Julian Symons - The Maze

W HAT is your full name?

Arthur Waterloo Jennings.

Please keep silence in the Court! … Now, Jennings, will you please take the oath.

With all me ’eart, sir! I swear by Almighty God that what I shall say in this Court—

One moment, Jennings, one moment! Will you please hold the Book? … Give him the Book.

Sorry, sir! Sorry, I’m sure! … I swear by Almighty God that what I shall say in evidence in this Court shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

You were, I believe, butler and parlourman to Mr Maxwell Brunton, deceased?

Yes, sir.

And how long, Jennings, have you been in service at 44 Rajah Gardens?

Two years, sir, and six months.

At what time, Jennings, did you see your master for the last time alive?

Can’t swear exactly to the minute, sir, but somewhere around 9 p.m.

Where was this?

At dinner, sir. After I brought in the port for the master and the other two gentlemen he said, as he always said: ‘There’s nothing more, Jennings!’ and I says: ‘Thank you, sir.’ And that was the last time I ever saw ’im alive, sir.

Now, Jennings, you have heard the evidence of the previous witnesses, particularly that of Mr Harrison?

Yes, sir.

Do you agree with Mr Harrison’s statement as regards the sequence of events, so far as you know them?

Yes, sir.

Will you please tell the Court, then, as briefly as you can, what happened after Mr Harrison waked you up at approximately half-past two.

Mr ’Arrison, sir, ’e come up and shook me awake like—well, really it was the missus what woke me, ’cause she woke first, an’ she sez: ‘Jennings! ’Ere’s Mr ’Arrison and oh, Gawd, wot’s ’appened?’ an’ I gets up and I sees it’s Mr ’Arrison and Mr ’Arrison ’e sez to me ’e sez: ‘Your master’s been killed,’ and I sez, ‘Wot?’ and he sez, ‘Your master’s been killed,’ and I sez, ‘Oh, my Gawd!’ …

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