the lodger-第31部分

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　if　she　would　ever　be　able　to　get　the　vision　the　policeman's　words　had　conjured　up　out　of　her　mind　…　out　of　her　memory。

And　then　there；　came　an　eager　stir　of　excitement　and　of　attention　throughout　the　whole　court；　for　the　policeman　had　stepped　down　out　of　the　witness…box；　and　one　of　the　women　witnesses　was　being　conducted　to　his　place。

Mrs。　Bunting　looked　with　interest　and　sympathy　at　the　woman；　remembering　how　she　herself　had　trembled　with　fear；　trembled　as　that　poor；　bedraggled；　common…looking　person　was　trembling　now。　　The　woman　had　looked　so　cheerful；　so　…　so　well　pleased　with　herself　till　a　minute　ago；　but　now　she　had　become　very　pale；　and　she　looked　round　her　as　a　hunted　animal　might　have　done。

But　the　coroner　was　very　kind；　very　soothing　and　gentle　in　his　manner；　just　as　that　other　coroner　had　been　when　dealing　with　Ellen　Green　at　the　inquest　on　that　poor　drowned　girl。

After　the　witness　had　repeated　in　a　toneless　voice　the　solemn　words　of　the　oath；　she　began　to　be　taken；　step　by　step；　though　her　story。　At　once　Mrs。　Bunting　realised　that　this　was　the　woman　who　claimed　to　have　seen　The　Avenger　from　her　bedroom　window。　　Gaining　confidence；　as　she　went　on；　the　witness　described　how　she　had　heard　a　long…drawn；　stifled　screech；　and；　aroused　from　deep　sleep；　had　instinctively　jumped　out　of　bed　and　rushed　to　her　window。

The　coroner　looked　down　at　something　lying　on　his　desk。　　〃Let　me　see！　　Here　is　the　plan。　　Yes　…　I　think　I　understand　that　the　house　in　which　you　are　lodging　exactly　faces　the　alley　where　the　two　crimes　were　committed？〃

And　there　arose　a　quick；　futile　discussion。　　The　house　did　not　face　the　alley；　but　the　window　of　the　witness's　bedroom　faced　the　alley。

〃A　distinction　without　a　difference；〃　said　the　coroner　testily。　〃And　now　tell　us　as　clearly　and　quickly　as　you　can　what　you　saw　when　you　looked　out。〃

There　fell　a　dead　silence　on　the　crowded　court。　　And　then　the　woman　broke　out；　speaking　more　volubly　and　firmly　than　she　had　yet　done。　〃I　saw　'im！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　shall　never　forget　it　…　no；　not　till　my　dying　day！〃　　And　she　looked　round　defiantly。

Mrs。　Bunting　suddenly　remembered　a　chat　one　of　the　newspaper　men　had　had　with　a　person　who　slept　under　this　woman's　room。　　That　person　had　unkindly　said　she　felt　sure　that　Lizzie　Cole　had　not　got　up　that　night　…　that　she　had　made　up　the　whole　story。　　She；　the　speaker；　slept　lightly；　and　that　night　had　been　tending　a　sick　child。　　Accordingly；　she　would　have　heard　if　there　had　been　either　the　scream　described　by　Lizzie　Cole；　or　the　sound　of　Lizzie　Cole　jumping　out　of　bed。

〃We　quite　understand　that　you　think　you　saw　the〃　…　the　coroner　hesitated　…　〃the　individual　who　had　just　perpetrated　these　terrible　crimes。　　But　what　we　want　to　have　from　you　is　a　description　of　him。　In　spite　of　the　foggy　atmosphere　about　which　all　are　agreed；　you　say　you　saw　him　distinctly；　walking　along　for　some　yards　below　your　window。　　Now；　please；　try　and　tell　us　what　he　was　like。〃

The　woman　began　twisting　and　untwisting　the　corner　of　a　coloured　handkerchief　she　held　in　her　hand。

〃Let　us　begin　at　the　beginning；〃　said　the　coroner　patiently。　　〃What　sort　of　a　hat　was　this　man　wearing　when　you　saw　him　hurrying　from　the　passage？〃

〃It　was　just　a　black　'at〃　said　the　witness　at　last；　in　a　husky；　rather　anxious　tone。

〃Yes　…　just　a　black　hat。　　And　a　coat　…　were　you　able　to　see　what　sort　of　a　coat　he　was　wearing？〃

