“If you will but be patient, monsieur! I saw a man with a woman in his arms, and I fear that I must mention the name of the man. It is not necessary to give the name of the woman, but I have it written here”—he tapped the paper—“and there is no mistake in the identity. The man’s name is George Masson, master-carpenter, of the town of Laplatte in the province of Quebec.”
George Masson was as one hit between the eyes. He made a motion as though to ward off a blow. “Name of Peter, old cock!” he exclaimed abruptly. “You saw enough certainly, if you saw that, and you needn’t mention the lady’s name, as you say. The evidence is not merely circumstantial. You saw it with your own eyes, and you are an official of the Court, and have the ear of the Judge, and you look like a saint to a jury. Well for sure, I can’t prove defamation of character, as you say. But what then—what do you want?”
“What I want I hope you may be able to grant without demur, monsieur. I want you to give your pledge on the Book”—he laid his hand on a Testament lying on the table—“that you will hold no further communication with the lady.”
“Where do you come inhere? What’s your standing in the business?” Masson jerked out his words now. The Clerk of the Court made a reproving gesture. “Knowing what I did, what I had seen, it was clear that I must approach one or other of the parties concerned. Out of regard for the lady I could not approach her husband, and so betray her; out of regard for the husband I could not approach himself and destroy his peace; out of regard for all concerned I could not approach the lady’s father, for then—”
Masson interrupted with an oath.
“That old reprobate of Cadiz—well no, bagosh!
“And so you whisked me into your office with the talk of urgent business and—”
“Is not the business urgent, monsieur?”
“Not at all,” was the sharp reply of the culprit.
“Monsieur, you shock me. Do you consider that your conduct is not criminal? I have here”—he placed his hand on a book—“the Statutes of Victoria, and it lays down with wholesome severity the law concerning the theft of the affection of a wife, with the accompanying penalty, going as high as twenty thousand dollars.”