The Spanish Jade Part 13

The Judge made lengthy notes upon the margin of his docquet, and then proceeded.

_Judge_: "The young gentleman, Don Bartolome Ramonez, first saw you at the fair of Salamanca in 1859?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "He saw you often, and followed you to Valladolid, where his father Don Luis lived?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "He professed his pa.s.sion for you, gave you presents?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "You persuaded him to take you away from Tormes?"

_Manuela_: "No."

_Judge_: "What do I hear?"

_Manuela_: "I said 'No.' It was because he said that he loved me that I went with him. He wished to marry me, he said."

_Judge_: "What! Don Bartolome Ramonez marry a public dancer! Be careful what you say there, Manuela."

_Manuela_: "He told me so, and I believed him."

_Judge_: "I pa.s.s on. You were with him until the April of this year--you were with him two years?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "And then you found another lover and deserted him?"

_Manuela_: "No. I ran away from him by myself."

_Judge_: "But you found another lover?"

_Manuela_: "No."

_Judge_: "Be careful, Manuela. You will trip in a moment. You ran away from Don Bartolome when you were at Pobledo, and you went to Palencia. What did you do there?"

_Manuela_: "I cannot answer you."

_Judge_: "You mean that you will not?"

_Manuela_: "I mean that I cannot."

_Judge_: "This is wilful prevarication again. I have authority to compel you."

_Manuela_: "You have none."

_Judge_: "We shall see, Manuela, we shall see. You left Palencia on the 12th of May in the company of an Englishman?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "He is here in court?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "Do you see him at this moment?"

_Manuela_: "Yes." (But she did not turn her head to look at Manvers until the Judge forced her.)

_Judge_: "I am not he. I am not likely to have taken you from Palencia and your proceedings there. Look at the Englishman." (She hesitated for a little while, and then turned her eyes upon him with such gentle modesty that Manvers felt nearer to loving her than he had ever done.

He rose slightly in his seat and bowed to her: she returned the salute like a young queen. The Judge had gained nothing by that.) "I see that you treat each other with ceremony; there may be reasons for that.

We shall soon see. This gentleman then took you away from Palencia in the direction of Valladolid, and made you certain proposals. What were they?"

_Manuela_: "He proposed that I should return to Palencia."

_Judge_: "And you refused?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "Why?"

_Manuela_: "I could not go back to Palencia."

_Judge_: "Why?"

_Manuela_: "There were many reasons. One was that I was afraid of seeing Esteban there."

_Judge_: "You mean Don Bartolome Ramonez de, Alavia?" (She nodded.) "Answer me."

_Manuela_: "Yes, yes."

_Judge_: "You are impatient because your evil deeds are coming to light. I am not surprised; but you must command yourself. There is more to come." (Manvers, who was furious, asked his advocate whether something could not be done. Directly her fear of Esteban was touched upon, he said, the Judge changed his tactics. The advocate smiled.

"Be patient, sir," he said. "The Judge has been instructed beforehand." "You mean," said Manvers, "that he has been bribed?" "I did not say so," the advocate replied.)

The Judge returned to Palencia. "What other reasons had you?" was his next question, but Manuela was clever enough to see where her strength lay. "My fear of Esteban swallowed all other reasons." She saved herself, and with unconcealed chagrin the Judge went on towards the real point.

_Judge_: "The Englishman then made you another proposal?"

_Manuela_: "Yes, sir. He proposed to take me to a convent."

_Judge_: "You refused that?"

_Manuela_: "No, sir. I should have been glad to go to a convent."

_Judge_: "You, however, accepted his third proposal, namely, that you should be under his protection?"

_Manuela_: "I was thankful for his protection when I saw Esteban coming."