March 31, 2025 • 46 mins
Tales of Terror and Mystery is a spine-tingling collection of short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, masterfully blending suspense, horror, and the unexplained. Divided into two parts—Tales of Terror and Tales of Mystery—the book explores eerie encounters, unsettling twists, and haunting atmospheres. From psychological thrills to scientific enigmas, Doyle steps beyond his famous detective tales to deliver chilling narratives that captivate and disturb. Perfect for fans of classic gothic fiction and supernatural suspense, this collection reveals a darker, more mysterious side of Doyle’s literary genius. For more thrilling content and engaging podcasts, visit https://www.quietperiodplease.com/.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Tales of Terror and Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, The
Black Doctor. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit librevox dot org. Recording by Reynard. Bishop's Crossing
(00:31):
is a small village lying ten miles in a southwesterly
direction from Liverpool. Here, in the early seventies there settled
a doctor named Aloisius Larna. Nothing was known locally, either
of his antecedence or of the reasons which had prompted
him to come to this Lancashire hamlet. Two facts only
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were certain about him, the one that he had gained
his medical qualification the with some distinction at Glasgow. The
other that he came undoubtedly of a tropical race, and
was so dark that he might almost have had a
strain of the Indian in his composition. His predominant features were, however, European,
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and he possessed a stately courtesy and carriage which suggested
a Spanish extraction. A swarthy skin, raven black hair, and
dark sparkling eyes under a pair of heavily tufted brows
made a strange contrast to the flaxen or chestnut rustics
of England, and the newcomer was soon known as the
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Black Doctor of Bishop's Crossing. At first it was a
term of ridicule and reproach. As the years went on
it became a title of honour which was familiar to
the whole countryside and extended far beyond the narrow confines
of the village. For the newcomer proved himself to be
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a capable surgeon and an accomplished physician. The practices of
that district had been in the hands of Edward Rowe,
the son of Sir William Rowe, the Liverpool Consultant, but
he had not inherited the talents of his father, and
Doctor Lana, with his advantages of presence and of manner,
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soon beat him out of the field. Dr Lana's social
success was as rapid as his professional. A remarkable surgical
cure in the case of the Honorable James Lowry, the
second son of Lord Belton, was the means of introducing
him to country society, where he became a favourite through
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the charm of his conversation and the elegance of his manners.
An absence of antestidence and of relatives is sometimes an
aide rather than an impeditiment to social advancement, and the
distinguished individuality of the handsome doctor was its own recommendation.
His patients had one fault and one fault, only to
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find with him he appeared to be a confirmed bachelor.
This was the more remarkable since the house which he
occupied was a large one, and it was known that
his success in practice had enabled him to save considerable sums.
At first, the local matchmakers were continually coupling his name
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with one or other of the eligible ladies. But as
years passed and Doctor Lana remained unmarried, it came to
be generally understood that for some reason he must remain
a bachelor. Some even went so far as to assert
that he was already married, and that it was in
order to escape the consequence of an early misalliance, that
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he had buried himself at Bishop's Crossing. And then, just
as the matchmakers had finally given him up in despair,
his engagement was suddenly announced to Miss Francis Morton of
Lee Hall. Miss Morton was a young lady who was
well known upon the countryside. Her father, James Haldane Morton,
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having been the squire of Bishop's Crossing. Both her parents were, however, dead,
and she lived with her only brother, Arthur Morton, who
had inherited the family estate in person. Miss Morton was
tall and stately, and she was famous for her quick,
impetuous nature and for her strength of character. She met
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Doctor Larana at a garden party, and a friendship which
quickly ripened into love sprang up between them. Nothing could
exceed their devotion to each other. There was some discrepancy
in age, he being thirty seven and she twenty four,
but save in that one respect, there was no possible
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objection to be found with the match. The engagement was
in February, and it was arranged that the marriage should
take place in August. Upon the third of June, Dr
Lana received a letter from abroad. In a small village,
the postmaster is also in a position to be the
gossip master, and mister Bankley of Bishop's Crossing had many
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of the secrets of his neighbours. In his possession of
this particular letter. He remarked only that it was in
a curious envelope, that it was in a man's handwriting,
that the PostScript was buen as Aires and the stamp
of the Argentine Republic. It was the first letter which
he had ever known Doctor Lana to have from abroad,
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and this was the reason why his attention was particularly
called to it before he handed it to the local postman.
It was delivered by the evening delivery of that date.
Next morning, that is, upon the fourth of June, Dr
Larana called upon Miss Morton, and a long interview followed,
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from which he was observed to return in a state
of great agitation. Miss Morton remained in her room all
that day, and her maid found her several times in tears.
In the course of a week. It was an open
secret to the whole village that the engagement was at
an end, that Doctor Lana had behaved shamefully to the
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young lady, and that Arthur Morton, her brother, was talking
of horsewhipping him. In what particular respect the doctor had
behaved badly was unknown. Some surmised one thing, and some another,
but it was observed and taken as the obvious sign
of a guilty conscience, that he would go for miles
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round rather than past the windows of Lee Hall, and
that he gave up attending morning service upon Sunday is
where he might have met the young lady. There was
an advertisement also in the Lancet as to the sale
of a practice, which mentioned no names, but which was
thought by some to refer to Bishop's Crossing, and to
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mean that doctor Lana was thinking of abandoning the scene
of his success. Such was the position of affairs, when
upon the evening of Monday, June twenty first, there came
a fresh development which changed what had been a mere
village scandal into a tragedy which arrested the attention of
the whole nation. Some detail is necessary to cause the
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facts of that evening to present their full significance. The
sole occupants of the doctor's house were his housekeeper, an
elderly and most respectable woman named Martha Woods, and a
young servant, Mary Pilling. The coachman and the surgery boy
slept out. It was the custom of the doctor to
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sit at night in his study, which was next the
surgery in the wing of the house which was farthest
from the servants quarters. This side of the house had
a door of its own for the convenience of patients,
so that it was possible for the doctor to admit
and receive a visitor there without the knowledge of anyone.
As a matter of fact, when patients came late, it
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was quite usual for him to let them in and
out by the surgery entrance, for the maid and the
housekeeper were in the habit of retiring early. On this
particular night, Martha Woods went into the doctor's study at
half past nine and found him writing at his desk.
She bade him good night, sent the maid to bed,
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and then occupied herself until a quarter to eleven. In
household matters, it was striking eleven upon the hall clock
when she went to her own room. She had been
there about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes,
when she heard a cry or call which appeared to
come from within the house. She waited some time, but
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it was not repeated. Much alarmed, for the sound was
loud and urgent, she put on a dressing gown and
ran at the top of her speed to the doctor's study.
Who's there, cried a voice as she tapped at the door.
I am here, sir, missus Woods. I beg that you
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will leave me in peace. Go back to your room.
This instance, cried the voice, which was to the best
of her belief that of her master. The tone was
so harsh and so unlike her master's usual manner, that
she was surprised and hurt. I thought I heard you calling, sir,
she explained, but no answer was given to her. Missus
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Woods looked at the clock as she returned to her room,
and it was then half past eleven. At some period
between eleven and twelve, she could not be positive as
to the exact hour, a patient called upon the doctor
and was unable to get any reply from him. This
late visitor was Missus Madding, the wife of the visit
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the grocer, who was dangerously ill of typhoid fever. Doctor
Lana had asked her to look in the last thing
and let him know how her husband was progressing. She
observed that the light was burning in the study, but
having knocked several times at the surgery door without any response,
she concluded that the doctor had been called out, and
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so returned home. There is a short winding drive with
a lamp at the end of it, leading down from
the house to the road. As Missus Madding emerged from
the gate, a man was coming along the footpath, thinking
that it might be doctor Lana returning from some professional visit.
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She waited for him and was surprised to see that
it was mister Arthur Morton, the young squire. In the
light of the lamp, she observed that his manner was excited,
and that he carried in his hand a heavy hunting crop.
He was turning in at the gate when she addressed him.
The doctor is not in, sir, she said, how do
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you know that, he asked harshly. I have been to
the surgery door, Sir. I see a light, said the
young squire, looking up at the drive that is in
his study. Is it not, yes, sir? But I am
sure that he is out well. He must come again,
said young Morton, and passed through the gate, while missus
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Madding went upon her homeward way. At three o'clock that morning,
her husband suffered a sharp relapse, and she was so
alarmed by his symptoms that she determined to call the
doctor without delay. As she passed through the gate, she
was surprised to see someone lurking among the laurel bushes.
