Then
Frank Greystock left the court, and returned with poor Lizzie on his arm.
She was handed to a chair, and, after she was sworn, was told that she
might sit down; but she was requested to remove her veil, which she had
replaced as soon as she had kissed the book. The first question asked her
was very easy. Did she remember the night at Carlisle? Would she tell the
history of what occurred on that night? When the box was stolen, were the
diamonds in it? No; she had taken the diamonds out for security, and had
kept them under her pillow. Then came a bitter moment, in which she had to
confess her perjury before the Carlisle bench; but even that seemed to
pass off smoothly. The magistrate asked one severe question.
"Do you mean to say, Lady Eustace, that you gave false evidence on that
occasion, knowing it to be false?"
"I was in such a state, sir, from fear, that I did not know what I was
saying," exclaimed Lizzie, bursting into tears, and stretching forth
toward the bench her two clasped hands with the air of a suppliant.
From that moment the magistrate was altogether on her side, and so were
the public. Poor, ignorant, ill-used young creature; and then so lovely!
That was the general feeling.
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