"That, Mr. Duke, is a pleasure to come," was his lordship's swift, if gently sarcastic, rejoinder.
If witnesses occasionally undergo severe handling in cross-examination by counsel, there are also occasions when their ready reply has rather nonplussed the judge.
A case was being tried at York before Mr. Justice Gould. When it had proceeded for upwards of two hours the judge observed that there were only eleven jurymen in the box, and inquired where the twelfth man was. "Please you, my lord," said one of them, "he has gone away about some business, but he has left his verdict with me."
"How old are you?" asked the judge of a lady witness. "Thirty."—"Thirty!" said the judge; "I have heard you give the same age in this Court for the last three years."—"Yes," responded the lady; "I am not one of those persons who say one thing to-day and another to-morrow."
Mr. Justice Keating one day had occasion to examine a witness who stuttered very much in giving his evidence. "I believe," said his lordship, "you are a very great rogue."—"Not so great a rogue as you, my lord—t—t—t—t—take me to be," was the reply.
Judge: "Is this your signature?"
Witness: "I don't know."
Judge: "Look at it carefully."
Witness: "I can't say for certain."