“Yes. Her ladyship opened a correspondence with me.” “It is a lie!” roared Sir Charles Bassett from the door of the grand jury room. “Silence in the court!” _The Judge._--Who made that unseemly remark? _Sir Charles._--I did, my lord. My wife never corresponded with the cur. _The Plaintiff._--It is only one insult more, gentlemen, and as false as the rest. Permit me, my lord. My own counsel would never have put the question. I would not, for the world, give Lady Bassett pain; but Sir Charles and his counsel have extorted the truth from me. Her ladyship did open a correspondence with me, and a friendly one. _The Plaintiff's Counsel._--Will your lordship ask whether that was after the defendant had written the libel? The question was put, and answered in the affirmative. Lady Bassett hid her face in her hands. Sir Charles saw the movement, and groaned aloud. _The Judge._--I beg the case may not be encumbered with irrelevant matter. Counsel replied that the correspondence would be made evidence in the case. _(To the witness.)_--“You wrote this letter to Lady Bassett?” “Yes.” “And every word in it?” “And every word in it,” faltered Bassett, now ashy pale, for he began to see the trap. “Then you wrote this word 'character,' and this word 'injured,' and this word--” _The Judge_ (peevishly).--He tells you he wrote every word in those letters to Lady Bassett.--What more would you have? _Counsel._--If your lordship will be good enough to examine the correspondence, and compare those words in it I have underlined with the same words in the anonymous letter, you will perhaps find I know my business better than you seem to think. (The counsel who ventured on this remonstrance was a sergeant.) “Brother Eitherside,” said the judge, with a charming manner, “you satisfied me of that, to my cost, long ago, whenever I had you against me in a case. Please hand me the letters.” While the judge was making a keen comparison, counsel continued the cross-examination. “You are aware that this letter caused a separation between Sir Charles Bassett and the lady he was engaged to?” “I know nothing about it.” “Indeed! Well, were you acquainted with the Miss Somerset mentioned in this letter?” “Slightly.” “You have been at her house?” “Once or twice.” “Which? Twice is double as often as once, you know.” “Twice.” “No more?” “Not that I recollect.” “You wrote to her?” “I may have.” “Did you, or did you not?” “I did.” “What was the purport of that letter?” “I can't recollect at this distance of time.” “On your oath, sir, did you not write urging her to co-operate with you to keep Sir Charles Bassett from marrying his affianced, Miss Bella Bruce, to whom that anonymous letter was written with the same object?” The perspiration now rolled in visible drops down the tortured liar's face. Yet still, by a gigantic effort, he stood firm, and even planted a blow.