your
engagement, didn't you?... And since you left Porticobello House, you
have seen a good deal of her, eh?... You were a great admirer of hers,
weren't you?... I'm not asking you whether she is engaged to a Scotch
gentleman at the present moment--I'm putting it to you that, at the time
you were writing these letters to the plaintiff, you had already formed
the conclusion that this other young lady was more deserving of the
honour of being the second Mrs JABBERJEE.... I am not suggesting that
you could help it--but wasn't it so?... Very well--that is all I have to
ask you Mr JABBERJEE. You can go....

I must not omit to record that my replies and the reading of my letters
did excite frequent and vociferous merriment, and in other respects I
have testified so exhaustively that my solicitor informs me it is not
worth a candle to call any further witnesses--especially as Hon'ble
CUMMERBUND has intimated that he prefers to blow unseen, and as for
Baboo CHUCKERBUTTY RAM, he, it seems, has of course been seized by such
violent indisposition that he was compelled to leave the Court.

So I am now to deliver one more brief oration, which will infallibly
secure me the plerophory of the jury and exalt my head to the skies as
Cock of the Roost.

Only I regret that JESSIMINA'S visage is now completely invisible to me,
being obscured by the dimensions of her hat, also that she should carry
on such protracted confabulations with her curly-headed professional
adviser--which is surely lacking in most ordinary respect for myself and
Hon'ble Justice HONEYGALL!

XXXI

_Mankletow ~v.~ Jabberjee (continued). The Defendant brings his Speech to
a somewhat unexpected conclusion, and Mr Witherington, Q.C.,
addresses the Jury in reply._

My aforesaid shorthanded acquaintance has very fortunately preserved the
literal transcript of my concluding oration, which will afford a feeble
idea of the grandiloquence of my loquacity.--H. B. J.

VERBATIM REPORT (_unofficial_).

_Baboo Jab._ May it please your mighty honour and great notorious
gentlemen on the jury, it must present a strange and funny appearance to
behold a young Indian B.A., provided with a big education and the _locus
standi_ of barrister-at-law, crawling humbly towards your footstools as
a suppliant, and already I perceive from your benevolent and smirking
visages that your hearts are favourably inclined towards your
unfortunate son, and that you are too d