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It was certainly a man, and the best of her belief,
mister Arthur Morton. Preoccupied with her own troubles, she gave
no particular attention to the incident, but hurried on upon
her errand when she reached the house, she perceived, to
her surprise that the light was still burning in the study.
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She therefore tapped at the surgery door. There was no answer.
She repeated the knocking several times without effect. It appeared
to her to be unlikely that the doctor would either
go to bed or go out, leaving so brilliant a
light behind him, and it struck missus, madding that it
was possible that he might have dropped asleep in his chair.
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She tapped at the study window therefore, but without result. Then,
finding that there was an opening between the curtain and
the woodwork, she looked through. The small room was brilliantly
lighted for a large lamp on the central table, which
was littered with the doctor's books and instruments. No one
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was visible, nor did she see anything unusual, except that
in the farther shadow thrown by the table, a dingy
white glove was lying upon the carpet. And then, suddenly,
as her eyes became more accustomed to the light, a
boot emerged from the other end of the shadow, and
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she realized with a thrill of horror that what she
had taken to be a glove was the hand of
a man who was prostrate ucros the floor. Understanding that
something terrible had occurred, she rang at the front door,
bell roused Missus Woods, the housekeeper, and the two women
made their way into the study, having first dispatched the
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maid servant to the police station. At the side of
the table, away from the window, Doctor Lana was discovered
stretched upon his back and quite dead. It was evident
that he had been subjected to violence, for one of
his eyes was blackened, and there were marks of bruises
about his face and neck. A slight thickening and swelling
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of his features appeared to suggest that the cause of
his death had been strangulation. He was dressed in his
usual professional clothes, but wore cloth slippers, the souls of
which were perfectly clean. The carpet was marked all over,
especially on the side of the door, with traces of
dirty boots, which were presumably left by the murderer. It
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was evident that someone had entered by the surgery door,
had killed the doctor, and had then made his escape unseen.
That the assailant was a man was certain from the
size of the footprints, and from the nature of the injuries.
But beyond that point the police found it very difficult
to go. There were no signs of robbery, and the
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doctor's gold watch was safe in his pocket. He kept
a heavy cash box in the room, and this was
discovered to be locked but empty. Missus Woods had an
impression that a large sum was usually kept there, but
the doctor had paid a heavy corn bill in cash
only that very day, and it was conjectured that it
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was to this and not to a robber, that the
emptiness of the box was due. One thing in the
room was missing, but that one thing was suggestive. The
portrait of miss Morton, which had always stood upon the
side table, had been taken from its frame and carried off.
Missus Woods had observed it there when she waited upon
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her employer that evening, and now it was gone. On
the other hand, there was picked up from the floor
a green eye patch, which the housekeeper could not remember
to have seen before. Such a patch might, however, in
the possession of a doctor, and there was nothing to
indicate that it was in any way connected with the crime.
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Suspicion could only turn in one direction, and Arthur morton.
The young squire was immediately arrested. The evidence against him
was circumstantial but damning. He was devoted to his sister,
and it was shown that since the rupture between her
and Doctor Lana, he had been heard again and again
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to express himself in the most vindictive terms towards her
former lover. He had, as stated, been seen somewhere about
eleven o'clock entering the doctor's drive with a hunting crop
in his hand. He had, then, according to the theory
of the police, broken in upon the doctor, whose exclamation
of fear or of anger had been loud enough to
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attract the attention of Missus Woods. When Missus Woods descended,
doctor Lana had made up his mind to talk it
over with his visitor, and had therefore sent his housekeeper
back to her room. This conversation had lasted a long time,
had become more and more fiery, and had ended by
a personal struggle in which the doctor lost his life.
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The fact revealed by a post morton that his heart
was much diseased, an ailment quite unsuspected during his life,
would make it possible that death might in his case
ensue from injuries which would not be fatal to a
healthy man. Arthur Morton had then removed his sister's photograph
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and had made his way homeward, stepping aside into the
Laurel bushes to avoid Missus madding at the gate. This
was the theory of the prosecution, and the case which
they presented was a formidable one. On the other hand,
there were now some strong points for the defense. Morton
was high spirited and impetuous, like his sister, but he
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was respected and liked by everyone. Frank and honest nature
seemed to be incapable of such a crime. His own
explanation was that he was anxious to have a conversation
with doctor Lana about some urgent family matters. From first
to last he refused even to mention the name of
his sister. He did not attempt to deny that this
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conversation would probably have been of an unpleasant nature. He
had heard from a patient that the doctor was out,
and he therefore waited until about three in the morning
for his return. But as he had seen nothing of
him up to that hour, he had given it up
and had returned home. As to his death, he knew
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no more about it than the constable who arrested him.
He had formerly been an intimate friend of the deceased man,
but circumstances which he would prefer not to mention, had
brought about a change in his sentiments. There were several
facts which supported his innocence. It was certain that doctor
Lana was alive and in his study at half past
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eleven o'clock. Missus Woods was prepared to swear that it
was at that hour that she had heard his voice.
The friends of the prisoner contended that it was probable
that at that time Dr Lana was not alone. The
sound which had originally attracted the attention of the housekeeper,
and her master's unusual impatience that she should leave him
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in peace, seemed to point to that if this were so,
then it appeared to be probable that he had met
his end between the moment when the housekeeper heard his
voice and the time when Missus Madding made her first
call and found it impossible to attract his attention. But
if this were the time of his death, then it
was certain that mister Arthur Morton could not be guilty,
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as it was after this that she had met the
young squire at the gate. If this hypothesis were correct,
and someone was with Dr Larna before Missus Madding met
mister Arthur Morton. Then who was this someone? What motives
had he for wishing evil to the doctor? It was
universally admitted that if the friends of the accused could
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throw light upon this, they would have gone a long
way towards establishing his innocence. But in the meanwhile it
was open to the public to say, as they did say,
that there was no proof that anyone had been there
at all except the young squire, while on the other hand,
there was ample proof that his motives in going were
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of a sinister kind. When Missus Madding called, the doctor
might have retired to his room, or he might, as
she thought at the time, have gone out and returned
afterwards to find mister Arthur Morton waiting for him. Some
of the supporters of the accused laid stress upon the
fact that the photograph of his sister Francis, which had
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been removed from the doctor's room, had not been found
in her brother's possession. This argument, however, did not count
for much, as he had ample time before his arrest
to burn it or to destroy it. As to the
only positive evidence in the case, the muddy footprints upon
the floor. They were so blurred by the softness of
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the carpet that it was impossible to make any trustworthy
deduction from them. The most that could be said was
that their appearance was not inconsistent with the theory that
they were made by the accused, And it was further
shown that his boots were very muddy upon that night,
there had been a heavy shower in the afternoon, and
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all boots were probably in the same condition. Such is
a bold statement of the singular and romantic series of
events which centered public attention upon this Lancashire tragedy. The
unknown origin of the doctor, his curious and distinguished personality,
the position of the man who was accused of the murder,
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and the love affair which had preceded the crimes, or
combined to make the affair one of those dramas which
absorbed the whole interest of a nation. Throughout the Three kingdoms,
men discussed the case of the Black Doctor of Bishop's Crossing,
and many were the theories put forward to explain the fact.
But it may safely be said that among them all
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there was not one which prepared the minds of the
public for the extraordinary sequel which caused so much excitement
upon the first day of the trial, and came to
a climax upon the second. The long files of the
Lancaster Weekly, with their report of the case, lie before
me as I write, but I must content myself with
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a synopsis of the case up to the point when,
upon the evening of the first day, the evidence of
Miss Francis Morton threw a singular light upon the case.
Mister Paulock Carr, the Council for the prosecution, had marshaled
his facts with unusual skill, and as the day wore on,
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it became more and more evident how difficult was the
task before mister Humphrey, who had been retained for the defense,
had before him. Several witnesses were put up to swear
to the intemperate expressions which the young squire had been
heard to utter about the doctor, and the fiery manner
in which he resented the alleged ill treatment of his sister.
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Missus Madding repeated her evidence as to the visit which
had been paid late at night by the prisoner to
the deceased, and it was shown by another witness that
the prisoner was aware that the doctor was in the
habit of sitting up alone in this isolated wing of
the house, and that he had chosen his very late
hour to call because he knew that his victim would
then be at his mercy. A servant at the squire's
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house was compelled to admit that he had heard his
master return about three that morning, which corroborated Missus Madding's
statement that she had seen him among the laurel bushes
near the gate upon the occasion of her second visit.
