tor was left master of the situation, to the gratification of
fools and the hopes of fanatics.

I was, however, allowed in the trial to cross-examine some witnesses.
Amongst them was a man of the name of Baigent, the historian of the
family, who knew more of the Tichbornes than they knew of themselves.
The cross-examination of Baigent, which did more than anything to
destroy the Claimant's case, occupied ten days. He was the real
Roger's old friend, and knew him up to the time of his leaving England
never to return. I drew from him the confession that he did not
believe he was alive, but that he had encouraged the Dowager Lady
Tichborne to believe that the Claimant was her son; and that her
garden was lighted night after night with Chinese lanterns in
expectation of his coming.

Admissions were also obtained that when he saw the Claimant at
Alresford Station neither knew the other, although Baigent had never
altered in the least, as he alleged.

There was another witness allotted to me, and that was Carter, an old
servant of Roger whilst he was in the Carabineers. This man supplied
the plaintiff with information as to what occurred in the regiment
while Roger belonged to it; but he only knew what was known to the
whole regiment. He did _not_ know private matters which took place at
the officers' mess, and it was upon these that my cross-examination
showed the Claimant to be an impostor. I "had him there."

As Parry and I were sitting one morning waiting for the Judges, I
remarked on the subject of the counsel chosen for the prosecution:
"Suppose, Parry, you and I had been Solicitor and Attorney-General, in
the circumstances what should we have done?"

"Plunged the country into a bloody war before now, I dare say," said
Parry, elevating his eyebrows and wig at the same time.

I confess when I undertook the responsibility of this great trial
I was not aware of the immense labour and responsibility it would
involve; nor do I believe any one had the smallest notion of the
magnitude of the task.

Instead of the work diminishing as we proceeded, it increased day by
day, and week by week; one set of witnesses entailed the calling
of another set. The case grew in difficulty and extent. It seemed
absolutely endless and hopeless.

Within a few weeks of the start, a necessity arose for procuring the
testimony of a witness from Australia, a matter of months; and the
trial being a criminal one, the defendant was entitled t