hard cash-第168章

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kington　like　beagles；　you　will　see　that　R。　Hardie's　was　no　vain　terror。　At　last　the　judge　returned；　and　Mr。　Colt　was　obliged　to　put　in　his　reserves；　so　called　Dr。　Sampson。　Instantly　a　very　dull　trial　became　an　amusing　one；　the　scorn　with　which　he　treated　the　opinion　of　Dr。　Wycherley　and　Mr。　Speers；　and　medical　certificates　in　general；　was　so　droll　coming　from　a　doctor；　and　so　racily　expressed；　that　the　court　was　convulsed。　Also　in　cross…examination　by　Saunders　he　sparred　away　in　such　gallant　style　with　that　accomplished　advocate　that　it　was　mighty　refreshing。　The　judge　put　in　a　few　intelligent　questions　after　counsel　had　done；　and　surprised　all　the　doctors　in　court　with　these　words：　〃I　am　aware；　sir；　that　you　were　the　main　instrument　in　putting　down　bloodletting　in　this　country。〃

What　made　Sampson's　evidence　particularly　strong　was　that　he　had　seen　the　plaintiff　the　evening　before　his　imprisonment。

At　this　moment　three　men；　all　of　them　known　to　the　reader；　entered　the　court；　one　was　our　old　acquaintance　Fullalove；　another　was　of　course　Vespasian；　and　the　third　was　the　missing　plaintiff。

A　buzz　announced　his　arrival；　and　expectation　rose　high。　Mr。　Colt　called　him　with　admirably　feigned　nonchalance；　he　stepped　into　the　box；　and　there　was　a　murmur　of　surprise　and　admiration　at　his　bright　countenance　and　manly　bearing。

Of　course　to　give　his　evidence　would　be　to　write　〃Hard　Cash〃　over　again。　It　is　enough　to　say　that　his　examination　in　chief　lasted　all　that　day；　and　an　hour　of　the　next。

Colt　took　him　into　the　asylum；　and　made　him　say　what　he　had　suffered　there　to　swell　the　damages。　The　main　points　his　examination　in　chief　established　were　his　sanity　during　his　whole　life；　the　money　settled　on　him；　the　means　the　doctors　took　to　irritate　him；　and　then　sign　him　excited；　the　subserviency　of　his　uncle　to　his　father；　the　double　motive　his　father　had　in　getting　him　imprisoned；　the　business　of　the　L。　14；000。

When　Colt　sat　down　at　eleven　o'clock　on　the　second　day；　the　jury　looked　indignant；　and　the　judge　looked　very　grave；　and　the　case　very　black。

Mr。　Saunders　electrified　his　attorney　by　saying；　〃My　advice　is；　don't　cross…examine　him。〃

Heathfield　implored　him　not　to　take　so　strange　a　course。

On　this　Saunders　shrugged　his　shoulders；　rose；　and　cross…examined　Alfred　about　the　vision　of　one　Captain　Dodd　he　had　seen；　and　about　his　suspicions　of　his　father。　〃Had　not　Richard　Hardie　always　been　a　kind　and　liberal　father？〃　To　this　he　assented。　〃Had　he　not　sacrificed　a　large　fortune　to　his　creditors？〃　Plaintiff　believed　so。　〃On　reflection；　then；　did　not　plaintiff　think　he　must　have　been　under　an　illusion？〃　No；　he　had　gone　by　direct　evidence。

Confining　himself　sagaciously　to　this　one　question；　and　exerting　all　his　skill　and　pertinacity；　Saunders　succeeded　in　convincing　the　court　that　the　Hard　Cash　was　a　myth：　a　pure　chimera。　The　defendant's　case　looked　up；　for　there　are　many　intelligent　madmen　with　a　single　illusion。

The　re…examination　was　of　course　very　short；　but　telling；　for　Alfred　swore　that　Miss　Julia　Dodd　had　helped　him　to　carry　home　the　phantom　of　her　father；　and　that　Miss　Dodd　had　a　letter　from　her　father　to　say　that　he　was　about　to　sail　with　the　other　phantom；　the　L。　14；000。

Here　Mr。　Saunders　interposed；　and　said　that　evidence　was　inadmissible。　Let　him　call　Miss　Dodd。

_Colt。_How　do　you　know　I'm　not　going　to　call　her？

_The　Judge。_　If　you　are；　it　is　superfluous；　if　not；　it　is　inadmissible。

Mr。　Compton　cast　an　inquiring　glance　up　at　a　certain　gallery。　A　beautiful　girl　bowed　her　head　in　reply；　with　a　warm　blush　and　such　a　flash　of　her　eye；　and　Mr。　Colt　said；　〃As　my　learned　friend　was　afraid　to　cross…examine　the　plaintiff　on　any　point　but　this；　and　as　I　mean　to　respond　to　his　challenge；　and　call　Miss　Dodd；　I　will　not　trouble　the　plaintiff　any　further。〃

