JК
The Case of the Caretakers Cat :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 131 из 146"
"When did he leave?"
"It was just a few minutes after eleven."
"As much as five minutes after eleven?"
"I don't think so. The clock had struck eleven just before—I don't think more than a minute or two before I saw him leaving."
"Was he carrying anything with him?"
"A cat."
"Could you see the cat clearly?"
"It was Clinker."
"That's the caretaker's cat?"
"Yes."
"Would you know that cat if you saw it again?"
"Certainly."
Truslow motioned to a bailiff who had evidently been waiting for the signal. The bailiff stepped through the door to an anteroom and shortly emerged, carrying a big Persian cat, about the neck of which was affixed a tag.
"Is this the cat?"
"That's Clinker, yes."
"Your Honor," Truslow said, smiling at Perry Mason, "let it appear that the witness identifies the Persian cat, about the neck of which is affixed a tag bearing the words 'Clinker' and the initials 'H.B., in the handwriting of Hamilton Burger, the district attorney."
Judge Pennymaker nodded.
Truslow turned to Perry Mason and said, "Crossexamine."
"Could you see the cat clearly enough to identify it?" Mason inquired.
"Yes," the witness snapped belligerently. "I'd know Clinker anywhere—even if they had let you substitute cats, I could have picked Clinker out…"
Judge Pennymaker pounded with his gavel. The courtroom broke into laughter.
"That last remark may be stricken from the records," Judge Pennymaker suggested to Perry Mason.
Mason nodded. He seemed to have lost interest in the proceedings.
"No further questions," he said.
"Call James Brandon," Truslow instructed the bailiff.
James Brandon, his face seeming to leer sardonically because of the distinctive scar, came forward and was sworn.
"You're employed by Mr. Samuel Laxter?" Truslow asked.
"And by Mr. Oafley," Brandon said. "I'm employed as chauffeur and butler."
"And were so employed on the night of the twentythird?"
"Yes."
"Did you have occasion to see the defendant on that night?"
"I did."
"Where?"
"Just below the garage of the Laxter house."
"Did you see his car parked near there?"
"His car was parked about twenty yards farther down the road."
"What was he doing when you saw him?"
"He was coming from the direction of the Laxter house with a cat in his arms."
"Did you recognize the cat?"
"I did. It was Clinker.
"When did he leave?"
"It was just a few minutes after eleven."
"As much as five minutes after eleven?"
"I don't think so. The clock had struck eleven just before—I don't think more than a minute or two before I saw him leaving."
"Was he carrying anything with him?"
"A cat."
"Could you see the cat clearly?"
"It was Clinker."
"That's the caretaker's cat?"
"Yes."
"Would you know that cat if you saw it again?"
"Certainly."
Truslow motioned to a bailiff who had evidently been waiting for the signal. The bailiff stepped through the door to an anteroom and shortly emerged, carrying a big Persian cat, about the neck of which was affixed a tag.
"Is this the cat?"
"That's Clinker, yes."
"Your Honor," Truslow said, smiling at Perry Mason, "let it appear that the witness identifies the Persian cat, about the neck of which is affixed a tag bearing the words 'Clinker' and the initials 'H.B., in the handwriting of Hamilton Burger, the district attorney."
Judge Pennymaker nodded.
Truslow turned to Perry Mason and said, "Crossexamine."
"Could you see the cat clearly enough to identify it?" Mason inquired.
"Yes," the witness snapped belligerently. "I'd know Clinker anywhere—even if they had let you substitute cats, I could have picked Clinker out…"
Judge Pennymaker pounded with his gavel. The courtroom broke into laughter.
"That last remark may be stricken from the records," Judge Pennymaker suggested to Perry Mason.
Mason nodded. He seemed to have lost interest in the proceedings.
"No further questions," he said.
"Call James Brandon," Truslow instructed the bailiff.
James Brandon, his face seeming to leer sardonically because of the distinctive scar, came forward and was sworn.
"You're employed by Mr. Samuel Laxter?" Truslow asked.
"And by Mr. Oafley," Brandon said. "I'm employed as chauffeur and butler."
"And were so employed on the night of the twentythird?"
"Yes."
"Did you have occasion to see the defendant on that night?"
"I did."
"Where?"
"Just below the garage of the Laxter house."
"Did you see his car parked near there?"
"His car was parked about twenty yards farther down the road."
"What was he doing when you saw him?"
"He was coming from the direction of the Laxter house with a cat in his arms."
"Did you recognize the cat?"
"I did. It was Clinker.