armadale-第161章

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burned　all　his；'　was　the　only　answer　he　got。　It　was　quite
possible　that　Captain　Manuel　might　have　burned　_her_　letters　when
he　heard　there　was　a　coroner's　inquest　in　the　house。　But　it　was
in　her　solicitor's　experience　（as　it　is　in　my　experience　too）
that；　when　a　woman　is　fond　of　a　man；　in　ninety…nine　cases　out　of
a　hundred；　risk　or　no　risk；　she　keeps　his　letters。　Having　his
suspicions　roused　in　this　way；　the　lawyer　privately　made　some
inquiries　about　the　foreign　captain；　and　found　that　he　was　as
short　of　money　as　a　foreign　captain　could　be。　At　the　same　time；
he　put　some　questions　to　his　client　about　her　expectations　from
her　deceased　husband。　She　answered；　in　high　indignation；　that　a
will　had　been　found　among　her　husband's　papers；　privately
executed　only　a　few　days　before　his　death；　and　leaving　her　no
more；　out　of　all　his　immense　fortune；　than　five　thousand　pounds。
'Was　there　an　older　will；　then；'　says　the　lawyer；　'which　the　new
will　revoked？'　Yes；　there　was；　a　will　that　he　had　given　into　her
own　possessiona　will　made　when　they　were　first　married。
'Leaving　his　widow　well　provided　for？'　Leaving　her　just　ten　times
as　much　as　the　second　will　left　her。　'Had　she　ever　mentioned　that
first　will；　now　revoked；　to　Captain　Manuel？'　She　saw　the　trap　set
for　her；　and　said；　'No；　never！'　without　an　instant's　hesitation。
That　reply　confirmed　the　lawyer's　suspicions。　He　tried　to
frighten　her　by　declaring　that　her　life　might　pay　the　forfeit　of
her　deceiving　him　in　this　matter。　With　the　usual　obstinacy　of
women；　she　remained　just　as　immovable　as　ever。　The　captain；　on
his　side；　behaved　in　the　most　exemplary　manner。　He　confessed　to
planning　the　elopement；　he　declared　that　he　had　burned　all　the
lady's　letters　as　they　reached　him；　out　of　regard　for　her
reputation；　he　remained　in　the　neighborhood；　and　he　volunteered
to　attend　before　the　magistrates。　Nothing　was　discovered　that
could　legally　connect　him　with　the　crime；　or　that　could　put　him
into　court　on　the　day　of　the　trial；　in　any　other　capacity　than
the　capacity　of　a　witness。　I　don't　believe　myself　that　there's
any　moral　doubt　（as　they　call　it）　that　Manuel　knew　of　the　will
which　left　her　mistress　of　fifty　thousand　pounds；　and　that　he　was
ready　and　willing；　in　virtue　of　that　circumstance；　to　marry　her
on　Mr。　Waldron's　death。　If　anybody　tempted　her　to　effect　her　own
release　from　her　husband　by　making　herself　a　widow；　the　captain
must　have　been　the　man。　And　unless　she　contrived；　guarded　and
watched　as　she　was；　to　get　the　poison　for　herself；　the　poison
must　have　come　to　her　in　one　of　the　captain's　letters。〃

〃I　don't　believe　she　used　it；　if　it　did　come　to　her！〃　exclaimed
Mr。　Bashwood。　〃I　believe　it　was　the　captain　himself　who　poisoned
her　husband！〃

Bashwood　the　younger；　without　noticing　the　interruption；　folded
up　the　Instructions　for　the　Defense；　which　had　now　served　their
purpose；　put　them　back　in　his　bag；　and　produced　a　printed
pamphlet　in　their　place。

〃Here　is　one　of　the　published　Reports　of　the　Trial；〃　he　said；
〃which　you　can　read　at　your　leisure；　if　you　like。　We　needn't
waste　time　now　by　going　into　details。　I　have　told　you　already　how
cleverly　her　counsel　paved　his　way　for　treating　the　charge　of
murder　as　the　crowning　calamity　of　the　many　that　had　already
fallen　on　an　innocent　woman。　The　two　legal　points　relied　on　for
the　defense　（after　this　preliminary　flourish）　were：　First；　that
there　was　no　evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　possession　of
poison；　and；　secondly；　that　the　medical　witnesses；　while
positively　declaring　that　her　husband　had　died　by　poison；
differed　in　their　conclusions　as　to　the　particular　drug　that　had
killed　him。　Both　good　points；　and　both　well　worked；　but　the
evidence　on　the　other　side　bore　down　everything　before　it。　The
prisoner　was　proved　to　have　had　no　less　than　three　excellent
reasons　for　killing　her　husband。　He　had　treated　her　with　almost
unexampled　barbarity；　he　had　left　her　in　a　will　（unrevoked　so　far
as　she　knew）　mistress　of　a　fortune　on　his　death；　and　she　was；　by
her　own　confession；　contemplating　an　elopement　with　another　man。
Having　set　forth　these　motives；　the　prosecution　next　showed　by
evidence；　which　was　never　once　shaken　on　any　single　point；　that
the　one　person　in　the　house　who　could　by　any　human　possibility
have　administered　the　poison　was　the　prisoner　at　the　bar。　What
could　the　judge　and　jury　do；　with　such　evidence　before　them　as
this？　The　verdict　was　Guilty；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　the
judge　declared　that　he　agreed　with　it。　The　female　part　of　the
audience　was　in　hysterics；　and　the　male　part　was　not　much　better。
The　judge　sobbed；　and　the　bar　shuddered。　She　was　sentenced　to
death　in　such　a　scene　as　had　never　been　previously　witnessed　in
an　English　court　of　justice。　And　she　is　alive　and　hearty　at　the
present　moment；　free　to　do　any　mischief　she　pleases；　and　to
poison；　at　her　own　entire　convenience；　any　man；　woman；　or　child
that　happens　to　stand　in　her　way。　A　most　interesting　woman！　Keep
on　good　terms　with　her；　my　dear　sir；　whatever　you　do；　for　the　Law
has　said　to　her　in　the　plainest　possible　English；　'My　charming
friend；　I　have　no　terrors　for　_you！_'　〃

