ourse of time the town was rebuilt, and the doctor was the
first prisoner to stand on his trial at the new Town Hall.

'On the appointed day the Hall was crammed to its utmost, as at one time
the prisoner had been much loved and looked up to by his
fellow-townsmen.

'When the Lord Mayor arrived in state, between two Admirals of the
Fleet, and took his seat, the foreman of the jury awakened his
brother-jurors, who had been dozing off, and called for three cheers for
the Lord Mayor, in which everybody joined. The Lord Mayor made no reply,
except to frown severely at the foreman, and proceeded at once with the
business in hand. "Lock all the doors and bring in the prisoner," cried
he in a loud voice, after clearing his throat. The doors were instantly
locked, but some confusion arose when it was discovered that they could
not bring in the prisoner unless one were unlocked again. On this being
very politely pointed out to the Lord Mayor (who did not seem quite to
like being corrected), he altered his order, and cried out: "Bring in
the prisoner, and lock all the doors." Immediately the band struck up
the most martial music and the prisoner was brought in, tied tightly
with twine, sealed with red sealing-wax, and guarded by a squad of
infantry, who at once formed fours, and marked time for the rest of the
afternoon.

'When the music had ceased, and the general excitement caused by the
entrance of the prisoner had subsided, the Lord Mayor politely requested
him to take a seat, which he very gladly did, on being untied by the
policeman.

'Now, as every one knew that the doctor had really been the cause of all
the trouble, the only point to be decided at the trial was whether he
had done it intentionally or not, and the Lord Mayor addressed him
accordingly, asking him if he had anything to say upon the subject. The
doctor happened to be thinking of something else at the moment and,
moreover, had his head turned in another direction, watching a fly on
the window of the hall, so that he did not hear the question. The Lord
Mayor waited about a quarter of an hour for an answer, and receiving
none, he called, in an annoyed tone, for the witnesses for the
prosecution.

[Illustration: THE VERY SPARROWS GREW THIN]

'The principal witness for the prosecution was a Sicilian char-woman,
whose evidence was translated by one of the many aldermen present to
assist in case of need. It appeared that in her young days she had made
the a