The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE HOME OFFICE 71 “ He talked about pitching the throne to the devil,” re- sponded Mr. Bax; “ and he declared that the English people was fools not to imitate the French.”’ ‘‘ And the prisoner Melmoth, did he give his assent to those observations? ”’ asked the attorney-general. ‘Oh, he was quite as bad as t’other, and said as how that all kings was tyrants,” replied the constable. “ That will do, Mr. Bax,” said the great law-officer. ‘‘ You have given your evidence in a very straightforward, candid, and praiseworthy manner; and if the prisoners will allow me to offer them a suggestion, I should advise that they do not aggravate their guilt by any useless bravado, such as cross-examining the witness, but that they at once throw themselves on the mercy of the government.”’ ‘‘ Mercy, indeed! ’”’ echoed Meagles, with a bitter tone and a disdainful manner. ‘“ No, sir, we are well aware that mercy exists not in the quarter where you would persuade us to look for it; but we will see whether there be anything like justice in this tribunal before which we now stand. I presume that the moment has now arrived for the cross- examination of this witness? ”’ | “Yes, if you persist in a course so vitally prejudicial to your own interests,’’ observed the attorney-general. Meagles condescended not to vouchsafe any reply to the remark, but, turning toward Mr. Bax, he said, “‘ Upon your oath, your solemn oath, have you told the truth? ” “That question cannot be allowed,’’ interposed the attorney-general. ‘‘ If Mr. Bax should admit that he has spoken falsely, he would be liable to a prosecution for per- jury, and no witness can be allowed to criminate himself.”’ “Then I will ask him,” exclaimed Meagles, ‘‘ whether my fellow prisoner and myself did not seek him at his own house and require his assistance to rescue a young lady — ”’ “T really cannot permit this line of cross-examination,”’ cried the attorney-general. ‘‘ While pretending to ask a question, you are entering upon matter quite extraneous —”’ ‘“T will show you in a moment, sir,” interrupted Meagles, ““how the case of the young lady alluded to is intimately ~ associated with the causes of my arrest and that of my fellow prisoner.”’ ‘No young lady has been specifically mentioned in the evidence,’ replied the attorney-general, doggedly, ‘‘ and (C(O) ANC 6)(0)©)