“An Irish borough, Pemberton,—an Irish borough requires so little,” said Balfour, with a compassionate smile.
“Such is not the opinion over here, sir,” said Pemberton, stiffly; “and I might even suggest some caution in saying it.”
“Caution is the badge of all our tribe,” said Balfour, with a burlesque gravity. “By the way, Pemberton, his Excellency is greatly disappointed at the issue of these Cork trials; why did n't you hang these fellows?”
“Juries can no more be coerced here than in England; they brought them in not guilty.”
“We know all that, and we ask you why? There certainly was little room for doubt in the evidence.”
“When you have lived longer in Ireland, Mr. Balfour, you will learn that there are other considerations in a trial than the testimony of the witnesses.”
“That's exactly what I said to his Excellency; and I remarked, 'If Pemberton comes into the House, he must prepare for a sharp attack about these trials.'”
“And it is exactly to ascertain if I am to enter Parliament that I have come here to-day,” said the other, angrily.
“Bring me the grateful tidings that the Lord Chief Baron has joined his illustrious predecessors in that distinguished court, I 'll answer you in five minutes.”
“Beattie declares he is better this morning. He says that he has in all probability years of life before him.”