"And what part, gentlemen, did the wife have in all this? His wife, who
sat through the weary hours of the night waiting for the thing she
loved, while her husband not only lavished his affections but her money
on others--his friends. His friends! Had he friends? If so, where are
they? No, long ago he turned his back on his real friends; they were in
the light; he sought the darkness."
As the prosecutor went on with his merciless flaying, Challoner grew hot
and cold by turns.
"... Gentlemen, behold the result of riotous living!" he declared,
pointing his finger at the prisoner. "The pace that kills!...
"And so, in view of these facts, in view of the prisoner's private
history, I tell you that the defence here is absurd, ridiculous.
Gentlemen, on behalf of the people, in the name of justice, I ask you to
convict this man."
For an instant he stood eyeing the twelve jurors. Then, raising his
right hand solemnly he brought it down with full sudden force upon the
railing between himself and them.
"And let me warn you, gentlemen of the jury," he continued ominously,
"that the honour, the integrity of this metropolis hangs in the balance.
If you acquit this defendant and set him free, the people of this State,
the people of the country, will say henceforth that all that a murderer
need have to secure an acquittal--his freedom, is money, money, money."
As the prosecutor seated himself, there was a gasp of relief from the
people in the court-room. Broderick ventured inside of the railed space
set aside for counsel and shook hands with Thorne.
"Counsellor," he said, "you certainly handled that trial like a veteran.
You saw your duty and you did it."