"I submitted to the father ye Normans gave me, and bore all the
wrongs he and his heaped upon me, until the day when I discovered
in that father" (he pronounced the word with the deepest scorn)
"the murderer of my own mother."
A general burst of incredulity, followed by an indignant and
scornful denial from Etienne.
"Silence," said a stern voice, "this is not a hostelry; the
prisoner has the right of speech and the ear of the judge; only,
Englishman, be careful what thou sayest."
"I repeat the simple fact, my lord" (this was the only title
Wilfred would give the King); "the baron, whom ye are pleased
sportively to call my father, poisoned my own mother."
"Poisoned! poisoned! My liege, can this be endured?"
"Hear him to the end, and then, if he have spoken without proof, it
will be time to pronounce his aggravated sentence. SILENCE!"
Wilfred continued, and told the whole story as our readers know it,
until his arrival at the Dismal Swamp. He described all that had
passed so clearly that his foes became interested in spite of
themselves, and listened. He did not charge Hugo with the burning
of the priory, for he had no evidence to sustain the charge, being
only aware that such was at hand to be produced by others; as he
had learnt from Father Kenelm, who had been granted admittance to
his cell.
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