“He was then invited,” said Mr. Hawkins, “to a little dinner at another supporter of the Claimant’s, and one somewhat shrewder than the rest.”  The Claimant described this party as consisting of a county magistrate, a money-lender, a lawyer, and a humbug.

This is how the advocate dealt with this little party in his address to the jury:—­

“Gentlemen, can’t you imagine the scene?  Perkins, the lawyer, says to Biddulph, ’Come, now, Mr. Biddulph, you know you have had great experience in cross-examining as a county magistrate at Petty Sessions; now, cross-examine this man firmly, and you’ll soon find he knows more than you think.  If he’s not the man, he’s nobody else, you may be quite sure of that.  But first of all,’ says Perkins, ’what did you know of Roger?  That’s the first thing; let’s start with that.’

“‘Oh, not very much,’ says Biddulph.  ’He stayed at Bath once for a fortnight, while his mother was there.’

“‘Pass Mr. Biddulph the champagne,’ says Perkins. (Laughter.)

“‘Now,’ he adds, ‘how did you amuse yourselves, eh?’

“‘Well,’ says Biddulph, ’we used to smoke together at the hotel—­the—­the—­White something it was called.’

“‘Did you smoke pipes or cigars?’

“‘Well, I remember we had some curious pipes.’

“‘Another glass of champagne for Mr. Biddulph,’ (More laughter.) ’What sort of pipes?’ asks the Claimant; ‘death’s-head pipes?’

“The magistrate remembered, opened his eyes, and lifted his hands.  Thus the amiable magistrate was convinced, although he said, candidly enough, ’I did not recognize him by his features, walk, voice, or twitch in his eye, but I was struck with his recollection of having met me at Bath.’  The death’s-head pipes settled him.

“As for Miss Brain the governess, she was of a different order from Mr. Biddulph.  She told us she had listened to the defendant when he solemnly swore that he had seduced her former pupil, that he had stood in the dock for horse-stealing, and had been the associate of highwaymen and bushrangers, and had made a will for the purpose of fraud; and yet this woman took him by the hand, and was not ashamed of his companionship.  His counsel described her as a ministering angel.  Heaven defend me from ministering angels if Miss Brain is one!”

The Claimant, while in Australia, being asked what kind of lady his mother (the dowager Lady Tichborne) was, answered, “Oh, a very stout lady; and that is the reason I am so fond of Mrs. Butts of the Metropolitan Hotel, she being a tall, stout, and buxom woman; and like Mrs. Mina Jury (of Wapping), because she was like my mother.”

A witness of the name of Coyne was called to give evidence of the recognition of the Claimant by the mother in Paris, and the solicitor said to Coyne, “You see how she recognizes him.”

“Yes,” said Coyne; “he’s lucky.”

There was no cross-examination, and Mr. Hawkins said to the jury, “They need not cross-examine unless they like; it’s a free country.  They may leave this man’s account unquestioned if they like, but if it is a true account, what do you say to the recognition?”