Part 14 (1/2)
”I can't say that. Her ladys.h.i.+p was very much excited. She cried and begged me to help her to escape.”
A murmur of excitement ran through the hall.
”What did you say to her?”
”I told her that she was his lords.h.i.+p's lawful wife; that she had vowed before G.o.d to honour and obey him in all things.”
”Had she ever made an attempt to escape?”
”No, sir.”
”Did she ever give you any reason for wis.h.i.+ng to do so?”
”She told me that his lords.h.i.+p threatened to shut her up in a lunatic asylum, but I a.s.sured her he would never do so. He loved her too much.”
”You consider that he was very devoted to her?”
The woman closed her eyes for a second.
”He loved her as I have never before known a man love a woman,” she answered, with suppressed vehemence.
”Why then did he send for the doctors to commit her to an inst.i.tution?”
”I do not know.”
At this point of the interrogation Cyril scribbled a few words, which he gave to one of the footmen to carry to the coroner. When the latter had read them, he asked:
”Did you consider her ladys.h.i.+p a dangerous lunatic?”
”No, sir.”
”Why, then, did you prophesy that she would kill your master?”
The woman trembled slightly and her hand again sought the cross.
”I--I believed Lord Wilmersley's time had come, but I knew not how he would die. I did not know that she would be the instrument--only I feared it.”
”Why did you think his lords.h.i.+p's days were numbered?”
”Sir, if I were to tell you my reasons, you would say that they were not reasons. You would call them superst.i.tions and me a foolish old woman. I believe what I believe, and you, what you have been taught. G.o.d shall judge. Suffice it, sir, that my reasons for believing that his lords.h.i.+p would die soon are not such as would appeal to your common-sense.”
”H'm, well--I confess that signs and omens are not much in my line, but I must really insist upon your giving some explanation as to why you feared that your mistress would murder Lord Wilmersley.”
The woman's lips twitched convulsively and her eyes glowed with sombre fire.
”Because--if you will know it--he loved her more than was natural--he loved her more than his G.o.d; and the Lord G.o.d is a jealous G.o.d.”
”And this is really your only reason for your extraordinary supposition?”
”For me it is enough,” she replied.