The only fly in the ointment of my success is the utter indifference of
JESSIMINA to my aforesaid triumphs. At the termination of the hearing
to-day, I beheld her so deeply engrossed in smiling and cordial converse
with the smartly-attired curly-headed young solicitor who is acting on
her behalf that she was totally unconscious of my vicinity!
Alackaday! _varium et mutabile semper foemina!_
XXX
_Mankletow ~v.~ Jabberjee (part heard.) Mr Jabberjee finds
cross-examination much less formidable than he had anticipated._
It is now the second day of my celebrated case, which is such a
transcendental success that already the Court is tight as a drum, while
a vast disappointed crowd is barricading imploringly at the doors!
I was about to harangue these unfortunates, assuring them I was not
responsible for their exclusion, and promising to exert my utmost
influence with the Hon'ble Judge that they were all to be admitted.
But my solicitor, seizing me by the forearm, hurried me through the
entrance with the friendly recommendation that I was not to be the
bally-fool.
In the trough I perceive JESSIMINA seated, in a hat even more
resplendently becoming than her yesterday head-dress, and I am not a
little puffed with pride to be proceeded against by a plaintiff of such
a stylish and elegant appearance.
[Illustration: WITHERINGTON, Q.C.]
10.25 A.M.--After all, WITHERINGTON, Q.C., has paid me the marked
compliment of turning up to personally conduct my cross-examination. At
which SMARTLE, Esq., becomes lugubrious, averring that he is capable of
turning my inside out in no time unless I am preciously careful. But,
knowing that such inhuman barbarities are not feasible in civilised
regions, I enter the box with a serene and smiling countenance....
_Later._--I am unspeakably delighted with the urbanity (on the whole)
with which I have been cross-examined. For, to my wonderment,
WITHERINGTON, Q.C., commenced with displaying a respectful and
sympathetic interest in my career, &c., which rendered me completely at
my ease, and though on occasions he did suddenly manifest inquisitorial
severity, I soon discovered that his anger was mere wind from a tea-pot,
and that he was in secret highly gratified by the nature of my replies.
And for the most part he had the great condescension to treat me with a
kind and facetious familiarity.
I had privately commissioned a shorthanded acquaintance of mine with
instructions to take down nothing but my answers, but with inconceivable
doltishness he has done the exact converse, and transcribed merely the
utterances of Mister WITHERINGTON! However, as I do not accurately
recall my responses, I am to insert the report here _pro tanto_,
trusting to the ingenuity of the public to read between the lines.
HERE FOLLOWS THE REPORT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account