The Coroner: "He was not—forgive me this very painful question—the sort of man who would have been likely to lay violent hands on himself?"
Witness: "Oh, I never thought—well, I don't know—I suppose he might have done. That would explain it, wouldn't it?"
The Coroner: "Now, Lady Mary—please don't distress yourself, take your own time—will you tell us exactly what you heard and saw on Wednesday night and Thursday morning."
Witness: "I went up to bed with Mrs. Marchbanks and Mrs. Pettigrew-Robinson at about half-past nine, leaving all the men downstairs. I said good night to Denis, who seemed quite as usual. I was not downstairs when the post came. I went to my room at once. My room is at the back of the house. I heard Mr. Pettigrew-Robinson come up at about ten. The Pettigrew-Robinsons sleep next door to me. Some of the other men came up with him. I did not hear my brother come upstairs. At about a quarter past ten I heard two men talking loudly in the passage, and then I heard someone run downstairs and bang the front door. Afterwards I heard rapid steps in the passage, and finally I heard my brother shut his door. Then I went to bed."
The Coroner: "You did not inquire the cause of the disturbance?"
Witness (indifferently): "I thought it was probably something about the dogs."
The Coroner: "What happened next?"
Witness: "I woke up at three o'clock."
The Coroner: "What wakened you?"
Witness: "I heard a shot."