The muddy boots and an alleged similarity in the footprint
were duly dwelt upon. It was felt, when the case
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of the prosecution had been presented, that, however circumstantial it
might be, it was nonetheless so complete and so convincing,
that the fate of the prisoner was sealed, unless something
quite unexpected should be disclosed by the defense. It was
three o'clock when the prosecution closed. At half past four
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when the court rose, a new and unlooked for development
had occurred. I extract the incident, or part of it,
from the journal which I have already mentioned, Omitting the
preliminary observations of the Council. Considerable sensation was caused in
the crowded court when the first witness called for the
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defense proved to be Miss Francis Morton, the sister of
the prisoner. Our readers will remember that the young lady
had been engaged to Dr Larana, and that it was
his anger over the sudden termination of this engagement which
was thought to have driven her brother to the perpetration
of this crime. Miss Morton had not, however, been directly
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implicated in the case in any way, either at the
inquest or at the police court proceedings, and her appearance
as the leading witness for the defense came as a
surprise to the public. Miss Francis Morton, who was a
tall and handsome brunette, gave her evidence in a low
but clear voice, though it was evident throughout that she
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was suffering from extreme emotion. She alluded to her engagement
to the doctor, touched briefly upon its termination, which was due,
she said, to personal matters connected with his family, and
surprised the court by asserting that she had always considered
her brother's resentment to be unreasonable and intemperate. In answer
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to a direct question from her counsel, she replied that
she did not feel that she had any grievances whatever
against Doctor Lana, and that, in her opinion, he had
acted in a perfectly honorable manner. Her brother, on an
insufficient knowledge of the facts, had taken another view, and
she was compelled to acknowledge that, in spite of her entreaties,
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he had uttered threats of personal violence against the doctor,
and had, upon the evening of the tragedy, announced his
intention of having it out with him. She had done
her best to bring him to a more reasonable frame
of mind, but he was very headstrong where his emotions
or prejudices were concerned. Up to this point, the young
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lady's evidence had appeared to make against a prisoner rather
than in his favor. The questions of her counsel, however,
soon put a very different light upon the matter and
disclosed an unexpected line of defense. Mister Humphrey, do you
believe your brother to be guilty of this crime? The
judge I cannot permit that question, mister Humphrey. We are
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here to decide upon questions of fact, not of belief.
Mister Humphrey, do you know that your brother is not
guilty of the death of Dr Lana? Miss Morton yes,
mister Humphrey. How do you know it, Miss Morton, because
doctor Lana is not dead. There followed a prolonged sensation
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in court which interrupted the examination of the witness, mister Humphrey.
And how do you know, Miss Morton, that Dr Lana
is not dead, Miss Morton, because I have received a
letter from him since the date of his supposed death.
Mister Humphrey. Have you this letter, Miss Morton, Yes, but
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I should prefer not to show it, mister Humphrey. Have
you the envelope, Miss Morton, Yes, it is here, mister Humphrey.
What is the postmark, Miss Morton, Liverpool, mister Humphrey. And
the date, Miss Morton, June twenty second, Mister Humphrey, that
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being the day after his alleged death. Are you prepared
to swear to this handwriting, Miss Morton, Miss Morton, certainly,
mister Humphrey. I am prepared to call six other witnesses,
my Lord, to testify that this letter is in the
writing of doctor Larna. The judge, then you must call
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them tomorrow, Mister Paulock Carr, Counsel for the prosecution. In
the meantime, my Lord, we claim possession of this document
so that we may obtain expert evidence as to how
far it is an imitation of the handwriting of the gentleman,
who we still confidently assert to be deceased. I need
not point out that the theory so unexpectedly sprung upon
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us may prove to be a very obvious device adopted
by the friends of the prisoner in order to divert
this inquiry. I would draw attention to the fact that
the young lady must, according to her own account, have
possessed this letter during the proceed at the inquest and
at the police court. She desires us to believe that
she permitted these to proceed, although she held in her
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pocket evidence which would add any moment, have brought them
to an end. Mister Humphrey, can you explain this, Miss Morton,
Miss Morton, doctor Lana desired his secret to be preserved.
Mister paulock Carr, then why have you made his public,
Miss Morton, to save my brother? A murmur of sympathy
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broke out in court, which was instantly suppressed by the judge.
The judge admitting this line of defense. It lies with you,
mister Humphrey, to throw a light upon who this man is,
whose body has been recognized by so many friends and
patients of Doctor Lana as being that of the doctor himself.
A juryman, has anyone up to now expressed any doubt
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about the matter, mister Paulock Carr, Not to my knowledge,
mister Humphrey. He hoped to make the matter clear the judge.
Then the court will adjourn until tomorrow. This new development
of the case excited the utmost interest among the general public.
Press comment was prevented by the fact that the trial
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was still undecided, but the question was everywhere argued as
to how far there could be truth in Miss Morton's declaration,
and how far it might be a daring ruse for
the purpose of saving her brother. The obvious dilemma in
which the missing doctor stood was that if, by any
extraordinary chance he was not dead, then he must be
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held responsible for the death of this unknown man who
resembled him so exactly, and who was found in his study.
This letter, which Miss Morton refused to produce, was possibly
a confession of guilt, and she might find herself in
the terrible position of only being able to save her
brother from the gallows by the sacrifice of her former lover.
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The court next morning was crammed to overflowing, and a
murmur of excitement passed over it when mister Humphrey was
observed to enter in a state of emotion which even
his trained nerves could not conceal, and to confer with
the opposing council. A few hurried words, words which left
a look of amazement upon mister Paulock Carr's face, passed
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between them, and then the counsel for the defense, addressing
the judge, announced that, with the consent of the prosecution,
the young lady who had given evidence upon the sitting
before would not be recalled. The Judge, but you appear,
mister Humphrey, to have less matters in a very unsatisfactory state,
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mister Humphrey, Perhaps, my Lord, my next witness may help
to clear them up. The Judge, then call your next witness,
mister Humphrey, I call Dr Aloisius Larna. The learned counsel
has made many telling remarks in his day, but he
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has certainly never produced such a sensation with so short
a sentence. The court was simply stunned with amazement as
the very man whose face had been the subject of
so much contention appeared bodily before them in the witness box.
Those among the spectators who had known him at Bishop's
crossing saw him now gaunt and thin, with deep lines
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of care upon his face. But in spite of his
melancholy bearing and despondent expression, there were few who could
say that they had ever seen a man of more
distinguished presence. Bowing to the judge, he asked if he
might be allowed to make a statement, And, having been
duly informed that whatever he said might be used against him,
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he bowed once more and proceeded. My wish said, he
is to hold nothing back, but to held with perfect
frankness all that occurred upon the night of the twenty
first of June. Had I known that the innocent had suffered,
and that so much trouble had been brought upon those
whom I loved best in the world, I should have
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come forward long ago. But there were reasons which prevented
these things from coming to my ears. It was my
desire that an unhappy man should vanish from the world
which had known him, but I had not foreseen that
others would be affected by my actions. Let me, to
the best of my ability, repair the evil which I
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have done to anyone who is acquainted with the history
of the Argentine Republic, the name of Lana is well known.
My father, who came of the best blood of Old Spain,
filled all the highest offices of the state, and would
have been president but for his death in the riots
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of San Juan. A brilliant career might have been open
to my twin brother Ernest and myself, had it not
been for financial losses, which made it necessary that we
should earn our own living. I apologize, sir, if these
details appear to be irrelevant, but they are a necessary
introduction to that which is to follow. I had, as
(34:16):
I have said, a twin brother named Ernest, whose resemblance
to me was so great that even when we were together,
people could see no difference between us. Down to the
smallest detail. We were exactly the same. As we grew older,
this likeness became less marked because our expression was not
the same, but with our features in repose, the points
(34:39):
of difference were very slight. It does not become me
to say too much of one who is dead, the
more so as he is my only brother. But I
leave his character to those who knew him best. I
will only say for I have to say it that
in my early manhood I conceived a whole horror of him,
(35:01):
and that I had good reason for the aversion which
filled me. My own reputation suffered from his actions. For
our close resemblance caused me to be credited with many
of them. Eventually, in a peculiarly disgraceful business, he contrived
to throw the whole odium upon me in such a
way that I was forced to leave the Argentine forever
(35:24):
and to seek a career in Europe. The freedom from
his hated presence more than compensated me for the loss
of my native land. I had enough money to deframe
my medical studies at Glasgow, and I finally settled in
practice at Bishop's Crossing, in the firm conviction that in
that remote Lancashire hamlet I should never hear of him again.
