It was just as well I admitted this, for the servant’s statement received curious corroboration.
“That will do.”
The next two witnesses were disconcerting. They were the chemist from whom I had bought the arsenic and his assistant. I was confronted with every proof of my folly.
I shall never forget the awful grayness which came over Lord Gascoyne’s face when these witnesses gave their evidence. I noticed that when they had finished everyone avoided looking at me. They seemed afraid. The case appeared so simple that at first it also appeared incredible. Those around hardly grasped it.
The coroner asked me if I would like to explain why I had bought the arsenic.
Perhaps I made a mistake in saying that I used it as a tonic.
“Had I been in the habit of doing so?” was the next question.
“Yes, I had done so before.”
“Have you ever bought arsenic from that chemist before?”
“No.”