“I believe he was.”
“And your were also attached to him? The feeling was reciprocal, I suppose, eh?”
The witness did not make any reply. There was a dead silence in the court.
“Why do you not answer my question?” said the lawyer.
“I don’t know that you have any right to put such a question.”
“Oh! but I have,” he returned, with a chuckle; “a perfect right. You must allow me to be the best judge of that.”
Mr. Chicknell came to the rescue. He rose, and addressing the bench, said—
“I strongly object to any such question being put to the witness. It is irrelevant.”
“I do not see that it bears upon the case,” observed Lord Ethalwood, “but if Mr. Slapperton insists——”
“I do insist, my lord,” cried Slapperton, “and I greatly object to Mr. Chicknell interfering with me in my line of defence.