Volume I Part 17 (1/2)

MAGISTRATE. Had he been drinking?

MRS. JONES. Yes, your Wors.h.i.+p.

MAGISTRATE. And was he drunk?

MRS. JONES. Yes, your Wors.h.i.+p, he was almost quite drunk.

MAGISTRATE. And did he say anything to you?

MRS. JONES. No, your Wors.h.i.+p, only to call me names. And of course in the morning when I got up and went to work he was asleep. And I don't know anything more about it until I came home again. Except that Mr. BARTHWICK--that 's my employer, your Wors.h.i.+p--told me the box was missing.

MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes.

MRS. JONES. But of course when I was shaking out my husband's coat the cigarette-box fell out and all the cigarettes were scattered on the bed.

MAGISTRATE. You say all the cigarettes were scattered on the bed?

[To SNOW.] Did you see the cigarettes scattered on the bed?

SNOW. No, your Wors.h.i.+p, I did not.

MAGISTRATE. You see he says he did n't see them.

JONES. Well, they were there for all that.

SNOW. I can't say, your Wors.h.i.+p, that I had the opportunity of going round the room; I had all my work cut out with the male prisoner.

MAGISTRATE. [To MRS. JONES.] Well, what more have you to say?

MRS. JONES. Of course when I saw the box, your Wors.h.i.+p, I was dreadfully upset, and I could n't think why he had done such a thing; when the officer came we were having words about it, because it is ruin to me, your Wors.h.i.+p, in my profession, and I have three little children dependent on me.

MAGISTRATE. [Protruding his neck]. Yes--yes--but what did he say to you?

MRS. JONES. I asked him whatever came over him to do such a thing --and he said it was the drink. He said he had had too much to drink, and something came over him. And of course, your Wors.h.i.+p, he had had very little to eat all day, and the drink does go to the head when you have not had enough to eat. Your Wors.h.i.+p may not know, but it is the truth. And I would like to say that all through his married life, I have never known him to do such a thing before, though we have pa.s.sed through great hards.h.i.+ps and [speaking with soft emphasis] I am quite sure he would not have done it if he had been himself at the time.

MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes. But don't you know that that is no excuse?

MRS. JONES. Yes, your Wors.h.i.+p. I know that it is no excuse.

[The MAGISTRATE leans over and parleys with his CLERK.]

JACK. [Leaning over from his seat behind.] I say, Dad----

BARTHWICK. Tsst! [Sheltering his mouth he speaks to ROPER.]

Roper, you had better get up now and say that considering the circ.u.mstances and the poverty of the prisoners, we have no wish to proceed any further, and if the magistrate would deal with the case as one of disorder only on the part of----

BALD CONSTABLE. HSSShh!

[ROPER shakes his head.]

MAGISTRATE. Now, supposing what you say and what your husband says is true, what I have to consider is--how did he obtain access to this house, and were you in any way a party to his obtaining access?