(35:47):
For years my hopes were fulfilled, and then at last
he discovered me. Some Liverpool man who visited bonnas Aires
put him upon my track. He had lost all his money,
and he thought that he would come over and share mine.
Knowing my horror of him, he rightly thought that I
would be willing to buy him off. I received a
(36:10):
letter from him, saying that he was coming. It was
at a crisis in my own affairs, and his arrival
might conceivably bring trouble and even disgrace upon some whom
I was especially bound to shield from anything of the kind.
I took steps to ensure that any evil which might
come should fall on me only. And that here he
(36:31):
turned and looked at the prisoner, was the cause of
my conduct upon my part, which had been too harshly judged.
My only motive was to screen those who were dear
to me from any possible connection with scandal or disgrace.
That scandal and disgrace would come with my brother was
only to say that what had been would be again.
(36:55):
My brother arrived himself one night, not very long after
my receipt of the letter. I was sitting in my
study after the servants had gone to bed, when I
heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant
later I saw his face looking in at me through
the window. He was a clean shaven man, like myself,
and the resemblance between us was still so great that
(37:18):
for an instant I thought it was my own reflection
in the glass. He had a dark patch over his eye,
but our features were absolutely the same. Then he smiled
in a sardonic way, which had been a trick of
his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was
the same brother who had driven me from my native
land and brought disgrace upon what had been an honorable name.
(37:44):
I went to the door and admitted him. That would
be about ten o'clock that night. When he came into
the glare of the lamp. I saw at once that
he had fallen upon evil days. He had walked from Liverpool,
and he was tired and ill. I was quite shocked
by the expression upon his face. My medical knowledge told
(38:06):
me that there was some serious internal malady. He had
been drinking also, and his face was bruised as the
result of a scuffle which he had had with some sailors.
It was to cover his injured eye that he wore
this patch, which he removed when he entered the room.
He was himself dressed in a pea jacket and flannel shirt,
(38:28):
and his feet were bursting through his boots. But his
poverty had only made him more savagely vindictive towards me.
His hatred rose to the height of a mania. I
had been rolling in money in England, according to his account,
while he had been starving in South America. I cannot
describe to you the threats which he uttered, or the
(38:50):
insults he poured upon me. My impression is that hardships
and debauchery had unhinged his reason. He paced about the
room like a wild beast, demanding drink, demanding money, and
all in the foulest language. I am a hot tempered man,
but I thank God that I am able to say
that I remained master of myself. And as I never
(39:13):
raised a hand against him, my coolness only irritated him.
The more he raved, he cursed. He shook his fists
in my face, and then suddenly a horrible spasm passed
over his features. He clapped his hand to his side,
and with a loud cry, he fell in a heap
at my feet. I raised him up and stretched him
(39:34):
upon the sofa. But no answer came to my exclamations.
And the hand which I held in mine was cold
and clammy. His diseased heart had broken down, his own
violence had killed him. For a long time, I sat,
as if I were in some dreadful dream, staring at
the body of my brother. I was aroused by the
(39:57):
knocking of missus Woods, who had been disturbed by the
die and cry. I sent her away to bed. Shortly afterwards,
a patient tapped at my surgery door, but as I
took no notice, he or she went off again, slowly
and gradually. As I sat there, a plan was forming
itself in my head in the curious automatic way in
(40:20):
which plans due form. When I rose from my chair,
my future movements were finally decided upon, without my having
been conscious of any process of thought. It was an
instinct which irresistibly inclined me toward one course. Ever since
that change in my affairs to which I have alluded,
(40:41):
Bishop's crossing had become hateful to me. My plans of
life had been ruined, and I had met with hasty
judgments and unkind treatment where I had expected sympathy. It
is true that any danger of scandal from my brother
had passed away with his life. But still I was
at the past and felt that things could never be
(41:02):
as they had been. It may be that I was
unduly sensitive, and that I had not made sufficient allowance
for others, But my feelings were as I describe. Any
chance of getting away from Bishop's crossing, and of everyone
in it would be most welcome to me. And here
was such a chance as I could never have dared
(41:22):
to hope for a chance which would enable me to
make a clean break with the past. There was this
dead man lying upon the sofa, so like me, that,
save for some little thickness and coarseness of the features,
there was no difference at all. No one had seen
him come, and no one would miss him. We were
(41:44):
both clean shaven, and his hair was about the same
length as my own. If I changed clothes to him,
then Dr Aloisius Lana would be found lying dead in
his study, and there would be an end of an
unfortunate fellow and of a blighted career. There was plenty
of ready money in the room, and this I could
(42:04):
carry away with me to help me start once more
in some other land. In my brother's clothes, I could
walk by night, unobserved, as far as Liverpool, and in
that great seaport I would soon find some means of
leaving the country after my lost hopes. The humblest existence
where I was unknown was far preferable in my estimation,
(42:27):
to a practice, however successful, in Bishop's Crossing, where at
any moment I might come face to face with those
whom I should wish if it were possible to forget.
I determined to effect the change, and I did so.
I will not go into particulars, for the recollection is
(42:49):
as painful as the experience. But in an hour my
brother lay dressed down to the smallest detail in my clothes,
while I slunk out by the surgery door, and taking
the back path which led across some fields, I started
off to make the best of my way to Liverpool,
where I arrived the same night. My bag of money
(43:11):
and a certain portrait were all I carried out of
the house, and I left behind me in my hurry
the shade which my brother had been wearing over his eye.
Everything else of his I took with me. I give
you my word, sir, that never for one instant did
the idea occur to me that people might think that
I had been murdered, nor did I imagine that any
(43:34):
one might be caused serious danger through this stratagem by
which I had endeavored to gain a fresh start in
the world. On the contrary, it was the thought of
relieving others from the burden of my presence, which was
always uppermost in my mind. A sailing vessel was leaving
Liverpool that very day for Koruna, and in this I
(43:55):
took my passage, thinking that the voyage would give me
time to recover my balance and to consider the future.
But before I left my resolution softened. I bethought me
that there was one person in the world to whom
I would not cause an hour of sadness. She would
mourn me in her heart. However harsh and unsympathetic her
(44:15):
relatives might be, she understood and appreciated the motives upon
which I had acted, and if the rest of her
family condemned me, she at least would not forget. And
so I sent her a note under the seal of
secrecy to save her from her baseless grief. If under
the pressure of events she broke that seal, she has
(44:37):
my entire sympathy and forgiveness. It was only last night
that I returned to England, and during all this time
I have heard nothing of the sensation which my supposed
death had caused, nor of the accusation that mister Arthur
Morton had been concerned in it. It was in a
late evening paper that I read an account of the
(44:58):
proceedings of yesterday, and I have come this morning as
fast as an express train could bring me to testify
to the truth. Such was the remarkable statement of doctor
Aluisius Lana, which brought the trial to a sudden termination.
A subsequent investigation corroborated it to the extent of finding
out the vessel in which his brother Ernest Larna had
(45:20):
come over from South America. The ship's doctor was able
to testify that he had complained of a weak heart
during the voyage, and that his symptoms were consistent with
such a death as was described as to doctor Aluisias Larana.
