238 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



killed game belonging to some gentlemen even now in this 

 court?" 



" I won't tell you, sir, whether I have or not, because you 

 ha'n't any right to ask such questions ; but I'll answer that to 

 any real gentleman in this court, or out of it, that puts it in a 

 civil way." 



"So you pretend to swear, Mr. Hosier, that on this dark 

 night, when a man could scarcely see his hand before his face, 

 you saw Lord Vancourt fire at Mr. Beauchamp, you being ten 

 yards distant from him 1 " 



" I didn't say ten yards, sir, as I wasn't five from the young 

 squire at the time, and if 'twere as dark again I could have 

 seen the flash in the pan, and which side it come from." 



"And how did you know Lord Vancourt so well, Mr. 

 Hosier, as to distinguish him on this dark night from other 

 men 1 " 



" Because I had seen him several times, sir, afore, and he 

 wasn't a man to be mistaken for another." 



" Oh, very handsome, I suppose 1 " 



" ISTo, sir, he warn't that to my mind ; but a tall, long- 

 legged chap, with a large hook nose, and rat's eyes, with shaggy 

 eyebrows, and black whiskers." 



" And pray, Mr. Mark, what was the reward you got from 

 Mr. Beauchamp for preventing this runaway match ? ' 



"Well, sir, I baint quite so sharp a hand as a lawyer 

 to pocket the fee aforehand, and I ha'n't got nothing yet but 

 this scar in the face and a dig in the back from that cowardly 

 valet ; and as to Miss Blanche running away with this long- 

 leffjjed lord, she'd ha' served him in the same fashion, if he 

 hadn't held her arm, as the pretty chambermaid at the King s 

 Head served you last night when you took liberties with her, 

 bv giving him a o'ood smack in his face." 



Boars of laughter followed, which for some few minutes it 

 was impossible to suppress, and even the grave features of the 

 judge relaxed into a smile. 



" I appeal to your lordship," cried the excited Wrangler, 

 " to commit this witness for contempt of court ! " 



" Contempt of counsel, you ought to have said, Mr. Serjeant 

 Wrangler," replied the judge ; " but if gentlemen of the bar 

 will play with edged tools, they must take the consequences ; in 

 such cases I never interfere." 



" Yery well, my lord, then I shall sit down." 



The last witness called for the prosecution was the wounded 





