Part 25 (1/2)
While the judge was making a keen comparison, counsel continued the cross-examination.
”You are aware that this letter caused a separation between Sir Charles Ba.s.sett and the lady he was engaged to?”
”I know nothing about it.”
”Indeed! Well, were you acquainted with the Miss Somerset mentioned in this letter?”
”Slightly.”
”You have been at her house?”
”Once or twice.”
”Which? Twice is double as often as once, you know.”
”Twice.”
”No more?”
”Not that I recollect.”
”You wrote to her?”
”I may have.”
”Did you, or did you not?”
”I did.”
”What was the purport of that letter?”
”I can't recollect at this distance of time.”
”On your oath, sir, did you not write urging her to co-operate with you to keep Sir Charles Ba.s.sett from marrying his affianced, Miss Bella Bruce, to whom that anonymous letter was written with the same object?”
The perspiration now rolled in visible drops down the tortured liar's face. Yet still, by a gigantic effort, he stood firm, and even planted a blow.
”I did not write the anonymous letter. But I believe I told Miss Somerset I loved Miss Bruce, and that _her_ lover was robbing me of mine, as he had robbed me of everything else.”
”And that was all you said--on your oath?”
”All I can recollect.” With this the strong man, cowed, terrified, expecting his letter to Somerset to be produced, and so the iron chain of evidence completed, gasped out, ”Man, you tear open all my wounds at once!” and with this burst out sobbing, and lamenting aloud that he had ever been born.
Counsel waited calmly till he should be in a condition to receive another dose.
”Oh, will n.o.body stop this cruel trial?” said Lady Ba.s.sett, with the tears trickling down her face.
The judge heard this remark without seeming to do so.
He said to defendant's counsel, ”Whatever the truth may be, you have proved enough to show Sir Charles Ba.s.sett might well have an honest conviction that Mr. Ba.s.sett had done a dastardly act. Whether a jury would ever agree on a question of handwriting must always be doubtful.
Looking at the relations.h.i.+p of the parties, is it advisable to carry this matter further? If I might advise the gentlemen, they would each consent to withdraw a juror.”