MR. O'CROWLEY Now we have conclusive evidence that this liquor is poteen, and no more serious charge could be brought against any man than to be found guilty of using such obnoxious stuff by a court of justice. As with the law of nature, so with the law of the land. He who transgresses any of nature's laws gets duly punished according to the nature of his offence. And so also with the law of the country. Mr. Fennell must be punished, and his punishment must serve as an example to others and—
MR. CASSIDY I beg your Worship's pardon. We do not always get punished for disobeying the laws of nature. Nature's strongest force is self-assertion, and excessive self-assertion is vanity, and vanity is sinful, and—
MARTIN O'FLYNN You must excuse me interrupting you, Mr. Cassidy, but that train of argument cannot be followed here.
We have proved that poteen was found in the prisoner's house, and if he did not make it himself, where then did he get it from?
MR. CASSIDY Mr. Fennel emphatically denies having anything to do with the making of the liquor found on his premises. And so far it has not been proved to either his or my satisfaction that the intoxicant is poteen.
MR. O'CROWLEY Does your client mean for a moment to cast a reflection on the police of this town, and insinuate that they don't know what poteen is?
MR. CASSIDY We are not satisfied with the decision of the police, your Worship.
MR. O'CROWLEY
Very well then, we'll give it a further test.
[Gives the decanter to the clerk, Peter Dwyer.
PETER DWYER (after tasting it) If that's not poteen, may I never wet my lips with it again.