‘My carriage is in readiness for thee, Mercia, at any moment thou art ready to depart. Shall I accompany thee, or no?’
‘I would prefer seeing him alone, dear Swami, I am not prepared to make my lawyer my confessor, as would be almost necessary if I were in thy company at such a time. But I count upon thy presence near me at the trial, for few are my friends. I have led the life of a recluse almost, so great has been my devotion to my work, and this is how that ingrate has rewarded me. Farewell, dearest, for one hour only—in that time I will see thee at the court.’ And Mercia stepping into the well-appointed carriage belonging to Swami was driven away to the barrister’s.
CHAPTER XII
The Great Justice Hall, as it was named, was of such dimensions that it afforded accommodation for several thousands of persons, who on this occasion of unprecedented interest availed themselves of it without delay. A long line of carriages containing the élite of society awaited the opening of the great door with that admirable spirit of patience which the aristocracy display on great occasions. A few of these vehicles were drawn by horses, but most were impelled by electric motive force.
A queue of persons who kept no ‘carriage steerer,’ doing their own driving usually, had come on foot, and had taken their places in the order of their arrival, for the indecent rioting and pushing for priority of places at the doors of public buildings was put down by this time, a lady member of Parliament having brought a bill to make this unruly behaviour punishable as street-brawling.
By the time the Court was opened every available seat was filled, not only by the élite of the Empire, but by members of the Continental aristocracy also; including two Crowned Heads among their number. On all great occasions, when a crush was expected, the public were admitted by ticket, which could be obtained by application to the Usher, who issued no greater number than the accommodation afforded.
The Emperor Nicholas, the Fourth, of Russia, accompanied by his Empress; the newly-crowned Emperor, Louis XX., of France, occupied seats set apart for the crême de la crême of the aristocracy.
It was, in point of fact, attended by a crowd of great personages, whose importance could not admit of their presence at any ordinary affair, however swift the means of locomotion lessened the inconvenience of travel.
It was not every day that an Emperor appeared in the witness box, and on such an unparalleled occasion it was necessary to make an effort and not miss such a rare treat.
Then Mercia, herself, had occupied such a high position in everybody’s estimation that the charge against her of High Treason, by her threatened assault on the sacred person of his Majesty, gave a piquancy to the affair which no vulgar assassin could have afforded. Besides, those ‘in the know,’ expected to hear evidence so deliciously spicy that to miss it would have been barbarity. Foreign journals having given strong hints of the situation in their gossiping columns, inspired by Sadbag’s telegrams to the secretaries of clubs in various cities, including several continental clubs among their number.