The Winslow Boy Page #6

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and compared it to the

signature on the postal order.

Then they sent me to the sanatorium

and ten days I was sacked.

- I mean - expelled.

- Right.

When the captain asked you to write Elliot's name on an envelope,

how did you write it? With christian name or initials?

- I wrote Charles K. Elliot.

- Charles K. Elliot.

Did you by any chance happen to see the

forged postal order in the captain's office?

Yes, the captain showed it to me.

- Before or after you had written

Elliot's name on the envelope? - After.

After. And did you happen to see how Elliot's

name was written on the postal order?

Yes, sir. The same.

- The same? Charles K. Elliot?

- Yes, sir.

When you wrote the name on the envelope,

what made you choose that particular form?

That was the way he

usually signed his name.

How did you know?

- He was a great friend of mine.

- That is no answer. How did you know?

- I'd seen him sign things.

- What things?

Oh - ordinary things...

- I repeat, what things?

- Bits of paper.

Bits of paper?

Why did he sign his name on bits of paper?

I don't know.

You do know.

Why did he sign his name on bits of paper?

He was practising his signature.

- And you saw him?

- Yes.

Did he know that you saw him?

Well... yes.

In other words, he showed you

exactly how he wrote his signature.

Yes, I suppose he did.

Did you practise writing it yourself?

- I might have done - What do you mean you

might have done? Did you or did you not?

Yes.

Ronnie, you never told me that.

- It was only for a joke. - Never mind

whether it was for a joke or not.

The fact is you practiced

forging Elliot's signature,.

- It wasn't forging.

- What do you call it then?

Writing.

Very well. Writing.

Whoever stole the postal order and cashed it

also wrote Elliot's signature, didn't he?

- Yes.

- And oddly enough...

in the exact form in which you had earlier

been practising "writing" Elliot's signature.

- I say, who's side are you on?

- Quiet! Don't be impertinent!

Are you aware that the Admiralty sent the

postal order to Mr Ridgely-Pierce...

the greatest handwriting

expert in the country? - Yes.

And you know that Mr Ridgely-Pierce

affirmed that there was no doubt...

that the signature on the postal order and

the signature you wrote on the envelope...

- ...were by one and the same hand?

- Yes.

- Yet you still say that you didn't

forge that signature? - Yes, I do.

In other words, Mr. Ridgely-Pierce

doesn't know his job?

Well he's wrong anyway.

Now, when you went into the locker

room after dinner, were you alone?

- I do not remember.

- I think you do.

Were you alone in the locker room?

- Yes.

- And you knew which was Elliot's locker?

Yes. Of course.

- Why do you go in there at all?

- I told you. To put my 15/6 away.

What did you do after

leaving the locker room?

I told you. I went to get permission

to go to the post office.

What time was that?

About 1:
45.

Dinner is over at 1:15, which means that you

were in the locker room for half an hour.

- I wasn't there all that time.

- How long were you there?

- About five minutes. - What were you

doing for the other twenty five?

I don't remember.

It's odd that your memory is so good about

some things and so bad about others.

Perhaps I waited outside the C.O.'s office.

Perhaps you waited outside the C.O.'s office!

And perhaps no one saw you there either?

No, I don't think they did.

What were you thinking about outside

C.O.'s office for 25 minutes?

I don't even know if I was there.

I can't remember.

Perhaps I wasn't there at all.

No! Perhaps you were still in the

locker room rifling Elliot's locker

- Sir Robert, I must ask you...

- Quiet!

I remember now. I remember. Someone did see me outside the C.O,'s office.

A chap called Casey.

I remember I spoke to him.

- What did you say? - I said 'Come down to the post

office with me. I'm going to cash a postal order'.

- Cash a postal order?

- I mean get.

You said cash. Why did you

say cash if you meant get?

- I don't know!

- I suggest cash was the truth.

No, no! It wasn't. it wasn't really.

You're muddling me.

You seem easily muddled.

How many other lies have you told?

- None. Really I haven't

- I suggest your whole testimony is a lie.

No! It's the truth.

I suggest there is barely one single word of

truth in anything you have said either to me...

or to the Judge Advocate

or to the Captain!

I suggest that you broke

into Elliot's locker...

that you stole the postal order for

5 shillings belonging to Elliot...

that you cashed it by

forging Elliot's name!

No, no. I didn't..

Furthermore, I suggest that by

continuing to deny your guilt...

you are causing great

hardship to your own family...

and considerable annoyance to high

and important persons in this country.

- That's a disgraceful thing to say!

- I agree

I suggest that the time has at last come for you

to undo some of the misery you have caused..

By confessing to us all now...

that you are a forger,

a liar, and a thief!

I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!

I didn't do it -.

This is outrageous!

I didn't do it. I didn't do it.

Can I give you a lift?

My car is at the door.

No, thank you.

Well, send all this stuff round to my

chambers tomorrow morning, will you?

But - will you need it now?

Need it?

Of course.

The boy is plainly innocent. I

accept the brief. Good night.

Curry and Curry 55 pounds,

13 shillings and 4 pence.

All together:
627 pounds,

3 shillings and 2 pence.

The solicitor's bills alone amount to

324 pounds...

Not a monetary reserve.

Now there Winslow, I never thought the time would come when

I should have to speak like this to you of all people.

You, who sat in that chair for ten years

offering sound advice on core common sense.

But I must point out that your overdraft

is well over the agreed limit.

And you have no further

securities, have you?

I'm afraid that if you really intend to proceed with this

case, you'll be making things very uncomfortable for yourself

You have to cut down on every little

expense absolutely ruthlessly.

I know.

My dear fellow. Take the

advice of an old friend.

Think twice before you waste another penny.

Grazia, signore.

Dickie!

I want to ask you a question.

But before I do so...

I must impress on you the urgent

necessity for an absolutely truthful answer

Naturally.

Naturally means "by nature"...

and I've not yet noticed that it has invariably

been your nature to answer my questions truthfully.

Oh. Well I will, this one.

Father, I promise.

Very well.

What do you say one of

your bookmaker friends...

would be prepared to lay in the way

of odds against your getting a degree?

You don't want to have a bet, do you?

No, Dickie. I'm not a gambler.

And that's exactly the trouble. I'm no longer

in a position to gamble 200 a year...

on an outside chance.

Not an outside chance, Father.

A good chance.

Not good enough, Dickie.

With things as they are at the moment.

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