"Not one of them," he pursued, "contains a line that you should not
read. They prove absolutely, beyond shadow of doubt, that the charge
brought against your mother was false. The dates cover nearly five
years--from a simple note of invitation to Ewell--you remember
--down to a letter written about three weeks ago. Of course I was
obliged to read them through; I knew to begin with what I should
find. Now I give them to you. Let Dr. Derwent see them. If any doubt
remains in his mind, they will make an end of it."
He put the packet into Olga's hands. She, overcome for the moment by
her feelings, looked from it to him, at a loss for words. She was
struck with a change in Otway. That he should speak in a grave tone,
with an air of sadness, was only natural; but the change went beyond
this; he had not his wonted decision in utterance; he paused between
sentences, his eyes wandering dreamily; one would have taken him for
an older man than he was wont to appear, and of less energy. Thus
might he have looked and spoken after some great effort, which left
him wearied, almost languid, incapable of strong emotion.
"Why didn't he show these letters before?" she asked, turning over
the sealed envelope.
"He had no wish to do so," answered Piers, in an undertone.
"You mean that he would have let anything happen--which he could
have prevented?"
"I'm afraid he would.
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