The Young Clementina by D. E. Stevenson Page A

Dean on her way to work.”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Mrs. Cope.
    â€œYou met her at the end of France Street, didn’t you?”
    â€œNo, I didn’t then. I met ’er on the stairs like I sed.”
    â€œI suggest that you did not go into the flat immediately. There was something you wanted to do. You remembered it after you had met Miss Dean and went out to get it.”
    â€œI didn’t want nothin’,” replied Mrs. Cope. “An’ if I ’ad wanted anythink, I’d ’ave got it on the w’y. I don’t walk any further than I ’as to wif me corns stabbin’ me loike knives. I went straight up ter the flat when I’d seen Miss Dean an’ there I st’yed.”
    â€œYou had other flats to visit.”
    â€œThat’s right. After I’ve done for Miss Dean I goes on ter Mr. Smith.”
    â€œWhat time do you leave Miss Dean’s flat?”
    â€œAbout tennish,” said Mrs. Cope. “But that d’y I’d promised Miss Dean I’d st’y an’ maike ’er sister a cup o’ tea. You ’eard me s’y so to the other gentlemen, didn’t yer?”
    â€œI am now cross-examining you, Mrs. Cope. Kindly give me your attention.”
    â€œWell, I am, aren’t I?” inquired Mrs. Cope, not unreasonably.
    â€œI suggest that you left Miss Dean’s flat at the usual hour—about ten o’clock—and went to this Mr. Smith, returning about eleven to prepare breakfast for the respondent.”
    Mrs. Cope looked at him blankly, and he was obliged to repeat his “suggestion” in plainer language.
    â€œWell, I didn’t, then,” said Mrs. Cope. “I didn’t do no such thing. Mr. Smith’s is at the other end of the street, an’ I wosn’t goin’ trilin’ off to the other end of France Street an’ back agen—as a matter of fac’, I never thought of it. Wot I did was this, if yer wants ter know, I finished at Miss Dean’s an’ it maide me a good hour laite, but it worked in all right, ’cos I did the sittin’ room thorough, as well as the ’all wot I generally does the nex’ d’y. So the nex’ d’y I gives Mr. Smith the extra hour. See?”
    Mr. Amber left that and passed on.
    â€œWhile you were busy in the sitting room the respondent could have gone out of the bedroom into the hall—Mrs. Wisdon is the respondent,” he added anticipating Mrs. Cope’s question.
    â€œNot ’arf she couldn’t,” replied Mrs. Cope. “Miss Dean’s flat is cozy, but it ain’t big, an’ the only w’y out of the bedroom is through the sittin’ room—unless she ’ad wings an’ flew out of the winder.”
    â€œDo you mean to say there is no door out of the bedroom into the hall?”
    â€œWell yes, there is a door, so there is. But it’s blocked up wif Jeremiah standin’ up against it—that’s Miss Dean’s grandfather’s clock wot she brought wif ’er from ’er old ’ome. You go an’ look for yerself if yer don’t believe me; nobody couldn’t move that clock by themselves. It taikes up most of the ’all. I ain’t big, but it taikes me all my time ter squeeze around it when I does the ’all. Besides, the door’s locked an’ always ’as bin ter my knowledge.”
    â€œRegarding the bed. You informed the court that it had not been slept in—rather a rash statement wasn’t it?”
    â€œWot’s that?”
    â€œWhy did you think the bed had not been slept in?” inquired Mr. Amber impatiently. “You informed the court that the bed had been rumpled about.”
    â€œSo it ’ad,” replied Mrs. Cope firmly. “I knows wot I’m talkin’ about when I talks about beds. If you’d ’ad as much to do wif beds as I’ve ’ad, you’d know soon