Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/454

"The same."

"I was indeed, and am still interested deeply."

"And so am I—so deeply, that every hope I have of happiness in this life depends upon my conviction of the truth of that plea upon which the defence rested. You know Mr. Sound, of course?"

"Intimately. He was here just this moment. There he is with his aunt, now leaving the garden gate."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Mr. Howard, looking round eagerly: "I should much like to know and converse with him."

"Shall I call him back?"

"I thank you I—thank you: not now—not now. Did you know his father?"

"No; I never did. I saw him once, I believe; but only once."

"Do you know what his christian name was?"

"Let me see; Dr. Sound-Dr.—dear me—Horatio! yes, that was it; I recollect now, it was Horatio."

"I was right in my conjecture then: that was the man. And now I'll explain to you why I came here. You stated, I believe, in your evidence on the trial, that you had not the slightest doubt of the fact of Mr. Sound being a somnambulist."

"I did so. Nor had I the slightest doubt on the subject: nor have I now. Nay, I had an additional proof of the fact this very morning!"

"Can it, think you, be proved, sir, to my satisfaction?"

"Most certainly! I'll undertake to prove it to the satisfaction of any man alive."

"I will tell you why I am anxious to be satisfied. Some years since, this young man's father and I were bosom friends. We had known each other for many years, and fancied that we knew each other's hearts. We visited each other constantly, and continued thus to visit, until one fatal night, when he was absolutely found in my wife's chamber, sitting by the side of her bed!"

"Exactly—yes—well?" cried the reverend gentleman.

"Well, he being not only a friend, but the medical adviser of my wife, I, on hearing of the circumstance, thought but little of it; conceiving that, of course, he had been to attend her professionally; but when my wife denied strongly all knowledge of the circumstance, my suspicions were aroused; and these suspicions were confirmed by Sound himself in the morning, for he declared, most solemnly declared, that on that particular night he never entered the house at all! This I thought conclusive. Had not the fact been denied, the thing would have passed off, of course; but, being thus induced to believe that they had conspired to deceive me, I felt most abundantly convinced of her guilt. I did not, however, proceed, as Sir Charles Julian has proceeded. I had too much regard for my own feelings, and the feelings of those around me. I—as I then conceived, justly—cast her off with a sufficient allowance to secure to her all personal comforts; and there, sir—there was an end."

"Poor lady! And did she live long after that?"

"She is living—still."