“Who, or what else can she be, Mr. Timms? Better educated, and belonging to an ‘upper ten’ in villany[villany], but of a company of rogues. Now, these knaves stand by each other much more faithfully than the body of the citizens stand by the law; and the five thousand will be forthcoming for the asking.”
“Are you serious in wishing me to believe you think my client guilty!”
Here Williams made no bones of laughing outright. It is true that he suppressed the noise immediately, lest it should attract attention; but laugh he did, and with right good will.
“Come, Timms, you have asked your question, and I leave you to answer it yourself. One thing I will say, however, in the way of admonition, which is this—we shall make out such a case against her to-morrow as would hang a governor, as I have already told you.”
“I believe you’ve done your worst already—why not let me know the names of your witnesses?”
“You know the reason. We wish the whole sum ourselves, and have no fancy to its being scattered all over Duke’s. I give you my honour, Timms—and you know what that is—I give you my honour that we hold this testimony in reserve.”
“In which case the District Attorney will bring the witnesses on the stand; and we shall gain nothing, after all, by your withdrawal.”
“The District Attorney has left the case very much to me. I have prepared his brief, and have taken care to keep to myself enough to turn the scales. If I quit, Mary Monson will be acquitted—if I stay, she will be hanged. A pardon for her will be out of the question—she is too high among the ‘upper ten’ to expect that—besides, she is not an anti-renter.”
“I wonder the thieves do not combine, as well as other folks, and control votes!”
“They do—these anti-renters belong to the gangs, and have already got their representatives in high places. They are ‘land-pirates,’ while your client goes for the old stockings. The difference in principle is by no means important, as any clear-headed man may see. It is getting late, Timms.”