The Experiences of a Barrister, and Confessions of an Attorney | Page 4

feelings, you must go before a magistrate."
"By all means," added No. 17, with the importance of an injured man.
"A pretty thing that one's watch is not safe in a house like this!"
"John, send Boots for a constable," said the landlord.
Harvey sat with his head leaning on his hand. A deadly cold

perspiration trickled down his brow. His heart swelled and beat as if it
would burst. What should he do? His whole prospects were in an
instant blighted. "Oh God! do not desert a frail and unhappy being: give
me strength to face this new and terrible misfortune," was a prayer he
internally uttered. A little revived, he started to his feet, and addressing
himself to the landlord, he said, "Take me to a magistrate instantly, and
let us have this diabolical plot unraveled. I court inquiry into my
character and conduct."
"It is no use saying any more about it," answered the landlord; "here is
Boots with a constable, and let us all go away together to the nearest
magistrate. Boots, carry that trunk. John and Sally, you can follow us."
And so the party, trunk and all, under the constable as conductor,
adjourned to the house of a magistrate in an adjacent street. There the
matter seemed so clear a case of felony--robbery in a
dwelling-house--that Harvey, all protestations to the contrary, was fully
committed for trial at the ensuing March assizes, then but a few days
distant.
At the period at which these incidents occurred, I was a young man
going on my first circuits. I had not as yet been honored with perhaps
more than three or four briefs, and these only in cases so slightly
productive of fees, that I was compelled to study economy in my
excursions. Instead of taking up my residence at an inn when visiting
------, a considerable seaport, where the court held its sittings, I dwelt in
lodgings kept by a widow lady, where, at a small expense, I could
enjoy perfect quietness, free from interruption.
On the evening after my arrival on the March circuit of the year 17--, I
was sitting in my lodgings perusing a new work on criminal
jurisprudence, when the landlady, after tapping at the door, entered my
room.
"I am sorry to trouble you, sir," said she; "but a lady has called to see
you about a very distressing law case--very distressing indeed, and a
very strange case it is too. Only, if you could be so good as to see her?"
"Who is she?"
"All I know about it is this: she is a Mrs. Harvey. She and her husband
and children were to sail yesterday for Boston. All were on board
except the husband; and he, on leaving the large hotel over the way,
was taken up for a robbery. Word was in the evening sent by the

prisoner to his wife to come on shore, with all her children and the
luggage; and so she came back in the pilot boat, and was in such a state
of distress, that my brother, who is on the preventive service, and saw
her land, took pity on her, and had her and her children and things
taken to a lodging on the quay. As my brother knows that we have a
London lawyer staying here, he has advised the poor woman to come
and consult you about the case."
"Well, I'll see what can be done. Please desire the lady to step in."
A lady was shortly shown in. She had been pretty, and was so still, but
anxiety was pictured in her pale countenance. Her dress was plain, but
not inelegant; and altogether she had a neat and engaging appearance.
"Be so good as to sit down," said I, bowing; "and tell me all you would
like to say."
The poor woman burst into tears; but afterwards recovering herself, she
told me pretty nearly the whole of her history and that of her husband.
Lawyers have occasion to see so much duplicity, that I did not all at
once give assent to the idea of Harvey being innocent of the crime of
which he stood charged.
"There is something perfectly inexplicable in the case," I observed,
"and it would require sifting. Your husband, I hope has always borne a
good character?"
"Perfectly so. He was no doubt unfortunate in business; but he got his
certificate on the first examination; and there are many who would
testify to his uprightness." And here again my client broke into tears, as
if overwhelmed with her recollections and prospects.
"I think I recollect Mr. Harvey's shop," said I soothingly. "It seemed a
very respectable concern; and we must see what can be done. Keep up
your spirits; the only fear I have arises from