He returned to the village from which he had made
so dramatic a disappearance, and a complete reconciliation was effected
(45:41):
between him and the young squire, the latter having acknowledged
that he had entirely misunderstood the other's motives in withdrawing
from his engagement. That another reconciliation followed may be judged
from a notice extracted from a prominent column in the
Morning Post, a marriage which was solemnized upon September nineteenth
(46:02):
by the Reverend Stephen Johnson at the parish church of
Bishop's crossing between Aluisius Xavier Lana, son of Don Alfredo Lana,
formerly Foreign Minister of the Argentine Republic, and Francis Morton,
only daughter of the late James Morton, j P of
Lee Hall. Bishop's Crossing, Lancashire, End of the Black Doctor
Tales of Terror and Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, The
Black Doctor. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit librevox dot org. Recording by Reynard. Bishop's Crossing
(00:31):
is a small village lying ten miles in a southwesterly
direction from Liverpool. Here, in the early seventies there settled
a doctor named Aloisius Larna. Nothing was known locally, either
of his antecedence or of the reasons which had prompted
him to come to this Lancashire hamlet. Two facts only
(00:54):
were certain about him, the one that he had gained
his medical qualification the with some distinction at Glasgow. The
other that he came undoubtedly of a tropical race, and
was so dark that he might almost have had a
strain of the Indian in his composition. His predominant features were, however, European,
(01:17):
and he possessed a stately courtesy and carriage which suggested
a Spanish extraction. A swarthy skin, raven black hair, and
dark sparkling eyes under a pair of heavily tufted brows
made a strange contrast to the flaxen or chestnut rustics
of England, and the newcomer was soon known as the
(01:40):
Black Doctor of Bishop's Crossing. At first it was a
term of ridicule and reproach. As the years went on
it became a title of honour which was familiar to
the whole countryside and extended far beyond the narrow confines
of the village. For the newcomer proved himself to be
(02:01):
a capable surgeon and an accomplished physician. The practices of
that district had been in the hands of Edward Rowe,
the son of Sir William Rowe, the Liverpool Consultant, but
he had not inherited the talents of his father, and
Doctor Lana, with his advantages of presence and of manner,
(02:22):
soon beat him out of the field. Dr Lana's social
success was as rapid as his professional. A remarkable surgical
cure in the case of the Honorable James Lowry, the
second son of Lord Belton, was the means of introducing
him to country society, where he became a favourite through
(02:42):
the charm of his conversation and the elegance of his manners.
An absence of antestidence and of relatives is sometimes an
aide rather than an impeditiment to social advancement, and the
distinguished individuality of the handsome doctor was its own recommendation.
His patients had one fault and one fault, only to
(03:06):
find with him he appeared to be a confirmed bachelor.
This was the more remarkable since the house which he
occupied was a large one, and it was known that
his success in practice had enabled him to save considerable sums.
At first, the local matchmakers were continually coupling his name
(03:27):
with one or other of the eligible ladies. But as
years passed and Doctor Lana remained unmarried, it came to
be generally understood that for some reason he must remain
a bachelor. Some even went so far as to assert
that he was already married, and that it was in
order to escape the consequence of an early misalliance, that
(03:50):
he had buried himself at Bishop's Crossing. And then, just
as the matchmakers had finally given him up in despair,
his engagement was suddenly announced to Miss Francis Morton of
Lee Hall. Miss Morton was a young lady who was
well known upon the countryside. Her father, James Haldane Morton,
(04:14):
having been the squire of Bishop's Crossing. Both her parents were, however, dead,
and she lived with her only brother, Arthur Morton, who
had inherited the family estate in person. Miss Morton was
tall and stately, and she was famous for her quick,
impetuous nature and for her strength of character. She met
(04:39):
Doctor Larana at a garden party, and a friendship which
quickly ripened into love sprang up between them. Nothing could
exceed their devotion to each other. There was some discrepancy
in age, he being thirty seven and she twenty four,
but save in that one respect, there was no possible
(05:01):
objection to be found with the match. The engagement was
in February, and it was arranged that the marriage should
take place in August. Upon the third of June, Dr
Lana received a letter from abroad. In a small village,
the postmaster is also in a position to be the
gossip master, and mister Bankley of Bishop's Crossing had many
(05:25):
of the secrets of his neighbours. In his possession of
this particular letter. He remarked only that it was in
a curious envelope, that it was in a man's handwriting,
that the PostScript was buen as Aires and the stamp
of the Argentine Republic. It was the first letter which
he had ever known Doctor Lana to have from abroad,
(05:49):
and this was the reason why his attention was particularly
called to it before he handed it to the local postman.
It was delivered by the evening delivery of that date.
Next morning, that is, upon the fourth of June, Dr
Larana called upon Miss Morton, and a long interview followed,
(06:10):
from which he was observed to return in a state
of great agitation. Miss Morton remained in her room all
that day, and her maid found her several times in tears.
In the course of a week. It was an open
secret to the whole village that the engagement was at
an end, that Doctor Lana had behaved shamefully to the
(06:31):
young lady, and that Arthur Morton, her brother, was talking
of horsewhipping him. In what particular respect the doctor had
behaved badly was unknown. Some surmised one thing, and some another,
but it was observed and taken as the obvious sign
of a guilty conscience, that he would go for miles
(06:53):
round rather than past the windows of Lee Hall, and
that he gave up attending morning service upon Sunday is
where he might have met the young lady. There was
an advertisement also in the Lancet as to the sale
of a practice, which mentioned no names, but which was
thought by some to refer to Bishop's Crossing, and to
(07:14):
mean that doctor Lana was thinking of abandoning the scene
of his success. Such was the position of affairs, when
upon the evening of Monday, June twenty first, there came
a fresh development which changed what had been a mere
village scandal into a tragedy which arrested the attention of
the whole nation. Some detail is necessary to cause the
(07:37):
facts of that evening to present their full significance. The
sole occupants of the doctor's house were his housekeeper, an
elderly and most respectable woman named Martha Woods, and a
young servant, Mary Pilling. The coachman and the surgery boy
slept out. It was the custom of the doctor to
(08:01):
sit at night in his study, which was next the
surgery in the wing of the house which was farthest
from the servants quarters. This side of the house had
a door of its own for the convenience of patients,
so that it was possible for the doctor to admit
and receive a visitor there without the knowledge of anyone.
As a matter of fact, when patients came late, it
(08:22):
was quite usual for him to let them in and
out by the surgery entrance, for the maid and the
housekeeper were in the habit of retiring early. On this
particular night, Martha Woods went into the doctor's study at
half past nine and found him writing at his desk.
She bade him good night, sent the maid to bed,
(08:43):
and then occupied herself until a quarter to eleven. In
household matters, it was striking eleven upon the hall clock
when she went to her own room. She had been
there about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes,
when she heard a cry or call which appeared to
come from within the house. She waited some time, but
(09:06):
it was not repeated. Much alarmed, for the sound was
loud and urgent, she put on a dressing gown and
ran at the top of her speed to the doctor's study.
Who's there, cried a voice as she tapped at the door.
I am here, sir, missus Woods. I beg that you
(09:28):
will leave me in peace. Go back to your room.
This instance, cried the voice, which was to the best
of her belief that of her master. The tone was
so harsh and so unlike her master's usual manner, that
she was surprised and hurt. I thought I heard you calling, sir,
she explained, but no answer was given to her. Missus
(09:50):
Woods looked at the clock as she returned to her room,
and it was then half past eleven. At some period
between eleven and twelve, she could not be positive as
to the exact hour, a patient called upon the doctor
and was unable to get any reply from him. This
late visitor was Missus Madding, the wife of the visit
(10:13):
the grocer, who was dangerously ill of typhoid fever. Doctor
Lana had asked her to look in the last thing
and let him know how her husband was progressing. She
observed that the light was burning in the study, but
having knocked several times at the surgery door without any response,
she concluded that the doctor had been called out, and
(10:34):
so returned home. There is a short winding drive with
a lamp at the end of it, leading down from
the house to the road. As Missus Madding emerged from
the gate, a man was coming along the footpath, thinking
that it might be doctor Lana returning from some professional visit.
(10:55):
She waited for him and was surprised to see that
it was mister Arthur Morton, the young squire. In the
light of the lamp, she observed that his manner was excited,
and that he carried in his hand a heavy hunting crop.
He was turning in at the gate when she addressed him.
The doctor is not in, sir, she said, how do
(11:17):
you know that, he asked harshly. I have been to
the surgery door, Sir. I see a light, said the
young squire, looking up at the drive that is in
his study. Is it not, yes, sir? But I am
sure that he is out well. He must come again,
said young Morton, and passed through the gate, while missus
(11:40):
Madding went upon her homeward way. At three o'clock that morning,
her husband suffered a sharp relapse, and she was so
alarmed by his symptoms that she determined to call the
doctor without delay. As she passed through the gate, she
was surprised to see someone lurking among the laurel bushes.
(12:01):
It was certainly a man, and the best of her belief,
mister Arthur Morton. Preoccupied with her own troubles, she gave
no particular attention to the incident, but hurried on upon
her errand when she reached the house, she perceived, to
her surprise that the light was still burning in the study.
(12:22):
She therefore tapped at the surgery door. There was no answer.
She repeated the knocking several times without effect. It appeared
to her to be unlikely that the doctor would either
go to bed or go out, leaving so brilliant a
light behind him, and it struck missus, madding that it
was possible that he might have dropped asleep in his chair.
