Sevenoaks: A Story of TodayHolland, J. G. (Josiah Gilbert)
General
Sevenoaks: A Story of Today
Holland, J. G. (Josiah Gilbert)
Didactic fiction; Political fiction; Social problems -- Fiction
"False in one thing, false in all," responded the professor, shrugging
his shoulders. "I can show you the others; they would be like this; you
would throw away your time."
Mr. Cavendish did not look at the witness, but pretended to write.
"Does the counsel for the defense wish to question the witness?"
inquired Mr. Balfour, turning to him.
"No," very sharply.
"You can step down," said Mr. Balfour. As the witness passed him, he
quietly grasped his hand and thanked him. A poorly suppressed cheer ran
around the court-room as he resumed his seat. Jim Fenton, who had never
before witnessed an experiment like that which, in the professor's
hands, had been so successful, was anxious to make some personal
demonstration of his admiration. Restrained from this by his
surroundings, he leaned over and whispered: "Perfessor, you've did a big
thing, but it's the fust time I ever knowed any good to come from
peekin' through a key-hole."
"Thank you," and the professor nodded sidewise, evidently desirous of
shutting Jim off, but the latter wanted further conversation.
"Was it you that said it was mean to tickle yer parson?" inquired Jim.
"What?" said the astonished professor, looking round in spite of
himself.
"Didn't you say it was mean to tickle yer parson? It sounded more like a
furriner," said Jim.
When the professor realized the meaning that had been attached by Jim to
the "original Hebrew," he was taken with what seemed to be a nasal
hemorrhage that called for his immediate retirement from the court-room.
What was to be done next? All eyes were turned upon the counsel who were
in earnest conversation. Too evidently the defense had broken down
utterly. Mr. Cavendish was angry, and Mr. Belcher sat beside him like a
man who expected every moment to be smitten in the face, and who would
not be able to resent the blow.
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