fter it, but not in the way that a butler should--mark that!"
The judge here hemmed and coughed, as if somewhat exhausted with his
exemplary speech; and then resumed his address, which was ethical and
judicial: "You, prisoner, have _no_ excuse for your conduct. You had a
most excellent situation, and a kind master to whom you owed a debt
of the deepest gratitude and your allegiance as a faithful servant,
instead of which you paid him by _feathering your nest with his silver
spoons_; therefore you must be transported for the term of seven
years!"

The metaphor was equal to that employed by an Attorney-General, who at
a certain time in the history of the Home Rule agitation, addressing
his constituents, told them that _Mr. Gladstone had sent up a balloon
to see which way the cat jumped with regard to Ireland_! He was soon
appointed a Judge of the High Court.

Judges, however, are not always masters of their feelings, any more
than they are of their language; they are sometimes carried away by
prejudice, or even controlled by sentiment. I knew one, a very worthy
and amiable man, who, having to sentence a prisoner to death, was so
overcome by the terrible nature of the crime that he informed the
unhappy convict that he could expect _no mercy either in this world or
the next_!

Littledale, again, was an uncommonly kind and virtuous man, a good
husband and a learned Judge; but he was afflicted with a wife whom he
could not control. She, on the contrary, controlled him, and left him
no peace unless she had her will. At times, however, she overdid her
business. Littledale had a butler who had been in the family many
years, and with whom he would not have parted on any account. He would
sooner have parted with her ladyship. One morning, however, this
excellent butler came to Sir Joseph and said, with tears in his
eyes,--

"I beg your pardon, my lord--"

"What's the matter, James?"

"I'm very sorry, my lord," said the butler, "but I wish to leave."

"Wish to leave, James? Why, what do you wish to leave for? Haven't you
got a good situation?"

"Capital sitiwation, Sir Joseph, and you have always been a good kind
master to me, Sir Joseph; but, O Sir Joseph, Sir Joseph!"

"What then, James, what then? Why do you wish to leave? Not going to
get married, eh--not surely going to get married? O James, don't do
it!"

"Heaven forbid, Sir Joseph!"

"Eh, eh? Well, then, what is it? Speak out, James, and tell me all
about it.