Part 18 (2/2)
”Yes.”
”How soon after your return did you learn that he had been too attentive to your wife?”
”I must object, your Honor,” interjected Mr. Munson. ”Counsel is again endeavoring to impeach our witness, and I must once more maintain that it is too late to do so.”
”The question is allowed,” replied the Recorder.
”But, your Honor,” persisted Mr. Munson, ”you ruled yesterday that questions of this nature could not be asked.”
”I know very well what I ruled, Mr. Munson,” said the Recorder, sharply. ”You objected yesterday to evidence against Dr. Meredith's ability as a physician, and I sustained you. This is a different matter. As I understand it, counsel is now endeavoring to show that Dr. Meredith was a prejudiced witness. I shall allow the fullest lat.i.tude in that direction.”
”We thank you very much, your Honor,” said Mr. Bliss, and then turned to his client saying: ”Please answer my question.”
”I knew of it before I returned. In fact, it was because of letters from my wife, complaining of this man, that I shortened my trip abroad.”
”What happened between you after your return?”
”I charged him with his unfaithfulness to his trust, and we quarrelled. Had he been a larger man, I should have thrashed him!”
”Was it after this that you attacked one of his papers in debate?”
”Yes, immediately afterwards. In fact I think that the quarrel between us had much to do with it. He must have been in a very disturbed frame of mind, to have written such a blundering thesis, for ordinarily he is a skilful physician.”
”Then, on the whole, Dr. Meredith was inaccurate when he said that you and he are not enemies?”
”He simply lied.”
”You must not use such language,” said the Recorder, quickly.
”I must apologize to your Honor,” replied Dr. Medjora. ”But when I think of what this man has done to me, it is difficult to control myself.”
”But you must control yourself,” said the Recorder.
”Now, then, Doctor,” said Mr. Bliss, ”please tell us of your acquaintance with your wife prior to marriage.” Thereafter Mr. Bliss always spoke of the dead girl as the wife, thus forcing that fact upon the attention of the jury. Dr. Medjora replied:
”I met my wife when she was scarcely more than a school-girl, and I became interested in her because, as her mother hinted, she was above her people, being far superior to them in intelligence and demeanor. I cannot say when my friends.h.i.+p increased to a warmer feeling, but I think that I first became aware of it, by seeing her mother beat her!”
”You saw your wife's mother beat her, you say?”
”I called one evening, without previous warning, and the door of the cottage being open, I felt privileged to walk in. I saw the girl down on her knees, before the mother, who held her by the hair with one hand, whilst she struck her in the face with the other.”
”Did you interfere?”
”I was much enraged at the cruel exhibition, and I took the girl from her mother forcibly. After that I went to the house oftener, and we became more closely attached to one another. The mother never spoke civilly to me after that occurrence.”
”Mrs. Sloane testified that she had had a quarrel with her daughter, shortly after which she disappeared. What do you know of that?”
”Mabel wrote to me that her mother had again undertaken to beat her. I use the word advisedly, because it was not a chastis.e.m.e.nt such as a parent may be privileged to indulge in. Mrs. Sloane would strike her daughter with her fists, bruising her face, neck, and body. Besides, Mabel was no longer a child. When I heard this, I sent a message instructing Mabel to meet me in Newark. There we were married.”
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