1959-01-10 — Page 7

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1

AR

This is the exciting prize-winning

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1959.

short story which was awarded ELEANOR

nounced nipro nonerously.

the shape of the chap who was le trod on my enger dream like

showing me his car indles away a peasant in a wine vat and When the judge asked me it I at Halfield but I didn't want to ralled li good newat

anything to say as to why

the CHINA MAIL Cup at a com- exit from the world was not on petition held during the recent Hongkong Festival of Arts.

I SUPPOSE MY

arrost was inevitable, The Police always suspect the husband first in those cases and, if he happens both to have found the body and to have had a row with his wife the night before

well, can you blame them?

and

t&c it--not then

The Bright New World

pretty heated and it turned out which had previously so care- A

Of Sally Ann Howes

LITTLE more than two

sentence should not be passed My quarrel with Eleanor the When the full abhorrence of upon me according to law, I night before she died had been what life imprisonment woul stood to attention. "My Lord," a domestic ft over something nean finally sank in, I became I said, "I did not commit thi quite trivial but we had both got desperate to establish the alibi crime but I am content to die excitement in the court and

conecaled wrote, by Sally Ann Howes seemed, to for it.” Them was a buzz of

we had speelal permission, to Hatheld to could see the press boys serib bling furiously.

shrewdly for a moment:

Wise old eyes surveyed

1

me

"James Manson, that is extraordinary reply. Do you wish to claborate t

I shook my head, "No, M Lord

"Very well," and something matably like a sigh escaped the Judze. In that moment 1 felt a great compassion for him;

As a matter of fact, that a neighbour overheard us, fully

made it up before going to bed the

man with the Sunbeam her, to be collapsing in- that night but only Eleanor and Rupler. The letter was returnca tragedy. She was a hollow-

verdict I wanted.

By CLIVE IRVING

I knew that. I suppose I ought by the post office, marked-eyed shadow of R ORCE- ically to be grateful for that "Gone away, BO forwarding dazzling girl.... mourning hard facts: 1, Sho stupid row because it went a actress." It was then that I long way towards getting me the sent for Inspector Baines who the death of Baron, the was completely un- hod been in charge of the photographer, who died known to American enquiries into Eleanor's death, suddenly when they

were audiences; 2, If sho too.

Finding the body had helped A firma, are certainly about to marry.

had got home about a could not blame him for what quarter past five and, though I had happened to me; after all, I Bad expected to And Eleanor in hudo't helped him much. the house, I thought nothing of told him the whole story. ft when she was not there. I

walked to the bottom of the garden and, seeing that our punt was missing, I knew that she

"I haven't the facilities for

Anished; "but the police have. You've got to find him for ine, He stood up, pushing his chair

It was a blow that might well have broken the spirit of any girl. But not Sally Ann Howes... 1958 will be to her the year that she and her

was a hit she would be tied to the one

art for at least a hardly be seen out- side Broadway.

year and would

She was a hit a big one

tract.

Now, with the "My Fair

Now the lengthy farce and I had deliberate. ly turned it into a farce — was almost played out and the jury were filing back into Court. The trial had lasted three days and I remember that, for most of that hot summer afternoon the judge it cannot be easy, I thought, even had gone on the river by her finding this chup at Hatheld," rebuilt her life had been summing up. I had not listened to him with all the panoply and dignity self. It was not until dusk that I

career. all the time; I knew the jury were going to convict of the law behind you, to ulter I began to get uneasy and, as

but wisely she refused Lady" part coming to me and that I was going to die; yet those parts of is death. The usher placed the 1 went out on to the towpath

the words that condemn a man dusk was melting into darkness, Ingector."

requests to extend her con- end, Sally Ann and her hus- Hard facts the direction to the jury to which I did pay atten- square of block cloth on the with a torch. I found her less.

She explains: "band are going to Europe Judge's head and then slowly than

"I don't believe a word

for a holiday. This will bring didn't want to be a prisoner her back to London for a tion struck me as very fair.

a hundred yards down- and solemnly

the welcome stream. The punt had been of it, Manson," he said. "If you

Today she

lives in a of Broadway. Eliza Doolittle few weeks.... a London words enme:

had really had an alibi you wedged into some reeds and she

long and would have produced it when I beautiful, luxurious flat in is a

exhausting of memories, But for the James Manson, the sentence lay on her back in the bottom of first qucationed you, knowing the heart of New York, and

new, buoyant Sally Ann I had never seen Eleanor that you could never have been is of the Court upon you in, that look ugly before: she was very arrested. I have no intention of young writer

married to a talented you be taken from this place to dead and she was fully dressed wasting potter time and money

