Page:H.M. The Patrioteer.djvu/211

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THE PATRIOTEER
203

the judge severely. Fritzsche began to talk more rapidly. By reason of his civil activities the accused was accustomed to associate authority with liberal leanings. He obviously regarded himself as more enlightened and more entitled to criticise than most other people. It was, therefore, conceivable that, in a state of exasperation—and he felt exasperated by the shooting of the workman by the sentry—he may have given such expression to his political opinions as would suggest an offensive intention, although outwardly free from reproach.

The presiding judge and the Public Prosecutor gave a visible sigh of relief. Justices Harnisch and Kühlemann glanced at the public, amongst which there was a lively sensation. The junior counsel sitting to the left again examined his nails, his colleague on the right hand, however, a thoughtful looking young man, observed the accused, who was just in front of him. The hands of the defendant clutched the rail of the seat, and his prominent brown eyes were turned towards his wife. She was looking steadily at Fritzsche, with parted lips, as if in a dream, and her expression was one of suffering, weakness and shame. The Mayor's mother-in-law said distinctly: "And she has two children at home!" Suddenly Lauer seemed to notice the whispering all round him, all these glances which turned away when they met his own. He crumpled up, and his face became so pale that the young barrister moved anxiously in his chair.

Diederich who was feeling better and better, was probably the only person who still followed the dialogue between the presiding and examining judges. Poor Fritzsche! At first the affair could not have been more painful to any one than to Diederich, for good reasons. Had he not exercised an influence over Diederich as witness which was almost a violation of professional etiquette? And yet in affidavit form, Diederich's testimony was very damaging, and Fritzsche's own evidence even more so. He had not been any less ruthless than Jadas-