'I may be wrong--we shall soon see,' says he; 'but my impression is
that you will not "repeat it here." My impression is that you have
come into this room, and that you will tell me something before you
go out.'
I shrugged my shoulders.
'Let me explain,' he continued. 'Your evidence, of course, is
nonsense. I put it by, and the court put it by.'
'My compliments and thanks!' said I.
'You MUST know--that's the short and the long,' he proceeded. 'All
of you in shed B are bound to know. And I want to ask you where is
the common-sense of keeping up this farce, and maintaining this
cock-and-bull story between friends. Come, come, my good fellow,
own yourself beaten, and laugh at it yourself.'
'Well, I hear you, go ahead,' said I. 'You put your heart in it.'
He crossed his legs slowly. 'I can very well understand,' he
began, 'that precautions have had to be taken. I dare say an oath
was administered. I can comprehend that perfectly.' (He was
watching me all the time with his cold, bright eyes.) 'And I can
comprehend that, about an affair of honour, you would be very
particular to keep it.'
'About an affair of honour?' I repeated, like a man quite puzzled.
'It was not an affair of honour, then?' he asked.
'What was not? I do not follow,' said I.
He gave no sign of impatience; simply sat awhile silent, and began
again in the same placid and good-natured voice: 'The court and I
were at one in setting aside your evidence.
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