e impression she was a
Russian dancer--round Trafalgar Square, and before proceeding to play
bo-peep with one of the lions, placed in that Square to ornament
it,--what, I ask, sir, did the Lord Mayor partake of by way of
refreshment?"

"Oh, two tiny glasses of Creme-de-Menthe."

_Counsel_ (triumphantly). "I knew it; at last, my Lord, we have the
mystery explained. The mystery of the Lion's green eyes, the
strangeness of the Lord Mayor's attitude, the strangeness of his
speech, his dress, all due, my Lord and Gentlemen of the Jury, to
Creme-de-Menthe! My Lord, that one phrase explains this whole mystery,
and with it I finish my statement of this case, my Lord, finish it with
those three, deadly, green, significant words--Creme-de-Menthe."

Whereupon, to everybody's relief, the pompom explosions of Mr. Dreadful
ceased. The last shell had been fired, followed by the usual whistles,
and he sat down.

The silky tones of Mr. Gentle Gammon came as a positive relief as he
re-examined and asked gently--

"Have you got the particular bottle of Creme-de-Menthe in Court?"

The Writer said he had brought it.

The bottle was fetched promptly.

"My Lord," observed Mr. Gentle Gammon, "I do not think the amount taken
could possibly have had any effect upon anybody. Your Lordship
observes that the bottle is nearly full, and the bottle produced is the
identical vessel used upon the evening in question. Was any other sort
of refreshment partaken of that evening in your chambers?"

"None whatever."

"One more question before you go. Of course this ballad, rearranged,
as you say, from the original by you, was written without any thought
of giving offence?"

"It was never intended to be published at all."

"Never intended to be read in Court, of course?"

"_Never_, in the way it was read."

"Thank you, that is enough," whereupon the Writer vanished gracefully
from the witness-box.

After this period in the proceedings, if the Learned Judge slumbered
only fitfully during Mr. Dreadful's final peroration, it might have
been owing to the spasmodic explosions of that Counsel's voice; but
there could be no doubt that the Learned Judge slept peacefully during
the earlier portions of Mr. Gentle Gammon's final effort upon behalf of
his client.

The Learned Judge had, however, a curious habit of hearing particular
things in his sleep, which, like the highly intelligent house-dog,
might have been either the result of long tr