“By all means,” said the Attorney. “I am instructed to say, my lord, that in withdrawing the charge against the prisoner, the Crown proceeds from complete conviction of her absolute innocence.”
“I am very glad to hear it,” said the judge. “Prisoner at the bar, the Crown, by unreservedly withdrawing this dreadful charge against you, has demonstrated your innocence in the clearest possible way. After this, nobody will be able to suppose that the slightest imputation rests upon you, and I most heartily congratulate you on this very satisfactory ending to your ordeal. Now, please—I sympathise very much with the people who are cheering, but this is not a theatre or a football match, and if they are not quiet, they will have to be put out. Members of the jury, do you find the Prisoner Guilty or Not Guilty?”
“Not Guilty, my lord.”
“Very good. The prisoner is discharged without a stain upon her character. Next case.”
So ended, sensational to the last, one of the most sensational murder trials of the century.
Harriet Vane, a free woman, found Eiluned Price and Sylvia Marriott waiting for her as she descended the stairs.
“Darling!” said Sylvia.
“Three loud cheers!” said Eiluned.
Harriet greeted them a little vaguely.
“Where is Lord Peter Wimsey?” she enquired. “I must thank him.”
“You won’t,” said Eiluned, bluntly. “I saw him drive off the moment the verdict was given.”
“Oh!” said Miss Vane.
“He’ll come and see you,” said Sylvia.
“No, he won’t,” said Eiluned.
“Why not?” said Sylvia.
“Too decent,” said Eiluned.
“I’m afraid you’re right,” said Harriet.
“I like that young man,” said Eiluned. “You needn’t grin. I do like him. He’s not going to do the King Cophetua stunt, and I take off my hat to him. If you want him, you’ll have to send for him.”
“I won’t do that,” said Harriet.
“Oh, yes, you will,” said Sylvia. “I was right about who did the murder, and I’m going to be right about this.”
Lord Peter Wimsey went down to Duke’s Denver that same evening. He found the family in a state of perturbation, all except the Dowager, who sat placidly making a rug in the midst of the uproar.
“Look here, Peter,” said the Duke, “you’re the only person with any influence over Mary. You’ve got to do something. She wants to marry your policeman friend.”
“I know,” said Wimsey. “Why shouldn’t she?”
“It’s ridiculous,” said the Duke.
“Not at all,” said Lord Peter. “Charles is one of the best.”
“Very likely,” said the Duke, “but Mary can’t marry a policeman.”
“Now, look here,” said Wimsey, tucking his sister’s arm in his, “you leave Polly alone. Charles made a bit of a mistake at the beginning of this murder case, but he doesn’t make many, and one of these days he’ll be a big man, with a title, I shouldn’t wonder, and everything handsome about him. If you want to have a row with somebody, have it with me.”
“My God!” said the Duke, “you’re not going to marry a policewoman?”
“Not quite,” said Wimsey. “I intend to marry the prisoner.”
“What?” said the Duke. “Good lord, what, what?”
“If she’ll have me,” said Lord Peter Wimsey.
Endnotes
Colophon
Strong Poison
was published in by
Dorothy L. Sayers.
This ebook was produced for
Standard Ebooks
by
Asher Smith,
and is based on a transcription produced in by
Dianne Nolan, Paul Ereaut, and Distributed Proofreaders Canada
for
Faded Page
and on digital scans from the
Internet Archive.
The cover page is adapted from
The Petition,
a painting completed in by
Jean-Louis Forain.
The cover and title pages feature the
League Spartan and Sorts Mill Goudy
typefaces created in and by
The League of Moveable Type.
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