The Documents in the Case

would have inherited the money! But I think perhaps it is better as it is. It might not have seemed quite honourable to profit by anything that wasn’t quite true, and I should like to feel that everything about our love was absolutely clear and honourable, and that we had nothing to reproach ourselves about. Of course, narrow-minded people might think our love itself was wicked⁠—but one can’t help loving, can one, darling? One might as well tell the sun not to rise. Because you and I belong to one another, and nothing in all the world can alter that. So you won’t mind about the money, will you, Petra? I was afraid he might have made some mean condition about my not marrying again, but I suppose he didn’t think of that.

You will have to stay for the inquest, of course. Shall I have to go? I don’t like the idea of standing up with everybody looking at me. Besides, I can’t tell them anything, can I? Do you think he ought to be buried down there or brought back to London? I want to do whatever you think would look right. I have cabled to Paul, but he is so far away in the wilds, I don’t know whether I shall get an answer in time. All these things are so absurd and hateful. We surround death with such a lot of hypocrisy and formality. It ought to be made just simple and beautiful, like the leaves falling. I shall have to order mourning and a widow’s veil⁠—think of wearing black clothes when one is happy. I should like a robe made of the rainbow⁠—I’m wearing it in my heart, darling⁠—all for you!

Write quickly, dearest, and tell me what to do. And tell me that you are as glad as I am and that you love me, love me, love me as I love you!

Lolo

47

Extract from the Morning Express of Tuesday, October 21st, 1929

Mushroom Death Mystery Inquest

Poisoned Man’s Lone Agony

Well-Known Artist Gives Evidence

The little schoolroom in the remote village of Manaton in Devon was crowded today, when Dr. Pringle, the coroner for the district, opened the inquest on the body of George Harrison, aged 56, Head of the Accounts Department of Messrs. Frobisher, Wiley & Teddington, Electrical Engineers, who was found dead under extraordinary circumstances in his little cottage, The Shack, on Saturday night.

Evidence of the deceased’s curious hobbies was given by his friend, Mr. Harwood Lathom, the brilliant young artist, who had been staying with him in The Shack, and who discovered the body.

The deceased, who is the author of Neglected Edible Treasures, an interesting and highly original volume, dealing with the foodstuffs to be obtained from our native woods and hedgerows, was stated to have been fond of experiments in unconventional cookery, and it was suggested that he had fallen a victim to accidental poisoning, by consuming a dish of venomous toadstools, a portion of which, it is alleged, was discovered on the table in The Shack at the time of his death.

The inquest was adjourned for a fortnight, to enable a chemical analysis to be made of certain organs.

After formal evidence of identification, the first witness called was Mr. Harwood Lathom. Dressed in a suit of heathermixture plus-four tweeds and with an expression of anxiety and distress on his face, Mr. Lathom gave his evidence in a subdued tone.

Swealed Hedgehog

Mr. Lathom said that he had known Mr. Harrison and his family for a period of rather over twelve months. He had occupied the adjoining maisonnette to theirs in Bayswater, and had there formed an acquaintance with them, which had resulted in a considerable degree of intimacy. He had painted a portrait of Mrs. Harrison, which had been exhibited in the spring of 1929 at the Royal Academy. Financial and other considerations had resulted in his giving up the lease of the maisonnette in February, and going to live in Paris, but the friendship with the Harrisons had been kept up by correspondence and occasional visits.

Mr. Harrison had been accustomed to take an annual holiday “on his own” at The Shack, living a bachelor existence, and making the experiments in natural cookery in which he was interested. He also painted in watercolours. On Mr. Lathom’s return to England, in October, Mr. Harrison had suggested that he should join him in his residence at The Shack. They had gone down there together on Saturday, the 11th of October, and had passed a very enjoyable holiday.

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The Coroner: Will you explain the arrangements made about obtaining supplies of food and so on?⁠—Bread, meat and vegetables were brought, when required, by the carrier, who called on Monday and Thursday, and took the orders for his next visit. A supply of tinned food, including condensed milk, was kept in The Shack. There was no delivery of newspapers. Letters were fetched from the post-office at Manaton by anybody who happened to be walking that way, or brought by the carrier on his visits.

Who did the cooking and housework?⁠—We shared the work of washing up, carrying wood and so on. Mr. Harrison did all the cooking. He was a first-class cook.

Did he supplement the fresh and tinned meat and so on, with what may be called experiments in natural diet?⁠—Oh yes. One evening we had swealed hedgehog, for example. (Laughter.)

Was it good?⁠—It was delicious. (Laughter.)

“I Never Ate Any Toadstools”

The Coroner: Hedgehog⁠—was that the only unconventional dish you saw prepared?⁠—No. On two or three occasions Mr. Harrison gathered fungi of various kinds and had them for breakfast or supper.

Did these fungi include the ordinary mushroom of commerce?⁠—On one occasion, yes.

Did you eat any of that dish?⁠—I ate a small quantity. I do not care much for mushrooms.

And on the other occasions?⁠—On, I think, two occasions, Mr. Harrison brought in other fungi, which, he explained, were good to eat. A great number of fungi are to be found in the valleys and damp,