With a few concluding remarks, the counsel for the prosecution sat down, and the witnesses were called. During all the discourse the Marchese never moved a muscle, but sat in the dock as still as death. The first witness called was Ronald, who repeated the story the dead man had told him, and, during his examination, the paper written by Carmela was put in evidence. He was followed by Carmela, who deposed that she had given the stiletto in question to the prisoner, and also said that the letter produced was written by her, and not by the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Verschoyle. Q. You were on board when Mrs. Verschoyle came? A. Yes. Q. Was she alone? A. At first, yes. Afterwards she was escorted by the Marchese Vassalla. Q. Did you see her again? A. No. Q. When the Marchese saw you again, what time was it? A. About a quarter-past nine: just after the boat started. Q. Did he make any remark? A. None, except that my sister could not find me in the crowd, and had to go ashore without saying good-bye. Q. Was he agitated? A. No; he was in his usual spirits. This closed Carmela's examination; and the next to go into the witness-box was Mrs. Verschoyle, pale and haggard, but who glanced angrily at the prisoner, as she kissed the book. She repeated the story she had told to Ronald and Foster. That she was with Vassalla, and wanted to see her husband. Both herself and her cousin heard him tell the number of his cabin; and though she tried to get near her husband, she was prevented by the crowd. Afterwards she missed Vassalla, and on going along to see her husband in the cabin, she found Vassalla coming out. He tried to prevent her going in, but she insisted, and found her husband lying dead with a stiletto in his breast. Q. You know to whom the stiletto belonged? A. Yes, to the prisoner; it was given to him by my sister. Q. What did the prisoner say when you met him? A. He implored me not to tell, and for the sake of the honour of our family I complied. Q. Do you know by doing so you run the risk of being taken as an accomplice? A. (Mrs. Verschoyle getting angry). I know nothing of English customs. I am a Maltese lady. Q. Did you ever hear the prisoner threaten the deceased? A. Yes, very many times; he wanted to marry me, and when I married the deceased, he swore he would revenge himself. Q. That was seven years ago; did he do so lately? A. Many times. (Here Vassalla shrugged his shoulders). This was the close of Mrs. Verschoyle's examination, and was supposed by the people present to be conclusive evidence of the prisoner's guilt. There was no evidence for the prosecution, and so the counsel for the defence arose to make his speech, a speech which considerably startled everyone.