"This is truly monstrous!" cried Mr. Skinner.
"You know your duty, but allow me to inform you that I know mine. It is yours to judge: it is mine to record the proceedings."
"Sed rogo, domine spectabilis!" cried Zatonyi, "is your head turned? What on earth are you thinking of?"
"Of my duty," replied Völgyeshy; "it is my duty, I take it, to make a clear and perfect statement of the case."
"But in every case there is a deal of irrelevant matter. Suppose the prisoner were to preach us a sermon, or he were to give us the prescription of a plaster for corns and bunions, would you state that kind of thing?"
"My opinion of the prisoner's statements is, that they are not irrelevant."
"But, my dear friend," said the Baron, with the greatest possible politeness, "only please to consider that our friend Zatonyi must go home to-night on account of his potatoes, which he will be prevented from doing if you persist in your intention of taking down all the nonsense which the culprit told us. And pray consider, dear sir, that Lady Kishlaki's dinner will be spoilt! It's but common politeness to make an end of it, and have done."
"The life of a fellow creature is at least quite as much worth as Mr. Zatonyi's potatoes; and, as for common politeness, I, for one, care more for common fairness."
"I should think so!" muttered Zatonyi.
"But, sir, you are uncommonly stiff-necked!" sighed the Baron.