[Hands a glassful to the constable.

CONSTABLE O’RYAN (after drinking) There’s not a shadow of a doubt about it being poteen, your Worship, and as fine a drop as I have tasted for many a long day.

MR. O’CROWLEY
Are you satisfied now, Mr. Cassidy?

MR. CASSIDY
I think it would be as well to have the opinion of some
one else.

MR. O’CROWLEY
Constable McCarthy, let you take a toothful out of
that decanter and tell us what it is.

CONSTABLE MCCARTHY
Though I am a League of the Cross man, I suppose as
a matter of duty I must break me pledge.

[Pours out a glassful and drinks.

MR. O’CROWLEY
Well, what is it?

CONSTABLE MCCARTHY
Poteen, your Worship.

MR. O’CROWLEY Now we have conclusive evidence that this liquor is poteen, and no more serious charge could be brought against any man than to be found guilty of using such obnoxious stuff by a court of justice.  As with the law of nature, so with the law of the land.  He who transgresses any of nature’s laws gets duly punished according to the nature of his offence.  And so also with the law of the country.  Mr. Fennell must be punished, and his punishment must serve as an example to others and—­

MR. CASSIDY I beg your Worship’s pardon.  We do not always get punished for disobeying the laws of nature.  Nature’s strongest force is self-assertion, and excessive self-assertion is vanity, and vanity is sinful, and—­

MARTIN O’FLYNN
You must excuse me interrupting you, Mr. Cassidy,
but that train of argument cannot be followed here.

We have proved that poteen was found in the prisoner’s house, and if he did not make it himself, where then did he get it from?

MR. CASSIDY
Mr. Fennel emphatically denies having anything to
do with the making of the liquor found on his premises. 
And so far it has not been proved to either his
or my satisfaction that the intoxicant is poteen.

MR. O’CROWLEY Does your client mean for a moment to cast a reflection on the police of this town, and insinuate that they don’t know what poteen is?

MR. CASSIDY
We are not satisfied with the decision of the police,
your Worship.

MR. O’CROWLEY
Very well then, we’ll give it a further test.

[Gives the decanter to the clerk, Peter Dwyer.

PETER DWYER (after tasting it)
If that’s not poteen, may I never wet my lips with it
again.

MR. O’CROWLEY (to Mr. Cassidy)
Perhaps you are satisfied now.

MR. CASSIDY
No, I am not.

MARTIN O’FLYNN
Well, taste it yourself and tell us what it is.

MR. CASSIDY (tastes it)
Whatever it is, it is not poteen.

MARTIN O’FLYNN (pours out some in a glass) I’ll soon settle the question. (Drinks) That’s poteen, and good poteen too.