These words I have written down from memory, and although they may not be the exact words spoken, they give the sense of what was said. She did not speak in answer to this, whereupon some one whispered to the justice who had spoken, who shook his head impatiently. Then a man who had been writing, lifted his head and said-- "Your name is Constance." At this she bowed. "Daughter of Master John Leslie, of Goodlands?" "Yes." "Your age?" "I was born on the 29th of June, 1640." "You will then be twenty on your next birthday?" "Yes." At this there was a suppressed whisper around the justice house. "Just as I thought." "Beautiful, isn't she?" "Fancy a maid, and a lady born doing such a thing at that age;" and so on. "On the 15th of January you were wedded to Sir Charles Denman?" At this she did not speak. "You must answer the question," said the chief justice. I saw a look of terror pass across her face. Her hands clenched and unclenched themselves, while a crimson flush suffused her whole face. "What have these questions to do with the crime of which I am accused?" she asked. "It is well known who I am. Moreover, there are certain questions which are painful, and they have nought to do with the deed of which I am believed to be guilty. Therefore be pleased to pass on!" One might have thought she commanded the court, although she spoke in a low voice, and in a perfectly womanly way. I believe moreover that the principal justice would have saved her these questions, but the clerk insisted upon them. "These be according to law, Sir William," he said, "and must be answered." "You hear what the clerk saith?" replied the justice. "I repeat the question," said the clerk. "You were married, were you not, on the 15th day of January, to Sir Charles Denman?" She drew herself up as if to speak, but no words escaped her lips. "How hateful the thought of the marriage is to her," I thought to myself, and my heart was full of joy at the thought of it. At this moment there was a great confusion in the court, and I saw that all eyes were turned towards the door. "Master John Leslie!" was whispered all over the place. A man past his prime made his way towards the bench, and I saw at a glance that he must be related to Mistress Constance. He had the same cast of features, and although there were signs of weakness on his face which did not appear on that of his daughter, he was a man of noble appearance. "I pray you to forgive my tardiness, Sir William," he said, nodding to the chief justice, "but it was far past midnight when the news was brought to me in London that my daughter was to be brought before you to-day. Since then I have ridden without ceasing so as to be here in time for--for the trial." I thought then that this man would do his daughter harm rather than good by appearing in this way, for I saw looks of anger and dislike pass across the faces of some of the justices.