Cumberland (England) -- Fiction; Domestic fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Mothers and daughters -- Fiction
And the tailor was as indignant as the rector. He was summoned as a
witness and was therefore bound to attend,--at the loss of his day's
work. When he reached the court, which he did long before the judge
had taken his seat, he found it to be almost impossible to effect
an entrance. He gave his name to some officer about the place,
but learned that his name was altogether unknown. He showed his
subpoena and was told that he must wait till he was called. "Where
must I wait?" asked the angry radical. "Anywhere," said the man in
authority; "but you can't force your way in here." Then he remembered
that no one had as yet paid so dearly for this struggle, no one had
suffered so much, no one had been so instrumental in bringing the
truth to light, as he, and this was the way in which he was treated!
Had there been any justice in those concerned a seat would have been
provided for him in the court, even though his attendance had not
been required. There were hundreds there, brought thither by simple
curiosity, to whom priority of entrance into the court had been
accorded by favour, because they were wealthy, or because they were
men of rank, or because they had friends high in office. All his
wealth had been expended in this case; it was he who had been the
most constant friend of this Countess; but for him and his father
there might probably have been no question of a trial at this day.
And yet he was allowed to beg for admittance, and to be shoved out of
court because he had no friends. "The court is a public court, and is
open to the public," he said, as he thrust his shoulders forward with
a resolution that he would effect an entrance. Then he was taken in
hand by two constables and pushed back through the doorway,--to the
great detriment of the apple-woman who sat there in those days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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