Then nervously, fearfully, looking round the Court-house as if in terror of being seen or heard, the old woman told the story of the first Saturday in August.
"So your husband deliberately shut the girl out of the house in the middle of the night, knowing well she had nowhere else to go to?"
"Yes, if you plaze, Sir."
"It's a lie—a scandalous lie!" cried somebody at the back of the court.
"Who's that?" asked the Governor, and he was told by the Inspector of Police (who was already laying hold of the interrupter) that it was the husband of the witness.
"A respectable man's character is being sworn away," cried Dan. "Put me in the box and I'll swear it's a lie."
In the tumult that followed the Deemster raised his hand.
"This Court has been fenced," he said severely, "and if anybody attempts to brawl here...."
"Then let me be sworn. I'm only a plain Manxman, blood and bone, but I can tell the truth as well as some that make a bigger mouth."
"Behave yourself!"