The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-02
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

the truth" he replied.
II have the highest esteem for Miss
Halcombe. and l have therefore every
reason TO respect gentleman whose me-
diation she trusts in a matter or THIS
kind | will even go further. II you like.
and admit for courtesy's sake and for
arguments sake, that the identity OF
Lady CLYDE. as a living person. Is
proved fact 20 Miss Halcombe and your
self But you come 20 me for legal
opinion. AS a lawyer and as a lawyer
only It is my duty 10 tell you, Mr.. Hart
right. that you have not the shadow OF
case
you put II strongly. Mr. Kyrle."
II will try To put IL plainly as well. The
evidence OF Lady Glydes death IL. on the
face OF IL, clear and satisfactory. There
is her aunt's testimony 20 prove that she
came 20 Count Fosco's house. that she
fell IN. and that she died There Is the
testimony OF the medical ceruhcte 60
prove the death and 10 show that II took
place under natural circumstances There
is the fact OF the funeral az Bimmeridge
and there is the assertion OF the inscrip-
tion on the tomb That is the case YOU
want TO overthrow. What evidence have
you 10 support the declaration on your
side that the person who died and was
buried was not Lady Clyde? Let us run
through the main points of your state
Halcombe goes 10 a certain private asy-
lum. and there sees certain female pa
tient n Is known that n woman named
Anne Catherick, and bearing an extra
ordinary personal resemblance 70 Lady
Clyde, escaped from the asylum: II Is
known that the person received there last
July. was received as Anne Catherick
brought back. it Ia known that the gen
tleman who brought her back warned
fr Esafr ri thnf IL ftrelr .f har ffaca
ity 10 be bent on personating his dead
niece. and II is known that she did re-
peatedly declare herself in the asylum
(where no one believed herr, 20 be Lady
CLYDE. These are all facts What have
YOU 10 set against them? Miss Hal
combe's recognition of the woman, which
recognition after-events invalidate or
contradict. Does Miss Halcombe assert
her supposed sisters identity 20 the own
er OF the asylum. and take legal means
for rescuing her? No; she secretly bribes
a nurse TO let her escape. When the pa
tient has been released in this doubtful
manner. and is taken to Mr. Fairlie. does
he recognize her7 is he staggered for one
instant in his belief OF his niece's
death? No Do the servants recognize
herr No. Is she kept I'm the neighborhood
10 assert her own identity. and TO stand
tho test OF further proceedings? No; she
Is privately taken TO London. In the
meantime you have recognized her also
but you are not relative; YOU are not
even an old friend OF the family The ser
wants contradict you and Mr.. Fairlie
contradicts Miss Halcombe: and the sup
posed Lady Clyde contradicts herself
She declares she passed the night in
London at a certain house. Your own
evidence shows that she has never been
near the house; and your own admission
Is, that her condition OF mind prevents
YOU from producing her anywhere TO
submit 10 investigation. and TO speak for
herself I pass over minor points OF evil
dence, on both sides. 10 save time: and
ask YOU. II this case were TO go now into
n court OF law-to go before jury. bound
10 take facts as they reasonably appear
where are your proofs?"
| was obliged to wait and collect my
self before | could answer him II was
the first time the story OF Laura and the
story OF Marian had been presented 10
me from a strangers point OF view-the
first time the terrible obstacles that lay
across our path had been made TO show
themselves in their true character
There can be no doubt" 7 said. that
the facts, as you have stated them, ap-
pear To tell against us. but"
But you think those facts can be ex-
plained away" interposed Mr.. Kyrle.
Let me tell YOU the result OF nv expe-
rience on that point. When an English
jury has TO choose between plain fact
on the surface, and a long explanation
under the surface. II always takes The
fact, i'm preference 10 the explanation
For example. Lady CLYDE G cali the lady
YOU represent by that name for argu-
ment's sake) declares she has slept at a
certain house, and II Is proved that she
not slept at that house You explain this
circumstance by entering into the state
of her mind and deducing from IL met
aphysical conclusion. | don't say the con-
clusion is wrong-I only say that the
jury will take the fact OF her contradic-
ting herself. I'm preference TO any reason
for the contradiction that you can offer"
But is ~ not possible" 7 urged. by
dint OF patience and exertion. TO discov-
er additional evidence? Miss Halcombe
and have a few hundred pounds
He looked at me with half-suppressed
nj aG1 -hn IA