‘Something in the nature of prussic acid, I fancy, sir.’

‘Indeed?’ said Dr Shaw. ‘Get my gloves out of my overcoat pocket will you, Oates.’

‘Your gloves, sir?’

‘Yes, I want to open the cupboard.’

But when Oates brought the gloves, Dr Shaw still stared at the cupboard door.

‘Your gloves, sir.’

‘I don’t think I’ll use ‘em. I don’t think I’ll open the door, Oates. There may be fingerprints all over the shop. We’ll leave the cupboard door, Oates, for the expert.’

CHAPTER 6
Inquest

The Illington coroner was James Mordant Esq., M.D. He was sixty-seven years old and these years sat heavily upon him for he suffered from dyspepsia. He seemed to regard his fellow men with breeding suspicion, he sighed a great deal, and had a trick of staring despondently at the merest acquaintances. He had at one time specialized in bacteriology and it was said of him that he saw human beings as mere playgrounds for brawling micrococci. It was also said that when Dr Mordant presided over an inquest, the absence in court of the corpse was not felt. He sat huddled behind his table and rested his head on his hand with such a lack-lustre air that one might have thought he scarcely listened to the evidence. This was not the case, however. He was a capable man.

On the morning of the inquest on Luke Watchman, the third day after his death, Dr Mordant, with every appearance of the deepest distrust, heard his jury sworn and contemplated the witnesses. The inquest was held in the town hall and owing to the publicity given to Watchman’s death in the London papers, was heavily attended by the public. Watchman’s solicitor, who in the past had frequently briefed him, had come down from London. So had Watchman’s secretary and junior and a London doctor who had attended him recently. There was a fair sprinkling of London pressmen. Dr Mordant, staring hopelessly at an old man in the front row, charged the jury to determine how, when, where, and by what means, the deceased came by his death, and whether he died from criminal, avoidable, or natural causes. He then raised his head and stared at the jury.

‘Is it your wish to view the body?’ he sighed.

The jury whispered and huddled, and its foreman, an auctioneer, said they thought perhaps under the circumstances they should view the body.

The coroner sighed again and gave an order to his officer. The jury filed out and returned in a few minutes looking unwholesome. The witnesses were then examined on oath by the coroner.