 of his testimony.
    When the Judge had finished the established form, he added in a feeling, but
yet a monitory tone, an advice, which the circumstances appeared to him to call
for.
    »Young woman,« these were his words, »you come before this Court in
circumstances, which it would be worse than cruel not to pity and to sympathise
with. Yet it is my duty to tell you, that the truth, whatever its consequences
may be, the truth is what you owe to your country, and to that God whose word is
truth, and whose name you have now invoked. Use your own time in answering the
questions that gentleman« (pointing to the counsel) »shall put to you. - But
remember, that what you may be tempted to say beyond what is the actual truth,
you must answer both here and hereafter.«
    The usual questions were then put to her: - Whether any one had instructed
her what evidence she had to deliver? Whether any one had given or promised her
any good deed, hire, or reward, for her testimony? Whether she had any malice or
ill-will at his Majesty's Advocate, being the party against whom she was cited
as a witness? To which questions she successively answered by a quiet negative.
But their tenor gave great scandal and offence to her father, who was not aware
that they are put to every witness as a matter of form.
    »Na, na,« he exclaimed, loud enough to be heard, »my bairn is no like the
Widow of Tekoah - nae man has putten words into her mouth.«
    One of the judges, better acquainted, perhaps, with the Books of Adjournal
than with the Book of Samuel, was disposed to make some instant inquiry after
this Widow of Tekoah, who, as he construed the matter, had been tampering with
the evidence. But the presiding Judge, better versed in Scripture history,
whispered to his learned brother the necessary explanation; and the pause
occasioned by this mistake had the good effect of giving Jeanie Deans time to
collect her spirits for the painful task she had to perform.
    Fairbrother, whose practice and intelligence were considerable, saw the
necessity of letting the witness compose herself. In his heart he suspected that
she came to bear false witness in her sister's cause.
    »But that is her own affair,« thought Fairbrother; »and it is my business to
see that she has plenty of time to regain composure, and to deliver her
evidence, be it true, or be it false - valeat
