sewhere, when this event occurred. Then he
was upon the spot: and the policeman tells you--it is for you to say
whether you believe the policeman or not; there is no suggestion that he
is not a witness of truth--and he says that he heard a scream, and caught
the defendant in the act. Now, from whom did that scream proceed? Not
from the prisoner, for it was the scream of a woman. From whom then
could it proceed but from the prosecutrix? Now, in all cases of this
kind, one very material point has always been relied on by the Judges,
and that point is this: What was the conduct of the woman? Did she go
about her ordinary business as usual, or did she make a complaint? If
she made no complaint, or made it a long time after, it is some
evidence--not conclusive by any means--but it is some evidence against
the truth of her story. Let us test this case by that theory. What is
the evidence of the policeman? I will read his words: 'The moment I got
up,' he says, now mark that, gentlemen, 'the woman complained of the
conduct of the prisoner: she screamed and threw herself in my arms and
then nearly fainted.' Gentlemen, what does all that mean? You will say
by your verdict."

"Consider your verdict," said the Clerk of Arraigns, and almost
immediately the Jury said: "Guilty of attempt."

"Call upon him," said the Judge: and he was called upon accordingly, but
only said "the prosecutrix was a well-known bad woman."

Then the Judge said very solemnly:--

"Prisoner at the bar, you have been convicted upon the clearest possible
evidence of this crime: what you say about the character of the
prosecutrix the more convinces me that you are a very bad man. You not
only assail the virtue of this woman, but, happily prevented in your
design, you endeavour to destroy it afterwards in this Court. No one who
has heard this case can doubt that you have been guilty of this very
grave offence; and in my judgment that offence is aggravated by the fact
that you committed it against her will and without her consent. The
sentence is that you be sent to prison for eighteen calendar months."

"Rather warm," said Mr. O'Rapley.

"Never heeard such a thing in my life," said Master Bumpkin, "she wur a
consentin' party if ever there wur one."

"But that makes no difference now-a-days," said Mr. O'Rapley. "Chancery
Judges studies the equity of the thing more. But perhaps, Mr. Bumpkin,
you don't know what that means?"

"No," said Bump