“Yes?” said the doctor inquiringly. “Please be seated.”
“It is a strange case, you know,” began the detective. “And one of the strange things about it is that the dead man’s relatives differ whether it is murder or suicide. That’s what brings me to you. You are a medical man, and you knew Robert Turold intimately. Would you consider him a man of suicidal tendencies?”
“Many men have tendencies towards suicide at odd moments,” replied the doctor, “particularly men of Robert Turold’s temperament.”
“Was there anything in Robert Turold’s demeanour which suggested to you recently that he valued his life lightly, or was likely to take it?”
“I would rather not give a definite opinion on that point. I have to give evidence at the inquest, you know.”
Barrant nodded. He realized the force of the doctor’s objection to the expression of a view which might be proved erroneous later. So he turned to another phase of the case.
“You saw Robert Turold’s body soon after you arrived at Flint House?”
“Within a few minutes.”
“How long had he been dead?”
“About ten minutes, I should say.”