Guilty Bonds Part 32

"The prisoner, in consequence of some remarks I made to him, showed it to me next day at his hotel. On that occasion he explained that it had been given to him by some man who is now dead."

"Did that not strike you as improbable?"

"Well--yes, it did."

"Did he enter into any further explanation?"

"Very little was said about the seal."

The court was extremely hot. Surely I was becoming fainter and more faint! There was a singing and surging in my ears. Was I falling or standing upright? What were they speaking of? I had lost sight of the face of my friend. I could only see the lines of expectant upturned countenances.

I was really fainting; nevertheless I struggled against it. Something, too, within me told me that I ought to struggle against it, yet everything was swimming and whirling around me, and vague forms seemed rapidly pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing before my vision.

Then I staggered backward into the chair placed for me, and gradually the sense of sickening misery departed.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

MONSIEUR'S OPINION.

The spirit was strong within me not to yield to any growing unconsciousness; not to be subdued by any physical or moral influences.

I again became perfectly calm. I was seated in the chair. A seafaring man was in the witness-box. Nugent was not there. Demetrius, sitting below, was looking at me with an anxious and uneasy expression.

"I recognise the accused," I heard the witness say in reply to a question from the prosecuting counsel. "A recent event has brought me here to give evidence."

"Have you any doubt prisoner is the man you saw emerge from the doorway of Mrs Inglewood's house on the night in question?"

"None."

"Did he appear agitated?"

"Yes; he pa.s.sed me and rushed down the street as fast as he could run."

"Did you not make any attempt to stop him?"

"No; at that time I was unaware of the murder."

"When did you again see him?"

"Not until a few days ago, when I recognised his portrait in a newspaper."

A long cross-examination resulted in the witness firmly adhering to his story, and explaining that as he had been on a long voyage he knew nothing of the occurrence until many months afterwards.

Demetrius, with evident unwillingness, entered the box. His story was brief, yet damaging.

When he had concluded, Mr Roland, adjusting his eye-gla.s.ses, rose and asked:

"You are acquainted with prisoner's wife, I believe?"

"Yes; she is my cousin."

"Where did you go when you left England?"

"I decline to answer."

"You have been the prisoner's guest at Elveham, have you not?"

"Yes."

"And what were these suspicious circ.u.mstances of which you spoke just now?"

"There were several. Late one night, about three weeks ago, I had occasion to enter the library. The door was ajar, and as I pushed it open I saw the accused in the act of impressing a seal, similar to the ones produced. I drew back unnoticed."

It was untrue! He had seen me sealing the envelope containing a lease, and believed I was using the fatal emblem!

I waited breathlessly for the next question.

"Is it a fact that on the night previous to his departure from Elveham, some unpleasant incident occurred?"

"I know nothing of it. I have heard that the prisoner had some little difference with his wife."

"Come, sir," demanded my counsel sharply, "did you not overhear a conversation in the early morning?"

The witness appeared confused.

"Yes, I did," he admitted. "I heard my cousin ask him to wait a stipulated period for an explanation."

"Have you any idea what this explanation is?"

"None."

"Then, after all, you are unable to throw any light whatever upon these mysterious crimes?" he asked, in a strange harsh voice.

"I've told you all I know," replied Demetrius, a trifle paler than before.

Mr Roland flung down his brief upon the table, slowly resumed his seat, and pushed his wig from off his forehead with a perplexed gesture.

I could hardly realise my situation. What could it all possibly mean?

What was the object of this seaman giving evidence when he could throw no light upon the matter, except that he actually saw me following the murderer from Bedford Place?

He had taken a seat in the well of the Court with his face turned towards me.

"Sergius Hertzen."

As the words rang through the place I started. I had not seen Vera's uncle since our marriage, as he went to Zurich immediately afterwards.

There was a shuffling near the door, and the old man entered. As he mounted the steps to the witness-box I noticed he had aged considerably.

"What are you, Mr Hartzen?" Mr Paget asked, referring to his brief at the same moment.