Mr. Pollard (thinking the judge has finished): ‘And then what did you——’
The Judge (superbly indifferent to Mr. Pollard): ‘Do you realize that you are giving evidence in a court of justice? You must be extremely careful—extremely careful.’ (A long pause; Mr. Pollard afraid to begin again.) ‘Well, do you ask her anything more?’
Mr. Pollard: ‘I beg your lordship’s pardon. If your lordship pleases.’ (To witness) ‘After the quarter of an hour, did you hear anything more?’
Witness (now thoroughly frightened): ‘Yes.’
‘What did you hear?’
‘I heard her come out.’
At this point the judge threw down his pen, and threw himself back in his chair. Mr. Pollard hastened to take off the edge of his lordship’s wrath by reprimanding the witness himself.
‘You mustn’t tell us that. You don’t know it was the prisoner. What was it you actually heard?’
The girl now felt and looked ready to resort to tears. She really did not know what answer was safe, and prudently adopted a strictly non-committal form.