“Well, then, your lord, if a man maun goo to prison for losin’ his watch, I’ll goo that’s all; but that ere man stole un.”
Mr. Newboy: “He took it, did he?”
“I object,” said Mr. Nimble; “that is a leading question.”
“Yes,” said the Judge; “I think that is rather leading,” Mr. Newboy; “you may vary the form though, and ask him whether the prisoner stole it.”
“Really, my lord,” said Mr. Nimble, “that, with very great respect, is as leading as the other form.”
“Not quite, I think, Mr. Nimble. You see in the other form, you make a positive assertion that he did steal it; in this, you merely ask the question.”
And I saw that this was a very keen and subtle distinction, such as could only be drawn by a Chancery Judge.
“Would it not be better, my lord, if he told us what took place?”
“That is what he is doing,” said the Judge; “go on, witness.”
“I say as ’ow thic feller comed out and hugged up aginst I and took ’t watch and runned away. I arter’d him, and met him coomin’ along wi’ it in ’s pocket; what can be plaainer an thic?”