Nothing in Crozier’s face showed what he felt, except his eyes, and they had a look in them which might well have made his questioner shrink. He turned calmly to the judge.
“Your honour, does this bear upon the case? Must I answer this legal libertine?”
At the word libertine, the judge, the whole court, and the audience started; but it was presently clear the witness meant that the questioner was abusing his legal privileges, though the people present interpreted it another way, and quite rightly.
The reply of the judge was in favour of the lawyer. “I do not quite see the full significance of the line of defence, but I think I must allow the question,” was the judge’s gentle and reluctant reply, for he was greatly impressed by this witness, by his transparent honesty and straightforwardness.
“Were you a legitimate son of John Gathorne Crozier and his wife?” asked Burlingame.
“Yes, a legitimate son,” answered Crozier in an even voice.
“I said that gentleman was his designation in official documents. I supposed that would convey the fact that he was not living, but I see you do not quickly grasp a point.”
Burlingame was stung by the laughter in the court and ventured a riposte.
“But is once a gentleman always a gentleman an infallible rule?”
“I suppose not; I did not mean to convey that; but once a rogue always a bad lawyer holds good in every country,” was Crozier’s comment in a low, quiet voice which stirred and amused the audience again.
“I must ask counsel to put questions which have some relevance even to his own line of defence,” remarked the judge sternly. “This is not a corner grocery.”
Burlingame bowed. He had had a facer, but he had also shown the witness to have been living under an assumed name. That was a good start. He hoped to add to the discredit. He had absolutely no knowledge of Crozier’s origin and past; but he was in a position to find it out if Crozier told the truth on oath, and he was sure he would.
“Where was your domicile in the old country?” Burlingame asked.
“In County Kerry--with a flat in London.”
“If you did not sell, how is it that you do not own it?”
The judge smiled, the people smiled, the jury smiled. Truly, though a life-history was being exposed with incredible slowness--“like pulling teeth,” as the Young Doctor said--it was being touched off with laughter.