It is not our intention to follow the “learned counsel” minutely through all his argument, in which he displayed much zeal, legal lore, ingenuity and tact, and by which he temporarily effected, in the feelings and sentiments of all his hearers, with the exception of the prosecuting party, a powerful revulsion in favor of the accused. He exposed without mercy all the intriguing arts by which this designing French governess and her unprincipled son had conspired to inveigle their pupil, then a mere child, into a clandestine marriage, by which they hoped eventually to enjoy her immense wealth. He dwelt upon the moral turpitude of that treacherous teacher in having thus betrayed the sacred trust reposed in her by the parents of the child confided to her care. He said that the criminal arts of this intriguing mother and son should avail them nothing, either in shape of profit or vengeance. And he concluded by concentrating an immense mass of law, testimony and precedence upon the point that this _quasi_ marriage into which they had conspired to entrap their pupil, was, without the knowledge and consent of the parents or guardians of the child-bride, null, ‘void’, invalid, and therefore could not form a legal obstacle to the validity of the real and authorized marriage that day solemnized at the parish church at Hyde. He then required the discharge of his client from custody, and sat down. Sir George Bannerman acknowledged the conclusion of his argument by a nod, and turned his face toward the witnesses for the prosecution as if to express himself ready to hear any thing they might have to advance against this. The prosecuting party had no counsel, but in the absence of a better lawyer, Madame L’Orient proved in her own person, despite her sex and her broken English, an “indifferent good,” or at least very shrewd advocate. And it was the shrill voice of the little yellow, shriveled, and beady eyed old French woman, that replied to the polished Lord Dazzleright. She prayed Monsieur the Magistrate to remind himself that the _statement_ that Mademoiselle Estelle Morelle had been married to Monsieur Victoire L’Orient, without the knowledge and consent of her parents, was only an _assumption_ which required proof, while on the contrary, the _fact_ that this marriage between Monsieur Victoire and Mademoiselle Estelle had been celebrated with the knowledge and consent, and in the presence of Mademoiselle’s _guardian_, was already proved, was established, was unquestioned; for that she herself, Madame Gabrielle L’Orient, in her capacity of governess and teacher, had borne the relation of guardian to Mademoiselle Morelle. And as guardian of Mademoiselle, her presence at the marriage of Mademoiselle was all that was needed to make that marriage a legal transaction. Having given this testimony, the vindictive little woman—her black eyes scintillating in triumph—sat down.