RUTH. [Shaking her head] No, your lordship—not yet.     

       THE JUDGE. 'Not yet! H'm! [He looks from RUTH to FALDER] Well!     

       FROME. What is your husband?     

       RUTH. Traveller.     

       FROME. And what was the nature of your married life?     

       RUTH. [Shaking her head] It don't bear talking about.     

       FROME. Did he ill-treat you, or what?     

       RUTH. Ever since my first was born.     

       FROME. In what way?     

       RUTH. I'd rather not say. All sorts of ways.     

       THE JUDGE. I am afraid I must stop this, you know.     

       RUTH. [Pointing to FALDER] He offered to take me out of it, sir. We were going to South America.     

       FROME. [Hastily] Yes, quite—and what prevented you?     

       RUTH. I was outside his office when he was taken away. It nearly broke my heart.     

       FROME. You knew, then, that he had been arrested?     

       RUTH. Yes, sir. I called at his office afterwards, and [pointing to COKESON] that gentleman told me all about it.     

       FROME. Now, do you remember the morning of Friday, July 7th?     

       RUTH. Yes.     

       FROME. Why?     

       RUTH. My husband nearly strangled me that morning.     

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