LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5163, 23 January 1895, Page 1

LITERATURE.

IN THE TOILS OF THE CHARMER. [BT MBS EDWABD KENNABD, Author of "Pretty Kitty Herrick," " The Girl in the Brown Habit," " Landing a Prize," &o.] {All Bights BeserviH.) Chapteb XVII. THE COBONEU'S INQUEST. I was taken before the magistrates and remanded to await the resnlta of the coroner's inquest, which took place the next day, In the meantime I could ol early perceive that my whole fate would probably depend npon being able to prove the fact of my having met and walked with that sea-faring m»n. Therefore I found means to communicate with my father, and he started for Portsmouth by the earliest possible train, which, however, unfortunately did not reaoh that place before noon. The first witness called by the Coroner was the late Mrs Robertson's maid. I wrote down io my diary at the time some of the principal evidence which I am now enabled to refer to, and cannot do better than read. • ■ ■ • - Coroner : " What ia your name ? " •i Maria Stanley." "Were you in tbe employment of the deceased?" "I was, sir." • " In what capaoity P " "As maid. I had been. with her three years."' "When did you last see your mistress alive?" "At five o'clock. I went up to her room and took' her some tea and toast." "Did she then appear in her usual health?'* "Tea, aa far aa I could judge. She complained of having a headaohe, and said she would not come down to dinner." "Was she subject to headaches P" "Yeß.very." "So that when she said she would not comedown tpdiuher.it did not occasion you any surprise P " "None at all. Mrs Robertson frequently stayed upstairs." "How was it yon did not go to your mistress's room at a later hour P" "Because she told me not to do so until ten 6'olook, whei I was to bring her a little gruel. She said she would try and have anap." "You said that you last saw the deceased at five o'clock. How was the exact hoar impressed upon your mind ?" . "Because my mistress had left her watch in her badroom. She asked me to go and fetch it ; and as I did so I looked at it to see what the time was." The next witness called was Dr Woodbridge. " . ■'■'' * Coroner : "Yon Baw the deceased on the night of the murder ?" " I did. I was called in by Mr Norreys." " When did you arrive at Briony Court ?" « About half-past nine." " " "Describe the appearance of the body." "It was lying full length on the floor. The right arm was outstretohed, and the fingers doubled up. , The legs were contracted as if by sudden pain, but the face was calm and peaceful." "In your opinion, what was the cause ofdeatbP'" "A deep stab, occasioned by some sharp instrument — propably . a- knife — whose blade, entering under the left breast, penetrated the auricles of the heart." "Do you consider that a knife Buoh as this," pioduoing the one found in the murdered lady 'b room, "could have in- ' flicted the injury?" Once more ,Dr Woodbridge took my property in hi 3 hands, and examined it carefully. , . . " I think it very probable," he stated. Coroner : "We do not want probabilities, but certainties." ... Dr Woodbridge : " Well then, I am certain that a knife Buch as this might occasion death. The blade is an unusually long one, and would have no difficulty in reaching a vital part." " Wbb the body cold when you saw it ? " " Yes, quite/ : . v • "How long, in your opinion, had the deceased lady been dead ?" " It is not easy to tell exactly, but some hours." "Doctor Woodbridge, will you please be as accurate as you can." " That is my endeavour." "The; last witness has just stated positively that she saw' her mistress alive at five o'clock. You arrived at Briony Court at half-past nine. If when you examined the body it had been: dead Borne hours it follows that the time during which the muider could have been committed is reduced to a very narrow limit." '" Such is my opinion." " Can you, as a professional man, define the time?" , . "It ia difficult to do so precisely, but from all appearances I should say that the murdei«r must have done his work between five and blx o'clock. It is almoßt impossible 'to account otherwise for the rigidity of the body." "Have you much experience in such cases?" .:.-,• " A good deal. lam frequently called in after, death." " Thank you. You have given your evidence in a very^fair, straightforward manner." ...... . After Dr Woodbridge; Charles RobinsoD, footman at Briony Court, was examined. He stated that Bianca and I were frequently in the habit of meeting in my private room of an evening, and he had reason to believe that I was at the Court tha greater part of the afternoon on which the muider .. was committed. When pressed to give a reason for this, belief he 'said:' ■■ ' ■' ' •'■■'■ "Mr Norreys had one particular stick, which be invariably, carried. That stick was in the hall on the day in question, and was a sure sign of hia preßence." " What kind of stick was it.? " " It'looked like a foreign one, and had * peinliar carved head." "Might not Mr Norreys have left it behind him on some previous occasion ? " : "Most unlikely.} he was very fussy about that Btick as a rule, and thought a lot of it." . . , ; "What made you notice it r ' :'.' I happened to be in the front hall, and the housemaid went by- I pointed ouc the Bticif, and BaioT, "There they are, at it again. Love-making as usual." "It ia unnecessary to give your remarks," said the Coroner, severely. "I gather that you did not actually Bee Mr ITorreya.": . ■ „, „ v "Not then.. I Baw him latar on. "When?" ' ■ "Aahe was going up with young Mrs Robertson to my mistress's room." When Charles Eobinsoa had finished telling all he knew— and be was a very voluble witness— the Coroner then proceeded to question me closely as to my proceedings. You already know the substance of my defence, so I need not weary you with a recapitulation. All would have ' been fair sailing had. only I been able to produce my witness. Bub alas I even &s the Jury were sitting, a telegram carte from my father, sayiDghe had beenurmble to discover any traces of the stranger with whom I had walked and conversed on the preceding day. Thre9 Ghipa had sailed for South Africa, and ir, wbs impossible te say in which of the threo he had gone, ft' y heart aank. I guw my laat, hope of proving an aZiW gone. Meantime the Coroner ask"d

