Page:Braddon--The Trail of the Serpent.djvu/53

Rh quivering lip which tried so vainly to be still. All in Slopperton who knew anything of Mrs. Marwood, knew her to be a proud woman; they knew how silently she had borne the wild conduct of her son; how deeply she had loved that son; and they could guess now the depth of the bitterness of her soul when called upon to utter words which must help to condemn him.

After the witness had been duly sworn, the counsel for the prosecution addressed her thus:

"We have every wish, madam, to spare your feelings; I know there is not one individual present who does not sympathize with you in the position in which you now stand. But the course of Justice is as inevitable as it is sometimes painful, and we must all of us yield to its stern necessities. You will be pleased to state how long it is since your son left his home?"

"Seven years—seven years last August."

"Can you also state his reasons for leaving his home?"

"He had embarrassments in Slopperton—debts, which I have since his departure liquidated."

"Can you tell me what species of debts?"

"They were—" she hesitated a little, "chiefly debts of honour."

"Then am I to understand your son was a gambler?"

"He was unfortunately much addicted to cards."

"To any other description of gambling?"

"Yes, to betting on the events of the turf."

"He had fallen, I imagine, into bad companionship?"

She bowed her head, and in a faltering voice replied, "He had."

"And he had acquired in Slopperton the reputation of being a scamp—a ne'er-do-well?"

"I am afraid he had."

"We will not press you further on this very painful subject; we will proceed to his departure from home. Your son gave you no intimation of his intention of leaving Slopperton?"

"None whatever. The last words he said to me were, that he was sorry for the past, but that he had started on a bad road, and must go on to the end."

In this manner the examination proceeded, the account of the discovery of the murder being elicited from the witness, whose horror at having to give the details was exceedingly painful to behold.

The prisoner's counsel rose and addressed Mrs. Marwood.

"In examining you, madam, my learned friend has not asked you whether you had looked upon your son, the prisoner at the bar, as a good or a bad son. Will you be kind enough to state your impression on this subject?"