Libel Page #7

- Know one who didn't could have

described so well the Mark

that I fell in love with.

But now you made a mistake.

- Have the courage to say so.

- How can I?

I saw him lying there dead.

But you just said,

you couldn't see his face.

How can you be sure it was Mark?

Are you sure the man

you married is Mark?

Is he the same Mark

you felt in love with?

Well, naturally because of all his...

Look.

Do you think I like

doing this to you?

You see.

I feel I know you.

Because...

well because...

Mark talked so much about you.

Made me feel rather proud

because he...

let me share a little bit of

how he felt.

- Sorry, I can't put it into words.

- You don't have to.

Do you know the last time he spoke to me

it was about you?

Was it? - Yes, it was that

night I went off to get food.

He left Welney and came after me,

trying again to stop me and go himself.

He said that if anything happen

would I take back the last thing

that you gave him?

- Well of course I wouldn't let him.

- The last thing I've ever gave him.

Yes, it was a little charm, a medallion.

Well, of course I didn't let him...

He didn't bring it back, did he?

- I expect he lost it.

- And he's never mentioned it, has he?

- He's probably forgotten all about it.

- The

last thing you gave

him before France.

- He's forgotten so many things.

- Yes.

He's forgotten so many things.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Buckenham.

Mark has forgotten so many things

much more important things

than my medallion.

But one thing I know,

he is not this Frank Welney

you described.

He is Mark.

Your name is Heinrich Schrott.

You are physician and surgeon

to the mental home at Cleaves.

That is true for the last 20 years.

Mr. Schrott is your English good enough

to enable you to follow my questions

without an interpreter.

Sufficiently, yes.

I've learnt the language from

a phonograph playing records.

- Splendid. I...

- Splendid, yes.

I hope your memory is

equally good, Dr. Schrott.

Can you by any chance remember

something which happened

two days before

the surrender in 1945?

Yes and no. So many things

happened those days.

Was someone brought to you who've

been found near Oxbridge over the canal?

Yes, a man in a British

army jacket.

What was his condition

when he was brought to you?

Terrible. More dead than alive.

- But he had not been shot?

- No.

Skull fracture.

The face unrecognizable.

Right arm smashed,

we had to amputate.

You didn't happen to notice

whether any of the fingers were missing?

No, it was an emergency operation.

I don't remember now.

- Did your patient die, doctor?

- Yes and no.

The body of my poor unfortunate

slowly recovered but

the mind is lost, blows,

damaged his brain.

- I see.

- He breathes.

It is true he eats, he sleeps but...

he is not alive.

Doctor,

the extinction of life

is murder, is it not?

Yes.

Would you so kind as to tell us

what has happened to this living corpse?

Ever since he's been

an inmate of our home

we call him Nummer Fnfzehn.

Number 15.

Number 15? Why?

That's the number of his bed,

we have no other name.

I understand you can produce 1 or 2

exhibits associated with this sad case.

Yes.

Khaki jacket. Number 15

was wearing at the time.

As the jury will see for themselves it

is that of a Major's of the British Army,

the rank of Sir Mark Loddon.

You say Dr. Schrott no one has been

able to identify him.

Isn't it possible that the sight of

a well-known face

might revive the memory

of this unfortunate man?

It's just possible.

Please, bring Number 15 into court!

You bloody swine.

Doctor, did your patient ever say anything

even unconsciously to indicate his

assailant might have been known to him?

Might even have been a former friend?

Nein, nein, it was not a friend.

It was a murderer.

Is there anything at all about the jacket

that might indicate its ownership?

Apart from the fact that it belonged to

a Major in the British Army.

- Nothing.

- Then I need hardly remind the jury

that there was more than one Major

in the British Army.

Now I want you to be perfectly clear

on one point doctor.

Nobody has identified him.

Nobody claims to know who he is.

That is so.

And I'm going to suggest you

that he can not possibly

be Sir Mark Loddon.

Since Sir Mark Loddon is here

alive and well.

My Lord, surely that's for the jury

to decide.

Is this man Mark Loddon

or is he Frank Welney?

I suggest that after this evidence

the jury can give but one answer.

That will be all, Dr Schrott.

Sir. Mark, I'm going

to call your wife.

After that evidence I

have no other choice.

Sir Mark, this is our only hope.

- All right.

- Lady Loddon, please.

I would like your Lordship's permission

to call Lady Loddon.

- Certainly.

- Lady Loddon.

- What is your full name?

- Margaret Loddon.

Take the book in your right hand

and raise your hand.

Repeat after me.

- I swear by Almighty God,

- I swear by Almighty God,

- that the evidence I shall give,

- that the evidence I shall give,

- shall be the truth,

- shall be the truth,

- the whole truth.

- The whole truth

- and nothing but the truth.

- And nothing but the truth.

You are Lady Loddon?

Wife of Sir Mark Loddon,

seventh Baronet of Ingworth Hall?

Yes.

In 1946 you were married at

Ingworth church.

Yes.

Was the plaintiff married to you

bearing the name of Sir Mark Loddon?

Yes.

And did you at any time have any reason

to doubt his identity?

No.

And do you still believe

that your husband the

plaintiff in this action

is Sir Mark Loddon?

Lady Loddon?

No, no he is not Mark Loddon.

Silence!

Lady Loddon I feel we owe his Lordship

and the jury an explanation.

I called you to give evidence

for your husband.

The court realizes that this trial has

been a very great deal to you.

Do you still wish to affirm

what you have just said?

I must ask you to answer

my question.

Yes, I do.

What made you change your mind?

What I have just seen and heard.

But at what point did you know,

did you come to believe...

that your husband was not

Sir Mark Loddon?

When I saw he recognized

Number 15.

And that poor creature

recognized him.

I'm going to put it to you that you may

have misinterpreted what you just saw.

No.

I couldn't misinterpret the horror

and the guilt I saw on my husband's face.

Lady Loddon, you are married

to the plaintiff.

You have lived together

as husband and wife.

You have a child.

You've never had any doubts up to now.

I'm going to suggest to you

that the shock of your recent

experience has clouded your judgment.

No! It is cleared it.

I have always known that

the Mark who came back to me

was not the Mark I knew

and loved before the war,

but I thought that was because

all he had been through.

Now I know,

he never came back at all.

I have no further questions to put.

Lady Loddon believe me I would willingly

spare you any further questions,

but there is just one

that must be answered.

Must not then that pitiful creature

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