become facts and if facts, lead to certain _inferences_ of guilt or
innocence.
It was while the learned Mr. Justice Common Sense was thus engaged, that
the warder in the dock suddenly checked the prisoner with these words:
"You mustn't interrupt."
"Why may he not interrupt?" asks Mr. Justice Common Sense. "What do you
want to say, prisoner?"
"My lord," answered the prisoner, "I wanted to say as how that there
witness as your lordship speaks on didn't say as he seen me there."
"O, didn't he?" said the Judge. "I thought he did--now let us see,"
turning over his notes. "No, you are quite right, prisoner, he did not
see you at the spot but immediately after."
Then his lordship proceeded until there was another interruption of the
same character, and the foolish warder again told the prisoner to be
quiet. This brought down Mr. Justice Common Sense with a vengeance:
"Warder! how dare you stop the prisoner? he is on his trial and is
undefended. Who is to check me if I am misstating the evidence if he
does not? If you dare to speak like that to him again I will commit you.
Prisoner, interrupt me as often as you think I am not correctly stating
the evidence."
"Thankee, my lord."
"That be the sort o' Judge for me," said Bumpkin; "but I've 'ad enough on
it, Maister O'Rapley, so if you please, I'll get back t' the 'Goose.'
Why didn't that air Judge try t'other case, I wonder?"
"Because," replied the Don, "the new system is to work the 'Round
Square'."
CHAPTER XV.
Mr. Bumpkin's experience of London life, enlarged.
On leaving the Old Bailey the two friends proceeded to a neighbouring
public-house and partook of some light refreshment at the counter. Now
Mr. Bumpkin had never yet examined the viands displayed on a counter.
His idea of refreshment, when from home, had always been a huge round of
beef smoking at one end of the table and a large leg of mutton smoking at
the other, with sundry dishes of similar pretensions between, and an
immense quantity of vegetables. When, therefore he saw some
stale-looking sandwiches under the ordinary glass cover, he exclaimed:
"Wittals must be mighty scarce to clap 'em under a glass case."
"It's to keep the flies off;" said his companion.
"They need well keep un off, for there bean't enough for a couple if they
was ony wise ongry like."
However, our friends made the best of what there was, and Mr. O'Rapley,
wishing success to his companion, enqui
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