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Page 75
A. It was.
There was a stir all over the court-room. Here at last was a
suggestive admission. The examination was approaching a crisis!
Q. And you have said it was not a person. Was it not an animal?
A. It was.
"An animal!" we all ejaculated with the unanimity of a Greek chorus.
So audible were the exclamations of incredulity which arose from the
spellbound audience that the crier's gavel had to be brought into
requisition before Maitland could proceed.
Q. Did you train a little Capucin monkey to strike this blow?
A. I did.
A great sigh, the result of suddenly relieved tension, liberally
interlarded with unconscious exclamations, swept over the court-room
and would not be gavelled into silence until it had duly spent itself.
Even the Judge so far forgot his dignity as to give vent to a
half-stifled exclamation.
Maitland proceeded:
Q. In order that this monkey might not attack the wrong man after you
had armed him, you taught him to obey certain signals given by little
twitches upon the cord by which you held him. A certain signal was
to creep stealthily forward, another to strike, and still another to
crawl quickly back with the weapon. When circumstances seemed most
favourable to the success of your designs,--that is, when Miss
Darrow's voice and the piano prevented any slight sound from
attracting attention,--you gently dropped the monkey in at the
window and signalled him what to do. When Mr. Darrow sprang to his
feet you recalled the monkey and hastened away. Is not this a fairly
correct description of what occurred?
A. It is true to the letter.
Q. And subsequently you killed the monkey lest he should betray you
by exhibiting his little tricks, at an inopportune moment in a way
to compromise you. Is it not so?
A. It is. I killed him, though he was my daughter's pet.
We were stricken aghast at Maitland's sudden grasp of the case.
Even Godin was surprised. What could it all mean? Had Maitland
known the facts all along? Had he simply been playing with the
witness for reasons which we could not divine? M. Godin's face
was a study. He ceased boring holes in Latour with his eyes and
turned those wonderful orbs full upon Maitland, in whom they
seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul. Clearly M. Godin
was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland's power.
Browne, who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone, now
lowered blacker than ever, it seemed to me. I wondered what could
have occurred to still further displease him, and finally concluded
it must either be some transient thought which had come uncalled
into his mind, or else a feeling of envy at his rival's prominence
in the case, and the deservedly good reputation he was making. His
general ill-feeling I, of course, charged to jealousy, for I could
not but note his uncontrollable admiration for Gwen. I fully
believed he would have given his own life--or anyone else's for
that matter--to possess her, and I decided to speak a word of
warning to George. After a short, whispered consultation with
Jenkins and the prosecuting attorney, Maitland turned to the prisoner
and said:
"That will do. M. Latour may leave the stand."
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared
up, and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the
formal denouement. They were, therefore, much taken aback when
Maitland continued, addressing the jury:
"The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming,
even had we not his confession. Apart from this confession we have
no incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government's chief witness, M. Godin. As it is through this
gentleman's efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice,
it is but natural that much should be clear to him which may be
puzzling to those who have not made so close a study of the case.
I think he will enlighten us upon a few points. M. Godin will
please take the stand."
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