John Caldigate eBook

Then a cloud of witnesses were brought up for the defence, each of whom, however, was soon despatched.  The two clerks from the post-office gave exactly the evidence which Sir John had described, and exposed to the jury their packet of old letters.  In their opinion the impression on the envelope was finer and cleaner than that generally produced in the course of business.  Each of them thought it not improbable that the impression had been surreptitiously obtained.  But each of them acknowledged, on cross-examination, that a stamp so clean and perfect might be given and maintained without special care; and each of them said that it was quite possible that a letter passing through the post-office might escape the stamp of one of the offices in which it would be manipulated.

Then there came the witnesses as to character, and evidence was given as to Hester’s determination to remain with the man whom she believed to be her husband.  As to this there was no cross-examination.  That Caldigate’s life had been useful and salutary since his return to Folking no one doubted,—­nor that he had been a loving husband.  If he had committed bigamy, it was, no doubt, for the public welfare that such a crime should be exposed and punished.  But that he should have been a bigamist, would be a pity,—­oh, such a pity!  The pity of it; oh, the pity of it!  For now there had been much talk of Hester and her home at Folking, and her former home at Chesterton; and people everywhere concerned themselves for her peace, for her happiness, for her condition of life.

Chapter XLIII

The Last Day

After Sir John Joram’s speech, and when the work of the second day had been brought to a close, Caldigate allowed his hopes to rise higher than they had ever mounted since he had first become aware that the accusation would in truth be brought against him.  It seemed to be almost impossible that any jury should give a verdict in opposition to arguments so convincing as those Sir John had used.  All those details which had appeared to himself to be so damning to his own cause now melted away, and seemed to be of no avail.  And even Mr. Seely, when he came to see his client in the evening, was less oppressive than usual.  He did not, indeed, venture to express hope, but in his hopelessness he was somewhat more hopeful than before.  ’You must remember, Mr. Caldigate,’ he said, ’that you have not yet heard the judge, and that with such a jury the Judge will go much further than any advocate.  I never knew a Cambridgeshire jury refuse to be led by Judge Bramber.’

‘Why a Cambridgeshire jury?’ asked old Mr. Caldigate; ’and why Judge Bramber especially?’