Howes, the brightness of a lawful prison and these to a

of hit musl- place of execution and that you

except for one stocking that

the future has shut out the cals. was knotted tightly round her in anger.

on a wild-goose chase." ile len

sadness of the past. there suffer death by hanging throat. There was also a not- and that your body be after very neat hole in her forehead,

re

On the wholy, I suppose, It Soon it would be two warders wax

sk1/01 performance; all the time: two out of gls, unbiased; accurate

well changing shifts with the nccurate so far as the evidence gularity of mall-hands to went and delivered in 26 culet organized security system design unhurried monotolle whien hod ed to ensure that I did not cheat

toporte effect in the heavy society of my alleged debt to it, afternoon heat. I grinned Before

very long I would be wryly to myself as I saw one of the jurors noeding: his hel sant nearer and nearer to his chest until it suddenly dropped and he came back with a jerk to full

The consciousness, second time it happened he looked round the Court-quiltily to see if anybody had observed him and, when he realised that

I had been watching, he didn't know where to look.

gave

him a smile that was meant to be understanding but he turned away, confused. I wanted

to

tell him not to feel guilty; that the result was going to be the same even if the wholy jury fell usleep.

I realised suddenly that the

monotone had ceased. The judge

BY-

W. F. Pickering

unable to turn in my sleep, walk wards buried

within

It

It was a thorough job,

That was really all there was to it. My fingerprints were all

over the punt, of course.

way

back.

On the walls of the flat For a week I thought I was hure framed letters from losing my reason. There spread before me the vista of year after people like President Eisen- Adlai Stevenson, Foul-destroying your in prison fhower,

her

part. But it has launched me in America and now 1 ani getting a name over here."

She showed me some of

Tough work the Christmas cards that

new મ

husband televisiou

were lining the lounge. They were from all the big names in

business. show

There

was one from Mrs Tyrone Power, with the name of the dead star printed and then crossed out in ink.

Recently her and the ultimate release of an and Somerset Maugham. the one to find the body and ageing old lag to an allen world. For this is the new world wrote there was the neighbour who it now. I know now what that

marriage to musical and she took the had heard us having a heated next cell has a hidden

I must do, The mun in the

It was a win- razor Richard Adler (of "The sta part. argument. made up my mind

combination, Suys as soon as they arrested me that blade and he will sell it to me Pajama Game" and "Damn ning

I have to Yankees") had brought her. Adler: "It was very tough the wanted a verdict of gulity and for forty, cigarettes,

work for Sally Ann, It that I was not going to mentione

I have several exciting my alibi. The prison chaplon soners

Sally Ann is just finish- meant that she spent all day offers of new parts already,

acres my cell, rough or even greinets of the prison in which urinate without a warder at my you shall have been confined elbow.

before your exceution. And may The jury were not out long. I

As a

the Lord have mercy on your

soul."

in

is the only person who knows way, 11e came to see me on my first day in the condemned cell.

+

very careful; several

roli elgaretten but

I daren't buy more than three a

she said.

day in case 1 am seen. I have in a year as Eliza Doolittle for many weeks rehearsing, but work will have to walt got nine now. By a week next in the Broadway production then at night he had her until after Monday I will top the forty of "My Fair Lady." It was, long theatre part. mark and on that day the razor this role which was her big biede will change hands.

And then I'm going to

"I don't think so, padre," I see Eleanor again. said; "I didn't kill my wife but

(Copyright Reserved) I am gratified at the verdict and '

why do you say that?" indeed I feel very privileged." Surprise showed in his face-

fr asked.

Popped up into the dock lik a rubbit in a hulch and watched I bowed to the judge and then sidle self-consciously into tuned on my heel. As I went their seals. They say that if down the steps of the deck, I

"Is there anything I can do for one of the jury looks at the heard a hubbih break out prisoner when they come back Court and I knew the reason for you. Mason? into court, the verdict is going it they were speculating about to be "Gulity." I didn't nevel and the meaning of my reply to the had risen and was leaving the bolster my courage for I knew had got it wanted to die

superstitions of that sort to judge. I smiled. Let them guess. Court; the jury were lookin: what the verdiet must be.

knew what I wanted and I m each other as if they were not matter of fact, three or four of my own way and quite rure what happened next; then did- look straight over at

my own time and the judge and just then they go to their fest,

wasn't runted my wish. My solicitor "Well," I replied, "I think you little reluctantly thought, and me as they canie in bul started to shuffle out. A wurder Court put the rutine question, lust me.

fooled.

When the clerk of the bad said something about an will understand this better than appeal If the verdict went most men, 1 loved my wife He was shocked very dearly and now that she is accompanied him clown the word "Gullty." He had a when I told him that the verdict dead I don't particularly want

tairs of the dock to the cells.

high pitched volce and the would be guilty and that I would to go on living without her. I knew that very

don't really sure who killed her; shortly verdiet came out like a squeak, not appeal.

