“I am afraid—dreadfully afraid, her acquittal will be a very desperate affair,” answered Timms, passing his hands down his face, as if to wipe away his weakness. “The deeper I get into the matter, the worse it appears!”
“Have you given our client any intimation to this effect?”
“I hadn’t the heart to do it. She is just as composed, and calm, and tranquil, and judicious—yes, and ingenious, as if she were only the counsel in this affair of life and death! I couldn’t distrust so much tranquillity. I wish I knew her history!”
“My interrogatories pointed out the absolute necessity of her furnishing us with the means of enlightening the court and jury on that most material point, should the worst come to the worst.”
“I know they did, sir; but they no more got at the truth than my own pressing questions. I should like to see that lady on the stand, above all things! I think she would bother saucy Williams, and fairly put him out of countenance. By the way, sir, I hear he is employed against us by the nephew, who is quite furious about the loss of the money, which he pretends was a much larger sum than the neighbourhood has commonly supposed.”
“I have always thought the relations would employ some one to assist the public prosecutor in a case of this magnitude. The theory of our government is that the public virtue will see the laws executed; but, in my experience, Timms, this public virtue is a very acquiescent and indifferent quality, seldom troubling itself even to abate a nuisance, until its own nose is offended, or its own pocket damaged.”
“Roguery is always more active than honesty—I found that out long since, ’Squire. But, it is nat’ral for a public prosecutor not to press one on trial for life, and the accused a woman, closer than circumstances seem to demand. It is true, that popular feeling is strong ag’in Mary Monson; but it was well in the nephew to fee such a bull-dog as Williams, if he wishes to make a clean sweep of it.”
“Does our client know this?”
“Certainly; she seems to know all about her case, and has a strange pleasure in entering into the mode and manner of her defence. It would do your heart good, sir, to see the manner in which she listens, and advises, and consults. She’s wonderful handsome at such times!”
“You are in love, Timms; and I shall have to engage some other assistant. First Jack, and then you! Umph! This is a strange world, of a verity.”