He read through the coroner's charge, which was given fully, very
attentively. It was quite clear that the coroner was strongly biased,
if one could put it that way, in Mrs. Crofton's favour. He had spoken
touchingly of the difficult time the poor young lady had had with her
husband. Then he had recalled that the Colonel's own favourite terrier,
Dandy, on which he had built great hopes, had only been commended,
instead of winning, as he had hoped, the first prize at an important
show, and that had thoroughly upset him. Indeed, according to Piper's
evidence, he had used the exaggerated phrase, "My life is no longer worth
living." Finally the coroner had touched lightly, but severely, on
evidence tendered by a spiteful ex-woman-servant of the Croftons who had
drawn a very unpleasant picture of the relations existing between the
husband and wife.
Yet when the verdict of _felo de se_ had been returned, there had been
murmurs in Court, at once sharply checked by the coroner.
Radmore felt surprised. Surely everyone present should have rejoiced from
every point of view. Had a different verdict been returned, it would have
put the unfortunate chemist in a very difficult position, and might
easily have ruined his business.
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