field where the intended action is to be
fought, so Mr. Bumpkin was conducted by Horatio to Westminster Hall, and
shown the various Courts of Justice, and some of the judges.

"Be this Chancery?" he enquired.

"O my eye, no!" said Horatio; "the cause has been transferred from
Chancery to these 'ere Common Law Courts. It was only brought in
Chancery because the costs there are upon a higher scale; we didn't mean
to try her there."

"Where will she be tried then?"

"In one of these Courts."

"Who be the judge?" whispered Bumpkin.

At this moment there was a loud shout of "Silence!" and although Mr.
Bumpkin was making no noise whatever, a gentleman approached him, looking
very angry, and enquired if Mr. Bumpkin desired to be committed for
contempt of Court.

Mr. Bumpkin thought the most prudent answer was silence; so he remained
speechless, looking the gentleman full in the face; while the gentleman
looked him full in the face for at least a minute and a half, as if he
were wondering whether he should take him off to prison there and then,
or give him another chance, as the judge sometimes does a prisoner when
he sentences him to two years imprisonment with hard labour.

Now the gentleman was a very amiable man of about forty, with large brown
mutton-chop whiskers, and a very well trained moustache; good-looking
and, I should think, with some humour, that is for a person connected
with the Courts. He was something about the Court, but in what capacity
he held up his official head, I am unable to say. He was evidently
regarded with great respect by the crowd of visitors. It was some time
before he took his gaze off Mr. Bumpkin; even when he had taken his eyes
off, he seemed looking at him as if he feared that the moment he went
away Bumpkin would do it again.

And then methought I heard someone whisper near me: "His lordship is
going to give judgment in the case of _Starling_ v. _Nightingale_," and
all at once there was a great peace. I lost sight of Bumpkin, I lost
sight of the gentleman, I lost sight of the crowd; an indefinable
sensation of delight overpowered my senses. Where was I? I had but a
moment before been in a Court of Justice, with crowds of gaping idlers;
with prosaic-looking gentlemen in horsehair wigs; with gentlemen in a pew
with papers before them ready to take down the proceedings. Now it
seemed as if I must be far away in the distant country, where all was
calm and heavenly peace.

S