“That be the sort o’ Judge for me,” said Bumpkin; “but I’ve ’ad enough on it, Maister O’Rapley, so if you please, I’ll get back t’ the ‘Goose.’ Why didn’t that air Judge try t’other case, I wonder?”
“Because,” replied the Don, “the new system is to work the ‘Round Square’.”
CHAPTER XV.
Mr. Bumpkin’s experience of London life, enlarged.
On leaving the Old Bailey the two friends proceeded to a neighbouring public-house and partook of some light refreshment at the counter. Now Mr. Bumpkin had never yet examined the viands displayed on a counter. His idea of refreshment, when from home, had always been a huge round of beef smoking at one end of the table and a large leg of mutton smoking at the other, with sundry dishes of similar pretensions between, and an immense quantity of vegetables. When, therefore he saw some stale-looking sandwiches under the ordinary glass cover, he exclaimed: “Wittals must be mighty scarce to clap ’em under a glass case.”
“It’s to keep the flies off;” said his companion.
“They need well keep un off, for there bean’t enough for a couple if they was ony wise ongry like.”
However, our friends made the best of what there was, and Mr. O’Rapley, wishing success to his companion, enquired who was to be his counsel.
“I doan’t rightly know, but I’ll warrant Mr. Prigg’ll have a good un—he knows what he be about; and all I hopes is, he’ll rattle it into that there Snooks, for if ever there wur a bad un it be him.”
“He looks a bad un,” replied O’Rapley. “When do you think the case is likely to come on?”