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sel； whom Mr。 Compton had retained because he was great at addressing juries； and no point of law could now arise in the Case。
Colt； Q。 C。； rose like a tower； knowing very little of the facts； and seeming to know everything。 He had a prodigious business； and was rather indolent； and often skimmed his brief at home； and then mastered it in courtif he got time。 Now； it is a good general's policy to open a plaintiffs case warily； and reserve your rhetoric for the reply； and Mr。 Colt always took this line when his manifold engagements compelled him； as in Hardie _v。_ Hardie； to teach his case first and learn it afterwards。 I will only add； that in the course of his opening he was on the edge of seven distinct blunders； but Garrow watched him and always shot a whisper like a bullet just in time。 Colt took it； and glided away from incipient error imperceptibly； and with a tact you can have no conception of。 The jury did not detect the creaking of this machinery； Serjeant Saunders did； and grinned satirically； so did poor Julia； and her cheeks burned and her eyes flashed indignant fire。 And horror of horrors； Alfred did not appear。
Mr。 Colt's opening may be thus condensed： The plaintiff was a young gentleman of great promise and distinction； on whom； as usual in these cases of false imprisonment； money was settled。 He was a distinguished student at Eton and Oxford； and no doubt was ever expressed of his sanity till he proposed to marry； and take his money out of his trustees hands by a marriage settlement。 On this his father； who up to that time had managed his funds as principal trustee； showed him great personal hostility for some time； and looked out for a tool： that tool he soon found in his brother； the defendant； a person who； it would be proved； had actually not seen the plaintiff for a year and a half； yet； with great recklessness and inhumanity； had signed away his liberty and his happiness behind his back。 Then tools of another kindthe kind that anybody can buy； a couple of doctors were； as usual； easily found to sign the certificates。 One of these doctors had never seen him but for five minutes； and signed in manifest collusion with the other。 They decoyed this poor young gentleman away on his wedding morning on his wedding morning； gentlemen； mark thatand consigned him to the worst of all dungeons。 What he suffered there he must himself relate to you； for we； who have the happiness to walk abroad in the air of reason and liberty； are little able to realise the agony of mind endured by a sane man confined among the insane。 What we undertake is to prove his sanity up to the very hour of his incarceration； and also that he was quite sane at the time when a brutal attempt to recapture him by violence was made under the defendant's order； and defeated by his own remarkable intelligence and courage。 Along with the facts the true reason why he was imprisoned will probably come out。 But I am not bound to prove sinister motives。 It is for the defendant to prove； if he can； that he had lawful motives for a lawless act； and that he exercised due precaution； and did not lend himself recklessly to the dark designs of others。 If he succeed in this； that may go in mitigation of damages； though it cannot affect the verdict。 _Our_ principal object is the verdict； which will remove the foul aspersion cast on my injured client； and restore him to society。 And to this verdict we are entitled； unless the other side can prove the plaintiff was insane。 Call Alfred Hardie。
And with this he sat down。
An official called Alfred Hardie very loud； he made no reply。 Julia rose from her seat with dismay painted on her countenance。 Compton's； Garrow's； and Colt's heads clashed together。
Mr。 Colt jumped up again； and said； 〃My Lud； I was not aware the gentleman they accuse of insanity is just being examined for high honours in the University of Oxford。〃 Aside to Compton； 〃And if he doesn't come you may give them the verdict。〃
〃Well；〃 said the judge； 〃of course he will be here before you close your case。〃
On this the three heads clashed again； and Serjeant Saunders； for the defendant； popped up and said with great politeness； and affectation of sympathy； 〃My Lud； I can quite understand my learned friend's hesitation to produce his； principal witness。〃
〃You understand nothing about the matter；〃 said Colt cavalierly。 〃Call Mr。 Harrington。〃
Mr。 Harrington was Alfred's tutor at Eton； and deposed to his sanity there； he was not cross…examined。 After him they went on step by step with a fresh witness for every six months； till they brought him close to the date of his incarceration； then they put in one of Julia's witnesses； Peterson； who swore Alfred had talked to him like a sane person that very morning； and repeated what had passed。 Cross…examination only elicited that he and Alfred were no longer good friends； which rather strengthened the evidence。 Then Giles and Hannah； now man and wife； were called； and swore he was sane all the time he was at Silverton House。 Mr。 Saunders diminished the effect by eliciting that they had left on bad terms with Mr。 Baker； and that Alfred had given them money since。 But this was half cured on re…examination； by being set down to gratitude on Alfred's part。 And now the judge went to luncheon； and in came a telegraphic message to say Alfred was in the fast train coming up。 This was good news and bad。 They had hoped he would drop in before。 They were approaching that period of the case； when not to call the plaintiff must produce a vile impression。 The judgeout of good nature； I suspectwas longer at luncheon than usual； and every minute was so much gained to Mr。 Compton and Julia； who were in a miserable state of anxiety。 Yet it was equalled by Richard Hardie's； who never entered the court but paced the hall the livelong day to intercept Noah Skinner。 And； when I tell you that Julia had consulted Mr。 Green； and that he had instantly pronounced Mr。 Barkington to be a man from Barkington who knew the truth about the fourteen thousand pounds； and that the said Green and his myrmidons were hunting Mr。 Barkington 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 anno