ure to record the
result--which, owing to the partisanship of Hon'ble Bench, the
disgracefully complicated state of the laws of Evidence, and Miss
JESSIMINA'S ingenuity in returning entirely wrong answers to my
searching interrogatories, did not attain to the sanguine level of my
expectations.

For instance, when I asked her whether it was not the fact that I was
notoriously deficient in physical courageousness, she made the
unexpected reply that she had not observed it, and that I had frequently
described to her my daring achievements in sticking wild pigs and
shooting man-eating tigers.

Also she entirely refused to admit that the turquoise and gold ring I
had given her was not in token of our betrothal, but merely to
compensate her for not being invited as well as myself to a certain
fashionable dinner-party; and the Judge (interrupting in the most
unwarrantable manner) said that, as he did not understand that I
seriously denied the existence of an engagement to marry, he was unable
to perceive the bearings of my query.

Again, I reminded her of her mention of the gift of a china model of
Poet SHAKSPEARE'S birthplace, and required her--on her oath--to answer
whether it had not been originally intended for another lady, and
whether, having accidentally seated myself upon it, I had not decided to
bestow the _disjecta membra_ upon herself instead.

To which she replied, with artfully simulated emotion, that all she knew
was that I had assured her at the time that the said piece of china had
been expressly purchased for herself as a souvenir of my ardent
affection, and she had accepted it as such, and carefully restored it
with some patent cement.

Before this the Judge had asked me how I could expect the plaintiff to
know what was passing in the tortuous recesses of my own mind, and
informed her that she need not answer such a ridiculous question unless
she pleased. But she did please, and her answer was received with
applause, which, however, the Bench perceiving, though tardily, that I
was entitled to some protection, did declare in angry tones that it was
on no account to be permitted.

Next I inquired whether it was not true that she was of a flirtatious
disposition, and addicted to laugh and talk vivaciously with the
gentlemen-boarders, and whether I had not earnestly remonstrated with
her upon such conduct. Here WITHERINGTON, Q.C., bounded on to his feet,
and protested that I was not entitled to put this q