"What have you found out?"
"That you swore falsely, and I cannot imagine that you would do it for nothing."
"Look here," he said, still trembling, "you don't know nothing at all. You're trying to gammon me, but I don't take on. Do you understand? I know how to keep my mouth shut as well as other people."
"Very good. I came to you as a friend. If you like to risk the consequences of a trial for perjury, that's your look-out."
"If I do, I don't go into the dock alone, mind you that."
"No, I guess when you get into the dock, you'll have to make a clean breast of it. Why not do it now and avoid going into the dock?"
"You mean, if I tell the truth about—about—somebody, you won't proceed?"
"I mean, I want to get hold of a certain fact. The fact of your committing perjury is already settled. What I want to know is, how much did the gentleman I have named pay you for doing it?"
"Look here," he said, "if I tell you all I know about that blooming trial, will you promise not to split on me?"
"Only on one condition."