ionable testimony--the gentleman
whom it had been attempted to involve being thus placed out of the
question, and all the statements of the previous witness about the
moustache which he could not see, etc., set aside.

Philip, it may be supposed, paid little attention to this further
discussion. His eyes and thoughts were fixed upon his mother, who for a
minute or two stood motionless through it, as pale as ever, but with her
head a little thrown back, facing, though not looking at, the circling
lines of faces. Had she seen anything she must have seen the tall boy
standing up as pale as she, following her movements with an unconscious
repetition which was more than sympathy, never taking his gaze from her
face.

And then presently her place was empty, and she was gone.

Philip was not aware how the discussion of the lawyers ended, but only
that in a moment there was vacancy where his mother had been standing,
and his gaze seemed thrown back to him by the blank where she had been.
He was left in the midst of the crowd, which, after that one keen
sensation, fell back upon the real trial with interest much less keen.

CHAPTER XLV.

Philip did not know how long he remained, almost paralysed, in the
court, dazed in his mind, incapable of movement. He was in the centre of
a long row of people, and to make his way out was difficult. He felt
that the noise would call attention to him, and that he might be somehow
identified--identified, as what? He did not know--his head was not clear
enough to give any reason. When he came more to himself, and his eyes
regained a little their power of vision, it seemed to him that everybody
had stolen away. There was the judge, indeed, still sitting imperturbable,
the jury restless in their box, the lawyers going on with their eternal
quarrel over a bewildered witness, all puppets carrying on some
unintelligible, wearisome, automaton process, contending, contending for
ever about nothing. But all that had secured Philip's attention was
gone. John Tatham's head was no longer visible under the witness-box;
the ladies had disappeared from their elevated seats; the man with the
opera-glass was gone. They were all gone, and the empty husks of a
question which only concerned the comfort and life of the commonplace
culprit in the dock were being turned over and over like chaff by
the wind. And yet it was some time before poor young Pippo, shy of
attracting attention, feeling some subtle