Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/261

the doctor mentioned his "immediate friends"—"I regret exceedingly that so great a mistake should have occurred; but we really have so many persons here who pretend to be that which they are not, that we are compelled to look upon almost all with suspicion."

"It may be so," calmly retorted the doctor; "still the course which you have pursued in this case has been, in my judgment, highly incorrect."

"Well," said Tom, "I suppose I bay go?"

"You may," replied the magistrate.

"Very good. But before I retire, allow be, as a batter of gratitude, to ackdowledge the courtesy with which I have beed received id this Suprebe Court of Jollity add Justice."

The magistrate was silent, and Tom withdrew; and as he did so, he was greeted with a buzz of applause, which fell harshly, of course, upon the ear of his worship, who, determined on taking his revenge out of some one, indignantly commanded the prosecutor to explain.

"I am really very sorry," said the prosecutor, who was evidently a highly respectable man, "but I can give no other explanation than this, that that gentleman was sent for by mistake, and placed in the witness-box, during my absence from the court."

"But how came he to be sent for?"

"I sent for him, because the person who witnessed the robbery gave me his address."

"Well, is that person here?"

"I am sorry to say that he is not."

"Very well; then the prisoner must be discharged."

"You will, I hope, remand him; and thereby give me some time to produce this witness?"

"I have no evidence before me to justify a remand."

"You have my evidence, and you have also the evidence of the policeman."

"Don't dictate to me, sir! I say that I have no evidence before me to justify me in remanding the prisoner, and that, therefore, he must be discharged."

"Well, but am to be deprived of my property, and assaulted by a man, whose character is known to be infamous, without having—"

"It's your own fault: you have no one to blame but yourself. You should have had your witness here!"

"Well! if this is the way in which justice is administered, heaven protect me from its administration!"

"Understand that I am invested with authority here, and that I will not suffer you, or any other man, to bring that authority into contempt."

"I hold it to be quite unnecessary for me to do so. You bring it sufficiently into contempt yourself."

"Leave the office, sir! If you do not know how to conduct yourself properly, leave the office!"

"I will do so; and I hope that while you preside over it, I shall never have occasion to enter it again."

The prisoner, who was a well known member of a numerous and