many searching questions regarding my movements, and the time it bad taken to walk from my home to Briony Court. I answered that it took me nearly an hour. Fate was against me; from the first, as I have told you all along. Had my housekeeper been in the house and seen me enter it, boo might have corroborated my statements, and conclusively proved that I was innocent of the crime with which I was charged. But I seemed to have no friend except old Tomkinson, who, though he gave his evidence in my favour, did so in a half-hearted manner, and I could see ho was wavering in his allegianoa. But Bianca'a depositions were Bimply crushing. She raked up all our private history, and, shameless and beautiful, dwelt on my infatuation, oh my fear of discovery, and the terror in which I lived of Mrs Eoberteon finding me out in my true colours. She made the crime appear almost natural ; and then, when questioned aa to her own oondnct, put on an air of injured innocence, and pretty penitence, that produced an immense effect. Her dexterity was something marvellous, She told • story after story, invented whole narratives with the moat consummate ease and aspect of apparent truthfulness. She brought her own Italian nursemaid to prove that she had spent the afternoon in the nursery playing with her boy. She represented herself as a -perfect model of parental devotion, and the respectable British .Jury," just as she had foretold, were impressed. Reapeofcability alone is not sufficient to. stand proof against an exquisitely beautiful woman. The Coroner, in an able speech, alluded to her sb a young and unprotected foreigner, ignorant of our laws and customs, at the mercy of a wicked adventurer. His chivalry overpowered his common sense. He next dwelt on my total inability to confirm any of my statements, the evidence against me, the strong motives I had to prevent my. conduct from coming to my mistress's knowledge, and finally discoursed on the desperate actions of which men were capable when thwarted in their love. A strange concatenation of untoward circumstances rendered me absolutely, helpless. Everything, conspired to favour Bianctt and to damn me. A dumb despair crept over my being. A sullen apathy took possession of me. If Buoh things could be, then what was the übb of right and wrong in this world? My whole mental condition became suddenly revolutionised. The faith of my childhood appeared vain, the beliefs of my manhood false. I could not pray— for Ino longer knew to whom to pray. God himself might be a delusion and a fraud. . Ton may think it perfectly inoredulous, Susan, that a guiltless person should be arrested; in the actual presence of the real murderer, and charged with a crime, the mere thought of which had mercifully never blackened' hia mind< We are sapposed to live in a civilised age, bufc^for all that such instances of injustice have occurred over and over again in the annals of our country. In spite of our police, our judges, our lawyers, many is the poor wretch who has sighed out his last sigh on the gallows, and who has been innocent of the offence of which he was accused. In some ways I was very ignorant of English law, and it is possible that at the outset I held baok certain facts which: might have proved of service. I ought to have treated Bianoa as she, -treated me— namely, i&th an absolute disregard for her' feelings. In; trying to shield her ever so little, I did but strengthen her hand. I see all this now that it is tob late' Few of ns are wise, in time. We are very clever after an event, but seldom so whilst it is actually taking place. : Suffice it that the Coroner's jury, after a protraoted sitting, gave a verdict of wilful murder against me, and formally coinmitt6d me for :; trial at -the next. County Asßizes. ■'■''•:■.:•:',:.:. — ,^_.: ■ :■'.;.•■• ..•■>'. (To be contintfea*F ~