"No, my lud. I knew he was only a comp."
"You say the prisoner has seemed depressed since the murder. Might not that have been due to the disappearance of his sweetheart?"
"No, he'd more likely be glad to get rid of her."
"Then he wouldn't be jealous if Mr. Constant took her off his hands?" (Sensation.)
"Men are dog-in-the-mangers."
"Never mind about men, Mrs. Drabdump. Had the prisoner ceased to care for Miss Dymond?"
"He didn't seem to think of her, my lud. When he got a letter in her handwriting among his heap he used to throw it aside till he'd torn open the others."
Brown-Harland, Q. C. (with a triumphant ring in his voice): "Thank you, Mrs. Drabdump. You may sit down."
Spigot, Q. C.: "One moment, Mrs. Drabdump. You say the prisoner had ceased to care for Miss Dymond. Might not this have been in consequence of his suspecting for some time that she had relations with Mr. Constant?"
The Judge: "That is not a fair question."