登陆注册
19000000000139

第139章

Next day she went down to 3 Fairfield Cottages at half past four. On the way her heart palpitated, for this was a very important interview. Here at least she might hope to find some clew, by following out which she would sooner or later establish Robert's innocence. But then came a fearful thought: "Why had not his father done this already, if it was possible to do it? His father must love him. His father must have heard his own story, and tested it in every way. Yet his father remained the servant of a firm, the senior partner of which had told her to her face Robert was guilty."

It was a strange and terrible enigma. Yet she clung to the belief that some new light would come to her from Michael Penfold. Then came. bashful fears. "How should she account to Mr. Penfold for the interest she took in his own son, she who was affianced to Mr. Penfold's employer." She arrived at 3 Fairfield Cottages with her cheeks burning, and repeating to herself: "Now is the time to be supple as a woman but obstinate as a man."

She sent the cabman in to inquire for Mr. Penfold; a sharp girl of about thirteen came out to her, and told her Mr. Penfold was not at home.

"Can you tell me when he will be at home?"

"No, miss. He have gone to Scotland. A telegraphum came from Wardlaws' last night, as he was to go to Scotland first thing this morning; and he went at six o'clock."

"Oh, dear! How unfortunate!"

"Who shall I say called, miss?"

"Thank you, I will write. What time did the telegram come?"

"Between five and six last evening, miss."

She returned to the hotel. Fate seemed to be against her. Baffled at the very threshold! At the hotel she found Arthur Wardlaw's card and a beautiful bouquet.

She sat down directly, and wrote to him affectionately, and asked him in the postscript if he could send her a report of the trial. She received a reply directly, that he had inquired in the office, for one of the clerks had reports of it; but this clerk was unfortunately out, and had locked up his desk.

Helen sighed. Her feet seemed to be clogged at every step in this inquiry.

Next morning, however, a large envelope came for her, and a Mr. Hand wrote to her thus:

"MADAM--Having been requested by Mr. Arthur Wardlaw to send you my extracts of a trial, the Queen _v._ Penfold, I herewith forward the same, and would feel obliged by your returning them at your convenience.

"Your obedient servant, "JAMES HAND."

Helen took the inclosed extracts to her bedroom, and there read them both over many times.

In both these reports the case for the Crown was neat, clear, cogent, straight-forward, and supported by evidence. The defense was chiefly argument of counsel to prove the improbability of a clergyman and a man of good character passing a forged note. One of the reports stated that Mr. Arthur Wardlaw, a son of the principal witness, had taken the accusation so much to heart that he was now dangerously ill at Oxford.

The other report did not contain this, but, on the other hand, it stated that the prisoner, after conviction, had endeavored to lay the blame on Mr. Arthur Wardlaw, but that the judge had stopped him, and said he could only aggravate his offense by endeavoring to cast a slur upon the Wardlaws, who had both shown a manifest desire to shield him, but were powerless for want of evidence.

In both reports the summing up of the judge was moderate in expression, but leaned against the prisoner on every point, and corrected the sophistical reasoning of his counsel very sensibly. Both reports said an expert was called for the prisoner, whose ingenuity made the court smile, but did not counterbalance the evidence. Helen sat cold as ice with the extracts in her hand.

Not that her sublime faith was shaken, but that poor Robert appeared to have been so calmly and fairly dealt with by everybody. Even Mr. Hennessy, the counsel for the Crown, had opened the case with humane regret, and confined himself to facts, and said nobody would be more pleased than he would, if this evidence could be contradicted, or explained in a manner consistent with the prisoner's innocence.

What a stone she had undertaken to roll--up what a hill!

What was to be her next step? Go to the Museum, which was now open to her, and read more reports? She shrank from that.

"The newspapers are all against him," said she; "and I don't want to be told he is guilty, when I know he is innocent."

She now re-examined the extracts with a view to names, and found the only names mentioned were those of the counsel. The expert's name was not given in either. However, she knew that from Robert. She resolved to speak to Mr. Hennessy first, and try and get at the defendant's solicitor through him.

She found him out by the Law Directory, and called at a few minutes past four.

Hennessy was almost the opposite to Tollemache. He was about the size of a gentleman's wardrobe; and, like most enormous men, good-natured. He received her, saw with his practiced eye that she was no common person, and, after a slight hesitation on professional grounds, heard her request. He sent for his note-book, found the case in one moment, remastered it in another, and told her the solicitor for the Crown in that case was Freshfleld.

"Now," said he, "you want to know who was the defendant's solicitor?

Jenkins, a stamped envelope. Write your name and address on that."

