Why didn't you before ?" "Who doubted?
Not I, indeed; and not she." "Well, why wouldn't you tell me your story, then ?" "Ye had made no promise; else had it been otherwise." "I see, I see....

And yet I believe I don't quite see, after all.
You stood the torture and refused to confess; which shows plain enough to even the dullest understanding that you had nothing to confess--" "I, my lord?
How so?
It was I that killed the deer!" "You _did_?
Oh, dear, this is the most mixed-up business that ever--" "Dear lord, I begged him on my knees to confess, but--" "You _did_! It gets thicker and thicker.

What did you want him to do that for ?" "Sith it would bring him a quick death and save him all this cruel pain." "Well--yes, there is reason in that.

But _he_ didn't want the quick death." "He?
Why, of a surety he _did_." "Well, then, why in the world _didn't_ he confess ?" "Ah, sweet sir, and leave my wife and chick without bread and shelter ?" "Oh, heart of gold, now I see it! The bitter law takes the convicted man's estate and beggars his widow and his orphans.

They could torture you to death, but without conviction or confession they could not rob your wife and baby.