"Yes, unhappily indeed—unhappily for my client. Was there anybody else in the room?"
"I believe that Phipps, Mr. Belcher's man, was coming and going."
"Why, your memory is excellent, is it not? And you remember the date of this event too! Suppose you tell us what it was."
"It was the 4th of May, 1860."
"How confused you must have been!" said Mr. Cavendish.
"These are things that were burnt into my memory," responded the witness. "There were other occurrences that day, of which I have been informed, but of which I have no memory."
"Ah, there are! Well, I shall have occasion to refresh your mind upon still another, before I get through with you. Now, if I should show you an assignment, signed by yourself on the very day you have designated, and also signed by Johnson, Ramsey and Phipps as witnesses, what should you say to it?"
"I object to the question. The counsel should show the document to the witness, and then ask his opinion of it," said Mr. Balfour.
The Court coincided with Mr. Balfour's view, and ruled accordingly.
"Very well," said Mr. Cavendish, "we shall get at that in good time. Now, witness, will you be kind enough to tell me how you remember that all this occurred on the 4th of May, 1860?"