you, my lord, for your kindness and
consideration. May I be allowed to ask you to add to your kindness by
permitting me to return to my home and make some necessary arrangements
before submitting myself to the well-merited chastisement which my
imprudence has brought upon me?

_Mr. J. N_. Certainly. I repeat I do not wish to make your sentence any
heavier by forcing a hard construction upon it. I give you a week to
make all arrangements necessary for your peace of mind and your bodily
comfort.

_Mr. L_. I thank your lordship. [_Exit_.

[_The case of_ MARY PINCH _called_.]

_Mr. Hungary, Q.C_. I am for the prosecution, my lord, instructed by the
Secretary of State for the Home Department. (JUDGE _bites his pen and
nods_.) My lord, and gentlemen of the Jury, although this case may seem
to some ill-judging persons a trivial one, I think you will be able to
see before it is over that it is really important in its bearing on the
welfare of society, the welfare of the public; that is, of the
respectable public,--of the respectable public, gentlemen. For in these
days, when the spirit of discontent is so widespread, all illegal actions
have, so to say, a political bearing, my lord, and all illegal actions
are wicked, gentlemen of the Jury, since they tend towards the insecurity
of society, or in other words, are definitely aimed at the very basis of
all morality and religion. Therefore, my lord, I have received
instructions from the Home Secretary to prosecute this woman, who, as I
shall be able to prove to you, gentlemen of the Jury, by the testimony of
three witnesses occupying responsible official positions, has been guilty
of a breach at once of the laws of the country and the dictates of
morality, and has thereby seriously inconvenienced a very respectable
tradesman, nay (_looking at his brief_) three respectable tradesmen. I
shall be able to show, gentlemen, that this woman has stolen three loaves
of bread: (_impressively_) not one, gentlemen, but three.

_A Voice_. She's got three children, you palavering blackguard!

[_Confusion_.

_Mr. Justice N_. (_who has made an elaborate show of composing himself to
slumber since the counsel began, here wakes up and cries out_) Arrest
that man, officer; I will commit him, and give him the heaviest
punishment that the law allows of.

[_The_ USHER _dives among the audience amidst great confusion, but comes
back empty-handed_.

_J. N_. A most dangerous distur