〃'E　'adn't　got　no　coat〃　she　said　decidedly。　　〃No　coat　at　all！　　I　remembers　that　very　perticulerly。　　I　thought　it　queer；　as　it　was　so　cold　…　everybody　as　can　wears　some　sort　o'　coat　this　weather！〃

A　juryman　who　had　been　looking　at　a　strip　of　newspaper；　and　apparently　not　attending　at　all　to　what　the　witness　was　saying；　here　jumped　up　and　put　out　his　hand。

〃Yes？〃　the　coroner　turned　to　him。

〃I　just　want　to　say　that　this　'ere　witness　…　if　her　name　is　Lizzie　Cole；　began　by　saying　The　Avenger　was　wearing　a　coat　…　a　big；　heavy　coat。　　I've　got　it　here；　in　this　bit　of　paper。〃

〃I　never　said　so！〃　cried　the　woman　passionately。　　〃I　was　made　to　say　all　those　things　by　the　young　man　what　came　to　me　from　the　　Evening　Sun。　　Just　put　in　what　'e　liked　in　'is　paper；　'e　did　…　not　what　I　said　at　all！〃

At　this　there　was　some　laughter；　quickly　suppressed。

〃In　future；〃　said　the　coroner　severely；　addressing　the　juryman；　who　had　now　sat　down　again；　〃you　must　ask　any　question　you　wish　to　ask　through　your　foreman；　and　please　wait　till　I　have　concluded　my　examination　of　the　witness。〃

But　this　interruption；　this　…　this　accusation；　had　utterly　upset　the　witness。　　She　began　contradicting　herself　hopelessly。　　The　man　she　had　seen　hurrying　by　in　the　semi…darkness　below　was　tall　…　no；　he　was　short。　　He　was　thin　…　no；　he　was　a　stoutish　young　man。　　And　as　to　whether　he　was　carrying　anything；　there　was　quite　an　acrimonious　discussion。

Most　positively；　most　confidently；　the　witness　declared　that　she　had　seen　a　newspaper　parcel　under　his　arm；　it　had　bulged　out　at　the　back　　…　so　she　declared。　　But　it　was　proved；　very　gently　and　firmly；　that　she　had　said　nothing　of　the　kind　to　the　gentleman　from　Scotland　Yard　who　had　taken　down　her　first　account　…　in　fact；　to　him　she　had　declared　confidently　that　the　man　had　carried　nothing　…　nothing　at　all；　that　she　had　seen　his　arms　swinging　up　and　down。

One　fact　…　if　fact　it　could　be　called　…　the　coroner　did　elicit。　Lizzie　Cole　suddenly　volunteered　the　statement　that　as　he　had　passed　her　window　he　had　looked　up　at　her。　　This　was　quite　a　new　statement。

〃He　looked　up　at　you？〃　repeated　the　coroner。　　〃You　said　nothing　of　that　in　your　examination。〃

〃I　said　nothink　because　I　was　scared　…　nigh　scared　to　death！〃

〃If　you　could　really　see　his　countenance；　for　we　know　the　night　was　dark　and　foggy；　will　you　please　tell　me　what　he　was　like？〃

But　the　coroner　was　speaking　casually；　his　hand　straying　over　his　desk；　not　a　creature　in　that　court　now　believed　the　woman's　story。

〃Dark！〃　she　answered　dramatically。　　〃Dark；　almost　black！　　If　you　can　take　my　meaning；　with　a　sort　of　nigger　look。〃

And　then　there　was　a　titter。　　Even　the　jury　smiled。　　And　sharply　the　coroner　bade　Lizzie　Cole　stand　down。

Far　more　credence　was　given　to　the　evidence　of　the　next　witness。

This　was　an　older；　quieter…looking　woman；　decently　dressed　in　black。　Being　the　wife　of　a　night　watchman　whose　work　lay　in　a　big　warehouse　situated　about　a　hundred　yards　from　the　alley　or　passage　where　the　crimes　had　taken　place；　she　had　gone　out　to　take　her　husband　some　food　he　always　had　at　one　in　the　morning。　　And　a　man　had　passed　her；　breathing　hard　and　walking　very　quickly。　　Her　attention　had　been　drawn　to　him　because　she　very　seldom　met　anyone　at　that　hour；　and　because　he　had　such　an　odd；　peculiar　look　and　manner。

