“Why does it stand to reason? Cupboards are not always locked.”
“Poison cupboards are. Besides, you heard Dimsdale say that he always kept this cupboard locked. He showed you the key.”
Once more the coroner, having noted the answer, laid down his pen and looked steadily at the witness.
“Now, Mr. Wallingford,” said he, “I must caution you to be careful as to what you say. This is a serious matter, and you are giving evidence on oath. You said just now that you did not know whether the poison cupboard was or was not in the surgery. You said that you did not know what was in that cupboard. Now you say that you knew the cupboard must have been locked because it was the poison cupboard. Then it seems that you did know that it was the poison cupboard. Isn’t that so?”
“No. I didn’t know then. I do now because I heard Dimsdale say that it was.”
“Then, you said that you were perfectly certain that the cupboard was always locked whenever you were working there. That meant that you knew positively, as a fact, that it was locked. Now you say that you knew that it must be locked. But that is an assumption, an opinion, a belief. Now, a man of your education must know the difference between a mere belief and actual knowledge. Will you, please, answer definitely: Did you, or did you not, know as a fact whether that cupboard was or was not locked?”
“Well, I didn’t actually know, but I took it for granted that it was locked.”
“You did not try the door?”
“Certainly not. Why should I?”
“Very well. Does any gentleman of the jury wish to ask any further questions about this cupboard?”