Page 77 [77]
cc Who are you?" said Mr. Fang,
The old gentleman pointed with some
surprise to his card.
6 Officer!” said Mr. Fang, tossing the
card contemptuously away with the news¬
paper, “ who is this fellow ?”
s My name, sir," said the old gentle¬
man, speaking like a gentleman, and con¬
sequently in strong contrast to Mr. Fang,
—*my name, sir, is Brownlow. Permit
me to inquire the name of the magistrate
who offers a gratuitous and unprovoked
insult to a respectable man, under the pro¬
tection of the bench.” Saying this, Mr.
Brownlow looked round the office as if in
search of some person who could afford
him the required information.
“ Officer!” said Mr. Fang, throwing the
paper on one side, “ what’s this fellow
charged with ?”
“He’s not charged at all, your wor¬
ship,” replied the officer. " He appears
against the boy, your worship.”
His dac e knew this perfectly well ;
but it was a good annoyance, and a safe
one,
“ Appears against the boy, does he?”
said Fang, surveying Mr. Brownlow con¬
gee from head to foot. ‘ Swear
“ Before Iam sworn I must beg to say
one word,” said Mr. Brownlow; “and
that is, that I never, without actual expe¬
rience, could have believed úg
“Hold your tongue, sir!” said Mr.
Fang peremptorily.
“| will not, sir!” replied the spirited
old gentleman.
“Hold your tongue this instant, or Ill
have you turned out of the office!” said
Mr. Fang. “ You’re an insolent imper¬
tinent fellow. How dare you bully a ma¬
gistrate !”
What!” exclaimed the old gentle¬
man, reddening.
“Swear this person!” said Fang to
the clerk. “I’ll not hear another word.
Swear him !”
Mr. Brownlow’s indignation was great¬
ly roused ; but, reflecting that he might
injure the boy bY giving vent to it, he sup¬
pressed his feelings, and submitted to be
sworn at once.
“ Now,” said Fang, “ what’s the charge
against this by? What have you got to
gay, sir?”
“]T was standing at a book-stall—* Mr.
Brownlow began.
“Told your tongue, sir!” said Mr.
* Policeman !—where "s the po¬
liceman?t Here, swear this man. Now,
policeman, what is this ?”
The policeman with becoming humility
related how he had taken the charge, how
he had searched Oliver and found nothing
on his person; and how that was all he
knew about it.
* Are there any witnesses?" inquired
Mr. Fang.
6 None, your worship,” replied the po¬
liceman.
Mr. Fang sat silent for some minutes,
and then, turning round to the prosecutor,
said, in a towering passion,
“ Do you mean to state what your com¬
plaint against this boy is, fellow, or do you
not? You have been sworn. Now, if
you stand there, refusing to give evidence,
I’]l punish you for disrespect to the bench ;
I will, b 4
By what, or by whom, nobody knows,
for the clerk and jailer coughed very loud
just at the right moment, and the former
dropped a heavy book on the floor; thus
preventing the word írom being heard—
accidentally, of course. —
With many interruptions, and repeated
insults, Mr. Brownlow contrived to state
his case; observing that, in the surprise
of the moment, he had run after the boy
because he saw him running away, and
expressing his hope that, if the magis¬
trate should believe him, although not
actually the thief, to be connected with
thieves, he would deal as leniently with
him as justice would allow.
“He has been hurt already,” said the
old gentleman in conclusion. “And I
fear,” he added, with great energy, lock¬
ing towards the bar—" I really fear that
he is very ill.”
6 Oh! yes; I dare say!” said Mr. Fang,
with asneer. ‘Come; none of your tricks
here, you young vagabond; they won’t
do. What’s your name?”
Oliver tried to reply, but his tongue
failed him. He was deadly pale, and the
whole place seemed turning round and
round.
“What’s your name, you hardened
scoundre] ?” thundered Mr. Fang. “ Offi¬
cer, what’s his name?”
This was addressed to a bluff old fellow
in a striped waistcoat, who was standing
by the bar. He bent over Oliver, and re¬
peated the inquiry; but finding him really
incapable of understanding the question,
and knowing that his not replying would
only infuriate the magistrate the more,
and add to the severity of his sentence,
he hazarded a guess.
“ He says his name’s Tom White, your
gual said this kind-hearted thie®
taker, 3