‘Did that reason arise in your mind as a consequence of anything which you saw the prisoner do, or which took place in her presence?’
‘Not exactly, my lord. My aunt said to me——’
The judge swiftly raised his hand with a forbidding gesture, and pursed up his lips.
‘That will do. You can go.’
Mr. Lewis retired, and the jury were left to wonder what the mysterious reason could be, the result on most of their minds being far more unfavourable to the prisoner than if the rules of evidence had allowed the witness to speak freely.
The next witness was the butler, John Simons, who deposed to having fastened up the door at half-past ten on the night in question, and to having found the latch stuck on the following day. He further described the finding of the blood-stains on the bedroom door-handle. His cross-examination was listened to with interest.
‘Has it ever occurred to you yourself to accidentally raise the latch too far in the same way?’
‘Oh yes, I’ve often done it, sir.’
‘Were you out on the evening of the first of June?’