〃How　was　she　pardoned？〃　asked　Mr。　Bashwood；　breathlessly。　〃They
told　me　at　the　time；　but　I　have　forgotten。　Was　it　the　Home
Secretary？　If　it　was；　I　respect　the　Home　Secretary！　I　say　the
Home　Secretary　was　deserving　of　his　place。〃

〃Quite　right；　old　gentleman！〃　rejoined　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃The
Home　Secretary　was　the　obedient　humble　servant　of　an　enlightened
Free　Press；　and　he　_was_　deserving　of　his　place。　Is　it　possible
you　don't　know　how　she　cheated　the　gallows？　If　you　don't；　I　must
tell　you。　On　the　evening　of　the　trial；　two　or　three　of　the　young
buccaneers　of　literature　went　down　to　two　or　three　newspaper
offices；　and　wrote　two　or　three　heart…rending　leading　articles　on
the　subject　of　the　proceedings　in　court。　The　next　morning　the
public　caught　light　like　tinder；　and　the　prisoner　was　tried　over
again；　before　an　amateur　court　of　justice；　in　the　columns　of　the
newspapers。　All　the　people　who　had　no　personal　experience
whatever　on　the　subject　seized　their　pens；　and　rushed　（by　kind
permission　of　the　editor）　into　print。　Doctors　who　had　_not_
attended　the　sick　man；　and　who　had　_not_　been　present　at　the
examination
　of　the　body；　declared　by　dozens　that　he　had　died　a　natural
death。　Barristers　without　business；　who　had　_not_　heard　the
evidence；　attacked　the　jury　who　had　heard　it；　and　judged　the
judge；　who　had　sat　on　the　bench　before　some　of　them　were　born。
The　general　public　followed　the　lead　of　the　barristers　and　the
doctors；　and　the　young　buccaneers　who　had　set　the　thing　going。
Here　was　the　law　that　they　all　paid　to　protect　them　actually
doing　its　duty　in　dreadful　earnest！　Shocking！　shocking！　The
British　Public　rose　to　protest　as　one　man　against　the　working　of
its　own　machinery；　and　the　Home　Secretary；　in　a　state　of
distraction；　went　to　the　judge。　The　judge　held　firm。　He　had　said
it　was　the　right　verdict　at　the　time；　and　he　said　so　still。　'But
suppose；'　says　the　Home　Secretary；　'that　the　prosecution　had
tried　some　other　way　of　proving　her　guilty　at　the　trial　than　the
way　they　did　try；　what　would　you　and　the　jury　have　done　then？'　Of
course　it　was　quite　impossible　for　the　judge　to　say。　This
comforted　the　Home　Secretary；　to　begin　with。　And；　when　he　got　the
judge's　consent；　after　that；　to　having　the　conflict　of　medical
evidence　submitted　to　one　great　doctor；　and　when　the　one　great
doctor　took　the　merciful　view；　after　expressly　stating；　in　the
first　instance；　that　he　knew　nothing　practically　of　the　merits　of
the　case；　the　Home　Secretary　was　perfectly　satisfied。　The
prisoner's　death…warrant　went　into　the　waste…paper　basket；　the
verdict　of　the　law　was　reversed　by　general　acclamation；　and　the
verdict　of　the　newspapers　carried　the　day。　But　the　best　of　it　is
to　come。　You　know　what　happened　when　the　people　found　themselves
with　the　pet　object　of　their　sympathy　suddenly　cast　loose　on
their　hands？　A　general　impression　prevailed　directly　that　she　was
not　quite　innocent　enough；　after　all；　to　be　let　out　of　prison
then　and　there！　Punish　her　a　littlethat　was　the　state　of　the
popular　feelingpunish　her　a　little；