GUILT AND INNOCENCE FINELY BLENT

[A long and vigorous quarrel follows, between the twins.  And there is plenty to quarrel about, for Angelo was always seeking truth, and this obliged him to change and improve his religion with frequency, which wearied Luigi, and annoyed him too; for he had to be present at each new enlistment—­which placed him in the false position of seeming to indorse and approve his brother’s fickleness; moreover, he had to go to Angelo’s prohibition meetings, and he hated them.  On the other hand, when it was his week to command the legs he gave Angelo just cause of complaint, for he took him to circuses and horse-races and fandangoes, exposing him to all sorts of censure and criticism; and he drank, too; and whatever he drank went to Angelo’s head instead of his own and made him act disgracefully.  When the evening was come, the two attended the Free-thinkers’ meeting, where Angelo was sad and silent; then came the Bible class and looked upon him coldly, finding him in such company.  Then they went to Wilson’s house and Chapter XI of Pudd’nhead Wilson follows, which tells of the girl seen in Tom Driscoll’s room; and closes with the kicking of Tom by Luigi at the anti-temperance mass-meeting of the Sons of Liberty; with the addition of some account of Roxy’s adventures as a chamber-maid on a Mississippi boat.  Her exchange of the children had been flippantly and farcically described in an earlier chapter.]

Next morning all the town was a-buzz with great news; Pudd’nhead Wilson had a law case!  The, public astonishment was so great and the public curiosity so intense, that when the justice of the peace opened his court, the place was packed with people and even the windows were full.  Everybody was, flushed and perspiring; the summer heat was almost unendurable.

Tom Driscoll had brought a charge of assault and battery against the twins.  Robert Allen was retained by Driscoll, David Wilson by the defense.  Tom, his native cheerfulness unannihilated by his back-breaking and bone-bruising passage across the massed heads of the Sons of Liberty the previous night, laughed his little customary laugh, and said to Wilson: 

“I’ve kept my promise, you see; I’m throwing my business your way.  Sooner than I was expecting, too.”

“It’s very good of you—­particularly if you mean to keep it up.”

“Well, I can’t tell about that yet.  But we’ll see.  If I find you deserve it I’ll take you under my protection and make your fame and fortune for you.”

“I’ll try to deserve it, Tom.”

A jury was sworn in; then Mr. Allen said: 

“We will detain your honor but a moment with this case.  It is not one where any doubt of the fact of the assault can enter in.  These gentlemen—­the accused—­kicked my client at the Market Hall last night; they kicked him with violence; with extraordinary violence; with even unprecedented violence, I may say; insomuch that he was lifted entirely off his feet and discharged into the midst of the audience.  We can prove this by four hundred witnesses—­we shall call but three.  Mr. Harkness will take the stand.”