234 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



are many cases at the other Court, mine mayn't be heard for 

 hours." 



" P'raps not," replies the Clerk, carelessly, and turns to 

 speak to a friend who has dropped in to have a chat by the 

 fire. 



The Inspector corroborates the Clerk's statement. Mr. 

 Sharply will be quick enough when he does come, but that 

 may be in a quarter of an hour, or that very minute, or not 

 for two hours yet. 



The glorious uncertainty of the Law is on this occasion 

 represented by Mr. Sharply. 



" Perhaps," my Aunt thinks, " the Cabman will get tired 

 of waiting, and then won't appear, after all." 



This idea of tiring out the Cabman is a congenial one to' 

 my Aunt's mind, and if we could only have some luncheon, 

 the morning would not hang so heavily on our hands, as, at 

 present, it most certainly does. 



We are becoming quite accustomed to the Police-Office, 

 and almost attached to its fire, when the Sergeant intimates, 

 sotto voce, that if we like to sit down inside the Court until 

 the Magistrate comes, he can let us in. 



He puts this as a favour, in the same sort of confidential 

 manner that a Railway Guard offers to keep a carriage for 

 you for "the through journey." I discover, subsequently, 

 that we could have walked in without this permission. 



I put my hand in my waistcoat pocket, hinting at a 

 shilling (which I subsequently give him, and feel I am 

 suborning a probable witness), and we are passed in, the 

 official, forming the slanting barrier afore-mentioned, with- 



