It did not seem to me at first possible that such a woman as Elizabeth
Gaunt, that had never concerned herself with plots or politics, but
spent her life wholly in good works, should be taken up as a public
enemy and so treated only because she had given shelter to a man that
had fled for his life. Yet this was, as I now learnt, the law. But there
still seemed no possibility of any conviction, for who was there to give
witness against her of the chief fact, namely, that she had known the
man she sheltered to be one that had fought against the King? Her house
was open always to those that were in trouble or danger, and no question
asked. There were none of her neighbours that would have spied upon her,
seeing that she had the reputation of a saint among them; and none to
whom she had given her confidence. She had withheld it even from me, nor
could I certainly say that she had the knowledge that was charged
against her. For Windham was out of the way now--on my business, as I
afterwards discovered; and if he had been nigh at hand he would have had
more wisdom than to show himself at this juncture.
When I was taken before the judge, and, terrified as I was, questioned
with so much roughness that I suspected a desire to fright me further,
so that I might say whatever they that questioned me desired, even then
they could, happily, discover nothing that told against my mistress,
because I knew nothing.
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