e off. Our faces were close together, and there was a horrible
fascination in her eyes--the eyes of a madwoman at that moment, beyond
all question."

"I am convinced that she is mad, and has been so for years," said Mr.
Larmer, positively.

"She was mad then, foaming at the mouth, and trying to bite me in her
impotent fury. I could not hold her wrist firmly--she plunged here and
there so violently that one or other of us was pretty sure to be hurt,
unless I could force her to drop the murderous weapon. I was ashamed
that I could not do it; but she had the strength of a demon, and I
really wonder that she did not master me. Then the end came. Suddenly
her resistance ceased. The desperate force with which I had been holding
her hand must have been fully exerted at the very instant when her
muscles relaxed--when the light went out of her eyes and the body
staggered to the ground. It all happened at once. Did she faint? At any
rate, my fingers never touched the dagger until after she was stabbed."

"It was a pure accident--as clear as can be; and the whole blame of it
is on her own shoulders. She brought the weapon, she held it, she
resisted you when you tried to prevent mischief. She, not you, had the
disposition to injure, and you have not an atom of responsibility."

"That is your view, as a friend. It is not the view of the
scandal-mongers outside. It will not be the view of the jury. And it is
not my view."

"What do you mean?"

"I really do not know where my responsibility began or where it ended. I
don't know if her strength failed her at the critical moment, or if it
was simply overcome by mine--if, in fact, she was injured whilst
resisting my violence. One thing I am sure of, and that is that my heart
was full of hatred towards her. There was vengeance in my soul if not in
my intention. Who is to discriminate between motives so near allied?
Your friendship may acquit me, Larmer, but your instincts as a lawyer
cannot; and at any rate, I cannot acquit myself of having entertained
the feeling out of which crimes of violence naturally spring. To all
intents and purposes I am on exactly the same footing as many a man who
has ended his life on the gallows."

"I suppose you think that tribulation is good for your soul. I cannot
see any other ground on which you torment yourself in this way about
things you have not done and acts you have never contemplated. I
understand that you entrusted me with your defence!" Mr