"He or she--whoever it was that planned it--would be probably of a
cold-blooded and calculating disposition?"
"Probably."
"And not likely, do you think so?--to suffer from hysterical remorse
as soon as the act was accomplished?"
Here the opposing counsel again intervened, and was again silenced by
the Judge. Mr. Fenton repeated his question.
"I ask you," he said, addressing the witness with a certain solemnity,
"as a man who has had experience with criminals and human nature,
whether you think it likely that a woman, strong-minded and
cold-blooded enough to commit this diabolical crime, on hearing of its
accomplishment--a thing she has been expecting for days--would be
seized with a fit of hysterical remorse, would utter wild,
incriminating words, in the presence of--no matter whom, any one who
chanced to be present, and would rush up at once to look at the body
of the man whom she had murdered?"
The witness hesitated. "It--it doesn't seem likely," he admitted at
last.
"It would be much more, don't you think," said Mr. Fenton quietly,
"like the conduct of an innocent woman, who was suffering from a
nervous shock, and had no thought of controlling her actions because
she had no idea of being suspected?"