she stands accused(她是被告)-第25章
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fail。 Mrs Rhymer acted for her as a sort of unofficial curator bonis；
receiving her money and depositing it in the black box； of which she kept
the key。
On the Thursday； old Betty and young Nanny being sent from the
room； the old lady had told Mrs Rhymer that she needed some moneya
guinea。 Mrs Rhymer had gone through the solemn process of opening
the black box； and； one must supposeold ladies nearing their end being
what they arehad been at need to tell over the contents of the box for the
hundredth time； just to reassure Mrs Duncomb that she thoroughly
understood the duties she had agreed to undertake as executrix
At the top of the box was a silver tankard。 It had belonged to Mrs
Duncomb's husband。 In the tankard was a hundred pounds。 Beside the
tankard lay a bag containing guinea pieces to the number of twenty or so。
This was the bag that Mrs Rhymer had carried over to the old lady's chair
by the fire； in order to take from it the needed guinea。
There were some half…dozen packets of money in the box； each sealed
with black wax and set aside for particular purposes after Mrs Duncomb's
death。 Other sums； greater in quantity than those contained in the
packets； were earmarked in the same way。 There was； for example；
twenty guineas set aside for the old lady's burial； eighteen moidores to
meet unforeseen contingencies； and in a green purse some thirty or forty
shillings； which were to be distributed among poor people of Mrs
Duncomb's acquaintance。 The ritual of telling over the box contents； if
something ghostly； had had its usual effect of comforting the old lady's
mind。 It consoled her to know that all arrangements were in order for her
passing in genteel fashion to her long home； that all the decorums of
respectable demise would be observed； and that ‘‘the greatest of these''
would not be forgotten。 The ritual over； the black box was closed and
locked； and on her departure Mrs Rhymer had taken away the key as
usual。
The motive for the crime； as said； was plain。 The black box had been
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forced； and there was no sign of tankard； packets； green purse； or bag of
guineas。
The horror and distress of the old lady's friends that Sunday afternoon
may better be imagined than described。 Loudest of the four； we are told；
was Sarah Malcolm。 It is also said that she was； however； the coolest；
keen to point out the various methods by which the murderers （for the
crime to her did not look like a single…handed effort） could have got into
the chambers。 She drew attention to the wideness of the kitchen chimney
and to the weakness of the lock in the door to the vacant rooms on the
other side of the landing。 She also pointed out that； since the bolt of the
spring…lock of the outer door to Mrs Duncomb's rooms had been engaged
when they arrived； the miscreants could not have used that exit。
This last piece of deduction on Sarah's part； however； was made rather
negligible by experiments presently carried out by the porter； Fairlow；
with the aid of a piece of string。 He showed that a person outside the
shut door could quite easily pull the bolt to on the inside。
The news of the triple murder quickly spread； and it was not long
before a crowd had collected in Tanfield Court； up the stairs to Mrs。
Duncomb's landing； and round about the door of Mrs Duncomb's
chambers。 It did not disperse until the officers had made their
investigations and the bodies of the three victims had been removed。
And even then； one may be sure； there would still be a few of those odd
sort of people hanging about who； in those times as in these； must linger
on the scene of a crime long after the last drop of interest has evaporated。
％ III
Two further actors now come upon the scene。 And for the proper
grasping of events we must go back an hour or two in time to notice their
activities。
They are a Mr Gehagan； a young Irish barrister； and a friend of his
named Kerrel。＇18＇ These young men occupy chambers on opposite sides
of the same landing； the third floor； over the Alienation Office in Tanfield
Court。
＇18＇ Or Kerrolthe name varies in different accounts of the crime。
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Mr Gehagan was one of Sarah Malcolm's employers。 That Sunday
morning at nine she had appeared in his rooms to do them up and to light
the fire。 While Gehagan was talking to Sarah he was joined by his friend
Kerrel； who offered to stand him some tea。 Sarah was given a shilling
and sent out to buy tea。 She returned and made the brew； then remained
about the chambers until the horn blew； as was then the Temple custom；
for commons。 The two young men departed。 After commons they
walked for a while in the Temple Gardens； then returned to Tanfield Court。
By this time the crowd attracted by the murder was blocking up the
court； and Gehagan asked what was the matter。 He was told of the
murder； and he remarked to Kerrel that the old lady had been their
charwoman's acquaintance。
The two friends then made their way to a coffee…house in Covent
Garden。 There was some talk there of the murder； and the theory was
advanced by some one that it could have been done only by some
laundress who knew the chambers and how to get in and out of them。
From Covent Garden； towards night； Gehagan and Kerrel went to a tavern
in Essex Street； and there they stayed carousing until one o'clock in the
morning； when they left for the Temple。 They were not a little astonished
on reaching their common landing to find Kerrel's door open； a fire
burning in the grate of his room； and a candle on the table。 By the fire；
with a dark riding…hood about her head； was Sarah Malcolm。 To Kerrel's
natural question of what she was doing there at such an unearthly hour she
muttered something about having things to collect。 Kerrel then；
reminding her that Mrs Duncomb had been her acquaintance； asked her if
anyone had been ‘‘taken up'' for the murder。
‘‘That Mr Knight；'' Sarah replied； ‘‘who has chambers under her； has
been absent two or three days。 He is suspected。''
‘‘Well；'' said Kerrel； remembering the theory put forward in the coffee…
house； and made suspicious by her presence at that strange hour； ‘‘nobody
that was acquainted with Mrs Duncomb is wanted here until the murderer
is discovered。 Look out your things； therefore； and begone！''
Kerrel's suspicion thickened； and he asked his friend to run downstairs
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