ge and
tragical soul seemed looking, turned this way and that. Felix, who, no
more than any one else, could keep his gaze off the trapped creature,
felt again all the sensations of the previous afternoon.

"Guilty? or, Not guilty?" As if repeating something learned by heart,
Tryst answered: "Not guilty, sir." And his big hands, at his sides, kept
clenching and unclenching. The witnesses, four in number, began now to
give their testimony. A sergeant of police recounted how he had been
first summoned to the scene of burning, and afterward arrested Tryst;
Sir Gerald's agent described the eviction and threats uttered by the
evicted man; two persons, a stone-breaker and a tramp, narrated that
they had seen him going in the direction of the rick and barn at five
o'clock, and coming away therefrom at five-fifteen. Punctuated by the
barking of the terrier clerk, all this took time, during which there
passed through Felix many thoughts. Here was a man who had done a
wicked, because an antisocial, act; the sort of act no sane person could
defend; an act so barbarous, stupid, and unnatural that the very beasts
of the field would turn noses away from it! How was it, then, that he
himself could not feel incensed? Was it that in habitually delving into
the motives of men's actions he had lost the power of dissociating what
a man did from what he was; had come to see him, with his thoughts,
deeds, and omissions, as a coherent growth? And he looked at Tryst. The
big laborer was staring with all his soul at Derek. And, suddenly, he
saw his nephew stand up--tilt his dark head back against the wall--and
open his mouth to speak. In sheer alarm Felix touched Mr. Pogram on the
arm. The little square man had already turned; he looked at that moment
extremely like a frog.

"Gentlemen, I wish to say--"

"Who are you? Sit down!" It was the chairman, speaking for the first
time in a voice that could be heard.

"I wish to say that he is not responsible. I--"

"Silence! Silence, sir! Sit down!"

Felix saw his nephew waver, and Sheila pulling at his sleeve; then, to
his infinite relief, the boy sat down. His sallow face was red; his thin
lips compressed to a white line. And slowly under the eyes of the whole
court he grew deadly pale.

Distracted by fear that the boy might make another scene, Felix followed
the proceedings vaguely. They were over soon enough: Tryst committed,
defence reserved, bail refused--all as Mr. Pogram had predicted.