(12:45):
She tapped at the study window therefore, but without result. Then,
finding that there was an opening between the curtain and
the woodwork, she looked through. The small room was brilliantly
lighted for a large lamp on the central table, which
was littered with the doctor's books and instruments. No one
(13:06):
was visible, nor did she see anything unusual, except that
in the farther shadow thrown by the table, a dingy
white glove was lying upon the carpet. And then, suddenly,
as her eyes became more accustomed to the light, a
boot emerged from the other end of the shadow, and
(13:27):
she realized with a thrill of horror that what she
had taken to be a glove was the hand of
a man who was prostrate ucros the floor. Understanding that
something terrible had occurred, she rang at the front door,
bell roused Missus Woods, the housekeeper, and the two women
made their way into the study, having first dispatched the
(13:47):
maid servant to the police station. At the side of
the table, away from the window, Doctor Lana was discovered
stretched upon his back and quite dead. It was evident
that he had been subjected to violence, for one of
his eyes was blackened, and there were marks of bruises
about his face and neck. A slight thickening and swelling
(14:11):
of his features appeared to suggest that the cause of
his death had been strangulation. He was dressed in his
usual professional clothes, but wore cloth slippers, the souls of
which were perfectly clean. The carpet was marked all over,
especially on the side of the door, with traces of
dirty boots, which were presumably left by the murderer. It
(14:37):
was evident that someone had entered by the surgery door,
had killed the doctor, and had then made his escape unseen.
That the assailant was a man was certain from the
size of the footprints, and from the nature of the injuries.
But beyond that point the police found it very difficult
to go. There were no signs of robbery, and the
(15:00):
doctor's gold watch was safe in his pocket. He kept
a heavy cash box in the room, and this was
discovered to be locked but empty. Missus Woods had an
impression that a large sum was usually kept there, but
the doctor had paid a heavy corn bill in cash
only that very day, and it was conjectured that it
(15:21):
was to this and not to a robber, that the
emptiness of the box was due. One thing in the
room was missing, but that one thing was suggestive. The
portrait of miss Morton, which had always stood upon the
side table, had been taken from its frame and carried off.
Missus Woods had observed it there when she waited upon
(15:44):
her employer that evening, and now it was gone. On
the other hand, there was picked up from the floor
a green eye patch, which the housekeeper could not remember
to have seen before. Such a patch might, however, in
the possession of a doctor, and there was nothing to
indicate that it was in any way connected with the crime.
(16:07):
Suspicion could only turn in one direction, and Arthur morton.
The young squire was immediately arrested. The evidence against him
was circumstantial but damning. He was devoted to his sister,
and it was shown that since the rupture between her
and Doctor Lana, he had been heard again and again
(16:27):
to express himself in the most vindictive terms towards her
former lover. He had, as stated, been seen somewhere about
eleven o'clock entering the doctor's drive with a hunting crop
in his hand. He had, then, according to the theory
of the police, broken in upon the doctor, whose exclamation
of fear or of anger had been loud enough to
(16:49):
attract the attention of Missus Woods. When Missus Woods descended,
doctor Lana had made up his mind to talk it
over with his visitor, and had therefore sent his housekeeper
back to her room. This conversation had lasted a long time,
had become more and more fiery, and had ended by
a personal struggle in which the doctor lost his life.
(17:13):
The fact revealed by a post morton that his heart
was much diseased, an ailment quite unsuspected during his life,
would make it possible that death might in his case
ensue from injuries which would not be fatal to a
healthy man. Arthur Morton had then removed his sister's photograph
(17:33):
and had made his way homeward, stepping aside into the
Laurel bushes to avoid Missus madding at the gate. This
was the theory of the prosecution, and the case which
they presented was a formidable one. On the other hand,
there were now some strong points for the defense. Morton
was high spirited and impetuous, like his sister, but he
(17:57):
was respected and liked by everyone. Frank and honest nature
seemed to be incapable of such a crime. His own
explanation was that he was anxious to have a conversation
with doctor Lana about some urgent family matters. From first
to last he refused even to mention the name of
his sister. He did not attempt to deny that this
(18:19):
conversation would probably have been of an unpleasant nature. He
had heard from a patient that the doctor was out,
and he therefore waited until about three in the morning
for his return. But as he had seen nothing of
him up to that hour, he had given it up
and had returned home. As to his death, he knew
(18:39):
no more about it than the constable who arrested him.
He had formerly been an intimate friend of the deceased man,
but circumstances which he would prefer not to mention, had
brought about a change in his sentiments. There were several
facts which supported his innocence. It was certain that doctor
Lana was alive and in his study at half past
(19:01):
eleven o'clock. Missus Woods was prepared to swear that it
was at that hour that she had heard his voice.
The friends of the prisoner contended that it was probable
that at that time Dr Lana was not alone. The
sound which had originally attracted the attention of the housekeeper,
and her master's unusual impatience that she should leave him
(19:21):
in peace, seemed to point to that if this were so,
then it appeared to be probable that he had met
his end between the moment when the housekeeper heard his
voice and the time when Missus Madding made her first
call and found it impossible to attract his attention. But
if this were the time of his death, then it
was certain that mister Arthur Morton could not be guilty,
(19:44):
as it was after this that she had met the
young squire at the gate. If this hypothesis were correct,
and someone was with Dr Larna before Missus Madding met
mister Arthur Morton. Then who was this someone? What motives
had he for wishing evil to the doctor? It was
universally admitted that if the friends of the accused could
(20:07):
throw light upon this, they would have gone a long
way towards establishing his innocence. But in the meanwhile it
was open to the public to say, as they did say,
that there was no proof that anyone had been there
at all except the young squire, while on the other hand,
there was ample proof that his motives in going were
(20:28):
of a sinister kind. When Missus Madding called, the doctor
might have retired to his room, or he might, as
she thought at the time, have gone out and returned
afterwards to find mister Arthur Morton waiting for him. Some
of the supporters of the accused laid stress upon the
fact that the photograph of his sister Francis, which had
(20:49):
been removed from the doctor's room, had not been found
in her brother's possession. This argument, however, did not count
for much, as he had ample time before his arrest
to burn it or to destroy it. As to the
only positive evidence in the case, the muddy footprints upon
the floor. They were so blurred by the softness of
(21:10):
the carpet that it was impossible to make any trustworthy
deduction from them. The most that could be said was
that their appearance was not inconsistent with the theory that
they were made by the accused, And it was further
shown that his boots were very muddy upon that night,
there had been a heavy shower in the afternoon, and
(21:31):
all boots were probably in the same condition. Such is
a bold statement of the singular and romantic series of
events which centered public attention upon this Lancashire tragedy. The
unknown origin of the doctor, his curious and distinguished personality,
the position of the man who was accused of the murder,
(21:53):
and the love affair which had preceded the crimes, or
combined to make the affair one of those dramas which
absorbed the whole interest of a nation. Throughout the Three kingdoms,
men discussed the case of the Black Doctor of Bishop's Crossing,
and many were the theories put forward to explain the fact.
But it may safely be said that among them all
(22:14):
there was not one which prepared the minds of the
public for the extraordinary sequel which caused so much excitement
upon the first day of the trial, and came to
a climax upon the second. The long files of the
Lancaster Weekly, with their report of the case, lie before
me as I write, but I must content myself with
(22:35):
a synopsis of the case up to the point when,
upon the evening of the first day, the evidence of
Miss Francis Morton threw a singular light upon the case.
Mister Paulock Carr, the Council for the prosecution, had marshaled
his facts with unusual skill, and as the day wore on,
(22:55):
it became more and more evident how difficult was the
task before mister Humphrey, who had been retained for the defense,
had before him. Several witnesses were put up to swear
to the intemperate expressions which the young squire had been
heard to utter about the doctor, and the fiery manner
in which he resented the alleged ill treatment of his sister.
(23:17):
Missus Madding repeated her evidence as to the visit which
had been paid late at night by the prisoner to
the deceased, and it was shown by another witness that
the prisoner was aware that the doctor was in the
habit of sitting up alone in this isolated wing of
the house, and that he had chosen his very late
hour to call because he knew that his victim would
then be at his mercy. A servant at the squire's
(23:40):
house was compelled to admit that he had heard his
master return about three that morning, which corroborated Missus Madding's
statement that she had seen him among the laurel bushes
near the gate upon the occasion of her second visit.
