When she awoke to consciousness of what was passing around she heard the voice of Giles Brent saying,-- "That all here present may understand the business which is going forward, let me first set forth my duties under the law. 'A coroner of our lord the King,' says the statute, 'shall go to the places where any be slain, and shall summon the honest men of the neighborhood, and of them shall inquire what they know touching the death; and if any person is said to be guilty of the murder he shall be brought before the coroner and his inquest, and shall be put upon his defence that he may, if he can, purge himself of the charge.'" "Oh, dear, how Giles doth love form! I believe he would see us all hung if he might pronounce sentence in Latin." Elinor's foot kept time to her angry thoughts, and that so loud that it caught Brent's ear and brought a frown to his brow. "Christopher Neville, you stand accused of a dastardly crime,--the murder of Andrew Mohl, a priest of the Jesuit order, who lies here before us, and who is known to have come to his death on the night of January twentieth." "Who are mine accusers?" Brent turned and whispered first to Neale and Cornwaleys, then to his sister, and finally, turning again toward the prisoner, he said,-- "'Twill serve no good turn to press that question." "I stand upon my rights." "Is it not enough that there be a dozen here who are convinced of thy guilt?" "I stand upon my rights. I will have the name." "Then, since thou dost demand the name of him who lodged the charge, 'tis that of Father Fisher, come hither to-day from St. Mary's." "Father Fisher? The head of the Jesuit colony at St. Inigo's?" "Ay; yet he makes his charge not as a priest, but a citizen." "No doubt." "Sneers, sir, will not help your case, with which we will now go on. What plea are you fain to enter, 'guilty' or 'not guilty'?" "Not guilty." "Master Neale, kindly act as secretary and record the plea. Sir Christopher, will you hear the evidence against you?" "I will." "On any disputed point you shall confront witnesses; but that we may not waste time, let us settle first that whereon we agree. First, you are a Protestant." Neville bowed assent. "Second, here in this house you did quarrel with the dead priest touching matters of faith and doctrine." "We had words, certainly." "And angry words, as I am told." "I was angry. Belike he was angry, too." "He admits that he was angered. Put that down," whispered Mary Brent to Neale. "Tell us what happened after your talk with Father Mohl." "He rose and started to walk to St. Mary's." "And what did you then?" "I followed him." "For what purpose?" "To beg his pardon." "Ah! Now we have it. You felt you had done him wrong." "I did not." "Then why ask his pardon?" "Because I had wounded other hearts than his, and, moreover, I had offended against Mistress Brent's hospitality." Mary Brent's lips drew themselves into a tight, straight line.