H庄园的午餐47

II

Dr. Lord was giving evidence. Was this Peter Lord—that freckled¹, cheery young doctor who hadbeen so kind and so friendly at Hunterbury? He was very stiff now. Sternly professional. Hisanswers came monotonously²: He had been summoned by telephone to Hunterbury Hall; too latefor anything to be done; Mary Gerrard had died a few minutes after his arrival; death consistent, inhis opinion, with morphia poisoning in one of its less common forms—the “foudroyante” variety.

Sir Edwin Bulmer rose to cross-examine.

“You were the late Mrs. Welman’s regular medical attendant?”

“I was.”

“During your visits to Hunterbury in June last, you had occasion to see the accused and MaryGerrard together?”

“Several times.”

“What would you say was the manner of the accused to Mary Gerrard?”

“Perfectly pleasant and natural.”

Sir Edwin Bulmer said with a slight disdainful smile:

“You never saw any signs of this ‘jealous hatred’ we have heard so much about?”

Peter Lord, his jaw³ set, said firmly:

“No.”

Elinor thought:

“But he did—he did… He told a lie for me there… He knew…”

Peter Lord was succeeded by the police surgeon. His evidence was longer, more detailed⁴. Deathwas due to morphia poisoning of the “foudroyante” variety. Would he kindly⁵ explain that term?

With some enjoyment⁶ he did so. Death from morphine poisoning might occur in several differentways. The most common was a period of intense excitement followed by drowsiness⁷ and narcosis,pupils of eyes contracted. Another not so common form had been named by the French,“foudroyante.” In these cases deep sleep supervened in a very short time—about ten minutes; thepupils of the eyes were usually dilated….

 

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