“Miss Page, do you know what perjury is?”
“Your Honour——”
Miss Page’s lightning promptitude cut through the prosecutor’s voice: “It’s a demonstrably false statement made under oath, isn’t it?”
“Just wait a minute, please, Miss Page. Your Honour, I respectfully submit that this entire line of cross-examination by Mr. Lambert is extremely objectionable. I have let it go this far because I don’t want to prolong this trial with a lot of unnecessary bickering; but, as far as I can see, he has simply been entertaining the jury with a series of exciting little episodes that there is not a shred of reason to believe are not the offspring of his own fertile imagination. According to Miss Page, they are just exactly that. They are, however, skilfully calculated to prejudice her in the eyes of the jury, and when Mr. Lambert goes so far as to imply in no uncertain manner that Miss Page’s denial of these fantasies is perjury, I can no longer——”
“Your Honour, do you consider this oration for the benefit of the jury proper?” Mr. Lambert’s voice was unsteady with rage.
“I do not, sir. Nor do I consider it the only impropriety that has occurred. I see no legitimate place in cross-examination for a request for a definition of perjury. However, you have received your reply. You may proceed with your cross-examination.”
“Miss Page, when you realized that Mrs. Ives was talking to someone on the telephone, why did you not go on into the house?”
“Because I was interested in what she was saying.”
“So you eavesdropped, eh?”
“Yes.”