同类推荐
  • Large Catechism

    Large Catechism

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 新译大乘入楞伽经

    新译大乘入楞伽经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 于公案

    于公案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 引凤萧

    引凤萧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 讥日篇

    讥日篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 无境修仙

    无境修仙

    修仙是无数人梦寐都求不来的,有人为了长生不死,有人为了高高在上,有人为了纵欲四海。而北凌却是为了看清那高高在上之后是什么?穿越少年偶与身死的富家少爷融合重生,凭借逆天的青铜古钟,走向一条巅峰的修仙之路!这是一个起始于红尘中,向往自由自在,不死不灭,追寻那山的外面是什么的故事……
  • 曾国藩传:做人做事之道

    曾国藩传:做人做事之道

    曾国藩身为晚清重臣,他顺应时代需求,创办湘军,开创了书生治军的先河;他在清朝官场风风雨雨几十年,始终屹立不倒;他专修朱子理学,成为清朝最后一个理学大师;他提倡立志高远;做人唯诚信二字而不立;他始终认为,凡事要亲身入局;言行要谨慎;在日常的处世中,更要藏匿自己的锋芒,避免过于暴露自己。他的这些观点、做法,让他在宦海沉浮的世界里游刃有余,终得善终。本书虽然是一本传记,却也突出了曾国藩的为官之道和治军思想,从这两大方面辅助那个时代的人和事,揭开曾国藩成为晚清名臣乃至中国封建史上最具影响力之一的政治家的根本原因。
  • 猎爱甜心:追妻计划NO.1

    猎爱甜心:追妻计划NO.1

    一场车祸,一支药剂,带走了她的全部记忆,让她被锁在笼子里,当做宠物送给A市权势最滔天的男人。当阴谋一个个袭来,身世渐渐浮出水面,他终于撕裂温柔宠溺的面具。她在,他冷眼相对;她逃,他步步紧追。“你这是非法囚禁!”“哦?”第二天,九十九辆豪车开道,他强势掳她进民政局:“今天开始,我们就是合法同居!”
  • 血路沧茫

    血路沧茫

    人存于世,岂是天生就要被随意轻贱侮辱的,岂能不快意恩仇,奋起反抗?前途沧茫,恶人阻挡,那便踏平崎岖,杀出一条血路,斩尽一切魑魅魍魉!
  • 铁翼鹰扬

    铁翼鹰扬

    唐云扬在模拟空战中穿越到100年前,用他所了解的现代理念做商人,做将军,做大亨。统领海陆空三军征战四方……
  • 杏花天

    杏花天

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 神医农女的一亩三分地

    神医农女的一亩三分地

    现代中西医双料博士意外重生在异时空的小农女身上。吃不饱穿不暖?住着没顶的观景房?没事!咱有双手和头脑,外带附送的空间。缺啥买啥,盖个新屋不愁住。嗯,这个面瘫男是个壮劳力,就勉为其难的收入家门。可为毛这男人会惹上那么多麻烦?“尼码,你不是孤苦无依的伤兵吗?”某女怒了。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 一分钟经理人:时间管理

    一分钟经理人:时间管理

    《一分钟经理人》系列丛书言简意赅但是意义深远,它综合了现实生活中管理方面的成功经验,方法简单而行之有效。用故事的形式来阐释管理学,来解答困惑,并且提出 了一些管理方式,具有普遍的意义;本书中所提出的问题是日常性的,也许我们每天都会遇到,而提出的解答方式和观点也是常识性的,但往往也是最容易被我们所忽略的。知识和经验是十分宝贵的。前人有过的错误,可以不必再犯;前人成功的案例,则可以作为参考。我们编译本书希望它启迪人们的智慧,提高人们驾驭生活和工作的能力。
  • 大自然的故事

    大自然的故事

    涂滢编著的《大自然的故事》是阅读中成长系列之一,《大自然的故 事》讲述了大自然中的神奇与美好,包罗趣味的科普知识,丰富 了青少年课外阅读的视野。大自然赐予了我们人类赖以生存的环境。大自 然是美好 的,一年四季,鸟语花香;但是大自然又是变化莫测的,时而风雨雷电, 时而冰雪 交加。让我们聆听大自然的华美乐章,揭露大自然的神奇奥秘。
  • 擒拿反擒拿(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    擒拿反擒拿(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    擒拿中国拳术之一。是使用刁、拿、锁、扣,扳、点、缠,切、拧,挫。旋、卷、封。闭等招法,进行擒伏与解脱,控制与反控制的专门技术。擒拿不但技术非常复杂、规格十分严谨,而且在使用时必须精细准确。其动有方,其用有法。使法必准,否则后果不堪设想。擒拿术力求反侧关节要超过其生理限度,点穴时要集中全身之力于一点击其要害,法到力到,充分体现“手到擒拿”的功用