“O, I know,” said Alibi; “why not let me get you before the Grand Jury at once, instead of waiting about here all day, and perhaps to-morrow and the next day, and the day after that; besides, the sooner you go before the Grand Jury, the sooner your case will come on; that stands to common sense, I think.”
“So ur do,” answered the farmer.
“You will be here a month if you don’t look out. Have you got any counsel or solicitor?”
“Noa, I beant; my case be that plaain, it spaks for itself.”
“Ah!” said Mr. Alibi; “they won’t always let a case speak for itself—they very often stop it—but if you can get a counsel for nothing, why not have one; that stands to reason, I think?”
“For nothing? well that be the fust time I ever eeard o’ a loryer as chape as thic.”
How it could pay was the wonder to Mr. Bumpkin. And what a strange delusion it must seem to the mind of the general reader! But wait, gentle peruser of this history, you shall see this strange sight.
“If you like to have a counsel and a lawyer to conduct your case, sir, it shall not cost you a farthing, I give you my word of honour! What do you think of that?”
What could Mr. Bumpkin think of that? What a pity that he had not met this gentleman before! Probably he
would have brought several actions if he had; for if you could work the machinery of the law for nothing, you would always stand to win.