A pause. The tape slipped quietly from one spool to the other.

“More-pork!”

Startling and clear as if the owl called from the ridgepole, the second note a minor step up from the first. Then a distant answer. The call and answer were repeated at irregular intervals and then ceased. The listeners waited for perhaps half a minute and then stirred.

“Very successful,” said Dr. Mark. “Lovely sound.”

“But are you sure? Darling, you swear you’re sure?”

It was Susan Bridgeman. They turned, startled, to look at her. She had got to her feet. Her teeth were closed over the knuckles of her right hand. “No!” she whispered. “No, no.”

Solomon Gosse lunged across the table, but the tape was out of his reach and his own voice mocked him.

“Of course I’m sure, my darling. It’s foolproof. He’ll go down with the b-b-b-bridge.”

A Telescript

“Crown Court” was a popular British television series produced by Granada Television Limited. The program presented civil and criminal cases, with members of the audience chosen to act as the jury. Each script therefore gives brief alternate endings. Evil Liver was announced as “the first television play by distinguished crime thriller writer Dame Ngaio Marsh.” It was recorded at the Granada studios in Manchester on July 23, 1975, and broadcast exactly a month later. It lasted an hour and fifteen minutes, including commercial breaks. Among its cast were William Mervyn as the Judge, Jonathan Elsom as the Prosecution Counsel, William Simons as the Defense Counsel, David Waller as Major Ecclestone, and Joan Hickson as Miss Freebody. Joan Hickson would later become famous for her role as Miss Marple in the British series which was broadcast in the United States on the Public Broadcasting System program Mystery and on the Arts and Entertainment cable network.

Although in line with the format of “Crown Court” the script of Evil Liver does not state who was guilty, Ngaio Marsh included clues which, I believe, point toward her solution. At the end of the play, I’ll rejoin you to discuss the various possibilities.

We gratefully acknowledge Granada Television Limited for giving permission to print Evil Liver.

D. G. G.

Cast of Evil Liver:

Mr. Justice Campbell

The Prosecution Counsel, Marcus Golding, QC

The Defense Counsel, Martin O’Connor

Mary Freebody

Major Basil Ecclestone

Dr. Stephen Swale

Thomas Tidwell

Barbara Ecclestone

Dr. Ernest Smithson

Gwendoline Miggs

Wardress

Clerk of Court

Court Usher

Jury Foreman

Court Reporter

Court Reporter: The case you are about to see is fictional. But the jury is made up of members of the public, who will assess the evidence and deliver their own verdict at the end of the program.

(Major Ecclestone is called by the Prosecution Counsel. He takes the witness stand and takes the oath.)

Court Reporter: On March 28th of this year, Miss Mary Freebody’s cat was savaged and killed by Bang, an Alsatian dog belonging to her next-door neighbor, Major Basil Ecclestone. A week later, or the 4th April, meat ordered by the Ecclestones was delivered to the outside safe of their house. That evening Major Ecclestone took from the safe some liver for his dog. The dog ate a portion of the liver, was instantly thrown into violent convulsions, and died. The contents of its stomach were analyzed and found to contain a massive amount of cyanide-of-potassium. A tin of wasp exterminator containing a high proportion of cyanide was found in Miss Freebody’s shrubbery, half empty. The Major made to the police an accusation of attempted murder against Miss Freebody maintaining that she had had the intention of killing not only his dog but himself. A police investigation has led to her being charged, and she now stands trial at the Crown Court in Fulchester.

Golding: … Now Major, if you would just describe the events leading to the—the tragedy. You were away from your house, were you not, during the afternoon of April 4th?

Major: Club. Bridge. Every Friday. (He gestures at the accused) As was well-known to my neighbor.

Golding: Quite so. Your wife was at home, I think?

Major: Migraine. In her room.

Golding: Yes. And you returned — when?

Major: Six-thirty.

Golding: May we have the order of events from then on?

Major: I — ah — I had a drink. Listened to the wireless. Seven o’clock, I went to the safe and got the dog’s food.

Golding: Yes. The safe: where is it?

Major: In the outside wall by the back door. It’s a two-doored safe; you can open it inside from the pantry. The butcher uses the outside door. So could anyone else. (At the prisoner) It’s opposite her bathroom window and her side door. And her gate onto the right-of-way. And my gate onto the right-of-way. She could get to it in a matter of seconds.

Golding: Quite so. We shall come to that presently, Major. Did you use the inside door of the safe into the pantry when you got the dog’s liver?

Major: I did.

Golding: Major, can you describe the wrapping at all? Did you happen to notice it?

Major (Pauses. Looks at prisoner): Matter of fact I did. Two or three layers of the Daily Telegraph.

Golding: Good. So you removed the liver from the safe? And then?

Major: I unwrapped the liver, put it in the dog’s dish and took it out to the kennel.

Golding: The dog being tied up?

Major: Certainly.

Golding: And then?

Major: Put it in front of him.

Golding: How many pieces?

Major: Two. All there was. Only gave him liver on Fridays. Other nights “Doggy Bits” or “Yaps.” Sunday, a bone.

Judge: What are “Doggy Bits” and “Yaps”?

Golding: I understand they are proprietary canine food, my lord.

(The Judge stares at the Major and then nods to Prosecution Counsel to continue.)

Golding: Yes, Major. So you put the dish before the dog. And?

Major: He swallowed part of one piece.

Golding: Yes.

Major: It happened at once. Frightful contortions. Convulsions. Agony. By Gad I’ve seen some terrible sights in my time, but never anything like that. And it was my dog, sir. It was Bang, my dog. My faithful old Bang. (He breaks down, blows his nose and belches. The Judge contemplates him stonily.)

Golding: A most painful experience and I am sorry to revive it. Mercifully it was soon over, was it not?

Major: Nothing merciful about it. (At the prisoner) A fiendish, cold-blooded murder, deliberately brought about by a filthy-minded, vindictive old cat.

Miss Freebody (standing): Cat! Cat! You dare to utter the word!

Major: I do so advisedly, madam. Cat. Cat is what I said and cat is what I meant…

Miss Freebody: Poor defenseless little thing. It was…

Judge: Silence. Silence. If there is any repetition of this grossly improper behavior I shall treat it as a contempt of court. (Turning to the Major) You understand me?

Major (mumbling): Great provocation. Regret—

Judge: What? Speak up,

Major: I apologize, my lord.

Judge: So I should hope. (He nods to Prosecution Counsel)

Golding: My lord. Major Ecclestone, I want you to tell His Lordship and the jury what happened after the death of the dog.

Major: My wife came down. At my suggestion, telephoned Dr. Swale.