Through　the　whole　ordeal　Alfred　showed　a　certain　flavour　of　Eton　and　Oxford　that　won　all　hearts。　His　replies　were　frank　and　honest；　and　under　cross…examination　he　was　no　more　to　be　irritated　than　if　Saunders　had　been　Harrow　bowling　at　him；　or　the　Robin　sparring　with　him。　The　serjeant；　who　was　a　gentleman；　indicated　some　little　regret　at　the　possible　annoyance　he　was　causing　him。　Alfred　replied　with　a　grand　air　of　good　fellowship；　〃Do　not　think　so　poorly　of　me　as　to　suppose　I　feel　aggrieved　because　you　are　an　able　advocate　and　do　your　duty　to　your　client；　sir。〃

_The　Judge。_That　is　very　handsomely　said。　I　am　afraid　you　have　got　an　awkward　customer；　in　a　case　of　this　kind；　Brother　Saunders。

_Serjt。　S。_It　is　not　for　want　of　brains　he　is　mad；　my　lord。

_Alfred。_That　is　a　comfort；　any　way。　（Laughter。）

When　counsel　had　done　with　him；　the　judge　used　his　right；　and　put　several　shrewd　and　unusual　questions　to　him：　asked　him　to　define　insanity。　He　said　he　could　only　do　it　by　examples：　and　he　abridged　several　intelligent　madmen；　their　words　and　ways；　and　contrasted　them　with　the　five　or　six　sane　people　he　had　fallen　in　with　in　asylums；　showing　his　lordship　plainly　that　_he_　could　tell　any　insane　person　whatever　from　a　sane　one；　and　_vice　versa。_　This　was　the　most　remarkable　part　of　the　trial；　to　see　this　shrewd　old　judge　extracting　from　a　real　observer　and　logical　thinker　those　positive　indicia　of　sanity　and　insanity；　which　exist；　but　which　no　lawyer　has　ever　yet　been　able　to　extract　from　any　psychological　physician　in　the　witness…box。　At　last；　he　was　relieved；　and　sat　sucking　an　orange　among　the　spectators；　for　they　had　parched　his　throat　amongst　them；　I　promise　you。

Julia　Dodd　entered　the　box；　and　a　sunbeam　seemed　to　fill　the　court。　She　knew　what　to　do：　her　left　hand　was　gloved；　but　her　white　right　hand　bare。　She　kissed　the　book；　and　gave　her　evidence　in　her　clear；　mellow；　melting　voice；　gave　it　reverently　and　modestly；　for　to　her　the　court　was　a　church。　She　said　how　long　she　had　been　acquainted　with　Alfred；　and　how　his　father　was　adverse；　and　her　mother　had　thought　it　was　because　they　did　not　pass　for　rich；　and　had　told　her　they　were　rich；　and　with　this　she　produced　David's　letter；　and　she　also　swore　to　having　met　Alfred　and　others　carrying　her　father　in　a　swoon　from　his　father's　very　door。　She　deposed　to　Alfred's　sanity　on　her　wedding　eve；　and　on　the　day　his　recapture　was　attempted。

Saunders；　against　his　own　judgment；　was　instructed　to　cross…examine　her；　and；　without　meaning　it；　he　put　a　question　which　gave　her　deep　distress。　〃Are　you　now　engaged　to　the　plaintiff？〃　She　looked　timidly　round；　and　saw　Alfred；　and　hesitated。　The　serjeant　pressed　her　politely；　but　firmly。

〃Must　I　reply　to　that？〃　she　said　piteously。

〃If　you　please。〃

〃Then；　no。　Another　misfortune　has　now　separated　him　and　me　for　ever。〃

〃What　is　that；　pray？〃

〃My　father　is　said　to　have　died　at　sea：　and　my　mother　thinks　_he_　is　to　blame。〃

_The　judge　to　Saunders。_What　on　earth　has　this　to　do　with　Hardie　against　Hardie？

_Saunders。_You　are　warmly　interested　in　the　plaintiff's　success？

_Julia。_Oh　yes；　sir。

_Colt_　（aside　to　Garrow）。The　fool　is　putting　his　foot　into　it：　there's　not　a　jury　in　England　that　would　give　a　verdict　to　part　two　interesting　young　lovers。

_Saunders。_You　are　attached　to　him？

_Julia。_Ah；　that　I　do。

This　burst；　intended　for　poor　Alfred；　not　the　court；　baffled　cross…examination　and　grammar　and　everything　else。　Saunders　was　wise　and　generous；　and　said　no　more。

Colt　cast　a　glance　of　triumph；　and　declined　to　re…examine。　He　always　let　well　alone。　The　judge；　however；　evinced　a　desire　to　trace　the　fourteen　thousand　pounds　from　Calcutta；　but　Julia　could　not　help　him：　that　mysterious　sum　had　been　announced　by　letter　as　about　to　sail；　and　then　no　more　was　heard　about　it　till　Alfred　accused　his　father　of　having　it。　All　endeavours　to　fill　this　hiatus　failed。　However；　Julia；　observing　that　in　courts　material　objects　affect　the　mind　most；　had　provided　herself　with　all　the　_pieces　de　conviction_　she　could　find；　and　she　produced　her　father's　empty　pocket…book；　and　said；　when　he　was　brought　home　senseless；　this　was　in　his　breast…pocket。

〃Hand　it　up　to　me；〃　said　the　judge。　He　examined　it；　and　said　it　had　been　in　the　water。

〃Captain　Dodd　was　wrecked　off　the　French　coast；〃　suggested　Mr。　Saunders。

〃My　learned　friend　had　better　go　into　the　witness…box；　if