The Deemster bowed, and speaking with an obvious effort he appealed to the girl to answer the questions of her advocate. But still Bessie sobbed and made no answer. "The Court has nothing left to it but to go on to judgment," said the Attorney-General. At that moment, when the trial seemed to be brought to a standstill, Fenella (sitting near to the witness-box) was seen to lean over and whisper to Gell, who rose and asked to be allowed to make a suggestion--that inasmuch as the accused was unable to answer for herself, somebody else, who knew what she wished to say, should be empowered to answer for her. The Deemster, seeing what was coming, seemed to catch his breath, but after a moment he agreed. The course proposed, although unusual, was not contrary to the interests of justice or altogether without precedent--a deaf and dumb witness always giving evidence by a speaking proxy. Therefore if the Attorney-General did not object.... "Not at all," said the Attorney. "In that case," said Gell, "I will ask the lady who received the prisoner's confession to speak on her behalf--Miss Stanley." It was said afterwards, when the events of that day had a fierce light cast back upon them, that when Fenella stepped up to the witness-box, and stood side by side with the prisoner, ready to take her oath, the Deemster seemed scarcely able to recite the familiar words to her. "Please tell the Court, as nearly as possible in her own words, what the prisoner told you," said Gell. There was a deep and concentrated silence. Never before had anybody witnessed so strange a scene. Speaking calmly and firmly, Fenella told Bessie's story as Bessie herself had told it--her journey from the south of the island, the birth and death of her child, and the burying of it under the _Clagh-ny-Dooiney_. When she had finished, and Bessie, who was stifling her sobs, had bowed her head in reply to a question from Gell that she assented to what had been said on her behalf, the Attorney-General rose to cross-examine. "Does the prisoner deny," he said, "that when she returned home she told her mother of her condition?" "Yes, her mother knew nothing about it." "Does she deny that by keeping her condition secret from the person most proper to know of it, she deliberately intended to put her child away by violence?" "No, she does not deny that, but says that when her baby came the instinct of motherhood came too, and from that moment onward the idea of taking its life was far from her heart." "Does the prisoner wish the Court to believe that--in spite of her subsequent conduct in concealing the birth and death of her child and in secretly burying it?" "Yes, she does, and if a court of men cannot believe it, a court of women would, because...." But the Attorney-General, with a look of triumph, sat down quickly, and Fenella, flushing up to her flaming eyes, stopped suddenly.