“Mr. BRADLAUGH:  My lord, I meant to offer that pledge in the fullest and most unreserved sense, because, although I have my own view as to what is right, I also recognise that the law having pronounced sentence, that is quite another matter so far as I, as a citizen, am concerned.  I do not wish to ask your lordship for a favor without yielding to the Court during the time that I take advantage of its indulgence.

“The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE:  I wish you had taken this position sooner.

“Mr. BRADLAUGH:  If the sentence goes against us, it is another matter; but if you should consent to give us time for the argument of this writ of error, we would bind ourselves during that time.  I should not like your lordship to be induced to grant this request on the understanding that in the event of the ultimate decision being against me I should feel bound by that pledge.

“The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE:  I must do you the justice to say that throughout the whole of this battle our conduct has been straightforward since you took it up.

“Mr. BRADLAUGH:  I would not like your lordship to think that, in the event of the ultimate decision being against us, there was any sort of pledge.  I simply meant that the law having pronounced against us, if your lordship gives us the indulgence of fighting it in the higher Court, no sort of direct or indirect advantage shall be taken of the indulgence.

“The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE:  You will not continue the publication?

“Mr. BRADLAUGH:  Not only will I stop the circulation of the book myself, but I will do all in my power to prevent other people circulating it.

“The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE:  Then you can be discharged on your own recognizances for L100, ‘to be of good behavior,’ which you will understand to mean, that you will desist from the publication of this work until your appeal shall have been heard, and will engage to prosecute the appeal without delay.

“Mr. BRADLAUGH:  Certainly; until the present, I have undoubtedly circulated the book.  Although there is a blunder in the affidavits I do not disguise the matter of fact.  I shall immediately put the thing under my own control, and I will at once lock up every copy in existence, and will not circulate another copy until the appeal is decided.

“Mr. JUSTICE MELLOR:  It must be that you will really, to the best of your ability, prevent the circulation of this book until this matter has been determined.

“The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE:  And what Mr. Bradlaugh says, I understand that you, Mrs. Besant, also assent to?

“Mrs. BESANT:  Yes:  that is my pledge until the writ of error has been decided.  I do not want to give a pledge which you may think was not given honestly.  I will give my pledge, but it must be understood that the promise goes no further than that decision.

“Mr. JUSTICE MELLOR:  You will abstain yourself from circulating the book, and, so far as you can, suppress its circulation?