. Finn's coat was a very much smaller coat."

"I should think it was," said his lordship, who did not like being
questioned about coats.

"You don't think the coat the man wore when you saw him was a big
coat like that? You think he wore a little coat?"

"He wore a grey coat," said Lord Fawn.

"This is grey;--a coat shouldn't be greyer than that."

"I don't think Lord Fawn should be asked any more questions on the
matter till he gives his evidence in court," said Mr. Camperdown.

"A man's life depends on it, Mr. Camperdown," said the barrister. "It
isn't a matter of cross-examination. If I bring that coat into court
I must make a charge against another man by the very act of doing so.
And I will not do so unless I believe that other man to be guilty.
It's an inquiry I can't postpone till we are before the jury. It
isn't that I want to trump up a case against another man for the sake
of extricating my client on a false issue. Lord Fawn doesn't want to
hang Mr. Finn if Mr. Finn be not guilty."

"God forbid!" said his lordship.

"Mr. Finn couldn't have worn that coat, or a coat at all like it."

"What is it you do want to learn, Mr. Chaffanbrass?" asked Mr.
Camperdown.

"Just put on the coat, Mr. Scruby." Then at the order of the
barrister, Mr. Scruby, the attorney's clerk, did put on Mr. Meager's
old great coat, and walked about the room in it. "Walk quick," said
Mr. Chaffanbrass;--and the clerk did "walk quick." He was a stout,
thick-set little man, nearly half a foot shorter than Phineas Finn.
"Is that at all like the figure?" asked Mr. Chaffanbrass.

"I think it is like the figure," said Lord Fawn.

"And like the coat?"

"It's the same colour as the coat."

"You wouldn't swear it was not the coat?"

"I am not on my oath at all, Mr. Chaffanbrass."

"No, my lord;--but to me your word is as good as your oath. If you
think it possible that was the coat--"

"I don't think anything about it at all. When Mr. Scruby hurries down
the room in that way he looks as the man looked when he was hurrying
under the lamp-post. I am not disposed to say any more at present."

"It's a matter of regret to me that Lord Fawn should have come here
at all," said Mr. Camperdown, who had been summoned to meet his
client at the chambers, but had come with him.

"I suppose his lordship wishes us to know all that he knew, seeing
that it's a question of hanging the right man or the wrong one. I
never heard such trash in my lif