It's done and it can't be undone. things were going to be different, 1 felt sorry that my impending

They decided that I did it and that gives me a unique oppor

unity.

touched me on the elbow and I

the foreman answered with one

WEEKEND Friell

EARL ATTLEE

ON-

OTHER

PUBLIC

LEADERS

"Ah, but we do want to look our best! Remember Sir Winston and some other people will be watching and just a teeny bit critical!"

MR.BLACK WARLD BANK

"When you've settled this little affair here can you rush back to London for some real mediation p

BEEF

CATER

DISTORT

-LATEST

"This item has not been used for centuries but we havo warned all rent collectors it is still in good condition,"

London Express Zorsica.

*

"Opportunity for what?" He was puzzled.

death, I tok hun. "Look! On

"Opportunity for death-ideal!

from now, I am going to die bin n day less than three weeks

I have the enomuus advantage of knowing it. It is not given lo padre, to know nut everyone, only the dute but the exact time and even the manner of his own ovath I have cighten days to

I didn't murder Eleanor, of course, We had only been married three years and we were crazy about each other. Oh, we had the occasional Inevitable tlif but we were quickly in the other's arms again, Yet there could be only three people what knew with certainty that when't f who had shot and strangled Eleanor. One of the three was Eleanor-and she was dead,

1 was the second; the third was the real murderer but I had not the vaguest idea of his of her identity and I akia't care very much.

What nobody in Court new certainty, no backsliding, no dia- was that could have cleared tracting trivialities. There is myself without the slightest plenty to be forgiven-even trouble. I fooled them all pro- though I am innocent of murder perly the smart Alec lawyers but I know precisely what my the jury and the judge himself. totted span is. If I devote. I didn't go so far as to plead what remains of it to reaching Cuilty, of course; they don't like concord with my Makor, 1 shall plens of guity in murder cass have a unique advantage.

nd if you enter that ples, the believe-and I know that you judge usually tries to get you baileve, Padre.-that this life 15 tu change H. S went through enly a brief preparation for the the proper motions like a good

muxt; we get so caught up hi

attain the proper disposition for dying and to make my pearc Think of it! No un- with God.

I

Hittle boy and pleaded "Not everyday trivialities, making a Builty." Then I withheld from living, keeping up with the ity solicitor all the information Jones's, pushing, scrabbling, that that would have that the prose we lose sight of the essentials cution's case to blazes. In fact, and death 100 often catches us, if I had told the police every unprepared, But I am not going thing in the first pince, there to die like that. I am not going never would have been a ense to get knocked down by a bus not with me in the dack, anyway. at a moment when I have not Perhaps it sounds strange just to had a decent thought in my Jet yourself be convicted leg head for a week. I am going to that but I had my reasons and die with ample warning and, if Atry good reasons they werd. I really use the thine remolning No, I am not shielding anybody: to me, I shall stand on that trap I've told you: I just don't know serene in the reasonable prob. who killed my wife.

ability of Heaven,"

It was a long speech but I was glad that I had got it off my

It was on n Saturday after- chest; gind that I had told one won that Eleanor died. 1 had person at any rate why I so wel- gone up to London that morning comed this form of death; but I the nsual way and we had am not sure that even ha really planned to go on the river after understood. The truth is that I lunch. Then during the have always regarded death by morning I heard of this chap judicial execution as the perfect with the Sunbeam Rapier for exit-quick, painless, sure and sale; it was just cor we cffering unique opportunities wanted so I telephoned Eleanor for preparation,

and told her that I would net

be back until nearly six.

I had some lunch In town and

WALK

teak a train to Hatfield where I For the next week I spent half nn hour trying out really happy. I prayed a lot the Sunbeam. The

was and ibought a lot and i began to: alright but the price was a bit expertenes an inner peace that fancy and I said we would think was like nothing I had ever

it over. I didn't know it at the known, When the blow fell, it time but, at some inoment during was like a thunderbolt The the half hour that I was playing prison rovertor came to the cell with the Sunbeam. Eleanor was ens day and sanounced pom- being murdered. Tho medlent pously that he had good mawa evidence was emphatle that she for me. Then the complacent, died between quarter past threo self-mtafled · bastard fold me and querier to four. I had a that the desti mentenoo had been I perfect'nibi for this period. In commuted to life imprisonment.

"But this one per- gamble.

formance

her gave

an Taking it up only a few audience bigger in one night days after

she married than she could get on Broad- Adler, she had to face two way in a lifetime."

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