Chapter 18

A highly popular murder had been committed, and Mr Wopsle was imbrued in blood to the eyebrows. He gloated over every abhorrent adjective in the description, and identified himself with every witness at the Inquest. He faintly moaned, `I am done for,' as the victim, and he barbarously bellowed, `I'll serve you out,' as the murderer. He gave the medical testimony, in pointed imitation of our local practitioner; and he piped and shook, as the aged turnpike-keeper who had heard blows, to an extent so very paralytic as to suggest a doubt regarding the mental competency of that witness. The coroner, in Mr Wopsle's hands, became Timon of Athens; the beadle, Coriolanus. He enjoyed himself thoroughly, and we all enjoyed ourselves, and were delightfully comfortable. In this cozy state of mind we came to the verdict Wilful Murder.

Then, and not sooner, I became aware of a strange gentleman leaning over the back of the settle opposite me, looking on. There was an expression of contempt on his face, and he bit the side of a great forefinger as he watched the group of faces.

`Well!' said the stranger to Mr Wopsle, when the reading was done, `you have settled it all to your own satisfaction, I have no doubt?'

Everybody started and looked up, as if it were the murderer. He looked at everybody coldly and sarcastically.

`Guilty, of course?' said he. `Out with it. Come!'

`Sir,' returned Mr Wopsle, `without having the honour of your acquaintance, I do say Guilty.' Upon this, we all took courage to unite in a confirmatory murmur.

`I know you do,' said the stranger; `I knew you would. I told you so. But now I'll ask you a question. Do you know, or do you not know, that the law of England supposes every man to be innocent, until he is proved - proved - to be guilty?'

`Sir,' Mr Wopsle began to reply, `as an Englishman myself, I--'

`Come!' said the stranger, biting his forefinger at him. `Don't evade the question. Either you know it, or you don't know it. Which is it to be?'

He stood with his head on one side and himself on one side, in a bullying interrogative manner, and he threw his forefinger at Mr Wopsle - as it were to mark him out - before biting it again.

`Now!' said he. `Do you know it, or don't you know it?'

`Certainly I know it,' replied Mr Wopsle.

`Certainly you know it. Then why didn't you say so at first? Now, I'll ask you another question;' taking possession of Mr Wopsle, as if he had a right to him. `Do you know that none of these witnesses have yet been cross-examined?'

Mr Wopsle was beginning, `I can only say--' when the stranger stopped him.

`What? You won't answer the question, yes or no? Now, I'll try you again.' Throwing his finger at him again. `Attend to me. Are you aware, or are you not aware, that none of these witnesses have yet been cross-examined? Come, I only want one word from you. Yes, or no?'

Mr Wopsle hesitated, and we all began to conceive rather a poor opinion of him.