I stood before Mr.Philip, staring straight at him, without speaking, without moving, almost without breathing.

If he or any other man had struck me at that moment, I do not believe I should have felt the blow.
"Both my brother and myself," said Mr.Philip, "have such unfeigned respect for your mistress, such sympathy for her under these frightful circumstances, and such an implicit belief in her capability of proving her innocence, that we are desirous of sparing her in this dreadful emergency as much as possible.

For those reasons, I have undertaken to come here with the persons appointed to execute my brother's warrant--" "Warrant, sir!" I said, getting command of my voice as he pronounced that word--"a warrant against my mistress!" "Against her and against you," said Mr.Philip.

"The suspicious circumstances have been sworn to by a competent witness, who has declared on oath that your mistress is guilty, and that you are an accomplice." "What witness, sir ?" "Your mistress's quadroon maid, who came to my brother this morning, and who has made her deposition in due form." "And who is as false as hell," I cried out passionately, "in every word she says against my mistress and against me." "I hope--no, I will go further, and say I believe she is false," said Mr.Philip.

"But her perjury must be proved, and the necessary examination must take place.