"And, while occupying this front bedroom, did not the prisoner once lose his key and have another made?"
"Do you know what the prisoner and Mr. Constant spoke about on the night of December 3d?"
"Then how did you know they were quarreling?"
Sir Charles Brown-Harland, Q. C. (sharply): "But I'm talking loudly to you now. Should you say I was quarreling?"
"It takes two to make a quarrel." (Laughter.)
"Was the prisoner the sort of man who, in your opinion, would commit a murder?"
"No, I never should ha' guessed it was him."
"He always struck you as a thorough gentleman?"
"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.)
"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."
Spigot, Q. C.: "That will do, thank you, Mrs. Drabdump."
Brown-Harland, Q. C.: "No; one question more, Mrs. Drabdump. Did you ever see anything--say when Miss Dymond came to your house--to make you suspect anything between Mr. Constant and the prisoner's sweetheart?"
"She did meet him once when Mr. Mortlake was out." (Sensation.)
"In the passage. He was going out when she knocked and he opened the door." (Amusement.)
"I ain't a eavesdropper. They spoke friendly and went away together."
Mr. George Grodman was called and repeated his evidence at the inquest. Cross-examined, he testified to the warm friendship between Mr. Constant and the prisoner. He knew very little about Miss Dymond, having scarcely seen her. Prisoner had never spoken to him much about her. He should not think she was much in prisoner's thoughts. Naturally the prisoner had been depressed by the death of his friend. Besides, he was overworked. Witness thought highly of Mortlake's character. It was incredible that Constant had had improper relations of any kind with his friend's promised wife. Grodman's evidence made a very favorable impression on the jury; the prisoner looked his gratitude; and the prosecution felt sorry it had been necessary to call this witness.