human
Have you and the housekeeper ever fallen out, cook?
gpt
Well, no, sir. I can't say as we ever 'ave; and I've nothing to bring against her except as she was 'igh and close, which isn't agreeable, sir, when the position of parties is {605} ekally respectable, which mine is, sir, 'aving come of a greengrocer's family as kep' their own wehicle and drove theirselves; and whose mother could afford to be washed out, and never sat down to tea on Sunday without s'rimps or 'winkles or something to give a relish.
human
That is enough, cook.--Bring in the next witness.
gpt
I went to visit my deceased uncle on the evening of Tuesday last, and whilst taking off my outer coat in the hall, my cousin, Mr. Atherton, arrived. We went into my uncle's study together. Very little conversation passed between us. I mentioned my intention of asking my uncle for some money that evening, which I needed, having some pressing bills to pay. My cousin replied something to the effect that he, my uncle, would probably not live long, and we ought not to worry him with our affairs. I think he simply said it with a view to stopping me from making the application: he thinks I am extravagant. He asked me how much I wanted. I said, £500. He said: 'That is a large sum, Lister; we shall never get the governor to come down as handsome as that.'
human
Did Mr. Atherton say, 'we shall,' or 'you will'?
gpt
I am not quite clear, but I think he said 'we shall.' It was simply a kindly way of speaking. We found my uncle more than usually taciturn and abstracted; but I was so hard pressed I was obliged to brave him, and ask him for money. To my astonishment, instead of venting his anger on me, he turned it all upon my cousin Hugh, and accused him of leading me into extravagance.
human
Was this so?
gpt
It was not. Hugh and I are the best of friends; but our pursuits and tastes are totally opposite. I said so to my uncle, and tried to appease him in vain. At last he worked himself into such a rage that he seemed quite reckless of what he said; and hinted that Hugh might pay my debts for me, and if he couldn't do so out of his own pocket, he might get Kavanagh to advance me some out of his future wife's dividends; that I might have got the girl for myself if I had chosen; but as it was, he dared say Kavanagh would marry her in the long-run, for it was easy to see how the wind lay in that quarter.
human
Can you swear to those words?
gpt
I can. My cousin got very angry at this, and said: 'You have no right to make such remarks or draw any such conclusions; they are false. You will repent of this to-morrow.' I can swear to those words. Just then Mrs. Haag, the housekeeper, brought in my uncle's ale and biscuits, as usual. Barker opened the door for her: I remember that fact. There was only one tumbler with the bottle brought up. Neither myself nor my cousin ever touch that beverage. When Mrs. Haag had left the room, Hugh got up and went to the table where the tray had been placed, and brought a glass of ale to my uncle with a plate of hard biscuits.
human
Did you see the prisoner pour out the ale? Where was he standing with regard to yourself?
gpt
He had his back toward us; I was sitting by the fire opposite my uncle; the table was in the middle of the room. To get the ale Hugh must turn his back to us.
human
How long was he at the table?
gpt
A minute or more; but I could not speak positively.
human
Sufficient time to have put anything in the ale?
gpt
Am I obliged to answer this?
human
You are not obliged; but an unfavorable interpretation might be put upon your silence.
gpt
There _was_ time.
human
Did you not observe that some ale was poured out in the tumbler when it was brought up?
gpt
I did not observe it; it might have been so, but I could not say for certain either way.
human
My client desires me to state distinctly that a small quantity, about a quarter of a glassful, was already poured out when he went to the tray. He supposes it was done to save the overflow from the bottle.
gpt
I will note it.
human
My uncle drank half the ale at a draught, shook his bead, and said: 'It is very bitter, to-night.' We neither made any remark upon it. He likewise took a biscuit and ate it. Soon afterward I rose to go. He would not say good-night to me. Hugh came to the door with me--the study-door--and whispered, 'I'll try to appease him and make it all right for you.' I went straight down-stairs and out of the house. I remember seeing my cousin's coat hanging in the hall; it was a brown-tweed waterproof one; but I did not touch it. The coachman came the following morning with the sad news to my chambers.
gpt
Are you acting as sole executor, Mr. Wilmot?
human
I am; my cousin is aware of it.
gpt
It is illegal to ask for any depositions about the deceased's will here.
human
I am the best judge of that, Mr. Walker. Anything which throws light upon what we have to find out must be received as evidence.
gpt
Were you aware what the contents of your late uncle's will were before you opened it at Messrs. Smith and Walker's?
human
I was not; but both Hugh Atherton and myself were led to anticipate what the tenor of it would be.
gpt
Have the results fulfilled your anticipations?
human
I don't consider myself warranted in answering such a question.
gpt
Have you any thing else to state, Mr. Wilmot?
human
Nothing, except that I believe in my cousin's innocence.