e. Take it off, Mr. Scruby, and let
the policeman keep it. I understand Lord Fawn to say that the man's
figure was about the same as yours. My client, I believe, stands
about twelve inches taller. Thank you, my lord;--we shall get at
the truth at last, I don't doubt." It was afterwards said that Mr.
Chaffanbrass's conduct had been very improper in enticing Lord Fawn
to Mr. Wickerby's chambers; but Mr. Chaffanbrass never cared what any
one said. "I don't know that we can make much of it," he said, when
he and Mr. Wickerby were alone, "but it may be as well to bring it
into court. It would prove nothing against the Jew even if that
fellow,"--he meant Lord Fawn,--"could be made to swear that the
coat worn was exactly similar to this. I am thinking now about the
height."

"I don't doubt but you'll get him off."

"Well;--I may do so. They ought not to hang any man on such evidence
as there is against him, even though there were no moral doubt of his
guilt. There is nothing really to connect Mr. Phineas Finn with the
murder,--nothing tangible. But there is no saying nowadays what a
jury will do. Juries depend a great deal more on the judge than they
used to do. If I were on trial for my life, I don't think I'd have
counsel at all."

"No one could defend you as well as yourself, Mr. Chaffanbrass."

"I didn't mean that. No;--I shouldn't defend myself. I should say
to the judge, 'My lord, I don't doubt the jury will do just as you
tell them, and you'll form your own opinion quite independent of the
arguments'."

"You'd be hung, Mr. Chaffanbrass."

"No; I don't know that I should," said Mr. Chaffanbrass, slowly. "I
don't think I could affront a judge of the present day into hanging
me. They've too much of what I call thick-skinned honesty for that.
It's the temper of the time to resent nothing,--to be mealy-mouthed
and mealy-hearted. Jurymen are afraid of having their own opinion,
and almost always shirk a verdict when they can."

"But we do get verdicts."

"Yes; the judge gives them. And they are mealy-mouthed verdicts,
tending to equalise crime and innocence, and to make men think that
after all it may be a question whether fraud is violence, which,
after all, is manly, and to feel that we cannot afford to hate
dishonesty. It was a bad day for the commercial world, Mr. Wickerby,
when forgery ceased to be capital."

"It was a horrid thing to hang a man for writing another man's name
to a receipt for thirty shillings