the foreigner-第15节

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r　and　blackguard；　and　may　the　divil　fly　away　with　him！　　But　we'll　bate　them　yet；　and　it's　yersilf　is　the　one　to　do　it！〃　he　exclaimed　in　growing　excitement　and　admiration。

At　first　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　was　most　reluctant　to　appear　in　court。

〃Sure；　what　would　I　do　or　say　in　the　face　av　His　'Anner　an'　the　joorymin；　with　niver　a　word　on　the　tongue　av　me？〃

〃And　would　you　let　the　poor　man　go　to　his　death？〃　cried　O'Hara；　proceeding　to　draw　a　lurid　picture　of　the　deadly　machinations　of　the　lawyer　for　the　Crown；　Rosenblatt　and　their　associates　against　this　unfortunate　patriot　who；　for　love　of　his　country　and　for　the　honour　of　his　name；　had　sought　to　wreak　a　well…merited　vengeance　upon　the　abject　traitor。

Under　his　vehement　eloquence　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　Celtic　nature　kindled　into　flame。　　She　would　go　to　the　court；　and　in　the　face　of　Judge　and　jury　and　all　the　rest　of　them；　she　would　tell　them　the　kind　of　man　they　were　about　to　do　to　death。　　Over　and　over　again　O'Hara　had　her　repeat　her　story；　emphasising　with　adjurations；　oaths　and　even　tears；　those　passages　that　his　experience　told　him　would　be　most　effective　for　his　purpose；　till　he　felt　sure　she　would　do　full　credit　to　her　part。

During　the　trial　the　court　room　was　crowded；　not　only　with　the　ordinary　morbid　sensation　seekers；　but　with　some　of　Winnipeg's　most　respectable　citizens。　　In　one　corner　of　the　court　room　there　was　grouped　day　after　day　a　small　company　of　foreigners。　　Every　man　of　Russian　blood　in　the　city　who　could　attend；　was　there。　　It　was　against　the　prisoner's　will　and　desire；　but　in　accordance　with　O'Hara's　plan　of　defence　that　Paulina　and　the　children　should　be　present　at　every　session　of　the　court。　　The　proceedings　were　conducted　through　an　interpreter　where　it　was　necessary；　Kalmar　pleading　ignorance　of　the　niceties　of　the　English　language。

The　prisoner　was　arraigned　on　the　double　charge　of　attempted　murder　in　the　case　of　Rosenblatt；　and　of　manslaughter　in　that　of　the　dead　Polak。　　The　evidence　of　Dr。　Wright　and　of　Sergeant　Cameron；　corroborated　by　that　of　many　eyewitnesses；　established　beyond　a　doubt　that　the　wound　in　Rosenblatt's　breast　and　in　the　dead　Polak's　neck　was　done　by　the　same　instrument；　and　that　instrument　the　spring　knife　discovered　in　the　basement　of　Paulina's　house。

Kalmar；　arrayed　in　his　false　black　beard；　was　identified　by　the　Dalmatian　and　by　others　as　the　Polak's　partner　in　the　fatal　game　of　cards。　　Staunton　had　little　difficulty　in　establishing　the　identity　of　the　black…bearded　man　who　had　appeared　here　and　there　during　the　wedding　festivities　with　Kalmar　himself。　　From　the　stupid　Paulina　he　skilfully　drew　evidence　substantiating　this　fact；　and　though　this　evidence　was　ruled　out　on　the　ground　that　she　was　the　prisoner's　wife；　the　effect　upon　the　jury　was　not　lost。

The　most　damaging　testimony　was；　of　course；　that　offered　by　Rosenblatt　himself；　and　this　evidence　Staunton　was　clever　enough　to　use　with　dramatic　effect。　　Pale；　wasted；　and　still　weak；　Rosenblatt　told　his　story　to　the　court　in　a　manner　that　held　the　crowd　breathless　with　horror。　　Never　had　such　a　tale　been　told　to　Canadian　ears。　　The　only　man　unmoved　was　the　prisoner。　　Throughout　the　narrative　he　maintained　an　attitude　of　bored　indifference。

