Her face was blue with rage, her voice was coarse and husky, her mouth was full of ugly and vulgar words—all the traces of her common upbringing coming uppermost.
At length, out of breath and exhausted, she broke into sobs. This quietened her and after a while she asked what had become of her mother.
Fenella, who was alone with her (the woman warder having gone home ill), answered that some good women had carried her mother away and were going to take care of her.
"And where is...."
"Mr. Gell? Upstairs. He sent me down to speak to you."
"I won't speak to anyone. They're all alike. They're only torturing me."
Fenella reproved the girl tenderly. Could she not see that the Deemster himself was trying to help her? He had adjourned the Court to give her another chance, and if she could only explain away the evidence of the scarf....
"I won't explain anything. Why can't you leave me be?"
"You heard what the Deemster said, Bessie? Tell the truth; the whole truth; it will be best for you; best for everybody."
After that Bessie became calmer, and then Fenella (little knowing what she was doing for herself) pleaded with the girl to confess.