An American Tragedy - Theodore Dreiser [389]
“Yes, sir,” said Clyde, simply.
“Well, then, after she got in trouble and you couldn’t help her, then what? What was it you did? How did you act? … By the way, one moment—what was your salary at that time?”
“Twenty-five dollars a week,” confessed Clyde.
“No other source of income?”
“I didn’t quite hear.”
“Was there any other source from which you were obtaining any money at that time in any way?”
“No, sir.”
“And how much was your room?”
“Seven dollars a week.”
“And your board?”
“Oh, from five to six.”
“Any other expenses?”
“Yes, sir—my clothes and laundry.”
“You had to stand your share of whatever social doings were on foot, didn’t you?”
“Objected to as leading!” called Mason.
“Objection sustained,” replied Justice Oberwaltzer.
“Any other expenses that you can think of?”
“Well, there were carfares and trainfares. And then I had to share in whatever social expenses there were.”
“Exactly!” cried Mason, with great irritation. “I wish you would quit leading this parrot here.”
“I wish the honorable district attorney would mind his own business!” snorted Jephson—as much for Clyde’s benefit as for his own. He wished to break down his fear of Mason. “I’m examining this defendant, and as for parrots we’ve seen quite a number of them around here in the last few weeks, and coached to the throat like school-boys.”
“That’s a malicious lie!” shouted Mason. “I object and demand an apology.”
“The apology is to me and to this defendant, if your Honor pleases, and will be exacted quickly if your Honor will only adjourn this court for a few minutes,” and then stepping directly in front of Mason, he added: “And I will be able to obtain it without any judicial aid.” Whereupon Mason, thinking he was about to be attacked, squared off, the while assistants and deputy sheriffs, and stenographers and writers, and the clerk of the court himself, gathered round and seized the two lawyers while Justice Oberwaltzer pounded violently on his desk with his gavel:
“Gentlemen! Gentlemen! You are both in contempt of court, both of you! You will apologize to the court and to each other, or I’ll declare a mistrial and commit you both for ten days and fine you five hundred dollars each.” With this he leaned down and frowned on both. And at once Jephson replied, most suavely and ingratiatingly: “Under the circumstances, your Honor, I apologize to you and to the attorney for the People and to this jury. The attack on this defendant, by the district attorney, seemed too unfair and uncalled for—that was all.”
“Never mind that,” continued Oberwaltzer.
“Under the circumstances, your Honor, I apologize to you and to the counsel for the defense. I was a little hasty, perhaps. And to this defendant also,” sneered Mason, after first looking into Justice Oberwaltzer’s angry and uncompromising eyes and then into Clyde’s, who instantly recoiled and turned away.
“Proceed,” growled Oberwaltzer, sullenly.
“Now, Clyde,” resumed Jephson anew, as calm as though he had just lit and thrown away a match. “You say your salary was twenty-five dollars and you had these various expenses. Had you, up to this time, been able to put aside any money for a rainy day?”
“No, sir—not much—not any, really.”
“Well, then, supposing some doctor to whom Miss Alden had applied had been willing to assist her and wanted—say a hundred dollars or so—were you ready to furnish that?”
“No, sir—not right off, that is.”
“Did she have any money of her own that you know of?”
“None that I know of—no, sir.”
“Well, how did you intend to help her then?”
“Well, I thought if either she or I found any one and he would wait and let me pay for it on time, that I could save and pay it that way, maybe.”
“I see. You were perfectly willing to do that, were you?”
“Yes, sir, I was.”
“You told her so, did you?”
“Yes, sir. She knew that.”
“Well, when neither you nor she could find any one to help her, then what? What did you do next?”
“Well, then she wanted me to marry her.”
“Right away?”
“Yes, sir. Right away.”
“And what did you say to that?”
“I told her I just couldn’t then. I didn