To get her
to give a straightforward answer to any question was simply impossible.
Over and over again the judge explained to her that "yes" or "no" would
be amply sufficient; but all in vain. She launched out at large in
reply to our counsel, who, nevertheless, when he sat down, had gained
his point.
Miss Blake declared upon oath she had never seen anything worse than
herself at River Hall, and did not believe anybody else ever had.
She had never been there during Colonel Morris' tenancy, or she must
certainly have seen something worse than a ghost, a man ready and
anxious to "rob the orphan," and she was going to add the "widow" when
peals of laughter stopped her utterance. Miss Blake had no faith in
ghosts resident at River Hall, and if anybody was playing tricks about
the house, she should have thought a "fighting gentleman by profession"
capable of getting rid of them.
"Unless he was afraid," added Miss Blake, with withering irony.
Then up rose the opposition counsel, who approached her in an easy,
conversational manner.
"And so you do not believe in ghosts, Miss Blake?" he began.
"Indeed and I don't," she answered.
"But if we have not ghosts, what is to become of the literature of your
country?" he inquired.
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