"State now to the jury what it was that led you to go there."
Antonio recollected that what first attracted his attention and led him to go out, was seeing Rodolphus and the other boys going by with their lantern, and hearing their suppressed voices; and he perceived that if he went any further in his testimony he should prove Rodolphus to be guilty; so he stopped, and after a moment's pause, he turned to the judge, and asked whether he could not be excused from giving any more testimony.
"On what ground do you wish to be excused?" said the judge.
"Why, what I should say," said Antonio, "might go against the boy, and I don't wish to say any thing against him."
"You can not be excused," said the judge, shaking his head. "It is very often painful to give testimony against persons accused of crime, but it is a duty which must be performed."
"But there is a special reason," said Antonio, "in this case."
"What is the reason?" said the judge.
Antonio hesitated. At length he said timidly,
"His sister saved my life."
Here there was a pause. The preferring such a request, to be excused from testifying, and for such a reason, is a very uncommon occurrence in a court. The judge, the jury, the lawyers, and all the spectators looked at Antonio, who stood upon the witness's stand all the time, turning his face toward the judge, awaiting his decision.