P.--Hereafter you shall have full liberty to state your argument. For
the present you must be content to answer the questions which I shall
ask you.
A.--I submit.
P.--Were you not soon to be married?
At this question all eyes are turned towards Miss Chandore, who blushes
till she is as red as a poppy, but does not cast down her eyes.
A.--(In a low voice.) Yes.
P.--Did you not write to your betrothed a few hours before the crime was
committed?
A.--Yes, sir; and I sent her my letter by the son of one of my tenants,
Michael.
P.--What did you write to her?
A.--That important business would prevent me from spending the evening
with her.
P.--What was that business?
At the moment when the accused opened his lips to reply, the president
stopped him by a gesture, and said,--
P.--Take care! You were asked this question during the preliminary
investigation, and you replied that you had to go to Brechy to see your
wood-merchant.
A.--I did indeed make that reply on the spur of the moment. It was not
exact.
P.--Why did you tell a falsehood?
A.--(After an expression of indignation, which was noticed by all.) I
could not believe that I was in danger. It seemed to me impossible that
I should be reached by an accusation, which nevertheless, has brought
me into this court. Hence I did not deem it necessary to make my private
affairs public.
P.--But you very soon found out that you were in danger?
A.--Yes, I did.
P.--Why did you not tell the truth then?
A.--Because the magistrate who carried on the investigation had been too
intimate a friend of mine to inspire me with confidence.
P.--Explain yourself more fully.
A.--I must ask leave to say no more. I might, in speaking of M. Galpin,
be found to be wanting in moderation.
A low murmur accompanies this reply made by the accused.
P.--Such murmurs are improper, and I remind the audience of the respect
due to the court.