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h a glow of enthusiasm； 〃an' it's mesilf that knows it。〃
〃Oh； the country is all right；〃 said Mr。 Staunton impatiently； 〃but did not this man abandon his wife？〃
〃An' if he's the man ye think he is wudn't she be the better quit av him？〃
The lawyer had reached the limit of his patience。
〃Well； well； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； we will leave the wife alone。 But what of his treatment of the children？〃
〃The childer？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； 〃the childer； is it？ Man dear； but he's the thrue gintleman an' the tinder…hearted father fer his childer； an' so he is。〃
〃Oh； indeed； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick。 I am sure we shall all be delighted to hear this。 But you certainly have strange views of a father's duty toward his children。 Now will you tell the court upon what ground you would extol his parental virtues？〃
〃Faix； it's niver a word I've said about his parental virtues； or any other kind o' virtues。 I was talkin' about his childer。〃
〃Well； then； perhaps you would be kind enough to tell the court what reason you have for approving his treatment of his children？〃
Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's opportunity had arrived。 She heaved a great sigh； and with some deliberation began。
〃Och！ thin； an' it's just terrible heart…rendin' an' so it is。 An' it's mesilf that can shpake； havin' tin av me own； forby three that's dead an' gone； God rest their sowls！ an' four that's married； an' the rest all doin' well fer thimsilves。 Indade； it's mesilf that has the harrt fer the childer。 You will be havin' childer av yer own；〃 she added confidentially to the lawyer。
A shout of laughter filled the court room； for Staunton was a confirmed and notorious old bachelor。
〃I have the bad fortune； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； to be a bachelor；〃 he replied； red to the ears。
〃Man dear； but it's hard upon yez； but it's Hivin's mercy fer yer wife。〃
The laughter that followed could with difficulty be suppressed by the court crier。
〃Go on； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； go on with your tale；〃 said Staunton； who had frankly joined in the laugh against himself。
〃I will that；〃 said Mrs。 Fitzpatrick with emphasis。 〃Where was I？ The man an' his childer。 Sure； I'll tell Yer 'Anner。〃 Here she turned to the judge。 〃Fer he；〃 with a jerk of her thumb towards the lawyer； 〃knows nothin' about the business at all； at all。 It was wan night he came to me house askin' to see his childer。 The night o' the dance； Yer 'Anner。 As I was sayin'； he came to me house where the childer was； askin' to see thim； an' him without a look o' thim fer years。 An' did they know him？〃 Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's voice took a tragic tone。 〃Not a hair av thim。 Not at the first。 Ah； but it was the harrt…rendin' scene； with not a house nor a home fer him to come till； an' him sendin' the money ivery month to pay fer it。 But where it's gone； it's not fer me to say。 There's some in this room〃 （here she regarded Rosenblatt with a steady eye）； 〃might know more about that money an' what happened till it； than they know about Hivin。 Ah； but as I was sayin'； it wud melt the harrt av a Kerry steer； that's first cousin to the goats on the hills fer wildness； to see the way he tuk thim an' held thim； an' wailed over thim； the tinder harrt av him！ Fer only wan small hour or two could he shtay wid thim； an' then aff to that haythen counthry agin that gave him birth。 An' the way he suffered fer that same； poor dear！ An' the beautiful wife he lost！ Hivin be kind to her！ Not her；〃 following the judge's glance toward Paulina； 〃but an angel that need niver feel shame to shtand befure the blissid Payther himsilf； wid the blue eyes an' the golden hair in the picter he carries nixt his harrt； the saints have pity on him！ An' how he suffered fer the good cause！ Och hone！ it breaks me harrt！〃 Here Mrs。 Fitzpatrick paused to wipe away her tears。
〃But； Mrs。 Fitzpatrick；〃 interrupted Mr。 Staunton； 〃this is all very fine； but what has this to do〃
〃Tut！ man； isn't it that same I'm tellin' ye？〃 And on she went； going back to the scene she had witnessed in her own room between Kalmar and his children； and describing the various dramatis personae and the torrential emotions that had swept their hearts in that scene of final parting between father and children。
Again and again Staunton sought to stay her eloquence； but with a majestic wave of her hand she swept him aside； and with a wealth of metaphor and an unbroken flow of passionate； tear…bedewed rhetoric that Staunton himself might well envy； she held the court under her sway。 Many of the women present were overcome with emotion。 O'Hara openly wiped away his tears； keeping an anxious eye the while upon the witness and waiting the psychological moment for the arresting of her tale。
The moment came when Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's emotions rendered her speechless。 With a great show of sympathy； Mr。 O'Hara approached the witness； and offering her a glass of water； found opportunity to whisper； 〃Not another word； on your soul。〃
〃Surely；〃 he said； appealing to the judge in a voice trembling with indignant feeling； 〃my learned friend will not further harass this witness。〃
〃Let her go； in Heaven's name；〃 said Staunton testily； 〃we want no more of her。〃
〃So I should suppose；〃 replied O'Hara drily。
With Mrs。 Fitzpatrick； the case for the Crown was closed。 To the surprise of all； and especially of the Counsel for the Crown； O'Hara called no witnesses and offered no evidence in rebuttal of that before the court。 This made it necessary for Staunton to go on at once with his final address to the jury。
Seldom in all his experience had he appeared to such poor advantage as on that day。 The court was still breathing the atmosphere of Mrs。 Fitzpatrick's rude and impassioned appeal。 The lawyer was still feeling the sting of his humiliating failure with his star witness； and O'Hara's unexpected move surprised and flustered him； old hand as he was。 With halting words and without his usual assurance； he reviewed the evidence and asked for a conviction on both charges。
With O'Hara it was quite otherwise。 It was in just such a desperate situation that he was at his best。 The plight of the prisoner； lonely； beaten and defenceless； appealed to his chivalry。 Then； too； O'Hara； by blood and tradition； was a revolutionist。 In every 〃rising〃 during the last two hundred years of Ireland's struggles； some of his ancestors had carried a pike or trailed a musket； and the rebel blood in him cried sympathy with the Nihilist in his devotion to a hopeless cause。 And hence the passion and the almost tearful vehemence that he threw into his final address were something more than professional。
With great skill he took his cue from the evidence of the last witness。 He drew a picture of the Russian Nihilist hunted like 〃a partridge on the mountains；〃 seeking for himself and his compatriots a home and safety in this land of liberty。 With vehement scorn he told the story of the base treachery of Rosenblatt； 〃a Government spy； a thief； a debaucher of women； and were I permitted； gentlemen； I could unfold a tale in this connection such as would wring your hearts with grief and indignation。 But my client will not permit that the veil be drawn from scenes that would bring shame