"
"Nonsense," said Mr. Compton, "such suspicions are ridiculous. Do you
think they can talk of nothing but Hardie _v._ Hardie?"
"Mai--dearr sirr--my son met one of Heathfield's clerks at dinner, and he
let out that the trile was not to come off. Put this and that together
now."
"It will come off," said Mr. Compton, "and in five minutes at farthest."
In less than that time the learned judge came in, and before taking his
seat made this extraordinary speech:
"I hear this cause will take three days to try; and we have only two days
before us. It would be inconvenient to leave it unfinished; and I must
proceed on circuit the day after to-morrow. It must be a remanet: no man
can do more than time allows."
Plaintiff's counsel made a feeble remonstrance; then yielded. And the
crier with sonorous voice called on the case of Bread _v._ Cheese, in
which there were pounds at stake, but no principle. Oh, with what zest
they all went into it; being small men escaping from a great thing to a
small one. Never hopped frogs into a ditch with more alacrity. Alfred
left the court and hid himself, and the scalding tears forced their way
down his cheeks at this heartless proceeding: to let all the witnesses
come into court at a vast expense to the parties: and raise the cup of
justice to the lips of the oppressed, and then pretend he knew a trial
would last more than two days, and so shirk it.
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