Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine | Page 8

gentlemen were interested only in the establishment of the prisoner's innocence, and were anxious only for his acquittal. For their sakes was gratified at what I hoped would prove the abrupt conclusion of the case. The prisoner had spoken; his head again hung down despondingly--his eyes, gazing at nothing, were fixed upon the ground; the turnkey whispered to him that it was time to retire--he was about to obey, when the judge's voice was heard, and it detained him.
"Is the prisoner known?" enquired his lordship.
The counsellor rose instanter.
"Oh, very well, my lud--an old hand, my lud--one of the pests of his parish."
"Is this his first offence?"
The barrister poked his ear close to the mouth of the prosecutor before he answered.
"By no means, my lud--he has been frequently convicted."
"For the like offence?" enquired the Judge.
Again the ear and mouth were in juxtaposition.
"We believe so, my lud--we believe so," replied the smart barrister; "but we cannot speak positively."
The culprit raised his leaden eye, and turned his sad look towards the judge, his best friend there.
"For BEGGARY, my lord," he uttered, almost solemnly.
"Does any body know you, prisoner?" asked my lord. "Can any one speak to your previous character?"
The deserted one looked around the court languidly enough, and shook his head, but, at the same instant there was a rustling amongst the crowd of auditors, and a general movement, such as follows the breaking up of a compact mass of men when one is striving to pass through it.
"Si-_lence_!" exclaimed a sonorous voice, belonging to a punchy body, a tall wand, and a black bombasin gown; and immediately afterwards, "a friend of the prisoner's, my lord. Get into that box--speak loud--look at his lordship. Si-_lence_!"
The individual who caused this little excitement, and who now ascended the witness's tribune, was a labouring man. He held a paper cap in his hand, and wore a jacket of flannel. The prisoner glanced at him without seeming to recognize his friend, whilst the eyes of the young lawyer actually glistened at the opportunity which had come at last for the display of his skill.
"What are you, my man?" said the judge in a tone of kindness.
"A journeyman carpenter, please your worship."
"You must say _my lord_--say _my lord_," interposed the bombasin gown. "Speak out. Si-_lence_!"
"Where do you live?"
"Friar's Place--please you, my lord." The bombasin smiled pitifully at the ignorance of the witness, and said no more.
"Do you know the prisoner at the bar?"
"About ten weeks ago--please you, my lord, I was hired by the landlord--"
"Answer his lordship, sir," exclaimed the counsel for the prosecution in a tone of thunder. "Never mind the landlord. Do you know the prisoner?"
"Why, I was a saying, please you, my lord, about ten weeks ago I was hired by the landlord--"
"Answer directly, sir," continued the animated barrister--"or take the consequences. Do you know the prisoner?"
"Let him tell his story his own way, Mr Nailhim," interposed his lordship blandly. "We shall sooner get to the end of it."
Mr Nailhim bowed to the opinion of the court, and sat down.
"Now, my man," said his lordship, "as quickly as you can, tell me whatever you know of the prisoner."
"About ten weeks ago--please you, my lord," began the journey-man _de novo_, "I was hired by the landlord of them houses as is sitiwated where Mr Warton lives--" (The bombasin looked at the witness with profound contempt, and well he might! The idea of calling a prisoner at the bar _Mr_--stupendous ignorance!) "and I see'd him day arter day, and nobody was put to it as bad as he was. He has got a wife and three children, and I know he worked as hard as he could whilst he was able; but when he got ill he couldn't, and he was druv to it. I have often taken a loaf of bread to him, and all I wish is, he had stolen one of mine behind my back instead of the baker's. I shouldn't have come agin him, poor fellow! and I am sure he wouldn't have done it if his young uns hadn't been starving. I never see'd him before that time, but I could take my affidavy he's an industrious and honest man, and as sober, please you, my lord, as a judge."
At this last piece of irreverence, the man with the staff stood perfectly still, lost as it seemed, in wonder at the hardihood of him who could so speak.
"Have you any thing more to say?" asked his lordship.
The carpenter hesitated for a second or two, and then acknowledged that he had not; and, such being the case, it seemed hardly necessary for Mr Nailhim to prolong his examination. But that gentleman thought otherwise. He rose, adjusted his gown, and looked not only at the witness, but through and through him.
"Now, young man," said