‘It may be the explanation,’ said Alleyn. ‘The stuff had spilled over the face very freely. I want you now to look at the back of the head.’ With his long, fastidious fingers he uncovered the hair, leaving the face veiled.

‘He wore his hair long, you see. Now look here. Look. Do you see these tufts of hair that are shorter? They seem to have been broken, don’t they? And see this. Hold your torch down and use a lens. The scalp is slightly torn as though a strand of hair has actually been wrenched away. On the floor behind this chair I found several hairs, and some of them have little flakes of scalp on the ends. Notice how the hair round the torn scalp is tangled. What’s the explanation? Doesn’t it suggest that a hand has been twisted in his hair? Now see the back of the chair. I think we shall find that these stains were made by nitric acid, and the floor beneath is stained in the same way. These are nitric stains—I’m afraid I’ll have to uncover the face—yes —you see, running from the corners of the mouth down the line ofthe jaw to the ears and the neck. Notice the direction. It’s important. It suggests strongly that the head was leaning back, far back, when the stuff was taken. Now if we lean him back in the chair—God, this is a filthy business! All right, Bathgate, damn you, get out. Now, Curtis, and you, Fox. Look how the hair fits between the acid stains on the back of the chair, and how the stains carry on from the jaw to the chair as if the stuff had run down. Would a man ever drink in this attitude with his face to the ceiling? Don’t you get a picture of someone standing behind him and pouring something into his mouth? He gasps and makes a violent spasmodic movement. A hand is wound in his hair and holds back his head. And still nitric acid is poured between his lips. God! Cover it up again. Now, let’s go to the door.’