Page:English laws for women in the nineteenth century.djvu/95

83 twelve years. I was examined; and began by stating, " that I had already stopped one case against my husband at my own expence; that I appeared in court against my will, subpœnaed by the creditor, whose account 1 had paid in part, and would have paid entirely, if Mr Norton had not stopped my allowance." Mr Norton's counsel, Mr Needham, endeavoured to prevent this statement. He then cross-examined me (assisted by Mr Norton); apparently to try and prove that I was extravagant. I was questioned how many servants I kept; whether they were of an expensive class; whether I ever ventured to ask my friends to dinner; and what I needlessly spent on the education of a poor orphan girl, confided to my care by the clergyman of her parish (brother-in-law to the minister of the chapel Mr Norton and I attended in Westminster). This charity seemed especially to irritate Mr Norton. I was cross-examined about it, with the most sneering severity; it seemed as if I could have no right, either to the pleasures of hospitality,—or the luxury of doing good; but that every farthing not absolutely necessary to put a meal into my own mouth, ought to have been saved up and made over as a free gift to the husband who had blighted my whole existence. In vain I assured Mr Needham that the orphan was going out to service, and that teaching her to write and read, had not been expensive: a charity which did not come out of the poor's-box in the magistrate's court, was incomprehensible to Mr Norton; and in daring to perform it, I had wronged and robbed him. It never seemed to occur, either to Mr Norton or to Mr Needham, that whatever I had expended, was mine to expend; that I did not owe a penny I could not have paid, but for my husband's dishonesty; that whether my money was disbursed for charity—or hospitality—or even luxury (if they could have proved such a thingi^,—instead of being principally expended in travelling with an invalid son; and whether it was the result of legacies, or literary industry; it was my own current income; 500l. a year of which, being seized by Mr