She
declined to admit that he had attacked or harmed her in any
way, constantly mumbling: "He is my husband. Do not punish
him!"
The defendant, however, seemed eager to get on the stand and
to tell his story; nor did the introduction of the knife in
evidence or the exhibition of the woman's wounds embarrass him
in the slightest degree. His manner was that of a man who had
only to explain to be entirely exonerated from blame. He
nodded at the jury and the judge, and scowled at the
complainant, who was speedily conducted to a place where no
harm could possibly come to her. When at last he was sworn,
he could hardly restrain himself into coherency.
"Yes--that woman forced me to marry her!" he testified in
substance. "But in the eyes of God I am not her husband, for
she bewitched me! Else would I have married an old crone who
could not have borne me children? When her spells weakened I
left her and came to America. Here I met the woman I love,
--Rosina,--and as I had been bewitched into the other
marriage, we lived together as man and wife for two years.
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