It　was　not　in　vain；　however；　that　O'Hara　sought　to　weaken　the　effect　of　Rosenblatt's　testimony　by　turning　the　light　upon　some　shady　spots　in　his　career。　　In　his　ruthless　〃sweating〃　of　the　witness；　the　lawyer　forced　the　admission　that　he　had　once　been　the　friend　of　the　prisoner；　that　he　had　been　the　unsuccessful　suitor　of　the　prisoner's　first　wife；　that　he　had　been　a　member　of　the　same　Secret　Society　in　Russia；　that　he　had　joined　the　Secret　Service　of　the　Russian　Government　and　had　given　evidence　leading　to　the　breaking　up　of　that　Society；　that　he　had　furnished　the　information　that　led　to　the　prisoner's　transportation　to　Siberia。　　At　this　point　O'Hara　swiftly　changed　his　ground。

〃You　have　befriended　this　woman；　Paulina　Koval？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　have；　in　fact；　acted　as　her　financial　agent？〃

〃I　have　assisted　her　in　her　financial　arrangements。　　She　cannot　speak　English。〃

〃Whose　house　does　she　live　in？〃

Rosenblatt　hesitated。　　〃I　am　not　sure。〃

〃Whose　house　does　she　live　in？〃　roared　O'Hara；　stepping　toward　him。

〃Her　own；　I　think。〃

〃You　think！〃　shouted　the　lawyer。　　〃You　know；　don't　you？　　You　bought　it　for　her。　　You　made　the　first　payment　upon　it；　did　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。〃

〃And　since　that　time　you　have　cashed　money　orders　for　her　that　have　come　month　by　month？〃

Again　Rosenblatt　hesitated。　　〃I　have　sometimes〃

〃Tell　the　truth！〃　shouted　O'Hara　again；　〃a　lie　here　can　be　easily　traced。　　I　have　the　evidence。　　Did　you　not　cash　the　money　orders　that　came　month　by　month　addressed　to　Paulina　Koval？〃

〃I　did；　with　her　permission。　　She　made　her　mark。〃

〃Where　did　the　money　go？〃

〃I　gave　it　to　her。〃

〃And　what　did　she　do　with　it？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Did　she　not　give　you　money　from　time　to　time　to　make　payments　upon　the　house？〃

〃No。〃

〃Be　careful。　　Let　me　remind　you　that　there　is　a　law　against　perjury。　　I　give　you　another　chance。　　Did　you　not　receive　certain　money　to　make　payments　on　this　house？〃　　O'Hara　spoke　with　terrible　and　deliberate　emphasis。

〃I　did；　some。〃

〃And　did　you　make　these　payments？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Would　you　be　surprised　to　know；　as　I　now　tell　the　court；　that　since　the　first　payment；　made　soon　after　the　arrival　in　the　country；　not　a　dollar　further　had　been　paid？〃

Rosenblatt　was　silent。

〃Answer　me！〃　roared　the　lawyer。　　〃Would　you　be　surprised　to　know　this？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃This　surprise　is　waiting　you。　　Now　then；　who　runs　this　house？〃

〃Paulina　Koval。〃

〃Tell　me　the　truth。　　Who　lets　the　rooms　in　this　house；　and　who　is　responsible　for　the　domestic　arrangements　of　the　house？　　Tell　me；〃　said　O'Hara；　bearing　down　upon　the　wretched　Rosenblatt。

〃Iassisthersometimes。〃

〃Then　you　are　responsible　for　the　conditions　under　which　Paulina　Koval　has　been　forced　to　live　during　these　three　years？〃

Rosenblatt　was　silent。

〃That　will　do；〃　said　O'Hara　with　contempt　unspeakable。

He　could　easily　have　made　more　out　of　his　sweating　process　had　not　the　prisoner　resolutely　forbidden　any　reference　to　Rosenblatt's　treatment　of　and　relation　to　the　unfortunate　Paulina　or　the　domestic　arrangements　that　he　had　introduced　into　that　unfortunate　woman's　household。　　Kalmar　was　rigid　in　his　determination　that　no　stain　should　come　to　his　honour　in　this　regard。

