COKESON turns blandly to the JUDGE,as though to rebuke counsel for not remembering that the JUDGE might wish to have a chance;arriving at the conclusion that he is to be asked nothing further,he turns and descends from the box,and sits down next to JAMES and WALTER.
FROME.Ruth Honeywill.
RUTH comes into court,and takes her stand stoically in the witness-box.She is sworn.
FROME.What is your name,please?
RUTH.Ruth Honeywill.
FROME.How old are you?
RUTH.Twenty-six.
FROME.You are a married woman,living with your husband?A little louder.
RUTH.No,sir;not since July.
FROME.Have you any children?
RUTH.Yes,sir,two.
FROME.Are they living with you?
RUTH.Yes,sir.
FROME.You know the prisoner?
RUTH.[Looking at him]Yes.
FROME.What was the nature of your relations with him?
RUTH.We were friends.
THE JUDGE.Friends?
RUTH.[Simply]Lovers,sir.
THE JUDGE.[Sharply]In what sense do you use that word?
RUTH.We love each other.
THE JUDGE.Yes,but…
RUTH.[Shaking her head]No,your lordship--not yet.
THE JUDGE.'Not yet!H'm![He looks from RUTH to FALDER]Well!
FROME.What is your husband?
RUTH.Traveller.
FROME.And what was the nature of your married life?
RUTH.[Shaking her head]It don't bear talking about.
FROME.Did he ill-treat you,or what?
RUTH.Ever since my first was born.
FROME.In what way?
RUTH.I'd rather not say.All sorts of ways.
THE JUDGE.I am afraid I must stop this,you know.
RUTH.[Pointing to FALDER]He offered to take me out of it,sir.
We were going to South America.
FROME.[Hastily]Yes,quite--and what prevented you?
RUTH.I was outside his office when he was taken away.It nearly broke my heart.
FROME.You knew,then,that he had been arrested?
RUTH.Yes,sir.I called at his office afterwards,and [pointing to COKESON]that gentleman told me all about it.
FROME.Now,do you remember the morning of Friday,July 7th?
RUTH.Yes.
FROME.Why?
RUTH.My husband nearly strangled me that morning.
THE JUDGE.Nearly strangled you!
RUTH.[Bowing her head]Yes,my lord.
FROME.With his hands,or…?
RUTH.Yes,I just managed to get away from him.I went straight to my friend.It was eight o'clock.
THE JUDGE.In the morning?Your husband was not under the influence of liquor then?
RUTH.It wasn't always that.
FROME.In what condition were you?
RUTH.In very bad condition,sir.My dress was torn,and I was half choking.
FROME.Did you tell your friend what had happened?
RUTH.Yes.I wish I never had.
FROME.It upset him?
RUTH.Dreadfully.
FROME.Did he ever speak to you about a cheque?
RUTH.Never.
FROZE.Did he ever give you any money?
RUTH.Yes.
FROME.When was that?
RUTH.On Saturday.
FROME.The 8th?
RUTH.To buy an outfit for me and the children,and get all ready to start.
FROME.Did that surprise you,or not?
RUTH.What,sir?
FROME.That he had money to give you.
Ring.Yes,because on the morning when my husband nearly killed me my friend cried because he hadn't the money to get me away.He told me afterwards he'd come into a windfall.
FROME.And when did you last see him?
RUTH.The day he was taken away,sir.It was the day we were to have started.
FROME.Oh,yes,the morning of the arrest.Well,did you see him at all between the Friday and that morning?[RUTH nods]What was his manner then?
RUTH.Dumb--like--sometimes he didn't seem able to say a word.
FROME.As if something unusual had happened to him?
RUTH.Yes.
FROME.Painful,or pleasant,or what?
RUTH.Like a fate hanging over him.
FROME.[Hesitating]Tell me,did you love the prisoner very much?
RUTH.[Bowing her head]Yes.
FROME.And had he a very great affection for you?
RUTH.[Looking at FALDER]Yes,sir.
FROME.Now,ma'am,do you or do you not think that your danger and unhappiness would seriously affect his balance,his control over his actions?
RUTH.Yes.
FROME.His reason,even?
RUTH.For a moment like,I think it would.
FROME.Was he very much upset that Friday morning,or was he fairly calm?
RUTH.Dreadfully upset.I could hardly bear to let him go from me.
FROME.Do you still love him?
RUTH.[With her eyes on FALDER]He's ruined himself for me.
FROME.Thank you.
He sits down.RUTH remains stoically upright in the witness-box.
CLEAVER.[In a considerate voice]When you left him on the morning of Friday the 7th you would not say that he was out of his mind,Isuppose?
RUTH.No,sir.
CLEAVER.Thank you;I've no further questions to ask you.
RUTH.[Bending a little forward to the jury]I would have done the same for him;I would indeed.
THE JUDGE.Please,please!You say your married life is an unhappy one?Faults on both sides?
RUTH.Only that I never bowed down to him.I don't see why Ishould,sir,not to a man like that.
THE JUDGE.You refused to obey him?
RUTH.[Avoiding the question]I've always studied him to keep things nice.
THE JUDGE.Until you met the prisoner--was that it?
RUTH.No;even after that.
THE JUDGE.I ask,you know,because you seem to me to glory in this affection of yours for the prisoner.
RUTH.[Hesitating]I--I do.It's the only thing in my life now.
THE JUDGE.[Staring at her hard]Well,step down,please.
RUTH looks at FALDER,then passes quietly down and takes her seat among the witnesses.
FROME.I call the prisoner,my lord.
FALDER leaves the dock;goes into the witness-box,and is duly sworn.
FROME.What is your name?
FALDER.William Falder.
FROME.And age?
FALDER.Twenty-three.
FROME.You are not married?
FALDER shakes his head FROME.How long have you known the last witness?
FALDER.Six months.
FROME.Is her account of the relationship between you a correct one?
FALDER.Yes.
FROME.You became devotedly attached to her,however?
FALDER.Yes.
THE JUDGE.Though you knew she was a married woman?
FALDER.I couldn't help it,your lordship.
THE JUDGE.Couldn't help it?
FALDER.I didn't seem able to.
The JUDGE slightly shrugs his shoulders.
FROME.How did you come to know her?
FALDER.Through my married sister.
FROME.Did you know whether she was happy with her husband?
FALDER.It was trouble all the time.
FROME.You knew her husband?