The muddy boots and an alleged similarity in the footprint
were duly dwelt upon. It was felt, when the case
(24:01):
of the prosecution had been presented, that, however circumstantial it
might be, it was nonetheless so complete and so convincing,
that the fate of the prisoner was sealed, unless something
quite unexpected should be disclosed by the defense. It was
three o'clock when the prosecution closed. At half past four
(24:22):
when the court rose, a new and unlooked for development
had occurred. I extract the incident, or part of it,
from the journal which I have already mentioned, Omitting the
preliminary observations of the Council. Considerable sensation was caused in
the crowded court when the first witness called for the
(24:42):
defense proved to be Miss Francis Morton, the sister of
the prisoner. Our readers will remember that the young lady
had been engaged to Dr Larana, and that it was
his anger over the sudden termination of this engagement which
was thought to have driven her brother to the perpetration
of this crime. Miss Morton had not, however, been directly
(25:04):
implicated in the case in any way, either at the
inquest or at the police court proceedings, and her appearance
as the leading witness for the defense came as a
surprise to the public. Miss Francis Morton, who was a
tall and handsome brunette, gave her evidence in a low
but clear voice, though it was evident throughout that she
(25:26):
was suffering from extreme emotion. She alluded to her engagement
to the doctor, touched briefly upon its termination, which was due,
she said, to personal matters connected with his family, and
surprised the court by asserting that she had always considered
her brother's resentment to be unreasonable and intemperate. In answer
(25:48):
to a direct question from her counsel, she replied that
she did not feel that she had any grievances whatever
against Doctor Lana, and that, in her opinion, he had
acted in a perfectly honorable manner. Her brother, on an
insufficient knowledge of the facts, had taken another view, and
she was compelled to acknowledge that, in spite of her entreaties,
(26:09):
he had uttered threats of personal violence against the doctor,
and had, upon the evening of the tragedy, announced his
intention of having it out with him. She had done
her best to bring him to a more reasonable frame
of mind, but he was very headstrong where his emotions
or prejudices were concerned. Up to this point, the young
(26:30):
lady's evidence had appeared to make against a prisoner rather
than in his favor. The questions of her counsel, however,
soon put a very different light upon the matter and
disclosed an unexpected line of defense. Mister Humphrey, do you
believe your brother to be guilty of this crime? The
judge I cannot permit that question, mister Humphrey. We are
(26:54):
here to decide upon questions of fact, not of belief.
Mister Humphrey, do you know that your brother is not
guilty of the death of Dr Lana? Miss Morton yes,
mister Humphrey. How do you know it, Miss Morton, because
doctor Lana is not dead. There followed a prolonged sensation
(27:18):
in court which interrupted the examination of the witness, mister Humphrey.
And how do you know, Miss Morton, that Dr Lana
is not dead, Miss Morton, because I have received a
letter from him since the date of his supposed death.
Mister Humphrey. Have you this letter, Miss Morton, Yes, but
(27:40):
I should prefer not to show it, mister Humphrey. Have
you the envelope, Miss Morton, Yes, it is here, mister Humphrey.
What is the postmark, Miss Morton, Liverpool, mister Humphrey. And
the date, Miss Morton, June twenty second, Mister Humphrey, that
(28:03):
being the day after his alleged death. Are you prepared
to swear to this handwriting, Miss Morton, Miss Morton, certainly,
mister Humphrey. I am prepared to call six other witnesses,
my Lord, to testify that this letter is in the
writing of doctor Larna. The judge, then you must call
(28:24):
them tomorrow, Mister Paulock Carr, Counsel for the prosecution. In
the meantime, my Lord, we claim possession of this document
so that we may obtain expert evidence as to how
far it is an imitation of the handwriting of the gentleman,
who we still confidently assert to be deceased. I need
not point out that the theory so unexpectedly sprung upon
(28:46):
us may prove to be a very obvious device adopted
by the friends of the prisoner in order to divert
this inquiry. I would draw attention to the fact that
the young lady must, according to her own account, have
possessed this letter during the proceed at the inquest and
at the police court. She desires us to believe that
she permitted these to proceed, although she held in her
(29:08):
pocket evidence which would add any moment, have brought them
to an end. Mister Humphrey, can you explain this, Miss Morton,
Miss Morton, doctor Lana desired his secret to be preserved.
Mister paulock Carr, then why have you made his public,
Miss Morton, to save my brother? A murmur of sympathy
(29:31):
broke out in court, which was instantly suppressed by the judge.
The judge admitting this line of defense. It lies with you,
mister Humphrey, to throw a light upon who this man is,
whose body has been recognized by so many friends and
patients of Doctor Lana as being that of the doctor himself.
A juryman, has anyone up to now expressed any doubt
(29:53):
about the matter, mister Paulock Carr, Not to my knowledge,
mister Humphrey. He hoped to make the matter clear the judge.
Then the court will adjourn until tomorrow. This new development
of the case excited the utmost interest among the general public.
Press comment was prevented by the fact that the trial
(30:16):
was still undecided, but the question was everywhere argued as
to how far there could be truth in Miss Morton's declaration,
and how far it might be a daring ruse for
the purpose of saving her brother. The obvious dilemma in
which the missing doctor stood was that if, by any
extraordinary chance he was not dead, then he must be
(30:36):
held responsible for the death of this unknown man who
resembled him so exactly, and who was found in his study.
This letter, which Miss Morton refused to produce, was possibly
a confession of guilt, and she might find herself in
the terrible position of only being able to save her
brother from the gallows by the sacrifice of her former lover.
(31:00):
The court next morning was crammed to overflowing, and a
murmur of excitement passed over it when mister Humphrey was
observed to enter in a state of emotion which even
his trained nerves could not conceal, and to confer with
the opposing council. A few hurried words, words which left
a look of amazement upon mister Paulock Carr's face, passed
(31:22):
between them, and then the counsel for the defense, addressing
the judge, announced that, with the consent of the prosecution,
the young lady who had given evidence upon the sitting
before would not be recalled. The Judge, but you appear,
mister Humphrey, to have less matters in a very unsatisfactory state,
(31:44):
mister Humphrey, Perhaps, my Lord, my next witness may help
to clear them up. The Judge, then call your next witness,
mister Humphrey, I call Dr Aloisius Larna. The learned counsel
has made many telling remarks in his day, but he
(32:05):
has certainly never produced such a sensation with so short
a sentence. The court was simply stunned with amazement as
the very man whose face had been the subject of
so much contention appeared bodily before them in the witness box.
Those among the spectators who had known him at Bishop's
crossing saw him now gaunt and thin, with deep lines
(32:28):
of care upon his face. But in spite of his
melancholy bearing and despondent expression, there were few who could
say that they had ever seen a man of more
distinguished presence. Bowing to the judge, he asked if he
might be allowed to make a statement, And, having been
duly informed that whatever he said might be used against him,
(32:51):
he bowed once more and proceeded. My wish said, he
is to hold nothing back, but to held with perfect
frankness all that occurred upon the night of the twenty
first of June. Had I known that the innocent had suffered,
and that so much trouble had been brought upon those
whom I loved best in the world, I should have
(33:13):
come forward long ago. But there were reasons which prevented
these things from coming to my ears. It was my
desire that an unhappy man should vanish from the world
which had known him, but I had not foreseen that
others would be affected by my actions. Let me, to
the best of my ability, repair the evil which I
(33:33):
have done to anyone who is acquainted with the history
of the Argentine Republic, the name of Lana is well known.
My father, who came of the best blood of Old Spain,
filled all the highest offices of the state, and would
have been president but for his death in the riots
(33:53):
of San Juan. A brilliant career might have been open
to my twin brother Ernest and myself, had it not
been for financial losses, which made it necessary that we
should earn our own living. I apologize, sir, if these
details appear to be irrelevant, but they are a necessary
introduction to that which is to follow. I had, as
(34:16):
I have said, a twin brother named Ernest, whose resemblance
to me was so great that even when we were together,
people could see no difference between us. Down to the
smallest detail. We were exactly the same. As we grew older,
this likeness became less marked because our expression was not
the same, but with our features in repose, the points
(34:39):
of difference were very slight. It does not become me
to say too much of one who is dead, the
more so as he is my only brother. But I
leave his character to those who knew him best. I
will only say for I have to say it that
in my early manhood I conceived a whole horror of him,
(35:01):
and that I had good reason for the aversion which
filled me. My own reputation suffered from his actions. For
our close resemblance caused me to be credited with many
of them. Eventually, in a peculiarly disgraceful business, he contrived
to throw the whole odium upon me in such a
way that I was forced to leave the Argentine forever
(35:24):
and to seek a career in Europe. The freedom from
his hated presence more than compensated me for the loss
of my native land. I had enough money to deframe
my medical studies at Glasgow, and I finally settled in
practice at Bishop's Crossing, in the firm conviction that in
that remote Lancashire hamlet I should never hear of him again.
