"Cheerio, my lord," said Sir Wigmore, with a deprecatory bow.
"I do not know whether that is a dictionary word," said his lordship, entering it upon his notes with meticulous exactness, "but I take it to be synonymous with cheerful."
The Hon. Freddy, appealed to, said he thought he meant more than just cheerful, more merry and bright, you know.
"May we take it that he was in exceptionally lively spirits?" suggested Counsel.
"Take it in any spirit you like," muttered the witness, adding, more happily, "Take a peg of John Begg."
"The deceased was particularly lively and merry when he went to bed," said Sir Wigmore, frowning horribly, "and looking forward to his marriage in the near future. Would that be a fair statement of his condition?"
The Hon. Freddy agreed to this.
Sir Impey did not cross-examine as to witness's account of the quarrel, but went straight to his point.
"Do you recollect anything about the letters that were brought in the night of the death?"
"Yes; I had one from my aunt. The Colonel had some, I fancy, and there was one for Cathcart."