They saw the halberds of the men-at-arms faintly gleaming in the wan, grey light, the Cardinal's purple robes, a brilliant note amidst the dull mass of browns and blacks; the blue doublet of Sir Henry Beddingfield, a jarring bit of discord between the sable-hued garb of the other gentlemen there. And there, amongst them all, the tall, erect figure, the one quiet, impassive face in this surging sea of excitement--the prisoner at the bar! CHAPTER XXXV THE TRIAL The excitement, great as it was, had perforce to be kept in check. The Clerk of the Crown had collected his papers: he now stood up and called upon the accused: "Robert, Duke of Wessex and of Dorchester, Earl of Launceston, Wexford and Bridthorpe, Baron of Greystone, Ullesthorpe and Edbrooke, Premier Peer of England, hold up thy right hand." The prisoner having done so, Mr. Barham, the Queen's Sergeant, opened the contents of the indictment. "Whereas it is said that on the fourteenth day of October thou didst unlawfully kill Don Miguel, Marquis de Suarez, grandee of Spain and envoy extraordinary of His Most Catholic Majesty the King of Spain, thou art therefore to make answer to this charge of murder. I therefore charge thee once again: art thou guilty of this crime, whereof thou art indicted, yea or nay?" "I am guilty," replied Wessex firmly, "and I have confessed." "By whom wilt thou be tried?" "By God and by my peers." "Before we proceed," continued the Sergeant, "what sayest thou, Robert, Duke of Wessex, is that which thou hast confessed true?" "It is true." "And didst thou confess it willingly and freely of thyself, or was there any extortion or unfair means to draw it from thee?" "Surely I made that confession freely," replied the prisoner, "without any constraint, and that is all true." "And hast thou read the depositions of those who were witness of thy crime, and who have added their testimony to that which thine accusers, the Queen's Commissioners, already know?" "I have not read those depositions, as there was no one present when Don Miguel died save I--his murderer--and God!" As Wessex made this last bold declaration, the Queen's Serjeant turned towards His Eminence as if expecting guidance from that direction, but as nothing came he continued-- "I would have thee weigh well what thou sayest. Thine answers and confessions, if spoken truthfully, will do much to mitigate the severity of the punishment which thy crime hath called forth." "I will make mine own confession," retorted Wessex, with a sudden quick return to his own haughty manner. "I pray you teach me not how to answer or confess. But because I was not cognizant whether my peers did know it all or not, I have made a short declaration of my doings with Don Miguel. That is the truth, my lords," he added, addressing his triers and judges on the bench, "everything else which hath been added contrary to mine own confession is a lie and a perjury, as God here is my witness."