(35:47):
For years my hopes were fulfilled, and then at last
he discovered me. Some Liverpool man who visited bonnas Aires
put him upon my track. He had lost all his money,
and he thought that he would come over and share mine.
Knowing my horror of him, he rightly thought that I
would be willing to buy him off. I received a
(36:10):
letter from him, saying that he was coming. It was
at a crisis in my own affairs, and his arrival
might conceivably bring trouble and even disgrace upon some whom
I was especially bound to shield from anything of the kind.
I took steps to ensure that any evil which might
come should fall on me only. And that here he
(36:31):
turned and looked at the prisoner, was the cause of
my conduct upon my part, which had been too harshly judged.
My only motive was to screen those who were dear
to me from any possible connection with scandal or disgrace.
That scandal and disgrace would come with my brother was
only to say that what had been would be again.
(36:55):
My brother arrived himself one night, not very long after
my receipt of the letter. I was sitting in my
study after the servants had gone to bed, when I
heard a footstep upon the gravel outside, and an instant
later I saw his face looking in at me through
the window. He was a clean shaven man, like myself,
and the resemblance between us was still so great that
(37:18):
for an instant I thought it was my own reflection
in the glass. He had a dark patch over his eye,
but our features were absolutely the same. Then he smiled
in a sardonic way, which had been a trick of
his from his boyhood, and I knew that he was
the same brother who had driven me from my native
land and brought disgrace upon what had been an honorable name.
(37:44):
I went to the door and admitted him. That would
be about ten o'clock that night. When he came into
the glare of the lamp. I saw at once that
he had fallen upon evil days. He had walked from Liverpool,
and he was tired and ill. I was quite shocked
by the expression upon his face. My medical knowledge told
(38:06):
me that there was some serious internal malady. He had
been drinking also, and his face was bruised as the
result of a scuffle which he had had with some sailors.
It was to cover his injured eye that he wore
this patch, which he removed when he entered the room.
He was himself dressed in a pea jacket and flannel shirt,
(38:28):
and his feet were bursting through his boots. But his
poverty had only made him more savagely vindictive towards me.
His hatred rose to the height of a mania. I
had been rolling in money in England, according to his account,
while he had been starving in South America. I cannot
describe to you the threats which he uttered, or the
(38:50):
insults he poured upon me. My impression is that hardships
and debauchery had unhinged his reason. He paced about the
room like a wild beast, demanding drink, demanding money, and
all in the foulest language. I am a hot tempered man,
but I thank God that I am able to say
that I remained master of myself. And as I never
(39:13):
raised a hand against him, my coolness only irritated him.
The more he raved, he cursed. He shook his fists
in my face, and then suddenly a horrible spasm passed
over his features. He clapped his hand to his side,
and with a loud cry, he fell in a heap
at my feet. I raised him up and stretched him
(39:34):
upon the sofa. But no answer came to my exclamations.
And the hand which I held in mine was cold
and clammy. His diseased heart had broken down, his own
violence had killed him. For a long time, I sat,
as if I were in some dreadful dream, staring at
the body of my brother. I was aroused by the
(39:57):
knocking of missus Woods, who had been disturbed by the
die and cry. I sent her away to bed. Shortly afterwards,
a patient tapped at my surgery door, but as I
took no notice, he or she went off again, slowly
and gradually. As I sat there, a plan was forming
itself in my head in the curious automatic way in
(40:20):
which plans due form. When I rose from my chair,
my future movements were finally decided upon, without my having
been conscious of any process of thought. It was an
instinct which irresistibly inclined me toward one course. Ever since
that change in my affairs to which I have alluded,
(40:41):
Bishop's crossing had become hateful to me. My plans of
life had been ruined, and I had met with hasty
judgments and unkind treatment where I had expected sympathy. It
is true that any danger of scandal from my brother
had passed away with his life. But still I was
at the past and felt that things could never be
(41:02):
as they had been. It may be that I was
unduly sensitive, and that I had not made sufficient allowance
for others, But my feelings were as I describe. Any
chance of getting away from Bishop's crossing, and of everyone
in it would be most welcome to me. And here
was such a chance as I could never have dared
(41:22):
to hope for a chance which would enable me to
make a clean break with the past. There was this
dead man lying upon the sofa, so like me, that,
save for some little thickness and coarseness of the features,
there was no difference at all. No one had seen
him come, and no one would miss him. We were
(41:44):
both clean shaven, and his hair was about the same
length as my own. If I changed clothes to him,
then Dr Aloisius Lana would be found lying dead in
his study, and there would be an end of an
unfortunate fellow and of a blighted career. There was plenty
of ready money in the room, and this I could
(42:04):
carry away with me to help me start once more
in some other land. In my brother's clothes, I could
walk by night, unobserved, as far as Liverpool, and in
that great seaport I would soon find some means of
leaving the country after my lost hopes. The humblest existence
where I was unknown was far preferable in my estimation,
(42:27):
to a practice, however successful, in Bishop's Crossing, where at
any moment I might come face to face with those
whom I should wish if it were possible to forget.
I determined to effect the change, and I did so.
I will not go into particulars, for the recollection is
(42:49):
as painful as the experience. But in an hour my
brother lay dressed down to the smallest detail in my clothes,
while I slunk out by the surgery door, and taking
the back path which led across some fields, I started
off to make the best of my way to Liverpool,
where I arrived the same night. My bag of money
(43:11):
and a certain portrait were all I carried out of
the house, and I left behind me in my hurry
the shade which my brother had been wearing over his eye.
Everything else of his I took with me. I give
you my word, sir, that never for one instant did
the idea occur to me that people might think that
I had been murdered, nor did I imagine that any
(43:34):
one might be caused serious danger through this stratagem by
which I had endeavored to gain a fresh start in
the world. On the contrary, it was the thought of
relieving others from the burden of my presence, which was
always uppermost in my mind. A sailing vessel was leaving
Liverpool that very day for Koruna, and in this I
(43:55):
took my passage, thinking that the voyage would give me
time to recover my balance and to consider the future.
But before I left my resolution softened. I bethought me
that there was one person in the world to whom
I would not cause an hour of sadness. She would
mourn me in her heart. However harsh and unsympathetic her
(44:15):
relatives might be, she understood and appreciated the motives upon
which I had acted, and if the rest of her
family condemned me, she at least would not forget. And
so I sent her a note under the seal of
secrecy to save her from her baseless grief. If under
the pressure of events she broke that seal, she has
(44:37):
my entire sympathy and forgiveness. It was only last night
that I returned to England, and during all this time
I have heard nothing of the sensation which my supposed
death had caused, nor of the accusation that mister Arthur
Morton had been concerned in it. It was in a
late evening paper that I read an account of the
(44:58):
proceedings of yesterday, and I have come this morning as
fast as an express train could bring me to testify
to the truth. Such was the remarkable statement of doctor
Aluisius Lana, which brought the trial to a sudden termination.
A subsequent investigation corroborated it to the extent of finding
out the vessel in which his brother Ernest Larna had
(45:20):
come over from South America. The ship's doctor was able
to testify that he had complained of a weak heart
during the voyage, and that his symptoms were consistent with
such a death as was described as to doctor Aluisias Larana.
He returned to the village from which he had made
so dramatic a disappearance, and a complete reconciliation was effected
(45:41):
between him and the young squire, the latter having acknowledged
that he had entirely misunderstood the other's motives in withdrawing
from his engagement. That another reconciliation followed may be judged
from a notice extracted from a prominent column in the
Morning Post, a marriage which was solemnized upon September nineteenth
(46:02):
by the Reverend Stephen Johnson at the parish church of
Bishop's crossing between Aluisius Xavier Lana, son of Don Alfredo Lana,
formerly Foreign Minister of the Argentine Republic, and Francis Morton,
only daughter of the late James Morton, j P of
Lee Hall. Bishop's Crossing, Lancashire, End of the Black Doctor
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