Death at the Beggar's Opera Read Online Free PDF Page B

ways in which an individual could die, the most common being by strangulation. Criminals who met their end at Tyburn all perished by this relatively slow means, having first kicked out the dance of death at the end of the rope. However, it was not unknown for a victim to overcome such an ordeal. Occasionally, when the crowd had dispersed and they were alone, friends of the villain would cut him down and save his life. John had heard of one such highwayman who, only recently, had survived hanging with little more than permanent damage to his vocal cords. Yet, when the victim fell several feet with the noose around his throat, it was an entirely different matter. Such a drop would dislocate the neck and crush the vital centres in the medulla, putting a swift end to life.
    Knowing this, the Apothecary, his fingers light as a bird, examined the bones of Jasper Harcross’s neck to gauge their condition. Sure enough, the mass at the base of the skull had broken through its ligament. The actor had died at the moment of his fall through the shattered platform.
    John glanced up to see that David Garrick had come onto the stage and was angrily waving away the crowd of onlookers. The great actor-manager crouched down beside him as the Apothecary turned his attention once more to the corpse, closing the staring eyes and looking round for some kind of cloth to put over him.
    ‘Is he dead?’
    ‘Yes, I’m afraid so.’
    ‘But how did it happen?’ asked Garrick, repeating an earlier question of Dick’s.
    ‘I don’t know,’ John answered grimly. ‘But I intend to find out.’
    Straightening up, he walked towards the box bearing the gallows, now standing innocently at the back of the stage. Then before anyone could question his actions he ducked his head and once more stepped inside. The wooden planks which had formed the platform were directly above him, hanging down where they had broken beneath Jasper Harcross’s feet. Carefully, John raised his quizzing glass to examine them. At the top of the break the wood was rough and jagged, like a smashed spar, but underneath, most curiously, it was neat and orderly. Standing on tip-toe, John brought his magnifier to within an inch of the broken planking. Then he gave an exclamation as everything became horribly clear. Very sombre now, he stepped out of the box and addressed himself to the actor-manager.
    ‘Mr Garrick, can you tell me what has happened to the rest of my party please?’
    ‘The Comte and Comtesse have returned home, but your friend Mr Swann insisted upon remaining. He said he might be required to help.’ David Garrick assumed a stern and somewhat officious face. ‘Now, if you’d be so good, I’d be obliged if you would kindly tell me what you are doing, Sir. I would have thought you to have stepped outside your province as an apothecary, if I may say so.’
    ‘You are right of course,’ John answered shortly. ‘But the fact of the matter is I have now adopted my other role.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘To act from time to time as one of Mr Fielding’s Runners. And in that capacity, Mr Garrick, I would indeed like to call upon the assistance of Samuel Swann.’
    ‘To do what?’
    ‘To go to Bow Street and ask for one of their representatives to come here immediately.’
    ‘Are you saying that Mr Harcross has met with foul play?’ asked Garrick, bolt-eyed.
    John nodded solemnly. ‘Yes, I believe so. As far as I can see, and I am certain Dick will confirm this, the platform upon which the poor wretch tried to stand was deliberately sawn through. In short, Mr Garrick, we are not dealing with a case of accidental death after all.’
    ‘You can’t mean Jasper was murdered!’ said an unidentifiable female voice.
    ‘I’m afraid,’ answered John, turning to face the group of actors, who still stood huddled upon the stage, ‘that that is precisely what I do mean.’

Chapter Three
    It was the proud boast of Mr John Fielding, Principal Magistrate of the lawless town