e, to a common gaol. Kill Dr. Sturk, indeed!
Are you mad, Sir? _I_ who offered a fee of five hundred guineas even to
bring him to speech! _I_ who took the best medical advice in _London_ on
his behalf; _I_ who have been his friend only too much with my Lord
Castlemallard, and who, to stay his creditors, and enable his family to
procure for him the best medical attendance, and to afford him, in
short, the best chance of recovery and life, have, where _you_ neither
lent or bestowed a shilling--poured out my money as profusely as you,
Sir, have poured out my blood, every drop of which, Sir, shall cost you
a slice of your estate. But even without Sturk's speaking one word, I've
evidence which escaped _you_, conceited blockhead, and which, though the
witness is as mad almost as yourself, will yet be enough to direct the
hand of justice to the right man. There _is_ a Charles, Sir, whom all
suspect, who awaits trial, judgment, and death in this case, the
wretched Charles Nutter of the Mills, Sir, whose motive is patent, and
on whose proceedings a light will, I believe, be thrown by the evidence
of Zekiel Irons, whatever that evidence may be worth.'

'I don't care to tell you, Sir, that 'tis partly on the evidence of that
same Zekiel Irons that I've arrested _you_,' said Mr. Justice Lowe.

'Zekiel Irons, _me_! What Zekiel Irons charge me with the crime which he
was here, not two hours since, fastening on oath upon Charles Nutter!
Why, Sir, he asked me to bring him to your residence in the morning,
that he might swear to the information which he repeated in my presence,
and of which there's a note in that desk. 'Pon my life, Sir, 'tis an
agreeable society, this; bedlam broke loose--the mad directing the mad,
and both falling foul of the sane. One word from Doctor Sturk, Sir, will
blast you, so soon as, please Heaven, he shall speak.'

'He _has_ spoken, Sir,' replied Lowe, whose angry passions were roused
by the insults of Dangerfield, and who had, for the moment, lost his
customary caution.

'Ha!' cried Dangerfield, with a sort of gasp, and a violent smirk, the
joyousness of which was, however, counteracted by a lurid scowl and a
wonderful livid glare in his wild eyes; 'ha! he has? Bravo, Sir,
bravissimo!' and he smirked wider and wider, and beat his uninjured hand
upon the table, like a man applauding the _denouement_ of a play. 'Well,
Sir; and notwithstanding his declaration, you arrest me upon the
monstrous assertion of a