　had　obtained　had　been　given　them；　not　by　the　woman
herself；　but　by　Hepworth's　clerk；　more　for　the　sake　of　his　dead
master　than　out　of　any　sympathy　towards　the　wife。　　She　herself
appeared　utterly　indifferent。　　Only　once　had　she　been　betrayed　into
a　momentary　emotion。　　It　was　when　her　solicitors　were　urging　her
almost　angrily　to　give　them　some　particulars　upon　a　point　they
thought　might　be　helpful　to　her　case。

〃He's　dead！〃　she　had　cried　out　almost　with　a　note　of　exultation。
〃Dead！　　Dead！　　What　else　matters？〃

The　next　moment　she　had　apologised　for　her　outburst。

〃Nothing　can　do　any　good；〃　she　had　said。　　〃Let　the　thing　take　its
course。〃

It　was　the　astounding　callousness　of　the　woman　that　told　against　her
both　with　the　judge　and　the　jury。　　That　shaving　in　the　dining…room；
the　murdered　man's　body　not　yet　cold！　　It　must　have　been　done　with
Hepworth's　safety…razor。　　She　must　have　brought　it　down　to　him；
found　him　a　looking…glass；　brought　him　soap　and　water　and　a　towel；
afterwards　removing　all　traces。　　Except　those　few　red　hairs　that　had
clung；　unnoticed；　to　the　carpet。　　That　nest　of　flat…irons　used　to
weight　the　body！　　It　must　have　been　she　who　had　thought　of　them。
The　idea　would　never　have　occurred　to　a　man。　　The　chain　and　padlock
with　which　to　fasten　them。