This advocate for the
Crown seemed at last to think he had done enough, had achieved all
that was possible in the way of directing suspicion and ill-feeling
towards the man; and now he stopped. He did more; he almost, as it
were, faced round, and made no demand for a conviction. He ended by
saying, in so many words, that after the testimony of the witnesses in
the case, he on his part did not call upon the court to convict the
accused.
This was well enough, thought Axel--the business was practically over.
Then came the turn of the advocate for the defence, a young man
who had studied the law, and had now been entrusted with this most
satisfactory case. His tone itself showed the view he took of it;
never had a man been more certain of defending an innocent person than
he. Truth to tell, this Fru Heyerdahl had taken the wind out of his
sails beforehand, and used several of his own intended arguments that
morning; he was annoyed at her having already exploited the "society"
theme--oh, but he could have said some first-rate things about society
himself.
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