er hair was smooth over her
ears, knotted neatly on the nape of her neck.

The Judge, a fatigued, monumental person with a long face, pointed
whiskers, and the eyes of a dead fish, told her to stand up. As she
was already standing, she looked at him with patient inquiry; but he
took no notice of that. Her self-possession was indeed remarkable.
She gave her answers quietly, without hesitation, and when anything was
asked her which offended her, either ignored it or told the questioner
what she thought of it. From the outset Manvers could see that the
Judge's business was to incriminate her beyond repair. Her plea of
guilty was not to help her. She was to be shown infamous.

The examination ran thus:--

_Judge_: "You are Manuela, daughter of Incarnacion Presa of Valencia,
and have never known your father?" (_Manuela bows her head_.) "Answer
the Court."

_Manuela_: "It is true."

_Judge_: "It is said that your father was the _gitano_ Sagruel?"

_Manuela_: "I don't know."

_Judge_: "You may well say that. Remember that you are condemning your
mother by such answers. Your mother sold you at twelve years old to an
unfrocked priest named Tormes?"

_Manuela_: "Yes. For three _pesos_."

_Judge_: "Disgraceful transaction! This wretch taught you dancing,
posturing, and all manner of wickedness?"

_Manuela_: "He taught me to dance."

_Judge_: "How long were you in his company?"

_Manuela_: "For three years."

_Judge_: "He took you from fair to fair. You were a public dancer?"

_Manuela_: "That is true."

_Judge_: "I can imagine--the court can imagine--your course of life
during this time. This master of yours, this Tormes, how did he treat
you?"

_Manuela_: "Very ill."

_Judge_: "Be more explicit, Manuela. In what way?"

_Manuela_: "He beat me. He hurt me."

_Judge_: "Why so?"

_Manuela_: "I cannot tell you any more about him."

_Judge_: "You refuse?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

Judge: "The court places its interpretation upon your silence." (He
looked painfully round as if he regretted the absence of the proper
means of extracting answers. Manvers heard Gil Perez curse him under
his breath.)

The Judge made lengthy notes upon the margin of his docquet, and then
proceeded.

_Judge_: "The young gentleman, Don Bartolome Ramonez, first saw you at
the fair of Salamanca in 1859?"

_Manuela_: "Yes."

_Judge_: "He saw you often, and followed you to Valladolid, where his
father Don Luis lived?