The Winslow Boy Page #5

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Here is the ointment.

No.

Doctors you have won't mind.

Do you have another appointment with them?

Might have.

No sense in spending all this money on

doctors unless you do what they expect.

All right. All right.

That's the boy.

- I say, you look stunning!

- Thank you, Dickie.

Out on the revel with John?

You must have a sixth sense.

There he is.

All right, Violet.

It's only Mr. Watherstone, I'll go.

John, you're late...

Oh...

I'm so sorry, I was expecting a friend.

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

Miss. Winslow, Sir Robert Morton.

Please come in.

- Won't you sit down, Sir Robert. My

father won't be long. - Thank you.

- Won't you sit here? It's far

more comfortable. - No thank you.

- Sir Robert has a most important dinner

appointment, so we came a little early. - I see.

I'm afraid he can only stay a very few

minutes of his most valuable time.

It's a long way for him to come

- So far from his chambers -

- and very good of him to

do it, if I may say so.

I know. I assure you we're

very conscious of it.

Shall I advise your father of our presence?

Yes do, Desmond. You'll find him in

his bedroom having his back rubbed.

Thanks, Kate.

Is there anything I can

get you, Sir Robert?

A glass of sherry or a whisky and soda?

No thank you.

- Do you smoke?

- No thank you.

- I hope you do not mind if I do.

- Why should I?

Many people find it quite shocking.

A lady is surely entitled to behave

as she pleases in her own home.

- Won't you take your coat off, Sir Robert?

- No thank you.

You find it cold in here? I'm sorry.

It's perfectly all right.

At what time are you dining?

- At half past eight.

- Far from here?

Devonshire House.

Oh. Then of course you mustn't

on any account be late.

No.

I suppose you know the history of

this case, do you, Sir Robert?

I believe I have seen most

of the relevant documents.

Do you think we can bring the case

into court by a collusive action?

I really have no idea.

- Curry and Curry seem to think that might hold.

- Do they? They are a very reliable firm.

I'm rather surprised that a case of this

sort should interest you, Sir Robert.

- Are you? - It seems such a very trivial affair,

compared to most of your great triumphs.

I was in court yesterday during your

cross-examination of Len Rogers.

Oh yes.

- It was masterly.

- Thank you.

The verdict must have

pleased you enormously.

Three years hard labour.

Many people believed him

to be innocent, you know.

So I believe.

As it happens, however, he was guilty.

Sir Robert? My husband's so sorry to

have kept you, but he's just coming.

- It's perfectly all right. How do you do? - Sir

Robert is dining at Devonshire House, mother.

Oh, really? Then you have to be

punctual, of course. I do see that..

Here is my husband.

I hope Catherine entertained you all right?

Very well, thank you.

Sir Robert? I'm Arthur Winslow.

- How do you do?

- I understand you are pressed for time.

Yes, he's dining with the

Duchess of Devonshire.

Is he indeed? My son should be down in a

minute. I expect you'll want to examine him..

A few questions perhaps. I fear that's all I'll have time for this evening.

- - I'm sorry to hear that.

He's come down from school

especially for this interview.

And I was hoping that by the end of it. I should know

definitely yes or no if you would accept the brief.

Perhaps Sir Robert would consent to

finish his examination some other time?

- It might be arranged.

- Tomorrow?

Tomorrow is impossible. I'm in court all morning and

in the House of Commons for the rest of the day.

If a further examination should prove necessary,

it will have to be sometime next week.

I see.

- Do forgive me if I sit down.

- Please.

Curry tells me you think it might be

possible to proceed by a Petition of Right.

What is a Petition of Right?

Granting the assumption that the

Admiralty, as the King, can do no wrong -.

I thought that was exactly the

assumption we refused to grant?

Only in law, I mean.

A subject can sue the Crown,

by Petition of Right...

and the practice is for the Attorney General - on

behalf of the King - to endorse the petition...

and allow the case to come to court.

It is interesting to note that the exact

words he uses on such occasions are...

"Let Right Be Done"

"Let Right Be Done."

I like that phrase, sir.

It has a certain ring about it - hasn't it?

"Let Right Be Done"

Come in, Ronnie.

Shut the door.

This is my son Ronald.

Ronnie, this is Sir Robert Morton.

How do you do, sir?

He is going to ask you a few questions. You must

answer them all truthfully - as you always have.

I expect you would like us to leave.

No, provided, of course,

that you don't interrupt.

Do sit down.

Well Ronnie, come over here with me.

Will you stand at the table, facing me?

That's right.

Thank you.

- How old are you?

- Thirteen and four months.

So you were twelve and ten months old

when you left Osborne, is that right?

Yes, sir.

Now I would like you to cast your mind

back to December 17th of last year.

Will you tell me in your own words exactly

what happened to you on that day.

All right. Well, it was a half-holiday,

so we didn't have any work after dinner.

Dinner? At half past twelve?

Yes, at least, until prep at seven.

Prep at seven?

Just before dinner, I went to

the Chief Petty Officer...

and asked him to let me have 15 shillings and 6

pence out of what I had in the college bank.

Why did you do that?

I wanted to buy an air pistol.

- Which cost 15/6?

- Yes, sir.

How much money did you have in

the school bank at the time?

Two pounds three shillings.

So you see, sir, what possible incentive could

there be for him to steal five shillings?

I must ask you to be good enough

not to interrupt me, sir.

Now Ronnie, after you had withdrawn

the 15/6 what did you do?

- I had dinner.

- Then what?

I went back to the locker-room

and put the 15/6 in my locker.

Yes. Then?

I asked permission to go to the post office. I went back to the

locker room, got out the money and went to the post office.

Yes. Go on.

- I bought my postal order.

- With 15/6?

Yes. Then I met Elliot minor.

He said, "I say, isn't it rot? Somebody's broken

into my locker and pinched a postal order."

"I've reported it to the P.O".

Those were Elliott minor's exact words?

Well, he might have used

another word for "rot".

I see.

Continue.

Well then, just before prep I was told

to go along and see Captain Flower.

The woman from the Post Office was there,

and the Captain said, "Is this the boy?"...

and she said "It might be. I can't

be sure. They all look so much alike".

You see? She couldn't identify him.

Go on, Ronnie

Then she said:
"I only know that the boy

who bought a postal order for 15/6 ..."

was the same boy that

cashed one for 5 shillings."

So the captain said ' Did you

buy a postal order for 15/6?"

And I said "Yes"...

and then they made me write Elliot

minor's name on an envelope...

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