on and on.

Mahony listened hand at ear, that organ not being keyed up to the
mutterings and mumblings of justice. And for all the dullness of the
subject-matter and counsel's lack of eloquence his interest did not
flag. It was the first time he heard the case for the other side stated
plainly; and he was dismayed to find how convincing it was. Put thus,
it must surely gain over every honest, straight-thinking man. In
comparison, the points Ocock was going to advance shrank to mere legal
quibbles and hair-splitting evasions.

Then the plaintiff himself went into the witness-box--and Mahony's
feelings became involved as well. This his adversary!--this poor old
mangy greybeard, who stood blinking a pair of rheumy eyes and weakly
smiling. One did not pit oneself against such human flotsam. Drunkard
was stamped on every inch of the man, but this morning, in odd
exception to the well-primed crew around him, he was
sober--bewilderedly sober--and his shabby clothing was brushed, his
frayed collar clean. Recognising the pitiful bid for sympathy, Mahony
caught himself thinking: "Good Lord! I could have supplied him with a
coat he'd have cut a better figure than that in."

Bolliver clutched the edge of the box with his two hands. His unusual
condition was a hindrance rather than a help to him; without a peg or
two his woolly thoughts were not to be disentangled. He stammered forth
his evidence, halting either to piece together what he was going to
say, or to recollect what he had just said--it was clear he went in
mortal fear of contradicting himself. The scene was painful enough
while he faced his own counsel, but, when counsel for the defence rose,
a half-hour followed in which Mahony wished himself far from the court.

Bolliver could not come to the point. Counsel was merciless and
coarsely jocose, and brought off several laughs. His victim wound his
knotty hands in and out, and swallowed oftener than he had saliva for,
in a forlorn endeavour to evade the pitfalls artfully dug for him. More
than once he threw a covert glance, that was like an appeal for help,
at all the indifferent faces. Mahony drooped his head, that their eyes
should not meet.

In high feather at the effect he was producing, counsel inserted his
left arm under his gown, and held the stuff out from his back with the
tips of all five fingers.

"And now you'll p'raps have the goodness to tell us whether you've ever
had occasion to send goods by a carrier