e came to the house of the wounded butcher, which was some way out of
the town in the north-western suburb. The magistrate was in the lower
apartment with the clerk, one or two officials, and the surgeon of the
town. He was a gentleman of about two or three and forty, with a
military air and large moustaches, for besides being a justice of the
peace and a landed proprietor, he was an officer in the army. He made me
a polite bow when I entered, and I requested of him permission to be
present at the examination. He hesitated a moment and then asked me my
motive for wishing to be present at it.

"Merely curiosity," said I.

He then observed that as the examination would be a private one, my being
permitted or not was quite optional.

"I am aware of that," said I, "and if you think my remaining is
objectionable I will forthwith retire." He looked at the clerk, who said
there could be no objection to my staying, and turning round to his
superior said something to him which I did not hear, whereupon the
magistrate again bowed and said that he should he very happy to grant my
request.

We went upstairs and found the wounded man in bed with a bandage round
his forehead, and his wife sitting by his bedside. The magistrate and
his officials took their seats, and I was accommodated with a chair.
Presently the prisoner was introduced under the charge of a policeman.
He was a fellow somewhat above thirty, of the middle size, and wore a
dirty white frock coat; his right arm was partly confined by a manacle.
A young girl was sworn, who deposed that she saw the prisoner run after
the other with something in his hand. The wounded man was then asked
whether he thought he was able to make a deposition; he replied in a very
feeble tone that he thought he was, and after being sworn deposed that on
the preceding Saturday, as he was going to his stall, the prisoner came
up to him and asked whether he had ever done him any injury? he said no.
"I then," said he, "observed the prisoner's countenance undergo a change,
and saw him put his hand to his waistcoat-pocket and pull out a knife. I
straight became frightened, and ran away as fast as I could; the prisoner
followed, and overtaking me, stabbed me in the face. I ran into the yard
of a public-house and into the shop of an acquaintance, where I fell
down, the blood spouting out of my wound." Such was the deposition of
the wounded butcher. He was then asked whether there had been a