Mary Seaham: A Novel. Volume 3 of 3Grey, Mrs. (Elizabeth Caroline)
General
Mary Seaham: A Novel. Volume 3 of 3
Grey, Mrs. (Elizabeth Caroline)
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Mate selection -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
It had been stated, that the prisoner had never set foot in the house
where the mother had been established so many years--that she never had
received pecuniary aid from the family with whom her mother resided; yet
the notes had been proved to be exact fac-similes of those delivered by
the bank of Messrs. Maynard and Co., that firm to which the head of the
family--whom the mother served at the time of the date of these
notes--then belonged.
Arthur Seaham, as he proceeded, could not but experience the happy
consciousness of success, could not doubt from the air of satisfied
approving attention pervading the large assembly in the midst of which
he stood, that whatever might be the verdict of the jury as regarded his
client, he was at any rate doing well for himself--that he had not
overrated his own powers and abilities; at all events he possessed one
great gift of genius, the key to the hearts of men, that he had only to
push bravely forward to win himself rank amongst an Eldon or an Erskine.
The sun shone full upon a glaring court, upon many approving, admiring,
nay, upon many tearful faces; for there were many in court who had known
young Seaham from a boy, and whose countenance held an affectionate
place in their hearts and memories; and yet, perhaps, there were but
three among them all, who made any distinct and individual impression on
his senses during the time, and these three inspiring feelings quite
distinct from any self-pride, from any ambition in his heart.
One was the prisoner herself--that pale, patient face turned on him with
such a meek and quiet confidence, as if on him she had reposed all she
felt of trust in human power; her eyes fixed on him, her human
counsellor--but her heart resting upon another alone able to
defend--even on Him who had said:
"I will never leave you, nor forsake you,"
and in whom, though he were to slay her, she would still surely trust.
The other two we may easily imagine were the faces so striking in their
contrast--those two fair members of the court, who occupied convenient
places behind the judge's chair, their eyes fixed upon him; the one all
bright and beautiful in her excitement--the other becoming paler and
paler from the intense and painful interest in which something in the
case itself seemed more and more to enthral her.
* * * * *
At this juncture then, Arthur Seaham had arrived; he had but just said
that he had hoped for the appearance of one witness whose evidence might
have thrown some important light upon the subject, and to whom he had
made too late application, when a bustle was heard outside the court,
and murmurs arose that this very witness had just that moment arrived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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