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that she had asked her husband to buy arsenic for her？ The
crumpled paper； with the grains of powder left in it； had been
identified by the chemist； and had been declared to contain
grains of arsenic。 But where was the proof that Mrs。 Eustace
Macallan's hand had placed the packet in the cabinet； and had
emptied it of its contents？ No direct evidence anywhere！ Nothing
but conjecture！
The renewed examination of Miserrimus Dexter touched on matters
of no general interest。 The cross…examination resolved itself； in
substance； into a mental trial of strength between the witness
and the Lord Advocate； the struggle terminating （according to the
general opinion） in favor of the witness。 One question and one
answer only I will repeat here。 They appeared to me to be of
serious importance to the object that I had in view in reading
the Trial。
〃I believe； Mr。 Dexter；〃 the Lord Advocate remarked； in his most
ironical manner； 〃that you have a theory of your own； which makes
the death of Mrs。 Eustace Macallan no mystery to _you？_〃
〃I may have my own ideas on that subject； as on other subjects；〃
the witness replied。 〃But let me ask their lordships； the Judges：
Am I here to declare theories or to state facts？〃
I made a note of that answer。 Mr。 Dexter's 〃ideas〃 were the ideas
of a true friend to my husband； and of a man of far more than
average ability。 They might be of inestimable value to me in the
coming timeif I could prevail on him to communicate them。
I may mention； while I am writing on the subject； that I added to
this first note a second； containing an observation of my own。 In
alluding to Mrs。 Beauly； while he was giving his evidence； Mr。
Dexter had spoken of her so slightinglyso rudely； I might
almost sayas to suggest he had some strong private reasons for
disliking （perhaps for distrusting） this lady。 Here； again； it
might be of vital importance to me to see Mr。 Dexter； and to
clear up； if I could； what the dignity of the Court had passed
over without notice。
The last witness had been now examined。 The chair on wheels
glided away with the half…man in it； and was lost in a distant
corner of the Court。 The Lord Advocate rose to address the Jury
for the prosecution。
I do not scruple to say that I never read anything so infamous as
this great lawyer's speech。 He was not ashamed to declare； at
starting； that he firmly believed the prisoner to be guilty。 What
right had he to say anything of the sort？ Was it for _him_ to
decide？ Was he the Judge and Jury both； I should like to know？
Having begun by condemning the prisoner on his own authority； the
Lord Advocate proceeded to pervert the most innocent actions of
that unhappy man so as to give them as vile an aspect as
possible。 Thus： When Eustace kissed his poor wife's forehead on
her death…bed； he did it to create a favorable impression in the
minds of the doctor and the nurse！ Again； when his grief under
his bereavement completely overwhelmed him； he was triumphing in
secret； and acting a part！ If you looked into his heart； you
would see there a diabolical hatred for his wife and an
infatuated passion for Mrs。 Beauly！ In everything he had said he
had lied； in everything he had done he had acted like a crafty
and heartless wretch！ So the chief counsel for the prosecution
spoke of the prisoner； standing helpless before him at the Bar。
In my husband's place； if I could have done nothing more； I would
have thrown something at his head。 As it was； I tore the pages
which contained the speech for the prosecution out of the Report
and trampled them under my feetand felt all the better too for
having done it。 At the same time I feel a little ashamed of
having revenged myself on the harmless printed leaves n ow。
The fifth day of the Trial opened with the speech for the
defense。 Ah； what a contrast to the infamies uttered by the Lord
Advocate was the grand burst of eloquence by the Dean of Faculty；
speaking on my husband's side！
This illustrious lawyer struck the right note at starting。
〃I yield to no one；〃 he began； 〃in the pity I feel for the wife。
But I say； the martyr in this case； from first to last； is the
husband。 Whatever the poor woman may have endured； that unhappy
man at the Bar has suffered； and is now suffering； more。 If he
had not been the kindest of men； the most docile and most devoted
of husbands； he would never have occupied his present dreadful
situation。 A man of a meaner and harder nature would have felt
suspicions of his wife's motives when she asked him to buy
poisonwould have seen through the wretchedly commonplace
excuses she made for wanting itand would have wisely and
cruelly said； 'No。' The prisoner is not that sort of man。 He is
too good to his wife； too innocent of any evil thought toward
her； or toward any one； to foresee the inconveniences and the
dangers to which his fatal compliance may expose him。 And what is
the result？ He stands there； branded as a murderer； because he
was too high…minded and too honorable to suspect his wife。〃
Speaking thus of the husband； the Dean was just as eloquent and
just as unanswerable when he came to speak of the wife。
〃The Lord Advocate；〃 he said； 〃has asked； with the bitter irony
for which he is celebrated at the Scottish Bar； why we have
failed entirely to prove that the prisoner placed the two packets
of poison in the possession of his wife。 I say； in answer； we
have proved； first； that the wife was passionately attached to
the husband； secondly； that she felt bitterly the defects in her
personal appearance； and especially the defects in her
complexion； and； thirdly； that she was informed of arsenic as a
supposed remedy for those defects； taken internally。 To men who
know anything of human nature； there is proof enough。 Does my
learned friend actually suppose that women are in the habit of
mentioning the secret artifices and applications by which they
improve their personal appearance？ Is it in his experience of the
sex that a woman who is eagerly bent on making herself attractive
to a man would tell that man； or tell anybody else who might
communicate with him； that the charm by which she hoped to win
his heartsay the charm of a pretty complexionhad been
artificially acquired by the perilous use of a deadly poison？ The
bare idea of such a thing is absurd。 Of course nobody ever heard
Mrs。 Eustace Macallan speak of arsenic。 Of course nobody ever
surprised her in the act of taking arsenic。 It is in the evidence
that she would not even confide her intention to try the poison
to the friends who had told her of it as a remedy； and who had
got her the book。 She actually begged them to consider their
brief conversation on the subject as strictly private。 From first
to last； poor creature； she kept her secret； just as she would
have kept her secret if she had worn false hair； or if she had
been indebted to the dentist for her teeth。 And there you see her
husband； in peril of his life； because a woman acted _like_ a
womanas your wives； gentlemen of the Jury； would； in a similar
position； act toward You。〃
After such glorious oratory as this （I wish I had room to quote
more of it！）； the next； and last； speec