This explanation rendered the next prisoner who made his appearance an object of considerable interest to me. He was a little dirty boy, who stood charged with having stolen a pound of bacon and a peg-top from a boy somewhat his junior. The young prosecutor produced a witness, who, as far as appearances went, might, without any great injustice, have taken the place of the prisoner, and who gave his evidence with considerable fluency and flippancy. His manner attracted the notice of one of the leading barristers of the court, Mr. Flappertrap, who, in cross-examining him, inquired whether he knew the nature of an oath.
"Yes, I does," said the boy.
"Explain it," said Flappertrap.
"You may be d——d," replied the lad; "that's a hoath, arn't it?"
"What does he say?" said the judge—who, as I about this period discovered, was as deaf as a post.
"He says, 'You may be d——d,' my lord," said Flappertrap, who appeared particularly glad of an opportunity to borrow a phrase, which he might use for the occasion.
"What does he mean by that?" said the judge. That is the way, my lord, he exhibits his knowledge of the nature of an oath."
"Pah! pah!" said the judge—"Boy, d'ye hear me?"
"Yes," said the boy, "I hears."
"Have you ever been to school?"