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Miss Freebody: No, it won’t. I won’t be talked down. I won’t be told what will do or won’t do. I’ll say what I’ve got to say and—
Judge: Be silent! Mr. O’Co
O’Co
Judge: Miss Freebody, you will answer counsel’s question: what happened after that?
(She stares at him and he at her.)
Miss Freebody (suddenly and very rapidly): “What happened after that?” He asks me, “What happened after that?” I’ll tell you what happened after that. She talked and he talked and she talked and he talked and then — then — then — no, I can’t. I can’t.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Out of the air. At my feet. Wet. Bleeding. Torn to pieces. Dead.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Cruel. Cruel! Horrible and wicked and cruel.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I — I couldn’t at first but then I did—I buried him. And then I — I went indoors and I felt desperately ill. I was ill and afterwards I lay on my bed.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: No. I lay there. As I was. All night. Sometimes I dozed off and then I had nightmares. I thought that brute was attacking me as it had my — my little cat. I thought it was coming at me. Here. (She clasps her throat) And for night after night it was the same.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I kept thinking it was loose and outside my doors, snuffling at them. Scratching at them, trying to get at me. I telephoned the police. I was terrified.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I was afraid to go out. I stayed indoors. Day after day.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I gave them to my daily help to post. I was afraid to go out.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Those two! I didn’t care about them. I used to think they were wicked but they were against him, weren’t they? They were making a fool of him. They wanted to be rid of him.
Judge: Miss Freebody, you must confine yourself to facts. You must not put forward your notions as to anybody’s wishes or intentions.
(Pause. She sniffs.)
Judge: Very well.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I stood inside the door. I thought it was him with the dog. And then I heard her clear her throat. So I made myself open the door. And there she was! The adultress. Oh yes! She came.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Oh yes. I saw him. In at the side door as usual. He always does that. And upstairs in her bedroom she had the curtains drawn. All ready for him. As she always does on Fridays. And of course he (She indicates the Major) was out playing bridge at his club, poor fool.
O’Co
Miss Freebody (indifferent): I can’t see their side door. There’s a tree and bushes.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Not that, either.
O’Co
Miss Freebody (her fingers at her lips, staring at him with growing excitement): Paused? By the safe? For whatever purpose? But you’re right. You’re perfectly right. Fool that I am. Fool! Of course! That’s how it was. He — the doctor—
(She points to Dr. Swale, who stands.)
Dr. Swale: My lord, I protest. This is outrageous.
Judge: You ca
Dr. Swale: My lord, this amounts to slander.
Judge: Be quiet, Dr. Swale. You must know very well that any such interruption is impermissible. Sit down, sir. (Dr. Swale sits.) Very well, Mr. O’Co
O’Co
Miss Freebody: I was upstairs. I heard a commotion — a howl and his voice shouting. So I went into the bathroom and looked. I saw the dog thrashing about and then I saw it was dead. And I was glad. Glad. I didn’t know why it was dead. I thought at first that he — its owner — might have destroyed it at last but it was dead and I exulted and gave thanks and was joyful.
(She looks at the witnesses. Her gaze becomes riveted upon Dr. Swale and Mrs. Ecclestone. She leans forward, apparently in the grip of some kind of revelation. We see them. They exchange a quick look. He briefly closes his hand over Mrs. Ecclestone’s. Miss Freebody licks her lips.)
O’Co
(Miss Freebody is still gazing at Dr. Swale and Mrs. Ecclestone.)
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Oh yes! Yes, I watched that. I watched him—the doctor. I saw how surprised and put out he was when they showed him the dog. Just like he is now. I saw them look at each other.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: She went indoors and he followed. And he came back after a time and they carried away the carcass.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: Ah! Then I didn’t realize. But now! (With an extraordinary sly look towards the witnesses’ seats) It could have been an accident, couldn’t it? The dog, I mean.
O’Co
Miss Freebody: He always has liver on Fridays. She is a vegetarian. They did it between them. They meant it for him. For him!
Golding: This is outrageous.
(Golding is on his feet and so are Major Ecclestone and Dr. Swale. They speak together.)
Major: My God, what’s the woman saying? By God, she means me. She means—(He turns on Swale.) By God, she means you—
Swale: This must stop. I demand that she’s stopped. Major, for God’s sake, you can’t think—
Usher: Silence. Silence in court.
Judge (rapping): Silence! (Ecclestone and Swale subside.) This is insupportable. If there is any more of it, I shall clear the court. (Pause) Yes, Mr. Golding.
Golding: Indeed, my lord. How much more of this are we to have? I protest most strongly, my lord.
Judge: Yes, Mr. Golding. You may well do so. Well, Mr. O’Co
O’Co
Judge: Very will. In that case — Mr. Golding?
(Prosecution Counsel rises.)
Golding: Thank you, my lord. Now, Miss Freebody, we have heard a great deal about emotions and all the rest of it. Suppose for a change we get down to a few hard facts. You admit to writing a number of threatening letters the last of which includes the phrase “neither of you is fit to live, take warning.” Do you agree?