Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23


late lamented Queen Cath
crime of blessed memory, my Lord o
Uppingham. whose dispositions could no
be taken previously, was nevertheless al
lowed to bear witness on behalf of thu
accused
But the opinion of the most learned law
yer in England would not now have been
listened to, If it had been adverse to the
present situation; lords and judges, no.
bler,en and spectators, clamored with
every means at their command, short OF
absolute contempt of court. that this
new witness should be heard
How say you. my lords?" said the lord
high steward eagerly; bearing in mind
the opinion of our learned colleague,
ought We to hear this lady or no?'
Aye, aye.' came from every voice on
the bench.
..By our lady, protest" said Wessex
loudly.
I'VE will hear this lady" pronoun, ID
the lord nigh steward, 'let her step for
ward. and made to swear the truth OF her
assertions
Ursula came forward step or two;
Mr.. Thomas Wilbraham, attorney general
of the court of wards. who was sitting
close by, held out small wooden cru
cifix toward her. She took it and kissed
it reverently.
You are the Lady Ursula Glynde."
QuerleQ LORD s-QdnQOS, mai OF nOnOr
to the queens majestty?"
II am
Then do I charge you to speak the
truth, the whole truth and naught but
the truth. help you God"
My lords" protested Wessex hotly. for
his brain was in a whirl; he could not al
low her to speak and accuse herself of
her crime; she-the angel side of her
taking upon herself the evil committed by
that mysterious second self er watch
she had no control. 1t was too horrible!
And all these people. gaping at her, made
his blood tingle with shame. " he
had readily borne himself. the disgrace.
the staring crowd. the pity anu inquisi-
tiveness of the multitude. that he felt he
could not endure for her
Already, as he saw her now his heart
had forgiven her everything. gladly, joy
ously would he die now. since he had seen
her once more as she really was, pure and
undefiled by contact with the ignoble
wretch whom in a moment of badness
she had Sent to his death.
He protested with all his might. But
IL was his own past life his friends. his
popularity, which now literally conspired
against him, and caused his judges to
turn deaf ear to his entreaties.
My Lord of Wessex,' said --.e high
steward sternly. Tin the name of justice
and for the dignity of this court. 1 charge
Then he once more addressed the Lady
Ursula:
Say on. lady. This court will hear
YOU"
She waited a few moments while every
spectator there seemed to hear his own
heart beat with the intensity of his eX-
cltement. Then she began speaking in a
firm and even voice, somewhat low at
first, but gaining strength and volume
as she proceeded.
Il would have you know, my lords.'
she said. that at midnight on the 14th
day of October, being in the audience
chamber at Hampton Court Palace, in
the company of Dor. Miguel de Suarez-"
She paused suddenly and seemed to
sway Mr.. Thomas Wilbraham ran to
he, offering her chair, which she de-
clined with a quick wave of the/hand.
My lord" said Wessex, quietly and
earnestly. during the brief lull caused by
this interruption, ~ entreat you in the
name of justice. to not hear this lady;
she is excited and overweight and knows
not the purport of what she is saying.
You see for yourselves she is scarce con-
scious of her action-I have made full
confession-there rests nothing to be
DONE
Prisoner at the bar" said the lord
high steward. II charge you to be 81
lent. Lady Ursula. continue
And Wessex perforce had to hold his
peace, while Ursula resumed her tale
more calmly:
Being in company of Don Miguel. who
spoke words of love to me-and anon
did hold me in his arms-when l cried to
escape-but-but-he would not let me go
-he-he-Your lordships have patience
tones of intense pathos as the monstrous
lie she was So sublifnely forcing her
self to utter seemed suddenly to be chok-
ing her. Then she continued. speaking
quickly. lest perhaps she might waver
before the end
His grace of Wessex did come upon
us. and seeing me held with violence. L,
who was his betrothed to save mine
honor. the duke did strike Don Miguel
down.
There was dead silence as the young
girl had finished speaking. Wessex was
staring at her. and Mr.. Thomas Norton
assures us that he burst out laughing
laugh which the queens printer stig-
matiZes as "heartless and unworthy a
high born gentleman! for truly" he
continues, 1.-The Lady Ursula Glynde was
moved by the spirit of God in thus MAX
ing tardy confession. and his grace.
methipks should have shown a proper
spirit and reverence before this man
Hesitation of God"
But If Wessex laughed at this supreme
and palpitating moment. surely his laugh
must have come from the very bitter
Ursula had told nothing but a strangely
concocted lie. To him, who had-as he
thought-seen her with the blood of Don
Miguel still warm upon her hands, this
extraordinary tale of threatened honor
and timely interference was but a
tangled tissue of wanton falsehoods-an-
other in the long series which she had
told to him.
He had no idea of any sacrifice her
part. and merely looked upon her present
action as a weak attempt to save him
from the gallows and no more.
She just liked him we'll enough ap-
parent}y not to wish to see him hang,
but that was all, and this suddenly
struck him as ridiculous. paltry and
childish, a silly bravado which caused
him to laugh. Perhaps she desired to
save him publicly at slight cost to her
self in order that she might yet oc-
cupy one day the position which she had
so avowedly coveted since her childhood:
that of Duchess of WesseX.
II was indeed more than ridiculous
The stain of murder. which was really
on her hands she was full willing II
should rest on him. only slightly paliated
by the lie which she had told.
Strange. strange perversion of a girl
ish soul,
With dulled ears and brain in a tur-
MOL Wessex only partly heard the
questions and cross-questions which his
judges now put to her. She never wavered
from the original story. but repeated it
again and again. curcumstantially and
without hesitation Never once did she
Look toward the bar.
Lady Ursula Glynde," said Lord
Chandos finally and with solemn earnest
ness do you swear upon your honor
and conscience that you have spoken the
truth"
And she replied equally solemny:
II swear II upon mine honor and con
science.