"We talked about the wonderful, the beautiful things in the museum. He knew about them and loved them as I did. There was no one else I could talk to about them." "Naturally," the Prosecutor sneered. "Everyone else knows what frauds they are." The spectators laughed. "Then I like the frauds," Isobel said quietly. "You claim you were in your bedroom with the door locked and asleep when Mr. d'Larte was killed. Is that right?" "That is right." "And even though your bedroom is right next to Mr. d'Larte's you heard nothing. Is _that_ right?" "Yes." "Your husband struggled, struggled hard before he died, Mrs. d'Larte. You'll forgive me if I seem skeptical of the fact that you heard nothing." "I was asleep. I heard nothing." "No cry? No crashes?" "I heard nothing!" "And the man in the park--he was not your lover?" "He was _not_ my lover." The Prosecutor turned to the judge with a grim smile. "Your honor, I request a recess so that I may bring in a new witness." "This witness is not in the court room?" "No. I myself only learned of him a few minutes ago. It will take about a half-hour to bring him here." "And this witness is important?" "Yes. I believe he can prove that Mrs. d'Larte is lying." "Then this court is recessed until the prosecution brings in the new witness." The spectators buzzed and jibbered excitedly. A new witness. A surprise witness. The trial was really becoming interesting. "I hate to leave. I really hate to leave," one said to her companion. "I'll never get back in if I leave. But one must eat. I hate to leave." "No need. No need to leave," the companion assured her. "See, I brought sandwiches. Always bring something to eat to things like this. People crowd so. It's really terrible. Have an egg?" "Pretty good trial," an old man with a white beard told the person next to him. "Not as good as the Bronson trial, but pretty good." "You've seen a lot of trials?" the figure next to him asked. "Seen all the good ones," the one with the beard said proudly. "Saw the Bronson trial in '96, the Treamont trial in '94. Saw a lot of trials. First time that I've seen one where a wife killed her husband. Most of the others involved infanticide. Good trials, you understand, but disappointing. All the verdicts were not guilty." "Naturally. With over-population infanticide isn't a crime. Rather more like a good deed these days." "Understand they are going to legalize the killing of unwanted children." "Should have been done long ago." "People should be more careful. If they don't want children, they should be more careful." "If you know you can get rid of them, why be careful?" A woman fanned herself with her pocketbook and glanced at her companion. "Have another sandwich, dear?" "No, on a diet you know." The companion sighed. "It's too bad that they abolished capital punishment. Believe me, this d'Larte hussy deserves it."