Mrs。　Bunting；　listening　attentively；　realised　that　it　was　very　much　from　what　this　witness　had　said　that　the　official　description　of　The　Avenger　had　been　composed　…　that　description　which　had　brought　such　comfort　to　her；　Ellen　Bunting's；　soul。

This　witness　spoke　quietly；　confidently；　and　her　account　of　the　newspaper　parcel　the　man　was　carrying　was　perfectly　clear　and　positive。

〃It　was　a　neat　parcel；〃　she　said；　〃done　up　with　string。〃

She　had　thought　it　an　odd　thing　for　a　respectably　dressed　young　man　to　carry　such　a　parcel　…　that　was　what　had　made　her　notice　it。　　But　when　pressed；　she　had　to　admit　that　it　had　been　a　very　foggy　night　　…　so　foggy　that　she　herself　had　been　afraid　of　losing　her　way；　though　every　step　was　familiar。

When　the　third　woman　went　into　the　box；　and　with　sighs　and　tears　told　of　her　acquaintance　with　one　of　the　deceased；　with　Johanna　Cobbett；　there　was　a　stir　of　sympathetic　attention。　　But　she　had　nothing　to　say　throwing　any　light　on　the　investigation；　save　that　she　admitted　reluctantly　that　〃Anny〃　would　have　been　such　a　nice；　respectable　young　woman　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　drink。

Her　examination　was　shortened　as　much　as　possible；　and　so　was　that　of　the　next　witness；　the　husband　of　Johanna　Cobbett。　　He　was　a　very　respectable…looking　man；　a　foreman　in　a　big　business　house　at　Croydon。　He　seemed　to　feel　his　position　most　acutely。　　He　hadn't　seen　his　wife　for　two　years；　he　hadn't　had　news　of　her　for　six　months。　　Before　she　took　to　drink　she　had　been　an　admirable　wife；　and　…　and　yes；　mother。

Yet　another　painful　few　minutes；　to　anyone　who　had　a　heart；　or　imagination　to　understand；　was　spent　when　the　father　of　the　murdered　woman　was　in　the　box。　　He　had　had　later　news　of　his　unfortunate　daughter　than　her　husband　had　had；　but　of　course　he　could　throw　no　light　at　all　on　her　murder　or　murderer。

A　barman；　who　had　served　both　the　women　with　drink　just　before　the　public…house　closed　for　the　night；　was　handled　rather　roughly。　　He　had　stepped　with　a　jaunty　air　into　the　box；　and　came　out　of　it　looking　cast　down；　uneasy。

And　then　there　took　place　a　very　dramatic；　because　an　utterly　unexpected；　incident。　　It　was　one　of　which　the　evening　papers　made　the　utmost　much　to　Mrs。　Bunting's　indignation。　　But　neither　coroner　nor　jury　…　and　they；　after　all；　were　the　people　who　mattered　…　　thought　a　great　deal　of　it。

There　had　come　a　pause　in　the　proceedings。　　All　seven　witnesses　had　been　heard；　and　a　gentleman　near　Mrs。　Bunting　whispered；　〃They　are　now　going　to　call　Dr。　Gaunt。　　He's　been　in　every　big　murder　case　for　the　last　thirty　years。　　He's　sure　to　have　something　interesting　to　say。　　It　was　really　to　hear　him　I　came。〃

But　before　Dr。　Gaunt　had　time　even　to　get　up　from　the　seat　with　which　he　had　been　accommodated　close　to　the　coroner；　there　came　a　stir　among　the　general　public；　or；　rather；　among　those　spectators　who　stood　near　the　low　wooden　door　which　separated　the　official　part　of　the　court　from　the　gallery。

The　coroner's　officer；　with　an　apologetic　air；　approached　the　coroner；　and　banded　him　up　an　envelope。　　And　again　in　an　instant；　there　fell　absolute　silence　on　the　court。

Looking　rather　annoyed；　the　coroner　opened　the　envelope。　　He　glanced　down　the　sheet　of　notepaper　it　contained。　　Then　he　looked　up。

〃Mr。　…　〃　then　he　glanced　down　again。　　〃Mr。　…　ah　…　Mr。　…　is　it　Cannot？〃　he　said　doubtfully；　〃may　come　forward。〃

There　ran　a　titter　though　the　spectators；　and　the　coroner　frowned。

A　neat；　jaunty…looking　old　gentleman；　in　a　nice　fur…lined　overc