ilistines, was
powerless, and must make the best of it. So they walked through the
street as if they were taking a quiet stroll, he gallantly bearing the
leather bag. Miss Carlyle's shocked eyes happened to fall upon them
as they passed her window. She wondered where could be the eyes of the
man's inspector.

CHAPTER XL.

THE JUSTICE-ROOM.

The magistrates took their seats on the bench. The bench would not hold
them. All in the commission of the peace flocked in. Any other day they
would not have been at West Lynne. As to the room, the wonder was how it
ever got emptied again, so densely was it packed. Sir Francis Levison's
friends were there in a body. They did not believe a word of the
accusation. "A scandalous affair," cried they, "got up, probably, by
some sneak of the scarlet-and-purple party." Lord Mount Severn, who
chose to be present, had a place assigned him on the bench. Lord Vane
got the best place he could fight for amid the crowd. Mr. Justice Hare
sat as chairman, unusually stern, unbending, and grim. No favor would
he show, but no unfairness. Had it been to save his son from hanging,
he would not adjudge guilt to Francis Levison against his conscience.
Colonel Bethel was likewise on the bench, stern also.

In that primitive place--primitive in what related to the justice-room
and the justices--things were not conducted with the regularity of the
law. The law there was often a dead letter. No very grave cases were
decided there; they went to Lynneborough. A month at the treadmill, or
a week's imprisonment, or a bout of juvenile whipping, were pretty near
the harshest sentences pronounced. Thus, in this examination, as in
others, evidence was advanced that was inadmissible--at least,
that would have been inadmissible in a more orthodox court--hearsay
testimony, and irregularities of that nature. Mr. Rubiny watched the
case on behalf of Sir Francis Levison.

Mr. Ball opened the proceedings, giving the account which had been
imparted to him by Richard Hare, but not mentioning Richard as his
informant. He was questioned as to whence he obtained his information,
but replied that it was not convenient at present to disclose the
source. The stumbling block of the magistrates appeared to be the
identifying Levison with Thorn. Ebenezer James came forward to prove it.

"What do you know of the prisoner, Sir Francis Levison?" questioned
Justice Herbert.

"Not much," responded Mr. Ebenezer. "I used to know