A Terrible Temptation: A Story of To-Day Part 24

_Counsel._--I will endeavor to provoke none, my lord. It is a very simple case, and I shall not occupy you long. Well, gentlemen, Mr.

Ba.s.sett is a poor man, by no fault of his; but if he is poor, he is proud and honorable. He has met the frowns of fortune like a gentleman--like a man. He has not solicited government for a place. He has not whined nor lamented. He has dignified unmerited poverty by prudence and self-denial; and, unable to forget that he is a Ba.s.sett, he has put by a little money every year, and bought a small estate or two, and had even applied to the Lord-Lieutenant to make him a justice of the peace, when a most severe and unexpected blow fell upon him.

Among those large proprietors who respected him in spite of his humbler circ.u.mstances was Mr. Hardwicke, one of the county members. Well, gentlemen, on the 21st of last May Mr. Ba.s.sett received a letter from Mr. Hardwicke inclosing one purporting to be from Sir Charles Ba.s.sett--

_The Judge._--Does Sir Charles Ba.s.sett admit the letter?

_Defendant's Counsel_ (after a word with Oldfield).--Yes, my lord.

_Plaintiff's Counsel._--A letter admitted to be written by Sir Charles Ba.s.sett. That letter shall be read to you.

The letter was then read.

The counsel resumed: "Conceive, if you can, the effect of this blow, just as my unhappy and most deserving client was rising a little in the world. I shall prove that it excluded him from Mr. Hardwicke's house, and other houses too. He is a man of too much importance to risk affronts. He has never entered the door of any gentleman in this county since his powerful relative published this cruel libel. He has drawn his Spartan cloak around him, and he awaits your verdict to resume that place among you which is due to him in every way--due to him as the heir in direct line to the wealth, and, above all, to the honor of the Ba.s.setts; due to him as Sir Charles Ba.s.sett's heir at law; and due to him on account of the decency and fort.i.tude with which he has borne adversity, and with which he now repels foul-mouthed slander."

"Hear! hear!"

"Silence in the court!"

"I have done, gentlemen, for the present. Indeed, eloquence, even if I possessed it, would be superfluous; the facts speak for themselves.--Call James Hardwicke, Esq."

Mr. Hardwicke proved the receipt of the letter from Sir Charles, and that he had sent it to Mr. Ba.s.sett; and that Mr. Ba.s.sett had not entered his house since then, nor had he invited him.

Mr. Ba.s.sett was then called, and, being duly trained by Wheeler, abstained from all heat, and wore an air of dignified dejection. His counsel examined him, and his replies bore out the opening statement.

Everybody thought him sure of a verdict.

He was then cross-examined. Defendant's counsel pressed him about his unfair way of shooting. The judge interfered, and said that was trifling. If there was no substantial defense, why not settle the matter?

"There is a defense, my lord."

"Then it is time you disclosed it."

"Very well, my lord. Mr. Ba.s.sett, did you ever write an anonymous letter?"

"Not that I remember."

"Oh, that appears to you a trifle. It is not so considered."

_The Judge._--Be more particular in your question.

"I will, my lord.--Did you ever write an anonymous letter, to make mischief between Sir Charles and Lady Ba.s.sett?"

"Never," said the witness; but he turned pale.

"Do you mean to say you did not write this letter to Miss Bruce? Look at the letter, Mr. Ba.s.sett, before you reply."

Ba.s.sett cast one swift glance of agony at Wheeler; then braced himself like iron. He examined the letter attentively, turned it over, lived an age, and said it was not his writing.

"Do you swear that?"

"Certainly."

_Defendant's Counsel._--I shall ask your lordship to take down that reply. If persisted in, my client will indict the witness for perjury.

_Plaintiff's Counsel._--Don't threaten the witness as well as insult him, please.

_The Judge._--He is an educated man, and knows the duty he owes to G.o.d and the defendant.--Take time, Mr. Ba.s.sett, and recollect. Did you write that letter?"

"No, my lord."

Counsel waited for the judge to note the reply, then proceeded.

"You have lately corresponded with Lady Ba.s.sett, I think?"

"Yes. Her ladyship opened a correspondence with me."

"It is a lie!" roared Sir Charles Ba.s.sett from the door of the grand jury room.

"Silence in the court!"

_The Judge._--Who made that unseemly remark?

_Sir Charles._--I did, my lord. My wife never corresponded with the cur.

_The Plaintiff._--It is only one insult more, gentlemen, and as false as the rest. Permit me, my lord. My own counsel would never have put the question. I would not, for the world, give Lady Ba.s.sett pain; but Sir Charles and his counsel have extorted the truth from me. Her ladyship did open a correspondence with me, and a friendly one.

_The Plaintiff's Counsel._--Will your lordship ask whether that was after the defendant had written the libel?

The question was put, and answered in the affirmative.

Lady Ba.s.sett hid her face in her hands. Sir Charles saw the movement, and groaned aloud.

_The Judge._--I beg the case may not be enc.u.mbered with irrelevant matter.

Counsel replied that the correspondence would be made evidence in the case. _(To the witness.)_--"You wrote this letter to Lady Ba.s.sett?"

"Yes."

"And every word in it?"

"And every word in it," faltered Ba.s.sett, now ashy pale, for he began to see the trap.

"Then you wrote this word 'character,' and this word 'injured,' and this word--"

_The Judge_ (peevishly).--He tells you he wrote every word in those letters to Lady Ba.s.sett.--What more would you have?

_Counsel._--If your lordship will be good enough to examine the correspondence, and compare those words in it I have underlined with the same words in the anonymous letter, you will perhaps find I know my business better than you seem to think. (The counsel who ventured on this remonstrance was a sergeant.)

"Brother Eitherside," said the judge, with a charming manner, "you satisfied me of that, to my cost, long ago, whenever I had you against me in a case. Please hand me the letters."