With　the　testimony　of　each　succeeding　witness　the　cloud　overhanging　the　prisoner　grew　steadily　blacker。　　The　first　ray　of　light　came　from　an　unexpected　quarter。　　It　was　during　the　examination　of　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　that　O'Hara　got　his　first　opening。　　It　was　a　master　stroke　of　strategy　on　his　part　that　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　was　made　to　appear　as　a　witness　for　the　Crown；　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　the　deplorable　and　culpable　indifference　to　and　neglect　of　his　family　on　the　part　of　the　prisoner。

Day　after　day　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　had　appeared　in　the　court；　following　the　evidence　with　rising　wrath　against　the　Crown；　its　witnesses；　and　all　the　machinery　of　prosecution。　　All　unwitting　of　this　surging　tide　of　indignation　in　the　heart　of　his　witness　the　Crown　Counsel　summoned　her　to　the　stand。　　Mr。　Staunton's　manner　was　exceedingly　affable。

〃Your　name；　Madam？〃　he　enquired。

〃Me　name　is　it？〃　replied　the　witness。　　〃An'　don't　ye　know　me　name　as　well　as　I　do　mesilf？〃

Mr。　Staunton　smiled　pleasantly。　　〃But　the　court　desires　to　share　that　privilege　with　me；　so　perhaps　you　will　be　good　enough　to　inform　the　court　of　your　name。〃

〃If　the　court　wants　me　name　let　the　court　ask　it。　　An'　if　you　want　to　tell　the　court　me　name　ye　can　plaze　yersilf；　fer　it's　little　I　think　av　a　man　that'll　sit　in　me　house　by　the　hour　forninst　mesilf　an'　me　husband　there；　and　then　let　on　before　the　court　that　he　doesn't　know　the　name　av　me。〃

〃Why；　my　dear　Madam；〃　said　the　lawyer　soothingly；　〃it　is　a　mere　matter　of　form　that　you　should　tell　the　court　your　name。〃

〃A　matter　o'　form；　is　it？　　Indade；　an'　it's　mighty　poor　form　it　is；　if　ye　ask　my　opinion；　which　ye　don't；　an'　it's　mighty　poor　manners。〃

At　this　point　the　judge　interposed。

〃Come；　come；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　your　name？　　I　suppose　you　are　not　ashamed　of　it？〃

〃Ashamed　av　it；　Yer　'Anner！〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　with　an　elaborate　bow　to　the　judge；　〃ashamed　av　it！　　There's　niver　a　shame　goes　with　the　name　av　Fitzpatrick！〃

〃Your　name　is　Fitzpatrick？〃

〃It　is；　Yer　'Anner。　　Mistress　Timothy　Fitzpatrick；　Monaghan　that　was；　the　Monaghans　o'　Ballinghalereen；　which　I'm　sure　Yer　'Anner'll　have　heard　of；　fer　the　intilligent　man　ye　are。〃

〃Mrs。　Timothy　Fitzpatrick；〃　said　the　judge；　with　the　suspicion　of　a　smile；　writing　the　name　down。　　〃And　your　first　name？〃

〃Me　Christian　name　is　it？　　Ah；　thin；　Judge　dear；　wud　ye　be　wantin'　that　too？〃　smiling　at　him　in　quite　a　coquettish　manner。　　〃Sure；　if　ye　had　had　the　good　taste　an'　good　fortune　to　be　born　in　the　County　Mayo　ye　wudn't　nade　to　be　askin'　the　name　av　Nora　Monaghan　o'　Ballinghalereen。〃

The　judge's　face　was　now　in　a　broad　smile。

〃Nora　Fitzpatrick；〃　he　said；　writing　the　name　down。　　〃Let　us　proceed。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　said　the　counsel　for　the　Crown；　〃will　you　kin