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DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Oh, very kind of her and very romantic, so you thought one good turn deserves another and you've come here to shield the prisoner at the bar, with your weighty opinion that she's insane. Now sir, what do you know about insanity, eh?
PETERSON
I only thought she acted like it.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Acted! [Yes, you've hit it.] You needn't say another word. Acting describes it admirably. In these days every murderer knows the expediency of acting a little, the insanity dodge is the only [winning card. Now—]
PETERSON
Mifs Hawkins always befriended me.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Silence, sir. Wait till you're spoken to, wait till you're asked, then give us the tender relations existing between yourself and the prisoner. [If you please,] put them in a Sunday School story book to soft-soap the heathens with. Look me in the eye, sir! Look me in the eye! No nonsense now, no equivocation, or it will go hard with you. It has been maintained by the learned counsel and with a great deal of satisfaction, that thus far we have been unable to produce a single witness who saw the fatal shot fired.
(PETERSON shows concern,
so does LAURA'S COUNSEL.)Look me in the eye, sir.
(Deliberately and impressively.)
Now, sir, you saw that shot fired! [
(PETERSON turns away.)
You start! You turn pale! From the moment of the homicide to the present time, you have never mentioned in any conversation that you saw the [awful crime committed]! Never hinted at it in your examination yesterday! Do you know sir, that this silence constitutes perjury.
(PETERSON starts.)
This is carrying friendship to a great length, I can assure you, Mr. Peterson. You also testified yesterday that you did not announce Colonel Sellers and the other visitors at the time of the homicide. Is this true sir?
PETERSON
Yes, sir.
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