Chapter 89

           Actingundertheadviceofhiscounsel,theaccusedpreparestoavailhimselfoftheadvantagethusconceded.

           Directedbythejudge,hestandsforward;thesheriff’sofficersinchargefallingasteportwointotherear.

           Itissuperfluoustosaythatthereisuniversalsilence.Eventhetreecrickets,hitherto"chirping"amongtheleavesofthelive-oak,desistfromtheirshrillstridulationasifawedbythestillnessunderneath.Everyeyeisfixedupontheprisoner;everyearbenttocatchthefirstwordsof,whatmaybetermed,hisconfession.

           "Judge,andgentlemenofthejury!"sayshe,commencinghisspeechintrueTexanstyle;"youaregoodenoughtoletmespeakformyself;andinavailingmyselfoftheprivilege,Ishallnotlongdetainyou.

           "First,haveItosay:that,notwithstandingthemanycircumstancesmentionedduringthecourseofthistrialwhichtoyouappearnotonlyodd,butinexplicablemystoryissimpleenough;andwillexplainsomeofthem.

           "Notallofthestatementsyouhaveheardaretrue.Someofthemarefalseasthelipsfromwhichtheyhavefallen."

           Thespeaker’sglance,directeduponCassiusCalhoun,causesthelattertoquail,asifstandingbeforethemuzzleofasix-shooter.

           "ItistruethatImetMissPoindexter,asstated.Thatnoblelady,byherowngenerousconfession,hassavedmefromthesinofperjuringmyselfwhichotherwiseImighthavedone.InallelseIentreatyoutobelieveme.

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