“He was; but rather as a measure of precaution than punishment. The Court suspected him to be insane.” Here Dunn leaned over and whispered a few words in the Secretary's ear. “Nor was it without difficulty,” muttered he, in a low tone. “He continued to inveigh in the most violent tone against us all; declared he 'd never leave the Jail without a public apology from the Bench; and, in fact, conducted himself so extravagantly that I half suspected the judge to be right, and that there was some derangement in the case.” “I remember Paul Kellett at the head of the grand jury of his county,” said one. “He was high sheriff the first year I went that circuit,” said the judge. “And how has it ended?--where is he now?” whispered the Secretary. “I persuaded him to come home here with me, and after a little calming down he became reasonable and has gone to his own house, but only within the last hour. It was that my servant whispered me, when he last brought in the wine.” “And I suppose, after all,” said the Poor-Law Commissioner, “there was nothing peculiar in this instance; his case was one of thousands.” “Quite true, sir,” said Lindley. “Statistical tables can take no note of such-like applicants for out-door relief; all are classified as paupers.” “It must be acknowledged,” said the Secretary, in a tone of half rebuke, “that the law has worked admirably; there is but one opinion on that subject in England.” “I should be greatly surprised were it otherwise,” said Lindley; “I never heard that the Cornish fishermen disparaged shipwrecks!” “Who is that gentleman?” whispered the Secretary to Dunn. “A gentleman very desirous to be Crown Prosecutor at Melbourne,” said Dunn, with a smile. “He expresses himself somewhat freely,” whispered the other. “Only here, sir,--only here, I assure you. He is our stanchest supporter in the College.” “Of course we shall take Sebastopol, sir,” said a colonel from the end of the table. “The Russians are already on half rations, and their ammunition is nigh exhausted.” And now ensued a lively discussion of military events, wherein the speakers displayed as much confidence as skill. “It strikes me,” said Lindley, “we are at war with the Emperor Nicholas for practising pretty much the same policy we approve of so strenuously for ourselves. He wanted to treat Turkey like an encumbered estate. There was the impoverished proprietor, the beggared tenantry, the incapacity for improvement,--all the hackneyed arguments, in fact, for selling out the Sultan that we employ so triumphantly against the Irish gentleman.” “Excuse me,” said the Attorney-General, “he wanted to take forcible possession.”