ture of his offence. And so also
with the law of the country. Mr. Fennell must be
punished, and his punishment must serve as an
example to others and--

MR. CASSIDY
I beg your Worship's pardon. We do not always get
punished for disobeying the laws of nature. Nature's
strongest force is self-assertion, and excessive self-assertion
is vanity, and vanity is sinful, and--

MARTIN O'FLYNN
You must excuse me interrupting you, Mr. Cassidy,
but that train of argument cannot be followed here.

We have proved that poteen was found in the prisoner's
house, and if he did not make it himself, where
then did he get it from?

MR. CASSIDY
Mr. Fennel emphatically denies having anything to
do with the making of the liquor found on his premises.
And so far it has not been proved to either his
or my satisfaction that the intoxicant is poteen.

MR. O'CROWLEY
Does your client mean for a moment to cast a reflection
on the police of this town, and insinuate that they
don't know what poteen is?

MR. CASSIDY
We are not satisfied with the decision of the police,
your Worship.

MR. O'CROWLEY
Very well then, we'll give it a further test.

[_Gives the decanter to the clerk, Peter Dwyer._

PETER DWYER (_after tasting it_)
If that's not poteen, may I never wet my lips with it
again.

MR. O'CROWLEY (to _Mr. Cassidy_)
Perhaps you are satisfied now.

MR. CASSIDY
No, I am not.

MARTIN O'FLYNN
Well, taste it yourself and tell us what it is.

MR. CASSIDY (_tastes it_)
Whatever it is, it is not poteen.

MARTIN O'FLYNN (_pours out some in a glass_)
I'll soon settle the question. (_Drinks_) That's poteen,
and good poteen too.

MR. CASSIDY
I beg to disagree with your Worship.

MARTIN O'FLYNN
How dare you disagree with me, sir, and I drinking
poteen every day of my life. I'd resign my seat on
the Bench rather than suffer to be insulted in such a
manner again.

MR. CASSIDY
I apologise. Nothing could be further from my
thought than offence.

MARTIN O'FLYNN
I'm glad to hear you say so, because when I said that
the liquor in the decanter was poteen, I knew what I
was talking about. Unless the prisoner tells us how
he procured this illegal drink, he will be imprisoned
for six months.

MR. FENNELL
For six months, is it?

MARTIN O'FLYNN
Yes, for six long months, and you must find bail for
your good behavior at the end of the term for a period
of twelve months.

MR. FENNELL
Well, as you are so anxious to know where I pr