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"I demand, in proof of this, that you come here and lay your hands upon the brow of your victim, and swear by the living God, by your hopes of salvation through the blood of Christ, that you saw George Leatrim commit this crime." 'The man made a few steps forward.
Leatrim was too much overcome by passion to hear that despairing moan, his pride too deeply wounded to pity and forgive; and he continued, with the utmost severity of look and manner: "Ay, wretched boy, you should have thought of that before; but not even to spare her feelings can I neglect my duty. I cannot demean myself by touching a thing so vile.
'There was another person in the house, whom, next to his wife and son, Doctor Leatrim held in the greatest esteem and veneration, not only on account of his having saved him, when a boy, from drowning, at the imminent peril of his own life, but from his having persuaded him, when a youth, to abandon a career of reckless folly and become a Christian.
There were many wealthy people in the neighbourhood, and the poor-box generally yielded a plentiful harvest for the destitute. 'The key of the box was always kept in the rector's study, and occupied the same hook with the key of the church. The windows of this room were directly opposite to the church. No person had access to this apartment but Dr. Leatrim, his wife and son, and old Ralph.
It is this son, named after his father, George Leatrim, who forms the subject of my present story, which, though a painful one in its general details, is strictly true. 'If the good Doctor had an idol in the world, it was his son George. The lad possessed the most amiable disposition, uniting to the talent and earnestness of the father, the gentle, endearing qualities of his mother.
There was always a good sprinkling of silver and gold to set against the weekly donations of coppers and small coin, to make glad the widows and orphans of Westcliff, to comfort the lame, the halt, and the blind. 'The Sunday after Easter was the day Dr. Leatrim had always appointed for the distribution of these alms to the poor.
Leatrim did not like Ralph as well as her husband did, and would much rather have had the sanction of the legitimate master of the house. 'By his fellow-servants the old grey-headed factotum was almost detested.
I have borne an honest character all my life. It is not a beardless boy that can rob me of it in my old age." "It may be possible, Ralph, that you were mistaken," said Dr. Leatrim, after a long and painful silence, in which he had been summing up the evidence on both sides. "The boy's account of himself is very clear. George, I will give you one trial more.
My dear afflicted husband," continued Mrs. Leatrim, "let us be thankful to the heavenly Father that He has cleared the stain of guilt from the memory of a beloved son, and placed him beyond the power of sin and temptation for ever." 'And what became of the wicked old man? said I eagerly. 'That night Mrs. Leatrim died. Her son's tragic end brought on a fatal return of her dangerous malady.
Such an insensible but powerfully acknowledged antagonism existed between the faithful old servant and his young master. They did not hate one another that would have been too strong a term but Doctor Leatrim often remarked with pain that there was no love lost between them, and often blamed George for the indifference he manifested towards his humble friend.
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