“Ah! bless me, now-I-rather-see-into it.  The clerk will hand me Cobb’s Georgia Reports.  A late case, curiously serious, there recorded, may lead me to gather a parallel.  Believe me, gentlemen, my feelings are not so dead-his honour addresses himself to the bar in general—­that I cannot perceive it to be one of those very delicate necessities of our law which so embarrasses the gallantry of the profession at times—­”

“Yes! yer honour,” the attorney for the defence suddenly interrupts, “and which renders it no less a disgrace to drag ladies of high rank into a court of this kind—.”

His honour can assure the learned gentleman that this court has very high functions, and can administer justice equal to anything this side of divine power,—­his honour interrupts, indignantly.

“The court misunderstood the counsel,—­he had no reference to the unquestioned high authority of the tribunal; it was only the character of the trials brought before it.  When, notwithstanding our boasts of chivalry, delicate ladies are dragged before it in this manner, they must not only endure the painful tenour of the evidence, but submit to the insolence of men who would plunder nature of its right—­”

“I shall claim the protection of the court against such unprofessional imputations,” his brother of the opposite interrupts, rising and affecting an air of indignation.  The court, quite bewildered, turns a listening ear to his remarks—­“Hopes the learned gentlemen will not disgrace themselves.”

Order! order! order! demands the sheriff, making a flourish with his sword.  The spectators, rising on tip-toe, express their anxiety to have the case proceed.  They whisper, shake their heads, and are heard to say that it will be utterly useless to attempt anything against the testimony of Graspum and Romescos.  Mr. Graspum, in the fulness of his slavish and impudent pedantry, feeling secure in the possession of his victims, sits within the bar, seeming to feel his position elevated a few degrees above his highness the judge.

“I do hope the interposition of this Court will not be necessary in this case.  Gentlemen of the learned profession should settle those differences more like gentlemen,” says his honour, looking down upon his minions with a frown of contempt.

“The matter is one entirely of a professional nature, yer honour!” responds the scion of the law, quickly, first addressing himself to the judge, and then to the jury.  “If the testimony we have already adduced—­direct as it is—­be not sufficient to establish the existence of property in these children” (Romescos has just whispered something in his ear) “we will produce other testimony of the most conclusive character.  However, we will yield all further cross-questioning the ladies; and I now suggest that they be relieved from the painful position of appearing before this court again.”

Mrs. Rosebrook descends from the stand amidst murmurs and applause.  Some amount of legal tact now ensues; the attorney for the prosecution displays an earnestness amounting to personal interest.